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Abstract To investigate the effect mechanism of electroacupuncture based on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) /acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) signaling pathway to improve glycolipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice. 10 db/m mice with normal genotype were used as the normal control group without diabetes (Con), and 30 db/db mice were divided randomly into three groups: Pathological model mice (Mod), Acupuncture + ACC antagonist group (Acu + ACC), and Acupuncture + AMPK antagonist group (Acu + AMPK). Con and Mod did not receive any special treatment, only as a control observation. The latter two groups of mice received electroacupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. Mouse triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), and cholesterin(CHO) levels were detected by colorimetric assay. Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to detect insulin(INS) levels. Liver histopathologic changes and hepatic glycogen synthesis were observed by HE and PAS staining. The mRNA and protein expression of insulin receptor substrate-1(IRS1), Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), AMPK, and ACC were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR.The results show that compared with Mod, TG, LDL, CHO, and INS levels of Acu + AMPK and Acu + ACC mice were significantly reduced (P

Abstract Newborn piglets’ health is seriously threatened by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which also has a significant effect on the pig industry. The gut microbiota produces butyrate, an abundant metabolite that modulates intestinal function through many methods to improve immunological and intestinal barrier function. The objective of this investigation was to ascertain how elevated butyrate concentrations impacted the host transcriptional profile of PEDV CV777 strain infection. Our findings showed that higher concentrations of butyrate have a stronger inhibitory effect on PEDV CV777 strain infection. According to RNA-seq data, higher concentrations of butyrate induced more significant transcriptional changes in IPEC-J2 cells, and signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT may play a role in the inhibition of PEDV CV777 strain by high concentrations of butyrate. Ultimately, we offer a theoretical and experimental framework for future research and development of novel approaches to harness butyrate’s antiviral infection properties.

Abstract Background Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) hold great therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant methodology for the isolation and culture of WJ-MSCs. Through comprehensive research, encompassing laboratory-scale experiments to pilot-scale studies, we aimed to develop standardized protocols ensuring the high yield and quality of WJ-MSCs manufacturing. Methods Firstly, optimization of parameters for the enzymatic digestion method used to isolate WJ-MSCs was conducted. These parameters included enzyme concentrations, digestion times, seeding densities, and culture media. Additionally, a comparative analysis between the explant method and the enzymatic digestion method was performed. Subsequently, the consecutive passaging of WJ-MSCs, specifically up to passage 9, was evaluated using the optimized method. Finally, manufacturing processes were developed and scaled up, starting from laboratory-scale flask-based production and progressing to pilot-scale cell factory-based production. Furthermore, a stability study was carried out to assess the storage and use of drug products (DPs). Results The optimal parameters for the enzymatic digestion method were a concentration of 0.4 PZ U/mL Collagenase NB6 and a digestion time of 3 h, resulting in a higher yield of P0 WJ-MSCs. In addition, a positive correlation between the weight of umbilical cord tissue and the quantities of P0 WJ-MSCs has been observed. Evaluation of different concentrations of human platelet lysate revealed that 2% and 5% concentrations resulted in similar levels of cell expansion. Comparative analysis revealed that the enzymatic digestion method exhibited faster outgrowth of WJ-MSCs compared to the explant method during the initial passage. Passages 2 to 5 exhibited higher viability and proliferation ability throughout consecutive passaging. Moreover, scalable manufacturing processes from the laboratory scale to the pilot scale were successfully developed, ensuring the production of high-quality WJ-MSCs. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles of the DPs led to reduced cell viability and viable cell concentration. Subsequent thawing and dilution of the DPs resulted in a significant decrease in both metrics, especially when stored at 20–27 °C. Conclusion This study offers valuable insights into optimizing the isolation and culture of WJ-MSCs. Our scalable manufacturing processes facilitate the large-scale production of high-quality WJ-MSCs. These findings contribute to the advancement of WJ-MSCs-based therapies in regenerative medicine.

Two-dimensional (2D) layered black phosphorus (BP), with a direct band gap and high carrier mobility, has shown great potential for next generation electronics and optoelectronics. However, how to prepare a large-area 2D material film is still a big problem for realizing its practical applications. Herein, an improved one-step solution-processable method is put forward to solving this problem to get uniform and large-area BP film. Our results show that the designed electrodes can be fully covered by BP flakes and the corresponding FET reveals relatively high performance. Our study opens a new avenue in fabricating large-area ultra-thin BP films.

As a complementary and alternative therapy, acupuncture is widely used in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. However, the understanding of the mechanism of acupuncture effects is still limited due to the lack of systematic biological validation. Notably, proteomics technologies in the field of acupuncture are rapidly evolving, and these advances are greatly contributing to the research of acupuncture. In this study, we review the progress of proteomics research in analyzing the molecular mechanisms of acupuncture for neurological disorders, pain, circulatory disorders, digestive disorders, and other diseases, with an in-depth discussion around acupoint prescription and acupuncture manipulation modalities. The study found that proteomics has great potential in understanding the mechanisms of acupuncture. This study will help explore the mechanisms of acupuncture from a proteomic perspective and provide information to support future clinical decisions.

Deqi is an important prerequisite for acupuncture to achieve optimal efficacy. Chinese medicine has long been concerned with the relationship between Deqi and the clinical efficacy of acupuncture. However, the underlying mechanisms of Deqi are complex and there is a lack of systematic summaries of objective quantitative studies of Deqi. Acupuncture Deqi can achieve the purpose of treating diseases by regulating the interaction of local and neighboring acupoints, brain centers, and target organs. At local and neighboring acupoints, Deqi can change their tissue structure, temperature, blood perfusion, energy metabolism, and electrophysiological indicators. At the central brain level, Deqi can activate the brain regions of the thalamus, parahippocampal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, insular, middle temporal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, etc. It also has extensive effects on the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical-network and default mode network. The brain mechanisms of Deqi vary depending on the acupuncture techniques and points chosen. In addition, Deqi 's mechanism of action involves correcting abnormalities in target organs. The mechanisms of acupuncture Deqi are multi-targeted and multi-layered. The biological mechanisms of Deqi are closely related to brain centers. This study will help to explore the mechanism of Deqi from a local-central-target-organ perspective and provide information for future clinical decision-making.

Objective: This scoping review aims to document Chinese Patent Medicines (CPMs) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, explore whether CPMs can improve patients’ health outcomes, and set priorities in addressing research gaps in this area. Methods: Following the framework of PRISMA-SCr, we proposed the research questions based on PICOS principle, and searched the CPMs for T2DM from three drug lists, followed by a systematic search of the literature in eight databases from their inception to June 22, 2023. Then, we developed the eligibility criteria and systematically reviewed the relevant studies, retained the studies about CPMs for T2DM, extracted the related data, and identified the differences across studies in structured charts. Results: A total of 25 types of CPMs were extracted from the three drug lists. Radix astragali appeared most frequently (19 times) among the herbal medicinal ingredients of CPMs. A total of 449 articles were included in the full-paper analysis ultimately, all of which were about 20 types of CPMs, and there were no related reports on the remaining five CPMs. Except about a quarter (25.39 %, 114/449) using CPMs alone, the remaining studies all involved the combination with oral hypoglycemics for T2DM. Biguanides are the most common drugs used in combination with CPMs (50.14 %, 168/335). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) is the most frequently reported outcomes in efficacy evaluation (82.41 %, 370/449). Conclusion: There are a total of 25 types of CPMs currently available for T2DM patients. However, the volume of related evidence on these CPMs varies. It is necessary to standardize the combined use of CPMs and conventional medicine and select appropriate outcomes in future studies.

Achieving the sustainability of coupled human-nature systems requires matching the ecosystem services (ES) provided by nature to the needs of society. However, most of the current studies on ES supply–demand relationships focus on spatial mismatches and rarely consider their temporal dynamics. In this study, the year-by-year dynamics (2001–2020) of 12 ESs at multiple spatial scales were investigated by using space–time interaction (STI) analysis, fuzzy C-mean clustering, and emerging hotspot analysis. We found that (1) three forms of temporal dynamics of ES indicators can be identified, including linear dynamics, fluctuating dynamics, and regime shift dynamics. (2) Temporal dynamic patterns of the same ES were not consistent across all counties, showing great spatial heterogeneity. The temporal dynamics of each ES type at each county were spatially explicitly clustered into linear dynamics, fluctuating dynamics, and regime shift dynamics with different means. (3) The ES supply–demand relationships can shift between supply–demand balance, excess supply, and excess demand when the temporal dynamics of ES supply do not match with that of ES demand. Our results suggest that temporal dynamic analysis in ecological restoration effectiveness assessment can help to avoid erroneous results compared to considering only pre- and post-policy ES changes. The identified emerging hotspots of excess supply and excess demand can help decision-makers more accurately identify priority locations for management.

The frictional strength and sliding stability of faults are crucial in interpreting earthquake mechanisms and cycles. Herein, we report friction experiments on basalt fractures, using a self-designed triaxial apparatus that allows direct shear of samples under coupled hydro-mechanical conditions. Velocity-stepping (VS) and slide-hold-slide (SHS) experiments are performed on both bare and gouge-bearing surfaces of Xiashan basalt subjected to cyclic shear velocities at 1–30 μm/s, effective normal stresses of 1–5 MPa, and pore pressures of 70–300 kPa. The measured basalt friction coefficients are in the range of 0.67–0.74, which is sensitive to gouge thickness, normal stress, and water. Specifically, a reduction in friction coefficient is observed with an increment in gouge thickness, normal stress, and pore pressure. Based on the microscopic observation of the pre- and post-shearing sliding surfaces, this weakening effect in friction coefficient can be attributed to powder lubrication. Furthermore, the VS test results reveal predominantly velocity-strengthening behavior at investigated slip velocities, and this velocity strengthening behavior does not appear to be influenced by variations in normal stress, gouge thickness, and water. However, changes in sliding velocity and normal stress can lead to a shift between stable and unstable sliding. Specifically, stable sliding is favored by high sliding velocities and low normal stress applied in this study. Finally, we analyze the experimental data by calculating the rate-and-state parameters using the rate- and state-dependent friction (RSF) theory. Importantly, the calculated friction rate parameter (a-b) supports the velocity-strengthening behavior. Both frictional relaxation (Δμc) during hold periods and frictional healing (Δμ) upon re-shearing are linearly proportional to the logarithmic hold time, which may be attributed to the growth in true contact area with hold time. This study sheds light on the roles of sliding velocity, and gouge thickness in controlling frictional strength and stability of basalt fractures.

To investigate the effects of crushed water extraction, uncrushed water extraction, crushed alcohol extraction, uncrushed alcohol extraction, pulverized soup post-extraction and unpulverized soup extraction on volatile flavor components of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. and its ability to confer volatile flavor substances to braised duck neck was studied. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) were used to determine the differences of main volatile flavor components in brine and braised duck neck under different treatment methods. GC-MS results showed that the main aromatic compounds in Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. were alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters and ethers. Water extraction could improve the dissolution of 4-terpineol and other alcohols, and alcohol extraction could improve the dissolution of pyoletene and other substances. Decoction extraction had a better dissolution effect on ethers, and crushing treatment could effectively promote the dissolution of hydrocarbons and esters, and was not conducive to the retention of volatile components of alcohol and ether in the brine. The main substances in braised duck neck were 4-terpenoid and cineole after brine preparation of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. extract under different treatment methods. Water extraction could significantly promote the retention of eucalyptol and limonene in braised duck neck. Ethanol extraction improved the effect of anethole in duck neck. Whether Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. was crushed or not had no significant effect on the volatile flavor substances assigned to duck neck by the prepared brine. Based on GC-IMS spectrum analysis, it was found that for the extract, only alcohol extraction showed significant differences. Similarly, only alcohol extraction showed significant difference in braised duck neck. The volatile flavour compounds of different treatments for Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. extract and gives braised duck neck ability has a significant effect of volatile flavor substances.

ObjectiveThe study aimed to assess the value of physiological tests for evaluating inner ear function in predicting the short-term recurrence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).Materials and methodsThe clinical information of all idiopathic BPPV patients who were treated in our clinic between February 2021 and December 2022 were reviewed. All patients included in the study had completed audiology examinations including pure tone audiometry, electrocochleography (EcochG), auditory brainstem response, and vestibular function examination such as the vestibular caloric test. The relationships between the results of the above tests and short-term recurrent BPPV were analyzed.ResultsA total of 96 patients with unilateral idiopathic BPPV were included for analysis. The numbers of non-recurrent patients and recurrent patients were 57 (59.4%) and 39 (40.6%), respectively. Only the results of EcochG and the caloric test showed significant differences between non-recurrent and recurrent patients (both P < 0.05). The results of these two tests were also found to be independently predictive of short-term recurrence (both P < 0.05). The non-recurrence rate for patients with normal results in both tests reached up to 78.3%, which was significantly higher than that for patients with abnormal results in both tests, 28.6% (P < 0.05).ConclusionEndolymphatic hydrops and canal paresis were independent risk factors for short-term recurrent BPPV. Additional treatments should be considered to reduce the recurrence rate, including dehydration treatment and vestibular rehabilitation.

One of the challenges facing robot tracking is the difficulty of controlling variety types of robots in known and unknown environments. This paper proposes a new strategy of path tracking for a non-holonomic mobile robot subject to kinematic disturbances using model prediction control and H2/H∞ control by Gain-scheduled control law. In this regard, the problem of tracking a mobile robot is expressed in a way that its kinematic error is in the form of linear parameter variable with bounded disturbance. The purpose of the design is to stabilize the controller by solving the linear matrix inequality (LMI) conditions for error tracking model. The following stability conditions are then formulated in such a way that the upper bounds are considered as LMI auxiliary variables. Also with the help of more free matrices, it can reduce conservatism. The target tracking is first designed with the assumption that there is no obstacle in the environment, and then the obstacle avoidance mode is added to the tracer controller, which is done by modifying the optimal state vector definition. In both cases, the system stability check is also performed. Simulation is performed on several predetermined paths, indicating that this strategy is feasible.

Abstract Objectives This study is aimed to evaluate if automated urine sediment analysis UN2000 can be used to screen lupus nephritis. Methods UN2000 was used to examine 160 urine samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 124 urine samples from Lupus nephritis. The result of protein/creatinine ratio(P/C) and renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) were evaluated. With biochemical analysis and microscopic examination as the gold standard, the Kappa consistency test was used to analyze the accuracy of P/C and RTEC. Analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of P/C single item or RTEC single item and both screening lupusnephritis. Results The consistency of P/C and the gold standard, and that of RTEC and the gold standard are respectively strong and good (0.858 vs. 0.673). The specificity, positive predictive value, and coincidence were the highest when P/C ≥ 2 + was set as the only screening standard for lupus nephritis. When the standard was selected between P/C ≥ 2 + or RTEC > 2.8 cells/µl, the sensitivity and negative predictive value were the highest. Conclusion UN 2000 can be used to screen lupus nephritis by detecting P/C and RTEC.

The sustainable development of cooperatives is essential to agricultural sustainability and is determined mainly by cooperation longevity. The risk sharing and benefit distribution mechanisms are important governance arrangements that affect cooperation longevity in member-heterogeneous cooperatives. However, the relationship between cooperatives’ risk sharing and benefit distribution arrangements and cooperation longevity is not well understood. To address this research gap, we provide a conceptual framework to illustrate the relationship between risk sharing, benefit distribution, contract form and cooperation longevity. By conducting 23 interviews with three dairy cooperatives in China using a multiple-case-study method, we find that cooperation longevity is influenced by the alignment of the combination of risk sharing and benefit distribution for cooperatives and their members. Following the principles of risk-benefit equivalence and strategy-risk preference matching, we discuss four scenarios of match or mismatch of combinations of risk sharing and benefit distribution. We suggest that the government needs to strengthen risk mitigation capabilities for cooperatives and members, and to help them to build an effective risk sharing and benefit distribution arrangement to achieve sustainable development.

The landslide disaster caused huge losses to human lives and property, and the research on the selection of landslide treatment schemes has attracted global attention. Fuzzy multiattribute decision-making methods are widely used for selecting the slope treatment schemes in engineering practice. But they do not take into account human linguistic arguments in the linguistic decision-making environment, which usually contains incomplete and uncertain information, and still lack a qualitative evaluation method. To deal with multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems of landslide treatment schemes in the linguistic neutrosophic environment, a linguistic neutrosophic number Dombi weighted arithmetic averaging (LNNDWAA) operator and a linguistic neutrosophic number Dombi weighted geometric averaging (LNNDWGA) operator are developed to aggregate linguistic neutrosophic information. Then, a new MAGDM method using these aggregation operators is proposed in view of the Dombi operational flexibility. Finally, the proposed method is applied to select the optimal landslide treatment scheme under the linguistic neutrosophic environment. The results show that this method can effectively solve the decision-making problem of landslide treatment schemes and make the decision result more reasonable and flexible than other existing methods.

IntroductionResearch on acupuncture for Parkinson's Disease is growing rapidly. A scoping review examines emerging evidence and is important to guide policy and practice. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the breadth and methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and to map the quality of evidence of these studies to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of PD.MethodsSeven literature databases were searched. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted relevant information (such as general characteristics, inclusion criteria, study results, and report quality).The inclusion criteria include publicly published systematic reviews/meta-analyses/systematic reviews of acupuncture treatment for Parkinson's disease. The research subjects are any patients who meet the diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease, and intervention measures include acupuncture treatment including electro acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, or combination with other treatment methods. The outcome indicators are all types of results related to PD and the effective measurement tools used.ResultsA total of 23 systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses of studies were included. Most of the articles were published between 2019 and 2023 (47.8%). A total of 14 articles (60.9%) were evaluated and classified, and 89 (36.8.1%) of the 242 included articles were of medium and high quality.DiscussionThis study comprehensively evaluates the quality and research methods of incorporating SRs/MAs, and concludes that acupuncture treatment for Parkinson's disease may be significant. Considering the shortcomings in research design and methodology, it is not possible to draw conclusions on the evidence of acupuncture treatment for PD at this stage, but it does not mean that acupuncture treatment is ineffective. We hope to focus on improving research design and methods in the study of acupuncture treatment for Parkinson's disease, an increase the credibility of research results.

IntroductionDiabetic cognitive impairment (DCI) is a chronic complication of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by diabetes that affects learning and memory capacities over time. Recently, acupuncture has been shown to improve cognitive impairment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. However, the effects of electroacupuncture on DCI and its underlying mechanism have not yet been elucidated in detail. MethodsIn this study, we used db/db mice as DCI animal models which showed low cognitive, learning and memory functions. Electroacupuncture significantly ameliorated DCI, which is reflected by better spatial learning and memory function using behavioral tests. The db/db mice with cognitive impairment were randomly divided into a model group (Mod) and an electroacupuncture treatment group (Acup), while db/m mice were used as a normal control group (Con). First, the mice were subjected to behavioural tests using the Morris water maze (MWM), and body weight, blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were observed; HE, Nissl, and TUNEL staining were used to observe the morphological changes and neuronal apoptosis in the mice hippocampus; Finally, Western blot and rt-PCR were applied to detect the essential proteins and mRNA of ERS and insulin signalling pathway, as well as the expression levels of Tau and Aβ.ResultsElectroacupuncture significantly ameliorated DCI, which is reflected by better spatial learning and memory function using behavioral tests. Moreover, electroacupuncture attenuated diabetes-induced morphological structure change, neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus of db/db mice. Our results revealed that electroacupuncture could regulate the expression levels of Tau and Aβ by improving hippocampal ERS levels in db/db mice, inhibiting JNK activation, attenuating IRS1 serine phosphorylation, and restoring normal transduction of the insulin signaling pathway.DiscussionIn summary, ERS and insulin signaling pathway paly causal roles in DCI development. Electroacupuncture can significantly alleviate the pathogenesis of DCI, improve mice's learning and memory ability, and improve cognitive dysfunction. This study adds to our understanding of the effect of acupuncture on DCI and opens the door to further research on DCI.

To investigate the molecular mechanism of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on promoting fatty acid β-oxidation and browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. SCFAs significantly reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, via increasing the expression of Tfam and Nrf1, SCFAs enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis. According to the results of qPCR analysis, the expression levels of fatty acid β-oxidation genes (PPARα, CPT1α, ACOX1) were up-regulated by SCFAs. Moreover, SCFAs treatment increased the genes and proteins expression of brown adipocyte-specific factors such as PRDM16, PGC-1α, and UCP-1, as well as up-regulated the genes expression of beige adipocytes markers (Tmem26, Tbx1, CD137, and Cited1). Furthermore, the effects of β3-AR and AMPK antagonist were reversed by SCFAs. In conclusion, SCFAs promote fat β-oxidation and browning of adipocytes through β3-AR/AMPKα signaling pathway, thereby reducing fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Therefore, SCFAs may be a helpful supplement to combat obesity.

Establishing an ultra-high-precision link for time–frequency comparisons between satellites and ground stations is critically important. This endeavor is fundamental to the advancement of pioneering space science exploration and the development of a robust space-based time–frequency system featuring ultra-high-precision space atomic clocks. In response to the requirements for assessing the long-term stability of high-precision space atomic clocks, we have designed and implemented a satellite–ground microwave time–frequency comparison system and method based on a three-frequency mode. Ground-based experimental results demonstrate that the equipment layer can achieve a satellite–ground time comparison accuracy better than 0.4 ps (RMS), with the equipment delay stability (ADEV) for all three frequencies being better than 8 × 10−18 at 86,400. By leveraging the ground-based experimental results, we constructed a satellite–ground time–frequency comparison simulation and verification platform. This platform realizes ultra-high-precision satellite–ground time–frequency comparison based on the China Space Station (CSS). After correcting various transmission delay errors, the satellite–ground time comparison achieved an accuracy better than 0.8 ps and an ADEV better than 2 × 10−17 at 86,400. This validation of our novel satellite–ground time–frequency comparison system and method, capable of achieving an 10−17 magnitude stability, is not only a significant contribution to the field of space time–frequency systems but also paves the way for future advancements and applications in space science exploration.

Abstract Inhibition of DNA binding proteins 1 and 3 (ID1 and ID3) are important downstream targets of BMP signalling that are necessary for embryonic development. However, their specific roles in regulating the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) remain unclear. Here, we examined the roles of ID1 and ID3 in primed and naive-like hESCs and showed that ID1 and ID3 knockout lines (IDs KO) exhibited decreased survival in both primed and naive-like state. IDs KO lines in the primed state also tended to undergo pluripotent dissolution and ectodermal differentiation. IDs KO impeded the primed-to-naive transition (PNT) of hESCs, and overexpression of ID1 in primed hESCs promoted PNT. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated that ID1 and ID3 regulated the survival and pluripotency of hESCs through the AKT signalling pathway. Finally, we showed that TCF3 mediated transcriptional inhibition of MCL1 promotes AKT phosphorylation, which was confirmed by TCF3 knockdown in KO lines. Our study suggests that IDs/TCF3 acts through AKT signalling to promote survival and maintain pluripotency of both primed and naive-like hESCs.

BackgroundAcupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, is an effective migraine treatment, especially in improving pain. In recent years, many acupuncture brain imaging studies have found significant changes in brain function following acupuncture treatment of migraine, providing a new perspective to elucidate the mechanism of action of acupuncture.ObjectiveTo analyse and summarize the effects of acupuncture on the modulation of specific patterns of brain region activity changes in migraine patients, thus providing a mechanism for treating migraine by acupuncture.MethodsChinese and English articles published up to May 2022 were searched in three English databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane) and four Chinese databases (China national knowledge infrastructure, CNKI; Chinese Biomedical Literature database, CBM; the Chongqing VIP database, VIP; and the Wanfang database, WF). A neuroimaging meta-analysis on ALFF, ReHo was performed on the included studies using Seed-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI) software. Subgroup analyses were used to compare differences in brain regions between acupuncture and other groups. Meta-regression was used to explore the effect of demographic information and migraine alterations on brain imaging outcomes. Linear models were drawn using MATLAB 2018a, and visual graphs for quality evaluation were produced using R and RStudio software.ResultsA total of 7 studies comprising 236 patients in the treatment group and 173 in the control group were included in the meta-analysis. The results suggest that acupuncture treatment helps to improve pain symptoms in patients with migraine. The left angular gyrus is hyperactivation, and the left superior frontal gyrus and the right superior frontal gyrus are hypoactivated. The migraine group showed hyperactivation in the corpus callosum compared to healthy controls.ConclusionAcupuncture can significantly regulate changes in brain regions in migraine patients. However, due to the experimental design of neuroimaging standards are not uniform, the results also have some bias. Therefore, to better understand the potential mechanism of acupuncture on migraine, a large sample, multicenter controlled trial is needed for further study. In addition, the application of machine learning methods in neuroimaging studies could help predict the efficacy of acupuncture and screen migraine patients suitable for acupuncture treatment.

Hole accidents occurring in the drilling process and borehole collapse encountered in gas production are obstacles standing in the way of high efficiency of gas drainage through the outburst-prone soft coal seams in China. The fundamental testing data from existing suspending agents were combined to prepare a suspension in a specific density for testing debris disposal technology considering several adverse effects. Those effects include the sizeable residual volume of drilling debris, difficult debris disposal, the low effective utilization rate of drill holes, and the unideal extraction effect in drill holes with long-distance downward drill holes. The testing outcomes indicated that the suspension-aided debris disposal could contribute to the following aspects: discharging residual drilling debris out of the drill hole, rinsing the drill hole, preventing drilling debris from filling the coal seam, providing the adequate drill hole depth, and improving the effects of gas extraction. As a result, the gas production in shallow drill holes was increased by 40%, with gas concentration elevated by 21%. In addition, the scalar quantity and extraction concentration in the gas concentration of deep drill holes were increased by 84% and 260%, respectively. This study was undertaken to provide a specific reference for debris disposal work of deep drill holes for gas-rich soft coal seams.

Regenerative braking is one of the most important methods for improving energy utilization in electric vehicles. Electric vehicles with front-rear, individually driven configurations exhibit significant potential and flexibility for recovering braking energy. To improve the system’s high-power impact tolerance, a high-power density hydraulic energy storage system can be incorporated to facilitate a full-drive dual-motor electric–hydraulic hybrid (DMEHH) powertrain. The DMEHH system is composed of an independently driven electric–hydraulic hybrid front axle and a purely electric rear axle. In this study, a method for distributing braking torque to minimize energy loss was devised based on the proposed DMEHH powertrain. Power loss models for both the electric and hydraulic subsystems have been developed. Loss minimization control was adapted for the power loss model of the permanent magnet synchronous motors in the powertrain, and the front-rear and front electric–hydraulic torque braking distribution maps were calculated using the energy-loss minimization rule. The application of torque distribution maps resulted in energy losses less than those of the general ideal torque distribution for all braking conditions. The energy loss decreased by 27.2% when the loss minimization control method was used in the WLTC cycle, and decreased by 29.1%, 25.5%, and 21.6% in UDDS, NEDC, and US06 driving cycles, respectively.

Abstract Background Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) has a great impact on an individual’s quality of life. The current researchers’ previous trial suggested that acupuncture was a promising adjunctive treatment for PDPN. However, the underlying mechanism of action of acupuncture treatment for PDPN is still unclear, especially its effects at the cerebral level. The aim of this trial will be to explore how acupuncture works in treating PDPN by using multimodal cerebral imaging. Method and design This will be a randomized controlled trial. A total of 150 participants will be recruited and assigned to one of three groups: the healthy group, the DM without PDPN group and the DM with PDPN group. Participants in the DM without PDPN and the DM with PDPN groups will each be further divided between an electroacupuncture group and a sham electroacupuncture group. Participants will receive six treatment sessions per week for 4 weeks. Multimodal cerebral imaging includes resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS); this neurophysiological testing will be the primary outcome measure. Subjective pain scales and blood analysis will be a secondary outcome measure and will be used to assess the clinical efficacy of the intervention. Multimodal cerebral imaging will be used to detect cerebral activity changes in each treatment group. The clinical data and fMRI data will be analysed for all the groups. Multiple correlation regression analyses will be used to assess the association between changes in cerebral functional activity and the improvement of clinical outcomes after acupuncture treatment. Discussion This study is based on the results of the researchers’ previous study, and using combined clinical and cerebral function changes, it will help evaluate the effects of acupuncture on PDPN. The investigation of acupuncture’s central mechanism of action will further expand the understanding of acupuncture treatment of PDPN. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024109 . Registered on 26 June 2019.

Abstract Background Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI) is a serious chronic complication caused by diabetes. The pathogenesis of DCI is complex, but brain nerve injury and brain nerve cell apoptosis are important pathological changes. Multimodal brain imaging is one of the most important techniques to study the neural mechanism of the brain. For the clinical treatment of DCI, there is no effective targeted Western medicine and a lack of clear drug intervention methods. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find effective complementary and alternative methods and clarify their mechanism. This research seeks to explore the multimodal brain imaging effect of “Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit” electroacupuncture for DCI. Methods This clinical research will be a randomized, sham-controlled pilot trial. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 30). The intervention group will be divided into the “Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit” electroacupuncture group (n = 30) and sham electroacupuncture group (n = 30). All participants will continue to receive routine hypoglycemic therapy. The treatment period is the same in both groups. The primary outcomes include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). The secondary outcomes include blood glucose and blood lipid tests, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), Hachinski Ischemic Scale (HIS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and before and after treatment, and adverse events will be examined. Inter- and intragroup analyses will be performed. Discussion This randomized controlled study, combined with multimodal brain imaging techniques and a clinical evaluation scale, was designed to explore the mechanism of “Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit” electroacupuncture in improving the central nervous system in DCI. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registration ChiCTR2000040268 . Registered on 26 November 2020

ObjectiveTo explore the association between laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD)-related symptoms and the Eustachian tube (ET) function in adult patients with otitis media with effusion (OME).Materials and methodsA total of 105 adult patients with OME were retrospectively studied. All these patients had undergone tubomanometry (TMM) test for the affected ears before treatments. The LPRD-related symptoms were all assessed by the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) scale.ResultsAmong the 105 included patients, the numbers of subjects with only one and both two ears affected were 65 (57.1%) and 40 (42.9%), respectively. Therefore, a total of 145 affected ears were studied. For these affected ears, a linear regression analysis that included sex, age, BMI, smoking history, drinking history, RSI value, and the condition of the contralateral ear suggested that only RSI value was significantly associated with TMM value (P < 0.001), with the correlation coefficient of −0.112. Among the 9 symptoms in RSI scale, affected ears with the following symptoms (vs. affected ears without) showed significantly lower TMM values: excess throat mucus or postnasal drip, difficulty swallowing food, liquids, or pills, and sensations of something stuck in your throat or a lump in your throat (all P < 0.05).ConclusionLPRD may disrupt ET function in adult OME patients. A higher RSI score is independently predictive for a bad ET patency in such patients and is indicative for an additional anti-reflux therapy.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have raised public concern due to their widespread application in the field of agriculture, medicine, and environment and their potential toxic effects on humans and the environments. In this study, biosynthesis of nanosilver particles mediated by Trichoderma longibranchiatum using orthogonal experimental design (OED) was optimized. Silkworm larvae were exposed via the mulberry leaves to AgNPs to evaluate their toxic effects. The results showed that 2 mmol/L silver nitrate and 55 °C of reaction temperature at pH 7.0 for 24 h were the optimum values for AgNPs biosynthesis with the synthesis amount and antifungal activity of AgNPs as the indices. The characterization of the biosynthesized AgNPs was conducted using electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), UV/visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystalline structured nanoparticles were spherical or polyhedral with a mean size ranging about 5–50 nm. FTIR showed that many functional group moieties (–OH, –CH3, –C–O, etc.) involved as a capping and reducing agent in AgNPs biosynthesis. After the larvae were fed with 50 mg/mL AgNPs, there were no obvious adverse effects on the growth of larvae and cocoon quality. Further supplement of AgNPs-B could promote the weight of larvae and the cocoon shell ratio. The data presented herein provided valuable information on a reliable eco-friendly, simple, low-cost biosynthesis of AgNPs and its biosafety evaluation which may contribute to its increased application in the future.

Background and purposeInflammation is closely related to the pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy (MSA). As markers of inflammation, the monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and red cell distribution width to platelet ratio (RPR) have been proven to be associated with a large variety of diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the association between inflammatory markers (MHR, NLR, and RPR) and MSA, and the difference between MSA and Parkinson’s disease (PD) was further compared by these inflammatory markers.Materials and methodsThis study was divided into three groups: 47 patients with MSA, 125 patients with PD, and 124 healthy controls. The corresponding laboratory indicators of subjects were collected and analyzed to obtain MHR, NLR, and RPR values.ResultsCompared with healthy controls, the MHR, NLR, and RPR were higher in the MSA group (P < 0.05), and the MHR was higher in the MSA group than in the PD group (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MHR*10 (corrected OR = 1.312, 95% CI 1.093–1.575) and RPR*100 (corrected OR = 1.262, 95% CI 1.055–1.509) were positively correlated with the risk of MSA. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that the areas under the curve (AUCs) of the MHR, NLR, and RPR for predicting MSA were 0.651 (95% CI 0.562–0.74; P < 0.05), 0.6 (95% CI 0.501–0.699; P < 0.05), and 0.612 (95% CI 0.516–0.708; P < 0.05), respectively. The AUC of MSA and PD predicted by the MHR was 0.727 (P < 0.001). When the cut-off value was 0.38, the sensitivity and specificity were 60 and 77%, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the MHR was significantly and positively correlated with the course of MSA cerebellar type (MSA-C) patients.ConclusionThere may be peripheral inflammation in patients with MSA. Compared with NLR and RPR, MHR has higher predictive value for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of MSA.

BackgroundAs a non-pharmacological therapy, acupuncture has significant efficacy in treating Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) compared to pharmacological therapies. In recent years, advances in neuroimaging techniques have provided new perspectives to elucidate the central mechanisms of acupuncture for MCI. Many acupuncture brain imaging studies have found significant improvements in brain function after acupuncture treatment of MCI, but the underlying mechanisms of brain regions modulation are unclear.ObjectiveA meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of MCI patients treated with acupuncture was conducted to summarize the effects of acupuncture on the modulation of MCI brain regions from a neuroimaging perspective.MethodsUsing acupuncture, neuroimaging, magnetic resonance, and Mild Cognitive Impairment as search terms, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine disk (CBM disk), Wanfang and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP) for brain imaging studies on acupuncture on MCI published up to April 2022. Voxel-based neuroimaging meta-analysis of fMRI data was performed using voxel-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI), allowing for Family-Wise Error Rate (FWER) correction correction for correction multiple comparisons of results. Subgroup analysis was used to compare the differences in brain regions between the acupuncture treatment group and other control groups. Meta-regression was used to explore demographic information and altered cognitive function effects on brain imaging outcomes. Linear models were drawn using MATLAB 2017a, and visual graphs for quality evaluation were produced using R software and RStudio software.ResultsA total of seven studies met the inclusion criteria, with 94 patients in the treatment group and 112 patients in the control group. All studies were analyzed using the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method. The experimental design of fMRI included six task state studies and one resting-state study. The meta-analysis showed that MCI patients had enhanced activity in the right insula, left anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyri, right thalamus, right middle frontal gyrus, right median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, and right middle temporal gyrus brain regions after acupuncture treatment. Further analysis of RCT and longitudinal studies showed that Reho values were significantly elevated in two brain regions, the left anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyrus and the right insula, after acupuncture. The MCI group showed stronger activity in the right supramarginal gyrus after acupuncture treatment compared to healthy controls. Meta-regression analysis showed that the right anterior thalamic projection ReHo index was significantly correlated with the MMSE score after acupuncture treatment in all MCI patients.ConclusionsAcupuncture therapy has a modulating effect on the brain regions of MCI patients. However, due to the inadequate experimental design of neuroimaging studies, multi-center neuroimaging studies with large samples are needed better to understand the potential neuroimaging mechanisms of acupuncture for MCI. In addition, machine learning algorithm-based predictive models for evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture for MCI may become a focus of future research.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022287826, identifier: CRD 42022287826.

The interior structure of Phobos has been the subject of debate in recent years, with the moment of inertia being a determining factor. To study this structure, we modeled Phobos with a two-layer structure and calculated its mean density and moment of inertia using updated gravity coefficients of degree-2 and forced libration amplitudes. By minimizing the misfit between modeled and derived moment of inertia, and observed and modeled mean density, we determined the frequency distribution for estimated parameters, including the core radius rc, core density ρc, and density ρm of the outer layer. Our results indicate that the optimized core radius is around 8.2 km for our models, along with a core density compromise of approximately 2500 kg·m−3, and an outer layer density of around 1400 kg·m−3. These values have remarkable sensitivity to the misfit function, implying a higher density likely inside Phobos compared to the outer layer. Given that the large core density was associated with ice content, it suggested that the fractional ice content in the outer layer is approximately 11% with a rock density of 2200 kg·m−3, while the content in the core is lower at 2.4% with a rock density of 3000 kg·m−3. The methodology introduced in this study can be further used to study the interior structure of irregularly shaped asteroids.

Investment in preschool education is increasingly seen as a policy priority in middle and high-income countries due to the early benefits it provides children in their educational journeys. This article discusses the impact of recent increased investment in preschool education in China which has served as a correction to relative historical neglect. In this study a parental satisfaction survey evaluated the cost-sharing, equity of enrollment and quality of preschool education in a local urban governmental-led and multi-participant public service system of preschool education. In the context of the continued challenges of bridging gaps between policy and practice, results show that Government investment is beginning to have positive effects in terms of cost-sharing of preschool education with benefits to family incomes and significantly increasing the quality of preschool education. Parents of children in public provincial kindergartens provided higher satisfaction ratings for students' development than parents of those in private provincial kindergartens. The article concludes by discussing the differing, but related roles of the Government and private providers in Chinese preschool education including the development of what is termed a "High-Quality Collaborative Education Ecosystem."

Objectives: To investigate the value of subtypes of completely reversed flow (CRF) waveform in vertebral artery (VA) on Doppler ultrasound in differentiation occlusion from severe stenosis of the ipsilateral proximal subclavian artery (SA). Methods: A total of 357 patients with CRF in the VA on Doppler US were reviewed retrospectively. Among them, 49 patients (mean age, 68.2 ± 7.8 years) confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were included. According to the status of diastolic flow, the CRF was divided into continuous CRF (CCRF, n = 27) and intermittent CRF (ICRF, n = 22). The correlation of subtypes of CRF waveform and VA parameters with the severity of SA stenosis was evaluated. The severity of SA stenosis was determined by DSA. Results: Of those 49 patients, SA occlusion was observed in 33 patients (67%, occlusion group) and severe stenosis in 16 patients (33%, stenosis group). The subtypes of CRF waveforms showed a significant between-group difference (p = 0.005). CCRF exhibited an accuracy of 85.2% (23/27) in diagnosing SA occlusion. The diameter of the target VA with ICRF showed a significant between-group difference (p = 0.041). The target VA diameter ≥ 3.8 mm in ICRF achieved an accuracy of 81.8% (18/22), and its combination with CCRF achieved an accuracy of 83.7% (41/49) in the differentiation of SA occlusion from severe stenosis. Conclusions: Subtypes of CRF in VA can help to differentiate SA occlusion from severe stenosis. CCRF has higher accuracy in diagnosing SA occlusion. The CCRF waveform plus VA diameter in ICRF is more accurate for differentiating SA occlusion from severe stenosis.

Abstract We investigate the strong cosmic censorship for the Dirac field in the higher dimensional Reissner-Norstrom-de Sitter black hole. To achieve this, we first use the con- formal transformation trick to massage the Dirac equation to a pair of coupled equations in a meticulously chosen orthonormal basis and derive the criterion on the quasinormal modes for the violation of the strong cosmic censorship, which turns out to be indepen- dent of the spacetime dimension. Then we apply the Crank-Nicolson method to evolve our Dirac equation in the double null coordinates and extract the low-lying quasinormal modes from the evolution data by the Prony method. It is shown for the spacetime dimension D = 4, 5, 6 under consideration that although the strong cosmic censorship is violated by the perturbation from the neutral Dirac field in the near-extremal black hole, the strong cosmic censorship can be restored when the charge of the Dirac field is increased beyond a critical value. The closer to the extremal limit the black hole is, the larger the critical charge of the Dirac field is.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with an inflammatory response as the core pathogenic mechanism. Previous human genetics findings support the view that the loss of TREM2 function will aggravate neurodegeneration, and TREM2 is one of the most highly expressed receptors in microglia. However, the role of TREM2 in the inflammatory mechanism of PD is not clear. In our study, it was found both in vivo and in vitro that the activation of microglia not only promoted the secretion of inflammatory factors but also decreased the level of TREM2 and inhibited the occurrence of autophagy. In contrast, an increase in the level of TREM2 decreased the expression of inflammatory factors and enhanced the level of autophagy through the p38 MAPK/mTOR pathway. Moreover, increased TREM2 expression significantly decreased the apoptosis of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and improved the motor ability of PD mice. In summary, TREM2 is an important link between the pathogenesis of PD and inflammation. Our study provides a new view for the mechanism of TREM2 in PD and reveals TREM2 as a potential therapeutic target for PD.

With a direct bandgap, two-dimensional (2D) ZnSe is a promising semiconductor material in photoelectric device fields. In this work, based on first-principles methods, we theoretically studied the modulation of the Schottky barrier height (SBH) by applying horizontal and vertical strains on graphene/ZnSe heterojunction. The results show that the inherent electronic properties of graphene and ZnSe monolayers are both well-conserved because of the weak van der Waals (vdW) forces between two sublayers. Under horizontal strain condition, the n(p)-type SBH decreases from 0.56 (1.62) eV to 0.21 (0.78) eV. By changing the interlayer distance in the range of 2.8 Å to 4.4 Å, the n(p)-type SBH decreases (increases) from 0.88 (0.98) eV to 0.21 (1.76) eV. These findings prove the SBH of the heterojunction to be tuned effectively, which is of great significance to optoelectronic devices, especially in graphene/ZnSe-based nano-electronic and optoelectronic devices.

The thermal evolution of asteroids provides information on the thermal processes of the protoplanetary disk. Since irregular bodies have a large surface subject to fast heat loss, we used the finite element method (FEM) to explore the likely thermal pathways of one of these bodies. To test our FEM approach, we compared the FEM to another algorithm, the finite difference method (FDM). The results show that the two methods calculated a similar temperature magnitude at the same evolutionary time, especially at the stage when the models had temperatures around 800 K. Furthermore, this investigation revealed a slight difference between the methods that commences with a declining temperature, particularly around the center of the model. The difference is associated with the tiny thickness of the boundary used in the FDM, whereas the FEM does not consider the thickness of the boundary due to its self-adapting grid. Using the shape data provided by DAMIT, we further explored the likely thermal evolution pathway of the S-type asteroid Astraea by considering the radionuclide 26Al. Since we only focused on the thermal pathways of conduction, we considered that the accretion lasts 2.5 Ma (1 Ma = 1,000,000 years) by assuming that Astraea has not experienced iron melting. The results show a high interior temperature area with a shape similar to the shape of Astraea, indicating the influence of the irregular shape on thermal evolution. The interior of Astraea achieved the highest temperature after 4.925 Ma from the accretion of planetesimals. After that time of high temperature, Astraea gradually cooled and existed more than 50 Ma before its heat balanced approximately to its external space. We did not find signs of apparent fast cooling along the shortest z-axis as in previous studies, which could be due to the hidden differences in the distances along the axes. The methodology developed in this paper performs effectively and can be applied to study the thermal pathways of other asteroids with irregular shapes.

Ecosystem service (ES) bundles are widely used approaches to analyze ES tradeoffs in urban agglomeration. However, few ES bundle studies considered both the supply and demand sided. The objective of this study was to map ES supply–demand bundles to comprehensively analyze the ES tradeoffs in the Yangtze River Delta using cluster analysis, correlation analysis, hotspot analysis, and principal component analysis. We found that: (1) Both the supply and demand of ES are unevenly distributed with highly spatial autocorrelation. (2) There are significant tradeoffs and synergies between ES in terms of supply–supply, demand–demand, and supply–demand. (3) Four ES supply–demand bundle types were identified with distinct ES supply and demand relationships. (4) Land-use types, urban intensity, and climatic factors are the main social-ecological factors that distinguish the four identified clusters. The identified ES supply–demand clusters can support the main functional zoning of the Yangtze River Delta. Our results also suggest that land sharing is a more appropriate approach for the sustainable development of the Yangtze River Delta considering the balance of multiple ES supply and ES demand.

Abstract Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a large‐sized member of the Bovidae family, is considered as an important livestock species throughout Southeast Asia. In order to better understand the molecular basis of buffalo improvement and breeding, we sequenced and assembled the genome (2n=50) of a river buffalo species Bubalus bubalis from Bangladesh. Its genome size is 2.77 Gb, with a contig N50 of 25 kb and the scaffold N50 of 6.9 Mbp. Based on the assembled genome, we annotated 24,613 genes for future functional genomics studies. Phylogenetic tree analysis of cattle and water buffalo lineages showed that they diverged about 5.8–9.8 million years ago. Our findings provide an insight into the water buffalo genome which will contribute in further research on buffalo such as molecular breeding, understanding complex traits, conservation, and biodiversity.

The quasinormal resonance frequency of the higher-dimensional Reissner–Nordström (RN) black hole due to charged massive scalar field perturbation is deduced analytically in the eikonal regime. The characteristic decay timescale of the charged massive scalar perturbation in the background of the higher-dimensional RN spacetime is then obtained. The result reveals that longlived charged massive scalar field can exist in higher-dimensional RN spacetime under a certain condition. Keywords: Charged massive scalar perturbation, Higher-dimensional Reissner–Nordström black hole

Digital pathology and microscopic image analysis play an important role in cell morphology research. In particular, the effective segmentation of White Blood Cells (WBCs) remains a challenging problem due to the blurring boundaries of WBCs under rapid staining, as well as the adhesion between leukocytes and other cells. In this paper, we propose a novel WBC (including nuclei and cells) segmentation algorithm based on both sparsity and geometry constraints. Specifically, we first construct a sparse image representation via combining the HSL color space and the RGB color channels, followed by the use of a sparsity constraint to only preserve useful information from the nuclei features. In addition, we introduce a robust model fitting strategy (i.e., the geometry constraint) to detect cells. Our model fitting strategy is able to significantly improve the robustness of the proposed segmentation algorithm against outliers that could seriously contaminate WBCs. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm presents clear advantages over the state-of-the-art WBC segmentation algorithms in terms of accuracy.

Abstract We present the Fermi story of strong cosmic censorship in the near-extremal Reissner-Nordstrom-de Sitter black hole. To this end, we first derive from scratch the criterion for the quasi-normal modes of Dirac field to violate strong cosmic censorship in such a background, which turns out to be exactly the same as those for Bose fields, although the involved energy momentum tensor is qualitatively different from that for Bose fields. Then to extract the low-lying quasi-normal modes by Prony method, we apply Crank-Nicolson method to evolve our Dirac field in the double null coordinates. As a result, it shows that for a fixed near-extremal black hole, strong cosmic censorship can be recovered by the l = 1 2 $$ l=\frac{1}{2} $$ black hole family mode once the charge of our Dirac field is greater than some critical value, which is increased as one approaches the extremal black hole.

In this study, an experimental apparatus was developed to investigate unsaturated infiltration in an analog fracture-matrix system. Fracture and adjacent matrix is simulated by sands with various particle sizes. Four rainfall infiltration experiments were performed on the analog fracture-matrix system at a constant rainfall rate of 100 mm/h. The process of rainfall infiltration is measured by a combination method of tensiometers and quick moisture apparatus. The measured results reveal that fracture-matrix interactions certainly exert influences on the hydraulic behaviour of unsaturated fractured matrix, and the fluid flow mainly infiltrates along the nonuniform paths within the matrix. Moreover, it is observed that the influences are greater when using a coarser sand to mimic the fracture. Specifically, the wetting phase in the matrix moves faster than that in the fracture; the fracture, therefore, acts as a vertical capillary barrier, but there exists lateral water exchange from the matrix to the fracture. Overall, this study has demonstrated the importance of fracture/matrix interactions, which should be considered when dealing with unsaturated flow through permeable matrices.

In order to study the instantaneous mechanical properties of rock mass discontinuities with different 3D morphologies during the shear process, the Brazilian splitting method is used to prepare natural rock mass discontinuities, and the high-precision 3D scanning test of discontinuities is carried out. The Z2 is selected as the evaluation parameter of the discontinuities. Based on the graded cyclic shear test results of discontinuities, the influence of the morphology characteristics on the strength and deformation characteristics is analyzed. With the increase of shear times, the 3D morphology characteristic parameters of the structural plane decrease steadily after the graded cyclic shear. Based on the test curve, the graded cyclic shear characteristics of rock mass discontinuities are analyzed from the shear deformation, and the shear process of the discontinuities is finely divided by combining with the variation characteristics of shear stiffness. Combined with the 3D morphology parameters, an empirical formula for the shear strength of discontinuities is proposed. Through verification, the effect of the new model is better than that of the classical JRC-JCS model.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor. Age is the main risk factor. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are novel RNA molecules of more than 200 nucleotides in length. They may be involved in the regulation of many pathological processes of PD. PD has a variety of pathophysiological mechanisms, including alpha-synuclein aggregate, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, axonal transport, and neuroinflammation. Among these, the impacts of lncRNAs on the pathogenesis and progression of PD need to be highlighted. lncRNAs may serve as putative biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the early diagnosis of PD. This study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNAs in various pathological processes of PD and the specific lncRNAs that might be used as putative diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of PD.

In the eikonal regime, we analytically calculate quasinormal resonance frequencies for massless scalar perturbations of the higher-dimensional Reissner–Nordström (RN) black holes. Remarkably, we find that the higher-dimensional RN black holes coupled with the massless scalar fields have the fastest relaxation rates in the Schwarzschild limit, this is qualitatively different from the four-dimensional case where the black hole with non-vanishing charge has the fastest relaxation rate. Keywords: Massless scalar field, Higher-dimensional Reissner–Nordström black hole, Quasinormal mode

Summary: Chondrolectin (Chodl) is needed for motor axon extension in zebrafish and is dysregulated in mouse models of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, the mechanistic basis of Chodl function is not known. Here, we use Chodl-deficient zebrafish and mouse mutants to show that the absence of Chodl leads to anatomical and functional defects of the neuromuscular synapse. In zebrafish, the growth of an identified motor axon beyond an “en passant” synapse and later axon branching from synaptic points are impaired, leading to functional deficits. Mechanistically, motor-neuron-autonomous Chodl function depends on its intracellular domain and on binding muscle-derived collagen XIXa1 by its extracellular C-type lectin domain. Our data support evolutionarily conserved roles of Chodl in synaptogenesis and provide evidence for a “synapse-first” scenario of motor axon growth in zebrafish. : The C-type lectin-domain-containing transmembrane molecule Chondrolectin (Chodl) is expressed by motor neurons. Oprişoreanu et al. show that binding of axonal Chodl to extracellular collagen XIXa1 is needed for proper neuromuscular junction differentiation in mice and zebrafish, as well as axon extension and branching at synapses in zebrafish. Keywords: extracellular matrix, neuromuscular junction, zebrafish, CaP motor neurons, axon growth, synapse, stalled motor axons, muscle pioneer cells, horizontal myoseptum

We report a novel method of event discrimination using phase correlation in Φ-OTDR system based on coherent detection. The phase change demodulated from the Rayleigh backscattering light is the result of the event acting on the optical fiber. Then, the correlation coefficient between the phase change of every point along the fiber and that of the fiber end is obtained. A vibration event acting on the fiber induces the change of the correlation coefficient. So, the number of vibration events is determined by the number of changes of the correlation coefficient. In addition, it proves that our proposed method is able to discriminate two close events even when they are in the range of half-pulsewidth.

Abstract Dysregulation of autophagy-mediated podocyte homeostasis is proposed to play a role in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). In the present study, autophagic activity and lysosomal alterations were investigated in podocytes of IMN patients and in cultured podocytes exposed to sublytic terminal complement complex, C5b-9. C5b-9 upregulated the number of LC3 positive puncta and the expression of p62 in patient podocytes and in C5b-9 injuried podocyte model. The lysosomal turnover of LC3-II was not influenced, although the BECN1 expression level was upregulated after exposure of podocytes to C5b-9. C5b-9 also caused a significant increase in the number of autophagosomes but not autolysosomes, suggesting that C5b-9 impairs the lysosomal degration of autophagosomes. Moreover, C5b-9 exacerbated the apoptosis of podocytes, which could be mimicked by chloroquine treatment, indicating that C5b-9 triggered podocyte injury, at least partially through inhibiting autophagy. Subsequent studies revealed that C5b-9 triggered lysosomal membrane permeabilization, which likely caused the decrease in enzymatic activity, defective acidification of lysosomes, and suppression of DQ-ovalbumin degradation. Taken together, our results suggest that the lysosomal-dependent autophagic pathway is blocked by C5b-9, which may play a key role in podocyte injury during the development of IMN.