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Abstract Ferroptosis has been shown to play a crucial role in preventing cancer development, but the underlying mechanisms of dysregulated genes and genetic alternations driving cancer development by regulating ferroptosis remain unclear. Here, we showed that the synergistic role of ELF3 overexpression and PTEN deficiency in driving lung cancer development was highly dependent on the regulation of ferroptosis. Human ELF3 (hELF3) overexpression in murine lung epithelial cells only caused hyperplasia with increased proliferation and ferroptosis. hELF3 overexpression and Pten genetic disruption significantly induced lung tumor development with increased proliferation and inhibited ferroptosis. Mechanistically, we found it was due to the induction of SCL7A11, a typical ferroptosis inhibitor, and ELF3 directly and positively regulated SCL7A11 in the PTEN-deficient background. Erastin-mediated inhibition of SCL7A11 induced ferroptosis in cells with ELF3 overexpression and PTEN deficiency and thus inhibited cell colony formation and tumor development. Clinically, human lung tumors showed a negative correlation between ELF3 and PTEN expression and a positive correlation between ELF3 and SCL7A11 in a subset of human lung tumors with PTEN-low expression. ELF3 and SCL7A11 expression levels were negatively associated with lung cancer patients’ survival rates. In summary, ferroptosis induction can effectively attenuate lung tumor development induced by ELF3 overexpression and PTEN downregulation or loss-of-function mutations.

Abstract Intrapartum fever is a common complication in parturients undergoing epidural analgesia (EA), significantly increasing the incidence of maternal and infant complications. This study aims to develop and validate a prediction model for intrapartum fever related to chorioamnionitis (IFTC) in parturients undergoing epidural analgesia. A total of 596 parturients with fever (axillary temperature ≥ 38℃) who received EA from January 2020 to December 2023 were included and randomly assigned to the training set (N = 417) and the validation set (N = 179) according to the ratio of 7:3. The independent risk factors were screened by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to develop a nomogram model. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and discrimination of the model; calibration curve was used to assess the accuracy of the model. Maximum temperature, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, C-reactive protein (CRP), gestational age and BMI were independent risk factors for predicting IFTC, and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the training set and the validation set were 0.744 (0.691–0.796) and 0.793 (0.714–0.872), respectively. The calibration curve showed good consistency between predicted and actual results. DCA curve showed that the model had clinical value throughout a broad threshold probability range. The nomogram prediction model based on CRP, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, maximum temperature, gestational age and BMI has good predictive performance for the risk of IFTC in EA parturients.

In this work, we explore the combustion mechanism of single micron-sized aluminum particles using a numerical model. The Burcat database and Catoire mechanism is considered as the thermodynamic data and the kinetic mechanism for our numerical model of aluminum combustion. Two independent experiments, including particle temperature profiles, ignition delay and burning time, are selected to evaluate the performance of the numerical model. The model shows great agreement for all considered properties. A parametric study is further conducted to identify the effect of involved physical parameters on the combustion process. The diffusion coefficient (D) of oxidizers and the activation energy of surface kinetics (Esurf) and evaporation coefficient (α) of aluminum impact the particle temperature the most. Burning time is most sensitive to the activation energy of surface kinetics (Esurf). The optical measurement in a solid propellant combustion indicates that the contact angle of the oxide cap on Al particle is between 10° and 20°. It is found that the selection of contact angle of the oxide cap significantly impacts the prediction of combustion time and residual of active aluminum. The current work highlights the importance of physical properties on the prediction of Al combustion, suggesting that more detailed evaluation from experiments and theory is encouraged.

Abstract The transition metal-catalysed dicarbofunctionalisation of unactivated alkenes normally requires exogenous strong coordinated directing groups, thus reducing the overall reaction efficiency. Here, we report a ligand-enabled Ni(II)-catalysed dicarbofunctionalisation of unactivated alkenes with aryl/alkenyl boronic acids and alkyl halides as the coupling partners with a diverse range of native functional groups as the directing group. This dicarbofunctionalisation protocol provides an efficient and direct route towards vicinal 1,2-disubstituted alkanes using primary, secondary, tertiary amides, sulfonamides, as well as secondary and tertiary amines under redox-neutral conditions that are challenging to access through conventional methods. The key to the success of this reaction is the use of a bulky β-diketone ligand, which could enable the insertion of alkene to aryl-Ni(II) species, stabilize the alkyl-Ni(II) species and inhibit the homolytic alkyl-Ni(II) cleavage, supporting by both experimental and computational studies. This dicarbofunctionalisation reaction features the use of native directing group, a broad substrate scope, and excellent scalability.

Abstract Background Activating the ubiquitin-proteasome system to dismantle disease- related proteins such as tau, β-amyloid, APP, and α-synuclein is an important focus in the research of neurodegenerative proteinopathy. By analyzing the serum RNA extracted from wild-type and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) transgenic mice at different ages (4, 8, and 12 months), this study revealed a new protective role of FBXL16 in AD, primarily through facilitating the degradation of disease-related proteins via the ubiquitin proteasome system. Methods Proteomic analysis were conducted using protein lysates from HEK293 cells overexpressing FBXL16 to identify potential interacting proteins that interact with FBXL16. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that FBXL16 promotes the proteasomal degradation of the APP protein, as evidenced by co-immunoprecipitation with MG132 and cycloheximide (CHX), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Memory and cognitive improvements were observed in 3×Tg AD mice through the use of a lentivirus-mediated approach to generate a brain-specific AD mouse model overexpressing FBXL16 via stereotaxic injection. Furthermore, a brain-specific conditional knockout (cko) FBXL16 mouse model was generated and employed to further confirm the functional role of FBXL 16 in AD via various behavioral tests including Morris water maze and Y-maze. Results The level of FBXL16 in the brains of transgenic APP/PSEN mice with AD decreased with age. Accelerated degradation of APP was observed when FBXL16 was overexpressed in the hippocampi of these AD mice via a lentivirus. This process led to notable improvements in cognitive impairments and reductions in neuroinflammation. Further studies using proteomics and bioinformatics techniques identified transcription factors and binding proteins associated with FBXL16, providing deeper insights into the potential role of FBXL16 in the regulation of AD. Finally, the in vivo effects of FBXL16 deficiency were further substantiated in cko mice, which overexpress Aβ but specifically lack FBXL16 in the brain region. Conclusions These findings suggest that FBXL16 could be a new regulator of AD. These findings provide a foundation for further research into drug development and potential therapeutic strategies to combat other related neurodegenerative proteinopathies.

Abstract Background Effective medication management is crucial for ensuring timely pain and symptom control at the end of life. Dying in pain is a major concern for patients, yet some find less effective pain control at home. Family caregivers (FCGs) play a vital role in managing pain and symptom control for dying patients. However, the experience of administering medications at home for terminal-stage patients has not been widely recognized or understood. Our study aimed to explore the experiences of FCGs in administering medications to adult dying patients. Methods We conducted a directed content analysis of data from 73 semi-structured interviews with FCGs across 19 Chinese provinces from 2021 to 2023. FCGs were recruited through the Voluntary Cooperative Network Research. We asked, “Could you recall the end-of-life care process for the patients?” We aligned the themes with the five issues identified by Wilson et al. (2018): administration, organizational skills, empowerment, relationships, and support. Results FCGs in China exhibit concerns about over-engagement and empowerment in medication administration, concealing medication information from the patient, and medication accessibility. FCGs faced significant challenges in accurately identifying and addressing pain and symptoms, determining appropriate dosages, accessing effective medications, and managing the emotional stress associated with potential medication errors. Financial burden, medication regulatory restrictions, geographical inequality, and travel restrictions during COVID impeded patients and FCGs from accessing medication. A culturally specific finding is the use of alternative medicine at the end of life. Conclusion Our findings build upon Wilson et al.‘s framework and extend their insights on empowerment, highlighting the need for policies to support home-based palliative care professionals in training FCGs for effective medication administration.

Ophthalmology is a subject that highly depends on imaging examination. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has great potential in medical imaging analysis, including image diagnosis, classification, grading, guiding treatment and evaluating prognosis. The combination of the two can realize mass screening of grass-roots eye health, making it possible to seek medical treatment in the mode of “first treatment at the grass-roots level, two-way referral, emergency and slow treatment, and linkage between the upper and lower levels”. On the basis of summarizing the AI technology carried out by scholars and their teams all over the world in the field of ophthalmology, quite a lot of studies have confirmed that machine learning can assist in diagnosis, grading, providing optimal treatment plans and evaluating prognosis in corneal and conjunctival diseases, ametropia, lens diseases, glaucoma, iris diseases, etc. This paper systematically shows the application and progress of AI technology in common anterior segment ocular diseases, the current limitations, and prospects for the future.

Abstract Background To investigate the association between serum osmolality and deteriorating renal function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods Three thousand eight hundred eighty-five AMI patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV were enrolled for this study. The primary outcome was deteriorating renal function. Secondary outcomes included the new-onset of acute kidney injury (AKI) and progress of AKI.

Abstract The question of whether artificial intelligence (AI) can surpass human capabilities is crucial in the application of AI in clinical medicine. To explore this, an interpretable deep learning (DL) model was developed to assess myopia status using retinal refraction maps obtained with a novel peripheral refractor. The DL model demonstrated promising performance, achieving an AUC of 0.9074 (95% CI 0.83–0.97), an accuracy of 0.8140 (95% CI 0.70–0.93), a sensitivity of 0.7500 (95% CI 0.51–0.90), and a specificity of 0.8519 (95% CI 0.68–0.94). Grad-CAM analysis provided interpretable visualization of the attention of DL model and revealed that the DL model utilized information from the central retina, similar to human readers. Additionally, the model considered information from vertical regions across the central retina, which human readers had overlooked. This finding suggests that AI can indeed surpass human capabilities, bolstering our confidence in the use of AI in clinical practice, especially in new scenarios where prior human knowledge is limited.

The characteristics of biomarker compounds and their occurrence states in different layers of the Permian Fengcheng Formation shale in Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin are poorly understood. By using experimental techniques such as rock pyrolysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, fluorescence thin sections, and argon ion polishing electron microscopy, the material basis of hydrocarbon source rocks in different intervals, the distribution characteristics and significance of biomarker compounds, and different occurrence states of shale oil are clarified. This is of great significance for the next step in exploration and deployment in the Mahu Sag. The shale of the Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag is mainly medium to good hydrocarbon source rocks, with type Ⅱ organic matter and in a mature evolutionary stage. The composition characteristics of biomarker compounds show high abundance of Pr and Ph, β-carotane, and C29 rearranged steranes. The C27-C28-C29 regular steranes exhibit an inverted "L" distribution, indicating that the organic matter is mainly contributed by lower aquatic organisms such as algae. Lower Pr/Ph ratios and higher gammacerane indices reflect a saline reducing sedimentary environment. Maturity parameters such as C31αβ22S/(22S+22R), C29M/C29H, and C29ββ/(ββ+αα) for hopanes and steranes indicate that the hydrocarbon source rocks are in the mature stage. In addition, the shale of the second member of the Fengcheng Formation has greater hydrocarbon generation potential and better source rock material basis than that in the first and third members. Meanwhile, biomarker compound parameters such as C20/C23TT, C21/C23TT, and Ga/C30H indicate that the second member has more contributions from algae and other organisms, and a more reducing and saline environment. The hydrocarbons in the second member are mainly in a free occurrence state, residing in intergranular and intragranular pores. The study shows that the second member of the Fengcheng Formation is more favorable for shale oil enrichment and preservation, showing a better prospect for shale oil exploration and development.

The glutenites in the Permian Upper Wuerhe Formation in the Fukang Sag of the Junggar Basin possess great potential for oil and gas exploration. However, uncertainties in the reservoir characteristics and formation mechanisms of these glutenites seriously restrict their effective exploration. The study provides a compre- hensive analysis on the characteristics, main controlling factors, and development models of glutenite reservoirs of the Upper Wuerhe Formation in the Fukang Sag of the Junggar Basin using microscopic thin sections, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that: (1) Two types of interstitial materials are observed in the glutenites of the Upper Wuerhe Formation, where the spaces between gravels are primarily interstitially filled with coarser sandy components, and the cementation mainly occurs between these sandy components. (2) The glutenites generally exhibit low porosity, with minimal pore development within gravels, while the pores in sandy interstitial materials are more developed. The reservoir space is mainly composed of intercrystalline and secondary dissolution pores. (3) Diagenetic processes related to reservoir formation mainly occur within the coarse sandy interstitial materials between gravels, mainly involving aluminosilicate dissolution, which results in abundant dissolution pores. (4) In high-energy sedimentary microfacies, such as estuary bars and underwater distributary channels, reservoirs are more favorably developed, where the reservoir space is mainly associated with feldspar dissolution. Fractures and unconformities are the main channels for acidic fluid migration. (5) During the eodiagenesis, acidic fluids, mainly atmospheric water, infiltrated along unconformities, with more significant dissolution near the Beisantai arch. During the middle diagenetic period, dissolution was mainly attributed to organic acid. (6) Three types of reservoirs are developed in the glutenites: atmospheric acid dissolution reservoirs, organic acid dissolution reservoirs, and dual-source acid superimposed dissolution reservoirs. The distribution of these reservoir types determines the exploration strategies for oil and gas reservoirs of glutenites of the Upper Wuerhe Formation in the Fukang Sag of the Junggar Basin. Glutenites in the slope and sag areas and zones of superimposed fault development are the key objectives for oil and gas exploration of glutenite reservoirs of the Upper Wuerhe Formation in Fukang Sag.

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder, and while L-arabinose has been shown to relieve it, the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of L-arabinose in constipated rat at doses of 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg body weight (B.W.). The 800 mg/kg B.W. dose significantly improved overall physiological state, stool consistency, intestinal transit, and gastric emptying. It also improved gastric, liver, and kidney function, while modulating key gastrointestinal peptides, including motilin (MTL), substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), acetylcholinesterase (AchE), endothelin-1 (ET-1), serotonin (5-HT), somatostatin (SS), gastrin (Gas), and nitric oxide (NO). In addition, the 800 mg/kg dose notably increased goblet cell numbers, mucus layer thickness, and beneficial gut microbes such as Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Muribaculum intestinale. It also upregulated the expression of Cd38, Phlpp2, Muc3, and Acat2, while downregulating Cd34, C1qa, and C1qc. These results indicate that L-arabinose not only alleviates constipation but also enhances immune function and regulates signaling pathways, restoring gastrointestinal peptides to near-normal levels.

BackgroundCardiac arrest (CA) triggers a systemic inflammatory response, resulting in brain and cardiovascular dysfunction. The red blood cell distribution width (RDW)-to-albumin ratio (RAR) has been widely explored in various inflammation-related diseases. However, the predictive value of RAR for the prognosis of CA remains unclear. We aimed to explore the correlation between the RAR index and the 30- and 180-day mortality risks in post-CA patients.MethodsClinical data were extracted from the MIMIC-IV database. The enrolled patients were divided into three tertiles based on their RAR levels (4.5). Restricted cubic spline, Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival curves, and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to explicate the relationship between the RAR index and all-cause mortality risk. Subgroup analyses were also conducted to increase stability and reliability. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the predictive ability of the RAR index, red blood cell distribution width, and serum albumin for 180-day all-cause mortality.ResultsA total of 612 patients were eligible, including 390 men, with a mean age of 64.1 years. A non-linear relationship was observed between the RAR index and 180-day all-cause mortality, with a hazards ratio (HR) >1 when the RAR level exceeded 4.54. The K-M survival curve preliminarily indicated that patients in higher tertiles (T2 and T3) of the RAR index presented lower 30- and 180-day survival rates. An elevated RAR index was significantly associated with an increased 30-day [adjusted HR: 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.15] and 180-day (adjusted HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.16) mortality risk. According to the ROC curve analysis, the RAR index outperformed the RDW and albumin in predicting all-cause 180-day mortality [0.6404 (0.5958–0.6850) vs. 0.6226 (0.5774–0.6679) vs. 0.3841 (0.3390–0.4291)]. The prognostic value of the RAR index for 180-day mortality was consistent across subgroups, and a significant interaction was observed in patients who were white, those with chronic pulmonary disease, or those without cerebrovascular disease.ConclusionThe RAR index is an independent risk factor for 30- and 180-day all-cause mortality in post-CA patients. The higher the RAR index, the higher the mortality. An elevated RAR index may be positively associated with adverse prognosis in post-CA patients, which can remind clinicians to quickly assess these patients.

Background: Previous studies have reported that running exercise could improves myelinization in hippocampus. However, the effects of running exercise on the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes, and myelination surrounding Aβ plaques in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain have not been reported. Methods: Forty 10-month-old male APP/PS1 AD mice were randomly divided into the AD group and the AD running (AD+RUN) group, while 20 age-matched wild-type littermate mice were included in the WT group. The running group received three-month voluntary running exercise in a running cage, while the AD and WT groups were untreated. After the exercise intervention, all mice were given behavioral tests. The total number of mature oligodendrocytes (CC1+) in the mPFC of mice was precisely quantified using unbiased stereology. Myelin basic protein (MBP) and Aβ plaque, as well as the fluorescence area of MBP surrounding Aβ plaques, and the density and morphology of PDGFα+ cells in the mPFC were analyzed using immunofluorescence. Results: The levels of working memory, cognitive memory, spatial learning and memory ability were decreased significantly in the AD group compared to the WT group, while these functions were significantly improved in the AD+RUN group compared to the AD group. The Aβ plaques in the mPFC were significantly reduced in the AD+RUN group compared to the AD group. The total number of CC1+ cells and the percentage of MBP fluorescence area surrounding Aβ plaques in the mPFC were significantly lower in the AD group compared to the WT group, but they were significantly higher in the AD+RUN group compared to the AD group. The density and branching complexity of PDGFα+ cells surrounding Aβ plaques in the mPFC were significantly higher in the AD group than in the WT group, while the AD+RUN group showed significantly lower density and branching complexity than the AD group. Changes in MBP expression around Aβ plaques, cell density and cell branching complexity of PDGFα+ cells around Aβ plaques were closely related to the number of Aβ plaques in mPFC, and they were also closely related to behavioral changes in mice. Conclusions: Voluntary running exercise could reduce Aβ plaque deposition and promote the maturation and myelination capacity of oligodendrocytes surrounding Aβ plaques in the mPFC of AD mice, thereby improving the learning and memory abilities of APP/PS1 transgenic AD mice.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are critical in shaping an immunosuppressive microenvironment to favor tumor progression and resistance to therapies. However, the heterogeneity and function of Treg cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain underexplored. We identified CD177 as a tumor-infiltrating Treg cell marker in ESCC. Interestingly, expression levels of CD177 and PD-1 were mutually exclusive in tumor Treg cells. CD177+ Treg cells expressed high levels of IL35, in association with CD8+ T cell exhaustion, whereas PD-1+ Treg cells expressed high levels of IL10. Pan-cancer analysis revealed that CD177+ Treg cells display increased clonal expansion compared to PD-1+ and double-negative (DN) Treg cells, and CD177+ and PD-1+ Treg cells develop from the same DN Treg cell origin. Importantly, we found CD177+ Treg cell infiltration to be associated with poor overall survival and poor response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in ESCC patients. Finally, we found that lymphatic endothelial cells are associated with CD177+ Treg cell accumulation in ESCC tumors, which are also decreased after anti-PD-1 immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. Our work identifies CD177+ Treg cell as a tumor-specific Treg cell subset and highlights their potential value as a prognostic marker of survival and response to immunotherapy and a therapeutic target in ESCC.

Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) is a rare and highly malignant type of esophageal cancer with no standard treatment, facing challenges of resistance to conventional therapies. This study presents the cases of one extensive-stage and two limited-stage SCCE patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy. The two limited-stage patients underwent surgery post-treatment and experienced notable and enduring positive responses. This represents the first documented application of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in limited-stage SCCE patients. Additionally, comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis and whole exome sequencing were performed on the case patients. The findings revealed that infiltration of CD8+ T cells and PD-L1 expression in the SCCE tumor were key factors for favorable responses in SCCE patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy.

Visual geo-localization using prior map of known environments has extensive applications in the fields such as self-driving, augmented reality and navigation. Currently, such prior maps are usually constructed by visual SLAM or SFM. However, the recent advances in LiDAR SLAM technology with RGB camera demonstrate great potential in efficient and accurate prior map construction and visual geo-localization. In this research, we developed a novel prior map construction approach which seamlessly integrates a handheld LiDAR SLAM system, a global LiDAR localization algorithm and a sparse set of terrestrial LiDAR scans as accurate control within a factor graph optimization framework. The developed LiDAR SLAM system augmented by terrestrial LiDAR scans achieves an improved mapping accuracy of 8 cm under GNSS-denied conditions in the areas over 50,000 m2 while the state-of-art FAST-LIO2 alone fails and produces a mapping error over 30 m. The results show that a competitive accuracy of visual geo-localization on a mobile phone using the constructed prior map is achieved (i.e. 60 and 76 cm in two tests respectively). Finally, this work also demonstrates a novel LiDAR point cloud fusion method that produces optimized and consistent coarse-to-fine 3D reconstruction in large and complex scenes.

Abstract Background We investigated the feasibility of the tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) as a prognostic marker for penile squamous cell carcinoma(SCC). Methods We retrospectively collected data from 83 patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma. H&E-stained slides were reviewed for TLS density. In addition, clinical parameters were analyzed, the prognostic value of these parameters on overall survival (OS) was evaluated using ‒ Kaplan–Meier survival curves, and the prognostic value of influencing factors was evaluated using Cox multifactor design nomogram analysis. Result BMI, T, N, and M are significant in the survival curve with or without tertiary lymphoid structure. BMI, T, N, M and TLS were used to construct a prognostic model for penile squamous cell carcinoma, and the prediction accuracy reached a consensus of 0.884(0.835–0.932), and the decision consensus reached 0.581(0.508–0.655). Conclusion TLS may be a positive prognostic factor for penile squamous cell carcinoma, and the combination of BMI, T, N and M can better evaluate the prognosis of patients.

Abstract Titanium and its alloys have been widely applied in many biomedical fields because of its excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility. However, problems such as rejection, shedding and infection will occur after titanium alloy implantation due to the low biological activity of titanium alloy surface. The structures with specific functions, which can enhance osseointegration and antibacterial properties, are fabricated on the surface of titanium implants to improve the biological activity between the titanium implants and human tissues. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments and applications of surface functional structure in titanium and titanium alloy implants. The applications of surface functional structure on different titanium and titanium alloy implants are introduced, and their manufacturing technologies are summarized and compared. Furthermore, the fabrication of various surface functional structures used for titanium and titanium alloy implants is reviewed and analyzed in detail. Finally, the challenges affecting the development of surface functional structures applied in titanium and titanium alloy implants are outlined, and recommendations for future research are presented.

Abstract Purpose To analyze the situation and influencing factors of patients returning to work after spinal surgery, and to provide reference for clinical intervention measures of patients returning to work after spinal surgery. Methods A computer search was conducted in Chinese and English database on the situation and influencing factors of patients returning to work after spinal surgery from the establishment of the database to February 2023. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and StataMP 17.0 software. Results A total of 10 literatures were included, involving 11,548 subjects. Meta-analysis results showed that 58% of patients returned to work after spinal surgery [95%CI (0.47–0.69)]. Gender [OR = 2.41, 95%CI (1.58–3.37)], age [OR = 1.32, 95%CI (1.03–1.51)], job nature [OR = 5.94, 95%CI (3.54–9.62)], education level [OR = 0.23, 95%CI (0.06–0.48)], fear of disease progression [OR = 0.82, 95%CI (0.84–0.95)], and social support [OR = 1.21, 95%CI (1.12–1.37)] were the influencing factors for patients returning to work after spinal surgery. Conclusion The rate of patients returning to work after spinal surgery is low, and is affected by many factors. Medical personnel should pay comprehensive attention to the above high-risk groups and give timely intervention and support.

Abstract The potential long-term effects of anesthesia on cognitive development, especially in neonates and infants, have raised concerns. However, our understanding of its underlying mechanisms and effective treatments is still limited. In this study, we found that early exposure to isoflurane (ISO) impaired fear memory retrieval, which was reversed by dexmedetomidine (DEX) pre-treatment. Measurement of c-fos expression revealed that ISO exposure significantly increased neuronal activation in the zona incerta (ZI). Fiber photometry recording showed that ZI neurons from ISO mice displayed enhanced calcium activity during retrieval of fear memory compared to the control group, while DEX treatment reduced this enhanced calcium activity. Chemogenetic inhibition of ZI neurons effectively rescued the impairments caused by ISO exposure. These findings suggest that the ZI may play a pivotal role in mediating the cognitive effects of anesthetics, offering a potential therapeutic target for preventing anesthesia-related cognitive impairments.

Abstract Background Robotic‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) can achieve traditional clinical outcomes comparable to those of video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). However, patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) during the early period after RATS and VATS remain unclear. This study aimed to utilize longitudinal electronic PRO (ePRO) assessments to evaluate symptom burden and functional status between these approaches from patients' perspective. Methods This study comprised patients who underwent lobectomy via RATS or VATS for non‐small cell lung cancer. We collected multiple‐time‐point PROs data from the prospective longitudinal study via an ePRO system. Symptom severity and function status were assessed using the perioperative symptom assessment for patients undergoing lung surgery and were analyzed between groups using linear mixed‐effects models. Results Of the 164 patients, 42 underwent RATS and 122 underwent VATS. After propensity score matching (PSM), 42 RATS and 84 VATS exhibited similar baseline characteristics. During the 7‐day postoperative period, participants underwent RATS reported milder pain (p = 0.014), coughing (p

Abstract Objective We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of inverted triangular cannulated compression screws combined with Gotfried positive or negative buttress reduction in the healing of femoral neck fractures. Methods Between October 2017 and March 2021, 55 patients with femoral neck fractures underwent treatment using inverted triangular cannulated compression screws combined with Gotfried positive or negative buttress reduction. Among these patients, 29 received inverted triangular cannulated compression screws combined with Gotfried positive buttress reduction treatment. This group consisted of 16 males and 13 females, with an average age of 43.45 ± 8.23 years. Additionally, 26 patients received inverted triangular cannulated compression nails combined with Gotfried negative buttress reduction treatment. This group included 14 males and 12 females, with an average age of 41.96 ± 8.69 years. Postsurgery, various measurements were taken, including the degree of shortening of the femoral neck, degree of bone nonunion, degree of fixation failure, degree of ischemic necrosis of the femoral head, and Harris score of the hip joint. Results All patients were followed up for a minimum of 18 months. The group that underwent treatment with an inverted triangular cannulated compression screw combined with Gotfried positive buttress reduction did not experience any cases of bone nonunion, fixation failure, or ischemic necrosis of the femoral head. In the group that received treatment with inverted triangle cannulated compression screws combined with Gotfried negative buttress reduction, there was one case of bone nonunion, three cases of early fixation failure, and one case of ischemic necrosis. Ultimately, five patients (19.23% of the total) underwent joint replacement surgery. The average shortening lengths in the vertical plane were 4.07 ± 1.98 mm and 8.08 ± 3.54 mm, respectively. In the horizontal plane, the average shortening lengths were 3.90 ± 1.57 mm and 7.77 ± 3.31 mm, respectively. At the last follow-up, the group that received Gotfried positive buttress reduction had a greater Harris hip joint score. Conclusion The success rate of combining inverted triangular cannulated compression screws with Gotfried positive buttress reduction surgery is relatively high. This surgical approach effectively prevents femoral neck shortening and improves hip joint function. Moreover, it is crucial to avoid negative buttress reduction when managing femoral neck fractures.

Unconventional oil and gas resources have large reserves and are difficult to develop. Reservoir fracturing is a key technical means for the development of unconventional oil and gas resources. Natural fractures and induced fractures are irregular and complex. To address the issue that existing fracture characterization methods cannot accurately depict the true shapes and width variations of fractures, a method based on unstructured PEBI grids for characterizing irregular and complex fractures was proposed. First, a natural fracture characterization process based on PEBI grids was established, allowing for accurate characterization of natural fractures in any region or a specified area. Second, a characterization and optimization method for induced fractures based on Delaunay triangulation and PEBI grids was developed, analyzing the impact of grid size and optimization iterations on fracture characterization accuracy. Third, a method for characterizing non-planar fractures using unstructured grids was established, enabling the depiction of curved fractures, making the fracture morphology and distribution more consistent with actual conditions. Fourth, a method for characterizing non-uniform fracture width was proposed, achieving fine characterization of fractures with non-uniform distribution of width and conductivity along the same fracture. Fifth, a complex fracture network characterization method coupling irregular induced fractures and irregular natural fractures in the whole area and specified regions was realized. For fracture network characterization under complex conditions such as large-scale intersections of natural and induced fractures, non-uniform fracture width distribution, and non-planar frac- tures, adjusting the number of grid optimization iterations could improve the quality of the fracture network characterization. Utilizing the advantage of PEBI grids to flexibly and accurately approximate complex fracture boundary conditions, this method enabled the rapid and accurate handling of a large number of irregular natural and induced fractures. The developed method for characterizing irregular and complex fractures helps improve the accuracy of fracture network characterization and numerical simulation calculations in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.

Based on the organic geochemical data and the molecular and stable carbon isotopic compositions of natural gas of the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation in the western Central Depression of Junggar Basin, combined with sedimentary environment analysis and hydrocarbon-generating simulation, the gas-generating potential of the Fengcheng source rock is evaluated, the distribution of large-scale effective source kitchen is described, the genetic types of natural gas are clarified, and four types of favorable exploration targets are selected. The results show that: (1) The Fengcheng Formation is a set of oil-prone source rocks, and the retained liquid hydrocarbon is conducive to late cracking into gas, with characteristics of high gas-generating potential and late accumulation; (2) The maximum thickness of Fengcheng source rock reaches 900 m. The source rock has entered the main gas-generating stage in Penyijingxi and Shawan sags, and the area with gas-generating intensity greater than 20×108 m3/km2 is approximately 6 500 km2. (3) Around the western Central Depression, highly mature oil-type gas with light carbon isotope composition was identified to be derived from the Fengcheng source rocks mainly, while the rest was coal-derived gas from the Carboniferous source rock; (4) Four types of favorable exploration targets with exploration potential were developed in the western Central Depression which are structural traps neighboring to the source, stratigraphic traps neighboring to the source, shale-gas type within the source, and structural traps within the source. Great attention should be paid to these targets.

Abstract Tight sandstone reservoirs are significant sources of natural gas reserves. As traditional reserves become increasingly scarce and costly, optimizing the development of these reservoirs becomes crucial. This study introduces a novel two-phase gas–water flow model for single wells, incorporating both Darcy and non-Darcy flow equations. These equations are derived from mass conservation and momentum principles for both gas and water phases. Using data from a real tight gas well, our model, which includes stress-sensitive phases for gas and water, outperforms traditional Darcy flow models. Specifically, the average relative deviations in daily production rates were 0.1815% for gas and − 0.2677% for water, which are significantly smaller compared to traditional Darcy flow models. Further application of the non-Darcy flow model reveals strategies to enhance well performance. For example, mitigating liquid lock damage within a 2 m radius near the well could restore the permeability from 0.045 to 0.143 mD, thereby tripling the daily gas production. This non-Darcy flow model is easy to implement and shows significant potential in forecasting production yields in tight sandstone reservoirs, highlighting its importance in the petroleum and natural gas industry.

BackgroundTai Chi and Baduanjin are nonpharmacological interventions that are widely applied among cancer patients.ObjectiveThis meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of Tai Chi and Baduanjin on breast cancer patients by summarizing and pooling the results of previous studies.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library and several databases were searched up to December 1, 2023, to identify high-quality RCTs. Relevant terms such as Tai Chi and Baduanjin were used as keywords. Stata 15.0 software and Review Manager (version 5.3; Cochrane Training) were used to screen the studies, extract the data, code the data, and perform the meta-analysis. The mean differences (MDs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were used to calculate continuous variables. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The PICOS framework was used to develop the following eligibility criteria: (i) population - breast cancer patients; (ii) intervention - Tai Chi and Baduanjin intervention; (iii) comparison - Tai Chi and Baduanjin group and different intervention (e.g., regular intervention, routine rehabilitation training, waiting list, sham Qigong, usual care, no intervention); (iv) outcomes - cognitive ability, shoulder joint function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep quality, quality of life; and (v) study design - randomized controlled trial.ResultsFrom January 2013 to December 2023, we included a total of 16 RCTs involving 1247 patients. A total of 647 patients were in the experimental group and were treated with Tai Chi and Baduanjin, while 600 patients were in the control group and were treated with traditional methods. The results of our meta-analysis indicate that Tai Chi and Baduanjin yield outcomes that are comparable to those of traditional treatment methods. Specifically, Tai Chi and Baduanjin significantly increased cognitive function, increased shoulder joint function, improved sleep quality indicators and improved quality of life indicators. Furthermore, Tai Chi and Baduanjin significantly reduced anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and fatigue symptoms among breast cancer patients. Sensitivity analysis was performed, a funnel plot was constructed. No publication bias was indicated by Egger’s or Begg’s test.ConclusionOverall, Tai Chi and Baduanjin are viable and effective nonpharmacological approaches for treating breast cancer patients, as they yield better results than traditional treatment methods. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of controlled trials, small sample sizes, and low quality of the evidence.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023469301.

Particle decays are always accompanied by the emission of graviton quanta of gravity through bremsstrahlung processes. However, the corresponding branching ratio is suppressed by the square of the ratio of particle's mass to the Planck scale. The resulting present abundance of gravitational waves (GWs), composed of gravitons, is analogously suppressed. We show that superheavy particles, as heavy as the Planck scale, can be naturally produced during the post-inflationary reheating stage in the early Universe and their decays yield dramatic amounts of GWs over broad frequency range. GW observations could hence directly probe Planck-scale physics, notoriously challenging to explore.

Abstract Background Rectal temperature (RT) is an important index of core temperature, which has guiding significance for the diagnosis and treatment of pet diseases. Objectives Development and evaluation of an alternative method based on machine learning to determine the core temperatures of cats and dogs using surface temperatures. Animals 200 cats and 200 dogs treated between March 2022 and May 2022. Methods A group of cats and dogs were included in this study. The core temperatures and surface body temperatures were measured. Multiple machine learning methods were trained using a cross-validation approach and evaluated in one retrospective testing set and one prospective testing set. Results The machine learning models could achieve promising performance in predicting the core temperatures of cats and dogs using surface temperatures. The root mean square errors (RMSE) were 0.25 and 0.15 for cats and dogs in the retrospective testing set, and 0.15 and 0.14 in the prospective testing set. Conclusion The machine learning model could accurately predict core temperatures for companion animals of cats and dogs using easily obtained body surface temperatures.

Abstract Different from the Qaidam basin with about 320 billion m3 microbial gas, only limited microbial gases were found from the Junggar basin with similarly abundant type III kerogen. To determine whether microbial gases have not yet identified, natural gas samples from the Carboniferous to Cretaceous in the Junggar basin have been analyzed for chemical and stable isotope compositions. The results reveal some of the gases from the Mahu sag, Zhongguai, Luliang and Wu-Xia areas in the basin may have mixed with microbial gas leading to straight ethane to butane trends with a “dogleg” light methane in the Chung’s plot. Primary microbial gas from degradation of immature sedimentary organic matter is found to occur in the Mahu sag and secondary microbial gas from biodegradation of oils and propane occurred in the Zhongguai, Luliang and Beisantai areas where the associated oils were biodegraded to produce calcites with δ13C values from + 22.10‰ to + 22.16‰ or propane was biodegraded leading to its 13C enrichment. Microbial CH4 in the Mahu sag is most likely to have migrated up from the Lower Wuerhe Formation coal-bearing strata by the end of the Triassic, and secondary microbial gas in Zhongguai and Beisantan uplifts may have generated after the reservoirs were uplifted during the period of the Middle and Late Jurassic. This study suggests widespread distribution of microbial gas and shows the potential to find large microbial gas accumulation in the basin.

Abstract Background Image denoising technology removes noise from the corrupted image by utilizing different features between image and noise. Convolutional neural network (CNN)-based algorithms have been the concern of the recent progress on diverse image restoration problems and become an efficient solution in image denoising. Objective Although a quite number of existing CNN-based image denoising methods perform well on the simplified additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) model, their performance often degrades severely on the real-world noisy images which are corrupted by more complicated noise. Methods In this paper, we utilized the multi-task learning (MTL) framework to integrate multiple loss functions for collaborative training of CNN. This approach aims to improve the denoising performance of CNNs on real-world images with non-Gaussian noise. Simultaneously, to automatically optimize the weights of individual sub-tasks within the MTL framework, we incorporated a self-learning weight layer into the CNN. Results Extensive experiments demonstrate that our approach effectively enhances the denoising performance of CNN-based image denoising algorithms on real-world images. It reduces excessive image smoothing, improves quantitative metrics, and enhances visual quality in the restored images. Conclusion Our method shows the effectiveness of the improved performance of denoising CNNS for real-world image denoising processing.

Background Myocardial ischemia is a prevalent cardiovascular disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While prompt restoration of blood flow is essential for improving patient outcomes, the subsequent reperfusion process can result in myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI). Mitophagy, a specialized autophagic mechanism, has consistently been implicated in various cardiovascular disorders. However, the specific connection between ischemia–reperfusion and mitophagy remains elusive. This study aims to elucidate and validate central mitophagy-related genes associated with MIRI through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. Methods We acquired the microarray expression profile dataset (GSE108940) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using GEO2R. Subsequently, these DEGs were cross-referenced with the mitophagy database, and differential nucleotide sequence analysis was performed through enrichment analysis. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was employed to identify hub genes, followed by clustering of these hub genes using cytoHubba and MCODE within Cytoscape software. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted on central genes. Additionally, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were conducted to validate the expression patterns of pivotal genes in MIRI rat model and H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Results A total of 2719 DEGs and 61 mitophagy-DEGs were identified, followed by enrichment analyses and the construction of a PPI network. HSP90AA1, RPS27A, EEF2, EIF4A1, EIF2S1, HIF-1α, and BNIP3 emerged as the seven hub genes identified by cytoHubba and MCODE of Cytoscape software. Functional clustering analysis of HIF-1α and BNIP3 yielded a score of 9.647, as determined by Cytoscape (MCODE). In our MIRI rat model, Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed a significant elevation in the expression of HIF-1α and BNIP3, accompanied by a notable increase in the ratio of LC3II to LC3I. Subsequently, qPCR confirmed a significant upregulation of HIF-1α, BNIP3, and LC3 mRNA in the MIRI group. Activation of the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway mediates the regulation of the degree of Mitophagy, thereby effectively reducing apoptosis in rat H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Conclusions This study has identified seven central genes among mitophagy-related DEGs that may play a pivotal role in MIRI, suggesting a correlation between the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway of mitophagy and the pathogenesis of MIRI. The findings highlight the potential importance of mitophagy in MIRI and provide valuable insights into underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for further exploration in future studies.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different exogenous additives on the physicochemical properties and volatile flavor substances of crispy fried spareribs. Results showed that the addition of rattan pepper, Houttuynia cordata, Litsea, and plum had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the texture properties of crispy fried spareribs. These ingredients had a certain effect on the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value of crispy fried spareribs, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Moreover, they could improve the sensory scores of crispy fried spareribs to a certain extent. A total of 91 volatile flavor substances were identified from 5 groups of crispy fried spareribs. Adding exogenous additives increased the types and contents of volatile flavor substances in crispy fried spareribs and increased the contents of key volatile flavor substances such as 1-octen-3-ol, linalool, 1-hexanol, and 1-dodecen-3-ol. Combined with sensory scores and physicochemical indexes, these findings showed that adding rattan pepper, H. cordata, Litsea, and plum could improve the taste and quality of crispy fried spareribs, thus having good application prospects.

Clinical decisions based on the test results for prostate-specific antigen often result in overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) can be used to identify high-grade prostate cancer (HGPCa; Gleason score ≥3 + 4); however, certain limitations remain such as inter-reader variability and false negatives. The combination of mpMRI and prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers (prostate-specific antigen density, Proclarix, TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion, Michigan prostate score, ExoDX prostate intelliscore, four kallikrein score, select molecular diagnosis, prostate health index, and prostate health index density) demonstrates high accuracy in the diagnosis of HGPCa, ensuring that patients avoid unnecessary prostate biopsies with a low leakage rate. This manuscript describes the characteristics and diagnostic performance of each biomarker alone and in combination with mpMRI, with the intension to provide a basis for decision-making in the diagnosis and treatment of HGPCa. Additionally, we explored the applicability of the combination protocol to the Asian population.

BackgroundSerious games (SGs) are nonpharmacological interventions that are widely applied among older adults. To date, no evidence has been published regarding the effect of digital SGs on cognitive ability, daily behavioral capacity, or depression in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the effect of SGs on older adults with AD and MCI by summarizing and pooling the results of previous studies. MethodsThis meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of digital SGs in improving cognitive ability, enhancing daily behavioral capacity, and alleviating depression in older adults with AD and MCI. We searched the following databases up to December 31, 2023, to identify relevant high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs): PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Stata 15.1 and Review Manager 5.3 were used to screen the 14 studies, extract data, code the data, and perform meta-analysis. Mean differences and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were used to calculate continuous variables. The Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Eligibility criteria were developed in accordance with the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study Design framework: (1) population (older adults with AD and MCI), (2) intervention (digital SG intervention), (3) comparison (digital SG intervention vs routine health care), (4) outcomes (cognitive ability, daily behavioral capacity, and depression), and (5) study or research design (RCT). Sensitivity analysis was performed, and a funnel plot was constructed. ResultsFrom January 2017 to December 2023, we enrolled 714 individuals across 14 RCTs, with 374 (52.4%) in the severe game group using digital SGs and 340 (47.6%) in the control group using traditional methods. The results of our meta-analysis indicated that using digital SGs in older adults with AD and MCI is more effective than traditional training methods in several key areas. Specifically, digital SG therapy significantly increased cognitive ability, as found in the Mini-Mental State Examination (SMD 2.11, 95% CI 1.42-2.80; P

The effects of irradiation on pork quality characteristics were investigated by combining sensory experiments, pork color, TBARS, volatile components, and differential metabolites. Pork irradiated at a dose of 1 kGy received the highest sensory scores, whereas pork irradiated at doses of 3 and 5 kGy obtained lower sensory scores, particularly with regard to odor. Irradiation makes pork more ruddy and promotes fat oxidation, leading to increased a* and TBARS values. The main volatile substances in irradiated pork were hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and alcohols, and hexanal, heptanal, and valeric acid were considered as important substances responsible for the generation of radiation-induced off-flavors. 65 differential metabolites were identified. l-pyroglutamic acid, l-glutamate, l-proline, fumarate acids, betaine, and l-anserine were considered as the main substances contributing to the differences in pork quality. In addition, metabolic pathways such as arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism were found to be considerably affected by irradiation.

When the electrocardiogram of acute pulmonary embolism is similar to that of acute myocardial infarction, it is difficult to distinguish between the two diseases quickly and effectively. We present the case of a 50-year-old man with acute pulmonary embolism. His electrocardiogram showed subtotal occlusion of the left main coronary artery with ST segment depression in I, II, aVF, V3 to V6, ST segment elevation in aVR, V1 and S1Q3T3. Invasive coronary angiography did not show coronary artery stenosis, then pulmonary angiography was performed quickly which showed massive bilateral acute pulmonary embolism. Electrocardiogram cannot effectively distinguish acute pulmonary embolism from subtotal occlusion of the left main coronary artery. For patients with hemodynamic instability, if ultrasound cannot be performed in time, the combination of invasive coronary angiography and pulmonary angiography can be an option to distinguish acute pulmonary embolism from subtotal occlusion of the left main coronary artery and to treat.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an aggressive tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, which is a major public health concern worldwide. Despite numerous studies, the precise mechanism of metastasis behind its progression remains elusive. As a member of the containing olfactomedin domains protein family, olfactomedin 2 (OLFM2) may play a role in tumor metastasis. It is highly expressed in colorectal cancer, and its role in the metastasis of CRC is still unclear. As such, this study seeks to explore the function of OLFM2 on CRC metastasis and its potential mechanisms. Methods Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to study the expression of OLFM2 in human CRC and adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown and overexpression OLFM2 cell lines were constructed using siRNA and overexpression plasmids to explore the role of OLFM2 in the migration and invasion of CRC through transwell, and wound healing experiments. Finally, the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -related proteins and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins was investigated using western blotting. Results In this study, we observed an elevation of OLFM2 expression levels in CRC tissues. To investigate the function of OLFM2, we overexpressed and knocked down OLFM2. We discovered that OLFM2 knockdown inhibited migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, E-cadherin expression increased while N-cadherin and Vimentin expression were opposite. It is no surprise that overexpressing OLFM2 had the opposite effects. We also identified that OLFM2 knockdown resulted in reduced TGF-βR1 and downstream molecules p-Smad2 and p-Smad3, which are related to the TGF-β / Smad pathway. In contrast, overexpressing OLFM2 significantly boosted their expression levels. Conclusion The protein OLFM2 has been identified as a crucial determinant in the progression of CRC. Its mechanism of action involves the facilitation of EMT through the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Given its pivotal role in CRC, OLFM2 has emerged as a promising diagnostic and therapeutic target for the disease. These results indicate the potential of OLFM2 as a valuable biomarker for CRC diagnosis and treatment and highlight the need for further research exploring its clinical significance.

Abstract Social recognition encompasses encoding social information and distinguishing unfamiliar from familiar individuals to form social relationships. Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to play a role in social behavior, how identity information is processed and by which route it is communicated in the brain remains unclear. Here we report that a ventral midline thalamic area, nucleus reuniens (Re) that has reciprocal connections with the mPFC, is critical for social recognition in male mice. In vivo single-unit recordings and decoding analysis reveal that neural populations in both mPFC and Re represent different social stimuli, however, mPFC coding capacity is stronger. We demonstrate that chemogenetic inhibitions of Re impair the mPFC-Re neural synchronization and the mPFC social coding. Projection pathway-specific inhibitions by optogenetics reveal that the reciprocal connectivity between the mPFC and the Re is necessary for social recognition. These results reveal an mPFC-thalamic circuit for social information processing.

Abstract Ethylene/α-olefin copolymers are produced in huge scale and widely used, but their after-use disposal has caused plastic pollution problems. Their chemical inertness made chemical re/upcycling difficult. Ideally, PE materials should be made de novo to have a circular closed-loop lifecycle. However, synthesis of circular ethylene/α-olefin copolymers, including high-volume, linear low-density PE as well as high-value olefin elastomers and block copolymers, presents a particular challenge due to difficulties in introducing branches while simultaneously installing chemical recyclability and directly using industrial ethylene and α-olefin feedstocks. Here we show that coupling of industrial coordination copolymerization of ethylene and α-olefins with a designed functionalized chain-transfer agent, followed by modular assembly of the resulting AB telechelic polyolefin building blocks by polycondensation, affords a series of ester-linked PE-based copolymers. These new materials not only retain thermomechanical properties of PE-based materials but also exhibit full chemical circularity via simple transesterification and markedly enhanced adhesion to polar surfaces.

Abstract Worldwide, the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasing annually, resulting in greater economic and social burdens. Moreover, the pathological mechanisms of MDD and the mechanisms underlying the effects of pharmacological treatments for MDD are complex and unclear, and additional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for MDD still are needed. The currently widely accepted theories of MDD pathogenesis include the neurotransmitter and receptor hypothesis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hypothesis, cytokine hypothesis, neuroplasticity hypothesis and systemic influence hypothesis, but these hypothesis cannot completely explain the pathological mechanism of MDD. Even it is still hard to adopt only one hypothesis to completely reveal the pathogenesis of MDD, thus in recent years, great progress has been made in elucidating the roles of multiple organ interactions in the pathogenesis MDD and identifying novel therapeutic approaches and multitarget modulatory strategies, further revealing the disease features of MDD. Furthermore, some newly discovered potential pharmacological targets and newly studied antidepressants have attracted widespread attention, some reagents have even been approved for clinical treatment and some novel therapeutic methods such as phototherapy and acupuncture have been discovered to have effective improvement for the depressive symptoms. In this work, we comprehensively summarize the latest research on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of MDD, preventive approaches and therapeutic medicines, as well as the related clinical trials.

Objective The Changle-Zhao'an fault zone is one of the primary active faults running along the coast of the Fujian Province. This fault zone has induced several destructive earthquakes and is thus a principal seismogenic structure in the Fujian Province. Therefore, tight constraints on the Late Quaternary activity of the Changle-Zhao'an fault zone has significant significance. Methods Based on field survey along the Dongshan segment of the eastern branch of the Changle-Zhao'an fault in the Dongshan County, Fujian Province, the timing for the motion of this fault portion was determined to be between (34.8±8.3) ka and (48.0±3.5) ka by using K-feldspar luminescence dating of the strata above the fault break point and footwall. Results This indicates that the fault remained active since the Late Pleistocene. Furthermore, we estimated the potential maximum seismicity along the fault using the empirical relationship between magnitude (M) and fault dislocation (D). Conclusion Determination of a Late Pleistocene active fault, along with the estimate of the maximum earthquake magnitude, provides precise chronological evidence for understanding the activity of the Changle-Zhao'an fault zone. Our results thus serves as an important basis for conducting urban safety assessments in Dongshan County.

Abstract At present, without any separate rate test for each layer, there is no way to determinate the properties of individual layers for separately fractured wells with commingled production in multi-layered reservoirs. In order to address this issue, much research work was performed and elucidated in this article. To begin with, we illustrated a basic physical model for a separately fractured well in a multi-layered reservoir. Next, we stated the common determination method that can only be used to gain the average properties of multi-layered reservoirs. Then, according to the physical model, we newly established a mathematical model and plotted standard well-test type curves; additionally, we also discussed why we cannot determinate the properties of individual layers by using the new well-test model. What’s more, we presented a new method to determinate the properties of individual layers. Moreover, we compared the advantages and disadvantages among the three methods. In addition, by using the new determination method, we particularly took two field wells as examples to demonstrate how to determine the properties of individual layers. The proposed new method was validated by use of the common method, the new well-test model and the microseismic monitoring results. At the end, we summarized the research conclusions and indicated that the new method was a good tool to determinate the properties of individual layers in multi-layered reservoirs.

Abstract Background Patients with degenerative spinal deformity often experience symptoms that seriously affect their quality of life, such as low back pain and dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between paravertebral muscle function and pelvic incidence (PI) and their effect on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with degenerative spinal deformity. Methods A total of 112 patients with degenerative spinal deformity in Southwest Hospital (Chongqing, China) were enrolled. They were divided into groups according to PI angle: high (PI > 60°, n = 37), normal (PI 50°–60°, n = 31), and low (PI 0.05). There was no significant difference in endurance time, SVA, ODI, RMQ, and SF-36 among the three groups. Paravertebral muscle MVE was negatively correlated with PI, SVA, ODI, and RMQ (r = − 0.193, − 0.210, − 0.283, − 0.277, p

Amyloid-beta-induced neuronal cell death contributes to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. Citri Reticulatae Semen has diverse beneficial effects on neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, however, the effect of Citri Reticulatae Semen on Alzheimer’s disease remains unelucidated. In the current study, the anti-apoptotic and autophagic roles of Citri Reticulatae Semen extract on amyloid-beta-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells were first investigated. Citri Reticulatae Semen extract protected PC12 cells from amyloid-beta-induced apoptosis by attenuating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio via activation of autophagy. In addition, Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was confirmed to bind amyloid-beta as revealed by biolayer interferometry in vitro, and suppress amyloid-beta-induced pathology such as paralysis, in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo model. Moreover, genetically defective Caenorhabditis elegans further confirmed that the neuroprotective effect of Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was autophagy-dependent. Most importantly, Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was confirmed to improve cognitive impairment, neuronal injury and amyloid-beta burden in 3×Tg Alzheimer’s disease mice. As revealed by both in vitro and in vivo models, these results suggest that Citri Reticulatae Semen extract is a potential natural therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s disease via its neuroprotective autophagic effects.

As a foundation for supporting downstream tasks, the named entity recognition (NER) task in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining increasing attention. However, the TCM domain suffers from a lack of labeled data and a high annotation error rate. To solve this problem, we propose an abductive learning framework for named TCM entity recognition called ABL-TCM. First, we design a series of methods to mitigate the negative impact of mislabeling on the effectiveness of the constructed model and to enhance the focus of the training process on challenging entities. Second, we offer a flexible approach for incorporating external unsupervised data. Finally, we propose a label correction mechanism based on abductive learning to ensure that only reliable data are included in the training process. The results of several experiments prove the effectiveness of ABL-TCM, which achieves the best results on a TCM-NER dataset.

Abstract Objective Inflammation markers have been proposed as the predictors of adverse cardiac events in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). This study aimed to investigate prognostic value of serum cystatin C (Cys-C) for NSTE-ACS patients. Methods Cys-C, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were examined in 212 NSTE-ACS patients and 60 controls. Global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) score and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in NSTE-ACS patients were recorded. Results Cys-C level in the serum was significantly higher in NSTE-ACS patients than in control, and was positively correlated with hsCRP level and NLR as well as GRACE score at admission and 6 months after discharge in NSTE-ACS patients. Serum Cys-C level was identified as a new predictor of MACE. Conclusion Serum Cys-C level may be an inflammation biomarker in patients with NSTE-ACS, and could be used as an independent predictor of MACE.

Based on the recent oil and gas discoveries and geological understandings on the ultra-deep strata of sedimentary basins, the formation and occurrence of hydrocarbons in the ultra-deep strata were investigated with respect to the processes of basin formation, hydrocarbon generation, reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation, and key issues in ultra-deep oil and gas exploration were discussed. The ultra-deep strata in China underwent two extensional-convergent cycles in the Meso-Neoproterozoic Era and the Early Paleozoic Era respectively, with the tectonic-sedimentary differentiation producing the spatially adjacent source-reservoir assemblages. There are diverse large-scale carbonate reservoirs such as mound-beach, dolomite, karst fracture-vug, fractured karst and faulted zone, as well as over-pressured clastic rock and fractured bedrock reservoirs. Hydrocarbons were accumulated in multiple stages, accompanied by adjusting and finalizing in the late stage. The distribution of hydrocarbons is controlled by high-energy beach zone, regional unconformity, paleo-high and large-scale fault zone. The ultra-deep strata endow oil and gas resources as 33% of the remaining total resources, suggesting an important successive domain for hydrocarbon development in China. The large-scale pool-forming geologic units and giant hydrocarbon enrichment zones in ultra-deep strata are key and promising prospects for delivering successive discoveries. The geological conditions and enrichment zone prediction of ultra-deep oil and gas are key issues of petroleum geology.