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Sn–Bi solder, considered to be a lead-free solder that can be used in the packaging of heat-sensitive devices, has been attracting increasing attention from researchers due to its excellent mechanical properties. The microstructure evolution, interfacial reaction, shear properties, and fracture behavior of Sn–Bi Cu core solder joints during reflow and thermal aging processes are investigated in this study. The results show that the Cu core can significantly reduce the thickness of intermetallic compound (IMC) after reflow, and no Cu3Sn is present in the IMC at the interface. As thermal aging proceeds, the morphology of Cu6Sn5 evolves from irregular island-type after reflow to layer, with the thickness increasing and showing a linear relationship with the square root of thermal aging time. The solder joints possess the highest shear strength after reflow, and the shear strength of the solder joints decreases with the progress of the thermal aging. The fracture behavior of the solder joints mainly occurs inside the solder and at the upper interface layer.

Abstract Background Craniopharyngioma is a rare and slow-growing benign sellar or parasellar epithelial tumor. The number of patients receiving proton beam therapy (PBT) has increased. This study aimed to systematically evaluate and analyze the comprehensive evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of PBT for craniopharyngioma. Methods We searched four databases: the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The period was from their inception to February 16, 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted data. Results Among 486 candidate articles, eight studies were included in our study. Exactly 393 patients with craniopharyngioma underwent PBT in these studies. These studies reported data on survival and toxicity. The median sample size was 42.5 patients. The median age was 9.1–37 years; the female proportion was 48.9%, and the median follow-up time was 29–91.4 months. All patients were treated once daily, five times a week, with a fraction of 1.8 Gy (RBE) per session. The median total dose was 54.0 Gy (RBE). The local control rates at 3 and 5 years in these studies were 99% and 93%, respectively. The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years in these studies were both 100%. The incidence of acute and late toxicities was mainly grade 1–2. The main late toxicities included vascular and visual toxicities, hypothalamic obesity, endocrinopathy, and panhypopituitarism. Conclusions PBT for craniopharyngioma, especially in children and adolescents, has shown impressive local control and acceptable acute and late toxicities.

Abstract Although intracranial neural electrodes have significantly contributed to both fundamental research and clinical treatment of neurological diseases, their implantation requires invasive surgery to open craniotomies, which can introduce brain damage and disrupt normal brain functions. Recent emergence of endovascular neural devices offers minimally invasive approaches for neural recording and stimulation. However, existing endovascular neural devices are unable to resolve single-unit activity in large animal models or human patients, impeding a broader application as neural interfaces in clinical practice. Here, we present the ultraflexible implantable neural electrode as an intravascular device (uFINE-I) for recording brain activity at single-unit resolution. We successfully implanted uFINE-Is into the sheep occipital lobe by penetrating through the confluence of sinuses and recorded both local field potentials (LFPs) and multi-channel single-unit spiking activity under spontaneous and visually evoked conditions. Imaging and histological analysis revealed minimal tissue damage and immune response. The uFINE-I provides a practical solution for achieving high-resolution neural recording with minimal invasiveness and can be readily transferred to clinical settings for future neural interface applications such as brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) and the treatment of neurological diseases.

We here investigated the effect of vanadium microalloying on the microstructure, mechanical properties, especially corrosion performances of low carbon bainitic steels. The corrosion behaviors of the steels with different vanadium contents in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution were evaluated by electrochemical tests (including polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements) and alternating immersion test (including weight loss and rust layer observation). Results show that the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of low carbon bainitic steels can be synergistically improved with vanadium microalloying. With help of the electron backscatter diffraction characterization and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy, we first discovered that although the number of micro-galvanic couples increases because of grain refinement, the Volta potential gradient between the matrix and grain boundaries are decreased with vanadium microalloying, which can promote the formation of compact protective rust layers and improve the corrosion resistance of vanadium micro-alloyed low carbon bainitic steels.

Abstract Hydrological connectivity is crucial for understanding water-ecosystem dynamics, as it serves as a key link between different landscape units. However, the variability of hydrological connectivity in Central Asia remains unexplored, which poses challenges to a comprehensive understanding of ecohydrological processes. This study investigates the spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanisms of hydrological connectivity in the Tarim River Basin (TRB), Central Asia, from 1990 to 2020, employing a novel approach that integrates remote sensing and reanalysis data. The results indicate an increasing trend in the hydrological connectivity index (HCI), with approximately 60% of the TRB exhibiting significant increases. Climate change exerts the greatest direct (0.59) and total (0.64) effects on HCI, with potential evapotranspiration (19.2%) and temperature (12.6%) being the dominant factors. In mountainous regions, climate change (0.65) is the primary driver, while human activities have a greater impact in the plains (−0.27). These findings offer a new framework for studying ecohydrological processes in arid regions.

Abstract Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising non-invasive treatment that has shown great potential in eliminating tumors. It not only induces apoptosis of cancer cells but also triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD) which could activate the immune system against cancer. However, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TIME) poses a challenge to triggering strong immune responses with a single treatment, thus limiting the therapeutic effect of cancer immunotherapy. In this study, dual-targeted nano delivery system (GOx@FeNPs) combined with αPD-L1 immune checkpoint blocker could inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) progression by mediating PTT, ferroptosis and anti-tumor immune response. Briefly, specific tumor delivery was achieved by the cyclic arginine glycyl aspartate (cRGD) peptide and anisamide (AA) in GOx@FeNPs which not only had a good photothermal effect to realize PTT and induce ICD, but also could deplete glutathione (GSH) and catalyze the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from endogenous H2O2. All these accelerated the Fenton reaction and augmented the process of PTT-induced ICD. Thus, a large amount of tumor specific antigen was released to stimulate the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) in lymph nodes and enhance the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in tumor. At the same time, the combination with αPD-L1 has favorable synergistic effectiveness against CRC with tumor inhibition rate over 90%. Furthermore, GOx@FeNPs had good magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) capability under T2-weighting owing to the presence of Fe3+, which is favorable for integrated diagnosis and treatment systems of CRC. By constructing a dual-targeted GOx@FeNPs nanoplatform, PTT synergistically combined with ferroptosis was realized to improve the immunotherapeutic effect, providing a new approach for CRC immunotherapy.

Abstract Background The sect. Chrysantha Chang of plants with yellow flowers of Camellia species as the “Queen of the Tea Family”, most of these species are narrowly distributed endemics of China and are currently listed Grde-II in National Key Protected Wild Plant of China. They are commercially important plants with horticultural medicinal and scientific research value. However, the study of the sect. Chrysantha species genetics are still in its infancy, to date, the mitochondrial genome in sect. Chrysantha has been still unexplored. Results In this study, we provide a comprehensive assembly and annotation of the mitochondrial genomes for four species within the sect. Chrysantha. The results showed that the mitochondrial genomes were composed of closed-loop DNA molecules with sizes ranging from 850,836 bp (C. nitidissima) to 1,098,121 bp (C. tianeensis) with GC content of 45.71–45.78% and contained 48–58 genes, including 28–37 protein-coding genes, 17–20 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes. We also examined codon usage, sequence repeats, RNA editing and selective pressure in the four species. Then, we performed a comprehensive comparison of their basic structures, GC contents, codon preferences, repetitive sequences, RNA editing sites, Ka/Ks ratios, haplotypes, and RNA editing sites. The results showed that these plants differ little in gene type and number. C. nitidissima has the greatest variety of genes, while C. tianeensis has the greatest loss of genes. The Ka/Ks values of the atp6 gene in all four plants were greater than 1, indicating positive selection. And the codons ending in A and T were highly used. In addition, the RNA editing sites differed greatly in number, type, location, and efficiency. Twelve, six, five, and twelve horizontal gene transfer (HGT) fragments were found in C. tianeensis, Camellia huana, Camellia liberofilamenta, and C. nitidissima, respectively. The phylogenetic tree clusters the four species of sect. Chrysantha plants into one group, and C. huana and C. liberofilamenta have closer affinities. Conclusions In this study, the mitochondrial genomes of four sect. Chrysantha plants were assembled and annotated, and these results contribute to the development of new genetic markers, DNA barcode databases, genetic improvement and breeding, and provide important references for scientific research, population genetics, and kinship identification of sect. Chrysantha plants.

Abstract Pueraria is a time-honored food and medicinal plant, which is widely used in China. Puerarin, the main component extracted from pueraria, has a variety of pharmacological characteristics. In recent years, puerarin has received increasing attention for its significant hepatoprotective effects, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease, and hepatic carcinoma. This paper explores the pharmacological effects of puerarin on various liver diseases through multiple mechanisms, including inflammation factors, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, apoptosis, and autophagy. Due to its restricted solubility, pharmacokinetic studies revealed that puerarin has a low bioavailability. However, combining puerarin with novel drug delivery systems can improve its bioavailability. Meanwhile, puerarin has very low toxicity and high safety, providing a solid foundation for its further. In addition, this paper discusses puerarin's clinical trials, highlighting its unique advantages. Given its excellent pharmacological effects, puerarin is expected to be a potential drug for the treatment of various liver diseases.

The topography measurement accuracy of coherence scanning interferometry (CSI) suffers from the local characteristic of micro-structured surfaces, such as local surface slopes. A cylindrical reference artefact made of single-mode fiber with high roundness and low roughness has been proposed in this manuscript to traceably investigate the surface tilting induced measurement deviations using coherence scanning interferometry with high NA objectives. A feed-forward neural network (FF-NN) is designed and trained to model and thereafter compensate the systematic measurement deviations due to local surface tilting. Experimental results have verified that the FF-NN approach can well enhance the accuracy of the CSI for radius measurement of cylindrical samples up to 0.3%. Further development of the FF-NN for modelling of the measurement errors in CSI due to the optical properties of surfaces including areal roughness is outlined.

Abstract Background X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), also referred to as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase deficiency, is a rare genetic disorder that affects the immune system. We conducted genetic analysis on patients suffering from immunodeficiency by utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing techniques, as well as their closest relatives, to facilitate accurate diagnosis, offer genetic counseling services, and enhance our comprehension of XLA.

Abstract Global warming has accelerated alpine glacier melting and led to an increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). This paper extracted glacial lake boundaries in the Tienshan Mountains of Central Asia from 1990 to 2023, analyzed their spatiotemporal variations and evaluated their risk levels under current and future scenarios. The results show that glacial lakes are predominantly distributed in the Central and Western Tienshan, accounting for 75% of the total number in the Tienshan region. The number and area of glacial lakes increased by 148% (from 1837 to 4557) and 71.83% (from 119.73 to 205.73 km2) during 1990 to 2023, with moraine lake expansion predominating. In the Western Tienshan, the high or very high risk of GLOF is 3–4 times that of other areas. By the middle of the twenty-first century, GLOF risk will continue to increase, especially in the Western Tienshan. This study can provide scientific foundation for disaster mitigation in the downstream areas.

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology is the main means of reducing NOX emissions. Urea injection structure parameters (i.e., the hole number in a nozzle, spray angle, the distance between the nozzle and the front section of the catalyst) and operating parameters (i.e., exhaust gas temperature, gas hourly space velocity, ammonia-to-nitrogen ratio (ANR)) of the SCR systems have a significant impact on denitrification efficiency (deNOX). A three-dimensional simulation model is developed to investigate the impact of diverse parameters on deNOX. The influence of temperature, ANR and space velocity on the deNOX of SCR system is studied by using the control variable method. The simulation model is modified according to the SCR catalyst gas distribution test results. A diesel bench experiment is conducted to test the deNOX of the SCR system of D2 cycle and two additional operating points to verify the accuracy of the numerical simulation model. Based on this model, the influence of key factors on the deNOX of SCR system is studied. In SCR system, the optimal urea injection angle is about 75°, the optimal number of nozzle holes is 4, the distance between the optimal urea injection point and the front section of the catalyst is 8 times of the pipe diameter, and the optimal operating temperature is 300 ∼ 420℃. The influence trend of ANR on deNOX at different temperatures is obtained. This provides a theoretical support for the realization of SCR system in the future.

The electric power industry is a high-risk industry with frequent accidents. To ensure the life safety of employees and reduce the probability of accidents, it is necessary to utilize certain technical means to identify the main causative factors in electric fatal accident reports. This research proposes an accident causation identification method that combines text categorization and catastrophe association analysis. First, an improved text feature extraction method (TF-IDF-GloVe-LDA) is proposed by fusing term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF), global vectors for word representation (GloVe), and latent dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithms. Then, an SVM classifier was used to categorize the 473 accident report texts into five categories, ACCIDENT, PROCESS, CAUSE, PROBLEM, and RESPONSE, based on the extracted text feature vectors. Second, for the 461 CAUSEs categorized from the accident report texts, the TF-IDF algorithm is utilized to mine them to obtain 62 accident causative factors. Using the word cloud map and semantic network, a visualization analysis is performed to reveal the intrinsic connection between causative factors. The human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) is combined to construct a framework and a Boolean dataset for electric power fatal accident causative factors. Finally, the catastrophe progression method is utilized to improve the FP-growth algorithm and propose a catastrophe association analysis method. It is utilized to mine the Boolean dataset to obtain 28 association rules and construct the accident causal network. The main causative factors were ultimately identified by analyzing the critical causal chains within the network and examining the frequency and sensitivity of each node. The findings of this study indicate that a lack of effective management, supervision, and training serves as the fundamental cause of fatal accidents in the electric power industry when compared to equipment and environmental factors. This paper offered a fresh perspective on identifying primary accident causative factors in non-standardized text and exploring their intricate mechanisms of interaction, which holds significant implications for the pre-control management of accidents in the power industry.

Traditional treatments against advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high morbidity and mortality continue to be dissatisfactory. Given this situation, there is an urgent requirement for alternative modalities that provide lower invasiveness, superior clinical effectiveness, and minimal adverse effects. The combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and immunotherapy gradually become a promising approach for high-grade malignant NSCLC. Nevertheless, owing to the absence of precise drug delivery techniques as well as the hypoxic and immunosuppressive characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), the efficacy of this combination therapy approach is less than ideal. In this study, we construct a novel nanoplatform that indocyanine green (ICG), a photosensitizer, loads into hollow manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanospheres (NPs) (ICG@MnO2), and then encapsulated in PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (anti-PD-L1) reprogrammed exosomes (named ICG@MnO2@Exo-anti-PD-L1), to effectively modulate the TME to oppose NSCLC by the synergy of PDT and immunotherapy modalities. The ICG@MnO2@Exo-anti-PD-L1 NPs are precisely delivered to the tumor sites by targeting specially PD-L1 highly expressed cancer cells to controllably release anti-PD-L1 in the acidic TME, thereby activating T cell response. Subsequently, upon endocytic uptake by cancer cells, MnO2 catalyzes the conversion of H2O2 to O2, thereby alleviating tumor hypoxia. Meanwhile, ICG further utilizes O2 to produce singlet oxygen (1O2) to kill tumor cells under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. Furthermore, a high level of intratumoral H2O2 reduces MnO2 to Mn2+, which remodels the immune microenvironment by polarizing macrophages from M2 to M1, further driving T cells. Taken together, the current study suggests that the ICG@MnO2@Exo-anti-PD-L1 NPs could act as a novel drug delivery platform for achieving multimodal therapy in treating NSCLC.

ABSTRACTBackground Pneumococcal vaccines are effective in preventing pneumococcal diseases in adults. The evaluation of the antibodies persistence to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) could provide evidence on PPV23 revaccination.Research design and methods Adults aged ≥ 60 years were selected and vaccinated with PPV23 in Shanghai, and followed up for 5 years with blood samples collection of a 1-year interval. The geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of the IgG against 23 pneumococcal serotypes covered by PPV23 were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The antibodies to 23 pneumococcal serotypes among different groups was analyzed using statistical analysis.Results Overall, 517 participants completed all six visits over a 5-year period (2013–2018). The GMC of 23 serotypes in adults aged ≥ 60 years decreased slowly after PPV23 vaccination compared to baseline pre-vaccination (P

Abstract The occurrence of debris flow events in small-scale watersheds with dense vegetation in mountainous areas that result in significant loss of life and missing individuals challenges our understanding and expertise in investigating and preventing these disasters. This has raised concerns about the occurrence of large debris flow disasters from small watersheds. This study focused on a catastrophic debris flow that took place in Longtou Gully (0.45 km2) in Tianquan County, Ya’an City on 25 September 2021, which resulted in 14 deaths and missing individuals. Through comprehensive field investigations, high-precision remote sensing data analyses, and numerical simulations, we analyzed the triggering mechanisms and dynamic processes of this event. Our results indicate that the convergence hollow at the channel head exhibited higher hydraulic conditions during rainfall compared to gentle slopes and convex terrains, leading to the instability of colluvial soil due to the expansion of the saturated zone near the soil–bedrock interface. The entrainment of material eroded from the channel resulted in an approximately 4.7 times increase in volume, and the channel scarp with a height of about 200 m amplified the destructive power of the debris flow. We emphasize the need to take seriously the possibility of catastrophic debris flows in small-scale watersheds, with colluvial deposits in hollows at the channel head under vegetation cover that serve as precursor material sources, and the presence of channel scarps formed by changes in the incision rate of the main river, which is common in the small watershed on both sides. This study provides insights for risk assessment of debris flows in small-scale catchments with dense vegetation cover in mountainous areas, highlighting the importance of vigilance in addressing disasters in small-scale catchments, particularly in regions with increasing human–environment conflicts.

Abstract Purpose To assess the interactive relationship between blood pressure status and diabetic mellitus (DM) with ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in elderly individuals in rural China. Methods Participants aged 50 years and older in a rural area of Daxing District, Beijing, were recruited in this study from October 2018 to November 2018. All subjects underwent a comprehensive systemic and ocular examination. Blood pressure status was graded as normotension, controlled hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension according to blood pressure measurements and the use of any medication for hypertension treatment. GCC parameters were measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Generalized linear models (GLM) adjusted for related potential confounders were used to assess the interaction between DM and blood pressure status. Results Among 1415 screened subjects (2830 eyes), a total of 1117 eyes were enrolled in the final analysis. GLM analysis showed a significant interactive relationship between DM with uncontrolled hypertension status (β = 3.868, p = 0.011). GCC thickness would decrease 0.255 μm per year as the age increased (β=-0.255, p

As a genus within the Clavicipitaceae, Metarhizium exhibits rich morphological and ecological diversity, with a wide distribution and a variety of hosts. Currently, sixty-eight species of Metarhizium have been described.A new species of Metarhizium, M. puerense (Hong Yu bis), was described in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, south-western China. Based on morphological characteristics and multilocus phylogenetic analyses, Metarhizium puerense was confirmed to be phylogenetically related to M. album, but was clearly separated and formed a distinct branch. In contrast, the host of Metarhizium album was plants and leafhoppers and that lepidopteran larvae were the host of M. puerense. The diagnostic features of M. puerense were solitary to multiple stromata and smooth-walled, cylindrical with rounded apices conidia.

Abstract Recent advances in computer vision and deep learning techniques have facilitated significant progress in video scene understanding, thus helping film and television practitioners achieve accurate video editing. However, so far, publicly available semantic segmentation datasets are mostly limited to indoor scenes, city streets, and natural images, often ignoring example objects in action movies, which is a research gap that needs to be urgently filled. In this paper, we introduce a large-scale, high-precision semantic segmentation dataset of props in Chinese martial arts movie clips, named ChineseMPD. Specifically, this dataset first establishes segmentation rules and general review criteria for audiovisual data, and then provides semantic segmentation annotations for six weapon props (Gun, Sword, Stick, Knife, Hook, and Arrow) with a summary of 32,992 objects.To the best of our knowledge, this dataset is the largest semantic segmentation dataset for movie props to date. ChineseMPD dataset not only significantly expands the application of traditional tasks of computer vision such as object detection and scene understanding, but also opens up new avenues for interdisciplinary research.

Abstract Background Rye (Secale cereale L.) is the most widely used related species in wheat genetic breeding, and the introduction of its chromosome fragments into the wheat genome through distant hybridization is essential for enriching the genetic diversity of wheat. Rapid and accurate detection of rye chromatin in the wheat genome is important for distant hybridization. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are widely distributed in the genome, and SSRs of different species often exhibit species-specific characteristics. Results In this study, genome-wide SSRs in rye were identified, and their characteristics were outlined. A total of 997,027 SSRs were selected, with a density of 115.97 SSRs/Mb on average. There was no significant difference in the number of SSRs on each chromosome. The number of SSRs on 2R was the highest (15.29%), and the number of SSRs on 1R was the lowest (13.02%). The number of SSRs on each chromosome is significantly correlated with chromosome length. The types of SSR motifs were abundant, and each type of SSR was distributed on 7 chromosomes of rye. The numbers of mononucleotide simple sequence repeats (MNRs), dinucleotide simple sequence repeats (DNRs), and trinucleotide simple sequence repeats (TNRs) were the greatest, accounting for 46.90%, 18.37%, and 22.64% of the total number, respectively. Among the MNRs, the number of G/C repeats and the number of 10 bp motifs were the greatest, accounting for 26.24% and 31.32% of the MNRs, respectively. Based on the SSR sequences, a total of 657 pairs of primers were designed. The PCR results showed that 119 pairs of these primers were rye-specific and could effectively detect rye chromatin in the wheat genome. Moreover, 86 pairs of the primers could also detect one or more specific rye chromosomes. Conclusion These results lay a foundation for both genomic evolution studies of rye and molecular breeding in wheat.

Abstract The arid region of Northwest China (ARNC) has experienced a significantly higher warming rate than the global average and exhibits pronounced seasonal asymmetry, which has important implications for the region’s water-dependent systems. To understand the spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanisms of seasonal asymmetric warming in the ARNC, we investigated seasonal changes in temperature rise and their underlying causes based on station and reanalysis data. We found that the dominant season of temperature increase shifted from winter to spring. The contribution of spring warming to the total temperature increase rose from −5%–7% to 58%–59%, while the contribution of winter warming decreased from 60%–75% to −4%–9%. However, the mechanisms underlying spring warming and winter cooling differ. An increase in solar radiation caused by a decrease in cloud cover (R = −0.64) was the main reason for spring warming, while a strengthening Siberian High primarily drove winter cooling.

Abstract Adding nanoparticles can significantly improve the tribological properties of lubricants. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the influence of nanoparticle shape on lubrication performance. In this work, the influence of diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) on the tribological properties of lubricants is investigated through friction experiments. Additionally, the friction characteristics of lubricants regarding ellipsoidal particle shape are investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results show that DNPs can drastically lower the lubricant's friction coefficient μ from 0.21 to 0.117. The shearing process reveals that as the aspect ratio (α) of the nanoparticles approaches 1.0, the friction performance improves, and wear on the wall diminishes. At the same time, the shape of the nanoparticles tends to be spherical. When 0.85 ≤ α ≤ 1.0, rolling is ellipsoidal particles' main form of motion, and the friction force changes according to a periodic sinusoidal law. In the range of 0.80 ≤ α < 0.85, ellipsoidal particles primarily exhibit sliding as the dominant movement mode. As α decreases within this range, the friction force progressively increases. The friction coefficient μ calculated through MD simulation is 0.128, which is consistent with the experimental data.

Abstract Background The systematic status of sect. Tuberculata and its taxonomy have recently attracted considerable attention. However, the different bases for defining the characteristics of sect. Tuberculata has led to many disagreements among the plants in this group. Camellia neriifolia and Camellia ilicifolia have been the subject of taxonomic controversy and have been treated as different species or varieties of the same species. Therefore, it is important to use multiple methods, i.e., integrative taxonomy, to determine the taxonomic status of C. neriifolia and C. ilicifolia. This is the first study to systematically explore the taxonomic position of these two plants on the basis of Morphology, Anatomy, Palynology and Molecular Systematics. Results Extensive specimen reviews and field surveys showed that many differences exist in C. neriifolia and C. ilicifolia, such as the number of trunk (heavily debarked vs. slightly peeling), leaf type (smooth thin leathery, shiny vs. smooth leathery, obscure or slightly shiny), leaf margin (entire vs. serrate), flower type (subsessile vs. sessile), number of styles (3–4 vs. 3), and sepal (ovate vs. round). Moreover, C. neriifolia has a more distinctive faint yellow flower color, and trunk molting was more severe in C. neriifolia than that in C. ilicifolia. In addition, micromorphological analysis of the leaf epidermis showed that the two species differed in the anticlinal wall, stomatal apparatus, and stomatal cluster, and pollen morphology analyses based on pollen size, germination furrow, and polar and equatorial axes showed that they are both distinct from each other. The results of the phylogenetic tree constructed based on the whole chloroplast genome, protein-coding genes, and ITS2 showed that both C. ilicifolia and C. neriifolia were clustered in different branches and gained high support. Conclusions The results combine morphology, anatomy, palynology, and molecular systematics to treat both C. neriifolia and C. ilicifolia as separate species in the sect. Tuberculata, and the species names continue to be used as they were previously. In conclusion, clarifying the taxonomic status of C. neriifolia and C. ilicifolia deepens our understanding of the systematic classification of sect. Tuberculata.

Grasslands are the predominant land use type in China, which is currently encountering significant desertification issues. Consequently, restoring grassland vegetation has important implications for terrestrial carbon (C) levels and, consequently, the global C balance. This study focused on Salix cupularis, the primary plant used for desert control on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We analysed the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil up to the depth of 60 cm after Salix cupularis growth for 0-24 years, examining soil total organic carbon (TOC) and its labile fractions. Following restoration, there was a gradual increase in TOC and its labile fractions, with the most significant changes observed in the rhizosphere soil at a depth of 0-20 cm. After 24 years of restoration, the TOC content in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil had increased by 141.74% and 39.44%, respectively. Labile organic C in the rhizosphere soil increased more rapidly and pronouncedly compared with the TOC. Specifically, dissolved organic C and easily oxidised organic C in the rhizosphere soil saw substantial increases of 211.03% and 217.65%, respectively. Meanwhile, compared with the 4 years of restoration, soil C pool management index of the 8-24 years soils increased, ranging from 15.70% to 132.21%. Therefore, long-term vegetation restoration on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau can significantly enhance TOC and its labile fractions, as well as improve soil C sink capacity and quality.

In the pursuit of sustainable urban development, it is imperative to address strategies for optimizing and harmonizing the configuration of urban spatial layouts, especially in response to rapid urbanization. Urban road networks play a pivotal role in shaping intricate urban spatial patterns as they intricately weave throughout the cityscape, significantly influencing land utilization, spatial arrangements, and the mobility of residents. The urban environment is a complex system teeming with multifaceted human activities. With the continuous evolution of advanced data and computational technologies, it is now feasible to construct intricate models for an in-depth exploration of urban spatial structures. In this study, we constructed an analytical framework that leveraged road network image recognition, multi-scale influence factors analysis, and predictions using codeless visual programming. Within this framework, deep learning and unsupervised clustering are applied to complete the hierarchical clustering of road networks and exploit the intrinsic association between cities. Meanwhile, hierarchical clustering and natural and humanistic attributes of cities are connected to investigate the strength of different attributes on specific clusters. The research has the following results: (1) In addition to the alignment of urban road network clustering outcomes, quantitative unevenness and geographical heterogeneity are also observed. (2) Multiple attributes have a complicated impact on urban space, including city size, and socioeconomic and geographic characteristics. Among these factors, socio-economic variables emerge as the principal drivers influencing urban spatial structure. (3) The research enhances the model’s generalization capability and predictive accuracy. As attributes increase and model learning improves, both the Area Under Curve (AUC) and F-1 scores exhibit continuous enhancements, ultimately achieving error-free predictions. The study’s findings offer valuable insights into urban spatial structures and systems, supporting urban decision-makers in addressing challenges associated with urban growth.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) stands as the primary access point for deep space exploration endeavors, encompassing a variety of space missions such as communication satellites, Earth observation platforms, and scientific research missions. In light of the expanding scope of human activities in space, the cost associated with accessing LEO has emerged as a critical focal point for spacecraft designers. Within the spectrum of proposed solutions, laser-powered vehicle has emerged as a viable avenue toward achieving cost-effective launch options. In order to significantly augment the payload capacity of laser-powered launch vehicles destined for LEO, this study introduced a novel Relay Solution Trajectory Flight Scheme. Central to this scheme was the implementation of a relay mirror system affixed to a satellite, which served to stabilize the incident angle of the laser beam directed toward the laser-powered vehicle, thereby ensuring continuous alignment between the laser beam and the vehicle’s axis throughout the duration of the flight. Following the development of comprehensive structural, propulsive, aerodynamic, and trajectory models tailored for the laser-powered vehicle, an optimization of its flight trajectory was conducted, comparing this innovative strategy with two conventional flight strategies. The outcomes of this analysis showcased a notable enhancement of 269.29% in payload capacity compared to conventional strategies that lacked a relay satellite system, within a designated 400 km LEO flight scenario. This endeavor underscored the transformative potential of advanced relay systems in reshaping payload delivery mechanisms and elevating mission feasibility levels, notwithstanding the intricate coordination challenges posed by intricate satellite systems.

Coal gangue, which accumulates in the open air, is modified by immersion in rain, and exhibits different tendencies to spontaneous combustion in different areas of precipitation. To study the role and influence of moisture on the oxidation and spontaneous combustion of coal gangue, we used high-sulfur coal gangue prone to spontaneous combustion in the Qipanjing area of Inner Mongolia. First, the coal gangue is soaked with different moisture content (moisture content: 0, 15%, 30%, 50%, 100%). After soaking for 45 days, the coal gangue is naturally air dried. The dried gangue samples were put into the self-made programmed temperature experiment furnace to conduct experiments on the pre-treated coal gangue samples (the temperature rise rate was set at 3℃/min, and the temperature rise range was set at 30−390 ℃). The gas the temperature points of the coal gangue in each stage was collected by air collecting bag (each rise of 15 ℃ was a stage). Finally, the collected gas was passed into the GC-4000A gas chromatograph. By comparing the O2 consumption、the volume fraction of CO, CH4, C2H4, C2H6 and other index gases produced by coal gangue treated with different moisture content, the results show that: The low temperature oxidation of coal gangue is the best when the moisture content is 15%, the initial formation temperature of CO, CH4, C2H4, C2H6 and other indicator gases is the lowest, and the concentration of various indicator gases is the highest when the temperature is 390℃. When the moisture content exceeds 50%, under the action of moisture dissolution, a large number of combustible substances in the coal gangue are carried and dispersed by moisture, resulting in a significant decrease in the concentration of various indicator gases generated when the moisture content of the coal gangue rises to 390 ℃, even lower than that of the control experimental group without moisture immersion and redrying treatment. When the coal gangue is immersed in water, the initial temperature points of the various index gases are reduced by about 15 ℃.

In order to study the transformation law of active functional groups in the low-temperature oxidation process of coal gangue spontaneous combustion and its relationship with gas release, the experimental system composed of Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and programmed temperature control device was used to analyze the spectral experimental data of coal gangue samples at 30-350 °C in air atmosphere. The Spearman method was used to study the correlation between gas release and functional groups. The results showed that the content of hydroxyl groups in the spontaneous combustion process showed an overall upward trend, the content of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the oxidation reaction was high and the reaction was active, and the oxygen-containing functional groups were affected by aliphatic hydrocarbons in the oxidation. The amount of CH4 gas released increases with the increase of aliphatic hydrocarbon −CH2−, substituted aromatic hydrocarbon C−H and hydroxyl content. CO gas increases with the increase of carbonyl and aromatic hydrocarbon C−H content, and decreases with the increase of oxygen-containing functional group content. The release of CO2 gas during oxidation mainly increases with the increase of hydroxyl and carbonyl content, showing a very high correlation.

The Yili Valley, located on the border between China and Kazakhstan, serves as the juncture of North and South Xinjiang, and stands as a pivotal outpost on the Silk Road Economic Belt. This area possesses a fragile ecological environment and experiences frequent debris flow disasters. In this study, four machine learning models:Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Decision Tree (DT)-- were employed to evaluate the debris flow susceptibility and compute the weights of evaluation factors. The models were fed inputs comprising 398 identified debris flow channels and 14 feature parameters such as fault density, topographic relief, land use, NDVI, multi-year average rainfall, etc obtained through remote sensing and field surveys. Also, the accuracy of the four machine learning models was evaluated by ROC curves and calculating the Area Under the Curve (AUC). The research results show that: (1) High debris flow susceptibility areas are mainly located in the Tianshan Mountains in the deep river valley region and the loess-covered areas in the mountain front slopes; (2) Multi-year average rainfall, drought index, and topographic relief variability are the top three influential factors controlling the spatial development of debris flows; (3) The AUC values for the validation datasets of the four models were 0.938 (RF), 0.932 (SVM), 0.89 (LR), 0.79 (DT), with the Random Forest model exhibiting superior predictive capability in assessing susceptibility in the region; (4) The disruption of ecological vegetation in the loess-covered region of the study area is a significant cause of frequent debris flow occurrences. Ecological governance and protection efforts should be emplasized to reduce soil erosion and effectively mitigate debris flow disasters at their source.

Abstract Background TTN is a complex gene with large genomic size and highly repetitive structure. Pathogenic variants in TTN have been reported to cause a range of skeletal muscle and cardiac disorders. Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations tend to cause a wide spectrum of phenotypes with congenital or childhood onset. The onset and severity of the features were considered to be correlated with the types and location of the TTN variants. Methods Whole-exome sequencing was performed on three unrelated families presenting with fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS), mainly characterized by reduced fetal movements and limb contractures. Sanger sequencing was performed to confirm the variants. RT-PCR analysis was performed. Results TTN c.38,876–2 A > C, a meta transcript-only variant, with a second pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in trans, was observed in five affected fetuses from the three families. Sanger sequencing showed that all the fetal variants were inherited from the parents. RT-PCR analysis showed two kinds of abnormal splicing, including intron 199 extension and skipping of 8 bases. Conclusions Here we report on three unrelated families presenting with FADS caused by four TTN variants. In addition, our study demonstrates that pathogenic meta transcript-only TTN variant can lead to defects which is recognizable prenatally in a recessive manner.

Abstract Background The 2018/2023 ESC/ESH Guidelines underlined a gap how baseline cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk predicted blood pressure (BP) lowering benefits. Further, 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline and 2021 WHO Guideline recommended implementation studies about intensive BP control. Now, to bridge these guideline gaps, we conducted a post hoc analysis to validate whether the baseline CVD risk influences the effectiveness of the intensive BP control strategy, which was designed by China Rural Hypertension Control Project (CRHCP). Methods This is a post hoc analysis of CRHCP, among which participants were enrolled except those having CVD history, over 80 years old, or missing data. Subjects were stratified into quartiles by baseline estimated CVD risk and then grouped into intervention and usual care group according to original assignment in CRHCP. Participants in the intervention group received an integrated, multi-faceted treatment strategy, executed by trained non-physician community health-care providers, aiming to achieve a BP target of

Abstract Background Gastric cancer is one of the most common tumors worldwide, and most patients are deprived of treatment options when diagnosed at advanced stages. PRDM14 has carcinogenic potential in breast and non-small cell lung cancer. however, its role in gastric cancer has not been elucidated. Methods We aimed to elucidate the expression of PRDM14 using pan-cancer analysis. We monitored the expression of PRDM14 in cells and patients using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. We observed that cell phenotypes and regulatory genes were influenced by PRDM14 by silencing PRDM14. We evaluated and validated the value of the PRDM14-derived prognostic model. Finally, we predicted the relationship between PRDM14 and small-molecule drug responses using the Connectivity Map and The Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer databases. Results PRDM14 was significantly overexpressed in gastric cancer, which identified in cell lines and patients’ tissues. Silencing the expression of PRDM14 resulted in apoptosis promotion, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of the growth and migration of GC cells. Functional analysis revealed that PRDM14 acts in epigenetic regulation and modulates multiple DNA methyltransferases or transcription factors. The PRDM14-derived differentially expressed gene prognostic model was validated to reliably predict the patient prognosis. Nomograms (age, sex, and PRDM14-risk score) were used to quantify the probability of survival. PRDM14 was positively correlated with sensitivity to small-molecule drugs such as TPCA-1, PF-56,227, mirin, and linsitinib. Conclusions Collectively, our findings suggest that PRDM14 is a positive regulator of gastric cancer progression. Therefore, it may be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Abstract Constrictive pericarditis is a rare disease. Localized constrictive pericarditis leading to bilateral pleural effusion is more difficult to recognize, and the diagnostic procedure can be ambiguous. Here, we report two patients diagnosed with localized constrictive pericarditis who presented with bilateral pleural effusion. A thorough work‐up showed that the pleural effusion was nonspecific, as was the pathology of the pleura. One patient had a history of pericardial effusion 2 years ago, and the other had undergone surgery for an anterior mediastinum teratoma. Pericardial scarring was found on their chest CT scans. The patients underwent pericardiectomy, and localized pericardial thickening was excised. The bilateral pleural effusion was effectively cured, and the patients showed satisfactory recovery on follow‐up. Physicians should be aware of localized pericarditis leading to bilateral pleural effusion, and pericardiectomy is an effective diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.

Cardiomyopathy is a severe cardiac condition characterized by complex immune regulatory mechanisms. While the role of immune genes is recognized, the specifics of their regulation in cardiomyopathy are not fully understood. Recent studies highlight the significance of transposable elements (TEs) in various diseases, particularly their potential to modulate immune responses. This paper utilizes publicly available databases to explore the role of TEs in myocarditis: RNA Seq data and single-cell sequencing data were analyzed, with a focus on the mouse model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). The RNA-Seq analysis revealed substantial upregulation of a range of immune genes in cardiac tissue. Further investigation using single-cell sequencing of cardiac immune cells identified specific expression of certain transposable elements (TEs) across different types of immune cells in the heart. Additionally, there was an overall increase in the expression of the ERVB7-1. LTR-MM transposon across various cells in the EAM model, suggesting a widespread impact of this transposon on the immune response in this disease context. The findings of this study highlight the intricate interplay between transposable elements and the immune system in cardiomyopathy, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying this condition. The discovery of specific TEs expression in cardiac immune cells and the overall increase in ERVB7-1. LTR-MM expression across the EAM model underscore the potential of these elements in modulating immune responses and contribute to our understanding of cardiomyopathy's pathogenesis. These observations open avenues for further research into the role of TEs in cardiac disases and may lead to novel therapeutic strategies.

Waste plastics are serious environmental threats due to their low degradability and low recycling rate. Rapid and efficient waste plastics recycling technologies are urgently demanded for a sustainable future. Herein, we report a rapid, closed-loop, and streamlined process to convert polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) back to its purified monomers. Using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid or metal triflates as the recyclable catalyst, polyesters such as PET can be completely depolymerized by simple carboxylic acids within 1 h. By coupling this acidolysis with a subsequent hydrogenolysis process, the consumed carboxylic acid was recovered and the closed-loop of PET depolymerization could be established. All catalysts and depolymerization agents are fully recycled while only PET and hydrogen are consumed.

PurposeTo assess the safe, lowest effective laser power of subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) for treating acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) in Chinese patients.MethodsPatients were distinguished with acute or chronic CSC based on focal or diffuse retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) leakage on fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), with or without widespread RPE decompensation. Patients were categorized into five groups and treated with 577 nm yellow SML according to 50% titration power. The change of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were set as primary outcomes. A linear regression model assessed the correlation between different factors and outcome indicators.ResultsA total of 103 patients with 127 eyes (61 with acute CSC and 66 with chronic CSC) were enrolled. The baseline characteristics were balanced between the five groups (all p > 0.05). The decrease of CMT and the improvement of BCVA were related to the CMT at baseline (all p 0.05). For chronic CSC, the lowest effective laser power was 375 mW (p = 0.01), the change of CMT was significant in 375 mW (−93.91 ± 109.06 μm, −119.32 ± 105.56 μm, −88.67 ± 67.26 μm, −60.89 ± 106.86 μm, and −99.11 ± 157.32 μm, p = 0.04). The change of BCVA was similar trend (−0.54 ± 0.66 logMAR vs. −0.17 ± 0.23 logMAR vs. −0.10 ± 0.21 logMAR vs. −0.02 ± 0.30 logMAR vs. 0.05 ± 0.19 logMAR, p

Background Wearable activity trackers provide a simple and objective measurement of postoperative mobilization. However, few have validated the accuracy of trackers in patients after major abdominal surgery. Objective To examine the accuracy of wrist-worn activity trackers to measure steps of patients in early mobilization after major abdominal surgery, and to explore the influence of clinical variables and gait parameters on the accuracy of trackers. Methods Forty-five patients after major abdominal surgery were recruited to participate in modified six-minute walk tests wearing three trackers simultaneously, the Fitbit Inspire HR, Xiaomi MI 4, and HONOR 5. The differences in displayed steps before and after the walking test were considered as the step counts measured by the trackers; the actual steps taken were determined as the average of the values manually counted by two researchers. The intraclass correlation coefficient, Bland–Altman method, mean percentage error, and mean absolute percentage error were used to assess the accuracy of trackers with reference to manual step counts. Results The three trackers undercounted postoperative steps by −65.5% to −23.5%. Analysis showed low-to-good agreement between step counts recorded by trackers and actual steps (ICC = 0.35–0.75); the mean absolute percentage errors ranged from 24.5% to 65.7%. For all trackers, mean absolute percentage errors correlated negatively with postoperative days ( r = −0.626 to −0.744), walking speed ( r = −0.714 to −0.854), step length ( r = −0.466 to −0.615), and cadence ( r = −0.681 to −0.790), while there were positive correlations between mean absolute percentage errors and the number of abdominal drains ( r = 0.450–0.514). Conclusions The specific activity trackers used in this study might not be reliable tools for measuring steps counts during the walking test in the early postoperative period for patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Observational studies have reported an association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and endometriosis. We conducted a two-sample and bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis to determine whether those associations are causal. Two-sample and bidirectional MR analyses were performed using summary statistics from the European Individual Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). The inverse variance weighting (IVW) method is used as the main analysis method to evaluate causality. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess heterogeneity, horizontal versatility, and stability. The results showed no significant causal association between GERD in women with endometriosis in the UK Bank database [ratio (OR) ≈ 0, 95% adjusted interval (CI) 1.0007∼1.0044, P = 0.006] and Finn databases [ratio (OR) = 1.29, 95% adjusted interval (CI) 0.99∼1.67, P = 0.06]. However, when studying the Finn database only for endometriosis, which is confined to the uterus, a significant increase in GERD was limited to the risk of endometriosis in the uterus [ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95% adjusted interval (CI) 1.00∼2.17, P = 0.05]. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust and did not detect multi efficacy or heterogeneity. Meanwhile, reverse MR analysis showed that endometriosis did not increase the risk of GERD. This MR study supports a causal relationship between GERD and an increased risk of endometriosis confined to the uterus. Therefore, patients with gastric esophageal reflux should be treated with gynecological examination to avoid and prevent the development of endometriosis.

Abstract Heatwaves represent a significant and growing threat to natural ecosystems and socio‐economic structures, making heatwave risk mitigation and prevention an important area of research. In exploring heatwave frequency and intensity from 1901 to 2020, the present study finds a sharp increase in both. The study also finds that the spatial distribution of heatwaves is unequal, the volatility of intensity characteristics has become more prominent over time, and the Gini coefficients of four key heatwave indictors have become larger due to increasing dryness. Although heatwaves occur more frequently in drylands, there is greater cumulative heat in humid areas, resulting in a higher heatwave risk in those areas. The global heatwave risk over the past three decades (1991–2020) has increased nearly five‐fold compared to the early 20th century (1901–1930). Furthermore, GeoDetector analysis indicates that the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and downward surface shortwave radiation (Srad) contributing the most in drylands and humid areas (0.29 and 0.41, respectively). The contribution of relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), soil moisture (SM), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is also significant in humid areas, but is much smaller in drylands. Composite analysis shows that the years with anomalously high heatwave risk correspond to positive anomalies of 500hPa geopotential height and surface pressure. The inhibition of cloud formation due to sinking air and the resulting increase in temperature in the atmosphere may be increasing the risk of heatwave occurrence. This study emphasizes the urgent need to address worsening climate change impacts.

Abstract Intelligent antibacterial agent with controllable activities adaptive to the wound microenvironment is appealing to reduce drug resistance and enhance antibacterial efficiency. In this study, celery is chosen as the carbon source to construct celery‐based carbon dots (CECDs) with double activities, i.e., reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐production and ROS‐clearance activities. The ROS‐production capability of CECDs is dependent on the oxidase (OXD)‐mimicking activity, which is only photo‐activated and thus artificially controlled by light to avoid the production of excess ROS. Meanwhile, the optimal OXD‐mimicking activity occurrs at the pH of 5, close to microenvironmental pH at the bacterial infection site, which will enhance the antibacterial efficacy. On the other hand, CECDs exhibit the antioxidant activity at the neutral or weak alkaline pH, which will assist the healing of the wound. Thus, the conversion of ROS‐production and ROS‐clearance ability of CECDs can be dynamically and intelligently switched automatically with microenvironmental pH at different stages of treatment (from acid to neutral/weak basic). The proposed CECDs exert adorable selective antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria and satisfactory therapeutic effect on bacteria infected mice. This study paves a new avenue to design the intelligent antibacterial nanoagent sensitive to the infected microenvironmental condition, reducing drug resistance and assisting precise medicine.

To investigate human exposure to short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) through dermal and oral intake via hand-to-mouth contact, wipes from the face, forearm, hand, and foot of 30 volunteers were sampled. The concentration of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs ranged from 0.66 to 119 and 0.71 to 565 µg/m2, respectively. Hands exhibited significantly higher ∑CPs concentrations than other skin areas, indicating that direct contact with indoor surfaces contributed considerable CP levels on this bare skin area. Gender differences in CP levels were observed in wipes from all locations, except for the hands, possibly because of the significant variability in residuals on the hands. A significant positive relationship was found between CP levels on the hands and faces, and the CP ratios of the hands/faces were related to log KOA. Bare skin showed more significant variations in CP partitioning among related congeners and between genders than skin covered by clothing, as elucidated by the linear analysis of RSD and log KOA. Although concentrations on clothing-covered areas were relatively lower than on bare skin, the median estimated dermal absorption doses of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs (152 and 737 ng/kg bw/day, respectively) for the entire body were approximately 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those for oral ingestion (1.62 and 7.94 ng/kg bw/day, respectively), emphasizing indirect dermal uptake as a significant exposure pathway for humans.

Meat and its derivatives serve as crucial sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients for humans. Pork stands as China’s primary animal-derived food product consumed widely across diverse dietary structures; evaluating intramuscular fat content becomes pivotal in assessing its quality standards. Nonetheless, the intricate molecular mechanisms governing intramuscular fat deposition remain elusive. Our study utilized sequencing technology to scrutinize longitudinal development stages within Ningxiang pig’s longest dorsal muscles aiming to unravel these underlying mechanisms. In three distinct comparisons (30d vs. 90d, 90d vs. 150d and 150d vs. 210d) there were 578, 1,000 and 3,238 differentially expressed mRNA, along with 16, 158 and 85 lncRNAs were identified. STEM analysis unveiled six enriched model profiles for lncRNAs while seven such profiles emerged for mRNAs; notably, multiple shared model profiles existed between both RNA types. Enriched analysis highlighted numerous genes from mRNA profile8 and lncRNA profile7 significantly associated with pathways linked to fat deposition. Weight Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed that differential expression modules (DMEs) & differential expression lncRNAs primarily clustered within cyan, dark slate blue and pale turquoise modules. Furthermore, target genes PKD2 (MSTRG21592.MTRSG8859 and MTRSG18175), COL5A1 (MTRSG9969 and MTRSG180) and SOX13 (MTRSG21592 and MTRSG9088) as core components all intricately tied into processes related to fat deposition. This study lays the groundwork for deeper exploration into the molecular mechanisms underlying LDM fat deposition traits, and it also presents candidate genes for future molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Oxygen is an essential substance for the maintenance of human life. It is also widely used in clinical and diving medicine. Although oxygen is crucial for survival, too much oxygen can be harmful. Excessive oxygen inhalation in a short period of time can lead to injury, and the lung is one of the main target organs. Acute lung injury (ALI) induced by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is notably more severe than that caused by normobaric oxygen, yet systematic research on such injury and its regression is scarce. In this study, two independent experiments were designed. In the first experiment, mice were exposed to 2 atmospheres absolute (ATA), ≥95% oxygen for 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. Changes in lung histopathology, inflammation and expression of chemokines, alveolar-capillary barrier, and 8-OHdG were detected before and after the exposure. In the second experiment, these parameters were measured at 0 h, 12 h, and 24 h following 6 h of exposure to 2 ATA of ≥95% oxygen. Research indicates that ALI induced by HBO is characterized histologically by alveolar expansion, atelectasis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and hemorrhage. At 2 ATA, significant changes in the alveolar-capillary barrier were observed after more than 95% oxygen exposure for 4 h, as evidenced by increased Evans blue (EB) extravasation (p = 0.0200). After 6 h of HBO exposure, lung tissue pathology scores, 8-OHdG levels, and inflammatory and chemotactic factors (such as Il6, CCL2, CCL3, CXCL5, and CXCL10), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) were significantly elevated. Compared to lung injury caused by normobaric oxygen, the onset time of injury was significantly shortened. Additionally, it was observed that these markers continued to increase after leaving the HBO environment, peaking at 12 h and starting to recover at 24 h, indicating that the peak of inflammatory lung injury occurs within 12 h post-exposure, with recovery beginning at 24 h. This contradicts the common belief that lung injury is alleviated upon removal from a high-oxygen environment. However, EB levels, which reflect damage to the alveolar-capillary barrier, and VE-Cadherin (VE-Cad), tight junction protein 1 (ZO-1), ICAM1, and VCAM1 remained significantly altered 24 h after leaving the HBO environment. This suggests that the alveolar-capillary barrier is the most sensitive and slowest recovering part of the lung injury induced by HBO. These findings can provide insights into the pathogenesis and progression of lung injury caused by HBO and offer references for identifying corresponding intervention targets.

Sugar beets account for 30% of global sugar production each year, and their byproducts are an important source of bioethanol and animal feed. Sugar beet is an important cash crop in Inner Mongolia, China. To achieve high yields and sugar content, it is essential to supply nitrogen fertilizer in accordance with the growth characteristics of sugar beet, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer utilization. A two-year experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences. The impact of varying ratios of nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing on nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen levels in the 20–60 cm soil layer, as well as the activities of protease, urease, catalase, and sucrose in the 20–40 cm soil layer were investigated during the rapid leaf growth period and root and sugar growth period. Results indicated that different ratios of nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing significantly influenced the levels of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen, and the activities of protease and urease in the 0–20 cm soil layer, with these effects diminishing as soil depth increased. The activities of catalase and sucrose were minimally impacted. Nitrogen was applied at 150 kg/ha during the growth period of sugar beet, according to the growth characteristics of sugar beet to maximize nitrogen utilization efficiency. Topdressing was completed with irrigation at the rapid growth stage. The nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing ratio of 6:4 resulted in optimal crop yield and sugar yield of sugar beet under shallow drip irrigation. Additionally, the activities of protease and urease in different soil treatments were significantly different, and the activities of protease and urease in the 0–40 cm soil layer were identified as useful soil physiological indicators for nitrogen utilization in sugar beet.

Introduction Stroke survivors often face motor dysfunction, increasing fall risk. Lower extremity muscle weakness is a key factor affecting walking ability. Tai chi (TC) has been shown to improve muscle strength and mobility in patients with stroke more effectively than traditional walking training. However, existing TC programmes for stroke rehabilitation are often too simplified and fail to fully use TC’s benefits. Additionally, subjective assessment scales are time-consuming and prone to bias. This study proposes integrating TC’s early movement features with neurodevelopmental therapy, using surface electromyography and inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors to thoroughly analyse diverse TC movements. Tailored exercises, based on stroke-induced impairments, will be objectively assessed through biomechanical analysis.Methods and analysis The study unfolds in two phases. The initial phase employs the IMU sensor and electromyography to objectively analyse TC’s biomechanics, informing personalised rehabilitation plans aligned with distinct movement impairments. The second phase adopts a randomised, single-blind, parallel controlled trial design involving 60 patients with stroke randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group undergoes biomechanics-based TC training alongside routine rehabilitation for 12 weeks, practicing the 24-form TC three times weekly. The control group engages in routine rehabilitation thrice weekly for the same duration. Primary and secondary outcomes, including kinematic/dynamic data, surface electromyography, motion analysis, comprehensive the international classification of functioning, disability and health Core Set for Stroke, Modified Barthel Index and Fugl-Meyer Assessment, will be evaluated at baseline and post-intervention.Ethics and dissemination The study has received approval from the Ethics Committee of Zhongda Hospital Southeast University (2023ZDSYLL378-P01). All prospective participants will receive comprehensive information regarding the study protocol, and their informed consent will be obtained before their participation. Additionally, the trial will be registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry to ensure transparency and compliance with research regulations. Results from this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and public databases to ensure wide accessibility and to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge.Protocol version 2.0 (14 June 2024).Trial registration number www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2400080158.

At present, the problem of global warming is becoming increasingly serious, and one of the main culprits is the increasing amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Although the traditional carbon capture technologies can reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, it has a series of problems such as high energy consumption, high cost, low efficiency or unfriendly environment. Hydrate-based carbon dioxide separation are considered to be a technology with great application and development prospects. Compared with the traditional method of carbon dioxide separation, the hydrate method has the advantages of simple process, low energy consumption and environmental friendliness. This review introduces the advantages of hydrate method compared with traditional carbon capture technologies, expounds the theory of carbon dioxide capture by hydrate, and the strengthening and improvement techniques of hydrate method, including thermodynamic promoter, kinetic promoter and mechanical reinforcement, and introduces the practical application of hydrate method in various fields.

Abstract The properties and relative stability of different structures of iron at the extreme conditions of pressure and temperature of relevance for the Earth's core were determined with ab‐initio atomistic simulations aided by a machine‐learning force‐field. We find that the body‐centered cubic (bcc) structure is mechanically stable at core temperatures, but its free energy is marginally higher than those of the hexagonal close‐packed and face‐centered cubic structures. The bcc structure is the only structure whose shear sound velocity matches seismic data. The small free‐energy difference between competing structures suggests that the role of impurities could be crucial in stabilizing the bcc structure in the inner core.

Summary: Sulfoquinovose (SQ), the polar head group of sulfolipids essential for photosynthesis, is naturally abundant. Anaerobic Firmicutes degrade SQ through a transaldolase-dependent (sulfo-TAL) pathway, producing dihydroxypropanesulfonate (DHPS). Some bacteria extend this pathway by the sequential action of HpfG and HpfD converting DHPS to 3-hydroxypropanesulfonate (3-HPS) via 3-sulfopropionaldehyde (3-SPA). Here, we report a variant sulfo-TAL pathway in Enterococcus gilvus, involving additional enzymes, a NAD+-dependent 3-SPA dehydrogenase HpfX, and a 3-sulfopropionyl-CoA synthetase HpfYZ, which oxidize 3-SPA to 3-sulfopropionate (3-SP) coupled with ATP formation. E. gilvus grown on SQ or DHPS produced a mixture of 3-HPS and 3-SP, indicating the bifurcated pathway. Similar genes are found in various Firmicutes, including gut bacteria. Importantly, 3-SP, but not 3-HPS, can serve as a respiratory terminal electron acceptor for Bilophila wadsworthia, a common intestinal pathobiont, resulting in the production of toxic H2S. This research expands our understanding of sulfonate metabolism and reveals cross-feeding in the anaerobic microbiome.

Background: Machine learning (ML) has excelled after being introduced into the medical field. Ensemble ML models were able to integrate the advantages of several different ML models. This study compares the ensemble ML model's and EuroSCORE II's performance predicting in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Methods: The study included 4,764 patients from three heart centers between January 2007 and December 2021. Of these, 3812 patients were assigned to the modeling group, and 952 patients were assigned to the internal test group. Patients from other two heart center (1733 and 415 cases, respectively) constituted the external test group. The modeling set data are trained using each of the three ML strategies (XGBoost, CatBoost, and LightGBM), and the new model (XCL model) is constructed by integrating these three models through an ensemble ML strategy. Performance of different models in the three test groups comparative assessments were performed by calibration, discriminant, decision curve analysis, net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discriminant improvement (IDI), and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: In terms of discrimination, the XCL model performed the best with an impressive AUC value of 0.9145 in the internal validation group. The XCL model continued to perform best in both external test groups. The NRI and IDI suggested that the ML model showed positive improvements in all three test groups compared to EuroSCORE II. Conclusions: ML models, particularly the XCL model, outperformed EuroSCORE II in predicting in-hospital mortality for CABG patients, with better discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility.