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Abstract Background The regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) is expressed in multiple organs, including the heart, liver, brain, and kidney, and is closely linked to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, Down syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also implicated in the development of various organ tumors; however, its potential role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms of RCAN1 in HCC through bioinformatics analysis. Methods We conducted a joint analysis based on the NCBI and TCGA databases, integrating both bulk transcriptome and single-cell analyses to examine the principal biological functions of RCAN1 in HCC, as well as its roles related to phenotype, metabolism, and cell communication. Subsequently, an RCAN1-overexpressing cell line was established, and the effects of RCAN1 on tumor cells were validated through in vitro experiments. Moreover, we endeavored to identify potential related drugs using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Results The expression of RCAN1 was found to be downregulated in 19 types of cancer tissues and upregulated in 11 types of cancer tissues. Higher levels of RCAN1 expression were associated with improved patient survival. RCAN1 was predominantly expressed in hepatocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and monocytes, and its high expression not only closely correlated with the distribution of cells related to the HCC phenotype but also with the distribution of HCC cells themselves. Additionally, Rcan1 may directly or indirectly participate in metabolic pathways such as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, as well as butanoate metabolism, thereby influencing tumor cell proliferation and migration. In vitro experiments confirmed that RCAN1 overexpression promoted apoptosis while inhibiting proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. Through molecular docking of 1615 drugs, we screened brompheniramine as a potential target drug and verified our results by molecular dynamics. Conclusion In this study, we revealed the relationship between RCAN1 and HCC through bioinformatics methods, verified that RCAN1 can affect the progress of the disease through experiments, and finally identified potential therapeutic drugs through drug molecular docking and molecular dynamics.

Abstract The microglia-mediated neuroinflammation have been shown to play a crucial role in the ocular pathological angiogenesis process, but specific immunotherapies for neovascular ocular diseases are still lacking. This study proposed that targeting GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) might be a novel immunotherapy for these angiogenesis diseases. We found a significant upregulation of CGAS and STING genes in the RNA-seq data derived from retinal tissues of the patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In experimental models of ocular angiogenesis including laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), the cGAS-STING pathway was activated as angiogenesis progressed. Either genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of STING resulted in a remarkable suppression of neovascularization in both models. Furthermore, cGAS-STING signaling was specifically activated in myeloid cells, triggering the subsequent RIP1-RIP3-MLKL pathway activation and leading to necroptosis-mediated inflammation. Notably, targeted inhibition of the cGAS-STING pathway with C-176 or SN-011 could significantly suppress pathological angiogenesis in CNV and OIR. Additionally, the combination of C-176 or SN-011 with anti-VEGF therapy led to least angiogenesis, markedly enhancing the anti-angiogenic effectiveness. Together, our findings provide compelling evidence for the importance of the cGAS-STING-necroptosis axis in pathological angiogenesis, highlighting its potential as a promising immunotherapeutic target for treating neovascular ocular diseases.

Rationale and objectives: To explore the feasibility and predictive utility for neurological outcomes of brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) for surgically treated acute type A aortic dissection patients with severe common carotid artery stenosis. Materials and methods: Consecutive acute type A aortic dissection patients with severe common carotid artery stenosis undergoing preoperative brain computed tomography perfusion and surgery at our center were examined in retrospect. Brain perfusion was assessed using parameters including cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, mean transmit time, time to maximum, penumbra volume and infarct core volume. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify clinical and imaging predictors associated with postoperative permanent stroke. Results: Out of 44 patients included, 19 patients (43.2 %) presented with postoperative permanent stroke. Univariable analysis revealed that internal carotid artery dissection, cerebral blood flow of the affected side, cerebral blood volume of the affected side, and penumbra volume were implicated in postoperative permanent stroke. Multivariable analysis further showed that cerebral blood flow of the affected side was an independent indicator of a permanent stroke following surgery (odds ratio: 0.820, 95 % confidence interval: 0.684–0.982; p = 0.012). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.867 (95 % confidence interval: 0.764–0.970), and the optimal cut-off value was 45.6mL/100 mL/min. Conclusion: Cerebral blood flow of the affected side was an independent indicator of permanent stroke following surgery in acute type A aortic dissection patients with severe common carotid artery stenosis. Brain CTP could be a helpful modality for quantitative evaluation of cerebral malperfusion and neurological prognostication.

Summary: Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is a crucial enzyme that connects glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle pathway. It plays an essential role in regulating glucose metabolism for energy production by catalyzing the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A. Importantly, the activity of PDC is regulated through post-translational modifications (PTMs), phosphorylation, acetylation, and O-GlcNAcylation. These PTMs have significant effects on PDC activity under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, making them potential targets for metabolism-related diseases. This review specifically focuses on the PTMs of PDC in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetic cardiomyopathy, obesity-related cardiomyopathy, heart failure (HF), and vascular diseases. The findings from this review offer theoretical references for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of CVD.

Over the past two decades, (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN)-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics have made significant progress. However, attaining a high electrostrain with remarkable temperature stability and minimal hysteresis under low electric fields has remained a significant challenge. To address this long-standing issue, we have employed a collaborative approach that combines defect engineering, phase engineering, and relaxation engineering. The LKNNS-6BZH ceramic, when sintered at Tsint = 1170 ℃, demonstrates an impressive electrostrain with a d33∗ value of 0.276% and 1379 pm·V–1 under 20 kV·cm–1, which is comparable to or even surpasses that of other lead-free and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics. Importantly, the electrostrain performance of this ceramic remains stable up to a temperature of 125 ℃, with the lowest hysteresis observed at 9.73% under 40 kV·cm–1. These excellent overall performances are attributed to the presence of defect dipoles involving VA′–VO∙∙ and BNb′–VO∙∙, the coexistence of R–O–T multiphase, and the tuning of the trade-off between long-range ordering and local heterogeneity. This work provides a lead-free alternative for piezoelectric actuators and a paradigm for designing piezoelectric materials with outstanding comprehensive performance under low electric fields.

Access to healthcare services using public transportation (PT-based healthcare accessibility) is a crucial aspect in achieving healthcare equity as it affects individuals’ ability to receive healthcare. Previous research has focused on the spatial features of healthcare accessibility. However, less attention has been given to its temporal characteristics, which can be influenced by transit schedules, multimodal connectivity, congestion, and other factors. This study proposes a framework to better understand the impacts of temporally varying PT-based healthcare accessibility on healthcare equity. A case study of Shanghai, China is used to illustrate the temporal variation of healthcare accessibility, with a focus on hourly inter- and intra-regional disparities. These disparities are captured using the Gini coefficient and Theil index. Additionally, the study introduces bivariate local Moran’s I to identify healthcare shortage areas and evaluate the spatial autocorrelation between population density and healthcare accessibility. The findings of this study reveal that the accessibility to healthcare services experiences significant fluctuations throughout the day, leading to temporal variations in healthcare equity. Subway service quality contributes more to temporal variations than bus service quality. The lowest point of such equity is reached when PT operates at its full capacity. On a spatial level, individuals residing in newly developed regions, which surround the historical urban core or recently planned city subcenters, tend to experience decreased accessibility to healthcare via public transportation. Consequently, it results in a heightened reliance on motorized transportation in these areas. These findings provide insights that can inform the design of PT accessibility-based strategies, healthcare improvement plans and inclusive housing policies, to address healthcare equity issues in metropolitan areas. By considering both spatial and temporal factors, we can better understand the complex relationships between transportation and healthcare accessibility to promote equitable access to healthcare services and foster social equity.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study is to systematically compare and assess the differences in perceptual-cognitive skills between expert and non-expert sports officials, and further explore the potential differences caused by different types of sports officials, in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the perceptual-cognitive skills of sports officials.MethodsRelevant literature published before 31 December 2022 was searched in four English databases. Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 12.0 software were used for meta-analysis and bias test.ResultsExpert sports officials are significantly more accurate in their decision-making than non-expert sports officials, and exhibit a large amount of effect size (SMD = 1.09; 95%CI: 0.52, 1.66; P < 0.05). Expert sports officials had significantly fewer number of fixations than non-expert sports officials and showed a moderate amount of effect size (SMD = 0.71; 95%CI: 1.25, 0.17; P < 0.05). Expert sports officials' duration of fixation (SMD = 0.23; 95%CI: 0.25, 0.71; P = 0.35) were not significantly different from non-expert sports officials.DiscussionIt can be seen that there are differences in the Perceptual-cognitive skills of expert and non-expert sports officials. Decision-making accuracy can serve as an important indicator for distinguishing the perceptual-cognitive skills of expert and non-expert sports officials. Number of fixations can serve as important indicators to differentiate the perceptual-cognitive skills of monitors.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=418594, identifier: CRD42023418594.

This paper introduces the Multi-Dimensional Spatio-Temporal Fusion Transformer (MDSTFT), a state-of-the-art deep learning framework designed to enhance multi-variate time series forecasting. The MDSTFT diverges from traditional models by integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Attention-Enhanced Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, and advanced Transformer models into a cohesive architecture. This framework intricately captures the spatial-temporal dynamics in complex datasets, significantly improving forecasting accuracy. At its core, MDSTFT employs a multi-dimensional spatio-temporal encoder to meticulously unravel spatial correlations among variables, followed by the dynamic processing of temporal patterns through LSTM networks augmented with a sophisticated attention mechanism. This dual-phase processing is intricately designed to capture the essence of time series data, which is then refined through our novel Fusion Transformer Layers. These layers, incorporating advanced self-attention mechanisms, elevate the model’s capacity to discern long-range dependencies and subtle temporal nuances, thus offering a profound understanding of temporal sequences. Evaluated on the “Bank Central Asia Stock Historical Price” dataset, MDSTFT demonstrates unparalleled forecasting accuracy, significantly outperforming both traditional models and contemporary deep learning approaches. This empirical validation not only highlights MDSTFT’s efficacy in financial market forecasting but also its broader applicability across various domains requiring nuanced multi-variate time series analysis. Through integrating multiple deep learning paradigms, MDSTFT not only advances the field of time series forecasting but also sets a new benchmark for predictive analytics, promising enhanced decision-making capabilities in finance, environmental studies, supply chain management, and beyond.

BiFeO3-BaTiO3 (BF-BT) ceramics are important multiferroic materials, which are attracting significant attention for potential applications in high temperature lead-free piezoelectric transducers. In the present study, the effects of Sr2+ as an acceptor dopant for Bi3+, in the range from 0 to 1.0% (in mole), on the structure and ferroelectric/piezoelectric properties of 0.7BiFeO3-0.3BaTiO3 ceramics were evaluated. The use of a post-sintering Ar annealing process was found to be an effective approach to reduce electrical conductivity induced by the presence of electron holes associated with reoxidation during cooling. A low Sr dopant concentration (0.3%, in mole) yielded enhanced ferroelectric (Pmax ∼ 0.37 C/m2, Pr ∼ 0.30 C/m2) and piezoelectric (d33 ∼ 178 pC/N, kp ∼ 0.27) properties, whereas higher levels led to chemically heterogeneous core-shell structures and secondary phases with an associated decline in performance. The electric field-induced strain of the Sr-doped BF-BT ceramics was investigated using a combination of digital image correlation macroscopic strain measurements and in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Quantification of the intrinsic (lattice strain) and extrinsic (domain switching) contributions to the electric field induced strain indicated that the intrinsic contribution dominated during the poling process.

Crop diseases significantly impact crop yields, and promoting specialized control of crop diseases is crucial for ensuring agricultural production stability. Disease identification primarily relies on human visual inspection, which is inefficient, inaccurate, and subjective. This study focused on the plum red spot (Polystigma rubrum), proposing a two-stage detection algorithm based on deep learning and assessing the severity of the disease through lesion coverage rate. The specific contributions are as follows: We utilized the object detection model YOLOv8 to strip leaves to eliminate the influence of complex backgrounds. We used an improved U-Net network to segment leaves and lesions. We combined Dice Loss with Focal Loss to address the poor training performance due to the pixel ratio imbalance between leaves and disease spots. For inconsistencies in the size and shape of leaves and lesions, we utilized ODConv and MSCA so that the model could focus on features at different scales. After verification, the accuracy rate of leaf recognition is 95.3%, and the mIoU, mPA, mPrecision, and mRecall of the leaf disease segmentation model are 90.93%, 95.21%, 95.17%, and 95.21%, respectively. This research provides an effective solution for the detection and severity assessment of plum leaf red spot disease under complex backgrounds.

IntroductionAutophagy refers to the process of breaking down and recycling damaged or unnecessary components within a cell to maintain cellular homeostasis. Heart failure (HF) is a severe medical condition that poses a serious threat to the patient's life. Autophagy is known to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of HF. However, our understanding of the specific mechanisms involved remains incomplete. Here, we identify autophagy-related genes (ARGs) associated with HF, which we believe will contribute to further comprehending the pathogenesis of HF.MethodsBy searching the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database, we found the GSE57338 dataset, which was related to HF. ARGs were obtained from the HADb and HAMdb databases. Annotation of GO and enrichment analysis of KEGG pathway were carried out on the differentially expressed ARGs (AR-DEGs). We employed machine learning algorithms to conduct a thorough screening of significant genes and validated these genes by analyzing external dataset GSE76701 and conducting mouse models experimentation. At last, immune infiltration analysis was conducted, target drugs were screened and a TF regulatory network was constructed.ResultsThrough processing the dataset with R language, we obtained a total of 442 DEGs. Additionally, we retrieved 803 ARGs from the database. The intersection of these two sets resulted in 15 AR-DEGs. Upon performing functional enrichment analysis, it was discovered that these genes exhibited significant enrichment in domains related to “regulation of cell growth”, “icosatetraenoic acid binding”, and “IL-17 signaling pathway”. After screening and verification, we ultimately identified 4 key genes. Finally, an analysis of immune infiltration illustrated significant discrepancies in 16 distinct types of immune cells between the HF and control group and up to 194 potential drugs and 16 TFs were identified based on the key genes.DiscussionIn this study, TPCN1, MAP2K1, S100A9, and CD38 were considered as key autophagy-related genes in HF. With these relevant data, further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of autophagy in HF can be carried out.

BackgroundPostpartum depression (PPD) is among the most common postpartum complications. Its prevalence is associated with strong regional variability. Women in rural areas of China have a high risk of PPD. The aim of this study was to investigate the PPD status of women in rural South China and explore the effects of modifiable lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy on their PPD status, thereby providing a scientific basis for the prevention and intervention of PPD in rural China.MethodsA cohort study was conducted on 261 women from four maternal health institutions situated in rural areas of Guangdong Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from October 2021 to December 2022. The questionnaires were administered to these women to obtain data about sociodemographic characteristics, health literacy, physical activity during pregnancy, and sleep and dietary status during pregnancy, as well as depression status on the 42nd day after delivery. The lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy and the PPD status of the study population were analyzed. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the correlation between lifestyle behaviors and PPD status. Path analysis was performed to explore the interaction between various lifestyle behaviors.ResultsA total of 14.6% of women had a PPD status. Women who continued to work during pregnancy had an Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 1.386 points higher than that of women who did not (В = 1.386, β = 0.141, p = 0.029). For every 1-point increase in the infant feeding-related knowledge score and pregnancy diet diversity score, the EPDS score decreased by 0.188 and 0.484 points, respectively, and for every 1-point increase in the Pittsburgh sleep quality index score, the EPDS score increased by 0.288 points. Age was related to infant feeding-related knowledge (indirect path coefficient = 0.023). During pregnancy, sedentary time was correlated with sleep quality (indirect path coefficient = 0.031) and employment status (indirect path coefficient = 0.043).ConclusionEmployment status, infant feeding-related knowledge, sleep quality, and diet diversity during pregnancy directly influenced the PPD status, while age and sedentary time during pregnancy indirectly influenced the PPD status. Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, including reducing sedentary time, improving sleep quality, and increasing dietary diversity, may be effective in reducing PPD occurrence.

Abstract Background Based on the family system theory, there is an interactive relationship in the family, especially the cognitive style and emotional changes of the husband and wife will affect the behavior, cognition and emotion of the partner. Data about the effects of marital relationships on mental health are often paired. Scholars study the effect of individual independent variables on the dependent variables and the effect of spouse independent variables on the dependent variables to explore the actor and partner effect in marital relationships. Methods This study used the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2018 dataset to collect paired data on the marital satisfaction and self-rated mental health of 9,560 couples. The Actor–Partner Interdependence Moderation Model (APIMoM) was used to analyze whether moderator variables affect the direction and strength of the effect of marital satisfaction on self-rated depression. In the robustness test part, the robustness of the APIMoM model was tested by reanalyzing the independent variables using two kinds of binary codes respectively, and the results showed that the models were robust. Results Individuals’ marital satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated with their own depression level and with that of their spouse. The number of family members had a positive moderating effect on the results of the wife’s partner effect. Couples who lived in the environment with more family members had lower depression scores. Couples who have more children have higher depression scores. The number of children has a negative moderating effect on the results of partner effect of husbands and wives. The wife’s neurotic personality score has a negative moderating effect on the wife’s actor effect. Conclusions In terms of measures to prevent depression, women’s mental health should be given more priority than men’s. Living in a larger family with more children is beneficial for couples’ mental health. Efforts to prevent depression in couples should take into account the neurotic character of the members, especially the wife, and design special treatment and preventive measures accordingly. These findings highlight that binary dynamics should be considered in exploring what factors influence the mental health of married couples.

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs), which combine porous materials with a polymeric matrix, have gained considerable research interest in the field of gas separation due to their complementary characteristics and cooperative activation. The tailorability and diversity of porous materials grant MMMs extendable functionalities and outstanding separation performance. To achieve the full potential of MMMs, researchers have focused on the rational matching of porous fillers with polymeric matrixes to achieve enhanced compatibility at the interfaces of these materials. In this review, we highlight state-of-the-art advances in combining metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal–organic cages (MOCs) with polymeric matrixes to fabricate MMMs using different strategies. We further discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the future development of MMMs, with the aim of boosting MMM fabrication with judicious material design and selection.

Abstract Free-living bacterial community and abundance have been investigated extensively under different soil management practices. However, little is known about their nitrogen (N) fixation abilities, and how their contributions to N budgets impact plant growth, yield, and carbon (C) and N cycling enzymes in a long-term consecutive sugarcane monoculture farming system, under contrasting amendments, along different soil horizons. Here, nifH gene amplicon was used to investigate diazotrophs bacterial community and abundance by leveraging high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Moreover, edaphic factors in three soil depths (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) under control (CK), organic matter (OM), biochar (BC), and filter mud (FM) amended soils were investigated. Our analysis revealed that β-glucosidase activity, acid phosphatase activity, ammonium (NH4 +-N), nitrate (NO3 –N), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and available potassium (AK) were considerably high in 0–20 cm in all the treatments. We also detected a significantly high proportion of Proteobacteria and Geobacter in the entire sample, including Anabaena and Enterobacter in 0–20 cm soil depth under the BC and FM amended soils, which we believed were worthy of promoting edaphic factors and sugarcane traits. This phenomenon was further reinforced by network analysis, where diazotrophs bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria exhibited strong and positive associations soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter content (SOM) available phosphorus (AP), TN, followed by NH4+-N and NO3 –N, a pattern that was further validated by Mantel test and Pearson’s correlation coefficients analyses. Furthermore, some potential N-fixing bacteria, including Burkholderia, Azotobacter, Anabaena, and Enterobacter exhibited a strong and positive association with sugarcane agronomic traits, namely, sugarcane stalk, ratoon weight, and chlorophyll content. Taken together, our findings are likely to broaden our understanding of free-living bacteria N-fixation abilities, and how their contributions to key soil nutrients such as N budgets impact plant growth and yield, including C and N cycling enzymes in a long-term consecutive sugarcane monoculture farming system, under contrasting amendments, along different soil horizons.

Abstract Background Neonatal health is a cornerstone for the healthy development of the next generation and a driving force for the progress of population and society in the future. Updated information on the burden of neonatal disorders (NDs) are of great importance for evidence-based health care planning in China, whereas such an estimate has been lacking at national level. This study aims to estimate the temporal trends and the attributable burdens of selected risk factors of NDs and their specific causes in China from 1990 to 2019, and to predict the possible trends between 2020 and 2024. Methods Data was explored from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) 2019. Six measures were used: incidence, mortality, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs). Absolute numbers and age-standardized rates (with 95% uncertainty intervals) were calculated. The specific causes of NDs mainly included neonatal preterm birth (NPB), neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma (NE), neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections (NS), and hemolytic disease and other neonatal jaundice (HD). An autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to forecast disease burden from 2020 to 2024. Results There were notable decreasing trends in the number of deaths (84.3%), incidence (30.3%), DALYs (73.5%) and YLLs (84.3%), while increasing trends in the number of prevalence (102.3%) and YLDs (172.7%) from 1990 to 2019, respectively. The corresponding age-standardized rates changed by -74.9%, 0.1%, -65.8%, -74.9%, 86.8% and 155.1%, respectively. Four specific causes of NDs followed some similar and different patterns. The prediction results of the ARIMA model shown that all measures still maintained the original trends in the next five years. Low birth weight, short gestation, ambient particulate matter pollution and household air pollution from solid fuels were the four leading risk factors. Conclusion The health burden due to NDs is declining and is likely to continue to decline in the future in China. Delaying the increasing burden of disability may be the next target of concern. Targeted prevention and control strategies for specific causes of NDs are urgently needed to reduce the disease burden.

Abstract Retinal degeneration is a kind of neurodegeneration characterized by progressive neuronal death and dysfunction of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, leading to permanent visual impairment. It still lacks effective therapeutic options and new drugs are highly warranted. In this study, we found the expression of IL-4, a critical regulator of immunity, was reduced in both patients and mouse models. Importantly, exogenous intravitreal IL-4 application could exert a novel neuroprotective effect, characterized by well-preserved RPE layer and neuroretinal structure, as well as amplified wave-amplitudes in ERG. The RNA-seq analysis revealed that IL-4 treatment suppressed the essential oxidative and pro-inflammatory pathways in the degenerative retina. Particularly, IL-4 upregulated the IL-4Rα on RPE cells and induced a reparative phenotype via the activation of Nrf2 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the Nrf2-/- mice displayed no recovery in response to IL-4 application, highlighting a significant role of Nrf2 in IL-4-mediated protection. Our data provides evidence that IL-4 protects against retinal neurodegeneration by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory property through IL-4Rα upregulation and Nrf2 activation in RPE cells. The IL-4/IL-4Rα-Nrf2 axis maybe the potential targets for the development of novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Accurate air conditioning load prediction is a key component of intelligent building management system for ensuring energy saving and safe operation of air conditioning system. In order to improve the prediction accuracy, a particle filter (PF) load prediction fusion estimation method based on long short-term memory (LSTM) and back propagation neural network (BP) is proposed. Firstly, spearman correlation analysis is used to select the influencing factors with high correlation as feature input. Aiming at the problem that the original signal is easy to be disturbed by noise and the data features are not obvious, locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) method is used to denoise the data to improve the data quality for further accurate prediction. Secondly, the data-driven air conditioning load state-space representation is established, which takes air conditioning load as the state variable and takes the load features collected by the sensor in real-time as the input variables. Thirdly, combined with the space representation method of air conditioning load based on LSTM-BP, PF is introduced to estimate the air conditioning load by using the fusion model. Meanwhile, the output load value of BP is fed back to the fusion model as the observation value to update the state-space representation of air conditioning load. Finally, two practical cases are used to verify the effectiveness of the method. The results indicate that the proposed method can provide more accurate and robust air conditioning load prediction.

Abstract The receptor-binding domain (RBD) in S1 subunit and heptad repeat 1 (HR1) domain in S2 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein are the targets of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and pan-coronavirus (CoV) fusion inhibitory peptides, respectively. However, neither nAb- nor peptide-based drugs can be used orally. In this study, we screened a one-bead-two-compound (OBTC) cyclic γ-AApeptide library against SARS-CoV-2 S protein and identified a hit: S-20 with potent membrane fusion inhibitory activity, but moderate selectivity index (SI). After modification, one derivative, S-20-1, exhibited improved fusion inhibitory activity and SI (>1000). S-20-1 could effectively inhibit infection by pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2 and pseudotyped variants of concern (VOCs), including B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron), as well as MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63. It could also inhibit infection of a pseudotyped SARS-related coronavirus WIV1 (SARSr-CoV-WIV1) from bats. Intranasal application of S-20-1 to mice before or after challenge with HCoV-OC43 or SARS-CoV-2 provided significant protection from infection. Importantly, S-20-1 was highly resistant to proteolytic degradation, had long half-life, and possessed favorable oral bioavailability. Mechanistic studies suggest that S-20-1 binds with high affinity to RBD in S1 and HR1 domain in S2 of SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Thus, with its pan-CoV fusion and entry inhibitory activity by targeting two sites in S protein, desirable half-life, and promising oral bioavailability, S-20-1 is a potential candidate for further development as a novel therapeutic and prophylactic drug against infection by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, as well as future emerging and reemerging CoVs.

IntroductionThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered a global public health crisis and has brought an unprecedented impact on pregnant women. The problems faced by pregnant women in the rural areas of China during the epidemic are different from those in urban areas. Although the epidemic situation in China has gradually improved, studying the impact of the previous dynamic zero COVID-19 policy on the anxiety status and lifestyle of pregnant women in rural areas of China, is still necessary.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of pregnant women in rural South China was conducted from September 2021 to June 2022.Using questionnaires, sociodemographic characteristics, anxiety status, physical activity, sleep quality, and dietary status of the population were collected. Using the propensity score matching method, the effect of the dynamic zero COVID-19 strategy on the anxiety status and lifestyle of pregnant women was analyzed.ResultsAmong the pregnant women in the policy group (n = 136) and the control group (n = 680), 25.7 and 22.4% had anxiety disorders, 83.1 and 84.7% had low or medium levels of physical activity, and 28.7 and 29.1% had sleep disorders, respectively. However, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed between the two groups. Compared with control group, the intake of fruit in the policy group increased significantly (p = 0.019), whereas that of aquatic products and eggs decreased significantly (p = 0.027). Both groups exhibited an unreasonable dietary structure and poor compliance with the Chinese dietary guidelines for pregnant women (p > 0.05). The proportion of pregnant women in the policy group, whose intake of stable food (p = 0.002), soybean, and nuts (p = 0.004) was less than the recommended amount, was significantly higher than that in the control group.DiscussionThe dynamic zero COVID-19 strategy had little impact on the anxiety status, physical activity, and sleep disorders of pregnant women in the rural areas of South China. However, it affected their intake of certain food groups. Improving corresponding food supply and organized nutritional support should be addressed as a strategic approach to improve the health of pregnant women in rural South China during the pandemic.

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with an elevated risk of multiple adverse birth outcomes, yet little is known about how specific IPV influences adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the association between IPV during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes (i.e., preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth).MethodsSystematic searches were conducted using four databases: EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and CINAHL for observational studies published from 1 January 2011 to 31 August 2021. Two reviewers independently carried out the literature search, study selection, data extraction, assessment of the study, and risk of bias assessment; disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. A random-effect model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth. I2 statistic accompanied by chi-square p-value was used to assess heterogeneity, and funnel plot and Peter's test were used to assess publication bias.ResultsIn total, 23 studies met the inclusion criterion. IPV was associated with preterm birth (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.37–2.49; I2 = 88%), low birth weight (OR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.66–4.48; I2 = 95%), and stillbirth (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 0.86–3.54; I2 = 64%). We attained comparable results among all specific IPV including physical, sexual, emotional, and mixed.ConclusionIntimate partner violence and specific IPV during pregnancy were significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes, especially for physical IPV. An urgent need for greater action to prevent or intervene in IPV during pregnancy is warranted.Systematic review registrationCRD42021282936, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.

BackgroundAssociations between non-optimal temperatures and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk have been previously reported, yet the trends of CVD mortality attributable to non-optimal temperatures remain unclear in China. We analyzed trends in CVD mortality attributable to non-optimal temperatures and associations with age, period, and birth cohort.MethodsData were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to calculate annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) from 1990 to 2019. We used the age-period-cohort model to analyze age, period, and cohort effects in CVD mortality attributable to non-optimal temperatures between 1990 and 2019.ResultsThe age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of CVD attributable to non-optimal temperature generally declined in China from 1990 to 2019, whereas ischemic heart disease (IHD) increased slightly. Low temperatures have a greater death burden than high temperatures, but the death burden from high temperatures showed steady increases. Joinpoint regression analysis showed that CVD mortality decreased in all age groups except for IHD, and the decreases were greater in females than in males. The mortality of CVD attributable to non-optimal temperatures of males was higher than females. The mortality rate showed an upwards trend with age across all CVD categories. Period risks were generally found in unfavorable trends. The cohort effects showed a progressive downward trend during the entire period.ConclusionAlthough there have been reductions in CVD mortality attributable to non-optimum temperatures, the mortality of IHD has increased and the burden from non-optimal temperatures remains high in China. In the context of global climate change, our results call for more attention and strategies to address climate change that protect human health from non-optimal temperatures.

Hypoxia-induced retinal neovascularization is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse, a well-established angiogenesis model, has been extensively used to evaluate the effect of anti-angiogenic agents through intravitreal injection. Here, we serendipitously found that the needles used for intravitreal injection caused an unexpected “anti-angiogenic” effect in the OIR mice. To evaluate the effects of various intravitreal puncture sizes on retinal neovascularization and explore the potential underlying mechanism, intravitreal punctures using 0.5 mm (25 G), 0.3 mm (30 G), or 0.21 mm (33 G) needles were performed in OIR mice. Compared with 0.3 mm and 0.21 mm puncture, the 0.5 mm puncture remarkably suppressed the formation of pathological angiogenesis, inhibited vascular leakage, and remodeled the retinal vasculature. Mechanistically, the 0.5 mm puncture induced a substantial reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP), leading to an improvement in oxygen partial pressure (pO2) and significant reduction in Hif1a expression, resulting in resolution of angiogenic and inflammatory responses. Furthermore, IOP-lowering drugs, Travatan or Azarga, also promoted the alleviation of hypoxia and exhibited a potent anti-angiogenesis efficacy. Our study revealed an acute and significant reduction in IOP caused by a large puncture, which could remarkably suppress HIF-1α-mediated retinal neovascularization, indicating that lowering IOP may be a promising therapeutic avenue for treating retinal neovascular diseases.

PurposeTo determine the relationship between childhood overweight/obesity and early puberty in both boys and girls. Specifically, this is the first time to conduct a meta-analysis of the relationship between childhood overweight/obesity and early puberty in boys.MethodsRelevant studies were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE searches. The exposure of interest was overweight/obesity in childhood. Childhood was defined internationally as the age range of 0–18 years. The overall risk estimates were pooled using random effects models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore possible sources of heterogeneity and to assess the robustness of the results.ResultsA total of 10 studies involving 13,338 girls and 12,796 boys were included. Results showed that childhood overweight/obesity were associated with a significantly higher risk of early puberty in girls [odds ratio (OR): 2.22, 95% CI: 1.65–2.99]. Although without statistical significance, a higher risk of early puberty was also found in boys who were overweight/obese in childhood (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 0.98–1.70). Heterogeneity in the risk estimates of early puberty was partially explained by study design, sample size, follow-up duration, definitions of early puberty and confounders controlled. Sensitivity analyses validated the robustness of the findings.ConclusionsOur findings showed that for girls the associate between overweight/obesity and early puberty is definite or strong whereas for males, such an association is possible, prompting that future studies need to further explore the possible relationship between overweight/obesity and early puberty in boys.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021264649, PROSPERO CRD42021264649.

Abstract Heterointerface engineering is evolving as an effective approach to tune electromagnetic functional materials, but the mechanisms of heterointerfaces on microwave absorption (MA) remain unclear. In this work, abundant electromagnetic heterointerfaces are customized in multilevel hollow architecture via a one‐step synergistic polymerizing‐etching strategy. Fe/Fe3O4@C spindle‐on‐tube structures are transformed from FeOOH@polydopamine precursors by a controllable reduction process. The impressive electromagnetic heterostructures are realized on the Fe/Fe3O4@C hollow spindle arrays and induce strong interfacial polarization. The highly dispersive Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticles within spindles build multi‐dimension magnetic networks, which enhance the interaction with incident microwaves and reinforce magnetic loss capacity. Moreover, the hierarchically hollow structure and electromagnetic synergistic components are conducive to the impedance matching between absorbing materials and air medium. Furthermore, the mechanisms of electromagnetic heterointerfaces on the MA are systematically investigated. Accordingly, the as‐prepared hierarchical Fe/Fe3O4@C microtubes exhibit remarkable MA performance with a maximum refection loss of −55.4 dB and an absorption bandwidth of 4.2 GHz. Therefore, in this study, the authors not only demonstrate a synergistic strategy to design multilevel hollow architecture, but also provide a fundamental guide in heterointerface engineering of highly efficient electromagnetic functional materials.

Abstract Hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composites are promising functional materials with prospective applications in microwave absorption (MA) field. Herein, a three-dimension hierarchical “nanotubes on microrods,” core–shell magnetic metal–carbon composite is rationally constructed for the first time via a fast metal–organic frameworks-based ligand exchange strategy followed by a carbonization treatment with melamine. Abundant magnetic CoFe nanoparticles are embedded within one-dimensional graphitized carbon/carbon nanotubes supported on micro-scale Mo2N rod (Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT), constructing a special multi-dimension hierarchical MA material. Ligand exchange reaction is found to determine the formation of hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composite, which is assembled by dielectric Mo2N as core and spatially dispersed CoFe nanoparticles within C/CNTs as shell. Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites exhibit superior MA performance with maximum reflection loss of − 53.5 dB at 2 mm thickness and show a broad effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz. The Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites hold the following advantages: (1) hierarchical core–shell structure offers plentiful of heterojunction interfaces and triggers interfacial polarization, (2) unique electronic migration/hop paths in the graphitized C/CNTs and Mo2N rod facilitate conductive loss, (3) highly dispersed magnetic CoFe nanoparticles within “tubes on rods” matrix build multi-scale magnetic coupling network and reinforce magnetic response capability, confirmed by the off-axis electron holography.

The induced crystallinity behavior of the polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) matrix in mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) by a novel class of two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework nanosheets, i.e., NUS-8-COOH, is demonstrated. The proposed ideal of enhanced crystallinity induced by NUS-8-COOH nanosheets can be extended to other classes of 2D nanosheet-containing MMMs, thus opening up plentiful opportunities for constructing MMMs with superior interfacial compatibility toward enhanced gas separation performance.

In clinical medicine, the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been a commonly used imaging modality for diagnosis of breast tumor. However, most researchers in computer vision field only focus on B-mode ultrasound image which does not get good results. To improve the accuracy of classification, first, we propose a novel method, i.e., a Temporal Sequence Dual-Branch Network (TSDBN) which, for the first time, can use B-mode ultrasound data and CEUS data simultaneously. Second, we designed a new Gram matrix to model the temporal sequence, and then proposed a Temporal Sequence Regression Mechanism (TSRM), which is a novel method to extract the enhancement features from CEUS video based on the matrix. For B-mode ultrasound branch, we use the traditional ResNeXt network for feature extraction. While CEUS branch uses ResNeXt + R(2 + 1) D network as the backbone network. We propose a TSRM to learning temporal sequence relationship among frames, and design a Shuffle Temporal Sequence Mechanism (STSM) to shuffle temporal sequences, the purpose of which is to further enhance temporal information among frames. Experimental results show that the proposed TSRM could use temporal information effectively and the accuracy of TSDBN is higher than that of state-of-art approaches in breast cancer classification by nearly 4%.

Background Exploring high-quality organic amendments has been a focus of sustainable agriculture. Filtered mud (FM), a sugar factory waste derived from sugarcane stems, could be an alternative organic amendment for sugarcane production. However, the effects of its application proportions on soil fertility, nutrient cycling, structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and the growth of sugarcane in clay-loam soils remain unexplored. Methods Three application proportions of FM: (FM1-(FM: Soil at 1:4), FM2-(FM: Soil at 2:3), and FM3-(FM: Soil at 3:2)) were evaluated on sugarcane growth and soil nutrient cycling. High throughput sequencing was also employed to explore soil microbial dynamics. Results We observed that FM generally increased the soil’s nutritional properties while improving NO3− retention compared to the control, resulting in increased growth parameters of sugarcane. Specifically, FM1 increased the concentration of NH4+−N, the N fraction preferably taken up by sugarcane, which was associated with an increase in the plant height, and more improved growth properties, among other treatments. An increase in the proportion of FM also increased the activity of soil nutrient cycling enzymes; urease, phosphatase, and β-glucosidase. High throughput sequencing revealed that FM reduced the diversity of soil bacteria while having insignificant effects on fungal diversity. Although increasing FM rates reduced the relative abundance of the phyla Proteobacteria, its class members, the Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria containing some N-cycling related genera, were stimulated. Also, FM stimulated the abundance of beneficial and lignocellulose degrading organisms. These included the bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and the fungal phylum Ascomycota. The distribution of the soil microbial community under FM rates was regulated by the changes in soil pH and the availability of soil nutrients. Since FM1 showed more promise in improving the growth properties of sugarcane, it could be more economical and sustainable for sugarcane production in clay-loam soils.

Abstract Objects This study aims to explore the Cancer antigen 724 (CA724) reference values spatial distribution characteristics in healthy Chinese adults. The study can provide regional reference for medical diagnosis. Study Design The relationship between CA724 and 25 geographical environmental factors was analyzed firstly. Artificial neural network simulation training was used to construct the prediction model. The national forecast distribution map of the CA724 reference values was obtained by the geostatistical mapping method. Analyzing and exploring the influence mechanism of geographical environment factors on CA724 reference values. Methods Collecting 34470 cases from more than 106 cities healthy adults CA724 reference values via several paper databases in 10 recent years. Correlation analysis, RBF artificial neural networks and trend surface analysis were applied to explore if there was any tendency of spatial variation. The Kriging interpolation of geostatistical analysis was developed to reveal the spatial distribution characteristics of the CA724 reference values. Results The distribution of CA724 reference values of Chinese healthy adults shows a downward trend from south to north. CA724 reference values have negative correlations with latitude, annual sunshine duration and topsoil cation exchange capacity in clay. CA724 have positive correlations with annual mean air temperature, annual mean relative humidity, and annual precipitation amount. High temperature and high humidity environment will reduce gastrointestinal function and breeze various mold bacteria. Lack of sunshine can easily lead to vitamin C deficiency in the body. These will increase the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases and gastric cancer, then increase the CA724 value. Conclusion CA724 reference values show spatial autocorrelation and regional variation. There are some geographical environment factors effected Chinese healthy adults CA724 reference values. Geographic factors such as sunshine, temperature, and humidity have effects on CA724 reference values can provide new ideas and directions of prevention and clinical diagnosis in the future.

Summary: Background: Finding a new method to get the Chinese healthy adult male LVEF reference values with heart rate & geo graphical environment factors. It is more accurate and simpler while considering different areas and individual differences. Methods: Collecting 3502 cases from more than 44 cities healthy adult male LVEF reference values and heart rate reference values (X1) within 10 years published articles in CNKI. A correlation analysis and ridge regression were employed to extract dependent geographical environment factors and predict the reference values of LVEF. The Kriging interpolation of geostatistical analysis were developed to reveal the spatial distribution characteristics of the LVEF values. Results: It has a correlation between LVEF and heart rate (X1)& geographical environment factors. The ridge regression equation of LVEF reference values and geographical environment factors is formula(1). The equation of LVEF reference values with heart rate and geographical environment factors is formula(2). Conclusion: The Chinese healthy adult male LVEF distribution showed a downward trend from south to north. Some geographical environment factors have impact on LVEF reference values including latitude, annual precipitation amount and mean air temperature distribution. LVEF is negative correlation with heart rate. When geographical environment factors and individual's heart rate are known, the local and individual's LVEF reference values can be derived from the formulas. Keywords: LVEF, reference values, heart rate, regional differences, geographical environment factors

Despite progress in understanding diazotrophic distribution in surface soils, few studies have investigated the distribution of diazotrophic bacteria in deeper soil layers. Here, we leveraged high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of nifH genes obtained to assess the influence of biochar amended soil (BC) and control (CK), and soil depths (0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm) on diazotrophic abundance and community structures, soil enzyme activities and physio-chemical properties. Multivariate ANOVA analysis revealed that soil depth had profound impact on majority of the soil parameters measured than fertilization. Although soil physio-chemical properties, enzymes activities, diazotrophic genera and enriched operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were significantly influenced across the entire soil profiles, we also observed that BC amended soil significantly increased cane stalk height and weight, nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), organic matter (OM), total carbon (TC) and available potassium (AK), and enhanced diazotrophic genera in soil depth 0-20 cm compared to CK treatment. Soil TC, total nitrogen (TN), OM and NH4+ were the major impact factors shifting diazotrophic community structures in soil depth 0-20 cm. Overall, these results were more pronounced in 0-20 cm soil depth in BC than CK treatment.

Abstract The sensitivity of information is dependent on the context of application and user preference. Protecting sensitive data in the cloud era requires identifying them in the first place. It typically needs intensive manual efforts. More importantly, users may specify sensitive information only through an implicit manner. Existing research efforts on identifying sensitive data from its descriptive texts focus on keyword/phrase searching. These approaches can have high false positives/negatives as they do not consider the semantics of the descriptions. In this paper, we propose S3, an automated approach to identify sensitive data based on users’ implicit specifications. Our approach considers semantic, syntactic and lexical information comprehensively, aiming to identify sensitive data by the semantics of its descriptive texts. We introduce the notion concept space to represent the user’s notion of privacy, by which our approach can support flexible user requirements in defining sensitive data. Our approach is able to learn users’ preferences from readable concepts initially provided by users, and automatically identify related sensitive data. We evaluate our approach on over 18,000 top popular applications from Google Play Store. S3 achieves an average precision of 89.2%, and average recall 95.8% in identifying sensitive data.

Observations from past earthquake events indicate that skewed bridges are seismically vulnerable due to induced horizontal in-plane rotations of the girder. To date, however, very limited experimental research has been done on the pounding behaviour of skewed bridges. In this study, shake table tests were performed on a single-frame bridge model with adjacent abutments subjected to uniform ground excitations. Bridges with different skew angles, i.e., 0°, 30°, and 45°, were considered. The pounding behaviour was observed using a pair of pounding and measuring heads. The results reveal that poundings could indeed influence the responses of skewed bridges in the longitudinal and transverse directions differently and thus affect the development of the girder rotations. Ignoring pounding effects, the 30° skewed bridges could experience more girder rotations than the 45° skewed bridges. With pounding, the bridges with a large skew angle could suffer more opening girder displacements than straight bridges.

Straw retention, an alternative to artificial fertilization, commonly mitigates soil degradation and positively affects soil fertility. In this study, we investigated the succession of soil bacteria during two sugarcane straw retention treatments (control (CK) and sugarcane straw retention (SR)) and at four depths (0−10, 10−20, 20−30, and 30−40 cm) in fallow soil in a sugarcane cropping system. Using an Illumina MiSeq (16S rRNA) and soil enzyme activity, we explored the SR influence on soil bacterial communities and enzyme activities and its inclusive impact on soil fertility, with an emphasis on topsoil (0−10 cm) and subsoil (10−40 cm). Our results show that SR effectively improved soil fertility indicators (C, N, and P), including enzyme activities (C and N cycling), throughout the soil profile: these soil parameters greatly improved in the topsoil compared to the control. Sugarcane straw retention and soil depth (0−10 cm vs. 10−40 cm) were associated with little variation in bacterial species richness and alpha diversity throughout the soil profile. Subsoil and topsoil bacterial communities differed in composition. Compared to the CK treatment, SR enriched the topsoil with Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Nitrospirae, while the subsoil was depleted in Nitrospirae and Acidobacteria. Similarly, SR enriched the subsoil with Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, and Bacteroidetes, while the topsoil was depleted in Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and Planctomycetes compared to the CK. At the genus level, SR enriched the topsoil with Gp1, Gp2, Gp5, Gp7, Gemmatimonas, Kofleria, Sphingomonas, and Gaiella, which decompose lignocellulose and contribute to nutrient cycling. In summary, SR not only improved soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities but also enriched bacterial taxa involved in lignocellulosic decomposition and nutrient cycling (C and N) throughout the soil profile. However, these effects were stronger in topsoil than in subsoil, suggesting that SR enhanced fertility more in topsoil than in subsoil in fallow land.