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Abstract Background Aleutian mink disease, mink viral enteritis and canine distemper are known as the three most serious diseases that cause great economic loss in the mink industry. In clinical practice, aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), mink enteritis virus (MEV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) are common mixed infections, and they have similar clinical clinical signs, such as diarrhoea. Therefore, a rapid and accurate differential diagnosis method for use on mink ranches is essential for the control of these three pathogens. Here, we developed multiplex one-step real-time quantitative PCR (RT‒qPCR) assays for the simultaneous detection and quantification of AMDV, MEV and CDV by using three primers and probes based on the conserved NS1, VP2 and N genes, respectively. Results The results showed that the established method can not cross-react with other mink pathogens, with a detection sensitivity of 25 copies/µL and a coefficient of variation less than 3.51%. Moreover, the interference experiment showed that the presence of AMDV, MEV and CDV templates at different concentrations would not interfere with the detection results. Furthermore, two hundred clinical samples of mink with diarrhoea were simultaneously analysed using multiplex RT‒qPCR and single RT‒qPCR, the Kappa values were all greater than 0.921, indicating that there was a high degree of coincidence between the two detection methods. Conclusions In conclusion, multiplex RT‒qPCR exhibited high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility, indicating that this method can be used as a reliable and specific tool for the differential detection and quantification of AMDV, MEV and CDV.

Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (IE) in native valves is associated with high mortality rates and is prone to various complications, including embolic strokes, which often result in poor prognoses. Contezolid, a novel oxazolidinone antibiotic, exhibits superior therapeutic efficacy with a reduced risk of hematologic toxicity. However, there are currently no reports on the treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications. Case Presentation We reported a young female patient with MSSA IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications. She was diagnosed through blood culture, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and cranial imaging, but the therapy using piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin failed. Therefore, the combination therapy of cefazolin and linezolid was applied, and her body temperature gradually returned to normal, and the infection symptoms were controlled. However, the platelets (PLT) dropped to 114 × 109/L, so contezolid was used as an alternative therapy. Subsequently, the PLT returned to normal. The patient received contezolid therapy for 3 weeks and was free of adverse events during the 2 years of follow-up. Conclusion This was the first case of MSSA IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications in a young woman, who was successfully treated with an antibiotic regimen containing contezolid, without the need for surgical intervention, demonstrating remarkable efficacy and safety.

Abstract The coal-fired power sector is facing unprecedented pressure due to the shift to low-carbon energy sources and the need to prevent climate change. It is imperative to incorporate advanced technologies into conventional coal-fired power plants to enhance their efficiency, flexibility, and environmental sustainability. One advantage of post-combustion CCS methods is that they may be retrofitted into power plants that are already in place. The goal of this work is to design a CO2 flue gas cleaning retrofit system that will meet the most stringent air quality regulations in an operational coal power station in Southern Africa. It will operate and expedite the removal of undesired gas (CO2) in order to attain ideal requirements for air quality in one of Southern Africa's current coal-fired power plants, the Duvha Coal Power Plant. This study is based on chemical absorption, and explores the mechanistic design of the scrubber, which was accomplished through simple computations and Ansys simulations. The approach for developing a wet CO2 scrubber and LSTG system is based on chemical absorption and is integrated with a pilot plant. The results of the parametric study provide a foundation for a comprehensive industrial system design for South Africa's coal-powered industry. The results show that the scrubber's cylinder height and diameter can be used for an LSTG system and are appropriate for CO2 gas flow and capture. The application of the suggested scrubber design and the LTSG's contributions will allow the coal power station to operate with minimal GHG emissions released into the atmosphere. Instead of shutting down coal power facilities, this cleaning system that completely absorbs CO2 emissions can be used to maintain a robust power infrastructure, rather than being phased out. This will boost the power plant's efficiency over its initial operating efficiency and benefit the nation's economy and the power industry.

Transparent materials are essential to our daily lives. It's very well recognized that their use in windshields, cars, windows, mirrors, and eyewear makes our everyday tasks more comfortable. In addition to these, several other instances may be found in the culinary, medical, and solar industries, among other spheres of human endeavor. Unfortunately, under typical operating conditions, this material experiences fogging owing to the unavoidable condensation of water vapor on solid surface. Researchers are becoming more and more interested in antifogging nano-coatings with remarkable water repellence as a result of the growth of the coating industries and material engineering. Numerous compounds have been created by researchers thus far to prepare antifogging films. There have been reports on the mechanisms and guidelines for the creation of these agents by various technologies as a result of the core requirements of various fields. We present the latest developments in antifogging nanocoatings and antifogging performance test procedures in this review. Additionally, there has been a focus on offering understanding of the latest advancement in superhydrophobic coating through the application of nanotechnology. According to the literature, the reported antifogging films do not show sufficient results and continue to pose a practical issue that requires real-world application. As a result, antifogging techniques need to be improved further.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide. eIF3a is highly expressed in a variety of cancer types, yet its role in CRC remains unclear. We introduced ectopic eIF3a expression in CRC cells to investigate its relevance to various malignant behaviors. Further, we silenced eIF3a to explore its effect on tumor growth in a nude mouse tumor xenograft model. Finally, the molecular mechanisms through which eIF3a regulates malignancy in CRC cells were explored through bioinformatics analysis combined with the use of a specific PI3K inhibitor (LY294002). eIF3a was highly expressed in the peripheral blood and cancer tissue of CRC patients. Malignancy and tumor growth were significantly inhibited by silencing eIF3a, while overexpression promoted malignant behaviors, with a positive correlation between PI3K/AKT activation and eIF3a expression. Taken together, eIF3a plays an oncogenic role in CRC by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling and is a potential biomarker for CRC diagnosis and prognostic monitoring.

Abstract Background β-catenin, acting as the core effector of canonical Wnt signaling pathway, plays a pivotal role in controlling lineage commitment and the formation of definitive endoderm (DE) during early embryonic development. Despite extensive studies using various animal and cell models, the β-catenin-centered regulatory mechanisms underlying DE formation remain incompletely understood, partly due to the rapid and complex cell fate transitions during early differentiation. Results In this study, we generated new CTNNB1-/- human ES cells (hESCs) using CRISPR-based insertional gene disruption approach and systematically rescued the DE defect in these cells by introducing various truncated or mutant forms of β-catenin. Our analysis showed that a truncated β-catenin lacking both N- and C-terminal domains (ΔN148C) could robustly rescue the DE formation, whereas hyperactive β-catenin mutants with S33Y mutation or N-terminal deletion (ΔN90) had limited ability to induce DE lineage. Notably, the ΔN148C mutant exhibited significant nuclear translocation that was positively correlated with successful DE rescue. Transcriptomic analysis further uncovered that two weak β-catenin mutants lacking the C-terminal transactivation domain (CTD) activated primitive streak (PS) genes, whereas the hyperactive β-catenin mutants activated mesoderm genes. Conclusion Our study uncovered an unconventional regulatory function of β-catenin through weak transactivation, indicating that the levels of β-catenin activity determine the lineage bifurcation from mesendoderm into endoderm and mesoderm.

Abstract How to accurately assess logistics industry efficiency to identify production issues and provide support for optimizing logistics efficiency has become a current research challenge. Range adjust measure (RAM) is a method for efficiency assessment in data envelopment analysis. Currently, the RAM model only applies under the variable returns to scale condition and not to other conditions. This paper aims to establish a modified RAM (MRAM) model by revising the ranges for inputs and outputs of the RAM model. Under the constant returns to scale (CRS) condition, we first develop the RAM-CRS model. Then, by introducing radial models to define the lower bounds of inputs and the upper bounds of outputs, the MRAM is proposed. The logistics data from 18 provinces are collected to validate the practicality of the MRAM model. We compare the results of the MRAM with those of the RAM-CRS and conclude that the range bounds under RAM-CRS are too tight, which results in efficiency values at a relatively low level. The MRAM with modified bounds appropriately alleviates this restriction. We also compare the MRAM and the additive model. The results show that the efficiency of the MRAM is more accurate.

Generally, diabetic wounds heal very slowly and inefficiently with an increasing risk of infections. Recent nanotechnology and biomaterial advances elaborate developed multi-functional hydrogels and nanoparticles offer promising solutions to accelerate wound healing for diabetic patients. This research work demonstrates to use of solvent diffusion method to develop hydrogel nanocomposites composed of chitosan (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), gold (Au), and fibroblast growth factors (FGF). The biological analysis of nanocomposites exhibited enhanced wound healing efficiency by incorporating bioactive molecules like FGF and bioactive Au nanoparticles. In vitro, cell compatibility analysis (MTT assay) of prepared hydrogel nanocomposites was studied on fibroblast cell lines NIH-3T3-L1 and L929 and exhibited greater cell survival ability (>90 %), cell proliferation and migration ability, which demonstrated the suitability of nanocomposite for wound healing treatment. In vitro, anti-bacterial analyses established that FGF-Au@CS/HA has strong antibacterial effectiveness against gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. The observation of the present research revealed that prepared FGF-Au@CS/HA hydrogel composites could be a suitable biomaterial for diabetic wound care, potentially improving its antibacterial and healing efficacies.

The rising measure of waste produced from polyethene terephthalate (PET) and the interest in eco-accommodating energy storage arrangements have prompted escalated examination into reusing waste PET into supercapacitors. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent advancements in the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste (PETW), as a supercapacitor electrode precursor. The review looks at different methodologies for recovering PET from waste, including mechanical, chemical, enzyme, etc. It further explores the combination strategies for electrode materials produced using PET. Besides, PET-derived materials' electrochemical performance in supercapacitor application is likewise broken down, with an emphasis on key electrochemical boundaries like capacitive behaviour, cyclic stability, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The need for scalable and cost-effective recycling methods, the creation of eco-friendly electrolytes, and the improvement of the electrochemical performance of recycled PET-based supercapacitors are just a few of the issues and opportunities highlighted in this expanding eco-friendly industry. Overall, the goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the cutting-edge developments in the use of recycled PETW as a precursor for supercapacitor electrodes, highlighting the eco-friendly energy storage solution's potential and contributing to a sustainable future.

The imperative to address traditional energy crises and environmental concerns has accelerated the need for energy structure transformation. However, the variable nature of renewable energy poses challenges in meeting complex practical energy requirements. To address this issue, the construction of a multifunctional large-scale stationary energy storage system is considered an effective solution. This paper critically examines the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage systems. Both technologies face limitations hindering them from fully meeting future energy storage needs, such as large storage capacity in limited space, frequent storage with rapid response, and continuous storage without loss. Batteries, with their rapid response (90 ​%), excel in frequent short-duration energy storage. However, limitations such as a self-discharge rate (>1 ​%) and capacity loss (∼20 ​%) restrict their use for long-duration energy storage. Hydrogen, as a potential energy carrier, is suitable for large-scale, long-duration energy storage due to its high energy density, steady state, and low loss. Nevertheless, it is less efficient for frequent energy storage due to its low storage efficiency (∼50 ​%). Ongoing research suggests that a battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system could combine the strengths of both technologies to meet the growing demand for large-scale, long-duration energy storage. To assess their applied potentials, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the research status of both energy storage technologies using proposed key performance indices. Additionally, application-oriented future directions and challenges of the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system are outlined from multiple perspectives, offering guidance for the development of advanced energy storage systems.

Abstract Background The prevalence of infections with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) pose great challenges for anti-infective therapy. Previous research on MDRO infections after cardiac surgery was limited. Therefore, understanding and mastering the clinical characteristics and risk predictors of MDRO infection after cardiac surgery is of great significance for standardized management of perioperative patients. Methods The medical records of adult patients with MDRO infection after cardiac surgery from January 2018 to October 2021 were collected, and patients were divided into MDR infection group (n = 176) and non-MDR infection group (n = 233). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis of variables was performed to determine the risk predictors of MDRO infection. Results The incidence of MDRO infection was 8.6%. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common, accounting for 37.3%, 23.5% and 18.0%, respectively. The main infection type were lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI = 29.0%). Univariate analysis showed that underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (P = 0.001) and secondary operation (P = 0.008), pre-infection exposure to vancomycin (P

Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells, liquified fumes, and other derivatives; however, their indiscriminate disposal persists, raising issues related to the environment and economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the use of palm kernel shell as a corrosion inhibitor for thermo-mechanically treated steel in a seawater environment using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques, as well as surface tests at varying concentrations. The findings demonstrated that the palm kernel shell inhibited the cathodic and anodic processes by adsorption on the steel surface, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitor exhibited a 98% inhibitory efficiency at 500 ppm concentration. Scanning electron microscopy analysis verified the thin films of the inhibitor on steel surface in seawater solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract’s components prevent the steel corrosion through an adsorptive mechanism. According to the inhibitor economic evaluation, employing the palm kernel shell extract is less expensive than utilizing conventional inhibitors.

Several cases of the hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) caused by immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-M antibodies have been reported, in which almost all the HDFN-associated anti-M were warmly reacting. Here we report two cases of severe HDFN associated with cold-reacting IgG anti-M. In both cases, pregnancy was terminated, in weeks 33 and 23 respectively, due to a diagnosis of fetal growth retardation (FGR). To our knowledge, these are the most severe HDFN cases caused by cold-reacting IgG anti-M.

Abstract Climate change and its related side effects are generating a demand for innovative ways to enhance desalination performance by adopting cost-effective and energy-efficient membrane materials. Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), a two-dimensional (2D) material, holds the potential to address the deficiency of the current polymeric reverse osmosis (RO) membrane by maximizing the water-energy nexus. The nanoscale thickness of the MoS2 membrane promises better water permeability benefiting from the small diffusion length of the transport of the molecules while maintaining good chemical and mechanical robustness. Although many advantages have been projected, the experimental realization of such near-atomic thickness has not been fully explored because of the technological difficulties associated with the production. This review first highlights the remarkable combination of the ion’s rejection and permeability properties of the MoS2 membrane by discussing two distinct reported approaches for using MoS2 as a membrane for water desalination. Subsequently, the engineering challenges of the MoS2 membrane scalability for water desalination are discussed. Lastly, the possible opportunities for a well-controlled fabrication process critical to achieving and advancing MoS2 membranes from research laboratories to the industrial-scale application are outlined. We aim to provide a collective understanding of the realization of a high permi-selective MoS2 membrane for water desalination.

Background Hypertension is a leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure (SBP) more than 160 mmHg was thought to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. The present study was performed to explore the clinical characteristics and management of hemodialysis patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg.Methods A total of 1233 patients undergoing hemodialysis from nine hemodialysis centers were enrolled. Pre-dialysis and home BP were measured and clinical data were collected. The characteristics of patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg were explored. Clinical parameters between hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients were compared. The partial correlation analyses performed to identify the associations between BP and clinical parameters.Results There were 24.6% of the hemodialysis patients had pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg and the average SBP was 173.8 ± 10.9 mmHg. Only 21.4% of the patients achieved dry weight after dialysis and up to 30.2% of patients were not given combination therapies of antihypertensive drugs. Compared to patients with pre-hemodialysis SBP < 160 mmHg, patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had lower target-reaching rate of Kt/v and higher incidences of intradialytic hypotension and muscle spasm. Most patients (96%) with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had home SBP≥ 135 mmHg. Patients with home SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had higher left ventricular weight index and lower hemoglobin levels when compared to their counterparts with home SBP

Abstract In situ stress and groundwater have important effects on the deformation and stability of deep underground rock masses. Therefore, it is extremely important to study the mechanical properties and permeability evolutionary processes of rocks under hydromechanical (HM) coupling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties and permeability evolution of sandstone using triaxial compression tests under different confining and seepage pressures. The test results show that the confining pressure can increase the strength of sandstone, whereas the seepage pressure has the opposite effect. The initial and maximum permeabilities were positively correlated with seepage pressure and negatively correlated with confining pressure. The confining and seepage pressures had little effect on the change in initial permeability. As a common parameter of acoustic emission (AE), cumulative AE counts can intuitively reflect the permeability evolutionary process in the sandstone failure process. A permeability evolutionary early warning model for the sandstone failure process under HM coupling is proposed. The results are helpful for understanding the influence of in situ stress and seepage pressure on deep sandstone and the permeability evolutionary mechanism, and they can be used to provide early warning of water inrush disasters in deep underground structures.

Designing nanocomposites with heterointerface as bifunctional electrocatalysts is a potential strategy to overcome the intrinsic activity limitation of electrocatalytic water splitting in acidic media, but it remains challenging. Herein, the highly efficient RuO2/Co3O4 electrocatalyst with a uniform nanoflower structure is prepared by hydrothermal growth combined with interface engineering. Benefiting from the unique nanostructure, the migration of electrons and intermediates is optimized by the sufficient exposure of abundant micropores and defects. Moreover, the formation of strong electronic interaction at the RuO2/Co3O4 heterointerfaces boosts the electrochemical active surface area and accelerates the reaction kinetics, which effectively improve the catalytic activity and stability of the catalyst. Based on enhanced intrinsic activity and electron transfer, the as‐synthesized RuO2/Co3O4 displays impressive hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction activity, which respectively require low overpotentials of 240 and 100 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 m H2SO4. As a bifunctional electrode, RuO2/Co3O4 exhibits a low operating voltage of 1.58 V at 10 mA cm−2 for overall electrochemical water splitting. This study demonstrates the importance of heterostructure engineering in providing an avenue to achieve acid‐stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.

The depletion and overuse of fossil fuels present formidable challenge to energy supply system and environment. The human society is in great need of clean, renewable and sustainable energy which can guarantee the long-term utilization without leading to escalation of greenhouse effect. Hydrogen, as an extraordinary secondary energy, is capable of realizing the target of environmental protection and transferring the intermittent primary energy to the application terminal, while its nature of low volumetric energy density and volatility need suitable storage method and proper carrier. In this context, liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), among a series of storage methods such as compressed and liquefied hydrogen, provokes a considerable amount of research interest, since it is proven to be a suitable carrier for hydrogen with safety and stability. However, the dehydrogenation of hydrogen-rich LOHC materials is an endothermic process and needs large energy consumption, which hampers the scale up of the LOHC system. The heat issue is thus essential to be addressed for fulfilling the potential of LOHC. In this work, several strategies of heat intensification and management for LOHC system, including the microwave irradiation, circulation of exhaust heat and direct LOHC fuel cell, are summarized and analyzed to provide suggestions and directions for future research.

In this study, machine learning algorithm was used to model measurements of corrosion rates of stainless steel Type 904 in 0.5 M H2SO4 media as a function of exposure time, and temperature, when corrosion inhibitors are added in different dosage. Hyper-parameter optimization of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and artificial neural network (ANN) was carried out to select the best model that accurately predicts the corrosion rate. A range of 1–10 neurons in a single hidden layer neural network with varying prominent training algorithms and activation functions was tested. The FCM-clustered ANFIS model tested a range of 2–20 cluster numbers. The models’ performance was evaluated using correlation determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). The experiments show that the FCM-clustered ANFIS model with 20 clusters outperformed all other models with MAPE, MAD, RMSE, and R2 values of 1.9222, 0.5543, 0.7317, and 0.9308 at the testing phase respectively, and 0.5457, 0.3943, 2.9258 and 0.9993 at the training phase respectively. The entire FCM-ANFIS model produced the optimum prediction with a 96.40% level of robustness and accuracy. Therefore, ANFIS and ANN can be used to predict corrosion inhibition using agricultural waste in acidic media with great degree of success. These models are reliable, cheap, fast, efficient, and effective tools for corrosion inhibition prediction.

The toxic nature and low-inhibition potency of some conventional organic molecules in corrosion inhibition of engineering materials against the acid-containing solutions requires further investigation. Subsequently, the use of nontoxic, durable and environmental friendly palm kernel shell-derived extracts for the development of biodegradable inhibitor in stainless steel corrosion management is the purpose of this study. The anticorrosive property of the extract was evaluated by gravimetric and electrochemical tests. The hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and microstructure were also examined. The scanning electron microscopy examination was used to verify the protection performance of the inhibitor while X-ray diffraction was used to confirm the crystallinity of the inhibitor. The results obtained show that the palm kernel shell can suppress acid corrosion in all ranges of concentrations. Microscopic analysis revealed a lower population density and degree of pitting corrosion on the inhibited samples as compared to the uninhibited sample, which was covered with various dimensions of pits. Electrochemical results reflected that the palm kernel shell complex could retard corrosion of stainless steel by 93% inhibition efficiency via mixed anodic and cathodic inhibition mechanisms. The mechanical property of the inhibited samples was improved compared to the uninhibited samples. The extract adsorption on stainless steel surface was found to conform the Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Therefore, palm kernel waste extract on the metal surface enhances the mass and charge barrier resulting in the reduction of the corrosion rate. However, this study provides new opportunity for the synthesis and design of effective corrosion inhibitors based on waste materials .

Abstract Steroid 5α‐reductase type 2 deficiency (5α‐RD2) and androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) are difficult to distinguish clinically and biochemically, and adrenal‐derived androgens have not been investigated in these conditions using modern methods. The objective of the study was to compare Chinese patients with 5α‐RD2, AIS, and healthy men. Sixteen patients with 5α‐RD2, 10 patients with AIS, and 39 healthy men were included. Serum androgen profiles were compared in these subjects using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Based on clinical features and laboratory tests, 5α‐RD2 and AIS were diagnosed and confirmed by genotyping. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T) were both significantly lower in patients with 5α‐RD2 than AIS (p < 0.0001). The T/DHT ratio was higher in 5α‐RD2 (4.5–88.6) than AIS (13.4–26.7) or healthy men (7.6–40.5). Using LC‐MS/MS, a cutoff T/DHT value of 27.3 correctly diagnosed 5α‐RD2 versus AIS with sensitivity 93.8% and specificity 100%. Among the adrenal‐derived 11‐oxygenated androgens, 11β‐hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4) and 11‐ketoandrostenedione (11KA4) were also lower in patients with 5α‐RD2 than those of patients with AIS. In contrast, 11β‐hydroxytestosterone (11OHT) was higher in 5α‐RD2 than AIS. Furthermore, a 11OHT/11OHA4 cutoff value of 0.048 could also distinguish 5α‐RD2 from AIS. Thus, both elevated T/DHT values above 27.3 and the unexpected 11‐oxygenated androgen profile, with a 11OHT/11OHA4 ratio greater than 0.048, distinguished 5α‐RD2 from AIS. These data suggest that the metabolism of both gonadal and adrenal‐derived androgens is altered in 5α‐RD2.

The phase transition kinetics of A508-3 steel during continuous cooling were studied by high temperature transition instrument which was based on thermodilatometry in this paper. The microstructures during continuous heating and cooling were also observed. The transition points were determined to be austenite formation temperatures, Ac1 = 757 °C, Ac3 = 823 °C, and martensitic transformation start and final temperatures, Ms = 382 °C, Mf = 222 °C at the cooling rate of 5 °C/s. The curves of Austenite transition fraction and time during continuous heating show a typical S shape. And the Austenite will show a maximum transition rate value at the middle temperature. The volume fraction of new phases translated from Austenite as functions of time and temperature during the cooling process can be obtained using the lever law. The pearlite transitions can occur in high temperature region at cooling rate smaller than 0.1 °C/s. And Bainite can be gotten at a lower temperature region. The S type curves can be used to describe the relationships between the transition volume fraction and time. Increasing the cooling rate enhances the volume fraction of Martensite at the cooling rate ≥5 °C/s. And only Martensite transition can be observed at the cooling rate > 10 °C/s. And Ms and Mf increase with increasing cooling rate. The Martensite transition kinetics equation with changing temperature were obtained. Finally, the continuous cooling transformation curves of A508-3 steel was constructed, which can be used to predict the microstructure and design the heat treatment technologies.

Etimicin is a fourth-generation aminoglycoside antibiotic. It has potent activity and low toxicity when employed for the treatment of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections. The pharmacokinetics of etimicin in humans have not been elucidated completely. Two liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) bioanalytical methods, without the use of any ion-pairing reagents, were developed and validated for the quantification of etimicin in human samples of serum and urine. Using a deuterated reagent as the internal standard, analytes in serum and urine samples were extracted by protein precipitation and dilution before LC-MS/MS analysis, respectively. For the two methods, chromatographic separations were undertaken under isocratic elution of water–ammonia solution–acetic acid (96:3.6:0.2, v/v/v) and methanol at 50%:50% and a flow rate of 0.35 ml/min within 5 min. A Waters XTerra MS C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) and a column temperature of 40°C were chosen. A Sciex Qtrap 5500 mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ion source was used in both methods under multiple-reaction monitoring in positive-ion mode. The two methods showed good linearity, accuracy, and precision with high recovery and a minimal matrix effect in the range of 50.0–20000 ng/ml for serum samples and 50.0–10000 ng/ml for urine samples, respectively. Carry-over effects were not observed. Etimicin remained stable in human samples of serum or urine under the storage, preparation, and analytical conditions of the two methods. These two simple and reliable methods were applied successfully to a dose-escalation, phase I clinical trial of etimicin in Chinese healthy volunteers after intravenous administration of single and multiple doses. Based on these two methods we ascertained, for the first time, the comprehensive pharmacokinetics of etimicin in humans, which will be used for the exploration of the breakpoint research further.

The advanced manufacturing industry is located at the top of the manufacturing value chain. Its development is restricted by supply chain collaboration (SCC), the level of which is affected by many factors. Few studies comprehensively summarize what influences SCC and distinguish the impact level of each factor. Practitioners have difficulty isolating the primary factors that affect SCC and managing them effectively. Therefore, based on synergetics and the theory of comparative advantage, this study analyzes what influences SCC in the advanced manufacturing industry and how these influencing factors work, using data from 94 manufacturing enterprises and the Haken model to identify the influencing factors. The results show that China’s advanced manufacturing supply chain underwent a phase change and entered a new stage during 2017–2018. In the new stage, the competitive advantages of enterprises are one order parameter (slow variable) and are primary factors affecting SCC. The interest demands of enterprises are a fast variable and are secondary factors affecting SCC. The competitive advantages of enterprises dominate the interests of enterprises in affecting the collaboration level of China’s advanced manufacturing supply chain. In addition, in the process of influencing SCC, there is a positive correlation between the competitive advantages of enterprises and the interest demands of enterprises, and the two factors have a positive feedback mechanism. Finally, when the enterprises in the supply chain cooperate based on their differential advantages, the collaboration capability of the supply chain is at the highest level, and the overall operation of the supply chain is orderly. In terms of theoretical contribution, this study is the first to propose a collaborative motivation framework that conforms to the characteristics of sequential parameters, which provides a theoretical reference for subsequent studies on SCC. In addition, the theory of comparative advantage and synergetics are linked for the first time in this study, and both of them are enriched and developed. Equally importantly, this study compares the bidirectional influence between firms’ competitive advantages and firms’ interest demands and the ability of both to influence SCC, enriching previous validation studies of unidirectional influence. In terms of practical implications, this study guides top managers to focus on the management practice of collaborative innovation in the supply chain and advises purchasing managers and sales managers on selecting supply chain partnerships.

Aluminium corrosion in hydrochloric acid media is a huge challenge in the chemical industry; hence, creating green and more efficient inhibitors is an urgent task. Furthermore, the increasing amount of solid waste and its disposal consequences has been a major economic and environmental problem. Therefore, this study aims to determine the protective effect of coconut shell as a potential corrosion inhibitor for AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy in 1 M hydrochloric acid solutions using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The results show that the inhibition efficiency increases with an increase in the coconut shell concentration, and the maximum inhibition efficiency reaches 97.91% at 1 g/L. The potentiodynamic polarization study shows that the inhibitor acts as a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor. The adsorption of the inhibitor obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The surface characterization confirmed the presence of barrier layers covering the aluminum surface. The mechanical properties were also determined and discussed. As compared to the wide range of reported corrosion inhibitors in the literature, the coconut shell has shown to be highly effective for AA2024-T3aluminium alloy. Therefore, it can be suggested that coconut shell waste is a potential corrosion inhibitor for AA2024-T3aluminium alloy in the chemical industry.

Bacillus subtilis is an important part of the gut microbiota and a commonly used probiotic. In the present study, to assess the biological characteristics and probiotic properties of B. subtilis derived from mink, we isolated B. subtilis MG-1 isolate from mink fecal samples, characterized its biological characteristics, optimized the hydrolysis of casein by its crude extract, and comprehensively analyzed its potential as a probiotic in combination with whole-genome sequencing. Biological characteristics indicate that, under low-pH conditions (pH 2), B. subtilis MG-1 can still maintain a survival rate of 64.75%; under the conditions of intestinal fluid, gastric acid, and a temperature of 70 °C, the survival rate was increased by 3, 1.15 and 1.17 times compared with the control group, respectively. This shows that it can tolerate severe environments. The results of hydrolyzed casein in vitro showed that the crude bacterial extract of isolate MG-1 exhibited casein hydrolyzing activity (21.56 U/mL); the enzyme activity increased to 32.04 U/mL under optimized reaction conditions. The complete genome sequencing of B. subtilis MG-1 was performed using the PacBio third-generation sequencing platform. Gene annotation analysis results revealed that B. subtilis MG-1 was enriched in several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways, and most genes were related to Brite hierarchy pathways (1485–35.31%) and metabolism pathways (1395–33.17%). The egg-NOG annotation revealed that most genes were related to energy production and conversion (185–4.10%), amino acid transport and metabolism (288–6.38%), carbohydrate transport and metabolism (269–5.96%), transcription (294–6.52%), and cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis (231–5.12%). Gene Ontology (GO) annotation elucidated that most genes were related to biological processes (8230–45.62%), cellular processes (3582–19.86%), and molecular processes (6228–34.52%). Moreover, the genome of B. subtilis MG-1 was predicted to possess 77 transporter-related genes. This study demonstrates that B. subtilis MG-1 has potential for use as a probiotic, and further studies should be performed to develop it as a probiotic additive in animal feed to promote animal health.

To investigate the effect of a novel coumarin derivative, ethyl 2,2-difluoro-2 - (2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl) acetate (C2F), on the malignant biological behaviors of colorectal cancer (CRC) and elucidate its mechanism. In vitro, the effects of C2F on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of CRC cells were analyzed by MTT assay, EdU stainning, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assay. The anti-CRC activity of C2F was evaluated in a nude mice xenograft model in vivo. Western blot was conducted to detect the expression of protein in cells and mice tissue. Then, the potential targets of C2F in CRC were predicted by network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking. The localization of STAT3 was observed through immunofluorescence experiment. C2F inhibits CRC cell proliferation, promotes CRC cell apoptosis, hinders CRC cell migration and invasion, and prevents the cell cycle from entering the G2/M phase. In vivo, C2F inhibited tumor growth in xenograft model. C2F inhibited signal transduction and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation and blocked interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced STAT3 nuclear translocation. C2F inhibits the malignant biological behavior of CRC by limiting STAT3 phosphorylation and entry into the nucleus., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest ☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Abstract The exostosin (EXT) protein family is involved in diverse human diseases. However, the expression and prognostic value of EXT genes in human lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the association between expression of EXT1 and EXT2 genes and survival in patients with LUSC using bioinformatics resources such as Oncomine and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) server and Kaplan–Meier plotter. Furthermore, regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) were predicted for EXT1 and used to establish a potential miRNA‐messenger RNA (mRNA) regulation network for LUSC using the ENCORI platform. We observed that EXT1 and EXT2 expression levels were higher in LUSC than those in normal tissues. However, only EXT1 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in LUSC patients. Functional annotation enrichment analysis showed that genes co‐expressed with the EXT1 gene were enriched in biological processes such as cell adhesion and migration, and KEGG pathways such as extracellular matrix receptor interactions, complement and coagulation cascades, and cell death. Furthermore, three miRNAs, hsa‐mir‐190a‐5p, hsa‐mir‐195‐5p, and hsa‐mir‐490‐3p, were identified to be potentially involved in the regulation of EXT1. In summary, we identified EXT1 expression as a novel potential prognostic marker for human LUSC and the regulatory miRNAs that could possibly contribute to the prognosis of the disease.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a leading cause of death in critically ill patients due to hypoxemic respiratory failure. The specific pathogenesis underlying ARDS has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we constructed a triple regulatory network involving competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to investigate the potential mechanism of ARDS and evaluated the immune cell infiltration patterns in ARDS patients. Overall, we downloaded three microarray datasets that included 60 patients with sepsis-induced ARDS and 79 patients with sepsis alone from the public Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs, including 9 DElncRNAs, 9 DEmiRNAs, and 269 DEmRNAs) by R software. The DEGs were subjected to the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) for functional enrichment analysis, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was generated for uncovering interactive relationships among DEmRNAs. Then, a ceRNA network that contained 5 DElncRNAs, 7 DEmiRNAs, and 71 DEmRNAs was established according to the overlapping genes in both DEGs and predicted genes by public databases. Finally, we identified the TUG1/miR-140-5p/NFE2L2 pathway as the hub pathway in the whole network through Cytoscape. In addition, we evaluated the distribution of 22 subtypes of immune cells and recognized three differentially expressed immune cells in patients with sepsis-induced ARDS by “Cell Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of Known RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT)” algorithm, namely, naive B cells, regulatory T cells, and eosinophils. Correlations between differentially expressed immune cells and hub genes in the ceRNA network were also performed. In conclusion, we demonstrated a new potential regulatory mechanism underlying ARDS (the TUG1/miR-140-5p/NFE2L2 ceRNA regulatory pathway), which may help in further exploring the pathogenesis of ARDS.

Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Lack of accurate and effective assessment tools of fluid status is one of the major challenges to reach proper dry weight (DW) in chronic hemodialysis (HD) population. The aim of this randomized study was to evaluate the effect of bioimpedance guided DW assessment on long-term outcomes in Chinese HD patients. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to two groups in each center, the control group and body composition monitor (BCM) group. In the BCM group, DW has been evaluated by bioimpedance technic every 2 months during follow-up. The primary composite endpoint consisted of death, acute myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and peripheral vascular disease. Methods A total of 445 patients were recruited from 11 hemodialysis centers from Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang cities from Jan 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2014. They were randomized into either BCM group or control group. All patients have been followed up for 1 year or until Dec 31, 2014 or censoring. Results At baseline, there were no significant differences between two groups in terms of demographic parameters, dialysis vintage, percentage of vascular access, and comorbid conditions. At the end of the study, 18 (4.04%) patients had died (11 in control group and 7 in BCM group). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference in survival rates between two groups (log-rank test P = 0.07). However, there was an increasing trend of survival rates in BCM group compared to the control group. In the multivariable Cox analysis, there was a nonsignificant trend toward less primary composite end points in the BCM group in the adjusted analysis, the hazard ratio was impressive (0.487, 95% CI 0.217–1.091, P = 0.08). Conclusion Bioimpedance technic has been applied to assess fluid status for decades and has been proved to be a promising tool for clinical practice. Although short-term outcomes were not improved in the randomized, controlled trial, the ascending trend in survival has been observed. Further studies are needed to investigate the survival benefit of bioimpedance method in DW assessment in a larger sample with longer follow-up period. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.org, NCT01509937 . Registered 13 January 2012,

The creation of interface heterojunction could be an effective strategy to improve the activity of the catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this work, chain-like CoB alloy was firstly synthesized by magnetic field induction, and cationic corrosion approach was applied to create a heterojunction between NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) and magnetic CoB alloy surfaces. The results showed that OER performance was improved by achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 on the NiFe LDH@CoB electrode at an overpotential of 280 mV. The heterojunction of NiFe/LDH provided the catalytic sites and CoB alloy served as a good conductive support by improving the electron transfer rate.

Probiotics, also referred to as “living microorganisms,” are mostly present in the genitals and the guts of animals. They can increase an animal’s immunity, aid in digestion and absorption, control gut microbiota, protect against sickness, and even fight cancer. However, the differences in the effects of different types of probiotics on host gut microbiota composition are still unclear. In this study, 21-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice were gavaged with Lactobacillus acidophilus (La), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lp), Bacillus subtilis (Bs), Enterococcus faecalis (Ef), LB broth medium, and MRS broth medium. We sequenced 16S rRNA from fecal samples from each group 14 d after gavaging. According to the results, there were significant differences among the six groups of samples in Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Desferribacter (p < 0.01) at the phylum level. Lactobacillus, Erysipelaceae Clostridium, Bacteroides, Brautella, Trichospiraceae Clostridium, Verummicroaceae Ruminococcus, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, Shigella, and Clostridium Clostridium differed significantly at the genus level (p < 0.01). Four kinds of probiotic changes in the composition and structure of the gut microbiota in mice were observed, but they did not cause changes in the diversity of the gut microbiota. In conclusion, the use of different probiotics resulted in different changes in the gut microbiota of the mice, including genera that some probiotics decreased and genera that some pathogens increased. According to the results of this study, different probiotic strains have different effects on the gut microbiota of mice, which may provide new ideas for the mechanism of action and application of microecological agents.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) has emerged as one of the foremost intriguing energy storage systems in the last decade, due to its higher energy density (ED), less expensive, and more environmentally friendly. However, the interface chemistries of electrode–electrolyte such as the shuttling effect of polysulfide and inadequate dynamic sulfur use have not yet been completely understood and managed when in operations, thus the employment of single-atom catalysts (SACs) provides the possibility to address these problems through the proper identification of structure–activity connexions and the chemical reaction processes at the atomic level. In this mini review, the usage of incredibly active SACs is examined with applications in long-lifecycle, higher-energy LSBs, as well as the possibility of SAC preparation using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to boost efficiency. Conclusively, the significant problems and future prospects for enhanced SACs via ALD in LSBs development are also discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the numerical simulation of damage process and results of a new environmentally friendly material, recycled coarse aggregate self-compacting concrete (RCASCC). Random aggregate model of mesoscopic viewpoint was used for the experimental simulation of RCASCC. Results show that the specimens with 50% substitution rate exhibited the best performance among the specimens (i.e., with rates of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The stress-strain curves after dimensionless treatment were fitted using the uniaxial compressive principal equation of concrete with control parameters a = 0.9 and b = 11, and the fitting degree of the curve was relatively good. Meanwhile, the change process of internal cracking was shown intuitively. The crack expansion process became more obvious in the specimens and beams with a high substitution rate of RCA. The simulation results of the bending process of RCASCC beams analyzed by the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model and extended finite element (XFEM) were compared with the test results. Both simulation results validated the applicability of the CDP model and XFEM in the mechanical tests of RCASCC and can provide valuable reference for future research on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate self-compacting concrete.

The development of responsive materials in a predictable manner is high on the list of the material industry’s trends. In this work, responsive Ag@NiCo2O4 nanowires were, firstly, anchored on N-doped carbon cloth (NC) and, then, employed as array electrodes for a nonenzymatic glucose-sensing application. The results showed that the highly conductive NiCo2O4 nanowires supported Ag nanoparticles and exhibited high conductivity and electrocatalytic properties. The fully exposed crystalline planes of Ag nanoparticles provided more active surface sites. As a result, the assembled Ag@NiCo2O4-NC electrodes for the glucose-sensing evaluation delivered a selectivity of 2803 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 1.065 μM, which outperformed the literature-reported Ag- and NiCo2O4-based glucose-sensing catalysts.