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Objective To investigate the correlation of Wnt5a expression and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in prostate cancer tissues, and analyze their relationships with cancer stem cells (CSCs) characteristics and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods Immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect the expression of Wnt5a in 50 prostate cancer tissues and 50 benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues. The expression levels of CD133, vimentin, and E-cadherin were detected in the prostate cancer tissues, and CD34/PAS double staining was used to detect VM structures. We analyzed the difference in Wnt5a level between prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues, the clinical significance of Wnt5a and VM, the relationship of Wnt5a expression and VM, and the relationships of Wnt5a expression and VM with CD133, Vimentin, E-cadherin. Results The expression of Wnt5a was significantly higher in prostate cancer tissues than in benign prostatic hyperplasia (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between Wnt5a expression and VM (P < 0.05). The expression levels of Wnt5a and VM were positively correlated with those of CD133 and vimentin (P < 0.05). Wnt5a expression and VM were positively correlated with Gleason score, vas deferens invasion and lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05) of prostate cancer, and VM was also positively correlated with T stage of prostate cancer (P < 0.05). Conclusion The expression level of Wnt5a in prostate cancer tissues is elevated and positively related with VM formation. Wnt5a expression and VM are correlated with cancer stem cells characteristics and the expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition marker proteins.

As an efficient, fast, green and environmentally friendly means of transportation, subway vehicles account for the largest proportion of urban rail transit, and in large and medium-sized cities, the construction of subway is still in rapid development, but with the subway noise radiation problem, subway noise plagued by passengers, related operators and residents along the subway. In this study, the finite element analysis software ABAQUS is used to establish the coupled dynamics model of subway B-type vehicle-rail, and the acoustic radiation characteristics of wheels and rails are calculated based on the FE-BE and FE-SEA method, respectively, with the aim of analyzing the effects of different wavelength and depth parameters on the dynamics of vehicle response and wheel-rail noise radiation pattern when the vehicle is running on the rail corrugation road. The results of the study show that the effect of rail corrugation parameters on the power level of wheel and rail sound radiation is more significant in the low-frequency range, and the wheel-rail noise is mainly radiated by the wheel in the low-frequency range, while in the high-frequency range, it is mainly radiated by the rail.

Simple Summary: Demand for high-quality sheep meat with good nutritional properties and health value is increasing. We performed a meta-analysis to review how different feeding regimes affect sheep growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Compared with stall-finished feeding, animals fed solely on pasture had lower carcass yield, intramuscular fat, and meat edible quality, but higher meat protein content. Pasture-fed sheep for which the diet was supplemented had comparable carcass attributes to stall-fed sheep, but improved color and meat quality. Meat quality is important in the meat-production chain. Conflicting reports of the effects of feeding systems on sheep growth performance and meat quality exist. By way of meta-analysis, we reviewed the literature on the growth and slaughter performance, and meat quality of lambs that grazed solely on pasture, those that grazed on pasture but received a dietary supplement, and those were exclusively fed indoors. The relevant literature comprised 28 papers, from which response variables of interest were obtained. Compared with stall-fed sheep, pasture-grazing led to significantly (p < 0.05) lower average daily gain, slaughter live weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and similar dressing percentage, but pasture-grazed sheep fed a supplement had similar (p > 0.05) values for each of these attributes to stall-fed sheep. The quality of the longissimus muscle from lambs that grazed either exclusively on pasture or pasture with a supplement had significantly (p < 0.05) lower lightness and intramuscular fat content, and significantly (p < 0.05) higher yellowness, Warner–Bratzler shear force, and protein content than meat from stall-fed sheep. We conclude that sheep that have fed exclusively on pasture have lower carcass yield and meat edibility, but improved meat quality, and that pasture-fed sheep that received a supplement had comparable carcass attributes, but greater meat color and health quality than stall-fed sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeolian sand hazards are often a threat to culverts, which are important channels and pieces of infrastructure of the desert railway. In addition to wind speed, wind direction, and culvert structure, terrain may also be an important reason for the formation of culvert sand hazards. However, there are few studies on the effect of terrain on the sediment accumulation characteristics of culverts. This paper established computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of railway culverts (flat and concave culverts) based on Euler's two-fluid theory. An analysis of the influence of terrain on the distribution law of the flow fields and sand accumulation around railway culverts was carried out. The results show that the horizontal wind speed curves changes in a "W" shape along the centre axis surface from the forecourt to the rearcourt within a range of 30 m~66.8 m. Low-speed backflow is formed at the inlet and outlet of the culvert, and the minimum wind speed reaches −3.6 m/s and −4.2 m/s, respectively, when the height from the bottom of the culvert is 1.0 m and 1.5 m, resulting in intensified sand sedimentation. In concave culverts, the lower the roadbed height, the easier it is for sand to accumulate at the culvert outlet, the rearcourt, and the track; the sand volume fraction is close to 0.63, affecting the normal operation of the trains. On the contrary, the higher the roadbed, the easier it is for sand to accumulate at the culvert inlet, hindering the passage of engineering vehicles and reducing the function of the culverts. These results reveal that terrain plays a pivotal role in the sand accumulation around culverts and that it should be one of the key considerations for the design of new railway culverts. This work can provide a theoretical basis for preventing and managing sand hazards in railway culverts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Using homegrown forage instead of imported alfalfa hay (AH) improves animal productivity and reduces feed costs, but the benefits of feeding high-quality common vetch hay (CVH) to lambs are not clear. This study aimed to determine the effect of replacing alfalfa hay with common vetch hay on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and rumen microbiota of fattening lambs. The results showed that substitution of AH by CVH in ruminant diets result in improvements in fattening performance and economic efficiency and a reduction in the methane produced per unit of ADG, thereby resulting in advantageous in decreasing reliance on imported AH. The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of 40% of common vetch (CV) hay as a feed ingredient in place of alfalfa hay (AH) would improve performance and ruminal fermentation and microbiota in fattening lambs. Twenty lambs were equally divided into two groups: control group (fed 40% AH with 20% rice straw) and CV group (fed 40% CV hay with 20% rice straw). Concerning hay quality, CV hay had greater in vitro digestibility of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (p < 0.05) than AH. Lambs fed the CV diet had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and efficiency of feed and economy than lambs fed the control group. The NH3-N content and estimated methane produced per unit of ADG of the CV diet group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than control group. Multiple differential microbial genera were identified, with Prevotella being the most dominant genus and a tendency towards higher (p = 0.095) in lambs offered CV diet. The higher Ruminococcus abundance (p < 0.05) was found in animals of the CV group compared to the control group. In summary, CV can be incorporated into lamb diets as a low-cost forage alternative to AH to improve feed efficiency and animal performance and to reduce methane produced per unit of ADG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In noise-sensitive areas of urban rail transit (URT), sound barriers are often used to block the propagation of on-track noise such as the wheel–rail noise. However, the vibrations induced by passing trains can also transmit to the sound barriers. Therefore, it is necessary to study the acoustic radiation characteristics of the sound barrier under moving train loads and to evaluate whether installing sound barriers will affect the overall low-frequency noise radiation from the elevated railway. In this paper, the train–track–bridge dynamic interaction theory is adopted to establish a dynamics model for train–track–bridge-sound barrier coupled system, and the acoustic theory is employed to establish acoustic boundary element models for sound barrier, box girder bridge and sound barrier-box girder bridge coupled system, respectively. These models are then used to systematically analyze the characteristics and mechanism of vibrational noise of the sound barrier due to passing trains. The effects of sound barrier on the acoustic environment are also evaluated. Finally, the influencing mechanism of sound barrier on low-frequency acoustic radiation of elevated railway is investigated, and suggestions for future research on low-frequency acoustic radiation of elevated railway are presented. The research results show that the sound barrier can become a significant low-frequency sound source during the trains passing. Installing sound barriers on elevated railway affects the sound environment around the railway mainly through acoustic effects on the noise propagation. The installation of sound barriers has an effect on the vibration characteristics of the box girder bridge. In order to explore the characteristics of low-frequency sound radiation of elevated railways installed with sound barriers, it is necessary to reanalyze the acoustic generation mechanism of the entire structure of the bridge-sound barriers coupled system and combine it with the propagation mechanism of various sound sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate recent epidemiological evidence on the association of air pollution with congenital anomalies (CAs). Of 11,014 records, 49 were finally included in this meta-analysis. Per 10 μg/m3 increase in air pollutant, PM10 exposure during the 1st month of pregnancy and at the first trimester (T1) was associated with increased overall CAs. Further, exposure to PM10 was associated with congenital heart disease (OR = 1.055, 95% CI: 1.035, 1.074) and patent ductus arteriosus (OR = 1.094, 95% CI: 1.020, 1.168) at T1, with chromosomal anomalies during the entire pregnancy and with nervous system anomalies when exposure occurred 3 months prior to pregnancy, during the 1st, 2nd months of pregnancy and at T1. Besides, a significant association with overall CAs was observed for a combined exposure of PM10 and SO2 during the 1st month of gestation (OR: 1.101, 95% CI: 1.023, 1.180). A combined exposure of PM10 and CO was also associated with tetralogy of Fallot during 3–8 weeks of gestation (OR: 1.016, 95% CI: 1.005, 1.027). No significant associations were observed between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposure and CAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]