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Background: This study aims to analyze the safety and clinical efficacy of using double posterolateral coaxial portals for endoscopic treatment of posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS), a procedure that has gained popularity in recent times. Methods: Six fresh foot samples were randomly selected to measure the distances of two posterolateral portals to the sural nerve in different positions (plantar flexion 10°, dorsiflexion 30°, and plantar flexion 30°) for safety evaluation. A prospective analysis was conducted on the clinical efficacy of the operative approach for endoscopic management of posterior ankle impingement syndrome, including evaluation of effectiveness and complications. Results: In this study, the mean distances of the first and second portals to the sural nerve were measured in different ankle positions. The distances were found to be 2.26 ± 0.22 cm and 1.59 ± 0.12 cm in the plantar flexion 10° position, 2.21 ± 0.21 cm and 1.55 ± 0.12 cm in the dorsiflexion 30° position, and 2.46 ± 0.29 cm and 1.73 ± 0.19 cm in the plantar flexion 30° position, demonstrating a significant safety margin from the nerve. A total of 38 patients underwent endoscopic treatment for posterior ankle impingement syndrome using double posterolateral coaxial portals between January 2012 and December 2017. This surgical approach provided access to the subtalar joint and posterior ankle region. The patients were followed up for an average of 38.2 months (24–72 months), with a satisfaction rate of 94.7%. There were no reported complications, and significant improvements were observed in both visual analogue scale (VAS) and The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Score (AOFAS) scores postoperatively. The VAS score decreased from 5.68 to 0.51 (P

Abstract Objectives Pb stress has a negative impact on plant growth by interfering with photosynthesis and releasing reactive oxygen species, causing major risks such as heavy metal ion accumulation in the soil matrix. A proteomics experiment was conducted to determine whether protein levels of Dendrobium huoshanense changed in response to Pb stress seven to fifteen days after being sprayed with a 200 mg/L Pb (NO3)2 solution. The proteomic data we gathered provides a model for investigations into the mechanisms underlying Dendrobium plant resistance to heavy metal stress. Data description A label-free quantitative proteomics approach was employed to examine the variations in protein expression levels of D. huoshanense at different times of Pb(NO3)2 treatment. We submitted the raw data obtained from these proteomics sequencing experiments to the ProteomeXchange database with the accession number PXD047050. 63,194 mass spectra in total were compared after being imported into the Proteome Discoverer software for database search. A total of 12,402 spectral peptides were identified with a confidence level exceeding 99%, which resulted in the identification of 2,449 significantly differential proteins. These proteins can be utilized for screening, functional annotation, and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed proteins before and after heavy metal treatment experiments.

Background: This study aimed to examine the associations of thyroid hormone sensitivity indices, including free triiodothyronine-to-free thyroxine (FT3/FT4) ratio, thyroid feedback quantile-based index by FT4 (TFQIFT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone index (TSHI), and thyrotrophic thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI) with all-cause mortality in euthyroid adults. Methods: The study included 6243 euthyroid adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2012. FT3/FT4 ratio, TFQIFT4, TSHI, and TT4RI were calculated. The multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and subgroup analysis were conducted. Results: Individuals in fourth quartile (Q4) had lower all-cause mortality than those in first quartile (Q1) of FT3/FT4 ratio (hazard ratio (HR): 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.94). Regarding TFQIFT4, individuals in Q4 of TFQIFT4 had a 43% higher all-cause mortality than those in Q1 (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.96) (P < 0.05, all). Compared with participants in Q1, no associations of TSHI and TT4RI with mortality were found. TFQIFT4 was linearly and positively associated with mortality. However, the FT3/FT4 ratio showed a U-shaped association with mortality. Conclusions: Increased risk for all-cause mortality was positively associated with TFQIFT4, suggesting that increased risk for all-cause mortality was associated with decreased central sensitivity to thyroid hormones. Furthermore, the FT3/ FT4 ratio showed a U-shaped association with mortality, with an inflection point at 0.5. However, more cohort studies are needed to validate the conclusions.

To understand the effect of Mg treatment on the precipitation, growth, and transformation of inclusions in 430 ferritic stainless steel during solidification, slag refining and Mg treatment experiments with different cooling methods were conducted at 1873 K (1600 °C). Experimental results showed that the oxide inclusions in 430 stainless steel without Mg treatment were mainly Al2O3–SiO2–MnO (slag phase), Al2O3–Cr2O3–MnO (spinel phase), high-Al2O3 (corundum phase) and CaO–SiO2–Al2O3–MnO (slag phase), while all of the oxides except CaO–SiO2–Al2O3–MnO inclusions transformed to MgO–Al2O3–Cr2O3–MnO (spinel phase) after Mg treatment. With water quenching, the average inclusion diameters were about 1.4 μm in both of the Mg-free and Mg-bearing steels, while they increased to approximate 3.1 and 1.9 μm after furnace cooling, separately. With the decrease of cooling rate from 26.2 to 1.24 K s−1, in the Mg-free steel, the average Al2O3 and Cr2O3 contents in the inclusion increased from 19.6 to 42.6 mass% and from 12.22 to 19.44 mass%, respectively, and the average SiO2 content decreased from 43.5 to 17.1 mass%. However, the average composition of inclusions in Mg-bearing steel was relatively stable and independent of cooling rate. A kinetic model was established with the solute micro-segregation model to predict oxide inclusion growth during cooling and solidification. Without and with Mg treatment, under a cooling rate of 1 K s−1, the calculated final sizes of the most stable oxide inclusions were 3.27 and 1.88 μm, respectively. The predicted average compositions and diameters of oxide inclusions were generally consistent with the experimental results.

Introduction: DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factors (TFs) are a unique family of TFs found in higher plants that regulate plant responses to light, hormones, and abiotic stresses. The specific involvement of Dof genes in the response to environmental stresses remains unknown in D. huoshanense.Methods: A total of 22 Dof family genes were identified from the D. huoshanense genome.Results: Chromosome location analysis showed that DhDof genes were distributed on 12 chromosomes, with the largest number of Dof genes located on chromosome 8. The phylogenetic tree revealed that DhDofs could be categorized into 11 distinct subgroups. In addition to the common groups, DhDof4, DhDof5, DhDof17, and the AtDof1.4 ortholog were clustered into the B3 subgroup. Group E was a newly identified branch, among which DhDof6, DhDof7, DhDof8, and DhDof9 were in an independent branch. The conserved motifs and gene structure revealed the differences in motif number and composition of DhDofs. The dof domain near the N-terminus was highly conserved and contained a C2-C2-type zinc finger structure linked with four cysteines. Microsynteny and interspecies collinearity revealed gene duplication events and phylogenetic tree among DhDofs. Large-scale gene duplication had not occurred among the DhDofs genes and only in one pair of genes on chromosome 13. Synteny blocks were found more often between D. huoshanense and its relatives and less often between Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Selection pressure analysis indicated that DhDof genes were subject to purifying selection. Expression profiles and correlation analyses revealed that the Dof gene under hormone treatments showed several different expression patterns. DhDof20 and DhDof21 had the highest expression levels and were co-expressed under MeJA induction. The cis-acting element analysis revealed that each DhDof had several regulatory elements involved in plant growth as well as abiotic stresses. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that DhDof2 was the main ABA-responsive gene and DhDof7 was the main cold stress-related gene. IAA suppressed the expression of some Dof candidates, and SA inhibited most of the candidate genes.Discussion: Our results may provide new insights for the further investigation of the Dof genes and the screening of the core stress-resistance genes.

The fungal endophytes are an understudied area of research with great potential for new bioactive compounds’ discovery. These are the fungal strains that live within the inner compartments of the host plant without causing it any kind of harm. These fungal endophytes, in combination with the host organisms, synthesize many compounds with a range of pharmaceutical values. Most recently, the discovery of fungal endophyte genes which are linked with the biosynthesis of plant metabolites has opened a new field of research. These plant partners assist plants against biotic stress and protect them from pathogenic attacks or diseases with the presence of some important gene families like WRKY and MYB. The bioactive metabolites from this group are known for their anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-tubercular properties. Therefore, these bioactive compounds offer new routes for discovering novel drugs, which can boost the pharmaceutical industry in times of great demand for novel drugs. Extracellular enzymes are also produced within the members of this distinct group which are crucial for several industrial sectors, including the biofuel production industry. Furthermore, fungal endophytes are capable of synthesizing silver nanoparticles, which exhibit significant potential in fields like biomedical imaging and water purification. This article aims to document all the available data on this group of fungi living in medicinal plants and the major compounds produced by members of this distinct group that are in use for the therapy of various ailments.

Abstract Background Influenza is a common illness for its high rates of morbidity and transmission. The implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage its dissemination could affect the transmission of influenza. Methods A retrospective analysis, between 2018 and 2023, was conducted to examine the incidence of influenza virus types A and B among patients in sentinel cities located in North or South China as well as in Wuhan City. For validations, data on the total count of influenza patients from 2018 to 2023 were collected at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, which is not included in the sentinel hospital network. Time series methods were utilized to examine seasonal patterns and to forecast future influenza trends. Results Northern and southern cities in China had earlier outbreaks during the NPIs period by about 8 weeks compared to the 2018–2019. The implementation of NPIs significantly reduced the influenza-like illness (ILI) rate and infection durations. Influenza B Victoria and H3N2 were the first circulating strains detected after the relaxation of NPIs, followed by H1N1 across mainland China. The SARIMA model predicted synchronized H1N1 outbreak cycles in North and South China, with H3N2 expected to occur in the summer in southern cities and in the winter in northern cities over the next 3 years. The ILI burden is expected to rise in both North and South China over the next 3 years, with higher ILI% levels in southern cities throughout the year, especially in winter, and in northern cities mainly during winter. In Wuhan City and the Central Hospital of Wuhan, influenza levels are projected to peak in the winter of 2024, with 2 smaller peaks expected during the summer of 2023. Conclusions In this study, we report the impact of NPIs on future influenza trends in mainland China. We recommend that local governments encourage vaccination during the transition period between summer and winter to mitigate economic losses and mortality associated with influenza.

Abstract Background Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, contains coumarin and volatile oil components that have clinical application value. However, early bolting often occurs in the medicinal materials of Apiaceae plants. The rhizomes of the medicinal parts are gradually lignified after bolting, resulting in a sharp decrease in the content of coumarins. At present, the link between coumarin biosynthesis and early bolting in P. praeruptorum has not been elucidated. Results Combining the genome sequencing and the previous transcriptome sequencing results, we reanalyzed the differential transcripts of P. praeruptorum before and after bolting. A total of 62,088 new transcripts were identified, of which 31,500 were unknown transcripts. Functional classification and annotation showed that many genes were involved in the regulation of transcription, defense response, and carbohydrate metabolic processes. The main domains are the pentatricopeptide repeat, protein kinase, RNA recognition motif, leucine-rich repeat, and ankyrin repeat domains, indicating their pivotal roles in protein modification and signal transduction. Gene structure analysis showed that skipped exon (SE) was the most dominant alternative splicing, followed by the alternative 3’ splice site (A3SS) and the alternative 5’ splice site (A5SS). Functional enrichment of differentially expressed genes showed that these differentially expressed genes mainly include transmembrane transporters, channel proteins, DNA-binding proteins, polysaccharide-binding proteins, etc. In addition, genes involved in peroxisome, hexose phosphate pathway, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, and inositol phosphate metabolism pathway were greatly enriched. A protein-protein interaction network analysis discoverd 1,457 pairs of proteins that interact with each other. The expression levels of six UbiA genes, three UGT genes, and four OMT genes were higher during the bolting stage. This observation suggests their potential involvement in the catalytic processes of prenylation, glycosylation, and methylation of coumarins, respectively. A total of 100 peroxidase (PRX) genes were identified being involved in lignin polymerization, but only nine PRX genes were highly expressed at the bolting stage. It is worth noting that 73 autophagy-related genes (ATGs) were first identified from the KEGG pathway-enriched genes. Some ATGs, such as BHQH00009837, BHQH00013830, and novel8944, had higher expression levels after bolting. Conclusions Comparative transcriptome analysis and large-scale genome screening provide guidance and new opinions for the identification of bolting-related genes in P. praeruptorum.

To determine the effects of C/A ratio (CaO/Al2O3) and the basicity B (CaO/SiO2) of Al2O3–CaO–SiO2–MgO(–CaF2) refining slags on the characteristics of inclusions and sulfur (S) content in 316L stainless steels, equilibrium experiments between the slag and steel were carried out at 1873 K under laboratory conditions. Thermodynamic investigations were performed to understand how the chemical compositions of the inclusions changed and to evaluate the desulfurization capabilities of the refining slags. Additionally, a mathematical model was established for predicting the separation of nonmetallic inclusions during refining and characterizing the movements of the inclusions at the “slag–steel” interface. First, the findings showed that increasing the slag basicity B in the range of 1.0–7.0 led to a reduction in the dissolved [O] mass fraction from 0.0033% to 0.0021% and the total oxygen (T.O.) from 0.0050% to 0.0031% while also slightly improving the cleanliness of the steel by increasing the C/A ratio within the range 1.0–2.2. Then, the average compositions of the inclusions in the steel were approximately (mol pct SiO2)/(mol pct MnO) = 0.57 (±0.08), and the Al2O3 content grew from 6.55% to 18.36% (mol pct), while increasing the slag basicity B resulted in an increase in the Al2O3 content of the inclusions. Once the B exceeded 5.0, further increases in the slag basicity did not continuously increase the desulfurization capability. Finally, all calculations of refining slag with the model yielded separation rates were higher than 80% for inclusions with diameters of 5 μm. For inclusion removal after slag refining, the results of the experiments exhibited consistent agreement with the predictions from the mathematical model.

Abstract This paper investigates the design and implementation of a new single‐phase sensorless power factor corrected (PFC) circuit. Here, the inductor‐current sensor and its sensing circuit are removed. As a result, the cost and volume of the PFC circuit are effectively reduced. Two different methods, including an inductor‐voltage estimation method and an inductor‐current estimation method, are proposed and compared. To improve the dynamic responses of the PFC circuit, predictive voltage control and predictive current control are implemented here. A digital signal processor, type TMS‐320F‐2808, manufactured by Texas Instruments, is used here as the control centre to execute the sensorless methods and control algorithms. A 400 W, 50 kHz switching frequency, single‐phase alternating current (AC) 110 V /DC 300 V PFC circuit is implemented. The measured results validate the feasibility and correctness of the proposed methods. This proposed sensorless PFC circuit can be widely applied in industry due to its simplicity.