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Addressing peripheral nerve defects remains a significant challenge in regenerative neurobiology. Autografts emerged as the gold-standard management, however, are hindered by limited availability and potential neuroma formation. Numerous recent studies report the potential of wireless electronic system for nerve defects repair. Unfortunately, few has met clinical needs for inadequate electrode precision, poor nerve entrapment and insufficient bioactivity of the matrix material. Herein, we present an advanced wireless electrical nerve stimulator, based on water-responsive self-curling silk membrane with excellent bioabsorbable and biocompatible properties. We constructed a unique bilayer structure with an oriented pre-stretched inner layer and a general silk membrane as outer layer. After wetting, the simultaneous contraction of inner layer and expansion of outer layer achieved controllable super-contraction from 2D flat surface to 3D structural reconfiguration. It enables shape-adaptive wrapping to cover around nerves, overcomes the technical obstacle of preparing electrodes on the inner wall of the conduit, and prevents electrode breakage caused by material expansion in water. The use of fork capacitor-like metal interface increases the contact points between the metal and the regenerating nerve, solving the challenge of inefficient and rough electrical stimulation methods in the past. Newly developed electronic stimulator is effective in restoring 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defects comparable to autologous grafts. The underlying mechanism involves that electric stimulation enhances anterograde mitochondrial transport to match energy demands. This newly introduced device thereby demonstrated the potential as a viable and efficacious alternative to autografts for enhancing peripheral nerve repair and functional recovery.

A pipe condition assessment model is required to implement effective and economical planned maintenance of the water distribution system. The application of such a model requires sufficient accuracy, which, however, is limited by the complexity of the pipe deterioration process and data storage capacity of the water utility. The majority of previous studies have focused on the improvement of assessment algorithms for data mining. In this study, a mechanistic deterioration point assignment (MDPA) model is developed to make advancements in the modes of data input and result output to enhance the model's accuracy and application scope for cast iron and steel pipes. In this MDPA model, (1) indicators/sub-indicators on external corrosion, external load, internal corrosion, and internal load are constructed and can be obtained by data estimation or techniques and (2) assessment results include both pipe overall condition and detailed conditions on corrosion and load, offering evidence for primary maintenance measures. The weights of the indicators/sub-indicators are estimated using the Bayesian statistics theory. The modelling results of pipe samples demonstrate that this MDPA model is an effective tool for pipe condition assessment. HIGHLIGHTS The condition of indicators/sub-indicators of this MDPA model for pipe condition assessment can be obtained either by data estimation or techniques.; The MDPA model is capable of exporting pipe detailed conditions for suggesting primary maintenance measures.; The MDPA model can be tested or verified by advanced techniques to guarantee model accuracy.;

As global population ageing accelerates, cancer emerges as a predominant cause of mortality. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in cancer cell growth and death, given their involvement in regulating downstream gene expression levels and numerous cellular processes. Cell death, especially non-apoptotic regulated cell death (RCD), such as ferroptosis, pyroptosis and necroptosis, significantly impacts cancer proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Understanding the interplay between lncRNAs and the diverse forms of cell death in cancer is imperative. Modulating lncRNA expression can regulate cancer onset and progression, offering promising therapeutic avenues. This review discusses the mechanisms by which lncRNAs modulate non-apoptotic RCDs in cancer, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for various cancer types. Elucidating the role of lncRNAs in cell death pathways provides valuable insights for personalised cancer interventions.

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that the gut microbiota (GM), immune cells, and coronary heart disease (CHD) are closely related, but the causal nature of these relationships is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate this causal relationship and reveal the effect of GM and immune cells on the risk of developing CHD using mediated Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodsFirst, we searched for data related to GM, immune cells, and CHD through published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We filtered the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with GM and immune cells and then performed the first MR analysis to identify disease-associated intestinal bacteria and disease-associated immune cells. Subsequently, three MR analyses were conducted: from disease-associated GM to disease-associated immune cells, from disease-associated immune cells to CHD, and from disease-associated GM to CHD. Each MR analysis was conducted using inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weighted models, and simple models.ResultsA total of six GM and 25 immune cells were found to be associated with CHD. In the MR analysis using the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method, g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger was associated with EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells (P < 0.05 and OR > 1), EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells was associated with CHD (P < 0.05 and OR < 1), and g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger was associated with CHD (P < 0.05 and OR < 1).ConclusionAn increase in the abundance of g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger leads to an increase in the amount of EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells, and an increase in the amount of EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells reduces the risk of developing CHD. Our study provides some references for reducing the incidence of CHD by regulating GM and immune cells.

The rapid urbanization in China has exacerbated the conflicts among production space, living space, and ecological space (PLES). Balancing economic development with ecological protection on limited land resources presents a pivotal challenge in the urbanization process. Mountainous urban agglomerations, with their complex terrain and limited development space, intensify PLES conflicts. Exploring potential PLES conflicts in these areas is crucial for optimizing spatial layout, coordinating human-land relationships, and promoting high-quality regional development. It is also a significant and challenging area in current research. Using the Central Yunnan Urban Agglomeration (CYUA) as a case study, this study integrated grid and administrative scales, incorporating human-oriented factors. A comprehensive evaluation system for mountain urban agglomerations, including suitability evaluation and spatial carrying capacity assessment, had been established. The conflict recognition matrix was used to identify potential PLES conflicts within the urban agglomeration. The results indicated that the PLES in the CYUA predominantly exhibited moderate levels of suitability. Production space suitability was higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest, living space suitability displayed a distinct strip-like distribution. Ecological space suitability was concentrated in the northeast and northwest, with lower suitability observed in the south. Apart from lake areas, approximately 71.92% of land in the CYUA faced potential conflicts regarding land use, primarily general spatial conflicts accounting for 49.79% of the total area. Intense conflict zones covered the smallest area, representing only 0.04% of the study area. The occurrence of potential spatial conflicts in this region was heavily influenced by both natural environmental factors and human activities. Suitable land areas were notably concentrated in regions with high human activity levels, favorable natural environments, and single land use functions. Conflicts were particularly concentrated in transition zones between human production and living spaces and ecological areas. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for guiding urban planning and management strategies not only for the CYUA but also for other mountainous urban agglomerations facing similar challenges.

Robotic surgery systems, as emerging minimally invasive approaches, have been increasingly applied for the treatment of esophageal cancer because they provide a high-definition three-dimensional surgical view and mechanical rotating arms that surpass the limitations of human hands, greatly enhancing the accuracy and flexibility of surgical methods. Robot-assisted McKeown esophagectomy (RAME), a common type of robotic esophagectomy, has been gradually implemented with the aim of reducing postoperative complications, improving postoperative recovery and achieving better long-term survival. Multiple centers worldwide have reported and summarized their experiences with the RAME, and some have also discussed and analyzed its perioperative effects and survival prognosis compared with those of video-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy. Compared to traditional surgery, the RAME has significant advantages in terms of lymph node dissection although there seems to be no difference in overall survival or disease-free survival. With the continuous advancement of technology and the development of robotic technology, further development and innovation are expected in the RAME field. This review elaborates on the prospects of the application and advancement of the RAME to provide a useful reference for clinical practice.

Foodborne pathogen contamination of fermented food is an increasingly concerned problem in food industry. The types and sources of harmful microorganisms in food are discussed in this paper. The main techniques used to detect microorganisms are summarized. In addition, strategies for controlling these harmful microorganisms are discussed. By highlighting these important aspects, this paper aims to contribute to strengthening food quality assurance and promoting safer food practices.

Studying land use and land cover (LULC) patterns, identifying driving forces, and simulating future scenarios are vital for grasping the complex connection between human actions and the environment. This helps in shaping sustainable land management strategies and preparing for the impacts of climate change. However, there is a necessity for a comprehensive system modeling framework that can accurately capture spatial and temporal changes in LULC, analyze driving mechanisms, and provide an integrated analysis of future simulations. In this paper, a comprehensive IM-RF-Markov-PLUS analysis framework is developed, focusing on the Fuxian Lake Basin (FLB) as a study area. The study aims to achieve accurate prediction of LULC by combining the microscopic LULC change trend and the contribution of macroscopic driving forces. The results show that: (1) The IM-RF-Markov-PLUS framework can explore the change patterns and driving mechanisms of LULC in the FLB, and accurately predict the LULC in the FLB. Compared with the PLUS model, its accuracy is improved by 2 %. (2) IM analysis reveals that LULC transformation in the FLB is both general and specific. Although the area of grassland, buildings, roads and structures converted to desert and bare land is minimal, it shows relatively tendentious and specific change characteristics. (3) Different land types are significantly affected by driving factors, with the expansion of LULCs is constrained by major factors. The distance to the lake has the most significant impact on the distribution of garden land, while the primary road has the greatest impact on the distribution of forestland. (4) Under different scenarios, the spatial heterogeneity of LULC patterns is obvious. In 2035, under baseline and economic development scenarios, cultivated land will decrease, while other LULC types will increase. Under the cultivated land protection scenario, cultivated land is protected, with an increase of 5.85 %. Under the ecological protection scenario, there is an increase in ecological land. The largest increase is in forestland, which increases by a total of 3.46 %. The ecological protection scenario presents a viable approach for ensuring the sustainable development of the FLB. The results of this paper may serve as a reliable foundation for implementing LULC strategies in the FLB and offer guidance for crafting sustainable development regulations at the regional level.

Soil quality is closely related to the evolution of forest ecosystems, especially in the context of global warming; therefore, it is essential to study the changes in soil quality caused by the invasion of moso bamboo in its habitat. In this study, we selected plantation forests and natural secondary forests with typical vegetation of the northern subtropics, Quercus acutissima plantation (QAP) and oak secondary forest (OSF), collected plant community and soil physicochemical data, and established a soil quality index (SQI) to assess how moso bamboo invasion affects soil quality. In addition, the mechanisms driving the moso bamboo invasion effects on soil quality were investigated using a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrated that: (1) Moso bamboo invasion significantly affected community structure and soil physicochemical properties, there were inconsistent changes in soil physicochemical indicators in oak forests of different origins, and in general the effects of moso bamboo expansion on soil physicochemical properties were concentrated in the topsoil (0–20 cm). (2) Soil bulk density (BD), total soil porosity (TSP), total nitrogen (TN), and available potassium (AK) comprised the minimum data set (MDS) used to calculate the SQI, and the SQI of oak forests of different origins ranged from 0.48 to 1, and the invasion of moso bamboo led to a significant decrease in the SQI of the surface layer of QAP. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that soil quality assessment factors were closely related to community structure and the PLS-SEM indicated that moso bamboo invasion indirectly affected surface soil quality through its effects on community and soil factors. The results showed that moso bamboo invasion had different effects on oak forests of different origins. They also showed that soil quality was strongly affected by aboveground biomass (AGB), the tree Shannon-Wiener index (TH'), and available potassium (AK).

The Yixing Yuantianjian small watershed is a provincial soil erosion key management area in the hilly region of southern Jiangsu. It has been implemented key national soil erosion control project for small watershed management, which is typical and representative in the region. It is important to quantitatively evaluate the soil quality of the area under different land use modes and then select suitable ecological restoration measures to promote the ecological and economic construction of small watersheds in the hilly region of southern Jiangsu. Used four types of land use (forest land, garden land, arable land and abandoned land) in the Yixing Yuantianjian small watershed as the research object, 13 soil physical and chemical property indicators were screened based on principal component analysis, correlation analysis and Norm value calculation to construct a minimum data set (MDS) for soil quality evaluation. The results showed that the variability of soil chemical indicators of land use modes was higher than that of soil physical indicators in the study area. The MDS indicators affected by soil quality in the small watershed are sand content (Sand), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), total soil porosity (TSP) and bulk density (BD), which provide valid information on soil quality in the area with high accuracy. The soil quality index for different land use modes in the small watershed in the hilly areas of southern Jiangsu was SQI forest land (0.83) > SQI cultivated land (0.74) > SQI garden land (0.66) > SQI abandoned land (0.46), with soil quality at a medium to high level. AN was the key factor limiting the soil quality of this watershed. This study can provide a scientific basis for soil quality enhancement and ecological restoration in the small watersheds of the southern Jiangsu hilly region.

In recent years, the invasion of Phyllostachys edulis has intensified. This study selected Phyllostachys edulis, Phyllostachys edulis–Quercus acutissima mixed and Quercus acutissima forest areas and analyzed the changes in soil bulk density, porosity, water-holding capacity, pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil readily oxidized organic carbon (ROC), soluble organic carbon (DOC) and microbial biomass carbon (SMBC). Then, we obtained the Chao index, Shannon index and Simpson index and analyzed the relationship between microbial α diversity, β diversity and community composition, abundance and structure and between microbial community changes and environmental factors. The results showed that soil with the invasion of Phyllostachys edulis, soil pH, water content, capillary water capacity and total porosity of surface soil increased significantly by 4.35%, 18.71%, 16.37% and 14.56%, respectively, compared with the Quercus acutissima forest, while soil bulk density, organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon and soluble organic carbon decreased significantly by 7.27%, 18.43%, 61.12% and 61.90%. Soil readily oxidized organic carbon decreased at first and then increased. The soil community richness and diversity of the Phyllostachys edulis forest were significantly greater than those of the other two stands. Soil pH and organic carbon content were the main factors affecting the changes in the soil microbial community. Therefore, the invasion of Phyllostachys edulis improved soil water retention, while soil pH had the greatest effect on the microbial community, followed by soil bulk density and organic carbon, and water content had the smallest effect.

Background: Some reports have indicated a high expression level of ASB3 in various cancers, but its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive. Methods: ASB3 levels and clinical features were obtained from the TCGA database. Meanwhile, the expression levels of ASB3 in tumor and paraneoplastic tissues were further verified by qRT-PCR and Imunohistochemistry (IHC). ASB3-related downstream molecular analysis was carried out with Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Pathways linked to ASB3 expression were identified by means of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) aided in conducting a correlation analysis of ASB3 with immune infiltration. Functional experiments were performed in HepG2 cells by using the small interfering RNA. Results: ASB3 expression was remarkably higher in HCC tissues. Its remarkable precision in forecasting cancer suggests that ASB3 might serve as an unidentified diagnostic and prognostic indicator of HCC. Higher ASB3 expression led to worse overall survival (OS), particularly in various clinical subgroups of HCC. GO/KEGG analysis indicated that critical biological activities, such as the activation of complement systems and humoral immune response, could potentially underlie the progression of HCC. Furthermore, GSEA demonstrated enrichment of certain pathways, including the MAPK, IL17, and fibrinolysis pathways, in samples with elevated ASB3 levels. ASB3 exhibited a substantial association with T helper cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and central memory T (Tcm) cell infiltration level. Cell function experiments confirmed elevated ASB3 levels in HCC cell lines as opposed to hepatic epithelial cell lines. Moreover, the ability of HCC cells to proliferate and invade was remarkably reduced by ASB3 knockdown. Conclusion: Summarize briefly, we found that ASB3 can be a promising biomarker in HCC.

Approximately 25% of goiters extend to the substernal area, and most of them can be removed through a cervical incision. Goiters that extend into the posterior mediastinum are very rare, and resection usually requires thoracotomy. In recent years, there have been several reports of resection of substernal goiters by minimally invasive surgery. Here, we present a 75-year-old female with a giant substernal goiter who successfully underwent resection of the goiter extending to the posterior mediastinum using low cervical incision combined with video-assisted thoracoscopy.

The family of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) participates in various plant biological processes, mainly flowering regulation and seed germination. In cucurbit crops, several PEBP genes have been recognized to be responsible for flowering time. However, the investigation of PEBP family members across the genomes of cucurbit species has not been reported, and their conservation and divergence in structure and function remain largely unclear. Herein, PEBP genes were identified from seven cucurbit crops and were used to perform a comparative genomics analysis. The cucurbit PEBP proteins could be classified into MFT, FT, TFL, and PEBP clades, and further, the TFL clade was divided into BFT-like, CEN-like, and TFL1-like subclades. The MFT-like, FT-like, and TFL-like proteins were clearly distinguished by a critical amino acid residue at the 85th position of the Arabidopsis FT protein. In gene expression analysis, CsaPEBP1 was highly expressed in flowers, and its expression levels in females and males were 70.5 and 89.2 times higher, respectively, than those in leaves. CsaPEBP5, CsaPEBP6, and CsaPEBP7 were specifically expressed in male flowers, with expression levels 58.1, 17.3, and 15.7 times higher, respectively, than those of leaves. At least five CsaPEBP genes exhibited the highest expression during the later stages of corolla opening. Through clustering of time-series-based RNA-seq data, several potential transcription factors (TFs) interacting with four CsaPEBPs were identified during cucumber corolla opening. Because of the tandem repeats of binding sites in promoters, NF-YB (Csa4G037610) and GATA (Csa7G64580) TFs appeared to be better able to regulate the CsaPEBP2 and CsaPEBP5 genes, respectively. This study would provide helpful information for further investigating the roles of PEBP genes and their interacting TFs in growth and development processes, such as flowering time regulation in cucurbit crops.

Climate change mitigation and carbon neutrality are current hot topics. Forests, urban green spaces, and wetland ecosystems are recognized as important carbon sinks. The Yangtze River Delta region in Eastern China, which plays a pivotal role in China’s economic and social development, is rich in such carbon-sink resources. There is, however, a lack of regional carbon data. The investigation of carbon storage and carbon densities of forest, urban green space, and wetland ecosystems is, therefore, of great importance. In this study, the forest resource management map (including wetland) and green space system planning map of Changzhou city, combined with a field investigation and laboratory experimental analysis, were used to estimate the carbon storages and carbon densities of the forest, urban green space, and wetland ecosystems in Changzhou city. The average carbon density and carbon storage in Changzhou were 83.34 ± 4.91 Mg C ha−1 and 11.30 ± 0.67 Tg C, respectively, of which soil accounted for 74%, plants accounted for 25%, and litter accounted for less than 1%. The forest ecosystem contributed the most to the carbon pool (72%), with the green space ecosystem and the wetland ecosystem each accounting for 14% of the carbon pools. Clearly, the forest, green space, and wetland ecosystems in Changzhou city have a large carbon storage capacity. This study is of significance as it provides data on the carbon sink functions of forest, green space, and wetland ecosystems at the provincial and national regional scales.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become mainstream in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The idea of harnessing the immune system to fight cancer is fast developing. Neoadjuvant treatment in NSCLC is undergoing unprecedented change. Chemo-immunotherapy combinations not only seem to achieve population-wide treating coverage irrespective of PD-L1 expression but also enable achieving a pathological complete response (pCR). Despite these recent advancements in neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy, not all patients respond favorably to treatment with ICIs plus chemo and may even suffer from severe immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). Similar to selection for target therapy, identifying patients most likely to benefit from chemo-immunotherapy may be valuable. Recently, several prognostic and predictive factors associated with the efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in NSCLC, such as tumor-intrinsic biomarkers, tumor microenvironment biomarkers, liquid biopsies, microbiota, metabolic profiles, and clinical characteristics, have been described. However, a specific and sensitive biomarker remains to be identified. Recently, the construction of prediction models for ICI therapy using novel tools, such as multi-omics factors, proteomic tests, host immune classifiers, and machine learning algorithms, has gained attention. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the different positive prognostic and predictive factors in treating preoperative patients with ICIs, highlight the recent advances made in the efficacy prediction of neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and provide an outlook for joint predictors.

In this paper, the effects of adding ginseng extract with concentrations (w/v) of 0‰, 1‰, 3‰, 5‰, 8‰, and 10‰ to the culture medium on the strain characteristics and tolerance of stress cultured Lactobacillus paracasei JLUs66 were studied. The results showed that after adding different concentrations of ginseng extract, the growth rate, viable count, acid production rate and heat tolerance of Lactobacillus paracasei JLUs66 were negatively correlated with ginseng extract. However, the extracellular polysaccharide production, low temperature tolerance and bile salt tolerance increased with the increase of the ginseng extract concentration in the low concentration range. The low pH tolerance and NaCl tolerance of the strain showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing with the increase of ginseng extract concentration. Through comprehensive comparison, it could be concluded that the stress cultured Lactobacillus paracasei JLUs66 by 3‰ concentration of ginseng extrac had the best strain characteristics and the strongest tolerance.

BackgroundRibonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 (RRM2) has been reported to be an oncogene in some malignant tumors, such as lung adenocarcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, and breast cancer. However, the clinical significance of RRM2 in hepatocellular carcinoma has been less studied. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of RRM2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.MethodsThe RRM2 expression levels and clinical features were downloaded from the TCGA database. Immunohistochemistry results between tumor tissues and normal tissues were downloaded from the Proteinatlas database. Meanwhile, the expression levels of RRM2 in tumor and paraneoplastic tissues were further verified by qRT-PCR and Western Blotting. Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein-protein-interactions (PPI) network were constructed to analyze RRM2-related downstream molecules. In addition, RRM2 expression-related pathways performed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Association analysis of RRM2 gene expression and immune infiltration was performed by single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA).ResultsThe RRM2 expression level in tumor tissues was higher than normal tissues (P

It is important for food recognition to separate each ingredient within a food image at the pixel level. Most existing research has trained a segmentation network on datasets with pixel-level annotations to achieve food ingredient segmentation. However, preparing such datasets is exceedingly hard and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a new framework for ingredient segmentation utilizing feature maps of the CNN-based Single-Ingredient Classification Model that is trained on the dataset with image-level annotation. To train this model, we first introduce a standardized biological-based hierarchical ingredient structure and construct a single-ingredient image dataset based on this structure. Then, we build a single-ingredient classification model on this dataset as the backbone of the proposed framework. In this framework, we extract feature maps from the single-ingredient classification model and propose two methods for processing these feature maps for segmenting ingredients in the food images. We introduce five evaluation metrics (IoU, Dice, Purity, Entirety, and Loss of GTs) to assess the performance of ingredient segmentation in terms of ingredient classification. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, achieving a mIoU of 0.65, mDice of 0.77, mPurity of 0.83, mEntirety of 0.80, and mLoGTs of 0.06 for the optimal model on the FoodSeg103 dataset. We believe that our approach lays the foundation for subsequent ingredient recognition.

Objective: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) was first implemented in 1992 and various MIEs have been performed subsequently. The modified McKeown MIE that includes thoracoscopic and laparoscopic procedures with left neck anastomosis has been implemented in our institution since 2006. We herein report our first 5-year experience in 376 consecutive patients undergone the modified McKeown MIE for esophageal cancer to evaluate perioperative outcomes and survival. Methods: A total of 376 patients underwent a modified McKeown MIE from March 2016 to March 2021 at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Patient demographics and perioperative outcomes were collected and assessed, and overall survival and disease-free survival were analyzed. Results: All procedures were completed successfully with no conversions to open surgery. The median operative time was 240 min, and the median blood loss was 100 mL. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 29, the median number of harvested thoracic lymph nodes was 18, and of harvested abdominal nodes was 10. The 30-day mortality rate was 0.27% and complications occurred in 133 (35.4%) patients. The median follow-up period was 19 (1–60) months, and 244 patients completed more than 1 year of follow-up. The 1-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 79.5% and 73.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The modified McKeown MIE is safe and feasible for esophageal cancer, offering satisfactory perioperative outcomes and acceptable oncologic survival.

Abstract Hard carbon materials are characterized by having rich resources, simple processing technology, and low cost, and they are promising as one of the anode electrodes for commercial applications of sodium‐/potassium‐ion batteries. Simultaneously, exploring the alkali metal ion storage mechanism is particularly important for designing high‐performance electrode materials. However, the structure of hard carbon is more complex, and the description of energy storage behavior is quite controversial. In this study, the Magnolia grandiflora Lima leaf is used as a precursor, combined with simple pyrolysis and impurity removal processes, to obtain biomass‐derived hard carbon material (carbonized Magnolia grandiflora Lima leaf [CMGL]). When it is used as an anode for sodium‐ion batteries, it exhibits a high specific capacity of 315 mAh/g, and the capacity retention rate is 90.0% after 100 cycles. For potassium‐ion batteries, the charge specific capacity is 263.5 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 85.5% at the same cycling. Furthermore, different electrochemical analysis methods and microstructure characterization techniques were used to further elucidate the sodium/potassium storage mechanism of the material. All the results indicate that the high potential slope region represents the adsorption/desorption characteristics on the surface active sites, whereas the low‐potential quasiplateau region belongs to the ion insertion/extraction in the graphitic microcrystallites interlayer. It is noteworthy that potassium ion is randomly intercalated between the graphitic microcrystallite layer without forming a segmented intercalation compound structure.

Conjugated diyne derivatives are important scaffolds in modern organic synthetic chemistry. Using the Glaser reaction involves the coupling of terminal alkynes which can efficiently produce conjugated diyne derivatives, while the use of a stoichiometric amount of copper salts, strong inorganic base, and excess oxidants is generally needed. Developing an environmentally friendly and effective method for the construction of symmetrical 1,3-diynes compounds by Glaser coupling is still highly desirable. In this study, we present an economical method for the production of symmetric diynes starting from various terminal acetylenes in a Glaser reaction. A simple and practical bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand has been introduced as efficient ligands for the Cu-catalyzed Glaser reaction. High product yields were obtained at 100 °C for a variety of substrates including aliphatic and aromatic terminal alkynes and differently substituted terminal alkynes including the highly sterically hindered substrate 2-methoxy ethynylbenzene or 2-trifluoromethyl ethynylbenzene and a series of functional groups, such as trifluoromethyl group, ester group, carboxyl group, and nitrile group. The established protocol is carried out in air under base-free condition and is operationally simple. These research work suggest that bis-N-heterocyclic carbene could also an appealing ligand for Glaser reaction and provide a reference for the preparation of symmetric 1,3-diynes in industrial filed.

With the comprehensive emissions of fossil fuel combustion and transportation waste gas, the concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the environmental atmosphere increase significantly, leading to nitric acid rain (NAR) pollution. However, the effects of NAR on soil enzyme activities and soil microbial metabolism are unclear. In this study, the Quercus acutissima Carruth. forest in the Yangtze River Delta of China was selected as the experimental subject, and was exposed to the simulated spraying of NAR with pH values of 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 to study the response of the forest soil enzyme activities and soil microbial metabolism to NAR. The results showed that compared to the non-NAR treatment, the activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosidase (NAG) decreased by 56.48%–42.24%, 44.57%–38.20%, and 56.13%–48.11% under the AR2.5 and AR3.5 treatments, respectively. Moreover, there was no significant change in the Vector Length (VL) under different gradients of NAR. The Vector Angle (VA) increased with the decrease of the pH value and reached the maximum value with the AR2.5 treatment, indicating that the strong acid type NAR had a greater phosphorus-limiting effect on the soil microorganisms. The RDA analysis results showed that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was a significant factor affecting the soil enzyme activity and stoichiometric ratio, with interpretation rates of 40.2%. In conclusion, we believe that in the restoration of acidified soil, attention should be paid to the regulation of soil pH, reducing scour.

Resistance to turbulence is an ongoing challenge for point-to-point freespace communications. Here the authors present a protocol for encoding a large amount of information in vector beams that are transmittable through a moderately strong turbulent channel without adaptive beam compensation.

Cholestasis is caused by intrahepatic retention of excessive toxic bile acids and ultimately results in hepatic failure. Da-Chai-Hu-Tang (DCHT) has been used in China to treat liver and gallbladder diseases for over 1800 years. Here, we demonstrated that DCHT treatment prevented acute intrahepatic cholestasis with liver injury in response to α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) not to bile duct ligation (BDL) induced-extrahepatic cholestasis. ANIT (80 mg/kg) increased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), direct bilirubin (DBiL), total bilirubin (TBiL), and total bile acids (TBA) which was attenuated by DCHT treatment in a dose-dependent manner. DCHT treatment at high dose of 1.875 g/kg restored bile acid homeostasis, as evidenced by the recovery of the transcription of genes implicated in bile acid biosynthesis, uptake and efflux. DCHT treatment (1.875 g/kg) reversed ANIT-evoked disordered glutathione homeostasis (as determined by GSH/GSSG ratio) and increased in the mRNA levels for Il6, Il1b and Tnfa associated with liver inflammation. Using network pharmacology-based approaches, we identified 22 putative targets involved in DCHT treatment for intrahepatic cholestasis not extrahepatic cholestasis. In addition, as evidenced by dual-luciferase reporter assays, compounds from DCHT with high affinity of PPARα increased luciferase levels from a PPARα-driven reporter. PPARα agonist fenofibrate was able to mimic the cytoprotective effect of DCHT on intrahepatic cholestasis, which was abolished by the PPARα antagonist GW6471. KEGG enrichment and western blot analyses showed that signaling axes of JNK/IL-6/NF-κB/STAT3 related to PPARα might be the principal pathway DCHT affects intrahepatic cholestasis. Taken together, the present study provides compelling evidence that DCHT is a promising formula against acute intrahepatic cholestasis with hepatotoxicity which works via PPARα activation.

The scaling trends of deep learning models and distributed training workloads are challenging network capacities in today’s datacenters and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. We propose a system architecture that leverages silicon photonic (SiP) switch-enabled server regrouping using bandwidth steering to tackle the challenges and accelerate distributed deep learning training. In addition, our proposed system architecture utilizes a highly integrated operating system-based SiP switch control scheme to reduce implementation complexity. To demonstrate the feasibility of our proposal, we built an experimental testbed with a SiP switch-enabled reconfigurable fat tree topology and evaluated the network performance of distributed ring all-reduce and parameter server workloads. The experimental results show up to 3.6× improvements over the static non-reconfigurable fat tree. Our large-scale simulation results show that server regrouping can deliver up to 2.3× flow throughput improvement for a 2× tapered fat tree and a further 11% improvement when higher-layer bandwidth steering is employed. The collective results show the potential of integrating SiP switches into datacenters and HPC systems to accelerate distributed deep learning training.

Abstract Background Varying degrees of macular ischemia generally occur in diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study aims to evaluate the effect of conbercept with 3+ pro re nata (PRN) on macular perfusion status in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and quantitatively assess changes in foveal avascular zone (FAZ) areas and capillary density in macular regions by applying optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods Fifty patients were divided into ischemic (n = 31) and non-ischemic (n = 19) groups according to the presence of ischemia on OCTA at baseline. All patients received intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg of conbercept with 3+ PRN principle. The FAZ areas and macular vessel density measured using OCTA were evaluated at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment in both groups. Results At months 3 and 6, the FAZ area in the ischemic group changed from 0.510 ± 0.171 mm2 to 0.441 ± 0.158 mm2 then to 0.427 ± 0.153 mm2 (p = 0.003, p = 0.296); in the non-ischemic group, it remained stable (p = 0.269, p = 0.926). The superficial vessel density changed from 41.1 ± 4.1 to 42.5% ± 4.7% then to 42.6% ± 4.6% (p = 0.043, p = 0.812), and the deep vessel density changed from 40.7 ± 4.4 to 42.3% ± 3.6% then to 42.3% ± 4.7% (p = 0.072, p = 0.961) in the ischemic group. In the non-ischemic group, the superficial vessel density changed from 44.8 ± 3.2 to 46.0% ± 3.5% then to 45.7% ± 3.3% (p = 0.108, p = 0.666), whereas the deep vessel density changed from 43.6 ± 3.6 to 43.8% ± 3.2% then to 43.5% ± 4.5% (p = 0.882, p = 0.736). Reperfusion in macular nonperfusion areas was observed. Conclusion Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor treatment may have a positive effect on macular perfusion status. Furthermore, OCTA had advantages in quantifying and calculating blood flow index in the study of macular perfusion status.

Background: In China, the esophageal cancer is the most common tumor type, and the main treatment is still surgical treatment. Over the past decade, thoracic laparoscopy combined with esophageal cancer resection and neck anastomosis---McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has gained interest and known as a minimally invasive surgery for the middle esophageal cancer. However, the safety and operability of McKeown MIE remains to be confirmed clinically. The purpose of this article is to examine the clinical safety and operability of McKeown MIE, and compare the security and outcomes of McKeown MIE and Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy. Materials and methods: The clinical data of 312 patients with middle esophageal cancer in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from January 2013 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 176 patients underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and 136 patients underwent McKeown MIE. Patients' demographics and perioperative outcomes were comparable between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in terms of operative time, postoperative hospital stay, restore fluid diet time, pathology, tumor node metastasis staging between the two groups. In the McKeown MIE group, the intraoperative blood loss was less than that in the Ivor-Lewis group (116.54 ± 80.99 ml vs 152.78 ± 115.35 ml, p = 0.001). The total number of lymph nodes and the number of lymph nodes dissection in bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerves were more than those in the Ivor-Lewis group (30.04 ± 14.08 vs 27.51 ± 11.34, p = 0.039; 5.74 ± 4.27 vs 1.80 ± 2.68, p

Purpose: To investigate the changes in the macular microvascular structure after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients with and without macular ischemia.Methods: A total of 39 patients were divided into the macular ischemia group (n = 22) and the nonischemia group (n = 17) at baseline. All the patients received an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab with a 3+ pro re nata (PRN) regimen. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) areas, macular vessel density (VD), and macular ischemic index (ISI) were evaluated at baseline and 3 and 6 months after treatment.Results: After treatment, some patients in the macular ischemia group achieved obvious reperfusion in macular nonperfusion areas. The VD and macular ISI improved in RVO patients, but the changes in VD and macular ISI were different in the two groups. The improvement of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was positively correlated with the improvement of macular perfusion status. Macular perfusion remained stable in most patients in RVO and only one patient had macular ischemia aggravation.Conclusion: The macular microvascular structures were stable in most RVO patients after anti-VEGF treatment. At the same time, some patients with macular ischemia presented reperfusion in macular nonperfusion areas, and still a few patients presented aggravated macular ischemia. Macular ISI is a good way to evaluate macular perfusion status in RVO compared to VD.

Objectives: To compare the aqueous concentrations of inflammatory and angiogenetic factors in vitrectomized vs. non-vitrectomized eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods: Aqueous samples were obtained from 107 eyes with DME before intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF, 36 eyes with previous pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with pan-retinal endolaser photocoagulation (PRP), and 71 treatment-naïve. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, interferon-induced protein (IP)-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by cytometric bead array (CBA). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used for measuring central retinal thickness (CRT).Results: IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1 in aqueous humor of DME vitrectomized eyes were significantly higher than in non-vitrectomized DME eyes, while VEGF was lower than in non-vitrectomized DME eyes. VEGF in aqueous humor significantly correlated with CRT for DME in non-vitrectomized DME eyes. IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1 in aqueous humor were not significantly associated with VEGF for DME in vitrectomized eyes.Conclusions: Inflammation might play an important role in the pathogenesis of DME in vitrectomized eyes. Moreover, inflammation might play a central role in the development of DME via the VEGF-independent pathway. Thus, anti-inflammatory therapy might be a strategy for DME in vitrectomized eyes.

Soil labile organic carbon sensitively reflects subtle changes in the soil carbon pool and is an important aspect of forest soil carbon pool research. However, little is known regarding soil labile organic carbon storage and its dynamic changes during the development of Quercus acutissima Carruth. forests. Consequently, we investigated the dynamic changes in soil organic carbon and its labile organic carbon fraction stocks at soil depths of 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–40 cm along a 17-year-old, 26-year-old, and 65-year-old chronosequence in Quercus acutissima forests. We found that stand age significantly impacted particulate organic carbon (POC), light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), and soil organic carbon (SOC). The POC, LFOC, and SOC contents at different soil depths exhibited an increasing trend with stand age, which could be described by simple linear regression. However, there was no noteworthy difference in the soil water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) content between different stand ages. Moreover, the 17-year-old, stand had higher POC, LFOC, and WSOC to SOC ratios. Soil nutrients significantly affected organic carbon and fractions, which revealed that POC, LFOC, WSOC, and SOC were remarkably positively correlated with alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen (AN) and available phosphorus (AP) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, WSOC, POC, LFOC, and SOC were significantly positively correlated with available potassium (AK) (p < 0.05). POC, LFOC, and SOC storage in the 0–40 cm soil layer increased with stand development, while WSOC storage decreased at 65a. In addition, LFOC stocks accounted for the highest proportion of organic carbon stocks. Our results indicated that the development of Quercus acutissima forests was a process of carbon sink; however, the soil organic carbon activity was high, and the soil structure was unstable during the early development stage.

Nitric acid rain (NAR) seriously affects the biogeochemical cycles of forest communities’ ecosystems. However, the effects of NAR on the composition and diversity of the soil bacterial community remain unclear. In this study, a typical subtropical forest of Quercus acutissima was selected and simulated spraying of NAR at pH 2.5 (AR2.5), 3.5 (AR3.5), and 4.5 (AR4.5) was implemented to investigate the response of the forest soil bacterial communities to NAR. The results showed that the total number of OTUs of soil bacteria in AR2.5 and AR3.5 treatments was 1.11 and 1.23 times that in the control treatment without NAR (CK), respectively. Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla in the subtropical forest, accounting for more than 80% of the community’s relative abundance. Concurrently, simulated NAR changed the relative abundance of Rhodanobacter significantly, which could be an indicator of soil bacterial community structure under NAR stress. Moreover, the Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices of strong acid rain treatments (i.e., AR2.5 and AR3.5) increased by 9.55%–22.5%, 3.6%–7.43%, and 0.15%–0.26%, respectively, compared to CK. Redundancy and correlation analysis illustrated that the phylum level structure of the bacterial community was significantly affected by soil total carbon, total nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the effects of NAR on soil microbial communities and potential soil element cycling in north subtropical forests.

Abstract Background Optimal cell type as cell-based therapies for heart failure (HF) remains unclear. We sought to compare the safety and efficacy of direct intramyocardial transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hiPSC-MSCs) in a porcine model of HF. Methods Eight weeks after induction of HF with myocardial infarction (MI) and rapid pacing, animals with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were randomly assigned to receive direct intramyocardial injection of saline (MI group), 2 × 108 hESC-CMs (hESC-CM group), or 2 × 108 hiPSC-MSCs (hiPSC-MSC group). The hearts were harvested for immunohistochemical evaluation after serial echocardiography and hemodynamic evaluation and ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) induction by in vivo programmed electrical stimulation. Results At 8 weeks post-transplantation, LVEF, left ventricular maximal positive pressure derivative, and end systolic pressure-volume relationship were significantly higher in the hiPSC-MSC group but not in the hESC-CM group compared with the MI group. The incidence of early spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) episodes was higher in the hESC-CM group but the incidence of inducible VT was similar among the different groups. Histological examination showed no tumor formation but hiPSC-MSCs exhibited a stronger survival capacity by activating regulatory T cells and reducing the inflammatory cells. In vitro study showed that hiPSC-MSCs were insensitive to pro-inflammatory interferon-gamma-induced human leukocyte antigen class II expression compared with hESC-CMs. Moreover, hiPSC-MSCs also significantly enhanced angiogenesis compared with other groups via increasing expression of distinct angiogenic factors. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that transplantation of hiPSC-MSCs is safe and does not increase proarrhythmia or tumor formation and superior to hESC-CMs for the improvement of cardiac function in HF. This is due to their immunomodulation that improves in vivo survival and enhanced angiogenesis via paracrine effects.

Stomata are key innovation in plants that drives the global carbon and water cycle. In the past few decades, many stomatal models have been developed for studying gas exchange, photosynthesis, and transpirational characteristics of plants, but they provide limited information on stomatal mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels. Quantitative mathematical modeling offers an effective in silico approach to explore the link between microscopic transporter functioning and the macroscopic stomatal characteristics. As a first step, a dynamic system model based on the guard cell membrane transport system was developed and encoded in the OnGuard software. This software has already generated a wealth of testable predictions and outcomes sufficient to guide phenotypic and mutational studies. It has a user-friendly interface, which can be easily accessed by researchers to manipulate the key elements and parameters in the system for guard cell simulation in plants. To promote the adoption of this OnGuard application, here we outline a standard protocol that will enable users with experience in basic plant physiology, cell biology, and membrane transport to advance quickly in learning to use it.

In this paper, a full-space electromagnetic wave polarization converter working in the terahertz frequency was put forward, and its physical mechanism was also analyzed. The polarization converter could realize the reflection cross-polarization conversion in the frequency range of 3.16–3.75 THz, with the Polarization Conversion Rate (PCR) of more than 90%. In the frequency range of 0.43–2.15 THz, it could realize transmission cross-polarization conversion, with the PCR close to 100%. In short, the designed metasurface polarization converter has a simple structure, realizes full-space manipulation of electromagnetic waves, facilitates the miniaturization and integration of the system, and has the potential applications in antennas, imaging systems, remote sensors, and radiometers.

We investigated afferent inputs from all areas in the frontal cortex (FC) to different subregions in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). Using retrograde tracing in macaque monkeys, we quantified projection strength by counting retrogradely labeled cells in each FC area. The projection from different FC regions varied across injection sites in strength, following different spatial patterns. Importantly, a site at the rostral end of the cingulate sulcus stood out as having strong inputs from many areas in diverse FC regions. Moreover, it was at the integrative conjunction of three projection trends across sites. This site marks a connectional hub inside the rACC that integrates FC inputs across functional modalities. Tractography with monkey diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) located a similar hub region comparable to the tracing result. Applying the same tractography method to human dMRI data, we demonstrated that a similar hub can be located in the human rACC.