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Author(s): Yilu Zhao [1,2]; Kang Ge [3]; Yan Cheng [4]; Ru-zhi Zhang (corresponding author) [5] Introduction As an autoimmune disorder, vitiligo is intricately linked to a nexus of genetic predispositions, [...], Background: As vitiligo progresses, autophagy becomes more and more important. Objectives: To validate potential genes associated with autophagy in vitiligo through bioinformatics analysis and experimental testing. Materials and Methods: Dataset GSE75819 of mRNA expression profiles was obtained from GEO. After data normalisation, gene set enrichment analyse enrichment analysis and abundance analysis of infiltrating immune cells were performed. A list of autophagy-related differentially expressed genes (ARDEGs) associated with vitiligo was generated using R software. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, correlation analysis, and enrichment analysis on gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopaedia of genes and genome (KEGG) pathways were conducted on the ARDEG data. The microRNAs associated with hub genes were predicted using the TargetScan database. Finally, RNA expression of 10 hub genes and Western blotting (WB) of autophagy pathway factors were further verified. Results: From the lesions of 15 vitiligo patients, 44 ARDEGs were identified. PPI analysis demonstrated that these ARDEGs interacted with each other. GO and KEGG analyses of ARDEGs revealed that several enriched terms were associated with macroautophagy (biological process), vacuolar membranes (cellular components), cysteine-type peptidase activity (molecular function), and autophagy in animals, neurodegeneration-multiple disease pathways, and apoptosis. In vitiligo lesions, qRT-PCR and sequencing validation analyses showed expression levels of CCL2, RB1CC1, TP53, and ATG9A that were consistent with bioinformatic analysis of the microarray. WB results also showed that autophagy-related proteins were differentially expressed. Conclusions: Forty-four potential ARDEGs were identified in vitiligo by bioinformatic analysis. Vitiligo may be affected by autophagy regulation through CCL2, RB1CC1, TP53, and ATG9A. Keywords: Autophagy, bioinformatics, gene expression omnibus dataset, vitiligo

Ordered intermetallic alloys are renowned for their impressive mechanical, chemical, and physical properties, making them appealing for various fields. However, practical applications of them have long been severely hindered due to their severe brittleness and poor fabricability. It is difficult to fabricate such materials into components with complex geometries through traditional subtractive manufacturing methods. Here, we proposed a strategy to solve these long-standing issues through the additive manufacturing of chemically complex intermetallic alloy (CCIMA) based on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The developed CCIMA exhibits good printability, enabling a crack-free microstructure with a low porosity of 0.005%. More importantly, a good combination of high tensile strength (~1.6 GPa) and large uniform elongation (~35%) can be achieved, which has not been reported in the existing additive-manufactured alloys. Such properties are attributed to the structural and chemical features of highly ordered superlattice grain decorated with disordered interfacial nanolayer, as well as dynamic evolutions and interactions of multiple dislocation substructures. These findings could provide references for developing high-performance intermetallic alloys and accelerating their practical applications. Conventional intermetallics are usually brittle and hard to manufacture. This work successfully develops a strong yet ductile chemically complex intermetallic alloy based on the 3D printing technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of forestry modernization, the research and development of forestry vehicles provide solid technical support for the efficiency and sustainability of forest operations. This study aims to reduce the mass of the forest-use tri-axle unmanned vehicle frame through structural optimization design, improve its static and dynamic characteristics, and enhance vehicle mobility and environmental adaptability while maintaining or enhancing its structural strength and stability. Initially, the finite element model of the vehicle frame was established using the finite element software Hypermesh (2022), and its static and dynamic characteristics were analyzed using OptiStruct (2022) software. The accuracy of the finite element calculations was verified through experiments. Subsequently, a sensitivity analysis method was employed to screen the design variables of the thin-walled beam structure of the forest-use tri-axle unmanned vehicle. Response surface models were created using least squares regression (LSR) and radial basis function network (RBF). Considering indicators such as frame mass, modal frequency, and maximum bending and torsional stresses, the multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) was applied to achieve a multi-objective lightweight design of the vehicle frame. This comprehensive optimization method is rarely reported in forestry vehicle design. By employing the proposed optimization approach, a weight reduction of 10.1 kg (a 7.44% reduction) was achieved for the vehicle frame without compromising its original static and dynamic performance. This significant lightweighting result demonstrates considerable practical application potential in the field of forestry vehicle lightweight design. It responds to the demand for efficient and environmentally friendly forestry machinery under forestry modernization and holds important implications for reducing energy consumption and operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands serve as crucial ecological buffers, significantly influencing temperature reduction, carbon storage, regional climate regulation, and urban wastewater treatment. To elucidate the relationship between wetland landscape patterns and ecological environment, and to accurately assess lake ecosystems, this study proposes a semi-supervised classification method based on RSEI and K-Means. By integrating landscape pattern indices, the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), and disturbance proximity, a comprehensive evaluation of the ecological quality of the Dianchi wetlands was conducted. The results indicate that the RSEI-K-Means method, with K set to 50, achieved overall accuracies (OAs) and Kappa values of 0.91 and 0.88, surpassing the SVM's 0.85 and 0.80. This method effectively combines ecological and landscape indices without relying on extensive training samples, enhancing accuracy and speed in wetland information extraction and addressing the challenges of spatial heterogeneity. This study reveals that from 2007 to 2009, and 2013 to 2015, landscape patterns were significantly influenced by the rapid expansion of Kunming city, exacerbating wetland fragmentation. Notably, significant ecological quality changes were observed in 2009 and 2013, with gradual recovery post-2013 due to strengthened environmental protection policies. The RSEI disturbance proximity analysis indicated that the affected areas were primarily concentrated in regions of high human activity, confirming the method's high sensitivity and effectiveness. This study can help in wetland ecosystem research and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intramuscular (IM) injection of penicillin G Benzathine (PGB) is widely recognized as the primary treatment for patients at all stages of syphilis. However, the discomfort and induration associated with PGB injections are often a challenge for patients. While lidocaine is already known to reduce injection pain and is standard practice in some countries, the added value of combining lidocaine with the z-track technique has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aims to observe the use of combining lidocaine with the Z-track technique in the treatment of syphilis, and to explore less painful methods of administering IM PGB for the treatment of syphilis in adult patients. Methods: 32 syphilis patients requiring penicillin treatment were injected with 1.2 million units of penicillin on both sides of the buttocks. The left side was injected using the traditional method with 0.9% saline as the solvent (control Group), while the right side was injected using a "z" injection method with 0.2% lidocaine as the solvent (experimental Group). The success rate of the single injection, the intensity and duration of the post-injection pain and the induration reaction were observed and recorded. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in single injection success rate and immediate post injection pain score between the two sides (P 0.05). However, the right side had a lower pain score at 30 minutes post injection and fewer induration reactions, showing a statistically significant difference between the two sides (P< 0.05). Chi-squared analysis showed that age, gender and BMI had no significant effect on pain scores 30 minutes after injection in either the control or intervention groups. (P> 0.05). Conclusion: The lidocaine + Z-track penicillin method can reduce delayed pain and induration reactions in patients with syphilis, and provides an additional approach to improving patient comfort beyond the standard use of lidocaine alone. This method merits clinical promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]