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Abstract The ivory shell Babylonia areolata is an economically important marine benthic gastropod known for its rapid growth and high nutritional value. B. areolata is distributed in Southeast Asia and the southeast coastal areas of China. In this study, we constructed a high-quality genome for B. areolata using PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The genome assembly comprised 35 chromosomal sequences with a total length of 1.65 Gb. The scaffold and contig N50 lengths were 53.17 Mb and 2.64 Mb, respectively, with repeat sequences constituting 64.46% of the genome. Furthermore, 26,130 protein-coding genes and 96.75% of the genome’s BUSCOs were identified. This inaugural report of a B. areolata genome provides crucial foundational information for further investigations into the biology, genomics, and genetic improvement of economic traits of this species.

Due to the common characteristics of major communicable and non-communicable chronic diseases targeted by major disease prevention and control measures – such as variability and ambiguity – both face common challenges in the implementation of group strategy. Additionally, these strategies must be conducted within the units/institutions/communities where people work, study, and live, focusing on groups rather than individuals, thus inherently involving organizational behavior. This paper proposes addressing the common issues of group prevention and control of major diseases from the perspective of organizational behavior, leveraging collective power through organizational roles. Moreover, based on relevant studies, it preliminarily introduces four organizational behavior elements aimed at addressing these common issues and analyzes the interrelationships among these four elements.

Objective To investigate the impact of total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation (tPTx+AT) on bone mineral density and serum soluble Klotho (sKlotho) level in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). Methods A total of 86 patients undergoing tPTx+AT in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2019 to May 2022 were recruited in this study. Their demographic characteristics were collected before surgery, along with serum levels of corrected calcium, phosphorus, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and sKlotho before and at 5 d, and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine the BMD values of the lumbar spine L1-L4 before surgery and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. The changes in BMD and serum FGF23 and sKlotho levels before and after tPTx+AT were observed. Results Surgical treatment was successfully completed in all 86 patients, with their clinical symptoms such as bone pain and skin itching significantly improved postoperatively, and markedly decreased serum calcium, phosphorus, iPTH, ALP and FGF23 levels. The sKlotho level was significantly lower at 5 d postoperatively than that preoperatively, with that at 1 month after surgery increased by approximately 24.5% than the preoperative level, and then the level was in a stable trend. The BMD values at the lumbar spine L1-L4 were increased postoperatively, and reached the highest levels at 12 months postoperatively. Further analyses showed that dialysis vintage, duration of SHPT, and ALP, iPTH and FGF23 levels were negatively correlated with the Z-scores of the lumbar spine L1-L4, while sKlotho level was positively correlated with the Z-scores. Conclusion tPTx+AT can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of SHPT patients, regulate the balance of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, increase sKlotho level and reduce FGF23 level. It is an effective method to improve BMD.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess powerful immunomodulatory ability. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UMSCs) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to explore the potential mechanisms. Methods This prospective, self-controlled clinical study was conducted at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital. Patients with moderate-to-severe active UC, unresponsive to traditional drugs were continuously enrolled from September 2018 to March 2023. UMSCs were administered intravenously monthly for two months at a cell dosage of 1 × 106 per kg. The primary outcome was a clinical response at 2 months. The levels of cytokines and progerin in the plasma of the patients were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, and longitudinal data was analyzed using generalized estimation equation. Results Forty-one patients were enrolled and received UMSC therapy. At 2 months, 73.2% (30/41) of patients achieved a clinical response, and 41.5% (17/41) achieved a clinical remission. At 6 months, 2 patients were lost to follow-up; the corresponding figures were 70.0% (25/41) and 34.2% (14/41), respectively. After UMSC therapy, the Mayo score, Mayo endoscopy score, mean and maximum values of Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity and Nancy index were significantly reduced compared with baseline values. Additionally, the levels of progerin and inflammatory markers, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IL-17 A decreased, while hemoglobin, albumin, and IL-10/IL-17 A ratio increased, particularly in the response group. Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis showed age was an independent risk factor affecting efficacy (odds ratio, 0.875 (95% confidence interval (0.787, 0.972)); the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for age was 0.79. No serious adverse events were observed during or after UMSC therapy. Conclusion UMSCs are safe and effective for patients with UC, with age being an independent risk factor affecting efficacy. Mechanistically, UMSC treatment may ameliorate cell senescence and suppress the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered at www.chictr.org.cn/ (ChiCTR1900026035) on September 18, 2019.

The Standards, Measurements, and Testing (SMT) phosphorus fractionation approach was used to measure the amounts of total phosphorus (TP), organic phosphorus (OP), inorganic phosphorus (IP), apatite inorganic phosphorus (AP), and non-apatite inorganic phosphorus (NAIP) in sludge biochar. Sludge biochar was characterized using methods such as X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The findings showed that IP content increased significantly after pyrolysis, reaching up to 97% of TP content at the optimal temperature of 350 °C. Furthermore, when the pyrolysis temperature increased, the AP/IP ratio showed fluctuations between decreases and increases, maximum at 60%. The results of the correlation analysis indicate that IP has a positive correlation with yield, pH, and S elements (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation with N, C, and H elements (p < 0.01). OP, on the other hand, has a positive correlation with H elements (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation with yield (p < 0.01). Furthermore, TP, NAIP, and AP all show negative correlations with N, C, and H elements (p < 0.01), with TP and NAIP also displaying negative correlations with pH and S elements (p < 0.05). HIGHLIGHT Phosphorus morphology changes at 300–700 °C by the Standards, Measurements, and Testing method. Different temperatures change the transformation of various phosphorus forms. The apatite inorganic phosphorus content in biochar increased with the increase of pyrolysis temperature and reached the maximum at 700 °C.;

Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women during the third trimester resulted in overall adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to non-infected controls and a unique humoral and cellular response at delivery. In this study we aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal/neonatal peripartum outcomes andimmunological profiles. Method In this study, we recruited 304 SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women and 910 SARS-CoV-2 non-infected pregnant women who were admitted for delivery. Peripartum and neonates’ outcomes response to SARS-CoV-2 infection were analyzed. Furthermore, we characterized the antibody and cytokines profile in SARS-CoV-2 infected maternal blood (MB) and cord blood (CB). We also assessed routine laboratory tests and liver function tests in MB before labor. Unpaired T test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman test were used to analyze the data. Results SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women were significantly associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm labor (13.8% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.033) and meconium-stained amniotic fluid (8.9% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.039). The risk of low birth weight (

Background/Aims Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an unmet clinical challenge due to the rapid increased occurrence but lacking approved drugs. Autophagy-related protein 16-like 1 (ATG16L1) plays an important role in the process of autophagy, which is indispensable for proper biogenesis of the autophagosome, but its role in modulating macrophage-related inflammation and metabolism during MASH has not been documented. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role of ATG16L1 in the progression of MASH. Methods Expression analysis was performed with liver samples from human and mice. MASH models were induced in myeloid-specific Atg16l1-deficient and myeloid-specific Atg16l1-overexpressed mice by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet or methionine- and choline-deficient diet to explore the function and mechanism of macrophage ATG16L1 in MASH. Results Macrophage-specific Atg16l1 knockout exacerbated MASH and inhibited energy expenditure, whereas macrophage-specific Atg16l1 transgenic overexpression attenuated MASH and promotes energy expenditure. Mechanistically, Atg16l1 knockout inhibited macrophage lipophagy, thereby suppressing macrophage β-oxidation and decreasing the production of 4-hydroxynonenal, which further inhibited stimulator of interferon genes(STING) carbonylation. STING palmitoylation was enhanced, STING trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi was promoted, and downstream STING signaling was activated, promoting proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines secretion, resulting in hepatic steatosis and hepatic stellate cells activation. Moreover, Atg16l1-deficiency enhanced macrophage phagosome ability but inhibited lysosome formation, engulfing mtDNA released by pyroptotic hepatocytes. Increased mtDNA promoted cGAS/STING signaling activation. Moreover, pharmacological promotion of ATG16L1 substantially blocked MASH progression. Conclusions ATG16L1 suppresses MASH progression by maintaining macrophage lipophagy, restraining liver inflammation, and may be a promising therapeutic target for MASH management.

Renal calculi weighing over 200 g are relative rare in modern urological practice since most stones might cause renal dysfunction before reaching such size. We here reported an extremely rare case of giant stones in single kidney of a 72-year-old Chinese male patient who had 30 years long-term history of lithiasis in the right kidney. These huge kidney stones, total weight 832.6 g were successfully removed with multiple sessions of surgery. Kidney function was relatively stable after long-term medical care in primary care centers. Timely treatment of kidney stones early should arouse more attention worldwide.

In this work, ginsenoside CK was confirmed as an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with an IC50 value of 32.58 ± 0.09 μM. Molecular docking showed that ginsenoside CK could fit into EGFR binding pocket, thereby acting as a ligand for EGFR. Ginsenoside CK inhibited proliferation of A549 cells as well as induced its apoptosis via downregulating anti-apoptotic factors and upregulating apoptosis induction factors. Ginsenoside CK alone and combined with gefitinib inhibited the tumor progression of A549 lung cancer xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. ELISA assay showed that ginsenoside CK combined with gefitinib alleviated the inflammatory response by suppressing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, indicating better inhibitory effects than ginsenoside CK or gefitinib alone. This work further confirmed that ginsenoside CK regulated the EGFR/MAPK/ERK signaling both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, ginsenoside CK can exhibit the anti-lung cancer effect via acting as an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

IntroductionWarming caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has become a global environmental issue of widespread concern, and China, as a responsible power, has the pressing task of reducing carbon emissions. China is one of the world’s major beef producers and consumers, and at the same time, beef cattle, as a large livestock, is the largest source of GHG emissions in the livestock industry.MethodsThis study considered the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2008 to 2022. The kernel density estimation and Dagum Gini coefficient were used to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution patterns and influencing factors of carbon emissions from China’s beef cattle farming industry.Results(1) The carbon emission trajectory of beef cattle production follows a distinctive “ascend-descend-ascend” three-phase pattern. By 2022, the sector’s cumulative carbon emissions had burgeoned by 37.62% relative to 2008, reflecting an average annual escalation of 2.31%. Despite the overall upward trend in carbon emissions, significant regional differences were observed. The Central Plains region has witnessed a consistent decline, in stark contrast to the Southwest and Northeast regions, which have emerged as hotspots for heightened carbon emissions and intensified emission densities within China’s beef cattle production landscape, underscoring the intensifying significance of carbon mitigation measures. (2) The kernel density curve shows an overall rightward shift with a specific gradient effect on carbon emissions. In addition, the range of the right drag of the curve in 2022 was significantly reduced, which laterally reflects the narrowing of the difference between the provinces with the highest and lowest carbon emissions from beef cattle farming. The principal source of variance in the overall carbon emissions from beef cattle production is the disparities between regions, which accounts for an average annual contribution rate of 52.52%. Conversely, the within-region contribution rates have remained relatively stable, while those for the intensity of transvariation have witnessed a substantial rise, with annual averages of 18.31 and 28.96%, respectively. (3) Regarding the factors influencing carbon emissions reduction, environmental regulations and production efficiency significantly drive carbon emissions reduction in beef cattle farming.DiscussionRelevant government departments should actively guide farmers toward green production, establish perfect policies and regulations for low-carbon beef cattle farming, and promote low-carbon beef cattle farming models based on local conditions.

Based on the application of wall-climbing robots in recent years, this article classifies the existing wall-climbing robots in detail from the point of view of adsorption methods, systematically introduces the development status of various adsorption methods, and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of various adsorption methods combined with application examples. Combined with the current research hotspot, the future development focus of adsorption method is analyzed. This article systematically analyzes the problems encountered by wall-climbing robots in wall movement, and provides a summary of key technologies. The problems of modular design are summarized, and the development direction of adsorption mode and moving unit is prospected.

Background Stage IV gastric cancer is a highly heterogeneous and lethal tumor with few therapeutic strategies. The combination of programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors and chemotherapy is currently the standard frontline treatment regimen for advanced gastric cancer. Nevertheless, it remains a great challenge to screen the beneficiaries of immunochemotherapy and expand indications for this treatment regimen.Methods We conducted a pathological assessment to ascertain the importance of tertiary lymphoid structures based on the tissue samples collected from patients with stage IV gastric cancer (n=15) both prior to and following immunochemotherapy treatment. Additionally, we used spatial (n=10) and single-cell transcriptional analysis (n=97) to investigate the key regulators of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). Multiplex immunofluorescence and image analysis (n=34) were performed to explore the association between tumor-infiltrating CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T cells and TLSs. The relationship between CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T cells and the responsiveness to immunotherapy was also evaluated by multiplex immunofluorescence and image analysis approaches (n=15). Furthermore, we explored the intrinsic characteristics of CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T cells through various experimental techniques, including quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, western blot, and flow cytometry.Results We found that responders exhibited higher levels of TLSs and CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T cells in biopsy tissues prior to immunochemotherapy compared with non-responders. Following conversion therapy, responders also had a higher percentage of mature TLSs and a higher number of CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T cells in surgical resections. Moreover, we discovered that vitamin B6 in CD160+ CD8+ T cells could reduce the ubiquitination modification of HIF-1α by MDM2, thereby attenuating the degradation of HIF-1α. Consequently, this led to the transcriptional upregulation of CXCL13 expression, facilitating the recruitment of CXCR5+ B cells and the formation of TLSs.Conclusion The number and maturity of TLSs, along with the extent of CXCL13+ CD160+ CD8+ T-cell infiltration, might function as potential indicators for assessing the effectiveness of immunotherapy in treating gastric malignancies. Furthermore, our research suggests that vitamin B6 could enhance the secretion of CXCL13 by CD160+ CD8+ T cells by reducing the degradation of HIF-1α. Additionally, we demonstrate that vitamin B6 supplementation or targeting pyridoxal kinase could substantially improve the efficacy of immunotherapies for gastric cancer.

Bundle recommendation offers users more holistic insights by recommending multiple compatible items at once. However, the intricate correlations between items, varied user preferences, and the pronounced data sparsity in combinations present significant challenges for bundle recommendation algorithms. Furthermore, current bundle recommendation methods fail to identify mismatched items within a given set, a process termed as “outlier item detection”. These outlier items are those with the weakest correlations within a bundle. Identifying them can aid users in refining their item combinations. While the correlation among items can predict the detection of such outliers, the adaptability of combinations might not be adequately responsive to shifts in individual items during the learning phase. This limitation can hinder the algorithm’s performance. To tackle these challenges, we introduce an encoder–decoder architecture tailored for outlier item detection. The encoder learns potential item correlations through a self-attention mechanism. Concurrently, the decoder garners efficient inference frameworks by directly assessing item anomalies. We have validated the efficacy and efficiency of our proposed algorithm using real-world datasets.

Abstract Whether intestinal Leucine-rich repeat containing G-protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) impacts nutrition absorption and energy homeostasis remains unknown. Here, we report that deficiency of Lgr4 (Lgr4 iKO ) in intestinal epithelium decreased the proportion of enterocytes selective for long-chain fatty acid absorption, leading to reduction in lipid absorption and subsequent improvement in lipid and glucose metabolism. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrates the heterogeneity of absorptive enterocytes, with a decrease in enterocytes selective for long-chain fatty acid-absorption and an increase in enterocytes selective for carbohydrate absorption in Lgr4 iKO mice. Activation of Notch signaling and concurrent inhibition of Wnt signaling are observed in the transgenes. Associated with these alterations is the substantial reduction in lipid absorption. Decrement in lipid absorption renders Lgr4 iKO mice resistant to high fat diet-induced obesity relevant to wild type littermates. Our study thus suggests that targeting intestinal LGR4 is a potential strategy for the intervention of obesity and liver steatosis.

Abstract Acute type A aortic dissection is a severe cardiovascular disease characterized by rapid onset and high mortality. Traditionally, urgent open aortic repair is performed after admission to prevent aortic rupture and death. However, when combined with malperfusion syndrome, the low perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery can further lead to intestinal necrosis, significantly impacting the surgery’s prognosis and potentially resulting in adverse consequences, bringing. This presents great significant challenges in treatment. Based on recent domestic and international research literature, this paper reviews the mechanism, current treatment approaches, and selection of surgical methods for poor organ perfusion caused by acute type A aortic dissection. The literature review findings suggest that central aortic repair can be employed for the treatment of acute type A aortic dissection with inadequate perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery. The superior mesenteric artery can be windowed and (/or) stented, followed by delayed aortic repair. Priority should be given to revascularization of the superior mesenteric artery, followed by central aortic repair. During central aortic repair, direct blood perfusion should be performed on the distal true lumen of the superior mesenteric artery, leading to resulting in favorable therapeutic outcomes. The research results indicate that even after surgical aortic repair, intestinal ischemic necrosis may still occur. In such cases, prompt laparotomy and necessary necrotic bowel resection are crucial for saving the patient’s life.

Abstract Acute type A aortic dissection is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease characterized by rapid onset and high mortality. Emergency surgery is the preferred and reliable treatment option. However, postoperative complications significantly impact patient prognosis. Hypoxemia, a common complication, poses challenges in clinical treatment, negatively affecting patient outcomes and increasing the risk of mortality. Therefore, it is crucial to study and comprehend the risk factors and treatment strategies for hypoxemia following acute type A aortic dissection to facilitate early intervention.

Abstract As for Atrazine (C8H14ClN5) degradation in soil, iron (Fe)-manganese (Mn) bimetallic biochar composites were proved to be more efficient for persulfate (PS) activation than monometallic ones. The atrazine removal rates of Fe/Mn loaded biochar + PS systems were 2.17–2.89 times higher than Fe/Mn loaded biochar alone. Compared with monometallic biochar, the higher atrazine removal rates by bimetallic biochar (77.2–96.7%) were mainly attributed to the synergy degradation and adsorption due to the larger amounts of metal oxides on the biochar surface. Atrazine degradation in Fe-rich biochar systems was mainly attributed to free radicals (i.e., $${\text{SO}}_{4}^{ \cdot - }$$ SO 4 · - and ·OH) through oxidative routes, whereas surface-bound radicals, 1O2, and free radicals were responsible for the degradation of atrazine in Mn-rich biochar systems. Furthermore, with a higher ratio of Fe(II) and Mn(III) formed in Fe-rich bimetallic biochar, the valence state exchange between Fe and Mn contributed significantly to the more effective activation of PS and the generation of more free radicals. The pathways of atrazine degradation in the Fe-rich bimetallic biochar systems involved alkyl hydroxylation, alkyl oxidation, dealkylation, and dechlorohydroxylation. The results indicated that bimetallic biochar composites with more Fe and less Mn are more effective for the PS-based degradation of atrazine, which guides the ration design of easily available carbon materials targeted for the efficient remediation of various organic-polluted soil. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Identifying moral behavior in complex situations is the key ability for children to develop prosocial behavior. The theory of mind (ToM) and empathy provide the cognition and emotional motivation required for the development of moral sensitivity. In this study, we investigated the associations among ToM, empathy, and moral sensitivity and explored the possible differences between Chinese preschool children aged 4 and 5 years. Methods One hundred and thirty children completed the unexpected-content and change-of-location tasks as well as questionnaires about empathy and moral sensitivity individually. A one-way analysis of variance and the multi-group mediation SEM were used to examine the associations of the three variables and age differences. Results The scores of 5-year-old children in the dimensions of care, fairness, authority, and sanctity and the total score were higher than those of 4-year-old children. Moral sensitivity was positively correlated with both ToM and empathy after we controlled for verbal IQ and gender. Multigroup mediation analyses showed age-based differences in the associations among moral sensitivity, ToM, and empathy. Empathy’s mediation effect was partial among 4-year-old children and complete among 5-year-old children. Conclusions These findings contribute to understanding the cognitive and emotional factors in the formation of children’s moral sensitivity. They also point to a promising approach to promoting the development of moral sensitivity and evidence for educators to understand the process of children’s socialization.

Producers, consumers, decomposers and their relationships are all important biological components of a healthy ecosystem. Grasshoppers (including locusts) have been extensively studied as a group of members of grassland ecosystems. However, the effects of different degrees of locust disturbance on plant niches remain unclear. We carried out a field experiment by manipulating locust (Oedaleus asiaticus) grazing at different densities in the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station in northern China, to investigate the outcome of locust plague on plant C:N:P stoichiometric niche. Based on the Copula function with improved modelling methods to simulate the stoichiometric niche projection map of different plants, we found that Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis, after being disturbed by locusts, had a relatively larger niche space and niche overlap among the seven plant species, indicating that they remained the dominant species in the area. Achnatherum sibiricum, Cleistogenes squarrosa, and Koeleria cristata showed little change in their C:N:P stoichiometric niche in response to locust plague, while the mechanisms involving stoichiometric niche variation were not the same in these plants; food importance to locust and physiology (e.g., photosynthesis pathway type) may account for this. Our results suggest that a heavy degree of locust plague might benefit the expansion of chemical niche space (species' niche in chemical resource utilization) in some plants in Inner Mongolian grasslands, but does not necessarily increase their physical niche (species' niche under abiotic environmental conditions like temperature and humidity). To our knowledge, the present work is the first to study C:N:P stoichiometric niche variation in response to locust disturbance and may have significance in theoretical studies and provide guidance for the protection of biodiversity and grassland ecosystem management.

This study explored the inhibitory effect of pomegranate flower polysaccharide (PFPS) on mastitis through in vitro and in vivo models. PFPS is a new type of polysaccharide isolated and extracted from pomegranate flowers. The result revealed that PFPS consists of GalA, Ara, and Gal, and the residues consist of 1,4-GalpA, 1,4-Galp, and 1,3,6-Galp, which contain HG-type and RG-I-type pectin structural domains. In vitro studies showed that PFPS could inhibit LPS-enhanced phagocytosis of RAW 264.7 cells and the release of IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α. In vivo, studies showed that PFPS improved xylene-induced mouse ear swelling and carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema by inhibiting inflammatory factors. In the mouse mastitis model, PFPS significantly improved LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in mammary tissue. Intestinal flora sequencing results showed that PFPS could effectively regulate the intestinal flora of mice, reduce the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria Oscillospira and AF12, and increase the probiotics Blautia, Parabacteroides, Allobaculum, and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium. Therefore, PFPS ultimately played a role in preventing mastitis by regulating the intestinal flora and further improving the blood-milk barrier. This study provides a scientific basis for PFPS as a potential candidate drug for the treatment of mastitis.

Objective Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant clinical challenge because the long-term benefits of immune checkpoint blockade therapy are limited. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying immunotherapy resistance in HCC is imperative for improving patient prognosis.Design In this study, to systematically investigate the characteristics of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subsets and the dynamic communication among the tumor microenvironment (TME) components regulated by CAF subsets, we generated an HCC atlas by compiling single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets on 220 samples from six datasets. We combined spatial transcriptomics with scRNA-seq and multiplexed immunofluorescence to identify the specific CAF subsets in the TME that determine the efficacy of immunotherapy in HCC patients.Results Our findings highlight the pivotal role of POSTN+ CAFs as potent immune response barriers at specific tumor locations, as they hinder effective T-cell infiltration and decrease the efficacy of immunotherapy. Additionally, we elucidated the interplay between POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages, whereby the former recruits the latter and triggers increased SPP1 expression via the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated a spatial correlation between POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages, revealing an immunosuppressive microenvironment that limits the immunotherapy response. Notably, we found that patients with elevated expression levels of both POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages achieved less therapeutic benefit in an immunotherapy cohort.Conclusion Our research elucidates light on the role of a particular subset of CAFs in immunotherapy resistance, emphasizing the potential benefits of targeting specific CAF subpopulations to improve clinical responses to immunotherapy.

Salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration are two of the most important factors affecting the geographic distribution, survival, and physiological processes of estuarine and mariculture organisms. In this study, the effects of low salinity and hypoxia on survival and physiology were evaluated for two populations of Babylonia areolata, a Thailand population (TT) and a Hainan population (HH), and their reciprocal hybrids TH (TT♀ × HH♂), HT (HH♀ × TT♂). HH was more sensitive to low salinity, with a survival rate close to zero after 54 h of low salinity stress, while the survival rates of the other three populations remained above 50%, and the median lethal times (LT50) of the four populations after 72-h low salinity stress were in the order TT > TH > HT > HH. In addition, comparing the heterosis levels calculated from the 72 h-LT50 and the 48-h and 72-h survival rates of TH and HT under low salinity stress, the mid-parent heterosis (HMP) values of the three indicators of TH were 24.56%, 79.56%, and 80.97%, respectively, and the HMP values of the corresponding indicators of HT were 19.67%, 70.47%, and −42.88%, respectively. Moreover, with the increase in time under hypoxia, TH and HT began to die, and the survival rates of TH and HT were lower than those of their parental populations. The oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of TH and HT under hypoxic conditions were lower than those of TT and HH. The results showed that the crossbreeding between TT and HH improved the low salinity tolerance of their hybrids but decreased their tolerance to hypoxia. This study provides information concerning this ivory shell hybrid system that could aid in the application of heterosis in ivory shell aquaculture.

Rationale and objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of intestinal dysbiosis on the hippocampal volume using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model. Materials and methods: We established a T2DM animal model with high-fat diet and streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) administration to Sprague-Dawley rats. Short-term ceftriaxone sodium administration was used to establish a T2DM intestinal dysbiosis (T2DM-ID) model. After establishing the model, fecal microbiota were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing. The models were then subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Associations between MRI findings and fecal microbiota were evaluated. Results: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the bilateral hippocampal voxel value and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) level were lower in the experimental group than in the normal control (NC) group (p

Purpose: To analyze and compare clinical research trends and hot topics in allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma and provide valuable theoretical data and references for future research. Methods: Clinical studies focusing on AR or asthma published from 2013 to 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Eligible articles were screened and analyzed using bibliometrics from multiple indicators. Results: A total of 261 eligible articles on AR and 991 qualified articles on asthma were screened. The following bibliometric analyses identified the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology as the most influential publication on AR and asthma and proved the significant contributions of Harvard University in clinical studies on AR and asthma. The analyses also revealed that the top ten prolific authors for AR were from China, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany, whereas the top ten productive authors for asthma were mainly from the USA. Collaborations among countries for AR were relatively concentrated in the Occident, whereas international cooperation on asthma was mainly achieved by the Occident and certain Eastern countries. Conclusions: This study compared and analyzed the current status and evolution of AR and asthma-related clinical research using bibliometric analysis. Additionally, the study comprehensively summarized the impactful authors, institutions, and countries, and revealed the replacement and evolution of hotspots.

The mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is on the rise globally, particularly in the Western world, with etiology gradually shifting from virus-related liver diseases to metabolic disorders such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Early detection of HCC is challenging, and effective prognostic indicators are currently lacking, urgently necessitating reliable markers to assist in treatment planning and clinical management. Here, we introduce hepatocellular carcinoma senescence genes (HSG) to assess cellular senescence in HCC and devise a hepatocellular carcinoma senescence score (HSS) for prognostic prediction. Higher HSS levels signify poorer prognosis and increased tumor proliferation activity. Additionally, we observe alterations in the tumor immune microenvironment with higher HSS levels, such as increased infiltration of Treg, potentially providing a basis for immunotherapy. Furthermore, we identify key genes, such as PTTG1, within the senescence gene set and demonstrate their regulatory roles in HCC cells and Treg through experimentation. In summary, we establish a scoring system based on hepatocellular carcinoma senescence genes for prognostic prediction in HCC, potentially offering guidance for clinical treatment planning.

Oedaleus decorus asiaticus (O. asiaticus), the dominant species of steppe locust, plays a crucial role in driving the dynamic changes of the grassland ecosystem. However, there are a limited number of studies on the impact of locust feeding on the relationship of the major plants in the species community. This study has employed the Shannon-Wiener index, Pianka index, and the maximum information coefficient (MIC) to assess the impact of O. asiaticus feeding on the community structure and interspecific relationships in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. The chosen indices measured niche breadth, niche overlap, and interspecies correlation. The topological network structure between the main species was further analyzed. The results indicated that: 1) locust gnawing expands the niche width of major species and increases the niche overlap index of food-loving species; 2) the feeding of locusts reduces the overall correlation between species but increases the interspecific relatedness between food-loving species and other species. 3) the number of links in the species topological network structure is reduced due to locust gnawing.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a devastating lung disease with limited treatment options. During this pathological process, the profibrogenic macrophage subpopulation plays a crucial role, making the characterization of this subpopulation fundamentally important. The present study revealed a positive correlation between pulmonary macrophages with higher mitochondrial mass (Mømitohigh) and fibrosis. Among the Mømitohigh subpopulation of CD206+ M2, characterized by higher expression of dynamin 1-like (Drp1), as determined by flow cytometry and RNA-seq analysis, a therapeutic intervention was developed using an exosome-based formula composed of pathfinder and therapeutics. A pathfinder exosome called “exosomeMMP19 (ExoMMP19)”, was constructed to display matrix metalloproteinase-19 (MMP19) on the surface to locally break down the excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) in the fibrotic lung. A therapeutic exosome called “exosome therapeutics (ExoTx)”, was engineered to display D-mannose on the surface while encapsulating siDrp1 inside. Prior delivery of ExoMMP19 degraded excessive ECM and thus paved the way for ExoTx to be delivered into Mømitohigh, where ExoTx inhibited mitochondrial fission and alleviated PF. This study has not only identified Mømitohigh as profibrotic macrophages but it has also provided a potent strategy to reverse PF via a combination of formulated exosomes.

In view of the low segmentation accuracy for small-scale object and insufficient segmentation of local boundary for semantic segmentation methods based on Deep Learning, this paper proposes an image semantic segmentation approach based on attention mechanism and feature fusion. On the basis of ensuring the overall accuracy, the segmentation accuracy of small-scale object and local boundary is improved, and it meets the requirement of accurately segmenting the object in the complex background. Firstly, an image semantic segmentation model based on hybrid cascade and feature fusion is proposed, and the hybrid concatenation and multi-cores pooling methods are used to extract deeper semantic information. Then, a cross-stages fusion approach is designed to divide the backbone network of the encoder stage in the network and the improved Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module into three stages to fully utilize the different semantic information of the shallow and deep layers. Thirdly, the attention mechanism is introduced into the hybrid cascade and feature fusion image semantic segmentation network model, and image semantic segmentation model based on cross-stages and attention mechanisms is explained. Self attention is added to channel attention enhances the connection between feature maps, and one-dimensional convolution in the spatial attention mechanism is used to increase the spatial receptive field. The final results on the public dataset PASCAL VOC2012 and SUIM show that MIoUs have reached 86.68% and 61.55% respectively, and it proved that the overall accuracy of the approach proposed in this paper is higher than other ones.

Abstract Traditional villages are China's cultural heritage resources; they carry rich historical and cultural information and have important historical significance and cultural value. Studying their spatial forms can suggest new ideas for the protection of traditional villages. The spatial configuration of traditional villages is shaped by a complex interplay of natural geography, socio-economic factors, transportation infrastructure, and essential facilities. Various developmental scenarios lead to diverse spatial development patterns, each demonstrating unique dynamic characteristics throughout its evolution. This article focuses on the exploration of the spatial morphology of Jiuguan Village, located along the Jingxing Ancient Post Road. By using kernel density analysis, space syntax, spatial form index, and so on, the spatial form of Jiuguan Village was studied from three aspects: public facilities clustering degree, road system, and spatial form index. Through a hierarchical approach involving points, lines, and planes, our study unveils the multifaceted influence of transportation factors on the village's historical development and its dynamic adaptive attributes within the context of traditional village spatial morphology. The results indicated that the location advantage of traffic is the driving force behind land expansion. Secondly, the areas with high traffic accessibility tend to be public spaces in villages. Third, the change in the transportation market will lead to a change in village land use functions. Finally, the renewal of transportation modes will change the spatial scale of the village. This research offers a deeper comprehension of the historical context surrounding traditional villages and provides a scientifically guided framework for heritage preservation and sustainable village development.

Introduction This study explores the association of individual cognition and social environment of smoking with autonomy over tobacco, providing evidence and insights to help smokers effectively prevent and reduce tobacco dependence. Methods Data were collected from 1389 participants, aged ≥15 years, by face-toface interviews from June 2018 to November 2019 in central China. We assessed autonomy over tobacco using the Autonomy Over Smoking Scale (AUTOS), including Withdrawal Symptoms (WS), Psychological Dependence (PD) and Cueinduced Cravings (CC), and examined factors of individual cognition and social environment, as well as covariates, including demographic characteristics, health status, and smoking behavior. Results AUTOS total score was 16.92 ± 9.05, WS score was the lowest (4.40 ± 3.36) in the three subscales, and CC score was the highest (6.88 ± 3.2). After adjustment, WS score of having a greater awareness of smoking hazards to one's own health was lower than those who had no awareness (β=0.14; 95% CI: -0.31– 0.00), and the total score of AUTOS, the score of PD and CC for those who thought smoking was ‘more helpful (high)’ to interpersonal communication were higher than ‘not helpful (not at all)’ (β=0.14; 95% CI: 0.01–0.28 with β=0.16; 95% CI: 0.02–0.29; and β=0.14; 95% CI: 0.00–0.28; respectively). Having a greater difficulty in smoking cessation was associated with higher AUTOS total and subscale scores (p

In view of the small size and dense distribution of remote sensing image targets, this paper adds a detection head P2 specifically for small-scale targets on the basis of the three detection layers of the original YOLOv5 model, and involves the shallow high-resolution feature map in the subsequent multi-scale feature fusion module. The problem of losing the key feature information of the small-scale target in the process of multiple downsampling is effectively avoided. Firstly, an enhanced multi-scale feature fusion pyramid network DSI-FPN is designed. The FPN+PAN network is optimized by using DepthwiseSparable Convolution and Involution operators with fewer parameters and computations, as well as a spatial attention mechanism to generate feature graphs with richer information for network detection tasks. Secondly, we propose an adaptive channel spatial attention mechanism SCBAM, which introduces a self-attention mechanism into CBAM module to add non-local information to the interaction that originally had only local information, breaks the convolution kernel limit, expands the model receptive field, and improves the feature expression ability of the model. Thirdly, in order to solve the problem of insufficient computing power when deploying the target detector for equipment, we propose a network knowledge distillation framework for joint teachers based on the feature layer. The distillation loss of teacher is designed, and the trend of student online learning is adjusted dynamically by balancing the contributions of teacher network and truth value. The detection accuracy of the student network is obviously improved, and the parameters and model size of the network are effectively reduced. Finally, Comparing with other remote sensing image object detection methods, the experimental results show that the approach presented has better detection effect for small-scale targets of remote sensing images under different lighting conditions. The detection accuracy reached 43.9%, and 7.4% higher than that of the original model. After knowledge distillation, the model parameters are reduced to 1/3 of the original, and the detection accuracy is 40.2%.

Abstract This paper proposes a fluid classifier for a tight reservoir using a quantum neural network (QNN). It is difficult to identify the fluid in tight reservoirs, and the manual interpretation of logging data, which is an important means to identify the fluid properties, has the disadvantages of a low recognition rate and non-intelligence, and an intelligent algorithm can better identify the fluid. For tight reservoirs, the logging response characteristics of different fluid properties and the sensitivity and relevance of well log parameter and rock physics parameters to fluid identification are analyzed, and different sets of input parameters for fluid identification are constructed. On the basis of quantum neural networks, a new method for combining sample quantum state descriptions, sensitivity analysis of input parameters, and wavelet activation functions for optimization is proposed. The results of identifying the dry layer, gas layer, and gas–water co-layer in the tight reservoir in the Sichuan Basin of China show that different input parameters and activation functions affect recognition performance. The proposed quantum neural network based on hybrid parameters and a wavelet activation function has higher fluid identification accuracy than the original quantum neural network model, indicating that this method is effective and warrants promotion and application.

In the context of China’s rapid urbanization, the landscape texture and ecosystem of traditional villages are being constructively damaged, especially the water ecosystem responsible for maintaining the sustainable development of villages. It is urgent to explore the green construction technology of traditional villages. However, some traditional villages in Taihang Mountain area exist and develop in the environment of drought and flood, which contains rich ecological water resources management wisdom. Therefore, in this paper, Taihang Mountain is selected as the research area to collect data through literature analysis, field research, and in-depth interviews. This study uses ArcGIS spatial analysis and statistical functions to analyze the acquired data and explore the water resources management practices of traditional villages based on three aspects: safety, function, and spirit. Then it summarizes four key inspirations for contemporary water resources management: “adapt to local conditions, pay equal attention to water use and prevention”; “division of labor and cooperation complement each other”, “low cost, low technology, low maintenance” and “make the best use of materials and compound functions”. These advantageous insights can be offered for the preservation of traditional villages, the enhancement of the living environment, and the management and growth of urban stormwater.

Remote sensing and deep learning are being widely combined in tasks such as urban planning and disaster prevention. However, due to interference occasioned by density, overlap, and coverage, the tiny object detection in remote sensing images has always been a difficult problem. Therefore, we propose a novel TO–YOLOX(Tiny Object–You Only Look Once) model. TO–YOLOX possesses a MiSo(Multiple-in-Single-out) feature fusion structure, which exhibits a spatial-shift structure, and the model balances positive and negative samples and enhances the information interaction pertaining to the local patch of remote sensing images. TO–YOLOX utilizes an adaptive IOU-T (Intersection Over Uni-Tiny) loss to enhance the localization accuracy of tiny objects, and it applies attention mechanism Group-CBAM (group-convolutional block attention module) to enhance the perception of tiny objects in remote sensing images. To verify the effectiveness and efficiency of TO–YOLOX, we utilized three aerial-photography tiny object detection datasets, namely VisDrone2021, Tiny Person, and DOTA–HBB, and the following mean average precision (mAP) values were recorded, respectively: 45.31% (+10.03%), 28.9% (+9.36%), and 63.02% (+9.62%). With respect to recognizing tiny objects, TO–YOLOX exhibits a stronger ability compared with Faster R-CNN, RetinaNet, YOLOv5, YOLOv6, YOLOv7, and YOLOX, and the proposed model exhibits fast computation.

Depression ranks as the fourth most prevalent global disease, with suicide incidents occurring at a younger age. Sulpiride (SUL), an atypical antidepressant drug acting as a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist and possessing anti-inflammatory properties, exhibits limited ability to penetrate the blood brain barrier (BBB). This weak penetration hampers its inhibitory effect on prolactin release in the pituitary gland, consequently leading to hyperprolactinemia. In order to enhance the central nervous system efficacy of sulpiride and reduce serum prolactin levels, we covalently linked sulpiride to VPALR derived from the nuclear DNA repair protein ku70. In vivo study on depressive mice using intraperitoneal injection of VPALR-SUL demonstrated a significant increase in struggle time and total distance compared to those treated with only sulpiride while also reducing serum prolactin concentration. The pharmacokinetic study results showed that VPALR-SUL prolonged half-life and increased bioavailability. In conclusion, VPALR-SUL exhibited potential for enhancing sulpiride transport across the BBB, augmenting its antidepressant effects, and reducing serum prolactin levels. This study laid a foundation for improving sulpiride delivery and developing novel antidepressants.

In recent years, with the rapid development of network applications and the increasing demand for high-quality network service, quality-of-service (QoS) routing has emerged as a critical network technology. The application of machine learning techniques, particularly reinforcement learning and graph neural network, has garnered significant attention in addressing this problem. However, existing reinforcement learning methods lack research on the causal impact of agent actions on the interactive environment, and graph neural network fail to effectively represent link features, which are pivotal for routing optimization. Therefore, this study quantifies the causal influence between the intelligent agent and the interactive environment based on causal inference techniques, aiming to guide the intelligent agent in improving the efficiency of exploring the action space. Simultaneously, graph neural network is employed to embed node and link features, and a reward function is designed that comprehensively considers network performance metrics and causality relevance. A centralized reinforcement learning method is proposed to effectively achieve QoS-aware routing in Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Finally, experiments are conducted in a network simulation environment, and metrics such as packet loss, delay, and throughput all outperform the baseline.

Abstract PDL1 blockade therapy holds great promise in cancer immunotherapy. Ultrasound imaging of PDL1 expression in the tumor is of great importance in predicting the therapeutic efficacy. As a proof‐of‐concept study, a novel ultrasound contrast agent has been innovated here to image and block PDL1 in the tumor tissue. Briefly, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are engineered to display truncated PD1 (tPD1) on the surface to bind PDL1 with high affinity by fusion to EV‐abundant transmembrane protein PTGFRN. The engineered EVs are then encapsulated with Ca(HCO3)2 via electroporation and designated as Gp‐EVtPD1, which would recognize PDL1 highly expressed cells and produce gas in the endosomes and lysosomes. On the one hand, the echogenic signal intensity correlates well with the PDL1 expression and immune response inhibition in the tumor. On the other hand, during the trajectory of Gp‐EVtPD1 in the recipient cells, tPD1 on the EV binds PDL1 and triggers the PDL1 endocytosis and degradation in endosomes/lysosomes in a sequential manner, and thus boosts the anti‐tumor immunity of cytotoxic T cells. In summary, Gp‐EVtPD1 serves as a novel ultrasound contrast agent and blocker of PDL1, which might be of great advantage in imaging PDL1 expression and conquering immune checkpoint blocker resistance.

Considering the importance of agriculture in food security in arid and semiarid areas, it is absolutely necessary to apply the planning model based on different objectives. This study has been conducted to simulate the trading and non-trading policies in the Particle Swarm Optimization framework for estimating the optimal economic values of agricultural water in Jilin province, northeastern China. Fuzzy solutions have been also calculated by definition of the feasible domain for water availability and permits. A generalized extreme value function was incorporated into the problem to predict the rainfall amounts with a 25-year return period. The results showed that determining the agricultural pattern using a trading policy with the aim of benefiting from the water will reduce the water demand in the study area. The trading policy can lead to a more efficient allocation of released water and reduce water scarcity, but it can eliminate some plants from the cropping pattern by reducing the water level. As a result, trading policy can be effective in the short term, especially in drought conditions due to insufficient water supply. HIGHLIGHTS A model based on a fuzzy trading model with water and land constraints was developed.; Two strategies of trading theory have been used for maximizing economic efficiency.;

The coal industry is crucial for guaranteeing China’s energy security and achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutralization (i.e., “dual carbon”) goals. Therefore, it is imperative to formulate a carbon neutralization strategy for the coal industry from a top-level design perspective. Considering China’s basic national conditions and regional characteristics, this study elaborates the strategic conception of carbon neutralization of the coal industry from the aspects of development concept, expected goals, and key directions, and clarifies specific implementation paths. Specifically, the core concept is to achieve the “dual carbon” goals by both considering regional disparities and promoting regional coordination; based on an overall planning nationwide, the coal energy production, coal energy application, and new energy coupling zones should be scientifically classified, thus to realize the “dual carbon” goals by region and step. The development concept can be implemented via three stages: peak attainment, orderly optimization, and neutralization attainment, and the implementation path can be detailed as carbon emission reduction, carbon substitution, carbon sequestration, and carbon recycling. Moreover, efforts should focus on breakthroughs in the following applied technologies: intelligent and precise mining and clean and efficient utilization of coal, exploitation and utilization of coal mine gas at full concentration, pumped storage of abandoned mines, energy storage and power consumption, coupling of clean coal power with carbon capture, utilization and storage, efficiently replacing of coalbed methane with CO2, CO2 bio/chemical utilization, and green ecological restoration of mines. Relevant research can provide a pioneering and fundamental reference for the coal industry to realize the “dual carbon” goals.

ABSTRACT Importance Preserving skin health is crucial for atopic dermatitis control as well as for the thriving of children. However, a well‐developed and validated tool that measures the knowledge, attitude, and practice of skin care is lacking. Objective To develop and validate the atopic dermatitis and infant skincare knowledge, attitude, and practice (ADISKAP 1.0) scale that measures parental health literacy on atopic dermatitis and skin care. Methods We conducted a review of the literature, a focus group (two dermatologists and 12 parents), and a panel discussion in order to generate the ADISKAP prototype. Two samples of parents with knowingly superior (dermatologists, n = 59) and inferior (general population, n = 395) knowledge traits participated in the validation of ADISKAP. Cronbach's alpha was reported as a measure of internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the test‐retest validity. The known‐groups technique was used to evaluate construct validity. Results The ADISKAP scale contained 17 items after content and face validity validation. After removing items that displayed poor test‐retest reliability (n = 4) and construct validity (n = 3), 12 items were retained in the ADISKAP 1.0. Interpretation ADISKAP 1.0 is a reliable and valid tool for assessing parental knowledge, attitude, and practice on infantile atopic dermatitis and skin care.

Abstract Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy with cellular and immunological characteristics that remain unclear. Here, we perform transcriptomic analysis for 111,038 single cells from tumor tissues of six MBC and thirteen female breast cancer (FBC) patients. We find that that MBC has significantly lower infiltration of T cells relative to FBC. Metastasis-related programs are more active in cancer cells from MBC. The activated fatty acid metabolism involved with FASN is related to cancer cell metastasis and low immune infiltration of MBC. T cells in MBC show activation of p38 MAPK and lipid oxidation pathways, indicating a dysfunctional state. In contrast, T cells in FBC exhibit higher expression of cytotoxic markers and immune activation pathways mediated by immune-modulatory cytokines. Moreover, we identify the inhibitory interactions between cancer cells and T cells in MBC. Our study provides important information for understanding the tumor immunology and metabolism of MBC.

Colorimetric biosensor-based nanozymes have received considerable attention in various fields thanks to the advantages of the simple preparation, good stability, and regulable catalytic activity of nanozymes. In this study, a bimetallic nanozyme Fe3O4@Co3O4/CN was prepared via the high-temperature calcination of Fe3O4-PVP@ZIF-67. The material retained its skeletal structure before calcination, which prevented the aggregation of nanoparticles and exposed more active sites of the nanozyme, substantially enhancing the intrinsic dual enzyme-mimetic activities, including peroxidase- and oxidase-like activities. In particular, Fe3O4@Co3O4/CN with oxidase-like activity catalyzed the colorless tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to become blue oxTMB with oxygen. Reducing glutathione (GSH) could inhibit the above oxidation reaction. In contrast, with respect to the existence of mercury(II), GSH bound to mercury(II) due to the strong affinity between mercury(II) and -SH, thus eliminating the inhibition and restoring the oxTMB signal. A simple and effective colorimetric sensor was fabricated to detect mercury(II) based on the above principles. The proposed measurement had a linear range of 0.1–15 μM and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.017 μM. It was shown that the established colorimetric sensing system could be successfully applied to detect mercury(II) in water samples, and the Fe3O4@Co3O4/CN nanozyme proved to be a promising candidate for biosensing application.

Abstract Conformational cooperativity is a universal molecular effect mechanism and plays a critical role in signaling pathways. However, it remains a challenge to develop artificial molecular networks regulated by conformational cooperativity, due to the difficulties in programming and controlling multiple structural interactions. Herein, we develop a cooperative strategy by programming multiple conformational signals, rather than chemical signals, to regulate protein-oligonucleotide signal transduction, taking advantage of the programmability of allosteric DNA constructs. We generate a cooperative regulation mechanism, by which increasing the loop lengths at two different structural modules induced the opposite effects manifesting as down- and up-regulation. We implement allosteric logic operations by using two different proteins. Further, in cell culture we demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy to cooperatively regulate gene expression of PLK1 to inhibit tumor cell proliferation, responding to orthogonal protein-signal stimulation. This programmable conformational cooperativity paradigm has potential applications in the related fields.

Abstract Objective The study was to investigate serum total IgE levels and the distribution of specific IgE types in children aged 6–9 years with tic disorder, in order to provide knowledge for diagnosis and treatment of children with tic disorder. Methods Total serum IgE levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Specific IgE levels in 72 children with tic disorder and normal 31 children were detected by EUROblot, respectively. Results The total serum IgE level of children with tic disorder aged 6–9 years was significantly higher than those of children in control group. Specific IgE distribution in tic disorder group was observed increased mainly including inhaled mugwort, dust mite combination 1 (house dust mite/dust mite), mold combination (penicillium point/mycobacteria/Aspergillus fumigatus/streptomyces), cockroaches in Germany respectively, and also food freshwater fish combination 1 (salmon/sea bass/carp), marine fish combination 1 (cod/lobster/scallop), egg white, and crab, while elevated specific IgE of normal children group was mainly food-based (egg white, milk, and soybean). The significant different specific IgE between two groups was dust mite combination 1 (house dust mite/dust mite) (P

Abstract Background Health literacy (HL) is associated with health outcomes, but little is known about the occupational HL (OHL) for port employees and its link to the length of service and job category. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 3492 port employees from the Occupational Health Survey for Port Employees project, and a special questionnaire was utilized to measure the OHL status. Binary and ordinal logistic regressions were used to estimate the association. Result Among the participants, 72.90% had sufficient OHL with a mean score (standard deviation) of 53.10 (7.26). Binary logistic regression results indicated that the association between length of service (33–40 years group Adjusted OR = 1.11; 41–49 years group Adjusted OR = 1.14; ≥50 years group Adjusted OR = 1.19) and job category (longshoremen Adjusted OR = 0.90; driver Adjusted OR = 0.91) with OHL were statistically significant. Ordinal logistic regression results indicated that, for OHL, Adjusted OR was increased in different lengths of service level (33–40 years group, Adjusted OR = 1.50; 41–49 years group, Adjusted OR = 1.75; ≥50 years group, Adjusted OR = 2.19), and the Adjusted OR of skilled workers was 1.60. Conclusion Most port participants had sufficient OHL, and the length of service and job category could affect OHL. The effect of the length of service may be more obvious; the length of service can promote the improvement of OHL continuously.

China's coal mine safe and efficient mining technology is at the leading level in the world. But the occupational diseases induced by dust-based toxic substances, high temperature, high humidity, noise and other occupational hazard have long plagued coal mine employees. At present, occupational disease hazards have exceeded the harm of safety accidents to employees, seriously restricting the industry's future development. The concept of underground air quality revolution is put forward. The status of underground dust control and reduction technology (including coal seam water infusion dust reduction technology, spray dust reduction technology, ventilation dust removal technology, chemical reagent dust suppression technology, underground air quality revolution dust control and reduction system), fuel vehicle emission treatment, underground air quality monitoring and early warning system is comprehensively summarized. In order to further promote the theoretical and technological breakthroughs of the underground air quality revolution, based on the concept of 'source-division-grading-strategy' for efficient dust control, we seek to establish a theoretical system for collaborative dust reduction and comprehensive management of multi-source, multiphase, and multi-field dust. The development direction of key technical equipment such as efficient intelligent dust prevention and control technology and equipment in mining areas, and synchronous intelligent monitoring technology and equipment for multiple parameters of mine dust environment has been pointed out. It is pointed out that it is necessary to fully integrate the disciplines of science, engineering, medical management, and establish a multi-agent collaborative system for coal mine dust prevention and control. It will lay a theoretical and technical foundation for the development of the underground air quality revolution from the current initial stage to the intermediate and advanced stages. Step by step, it will achieve the goal of full life cycle occupational health for coal mine employees. Ultimately, it will achieve the goal of reducing or zero incidences of occupational diseases in coal mines, supporting the Healthy China Initiative.