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Lettuce is rich in various phenolic acids and flavonoids, making it a good source of dietary polyphenols. This study measured the contents of total phenols and flavonoids and antioxidant capacity of 50 varieties of lettuce (34 green lettuce varieties and 16 red lettuce varieties). Meanwhile, 17 characteristic phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds in lettuce were identified and quantitated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Then, multivariate statistical analysis was used for classification and correlation analysis. The results showed that the contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity of red lettuce varieties were higher than those of green lettuce varieties. In total, 7 phenolic compounds, namely, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, isochlorogenic acid A/B, chicory acid, and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and quercetin-3-O-glucoside were detected, being overall more abundant in red lettuce varieties than the other varieties. The results of multivariate statistical analysis indicated that chlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide, and quercetin-3-O-glucoside had higher correlation with the antioxidant capacity of lettuce. In summary, five new red varieties and commercial varieties, such as G21K104, W3088, and H20K6160, and four new green varieties, including G21K212 and G21K117, had higher antioxidant activity. This study provides a reference for lettuce breeding, germplasm resource innovation, and the development of nutritious, healthy and functional products.

Objective To observe the effect of abdominal massage combined with moxibustion in the treatment of Qi-deficiency type chronic functional constipation in elderly people. Methods Totally 100 elderly patients with chronic functional constipation of Qi-deficiency type were randomly divvied into the control group and observation group, with 50 cases in each group. The control group received routine treatment and abdominal massage, and the observation group received abdominal massage combined with moxibustion. The defecation condtion, Tradition Chinese Medicine syndrome score and clinical curative effect were compared between two groups. Results The Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms(PAC-SYM) score was decreased in both two groups after intervention (P＜0. 05), and PAC-SYM score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0. 05). The Tradition Chinese Medicine syndrome score was decreased in both two groups after intervention (P＜0. 05), and Tradition Chinese Medicine syndrome score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0. 05). The total effective rate was 94. 00%(47/50) in the observaiton group, which was higher than 76. 00%(38/50) in the control group (P＜0. 05). Conclusion The abdominal massage combined with moxibustion is effective to relieve the clinical symptoms of Qi-deficiency type chronic functional constipation in elderly people. (目的 观察腹部推拿联合艾灸治疗气虚型老年慢性功能性便秘的效果。方法 选取2022年4月—2023年12月在医院住院治疗的气虚型老年慢性功能性便秘患者100例为研究对象, 采用随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组, 各50例。对照组给予常规治疗和腹部推拿, 观察组在对照组基础上联合艾灸治疗。治疗7 d后比较两组患者排便情况、中医证候积分及临床疗效。结果 治疗后两组便秘患者症状自评量表(PAC-SYM)评分均较治疗前降低(P＜0. 05), 且观察组治疗后评分低于对照组(P＜0. 05)。治疗后两组排便无力、腹中隐痛、食欲不振、乏力懒言等中医证候积分均较治疗前降低(P＜0. 05), 且观察组治疗后评分低于对照组(P＜0. 05)。观察组总有效率为94. 00%(47/50), 高于对照组的76. 00%(38/50), 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05)。结论 腹部推拿联合艾灸治疗可有效缓解气虚型老年慢性功能性便秘患者的临床症状。)

ZnO nanocrystals with different Na doping concentrations were prepared on PET flexible substrates sputtered with Au/Ti interdigital electrodes by a simple sol gel method. The relationship between the photoassisted room temperature NO2 gas sensing mechanism and surface photovoltage was explored by characterizing the microstructure and optical properties of the sample. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that all samples have the hexagonal wurtzite structure, and Na doping does not exhibit diffraction peaks of Na and its oxides. The room temperature gas sensitivity test results show that Na doped ZnO nanocrystals have excellent room temperature gas sensitivity performance, and 0.94 mg/m3 NO2 is detected, which significantly improves the gas sensitivity response compared to pure ZnO nanocrystals. The experimental results of surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV) and ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer (UV-vis) indicate that the room temperature gas sensitivity of doped ZnO samples may be related to their surface defect content and defect energy levels. Na doping can significantly enhance the separation of photo generated charges, while also introducing more oxygen defects (Vo) and active sites to promote the reaction between NO2 gas and surface adsorbed ionized oxygen defects. In addition, the blue shift of the optical bandgap and the newly generated defect energy levels further enhance the sensitivity of NO2 gas.

Abstract Aims To thoroughly evaluate the quality of the entire process of neonatal screening (NBS) in China. Methods We collected survey questionnaires from 54.4% (135/248) of NBS institutions in China and conducted on-site visits to 20 of these facilities to validate the data. The quality performance of the institutions was evaluated, and differences across various factors were analysed. Results Merely 62.5% of the provinces had acceptable performance in neonatal screening. Institutions with limited staff were more prone to organizational management shortcomings. Institutions in provinces with a per capita GDP below 10,000 USD exhibited lower quality control levels than those with a per capita GDP between 10,000 and 15,000 USD. Obstetrics departments have a lower awareness of quality control compared to other blood collection facilities. Conclusions A nationwide, comprehensive quality control system for continuous enhancements in quality management, screening, diagnosis, and treatment is imperative to ensure prompt diagnosis and intervention.

The concealed faults in the urban area of Shanghai are well-developed, accumulating several hundred meters of loose sediment layers since the Quaternary. Hindered by the complex and highly disturbed urban environment, the detection and characterization of concealed faults face challenges, posing significant geological risks for urban safety. This study employs high-precision gravity area measurements, high-resolution shallow seismic exploration, and geophysical exploration methods. It integrates geological stratification from surrounding boreholes, stress, and chronostratigraphy analyses (C14 and optically stimulated luminescence) to investigate the Quaternary and current activity of the Zhangyan–Jinshanwei fault. Results show that the fault exhibits good spatial continuity, with evidence reflected in Bouguer gravity anomalies and seismic time profiles. The Zhangyan–Jinshanwei fault is identified as a thrust fault with inherited and newly developed activity characteristics. Its overall trend is northwestward at 315°, dipping southwest, with a fault distance of approximately 10 meters along the bedrock surface. The upper fault point has been displaced to the mid-Pleistocene in the Quaternary. The most recent active period occurred during the mid-Pleistocene, and the current northwestward stress state makes the fault susceptible to extensional and torsional activities. Continuous attention is required for the ongoing activity of this fault. This study's detection approach and findings can serve as a reference for similar urban concealed active fault detection and activity analysis.

Morphing wing is one of the important development directions of future aircraft design, and the study of in-plane deformation of the morphing wing surface has received widespread attention. In this paper, four aspects in-cluding variable span length, variable sweep angle, variable chord length and combined deformation are analyzed to describe the current status of domestic and international research on in-plane morphing wings, summarize the defor-mation mechanism and its advantages and disadvantages, and analyze the future development trend of morphing wing. In view of the current research situation and the application requirements of the morphing wing, the key tech-nologies of the morphing wing are proposed, including the morphing skin technology, morphing mechanism, intelli-gent actuator, sensor and control network. The application requirements of each key technology and the existing problems are analyzed furthermore. The future development direction is summarized, which can provide some references for the design and application realization of in-plane morphing wings.

Underground water storage in goaf is one of the important means of water conservation and mining in the western ecologically fragile area. The stability of waterproof sealing wall is related to the safety of water storage in goaf. In view of the key problem that the stability of the waterproof sealing wall in the goaf is difficult to monitor and the water pressure resistance ability is difficult to predict, under the background of underground mining end sealing in Chahasu Coal Mine, by means of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and field measurement, the mechanical properties of coal seam and roof and floor are tested, and the minimum compressive strength of coal body and roof and floor is obtained. Considering the stress characteristics of the sealing wall structure, the maximum bearing capacity of the waterproof closed wall without the influence of mining is calculated and deduced. The numerical model of waterproof sealing wall is established, and the stress state, deformation and damage of sealing wall under the influence of advanced mining and different water head heights (6, 9, 12 and 15 m) were analyzed. The stress and displacement monitoring systems of the waterproof sealing wall in the underground goaf has been developed. Based on the theoretical analysis, the monitoring points had been reasonably arranged and applied in the field. On this basis, combined with theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results, the maximum safe head height of the waterproof sealing wall and the head height of the warning water line are determined. The results showed that the advance mining has a certain impact on the damage of the waterproof sealing wall, and the water pressure increases the sliding range of the cracks between the sealing wall and the coal pillar contact surface. The maximum water head height borne by the waterproof sealing wall at the end of mining is 12 m, and the water head height of the warning water level line of the waterproof sealing wall is 9.6 m. The contact surface between the wall and the coal pillar as well as the top and bottom corners of the closed wall are structural weak surfaces, which are prone to damage. Attention should be paid to strengthening the monitoring or observation of the position of the sealing wall embedded in the coal and rock mass and the top and bottom corners of the sealing wall. If necessary, grouting and plugging can be used to reinforce the weak surface or leakage part of the structure. The research results can provide theoretical basis and application reference for stability monitoring and water pressure resistance evaluation of similar mine waterproof sealing walls.

Inherited and age-related retinal degenerations are the commonest causes of blindness without effective treatments. Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), which have the multipotency to differentiate into various retinal cell types, are regarded as a promising source of cell transplantation therapy for retinal degenerative diseases. However, the self-limited expansion of RPCs causes difficulty in cell source supply and restrict its clinical treatment. In this work, we found that inhibition of microRNA-449a (miR-449a) in RPCs can promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of RPCs, partially through upregulating Notch signaling. Further optimization of transduction miR-449a inhibitor into RPCs by endothelial cell-derived exosomes can promote the survival of RPCs transplanted in vivo and reduce cell apoptosis in retinal degeneration mouse models. In summary, these studies have shown that exosome-miR-449a inhibitor can effectively promote the expansion of RPCs in vitro and enhance transplanted RPCs survival in vivo, which might provide a novel intervention strategy for retinal degenerations in the future.

MicroRNA-140-5p (miR-140-5p) plays a pivotal role in human cancers. However, its role and molecular mechanisms in breast carcinoma are not fully explored. Using miR-140-5p transfected breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, several in vitro experiments were performed and described in this paper. They consist of the cell proliferation assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, colony formation assays and qRTPCR. Expression levels of target proteins were determined using Western blotting. In addition, experiments on animal models were performed to study the possible role of miR-140-5p in tumorigenesis of breast carcinoma cells. The induction of experimental breast tumor in mice model was achieved through the incorporation of MDA-MB-231 tumor cells subcutaneously into the middle left side of the mice. The results showed that miR-140-5p up-regulation significantly suppresses proliferation, cellular invasion and migration of breast carcinoma cells. Furthermore, miR-140-5p up-regulation stops breast cancer cells at G0/G1 phase. The results of the animal model indicated that up-regulation of miR-140-5p suppresses its tumorigenic ability. Moreover, we also found that miR-140-5p up-regulation reduces the phosphorylation level of STAT3, p65, and AKT. In addition, miR-140-5p overexpression significantly decreases CDK2 expression while increasing E-cadherin expression level. These data revealed that miR-140-5p suppressed tumor progression of breast carcinoma cells through inhibition of the AKT/STAT3/NF-κB pathway. Taken the present study results together, we can conclude that miR-140-5p may act as a novel target in microRNA-targeting anticancer strategy for the treatment of breast cancer.

Ablation of the buffer layer in high voltage cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables has been the attractive type of cable failure. The ablation of buffer layer commonly takes place under the pressure and moisture. Therefore,it is important to investigate the effect mechanism of pressure and moisture on the ablation of buffer layer. In this study,the simulated experiments of dry and wet water-blocking buffer tape under different pressures are carried out,whereby dynamic variations of current density,voltage and alternating current (AC) volume resistivity in the processes of ablation are obtained. The micromorphology of buffer tape specimens is obtained through the scanning electronic spectroscopy. It is shown that the AC volume resistivity of dry buffer tape samples gradually increases with time in the process of ablation,accompanied with the transient surge of current and the plunge of voltage. While the AC volume resistivity of wet buffer tape samples gradually decreases with time. Moreover,a decrease of AC volume resistivity occurs to the buffer tape samples after the water absorption. With the increase of pressure from 1.09 kPa to 5.45 kPa,a decrease of volume resistivity occurs to both the dry and wet buffer tape samples. Combined with the results of stimulated ablation experiments and the micromorphology of buffer tape,the effect mechanisms of the pressure and moisture on the conductive property of buffer tape are explained.

Abstract Background NLR is a systemic inflammatory marker that have been associated with overall survival in patients with some rapidly progressive disease. There are few data about the diagnostic and predictive value of NLR in autoimmune diseases, and it has not been described in anti-MDA5 positive DM. We try to correlate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with fatality from dermatomyositis in anti-MDA5 positive patients. Method A retrospective study in which 195 patients were enrolled was conducted. Clinical and laboratory information was collated and ratios of neutrophil to lymphocyte counts (NLR) calculated. The primary end point was all-cause death. Result Of the 195 patients studied, all had interstitial lung disease, including 140 survivors and 55 non-survivors. An optimal NLR cut-off value of 4.86 for mortality prediction was identified. The NLR of non-survivors was significantly higher than that of survivors (p 4.86 was an independent predictor of mortality (HR: 2.52; 95%CI: 1.33–4.78; p = 0.005). Abstinence from smoking (HR: 2.66; 95%CI: 1.33–4.78; p = 0.003), emergence of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD; HR: 4.38; 95%CI: 2.37–8.08; p

BackgroundAcute kidney injury can be mitigated if detected early. There are limited biomarkers for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI). In this study, we used public databases with machine learning algorithms to identify novel biomarkers to predict AKI. In addition, the interaction between AKI and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain elusive.MethodsFour public AKI datasets (GSE126805, GSE139061, GSE30718, and GSE90861) treated as discovery datasets and one (GSE43974) treated as a validation dataset were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between AKI and normal kidney tissues were identified using the R package limma. Four machine learning algorithms were used to identify the novel AKI biomarkers. The correlations between the seven biomarkers and immune cells or their components were calculated using the R package ggcor. Furthermore, two distinct ccRCC subtypes with different prognoses and immune characteristics were identified and verified using seven novel biomarkers.ResultsSeven robust AKI signatures were identified using the four machine learning methods. The immune infiltration analysis revealed that the numbers of activated CD4 T cells, CD56dim natural killer cells, eosinophils, mast cells, memory B cells, natural killer T cells, neutrophils, T follicular helper cells, and type 1 T helper cells were significantly higher in the AKI cluster. The nomogram for prediction of AKI risk demonstrated satisfactory discrimination with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.919 in the training set and 0.945 in the testing set. In addition, the calibration plot demonstrated few errors between the predicted and actual values. In a separate analysis, the immune components and cellular differences between the two ccRCC subtypes based on their AKI signatures were compared. Patients in the CS1 had better overall survival, progression-free survival, drug sensitivity, and survival probability.ConclusionOur study identified seven distinct AKI-related biomarkers based on four machine learning methods and proposed a nomogram for stratified AKI risk prediction. We also confirmed that AKI signatures were valuable for predicting ccRCC prognosis. The current work not only sheds light on the early prediction of AKI, but also provides new insights into the correlation between AKI and ccRCC.

Abstract Epigenetic alterations and metabolic dysfunction are two hallmarks of aging. However, the mechanism of how their interaction regulates aging, particularly in mammals, remains largely unknown. Here we show ELOVL fatty acid elongase 2 (Elovl2), a gene whose epigenetic alterations are most highly correlated with age prediction, contributes to aging by regulating lipid metabolism. We applied artificial intelligence to predict the protein structure of ELOVL2 and the interaction with its substrate. Impaired Elovl2 function disturbs lipid synthesis with increased endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to key aging phenotypes at both cellular and physiological level. Furthermore, restoration of mitochondrial activity can rescue age-related macular degeneration (AMD) phenotypes induced by Elovl2 deficiency in human retinal pigmental epithelial (RPE) cells; this indicates a conservative mechanism in both human and mouse. Taken together, we revealed an epigenetic-metabolism axis contributing to aging and illustrate the power of an AI-based approach in structure-function studies.

OBJECTIVES:. In COVID-19 patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), our primary objective was to determine the frequency of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Secondary objectives were to estimate the frequency of ischemic stroke, to explore association between higher anticoagulation targets and ICH, and to estimate the association between neurologic complications and in-hospital mortality. DATA SOURCES:. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and MedRxiv databases from inception to March 15, 2022. STUDY SELECTION:. We identified studies that described acute neurological complications in adult patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requiring ECMO. DATA EXTRACTION:. Two authors independently performed study selection and data extraction. Studies with 95% or more of its patients on venovenous or venoarterial ECMO were pooled for meta-analysis, which was calculated using a random-effects model. DATA SYNTHESIS:. Fifty-four studies (n = 3,347) were included in the systematic review. Venovenous ECMO was used in 97% of patients. Meta-analysis of ICH and ischemic stroke on venovenous ECMO included 18 and 11 studies, respectively. The frequency of ICH was 11% (95% CI, 8–15%), with intraparenchymal hemorrhage being the most common subtype (73%), while the frequency of ischemic strokes was 2% (95% CI, 1–3%). Higher anticoagulation targets were not associated with increased frequency of ICH (p = 0.06). In-hospital mortality was 37% (95% CI, 34–40%) and neurologic causes ranked as the third most common cause of death. The risk ratio of mortality in COVID-19 patients with neurologic complications on venovenous ECMO compared with patients without neurologic complications was 2.24 (95% CI, 1.46–3.46). There were insufficient studies for meta-analysis of COVID-19 patients on venoarterial ECMO. CONCLUSIONS:. COVID-19 patients requiring venovenous ECMO have a high frequency of ICH, and the development of neurologic complications more than doubled the risk of death. Healthcare providers should be aware of these increased risks and maintain a high index of suspicion for ICH.

The existing research on the failure characteristics of coal samples has some problems, such as single mechanical parameter test and large limitation of stress loading direction. The numerical simulation effect has deviation in the inversion of real geological conditions, and the determination of coal and rock dynamic disaster and bursting liability is based on the macro-research of field experiments. There are few studies on the failure mechanism of coal samples under different unloading stress paths in true triaxial. In order to solve the above problems, taking the engineering geology of Hujiahe Coal Mine in Binchang, Shaanxi Province as the research background, the true triaxial test of coal samples under three different unloading stress paths is designed by using the triaxial dynamic and static load test system of high-frequency vibration acquisition and borehole imaging. And the failure characteristics, peak strength characteristics, acoustic emission response characteristics and fractal law of coal samples are studied. ① The results show that the failure modes of coal samples under three different unloading stress paths are tensile-shear composite failure, and the initiation failure of macro-cracks mostly occurs in the coal samples with relatively low strength. The axial stress of each coal sample increases continuously, and each horizontal stress provides tensile stress in the process of gradually decreasing, resulting in significantly different surface failure forms of coal samples under different unloading stress paths. ② There are obvious differences in the stress of the three different unloading stress paths at the peak failure stage, and the standard deviation reaches 4.35 MPa, accounting for 29.25% of the average peak strength. When the stress load exceeds the average peak strength of the three stress paths by 14.87 MPa, the coal samples are damaged. ③ Under the action of high static load, the pores of the coal samples are compacted after initial loading. The internal structure is relatively uniform, and no fracture expands. The damage variable value is 0 in the initial stage. In the stable development stage of damage, the internal pores of the coal samples reach the limit state and break to form micro-fracture, and the damage variable value is 0.04-0.17. During the loading process, the micro-fracture develop rapidly, expand and converge into the fracture network, and the coal sample is macroscopically damaged. The bearing capacity of the coal sample decreases rapidly, the damage variable value increases sharply first and then stabilizes, and the maximum damage variable value reaches 1.0 in the stage of accelerated damage development. The acoustic emission(AE) energy value increases suddenly when the coal sample is damaged by stress instability and tensile-shear failure. When the AE energy intersects with the damage variable curve, the coal sample begins to break, and the AE energy has a good coupling with the coal sample failure. ④ Under different unloading stress paths, the larger the fractal dimension of coal sample, the higher the degree of fragmentation.

The temporal variations of solar rotation in the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona have been widely investigated, whereas the rotation of the solar transition region is rarely studied. Here, we perform a primary study about the long-term variation of the rotation in the transition region using Ly α irradiance from 1947 February 14 to 2023 February 20. Correlation techniques are used, and the main results are as follows. (1) The sidereal rotation period of the solar transition region varies between 22.24 and 31.49 days, and the mean sidereal rotation period is 25.50 days for the studied time interval 1947–2022. (2) The rotation period of the transition region exhibits a clear downward trend during 1947–2022, which might be caused by the reduced heliospheric pressure and the weaker solar global magnetic fields. (3) Significant periodic signal of the quasi-Schwabe cycle is found in the rotation periods of the transition region. (4) The cross-correlation between the rotation periods of the solar transition region and sunspot activity corroborates a strong correlation with the Schwabe cycle. Possible mechanisms responsible for these results are discussed.

Nowadays artificial seismic exploration is recognized as one of the most effective means to detect hidden faults in urban areas. However, good seismic exploration data in highly urbanized areas is often unavailable limited by the excitation source and strong interference. In this paper, a seismic detection of excitation mode of high-power spark source was carried out in the Dazhi River area, in view of the developed urban water network in Shanghai. We did comparison tests on elements such as energy excitation of spark source, water depth of discharge and seismic imaging effects of different sources, and obtained the best excitation parameters for seismic exploration in inland river areas (east section of Dazhi River) in Shanghai. The validity of seismic exploration by spark source in urban water network is confirmed. Compared with other conventional excitation methods, EDM seismic exploration data has higher signal-to-noise ratio and can reach a deeper exploration depth, which helps to get good results from the detection of hidden faults in urban areas.

Shanghai is located in the alluvial plain of the Yangtze River Delta, the merge area of the Huangpu River and Suzhou River. The unique geographical and sedimentary environment have formed the shallow sand layers in Shanghai. Due to the significant urbanization process in Shanghai, geological hazard analysis, particularly the assessment for seismic liquefaction hazard in the Shanghai urban area has become an subject to be studied urgently. In this paper, we presented a regional liquefaction hazard analysis model. Based on the borehole Standard Penetration Test (SPT) data and regional Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) zonation of the Shanghai area, we analyzed liquefaction risks with different probability of exceedance in 50 years. As our results indicated, under the condition that earthquake with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years happens, more than 66.0% of the land area in Shanghai will not be affected by earthquake-induced liquefaction, 21.8% will only surfer modest liquefaction, and only 12.3% has the risks of serious liquefaction. These places cover Chongming island, Hengsha island, Changxing island and the banks of the Huangpujiang River and the Suzhou River. Provided that earthquake with 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years happens, due to the overall increase of peak ground motion acceleration, not less than 46.25% of the land area may suffer from modest to serious liquefaction risks. Although the rare seismic liquefaction risks exist, the probability of that is quite low. The current high fortification intensity for Shanghai in Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Building may result in unnecessary cost of construction. Our study provides new ideas and suggestions for perfecting the Code for Seismic Design of Building for Shanghai.

Abstract Background Necator americanus is one of the major etiological agents of human ancylostomiasis. Historically, the epidemiology of ancylostomiasis in Henan Province of central China and the molecular characteristics of N. americanus have been poorly understood. Methods In this study, we report a case of ancylostomiasis in Zhengzhou city of Henan Province. We also review the epidemiology of ancylostomiasis in Henan Province from 1949 to 2020. In addition, the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of one clinical isolate is fully characterized using Illumina sequencing. All available mt genomes of hookworms in GenBank were included to reconstruct the phylogeny using both maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. Results A total of three worms were collected from the patient. These worms were identified as N. americanus based on morphological characteristics as well as confirmed by genotyping with the barcoding gene cox1. Although ancylostomiasis cases have dropped substantially in recent years, hookworm infection is still a public health problem in underdeveloped areas and remote rural areas in Henan Province. The mt genome features of the N. americanus contained 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a major non-coding region. The nad1 gene showed high sequence variability among isolates, which is worth considering for future genetic studies of N. americanus. Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of hookworm isolates from different hosts and distinct geographical locations. Conclusions The mt genome of N. americanus presented here will serve as a useful data set for studying population genetics and phylogenetic relationships of hookworms. Positive measures for preventing and controlling ancylostomiasis are required by both health services and individuals in Henan Province. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are a group of proteins that inhibit body fluids from growing to ice crystals and thus improve biological antifreeze ability. It is vital to the survival of living organisms in extremely cold environments. However, little research is performed on sequences feature extraction and selection for antifreeze proteins classification in the structure and function prediction, which is of great significance. Results In this paper, to predict the antifreeze proteins, a feature representation of weighted generalized dipeptide composition (W-GDipC) and an ensemble feature selection based on two-stage and multi-regression method (LRMR-Ri) are proposed. Specifically, four feature selection algorithms: Lasso regression, Ridge regression, Maximal information coefficient and Relief are used to select the feature sets, respectively, which is the first stage of LRMR-Ri method. If there exists a common feature subset among the above four sets, it is the optimal subset; otherwise we use Ridge regression to select the optimal subset from the public set pooled by the four sets, which is the second stage of LRMR-Ri. The LRMR-Ri method combined with W-GDipC was performed both on the antifreeze proteins dataset (binary classification), and on the membrane protein dataset (multiple classification). Experimental results show that this method has good performance in support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT) and stochastic gradient descent (SGD). The values of ACC, RE and MCC of LRMR-Ri and W-GDipC with antifreeze proteins dataset and SVM classifier have reached as high as 95.56%, 97.06% and 0.9105, respectively, much higher than those of each single method: Lasso, Ridge, Mic and Relief, nearly 13% higher than single Lasso for ACC. Conclusion The experimental results show that the proposed LRMR-Ri and W-GDipC method can significantly improve the accuracy of antifreeze proteins prediction compared with other similar single feature methods. In addition, our method has also achieved good results in the classification and prediction of membrane proteins, which verifies its widely reliability to a certain extent.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have gained much attention for their crucial regulatory roles in human diseases and cancers. However, the role and the mechanism of circRNA ArfGAP with FG repeats 1 (circAGFG1) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still largely unknown. circAGFG1 was highly expressed in NSCLC, and high expression of circAGFG1 was closely related to the low survival rate of NSCLC patients. circAGFG1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. circAGFG1 bound to miR-28-5p in NSCLC cells, and circAGFG1 promoted NSCLC progression partly through sponging miR-28-5p in vitro. HIF-1α was a target of miR-28-5p, and miR-28-5p overexpression-mediated influences in NSCLC cells were partly overturned by the addition of HIF-1α overexpression plasmid. circAGFG1/miR-28-5p/HIF-1α axis regulated cellular glycolytic metabolism in NSCLC cells. circAGFG1 silencing restrained the xenograft tumor growth in vivo. circAGFG1 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion and suppressed the apoptosis of NSCLC cells through accelerating the glycolysis via miR-28-5p/HIF-1α axis.

Increased bacterial translocation in the gut and bloodstream infections are both major comorbidities of heart failure and myocardial infarction (MI). However, the alterations in the microbiome of the blood of patients with MI remain unclear. To test this hypothesis, we conducted this case-control study to explore the microbiota compositions in the blood of Chinese patients with MI. Using high-throughput Illumina HiSeq sequencing targeting the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, the microbiota communities in the blood of 29 patients with MI and 29 healthy controls were examined. In addition, the relationship between the blood microbiome and clinical features of MI was investigated. This study revealed a significant reduction in alpha diversity (Shannon index) in the MI group compared with the healthy controls. Also, a significant difference was detected in the structure and richness between the patients with MI and healthy controls. The members of the phylum Actinobacteria, class Actinobacteria, order Bifdobacteriales, family Bifidobacteriaceae, and genus Bifidobacterium were significantly abundant in the MI group, while the members of the phylum Bacteroidetes, class Bacteroidia, and order Bacteroidales were significantly enriched in the healthy controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the functional analysis revealed a significant variation between both groups. For instance, the enrichment of genes involved in the metabolism pathways of three amino acids decreased, that is, nucleotide transport and metabolism, coenzyme transport and metabolism, and lipid transport and metabolism, among others. Our study will contribute to a better knowledge of the microbiota of blood, which will further lead to improved MI diagnosis and therapy. Further study is needed to determine the role of the blood microbiota in human health and disease.

The Luodian-Zhoupu fault is an important NW-trending buried active fault that runs through the downtown area of Shanghai City. Its Quaternary activity significantly affects the urban geological safety. We applied a set of integrated geophysical methods to carry out high-precision gravity, shallow seismic and controlled source audio magneto telluric (CSAMT) explorations in the study area, and studied the distribution pattern and activity level of the Luodian-Zhoupu fault, combining with joint borehole profile and optically stimulated luminescence chronology. The exploration results reveal good ductility of the fault in southern Shanghai, and the fault trace is well reflected in the profiles of gravity, CSAMT and shallow artificial seismicity. Gravity area measurements show that the fault appears as a group of nearly parallel fault tracks in southern Shanghai. The buried depths of the shallowest breakpoints researched by the shallow seismic exploration and joint borehole profile method are in good agreement (~200 m). TCSAMT profile displays obvious deep fault features. The research outcomes from the profiles with geophysical exploration and joint borehole indicate no obvious trace of the fault breaking into the overlying Middle Pleistocene, and it is believed that the latest active age of the fault is the Early Pleistocene referring to the result of optically stimulated luminescence dating. Since the Luodian-Zhoupu fault is closely related to regional historical seismic events, and the regional stress state is currently NW-compressive, with the fault prone to tensile and torsional activities, its activity and seismic risk characteristics require continuous attention.

BackgroundAccording to their symptoms, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) can be divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic types. This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations between postoperative lumen thrombosis in these two groups after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR).MethodsA retrospective study using clinical data of 169 patients with AAA treated with EVAR collected in our hospital between January 2018 and January 2021 was conducted based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria for patient selection. Based on whether the patient had clinical symptoms at admission and the presence of a complete lumen thrombus during follow-up, the patients were divided into two sets of groups: a complete-thrombus group (n = 44) and a partial-thrombus group (n = 125), and a group with clinical symptoms (n = 32) and a group without clinical symptoms (n = 137). The clinical data of these groups were compared, and a further stratified analysis was performed.ResultsA total of 169 patients were included in the analysis. An abdominal aorta stent graft was successfully implanted in all patients. The complete-thrombus rate of the patients in this study was 73.96%. Univariate analysis showed that the maximal aortic diameter and preoperative peripheral blood neutrophil levels affected the clinical symptoms of patients with AAA (p < 0.05). The complete thrombus rate of the lumen of the AAA was lower in patients with clinical symptoms than in those without symptoms during the follow-up period (p < 0.05). Female sex, preoperative hyperuricemia, and symptoms at admission were independent risk factors for a partial thrombus in the lumen during follow-up. Based on these independent risk factors, we constructed a scoring system to differentiate patients into low- (0 points), middle- (1 point), and high-risk (2 points) groups. The scoring system could distinguish the complete lumen thrombosis rate after EVAR to a certain extent.ConclusionsPatients with symptomatic AAAs were more likely to develop incomplete lumen thrombosis than asymptomatic patients during follow-up after EVAR.

Objective: This work aims to establish a framework in measuring the various attentional levels of the human operator in a real-time animated environment through a visual neuro-assisted approach. Background: With the increasing trend of automation and remote operations, understanding human-machine interaction in dynamic environments can greatly aid to improve performance, promote operational efficiency and safety. Method: Two independent 1-hour experiments were conducted on twenty participants where eye-tracking metrics and neuro activities from electroencephalogram (EEG) were recorded. The experiments required participants to exhibit attentive behaviour in one set and inattentive in the other. Two segments (“increasing flight numbers” and “relatively constant flight numbers”) were also extracted to study the participants’ visual behavioral differences in relation to aircraft numbers. Results: For the two experimental studies, those in the attentive behavioral study show incidences of higher fixation count, fixation duration, number of aircraft spotted, and landing fixations whereas those in inattentive behavior study reveal higher zero-fixation frame count. In experiments involving ‘increasing flight numbers’, a higher percentage of aircraft were spotted as compared to those with ‘constant flight numbers’ in both the groups. Three parameters (number of aircraft spotted, and landing fixations and zero-fixation frame count) are newly established. As radar monitoring is a brain engagement activity, positive EEG data were registered in all the participants. A newly Task Engagement Index (TEI) was also formulated to predict different attentional levels. Conclusion: Results provide a refined quantifiable tool to differentiate between attentive and inattentive monitoring behavior in a real-time dynamic environment, which can be applied across various sectors. Recommendation: With the quantitative TEI established, this paves the way for future studies into attentional levels by regions, time based, as well as eye signature studies in relation to visual task engagement and management and determining expertise levels to be explored. Factors relating to fatigue could also be investigated using the TEI approach proposed.

The southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) and the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) are prominent features in the southern Yellow Sea. The traditional viewpoint is that the southern YSCWM exists in the warm half of the year and the YSWC exists in the cold half of the year; the most existing studies have regarded these features as independent ocean phenomenon. Through marine investigations conducted in the recent years in the southern Yellow Sea, the southern YSCWM was found to exist in the early winter in 2010, and the YSWC was observed in the early summer in 2013, 2014. For approximately half the year, the southern YSCWM and YSWC existed simultaneously, and the YSWC was located in a slightly high-temperature region in the middle of the southern YSCWM. A sandwich-shaped temperature structure formed in the middle of the southern Yellow Sea from spring to autumn. This article studies the seasonal variation characteristics of the three-dimensional southern YSCWM and YSWC structures using ocean survey data collected in the recent years. The new perspective of the seasonal variations in the southern YSCWM and YSWC obtained herein will promote the recognition of southern Yellow Sea water exchanges and support biogeochemical cycle research in the Yellow Sea.

With modern information technology widely applied to school teaching in all aspects, blended teaching based on SPOC is increasingly popular with colleges and universities. However, it’s still rare to see the applied research into it for English teaching in primary schools. In order to explore the application of SPOC in English teaching of primary schools, this paper analyzed the current situation of English teaching in primary schools in China in detail, and then proposed a blended teaching model based on the SPOC platforms of Cloud Class and 17zuoye.com. We also conducted an experiment that lasts about one year by tracking and recording the performance of two groups of classes in Zhongwu Primary School with an experimental class and a control class in each group. After analyzing the experimental data, we found that the SPOC-based teaching model proposed in this paper can achieve good practical results, and can be applied and promoted for future teaching in other schools.

Objectives: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are associated with high mortality rates. The genes and pathways linked with AAA remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) linked to the progression of AAA using bioinformatics analysis.Methods: Gene expression profiles of the GSE47472 and GSE57691 datasets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. These datasets were merged and normalized using the “sva” R package, and DEGs were identified using the limma package in R. The functions of these DEGs were assessed using Cytoscape software. We analyzed the DEGs using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Protein–protein interaction networks were assembled using Cytoscape, and crucial genes were identified using the Cytoscape plugin, molecular complex detection. Data from GSE15729 and GSE24342 were also extracted to verify our findings.Results: We found that 120 genes were differentially expressed in AAA. Genes associated with inflammatory responses and nuclear-transcribed mRNA catabolic process were clustered in two gene modules in AAA. The hub genes of the two modules were IL6, RPL21, and RPL7A. The expression levels of IL6 correlated positively with RPL7A and negatively with RPL21. The expression of RPL21 and RPL7A was downregulated, whereas that of IL6 was upregulated in AAA.Conclusions: The expression of RPL21 or RPL7A combined with IL6 has a diagnostic value for AAA. The novel DEGs and pathways identified herein might provide new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of AAA.

Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the performance of the four risk of malignancy index (RMI) in discriminating borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) and benign ovarian masses in daily clinical practice. Methods A total of 162 women with BOTs and 379 women with benign ovarian tumors diagnosed at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2012 to December 2016 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Also, we classified these patients into serous borderline ovarian tumor (SBOT) and mucinous borderline ovarian tumor (MBOT) subgroup. Preoperative ultrasound findings, cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and menopausal status were reviewed. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operator characteristic curves (ROC) and performance indices of RMI I, RMI II, RMI III and RMI IV were calculated and compared for discrimination between benign ovarian tumors and BOTs. Results RMI I had the highest AUC (0.825, 95% CI: 0.790–0.856) among the four RMIs in BOTs group. Similar results were found in SBOT (0.839, 95% CI: 0.804–0.871) and MBOT (0.791, 95% CI: 0.749–0.829) subgroups. RMI I had the highest specificity among the BOTs group (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%), SBOT (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%) and MBOT group (87.6, 95% CI: 83.9–90.7%). RMI II scored the highest overall in terms of sensitivity among the BOTs group (69.75, 95% CI: 62.1–76.7%), SBOT (74.34, 95% CI: 65.3–82.1%) and MBOT (59.18, 95% CI: 44.2–73.0%) group. Conclusion Compared to other RMIs, RMI I was the best-performed method for differentiation of BOTs from benign ovarian tumors. At the same time, RMI I also performed best in the discrimination SBOT from benign ovarian tumors.

In this article, a computerized method is proposed for simulating digital woven fabric (DWF) based on sequential yarn images captured from a moving yarn. A mathematical model of woven fabric structure is established by assuming that the crimped shape of yarns in weave structure is elastica, and the cross-sections of yarn in sequence image and fabric are circular and ellipse, respectively. The sequential yarn images, which are preprocessed and stitched first by image processing methods, are resized based on the mathematical model. Then a light intensity curve, which consists of radial curve model and axial curve model, is used to simulate the gray texture distribution of interlacing points in radial and axial directions. Finally, a Boole Matrix model is used to control the woven pattern. In the experiment, a slub yarn and a normal yarn samples with same count are applied to simulate gray texture fabrics. Then the gray fabrics are transformed to color fabrics based on three color maps. The fabric simulations are confined to single fabrics of plain, 2/2 matt, and 1/3 twill weaves.

Abstract Background Ganoderic acids (GAs), derived from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, possess anticancer and other important pharmacological activities. To improve production of GAs, a homologous farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPS) gene was overexpressed in G. lucidum. Moreover, the influence of FPS gene overexpression on GA production was investigated by developing the corresponding mathematical models. Results The maximum levels of total GAs and individual GAs (GA-T, GA-S, and GA-Me) in the transgenic strain were 2.76 mg/100 mg dry weight (DW), 41 ± 2, 21 ± 5, and 28 ± 1 μg/100 mg DW, respectively, which were increased by 2.28-, 2.27-, 2.62-, and 2.80-folds compared with those in the control. Transcription levels of squalene synthase (SQS) and lanosterol synthase (LS) genes during GA biosynthesis were upregulated by 2.28- and 1.73-folds, respectively, in the transgenic G. lucidum. In addition, the developed unstructured models had a satisfactory fit for the process of GA production in submerged cultures of G. lucidum. Analysis of the kinetic process showed that FPS gene overexpression had a stronger positive impact on GA production compared with its influence on cell growth. Also, FPS gene overexpression led to a higher non-growth-associated-constant β (1.151) over the growth-associated-constant α (0.026) in the developed models. Conclusions FPS gene overexpression is an effective strategy to improve the production of GAs in G. lucidum. The developed mathematical models are useful for developing a better GA production process in future large-scale bioreactors.

Male infertility (MI) is a complex multifactorial disease, and idiopathic infertility accounts for 30% of cases of MI. At present, the evidence for the effectiveness of empirical drugs is limited, and in vitro fertilization is costly and may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Therefore, affected individuals may feel obliged to pursue natural remedies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may represent a useful option for infertile men. It has been demonstrated that TCM can regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and boost the function of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. TCM can also alleviate inflam-mation, prevent oxidative stress, reduce the DNA fragmentation index, and modulate the proliferation and apoptosis of germ cells. Furthermore, TCM can supply trace elements and vitamins, ameliorate the microcirculation of the testis, decrease the levels of serum anti-sperm antibody, and modify epigenetic markers. However, the evidence in favor of TCM is not compel-ling, which has hindered the development of TCM. This review attempts to elucidate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of TCM. We also explore the advantages of TCM, differences between TCM and Western medicine, and problems in existing studies. Subsequently, we propose solutions to these problems and present perspectives for the future development of TCM.

This paper proposes an improved protein feature expression called segmented amino acid composition in position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM-SAA) in the field of subcellular localization prediction. Since there has been sufficient local information in the PSSM-SAA vector with high dimensionality, four global algorithms of dimensional reduction are suggested, including linear discriminant analysis (LDA), median LDA (MDA), generalized Fisher discriminant analysis (GDA), and median-mean line-based discriminant analysis (MMLDA). PSSM-SAA is also compared with three important expressions: PSSM-S, DipCPSSM, and PsePSSM. Numerical experiments involving the overall success rate (OSR) show that PSSM-SAA is much better than PSSM-S and DipCPSSM and slightly better than or equal in performance to PsePSSM regardless of which dimension reduction algorithm is used. LDA is finally recommended for PSSM-SAA through comparison among four techniques of dimensional reduction. Other popular evaluation indexes also confirm the effectiveness of PSSM-SAA with LDA. Next, the suggested model is compared with the state-of-the-art predictors to further evaluate its validity. Finally, a new user-friendly local software for implementing PSSM-SAA is provided, which can be found at https://www.github.com/caozicheng/PSSMSAA-Builder.