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Abstract Public health emergencies influence urban carbon emissions, yet an in-depth understanding of deviations between regional emissions under such emergencies and normal levels is lacking. Inspired by the concept of resilience, we introduce the concept of regional carbon resilience and propose four resilience indicators covering periods during and after emergencies. A synthetic difference-in-differences model is employed to compute these indicators, providing a more suitable approach than traditional methods assuming unchanged levels before and after emergencies. Using the COVID-19 pandemic in China as a case study, focusing on the power and industry sectors, we find that over 40% regions exhibit strong resilience (> 0.9). Average in-resilience (0.764 and 0.783) is higher than post-resilience (0.534 and 0.598) in both sectors, indicating lower resilience during than after emergencies. Significant differences in resilience performance exist across regions, with Hebei (0.93) and Hangzhou (0.92) as top performers, and Qinghai (0.29) and Guiyang (0.36) as the least resilient. Furthermore, a preliminary correlation analysis identifies 22 factors affecting carbon resilience; higher energy consumption, stronger industrial production, and a healthier regional economy positively contribute to resilience with coefficients over + 0.3, while pandemic severity negatively impacts resilience, with coefficients up to -0.58. These findings provide valuable references for policymaking to achieve carbon neutrality goals.

Abstract. Background:. Accurately and efficiently extracting microbial genomic sequences from complex metagenomic data is crucial for advancing our understanding in fields such as clinical diagnostics, environmental microbiology, and biodiversity. As sequencing technologies evolve, this task becomes increasingly challenging due to the intricate nature of microbial communities and the vast amount of data generated. Especially in intensive care units (ICUs), infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increasingly prevalent among critically ill patients, significantly impacting the effectiveness of treatments and patient prognoses. Therefore, obtaining timely and accurate information about infectious pathogens is of paramount importance for the treatment of patients with severe infections, which enables precisely targeted anti-infection therapies, and a tool that can extract microbial genomic sequences from metagenomic dataset would be of help. Methods:. We developed MetaGeneMiner to help with retrieving specific microbial genomic sequences from metagenomes using a k-mer-based approach. It facilitates the rapid and accurate identification and analysis of pathogens. The tool is designed to be user-friendly and efficient on standard personal computers, allowing its use across a wide variety of settings. We validated MetaGeneMiner using eight metagenomic samples from ICU patients, which demonstrated its efficiency and accuracy. Results:. The software extensively retrieved coding sequences of pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii and herpes simplex virus type 1 and detected a variety of resistance genes. All documentation and source codes for MetaGeneMiner are freely available at https://gitee.com/sculab/MetaGeneMiner. Conclusions:. It is foreseeable that MetaGeneMiner possesses the potential for applications across multiple domains, including clinical diagnostics, environmental microbiology, gut microbiome research, as well as biodiversity and conservation biology. Particularly in ICU settings, MetaGeneMiner introduces a novel, rapid, and precise method for diagnosing and treating infections in critically ill patients. This tool is capable of efficiently identifying infectious pathogens, guiding personalized and precise treatment strategies, and monitoring the development of antibiotic resistance, significantly impacting the diagnosis and treatment of severe infections.

Neuromorphic computing has the potential to achieve the requirements of the next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) systems, due to its advantages of adaptive learning and parallel computing. Meanwhile, biocomputing has seen ongoing development with the rise of synthetic biology, becoming the driving force for new generation semiconductor synthetic biology (SemiSynBio) technologies. DNA-based biomolecules could potentially perform the functions of Boolean operators as logic gates and be used to construct artificial neural networks (ANNs), providing the possibility of executing neuromorphic computing at the molecular level. Herein, we briefly outline the principles of neuromorphic computing, describe the advances in DNA computing with a focus on synthetic neuromorphic computing, and summarize the major challenges and prospects for synthetic neuromorphic computing. We believe that constructing such synthetic neuromorphic circuits will be an important step toward realizing neuromorphic computing, which would be of widespread use in biocomputing, DNA storage, information security, and national defense.

YpsR, a pivotal regulatory protein in the quorum-sensing (QS) of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis(Y. pstb), is essential for molecular signaling, yet its molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Herein, this study systematically investigates the interactions between YpsR and acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), shedding light on the selective mechanism of YpsR to various AHL molecules. Using molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, we confirmed YpsR's binding affinities, with the strongest observed for 3OC6-HSL, which notably inhibited Y. pstb growth. Additionally, we engineered a whole-cell biosensor based on YpsR-AHL interaction, which exhibited sensitivity to the signal molecule 3OC6-HSL produced by Y. pstb. Furthermore, key YpsR residues (S32, Y50, W54, D67) involved in AHL binding were identified and validated. Overall, this research elucidates the mechanisms of QS signal recognition in Y. pstb, providing valuable insights that support the development of diagnostic tools for detecting Y. pstb infections.

Synthetic biology is a crucial component of the “cyber-biological revolution” in this new industrial revolution. Owing to breakthroughs in synthetic biology, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the storehouse of hereditary material in biological systems, can now be used as a medium for storage (synthesis) and reading (sequencing) of information. However, integrating synthetic biology with computerization has also caused cyberbiosecurity concerns, encompassing biosecurity and information security issues. Malicious codes intended to attack computer systems can be stored as artificially synthesized DNA fragments, which can be released during DNA sequencing and decoding and attack computer and network systems. As these cyberbiosecurity threats become increasingly realistic, spreading awareness and information about how they can be prevented and controlled is crucial. This review aims to address this need by offering crucial theoretical backing for cyberbiosecurity research and raising awareness of risk mitigation and control measures in information security, biosecurity, and national security.

IntroductionSampling for describing plant–pollinator interaction networks has been performed using techniques that either focus on the plants (with flower-visit data) or the animals (with analyzing pollen on the body surface of flower visitors). The differences in the structure of the networks obtained using these methods likely influences our understanding of the contribution of nocturnal pollinators, yet this key finding has yet to be the focus of study.MethodsIn this study, we conducted an intensive diurnal field survey in the subalpine meadows of the Dajiuhu Wetland and supplemented the data with an analysis of diurnal and nocturnal pollen data to examine the changes in pollination networks.ResultsWe observed 41 plant and 154 pollinator species, corresponding to 665 specific interactions. Visitation and pollen analyses showed significant differences in the composition and interaction between network plants and pollinators, resulting in important structural changes in the network. Given that the diurnal pollen data showed new links that were preferentially attached to highly connected nodes, the level of asymmetric specialization did not decrease; however, nestedness increased 1.3-fold, and mean pollinator connectivity from 3.1 to 5.1. As the behaviors of nocturnal pollinators tended to be more specialized, the inclusion of nocturnal pollen data led to an increase in the number of extreme-specialist pollinator species. Consequently, nestedness decreased 0.8-fold, but mean plant connectivity went from 14.2 to 16.2.DiscussionThese findings suggest that the structure of pollination networks is influenced by the sampling methods and the level of detail of the investigation. Our study has strong implications for the development of monitoring schemes for plant–pollinator interactions. Due to the practical difficulties of nocturnal field visitation, when conducting research, combining diurnal field visitation with both diurnal and nocturnal pollen analyses is the most convenient and realistic method to capture the full complexity of these networks.

Abstract Background Early prediction of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is critical to improving the prognosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Machine learning (ML) algorithms can learn from intricate information unbiasedly and facilitate the early identification of clinical outcomes. This study aimed to construct and compare the ability of different ML models to predict DCI after aSAH. Then, we identified and analyzed the essential risk of DCI occurrence by preoperative clinical scores and postoperative laboratory test results. Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study. A total of 1039 post-operation patients with aSAH were finally included from three hospitals in China. The training group contained 919 patients, and the test group comprised 120 patients. We used five popular machine-learning algorithms to construct the models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and f1 score were used to evaluate and compare the five models. Finally, we performed a Shapley Additive exPlanations analysis for the model with the best performance and significance analysis for each feature. Results A total of 239 patients with aSAH (23.003%) developed DCI after the operation. Our results showed that in the test cohort, Random Forest (RF) had an AUC of 0.79, which was better than other models. The five most important features for predicting DCI in the RF model were the admitted modified Rankin Scale, D-Dimer, intracranial parenchymal hematoma, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and Fisher score. Interestingly, clamping or embolization for the aneurysm treatment was the fourth button-down risk factor in the ML model. Conclusions In this multicenter study, we compared five ML methods, among which RF performed the best in DCI prediction. In addition, the essential risks were identified to help clinicians monitor the patients at high risk for DCI more precisely and facilitate timely intervention.

Abstract Objective Diagnosing musculoskeletal infections in children is challenging. In recent years, with the advancement of ultrasound technology, high-resolution ultrasound has unique advantages for musculoskeletal children. The aim of this work is to summarize the ultrasonographic and clinical characteristics of children with pyogenic arthritis and osteomyelitis. This study provides a simpler and more effective diagnostic basis for clinical treatment. Methods Fifty children with osteomyelitis or arthritis were diagnosed via ultrasound, and the results of the ultrasound diagnosis were compared with those of magnetic resonance imaging and surgery. Clinical and ultrasound characteristics were also analyzed. Results Out of 50 patients, 46 were confirmed to have suppurative infection by surgical and microbiological examination. Among these 46 patients, 26 were diagnosed with osteomyelitis and 20 had arthritis. The manifestations of osteomyelitis were subperiosteal abscess (15 patients), bone destruction (17 patients), bone marrow abscess (9 patients), and adjacent joint abscess (13 patients). Osteomyelitis mostly affects the long bones of the limbs, femur and humerus (10 and 9 patients, respectively), followed by the ulna, radius, tibia and fibula (one patient each). The manifestations of arthritis were joint pus (20 patients) and joint capsule thickening (20 patients), and hip dislocation (8 patients). All the patients had arthritis involving the hip joint. Conclusion Subperiosteal abscess, bone destruction, and joint abscess with dislocation are ultrasonographic features of pyogenic osteoarthritis. The findings of this work can improve the early diagnosis and differentiation of pyogenic osteoarthritis and provide a reliable basis for treatment.

Key Clinical Message A comprehensive diagnostic approach, including immunohistochemistry, is crucial for confirming pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis in adults. Individualized treatment with dynamically adjusted chemotherapy based on therapeutic response leads to significant absorption of lesions and symptom alleviation. Regular follow‐up and timely treatment adjustments according to the patient's condition are essential in managing this rare disease.

Holistic and analytic thinking are two distinct modes of thinking used to interpret the world with relative preferences varying across cultures. While most research on these thinking styles has focused on behavioral and cognitive aspects, a few studies have utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the correlations between brain metrics and self-reported scale scores. Other fMRI studies used single holistic and analytic thinking tasks. As a single task may involve processing in spurious low-level regions, we used two different holistic and analytic thinking tasks, namely the frame-line task and the triad task, to seek convergent brain regions to distinguish holistic and analytic thinking using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA). Results showed that brain regions fundamental to distinguish holistic and analytic thinking include the bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral parietal lobes, bilateral precentral and postcentral gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor areas, bilateral fusiform, bilateral insula, bilateral angular gyrus, left cuneus, and precuneus, left olfactory cortex, cingulate gyrus, right caudate and putamen. Our study maps brain regions that distinguish between holistic and analytic thinking and provides a new approach to explore the neural representation of cultural constructs. We provide initial evidence connecting culture-related brain regions with language function to explain the origins of cultural differences in cognitive styles.

ObjectivesThis study aims to develop 7×7 machine-learning cross-combinatorial methods for selecting and classifying radiomic features used to construct Radiomics Score (RadScore) of predicting the mid-term efficacy and prognosis in high-risk patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).MethodsRetrospectively, we recruited 177 high-risk DLBCL patients from two medical centers between October 2012 and September 2022 and randomly divided them into a training cohort (n=123) and a validation cohort (n=54). We finally extracted 110 radiomic features along with SUVmax, MTV, and TLG from the baseline PET. The 49 features selection-classification pairs were used to obtain the optimal LASSO-LASSO model with 11 key radiomic features for RadScore. Logistic regression was employed to identify independent RadScore, clinical and PET factors. These models were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was conducted to assess the predictive power of the models. The prognostic power of RadScore was assessed using cox regression (COX) and Kaplan–Meier plots (KM).Results177 patients (mean age, 63 ± 13 years,129 men) were evaluated. Multivariate analyses showed that gender (OR,2.760; 95%CI:1.196,6.368); p=0.017), B symptoms (OR,4.065; 95%CI:1.837,8.955; p=0.001), SUVmax (OR,2.619; 95%CI:1.107,6.194; p=0.028), and RadScore (OR,7.167; 95%CI:2.815,18.248; p

Pregnancy complicated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe and dangerous condition for both the mother and the fetus. Pregnancy-specific alterations in the maternal cardiovascular system suggest that PAH in pregnancy may manifest more severe symptoms compared with those in non-pregnant patients. Although most societal guidelines recommend early termination in the case of PAH, some recent data suggests that maternal mortality among patients with PAH is lower than previously observed and suggests if a woman decides to proceed with the pregnancy, she should be counseled about the potential risks of continuing with the pregnancy.This review paper starts with a real clinical case of PAH complicating with pregnancy, then summarizes the clinical features, diagnosis, and risk stratification. Effective treatments were also clarified, including pre-conception counseling and monitoring, general and supportive care, medication and immune therapy, delivery and postpartum care, counseling on contraception and breastfeeding, maternal and fetal outcomes, and cardiac surgery. The article summarizes points of uncertainty in both laboratory and clinical practices, as well as current guidelines and clinical recommendations.

Background Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an annual or perennial herb that occupies an important position in daily agricultural production. It is an essential food crop for humans and its ripening process is regulated by a number of genes. S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (AdoHcyase, EC 3.3.1.1) is widespread in organisms and plays an important role in regulating biological methylation reactions. Previous studies have revealed that transgenic tomato that over-express SlSAHH2 ripen earlier than the wild-type (WT). However, the differences in metabolites and the mechanisms driving how these differences affect the ripening cycle are unclear. Objective To investigate the effects of SlSAHH2 on metabolites in over-expressed tomato and WT tomato. Methods SlSAHH2 over-expressed tomato fruit (OE-5# and OE-6#) and WT tomato fruit at the breaker stage (Br) were selected for non-targeted metabolome analysis. Results A total of 733 metabolites were identified by mass spectrometry using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database and the Human Metabolome database (HMDB). The metabolites were divided into 12 categories based on the superclass results and a comparison with the HMDB. The differences between the two databases were analyzed by PLS-DA. Based on a variable important in projection value >1 and P < 0.05, 103 differential metabolites were found between tomato variety OE-5# and WT and 63 differential metabolites were found between OE-6# and WT. These included dehydrotomatine, L-serine, and gallic acid amongst others. Many metabolites are associated with fruit ripening and eight common metabolites were found between the OE-5# vs. WT and OE-6# vs. WT comparison groups. The low L-tryptophan expression in OE-5# and OE-6# is consistent with previous reports that its content decreases with fruit ripening. A KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the significantly different metabolites revealed that in the OE-5# and WT groups, up-regulated metabolites were enriched in 23 metabolic pathways and down-regulated metabolites were enriched in 11 metabolic pathways. In the OE-6# and WT groups, up-regulated metabolites were enriched in 29 pathways and down-regulated metabolites were enriched in six metabolic pathways. In addition, the differential metabolite changes in the L-serine to flavonoid transformation metabolic pathway also provide evidence that there is a phenotypic explanation for the changes in transgenic tomato. Discussion The metabolomic mechanism controlling SlSAHH2 promotion of tomato fruit ripening has been further elucidated.

Introduction: The gut microbiome is vital for providing resistance against colonized pathogenic bacteria. Recently, specific commensal species have become recognized as important mediators of host defense against microbial infection by a variety of mechanisms. Objectives: To examine the contribution of live and pasteurized A. muciniphila to defend against the intestinal pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium in a streptomycin-treated mouse model of infection. Methods: C57B6J mice were pretreated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), live Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK), and pasteurized A. muciniphila (pAKK) for two weeks, then mice were infected by S. Typhimurium SL 1344. 16S rRNA-based gut microbiota analysis was performed before and after infection. Bacterial counts in feces and tissues, histopathological analysis, gut barrier-related gene expression, and antimicrobial peptides were examined. Co-housing was performed to examine the role of microbiota in the change of susceptibility of mice to infection. Results: AKK and pAKK markedly decreased Salmonella fecal and systemic burdens and reduced inflammation during infection. Notably, further characterization of AKK and pAKK protective mechanisms revealed different candidate protective pathways. AKK promoted gut barrier gene expression and the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, and co-housing studies suggested that AKK-associated microbial community played a role in attenuating infection. Moreover, pAKK had a positive effect on NLRP3 in infected mice. We verified that pretreatment of pAKK could promote the expression of NLRP3, and enhance the antimicrobial activity of macrophage, likely through increasing the production of reactive oxygen (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and inflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that live or pasteurized A. muciniphila can be effective preventive measures for alleviating S. Typhimurium-induced disease, highlighting the potential of developing Akkermansia-based probiotics or postbiotics for the prevention of Salmonellosis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are commonly associated with dysfunctional intestinal barriers and disturbed gut microbiota. Gastrodin, a major bioactive ingredient of Gastrodia elata Blume, has been shown to exhibit anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation properties and could mitigate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but its role in modulating IBD remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of gastrodin on DSS-induced colitis in mice and explore its potential mechanisms. Gastrodin supplementation alleviated clinical symptoms such as weight loss, a shortened colon, and a high disease activity index. Meanwhile, gastrodin strengthened the intestinal barrier by increasing the 0expression of tight junction proteins and mucin. Furthermore, Gastrodin significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in mice by downregulating the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Gut microbiota analysis showed that gastrodin improved the DSS-disrupted microbiota of mice. These findings demonstrate that gastrodin could attenuate DSS-induced colitis by enhancing the intestinal barrier and modulating the gut microbiota, providing support for the development of a gastrodin-based strategy to prevent or combat IBD.

ObjectivesOne-carbon metabolism (OCM) significantly influences fetal growth and neurodevelopment through transferring methyl group to biomolecules, during which folate, methionine, choline and betaine function as methyl donor nutrients, while vitamin B2, B6, B12 function as enzyme cofactors, and homocysteine (Hcy) and S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) are functional metabolites. This study aimed to assess blood OCM index levels and explore their relationships among Chinese pregnant women.MethodsData were obtained from the baseline of the Mother–Child Nutrition and Health Cohort Study. Pregnant women, voluntarily recruited from September 2020 to June 2022 during antenatal examinations in five Chinese cities at 24–32 gestational weeks, provided fasting venous blood samples. Measurements included RBC and serum folate, serum vitamin B2, B6, B12, choline, betaine, methionine, total Hcy (tHcy), and plasma SAM. Sociodemographic characteristics and pregnancy-related conditions were collected via a self-designed questionnaire.ResultsOf 397 participants, 82.6% were in mid-pregnancy (24–27 gestational weeks) and 17.4% were in late-pregnancy (28–32 gestational weeks). Serum folate, vitamin B6, and B12 deficiencies were 2.5, 1.3, and 8.3%, respectively. Elevated tHcy (≥10 μmol/L) was observed in 1.8% of pregnant women. Elderly pregnant women (aged 35 and above) exhibited significantly lower serum methionine levels (p

Abstract Hand gesture plays an important role in many circumstances, which is one of the most common interactive methods in daily life, especially for disabled people. Human–machine interaction is another popular research topic to realize direct and efficient control, making machines intelligent and maneuverable. Here, a special human–machine interaction system is proposed and namedas computer‐vision (CV) based gesture‐metasurface interaction (GMI) system, which can be used for both direct beam manipulations and real‐time wireless communications. The GMI system first needs to select its working mode according to the gesture command to determine whether to perform beam manipulations or wireless communications, and then validate the permission for further operation by recognizing unlocking gesture to ensure security. Both beam manipulation and wireless communication functions are validated experimentally, which show that the GMI system can not only realize real‐time switching and remote control of different beams through gesture command, but also communicate with a remote computer in real time by translating the gesture language to text message. The proposed non‐contact GMI system has the advantages of good interactivity, high flexibility, and multiple functions, which can find potential applications in community security, gesture‐command smart home, barrier‐free communications, and so on.

Diurnal and nocturnal pollinators are fundamental for the functioning of natural ecosystems and food security. However, differences between diurnal and nocturnal pollination networks and the contribution of these pollinators to plant fecundity have not been assessed comprehensively within a community context. In the Dajiuhu subalpine wetland of central China, we supplemented data from an intensive field survey with the analysis of pollen loads carried by diurnal and nocturnal pollinators to compare the structures of diurnal and nocturnal pollination networks using network parameters. Simultaneously, we compared the contribution of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators to plant reproduction of the nine dominant species based on stigma pollen placement. We found that although diurnal and nocturnal pollination networks exhibited a similar structural organisation, the diurnal network displayed greater stability and broader interaction with pollinators and plants compared to the nocturnal network. However, nocturnal pollinator species tended to establish less generalised interactions with the available floral resources. Both diurnal and nocturnal pollinators played a significant role in plant reproduction, and nocturnal pollination can result in greater pollen germination. In terms of stability, the lower redundancy of links within nocturnal networks suggests they may be more vulnerable to the temporary or permanent disappearance of plant resources in the study area. Our findings highlight the differences in the contributions of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators to plant reproduction at the community level, demonstrating that nocturnal pollinators are not redundant in maintaining species diversity in communities. This knowledge should play a pivotal role in preventing future pollination declines and improving pollinator conservation efforts.

BackgroundThe aim of this article was to establish the clinical prognostic models and identify the predictive radiation dosimetric parameters for thrombocytopenia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing concurrent long-term chemoradiotherapy were included. The primary outcome of interest was grade 2 or higher (2+) thrombocytopenia (platelet(PLT) count

The aim of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effect of Polygonatum sibiricum saponin (PS) in a cyclophosphamide-induced (Cy) immunosuppression mice model. Oral administration of PS by gavage effectively alleviated weight loss caused by Cy and increased the index of immune organs. PS promoted the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and T cell subsets (CD3+, CD355+, CD4+/CD8+) and relieved the xylene-induced inflammatory response and Cy-induced increase of serum hemolysin. Moreover, PS increased serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase. PS elevated serum level of cytokines and immunoglobulins (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, IL-β, SIgA, and IgG) and the expression of mRNA of IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the spleen. Increased mRNA expression of tight junction protein (ZO-1, Mucin2, Occludin) expression and protein expression of IL-6/MyD88/TLR4 in the small intestine showed that PS exhibited a restorative effect on intestinal mucosal injury caused by cyclophosphamide. Oral PS prevented Cy-induced decline in leukocytes, red blood cells, lymphocytes, hemoglobin concentrations, and neutrophils, providing evidence for alleviating hematopoietic disorders. In addition, PS increased SOD and NO levels, reduced MDA levels, and improved oxidative damage in the liver. These findings demonstrate that PS has the potential to be developed as a supplemental agent for alleviating immunosuppression caused by chemotherapeutic agents.

Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), integrating patient preferences into decision-making process, has been widely used in the multimodality therapy of lung cancer. This study aimed to estimate patient preferences for treatment and shared decision-making (SDM) modes concerning inpatient TCM treatment of lung cancer in Shanghai in order to provide a basis for clinical decision-making process on TCM therapy for lung cancer. Methods: This study was conducted among patients (n = 347) from nine tertiary hospitals in Shanghai by discrete-choice experiment (DCE) survey and Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire-patient version (SDM-Q-9) survey. The DCE was developed with the inclusion of the most relevant attributes at appropriate levels for the TCM treatment of lung cancer. The empirical data analyses of patients were performed using mixed logit models. Additionally, subgroup analysis was conducted. Results: In total, 347 respondents completed the questionnaire. All attributes’ coefficients were statistically significant for patients’ preferences. Patients showed strong preferences for increasing disease control rate, relieving nausea and vomiting, reducing the risk of side effects, and were concerned about monthly out-of-pocket costs. Subgroup analysis indicated that patients with a lower SDM-Q-9 score and those who were satisfied with medical services emphasized more importance of higher disease control rate. Furthermore, most of the patients (90.20%) self-reported a high willingness to use SDM during the decision-making process. Conclusion: In Shanghai, patients mainly preferred SDM and considered disease control rate as the most essential attribute in the TCM treatment of lung cancer. The study findings could underscore the importance of considering patients’ preferences and promote SDM.

We propose a compact and high isolation dual-polarized antenna array based on plasmonic meta-structure operating at 2.58 GHz. The compact principle of the dual-polarized antenna is mainly based on spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) radiation patch to support SSPP modes, which is fed by spatially coupled excitation. Due to the slow-wave feature of SSPPs, the size of dual-polarized radiation patch is reduced to $0.2\lambda _{0}\times 0.2\lambda _{0}$ , and the total antenna size is reduced to $0.39\lambda _{0}\times 0.39\lambda _{0}$ , which is much smaller than that of the traditional microstrip antenna with $0.5\lambda _{0}\times 0.5\lambda _{0}$ . The cross-polarization coupling between two polarization ports can be improved to below −32 dB, showing high isolation characteristics. Besides, a $3\times 3$ compact antenna array is also designed, fabricated, and measured to verify the feasibility of its extension to larger-scale antenna systems. Both simulated and measured results of the proposed compact antenna and the antenna array illustrate compact profiles, good ±45° radiation performance, and high isolation levels, which have potential application values for the massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) base stations.

Abstract Background Aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (B-NHL) patients often develop drug resistance and tumor recurrence after conventional immunochemotherapy, for which new treatments are needed. Methods We investigated the antitumor effects of CBL0137. In vitro, cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 and colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze cell cycle progression, apoptosis, mitochondrial depolarization, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Autophagy was detected by transmission electron microscopy and mGFP-RFP-LC3 assay, while western blotting was employed to detect proteins involved in apoptosis and autophagy. RNA-sequencing was conducted to analyze the transcription perturbation after CBL0137 treatment in B-NHL cell lines. Finally, the efficacy and safety of CBL0137, rituximab, and their combination were tested in vivo. Results CBL0137, a small molecule anticancer agent that has significant antitumor effects in B-NHL. CBL0137 sequesters the FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription) complex from chromatin to produce cytotoxic effects in B-NHL cells. In addition, we discovered novel anticancer mechanisms of CBL0137. CBL0137 inhibited human B-NHL cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest in S phase via the c-MYC/p53/p21 pathway. Furthermore, CBL0137 triggers ROS generation and induces apoptosis and autophagy in B-NHL cells through the ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways. Notably, a combination of CBL0137 and rituximab significantly suppressed B-NHL tumor growth in subcutaneous models, consistent with results at the cellular level in vitro. Conclusions CBL0137 has potential as a novel approach for aggressive B-NHL, and its combination with rituximab can provide new therapeutic options for patients with aggressive B-NHL. Video Abstract

In order to strengthen the dynamic monitoring of marine ecological disasters such as red tides and scientifically support marine disaster prevention and mitigation, this paper selected Beibu Gulf, Maoming Coast and Lingshui Bay as the study areas, analyzed the remote sensing images, chlorophyll a concentration and red tide index characteristics for 4 cases of red tide events that occurred in February 2021, based on the coastal zone imager data onboard the Chinese Haiyang-1D (HY-1D) satellite. The results showed that the remote sensing images could clearly show the distribution of red tides, the abnormal value ranges of chlorophyll a concentration and red tide index were consistent with the remote sensing images, and the chlorophyll a concentration and red tide index of red tide waters were higher than those of non-red tide waters.

Abstract Background Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that elevation of Hexokinase 2 (HK2) plays an important role in several cancers on regulating cell motility and growth. However, its role on regulating cell EMT in human ovarian cancer still less to known. Methods The transwell and wound-healing assay were used to detect the effective of HK2 on regulating motility of ovarian cancer cells. Real Time PCR and Western Blotting were used to explore the changing of EMT-related proteins in HK2-modified cells. The clonogenic formation, cell growth curves and MTT assays were used to evaluate the effective of HK2 on regulating cell proliferation in HK2-modified cells. The flow cytometry was used to detect the differences in the distribution of cells in the cell cycle between the HK2-modified cells and their control cells. The correlation of HK2 and Akt1/p-Akt1 was explored by using Western Blotting, Akt1 inhibitor (MK2206) and transient transfection of an Akt1 recombinant plasmid. The potential correlation between HK2 and EMT-related proteins in human ovarian cancer tissues and OV (ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma) was confirmed by using Pearson correlation analysis and TIMER 2.0. Results In ovarian cancer cells, overexpressing of HK2 enhanced cell motility by inducing of EMT-related proteins, such as CDH2, fibronectin, MMP9, ZEB1, ZEB2 and vimentin. Moreover, overexpressing of HK2 promoted cell growth by reducing p21 and p27 expression in ovarian cancer cells. Further studies demonstrated that this promotion of cell motility and growth by HK2 was probably a result of it activating of Akt1 (p-Akt1) in ovarian cancer cells. Additionally, the positive correlation between HK2 and p-Akt1, fibronectin, MMP9 expression in human ovarian cancer samples was verified by using Pearson correlation analysis. The positive correlation between HK2 and CDH2, fibronectin, MMP9, ZEB1, ZEB2 and vimentin in OV (ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma) was confirmed by using TIMER 2.0. Conclusion This study demonstrated that HK2 could induce EMT-related proteins and reduce cell cycle inhibitor by activating Akt1 in human ovarian cancer cells, subsequently enhancing cell motility and growth, suggesting that HK2 participate in the malignant process of ovarian cancer by interacting with Akt1.

The liquid water produced by an electrochemical reaction at the cathode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell blocks the pores in the gas diffusion layer, resulting in “water flooding.” At the same time, membrane dehydration leads to serious ohmic polarization. Discharging liquid water from the stack as soon as possible to ensure the wetting of the proton exchange membrane is a key problem. A membrane humidifier is a key component of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system for water and thermal management. By considering coupling with the working conditions of a fuel cell, systematic sensitivity simulation analysis of the operating and geometric parameters of the membrane humidifier was carried out. The steady-state mathematical model of the membrane humidifier was established based on Matlab/Simulink. The influences of the inlet mass flow rate, temperature, and pressure, membrane thickness and area on heat transfer, water transfer, relative humidity, and water transfer rate of the membrane humidifier on the wet and dry sides were analyzed. The main conclusions are as follows: Improving the inlet mass flow rate can effectively improve the heat transfer and water transfer quantity, yet reduces the water transfer rate and the relative humidity at the drying side outlet. The increase in temperature on both dry and wet sides can improve the diffusion coefficient and transfer capacity of water in the membrane; however, high temperature significantly increases the saturation pressure of water vapor, reduce water activity, and then reduce the water content of the membrane, which is not conducive for water transfer. The change in pressure has little effect on heat transfer; however, an increase in the total pressure reduces the inlet moisture content and water transfer capacity while increasing the water transfer rate. A larger membrane area and a lower membrane thickness can improve the film moisture transfer and water transfer rates, which can effectively improve the membrane humidifier and fuel cell system hydrothermal management performance.

Background: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the second most common cause of stroke and accounts for approximately 15–20% of all new stroke cases. Hematoma expansion is a potentially important therapeutic target that is amenable to treatment and independently predict outcome. Hyperglycemia is frequent in ICH patients, and affects cerebrovascular function, increasing the risk of cerebral vascular rupture. We recruited 170 ICH patients to explore the high risk factors of mortality and the association between hyperglycemia and early hematoma expansion. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 170 patients with ICH who were grouped by survival and blood glucose level, death group (35 cases) and survival group (135 cases); 77 cases in the hyperglycemic group and 93 cases in the normoglycemic group. Recorded parameters, such as age, gender, past medical history, blood glucose, serum calcium, hematoma volume, and hematoma expansion. Group comparison used t-test, rank sum test and Fisher exact test. After these, logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed. Results: Among 170 ICH subjects(130 males and 40 females)，35 died and 77 exhibited hyperglycaemia. Compared with the survival group, the death group presented with higher Original Intracerebral Hemorrhage Scale (OICH) score, greater blood glucose, larger hemorrhage volume and lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score. The occurrence of hematoma expansion and massive hemorrhage volume in the hyperglycemic group were higher than in the normoglycemic group(P

Global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are detected by the Chinese ocean color and temperature scanner (COCTS) instruments aboard the HaiYang (HY)-1C and HY-1D satellites. In this study, the SSTs derived from the COCTS instrument on the HY-1D (COCTS/HY-1D) satellite and a nonlinear SST algorithm with corresponding coefficients were introduced. The COCTS/HY-1D SSTs recorded from April 26 to August 31, 2021, were evaluated against water temperature measurements taken at depths above 1 m from the in situ Quality Monitor system; root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of 0.65 and 0.71 °C and robust standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.51 and 0.47 °C were obtained for the daytime and nighttime SSTs, respectively, using a spatiotemporal matching window of 4 h and 2.5 km. Daily gridded SSTs derived from COCTS/HY-1D were compared with those obtained from the visible infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite in the same period, and RMSEs of 0.67 ± 0.06 and 0.81 ± 0.06 °C and RSDs of 0.49 ± 0.04 and 0.58 ± 0.05 °C were obtained for the daytime and nighttime SSTs, respectively. The COCTS/HY-1D-derived SSTs covering Gulf Stream waters were cross-validated against the VIIRS/S-NPP data as a case study, and RMSEs of 0.53 and 0.47 °C for the daytime and nighttime, respectively, were obtained.

In the Internet of Things (IoT) era, the combination of mobile robots and IoT technology has realized the complementary advantages of the IoT and robots, which has brought new challenges and opportunities for the development and application of the IoT and mobile robots. In this study, a mobile robot positioning system based on the wireless positioning technology of the IoT is first designed, and an adaptive federated filtering algorithm based on the confidence of the sensor measurement data is given, and the data fusion processing is carried out for the positioning system to achieve the accurate positioning of the mobile robot. Then, we embed the intelligent control system of the ring lamp and propose an adaptive fuzzy PI double closed loop equalization control strategy, which can automatically identify the number of interlaced parallel and ensure its equalization effect. The experimental results show that the equalization strategy designed in this study has a good equalization effect in the loop interleaving parallel topology, strong adaptive parameter adjustment ability, good robustness, and anti-interference.

Music therapy is a common method to relieve anxiety and pain in cancer patients after surgery in recent years, but due to the lack of technical and algorithmic support, this therapy is not particularly stable and the therapeutic effect is not good. In this study, a neural network robotic system based on breast cancer patients was designed to analyze the effect of music relaxation training on alleviating adverse reactions after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Firstly, this paper introduces the necessity of neural network robot system research under the background of music therapy, and then summarizes the positive effect of music relaxation therapy on alleviating adverse reactions after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, finally, uses neural network robot system to construct music therapy system. The experimental results show that the new music therapy proposed in this study has a good effect in alleviating the adverse reactions of breast cancer patients after chemotherapy, and the cure rate is increased by 7.84%. The research results of this paper provide reference for the next development of neural network robot system in the medical field.

Primary bone diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PB-DLBCL) has been rarely reported because of its low incidence. The optimal treatment plan for patients with relapsed/refractory PB-DLBCL remains controversial. In this study, we present a case of a 57-year-old patient with refractory PB-DLBCL to better understand this disease. The patient developed lumbosacral/low extremity pain. A lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed skeletal lesions with osteolysis in L4-L5 and S1. With the failure of multi-line chemotherapy, the patient developed paralysis of both lower limbs. 18-Fluorinefluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and MRI showed new lesions in the femoral head, cervical and thoracic vertebrae. We tried to treat the patient with adjuvant radiotherapy and 10 courses of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based monotherapy, after which the patient was able to walk and achieved complete remission (CR). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use local radiotherapy combined with an HD-MTX regimen successfully for the treatment of refractory PB-DLBCL.

The significance of CO2 emissions at the water–air interface from inland water bodies in the global carbon cycle has been recognized and is being studied more and more. Although it is important to accurately assess CO2 emission flux in a catchment, little research has been carried out to investigate the spatio-temporal variations in CO2 emissions in view of a water continuum. Here, we systematically compared the differences and control factors of CO2 degassing across the water–air interface of a spring–river–lake continuum in the discharge area of Baotuquan Spring in July 2017, which is a typical temperate karst spring area in Jinan city, northern China, using hydrogeochemical parameters, stable carbon isotope values, and CO2 degassing flux. Affected by the pCO2 concentration gradient between the water and ambient air, the spring water showed a high CO2 degassing flux (166.19 ± 91.91 mmol/(m2 d)). After the spring outlet, the CO2 degassing flux in the spring-fed river showed a slight increase (181.05 ± 155.61 mmol/(m2 d)) due to river flow rate disturbance. The river flow rate was significantly reduced by the “blockage” of the lake, which promoted the survival and reproduction of phytoplankton and provided favorable conditions for aquatic plant photosynthesis, increasing the plankton biomass in the lake to 3383.79 × 104/L. In addition, the significant decrease in the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and the increase in the δ13CDIC values in the lake also indicated that the photosynthesis of the lake’s aquatic plants resulted in a significant decrease in the pCO2 concentration, thus limiting the amount of CO2 off-gassing (90.56 ± 55.03 mmol/(m2 d)).

The beneficial effects of Lactobacillus plantarum LP104 was investigated on lipid level and the disordered gut microbiota of HFD feeding C57BL/6N mice. C57BL/6N mice were divided into three groups, ordinary diet (Control), high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD with LP104, respectively. After 8 weeks, LP104 alleviated the body weight, liver index, colon length, TC, TG, LDL, TNFα and LPS levels. High-throughput sequencing analysis has found that long-term HFD destroy microbial abundance and composition in the gut. Nevertheless, dietary supplementation of LP104 reduced the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroides and regulate the gut microbiota community structure positively. Meanwhile, the intake of LP104 also increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria Bifidobacterium in the cecum, which improves the intestinal flora disorder induced by a high-fat diet. The present study shows that LP104 supplementation improved the amelioration HFD induced hyperlipidemia by positively regulating intestinal microorganisms.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered a global public health crisis. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs. However, the effect of PPIs on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients remains unclear. Methods: All COVID-19 patients admitted to the Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital from February 2020 to April 2020 were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into PPIs and non-PPIs groups. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of PPIs on the outcomes of COVID-19 patients, including transfer to intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, and death. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the presence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms potentially associated with acid and the routes, types, median total dosage, and duration of PPIs. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of the 3024 COVID-19 patients included, 694 and 2330 were in PPIs and non-PPIs groups, respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that PPIs significantly increased the risk of reaching the composite endpoint in COVID-19 patients (OR = 10.23, 95% CI = 6.90–15.16, p

In recent years, Sargassum fusiforme has gained increasing attention for its ability to improve human health and reduce the risk of disease. Nevertheless, there have been few reports on the beneficial functions of fermented Sargassum fusiforme. In this study, the role of fermented Sargassum fusiforme in the mitigation of ulcerative colitis was investigated. Both fermented and unfermented Sargassum fusiforme demonstrated significant improvement in weight loss, diarrhea, bloody stools, and colon shortening in mice with acute colitis. Fermented Sargassum fusiforme further protected against goblet cell loss, decreased intestinal epithelium permeability, and enhanced the expression of tight junction proteins. Fermented Sargassum fusiforme reduced oxidative stress, which was demonstrated by a decrease in nitric oxide (NO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in the colon of mice and an increase in total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in the colon. Meanwhile, catalase (CAT) concentrations in both the colon and serum of mice were significantly increased. Fermented Sargassum fusiforme also attenuated the inflammatory response, which was evidenced by the decreased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colon. Moreover, fermented Sargassum fusiforme inhibited the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestine. These findings indicate that fermented Sargassum fusiforme may have the potential to be developed as an alternative strategy for alleviating colitis.

Abstract Cold injury refers to local or systemic injury caused by a rapid, massive loss of body heat in a cold environment. The incidence of cold injury is high. However, the current situation regarding the diagnosis and treatment of cold injury in our country is not ideal. To standardize and improve the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment of cold injury in China, it is necessary to make a consensus that is practical and adapted to the conditions in China. We used the latest population-level epidemiological and clinical research data, combined with relevant literature from China and foreign countries. The consensus was developed by a joint committee of multidisciplinary experts. This expert consensus addresses the epidemiology, diagnosis, on-site emergency procedures, in-hospital treatment, and prevention of cold injury.

Background: Liver cirrhosis is a major global health burden worldwide due to its high risk of morbidity and mortality. Role of terlipressin for the management of liver cirrhosis–related complications has been recognized during recent years. This article aims to develop evidence-based clinical practice guidance on the use of terlipressin for liver cirrhosis–related complications. Methods: Hepatobiliary Study Group of the Chinese Society of Gastroenterology of the Chinese Medical Association and Hepatology Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association have invited gastroenterologists, hepatologists, infectious disease specialists, surgeons, and clinical pharmacists to formulate the clinical practice guidance based on comprehensive literature review and experts’ clinical experiences. Results: Overall, 10 major guidance statements regarding efficacy and safety of terlipressin in liver cirrhosis were proposed. Terlipressin can be beneficial for the management of cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, the evidence regarding the use of terlipressin in cirrhotic patients with ascites, post-paracentesis circulatory dysfunction, and bacterial infections and in those undergoing hepatic resection and liver transplantation remains insufficient. Terlipressin-related adverse events, mainly including gastrointestinal symptoms, electrolyte disturbance, and cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events, should be closely monitored. Conclusion: The current clinical practice guidance supports the use of terlipressin for gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and HRS in liver cirrhosis. High-quality studies are needed to further clarify its potential effects in other liver cirrhosis–related complications.

Pest disaster severely reduces crop yield and recognizing them remains a challenging research topic. Existing methods have not fully considered the pest disaster characteristics including object distribution and position requirement, leading to unsatisfactory performance. To address this issue, we propose a robust pest detection network by two customized core designs: multi-scale super-resolution (MSR) feature enhancement module and Soft-IoU (SI) mechanism. The MSR (a plug-and-play module) is employed to improve the detection performance of small-size, multi-scale, and high-similarity pests. It enhances the feature expression ability by using a super-resolution component, a feature fusion mechanism, and a feature weighting mechanism. The SI aims to emphasize the position-based detection requirement by distinguishing the performance of different predictions with the same Intersection over Union (IoU). In addition, to prosper the development of agricultural pest detection, we contribute a large-scale light-trap pest dataset (named LLPD-26), which contains 26-class pests and 18,585 images with high-quality pest detection and classification annotations. Extensive experimental results over multi-class pests demonstrate that our proposed method achieves the best performance by 67.4% of mAP on the LLPD-26 while being 15.0 and 2.7% gain than state-of-the-art pest detection AF-RCNN and HGLA respectively. Ablation studies verify the effectiveness of the proposed components.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) at baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Materials and methods Eighty-four newly diagnosed PTCL patients who underwent baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to treatment between March 2009 and January 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The FDG-avid lesions in each patient were segmented using semiautomated software to calculate the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) values using the boundaries of voxels presenting with the 41% SUVmax threshold method. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were used as end points to evaluate patient prognosis. The log-rank test and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate PFS and OS. Results ROC curve analysis indicated an ideal TMTV cut-off value of 228.8 cm3. During the 4–131 months (29.2 ± 28.5 months) follow-up period, high TMTV was significantly associated with worse PFS and OS. TMTV and the international peripheral T-cell lymphoma project score (IPTCLP) were independent predictors of PFS and OS with multivariate analysis. The combination of TMTV and the IPTCLP may provide significantly better risk substratification in PFS and OS of PTCL patients. Conclusions Both TMTV and IPTCLP are independent predictors of PTCL patient survival outcomes. Moreover, the combination of TMTV and IPTCLP improved patient risk stratification and may contribute to personalized therapeutic regimens.

In this work, a macroporous strongly basic anion exchange resin D201 was used as the matrix and loaded with nano hydrated titanium oxide (HTO) to fabricate a novel resin-based nano hydrated titanium oxide adsorbent (HTO-D201), which was characterized by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. Adsorption isotherm, pH influence competitive adsorption and column adsorption experiments were conducted to investigation the adsorption behavior of HTO-D201 to phosphorus in water. The adsorption effect of adsorbent HTO-D201 on phosphorus in water, and the corresponding adsorption mechanism, are discussed. It was observed that HTO-D201 exhibited spontaneous adsorption behavior with Langmuir fitting maximum adsorption capacity of 34.08 mg∙g−1 under a pH of 6.8 and a temperature of 298 K. Adsorption isotherms confirmed that enhancing temperature could promote the adsorption process. SO42−, NO3− and Cl− were used as competing ions in competitive adsorption, which confirmed better anti-interference ability of HTO-D201 compared with that of unmodified D201. The column adsorption experiment implied that HTO-D201 possessed a stable structure and good dynamic adsorption performance, with effective processing capacity of 420BV, which could be regenerated and recycled. The adsorption mechanism of HTO-D201 to phosphorus in water is discussed, which was ascribed to a quaternary amine group on the resin and a hydroxyl group on the HTO. This work shows that HTO-D201 is a promising adsorbent that a possesses excellent phosphorus-removing capacity from wastewater and the potential for practical application.

Increasing cases related to the pathogenicity of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) have made it a growing worldwide public health concern, especially due to increased severe respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in children. There are currently no vaccines or medicines to prevent or treat EV-D68 infections. Herein, we performed genome-wide transcriptional profiling of EV-D68-infected human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells to investigate host-pathogen interplay. RNA sequencing and subsequent experiments revealed that EV-D68 infection induced a profound transcriptional dysregulation of host genes, causing significantly elevated inflammatory responses and altered antiviral immune responses. In particular, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) is involved in highly activated TREM-1 signaling processes, acting as an important mediator in EV-D68 infection, and it is related to upregulation of interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Further results demonstrated that NF-κB p65 was essential for EV-D68-induced TREM-1 upregulation. Moreover, inhibition of the TREM1 signaling pathway by the specific inhibitor LP17 dampened activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade, suggesting that TREM-1 mainly transmits activation signals to phosphorylate p38 MAPK. Interestingly, treatment with LP17 to inhibit TREM-1 inhibited viral replication and infection. These findings imply the pathogenic mechanisms of EV-D68 and provide critical insight into therapeutic intervention in enterovirus diseases.

Background: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. However, the prevalence of GI symptoms and their association with outcomes remain controversial in COVID-19 patients.Methods: All COVID-19 patients consecutively admitted to the Wuhan Huoshenshan hospital from February 2020 to April 2020 were collected. Disease severity and outcomes were compared between COVID-19 patients with and without GI symptoms. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of GI symptoms with the composite endpoint and death in COVID-19 patients. A composite endpoint was defined as transfer to intensive care unit, requirement of mechanical ventilation, and death. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.Results: Overall, 2,552 COVID-19 patients were included. The prevalence of GI symptoms was 21.0% (537/2,552). Diarrhea (8.9%, 226/2,552) was the most common GI symptom. Patients with GI symptoms had significantly higher proportions of severe COVID-19 and worse outcomes than those without. Univariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that GI symptoms were significantly associated with the composite endpoint (OR = 2.426, 95% CI = 1.608–3.661; P < 0.001) and death (OR = 2.137, 95% CI = 1.209–3.778; P = 0.009). After adjusting for age, sex, and severe/critical COVID-19, GI symptoms were still independently associated with the composite endpoint (OR = 2.029, 95% CI = 1.294–3.182; P = 0.002), but not death (OR = 1.726, 95% CI = 0.946–3.150; P = 0.075). According to the type of GI symptoms, GI bleeding was an independent predictor of the composite endpoint (OR = 8.416, 95% CI = 3.465–20.438, P < 0.001) and death (OR = 6.640, 95% CI = 2.567–17.179, P < 0.001), but not other GI symptoms (i.e., diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, nausea and/or vomiting, constipation, acid reflux and/or heartburn, or abdominal pain).Conclusion: GI symptoms are common in COVID-19 patients and may be associated with their worse outcomes. Notably, such a negative impact of GI symptoms on the outcomes should be attributed to GI bleeding.

Adipocytes play pivotal roles in maintaining energy homeostasis by storing lipids in adipose tissue (AT), regulating the flux of lipids between AT and the circulation in response to the body's energy requirements and secreting a variety of hormones, cytokines and other factors. Proper AT development and function ensure overall metabolic health. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1 (NFE2L1, also known as NRF1) belongs to the CNC-bZIP family and plays critical roles in regulating a wide range of essential cellular functions and varies stress responses in many cells and tissues. Human and rodent Nfe2l1 genes can be transcribed into multiple splice variants resulting in various protein isoforms, which may be further modified by a variety of post-translational mechanisms. While the long isoforms of NFE2L1 have been established as master regulators of cellular adaptive antioxidant response and proteasome homeostasis, the exact tissue distribution and physiological function of NFE2L1 isoforms, the short isoforms in particular, are still under intense investigation. With regard to key roles of NFE2L1 in adipocytes, emerging data indicates that deficiency of Nfe2l1 results in aberrant adipogenesis and impaired AT functioning. Intriguingly, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the human NFE2L1 gene is associated with obesity. In this review, we summarize the most significant findings regarding the specific roles of the multiple isoforms of NFE2L1 in AT formation and function. We highlight that NFE2L1 plays a fundamental regulatory role in the expression of multiple genes that are crucial to AT metabolism and function and thus could be an important target to improve disease states involving aberrant adipose plasticity and lipid homeostasis.

LuxR, a bacterial quorum sensing-related transcription factor that responds to the signaling molecule 3-oxo-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC6-HSL). In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulation and the Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM-GB/SA) method to rationally identify residues in Vibrio fischeri LuxR that are important for its interaction with 3OC6-HSL. Isoleucine-46 was selected for engineering as the key residue for interaction with 3OC6-HSL-LuxR-I46F would have the strongest binding energy to 3OC6-HSL and LuxR-I46R the weakest binding energy. Stable wild-type (WT) LuxR, I46F and I46R variants were produced in Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the absence of 3OC6-HSL by fusion with maltose-binding protein (MBP). Dissociation constants for 3OC6-HSL from MBP-fusions of WT-, I46F- and I46R-LuxR determined by surface plasmon resonance confirmed the binding affinity. We designed and constructed a novel whole-cell biosensor on the basis of LuxR-I46F in E. coli host cells with a reporting module that expressed green fluorescent protein. The biosensor had high sensitivity in response to the signaling molecule 3OC6-HSL produced by the target bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis. Our work demonstrates a practical, generalizable framework for the rational design and adjustment of LuxR-family proteins for use in bioengineering and bioelectronics applications.

Ebola virus (EBOV), a member of the filovirus family, is an enveloped negative-sense RNA virus that causes lethal infections in humans and primates. Thousands of people have died from the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, and no specific antiviral medication and treatment have been approved for EVD. Although the development of an EBOV vaccine is promising, immunity to any vaccine is not immediate. Here, we computationally analysed the structure of EBOV glycoprotein GP2 (GP2EBOV) and designed RNA aptamers that recognize and inhibit it. The aptamers specifically bind to conserved arginine residues (Arg587 and Arg596) located in the C-terminal coiled-coil region of GP2EBOV. Molecular docking of the synthetic RNA aptamers with the ectodomain of GP2EBOV revealed that the optimized orthogonal RNA aptamers have strong binding affinities with the coiled-coil region of GP2EBOV. The characterized RNA aptamers may facilitate strategies to block replication of EBOV and related Filoviruses, and thus may serve as important antivirals to reduce mortality associated with these infections.