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Macrophages serve as the primary immune cell population and assume a pivotal role in the immune response within the damaged cochleae. Yet, the origin and role of macrophages in response to noise exposure remain controversial. Here, we take advantage of Ccr2RFP/+ Cx3cr1GFP/+ dual-reporter mice to identify the infiltrated and tissue-resident macrophages. After noise exposure, we reveal that activated resident macrophages change in morphology, increase in abundance, and migrate to the region of hair cells, leading to the loss of outer hair cells and the damage of ribbon synapses. Meanwhile, peripheral monocytes are not implicated in the noise-induced hair cell insults. These noise-induced activities of macrophages are abolished by inhibiting TLR4 signaling, resulting in alleviated insults of hair cells and partial recovery of hearing. Our findings indicate cochlear resident macrophages are pro-inflammatory and detrimental players in acoustic trauma and introduce a potential therapeutic target in noise-induced hearing loss. Cochlear tissue-resident macrophages, not infiltrated peripheral monocytes, respond to noise exposure in mice. The pro-inflammatory effects of these macrophages contribute to insults of ribbon synapses of hair cell in noise-induced hearing loss [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear optics of structured light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) has recently led to intriguing fundamental physical effects in light–matter interactions and advanced applications from classical imaging to quantum informatics. However, the mutual interaction between spatial mode and frequency conversions in nonlinear processes is still elusive. In this work, we go beyond only considering OAM and frequency in nonlinear structured light conversion and investigate the complex mode evolution in cascaded nonlinear frequency conversion and spatial astigmatic mode conversion. In particular, we unveil a generalized law of nonlinear structured light from experiments and theories, that the converted modes are highly related to the sequence of frequency and spatial mode conversions, obeying an inherent (non)commutative rule in which. This effect not only creates extended structured laser modes but serves as regular rules in nonlinear optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is a terminal condition of multiple cardiovascular disorders. Cancer is a deadly disease worldwide. The relationship between HF and cancer remains poorly understood. The Gene Expression Omnibus database was used to download the RNA sequencing data of 356 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-induced HF and non-HF. A co-expression network was established through the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to identify hub genes of HF and cancer. Cox risk analysis was performed to predict the prognostic risks of HF hub genes in pan-cancer. HF was linked to immune response pathway by the analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). A positive correlation was observed between the expression levels of 4 hub genes and the infiltration of CD8+T-cells in pan-cancer. 4 hub genes were identified as beneficial prognostic factors in several cancers. Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction validated the high expression of GZMM, NKG7, and ZAP70 in both mice and patients with HF compared to control groups. Our study highlights the shared immune pathogenesis of HF and cancer and provides valuable insights for developing novel therapeutic strategies, offering new opportunities for improving the management and treatment outcomes of both HF and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study is designed to explore the potential causal relationship between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) while investigating the genetic basis shared by these inflammatory diseases. Methods: Significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with UC, psoriasis, and PsA were selected as genetic instrumental variables using Genome‐Wide Association Study (GWAS) datasets. Additionally, Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, including inverse‐variance weighting (IVW), MR‐Egger regression, and Weighted Median (WME), were utilized to evaluate the causal relationships between these diseases. Moreover, sensitivity analysis and heterogeneity testing were conducted to validate the stability of the results. Results: A total of 123 significant SNPs associated with psoriasis, PsA, and UC were identified as genetic instrumental variables based on GWAS datasets. The analysis revealed a 36% increased risk of UC with psoriasis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.350, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.065‐1.729, P = 0.012) and a 32.9% increased risk of UC with PsA (OR = 1.329, 95% CI = 1.176‐1.592, P < 0.001). Further analysis showed a 43.5% increased risk of psoriasis with UC (OR = 1.435, 95% CI = 1.274‐1.831, P < 0.001) and a 45.8% increased risk of PsA with UC (OR = 1.458, 95% CI = 1.166‐1.822, P = 0.0013). In addition, sensitivity analysis and heterogeneity testing demonstrated the high stability of these results. Particularly, neither MR‐Egger regression analysis nor leave‐one‐out analysis revealed significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy bias, indicating the reliability of these causal estimates. Moreover, the use of the MR‐PRESSO further confirmed the positive correlation between psoriasis and UC, and the corrected estimates remained consistent with IVW analysis results after excluding potential outlier SNPs, enhancing the credibility of the analysis. Conclusions: This study strengthens the understanding of the genetic and causal relationships among UC, psoriasis, and PsA through GWAS and MR methods, revealing the genetic basis they may share. These findings not only provide a novel perspective on the comorbidity mechanisms of these diseases but also offer a valuable reference for the development of future treatment strategies and intervention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net precipitation (NP) is the primary source of soil water essential for the functioning of vegetated ecosystems. By quantifying NP as the difference between gross precipitation and canopy interception evaporation, this study examined the dynamics of NP in China from 2001 to 2020 and the contribution of environmental factors to NP variations was investigated. The findings revealed a multiyear mean NP of 674.62 mm, showcasing a 2.93 mm/yr increase. The spatiotemporal variations in NP were mainly attributed to a remarkable increase in precipitation rather than canopy interception. Notably, climate (temperature, wind speed, surface solar radiation downward and vapor pressure deficit) and vegetation factors (leaf area index and net primary productivity) played a dominant role in NP in 61.53% and 15.39% of China, respectively. The dominant factors contributing to NP changes were vapor pressure deficit (mean contribution rate: −43.68%), temperature (mean contribution rate: 11.69%), and leaf area index (mean contribution rate: 2.13%). The vapor pressure deficit negatively exerts a negative influence on the southern and eastern regions. Temperature and leaf area index have the greatest effect on the northeastern and southwestern regions, respectively. The results provide valuable insights into the pivotal role of climatic and vegetation factors in ecohydrological cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the world's population rapidly increasing, the demand for high-quality protein is on the rise. Edible fungi breeding technology stands as a crucial avenue to obtain strains with high yield, high-quality protein, and robust stress resistance. To address the protein supply gap, Atmospheric and Room Temperature Plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis, and spore hybridization techniques were employed to enhance Pleurotus djamor mycelium protein production. Beginning with the original strain Pleurotus djamor JD-1, ARTP was utilized to mutate spore suspension. The optimal treatment time for Pleurotus djamor spores, determined to achieve optimal mortality, was 240 s. Through primary and secondary screenings, 6 mutant strains out of 39 were selected, exhibiting improved protein yield and growth rates compared to the original strain. Among these mutagenic strains, 240S–4 showcased the highest performance, with a mycelial growth rate of 9.5±0.71 mm/d, a biomass of 21.45±0.54 g/L, a protein content of 28.75±0.92%, and a remarkable protein promotion rate of 128.03±7.29%. Additionally, employing spore hybridization and breeding, 7 single-nuclei strains were selected for pin-two hybridization, resulting in 21 hybrid strains. The biomass and protein content of 9 hybrid strains surpassed those of the original strains. One hybrid strain, H-5, exhibited remarkable mycelial protein production, boasting a mycelial growth rate of 26.5±0.7 mm/d, a biomass of 21.70±0.46 g/L, a protein content of 28.44±0.22%, and a protein promotion rate of 128.02±1.73%. Notably, both strains demonstrated about a 28% higher mycelial protein yield than the original strains, indicating comparable effectiveness between hybrid breeding and mutagenesis breeding. Finally, we analyzed the original and selected strains by molecular biological identification, which further proved the effectiveness of the breeding method. These findings present novel insights and serve as a reference for enhancing edible fungi breeding, offering promising avenues to meet the escalating protein demand. [Display omitted] • The growth rate of the ARTP mutant strain was better than original strain. • The hybrid strains after spore hybridization had higher protein yield. • ARTP mutagenesis and spore mutagenesis can effectively promote the growth of mycelia. • Molecular biological identification confirmed the effectiveness of the breeding method. • The two methods can be used to breed new strains effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of premature death. The death of cardiomyocytes (CMs) and the dysfunction of the remaining viable CMs are the main pathological factors contributing to heart failure (HF) following MI. This study aims to determine the transcriptional profile of CMs and investigate the heterogeneity among CMs under hypoxic conditions. Single-cell atlases of the heart in both the sham and MI groups were developed using single-cell data (GSE214611) downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/). The heterogeneity among CMs was explored through various analyses including enrichment, pseudo time, and intercellular communication analysis. The marker gene of C5 was identified using differential expression analysis (DEA). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), bulk RNA-sequencing dataset analysis, western blotting, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining, Mito-Tracker staining, TUNEL staining, and flow cytometry analysis were conducted to validate the impact of the marker gene on mitochondrial function and cell apoptosis of CMs under hypoxic conditions. We identified a cell subcluster named C5 that exhibited a close association with mitochondrial malfunction and cellular apoptosis characteristics, and identified Slc25a4 as a significant biomarker of C5. Furthermore, our findings indicated that the expression of Slc25a4 was increased in failing hearts, and the downregulation of Slc25a4 improved mitochondrial function and reduced cell apoptosis. Our study significantly identified a distinct subcluster of CMs that exhibited strong associations with ventricular remodeling following MI. Slc25a4 served as the hub gene for C5, highlighting its significant potential as a novel therapeutic target for MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent and debilitating condition that markedly affects the sit-to-stand (STS) activity of patients, a prerequisite for daily activities. Biomechanical recognition of movements in patients with mild KOA is currently attracting attention. However, limited studies have been conducted solely on the observed differences in sagittal plane movement and muscle activation. Aim: This study aimed to identify three-dimensional biomechanical and muscle activation characteristics of the STS activity in patients with mild KOA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to observe the differences between patients with mild KOA and a control group (CG). It was conducted to observe the differences in muscle activation, including root mean square (RMS%) and integrated electromyography (items), kinematic parameters like range of motion (ROM) and maximum angular velocity, as well as dynamic parameters such as joint moment and vertical ground reaction force (vGRF). Results: Patients with mild KOA had a higher body mass index and longer task duration. In the sagittal plane, patients with KOA showed an increased ROM of the pelvic region, reduced ROM of the hip–knee–ankle joint, and diminished maximum angular velocity of the knee–ankle joint. Furthermore, patients with KOA displayed increased knee–ankle joint ROM in the coronal plane and decreased ankle joint ROM in the horizontal plane. Integrated vGRF was higher in both lower limbs, whereas the vGRF of the affected side was lower. Furthermore, patients showed a decreased peak adduction moment (PADM) and increased peak external rotation moment in the knee joint and smaller PADM and peak internal rotation moment in the ankle joint. The affected side exhibited decreased RMS% and iEMG values of the gluteus medius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis muscles, as well as a decreased RMS% of the rectus femoris muscle. Conversely, RMS% and iEMG values of the biceps femoris, lateral gastrocnemius, and medial gastrocnemius muscles were higher. Conclusion: The unbalanced activation characteristics of the anterior and posterior muscle groups, combined with changes in joint moment in the three-dimensional plane of the affected joint, may pose a potential risk of injury to the irritated articular cartilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies an event-triggered fixed-time trajectory tracking control problem of an n-joint manipulator system. Firstly, a fixed-time disturbance observer is proposed to reconstruct the total disturbance composed of external disturbances and model uncertainties, using the estimation as feedforward compensation to enhance the system robustness. Subsequently, based on the backstepping framework, a fixed-time controller with an event-triggering mechanism is designed for the manipulator to ensure the convergence of tracking errors to zero within a fixed time. Additionally, two event-triggering conditions are devised to reduce the transmission time of control input and the computation time of control output. Simultaneously, Zeno behavior is excluded through theoretical proof, validating the fixed-time stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, simulation verification is conducted on a two-joint manipulator, with results confirming the effectiveness of the control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop and evaluate a deep learning model based on chest CT that achieves favorable performance on opportunistic osteoporosis screening using the lumbar 1 + lumbar 2 vertebral bodies fusion feature images, and explore the feasibility and effectiveness of the model based on the lumbar 1 vertebral body alone. Materials and methods: The chest CT images of 1048 health check subjects from January 2021 to June were retrospectively collected as the internal dataset (the segmentation model: 548 for training, 100 for tuning and 400 for test. The classification model: 530 for training, 100 for validation and 418 for test set). The subjects were divided into three categories according to the quantitative CT measurements, namely, normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis. First, a deep learning-based segmentation model was constructed, and the dice similarity coefficient(DSC) was used to compare the consistency between the model and manual labelling. Then, two classification models were established, namely, (i) model 1 (fusion feature construction of lumbar vertebral bodies 1 and 2) and (ii) model 2 (feature construction of lumbar 1 alone). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the models, and the Delong test was used to compare the areas under the curve. Results: When the number of images in the training set was 300, the DSC value was 0.951 ± 0.030 in the test set. The results showed that the model 1 diagnosing normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis achieved an AUC of 0.990, 0.952 and 0.980; the model 2 diagnosing normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis achieved an AUC of 0.983, 0.940 and 0.978. The Delong test showed that there was no significant difference in area under the curve (AUC) values between the osteopenia group and osteoporosis group (P = 0.210, 0.546), while the AUC value of normal model 2 was higher than that of model 1 (0.990 vs. 0.983, P = 0.033). Conclusion: This study proposed a chest CT deep learning model that achieves favorable performance on opportunistic osteoporosis screening using the lumbar 1 + lumbar 2 vertebral bodies fusion feature images. We further constructed the comparable model based on the lumbar 1 vertebra alone which can shorten the scan length, reduce the radiation dose received by patients, and reduce the training cost of technologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a Mo doped CoO nanosheet grown on nickel foam (labeled as: Mo−CoO) with defect‐rich and improved electron transfer capacity was designed to be used as a novel non‐enzyme electrode material. Physical characterizations demonstrated the Mo elements were doped inside of the samples and they were mutually stabilized with each other, resulting in a high structural stability electrochemical catalytical activity even if the content of Mo was low. For non‐enzymatic glucose electrochemical sensing, the prepared Mo−CoO‐1 showed a remarkable sensitivity of 89.3 mA cm−2 mM−1, and a low detection limit of 0.43 μM. Density functional theory (DFT) studies revealed that the doped Mo atom exhibited a higher d‐band center compared to the Co atom. A stronger p‐d orbital hybridization between the glucose and the Mo atoms indicated the enhancement of glucose adsorption and activation. Importantly, Mo−CoO‐1 provided a good selectivity and long‐term stability, which can be expected to be used in future practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To summarize and analysis the application of biologic agents in patients with psoriasis in the real world. Methods: Relying on collected data from June 2020 to September 2021 in the database of China Psoriasis Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment Center, 2529 cases of psoriasis patients treated with biologic agents in 188 different tertiary hospitals across China were retrospective analyzed. The collected information mainly includes demographic data (age, gender, psoriasis history), curative effectiveness of used biologics drug withdrawal and its reason. According to the collected information, condition of the usage for each category of biologics and influencing factor of biologics replacement were analyzed. Result: A total of 2529 patients were analyzed, which included 1626 male (64.29%) and 903 female (35.71%) with an average age of 42.12 ± 14.70 (17 ∼ 85) years old; 2336 (92.37%) patients were aged from 19 to 60 years old. Within these patients, 2362 of them (93.40%) had a psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, and 1776 of these patients had moderate to severe cases (75.19%). According to the patient's self‐evaluation of the past efficacy of biological agents, secukinumab was chosen by the most people to have the highest efficacy (1140 cases, 93.60%). The main reason for the withdrawal of secukinumab is that the disease is already well controlled at the time of withdrawal (67 cases, 38.95%); for TNF‐ α inhibitor is the poor curative effect; for ustekinumab and ixekizumab were the non‐affordable price. Conclusions: In the current biotherapy of psoriasis in China, the efficacy of secukinumab is thought by most people to be the highest. Secukinumab is the first choice when the needs of changing biologics appear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic units with large magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) and high Curie temperature (Tc) are crucial for spintronic and quantum computing devices, which are a persisting demand for miniaturization of magnetic units. Using first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulation, it is found that monolayer 1T-CrTe2 exhibits strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with a MAE of approximately 5.29 meV and high Tc of ∼136 K. Interestingly, we find that the MAE and Tc of monolayer 1T-CrTe2 are tunable through electron/hole doping, strain, and heterostructure engineering. The magnetic easy-axis can be adjusted from out of plane to in plane, which is mainly attributed to the coupling between Te atomic orbitals ( p x , p y ). Second-order perturbation theory reveals that the spin–orbit coupling interaction between the occupied p x and unoccupied p y orbitals in opposite spin channel near Fermi level gives rise to negative contribution of MAE. Moreover, Tc can be enhanced to ∼230 K through super–superexchange mechanism of heterostructure due to the electron hopping between t 2 g / e g orbitals of Cr4+ ions and e 1 / a 1 orbitals of Fe2+ ions. Importantly, we find that Tc can be boosted above room temperature by applying moderate strain (6%), ascribing to significant enhancement of MAE and exchange coupling constant. The present work indicates that monolayer 1T-CrTe2-based two-dimensional materials are very promising for room temperature application in magnetic storage and information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to assess the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection at the household level in Hainan Province in China and identify the factors that contribute to its spread. The findings of this study have significant implications for public health prevention strategies in the Hainan region. Methods: A total of 421 families, comprising 1355 individuals, were tested for Hp infection across five cities in Hainan Province between July 2021 and April 2022. The study utilized questionnaires that included questions about personal characteristics, household shared lifestyle and dietary habits, and potential pathways of Hp infection in children to identify potential factors linked to household Hp infection and transmission patterns. Results: The prevalence of Hp infection on an individual basis was 46.72% (629/1355), with age ≥ 20 years, being married and having junior secondary education and above as risk factors for Hp infection. The prevalence of Hp infection in households was 80.29% (338/421), household size of 5, 6 and above were risk factors for Hp infection with Odds Ratios (ORs) of 4.09 (1.17–14.33) and 15.19 (2.01–114.73), respectively, household income ≥ 100,000 yuan and drinking boiled water from a tap source were protective factors for Hp infection with ORs of 0.52 (0.31–0.89) and 0.51 (0.28–0.95), respectively. The prevalence of Hp infection among minors in the household was 24.89% (58/233), with paternal infection and maternal infection as risk factors for child infection, with ORs of 2.93 (1.29–6.62) and 2.51 (1.07–5.89), respectively. Conclusion: Hp infection was prevalent among Hainan families, and interaction with infected family members may be the primary cause of transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torreya grandis cv. Merrillii is an important economic tree widely cultivated in hilly subtropical areas in China and some parts of Japan and Korea. Crown and root rot was found on T. grandis in Zhejiang Province of China. Three isolates with similar morphology were isolated from diseased samples, and used for identification and pathogenicity tests. The pathogenicity of the isolates was confirmed by fulfilling Koch's postulates. The pathogen was identified as Fusarium commune based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic tree constructed by combining ITS and TEF‐1α gene sequences. This is the first report of F. commune causing crown and root rot on T. grandis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing evolutionary algorithms encounter difficulties in dealing with multi-objective problems (MOPs) whose Pareto optimal solutions are sparse, especially when the decision space of the MOP is large. Most existing sparse evolutionary algorithms (EAs) lack the tricks specially for large-scale problems, and the existing tricks need some grouping/variable analysis methods to divide the large-scale variables, which severely affects the effect of optimization. To fill this gap, an evolutionary algorithm based on rank-1 approximation, suitable to reduce the dimensionality of sparse higher-order datasets, is proposed. First, canonical polyadic decomposition is introduced to divide the higher-dimensional set of decision variables into several lower-dimensional sub-sets. These sub-populations are alternatively optimized by a sparse evolution algorithm with special genetic strategies, to search for improved solutions in their respective lower-dimensional decision sub-space. Finally, the whole population is asymptotically optimized by all the sub-populations. The proposed algorithm first introduces the rank-1 approximation into the dimensionality reduction in sparse large-scale variables, combines it with the sparse EA, and proposes efficient alternative optimization strategy to solve the non-convex problem resulted from the multiple sub-problems. It is compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms for large-scale and sparse problems. The experimental results indicate that it outperforms other algorithms in terms of optimization performance and convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapses frequently occur following CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukaemia in children. We aimed to assess the activity and safety of sequential CD19-directed and CD22-directed CAR T-cell treatments. This single-centre, single-arm, phase 2 trial, done at Beijing GoBroad Boren Hospital, Beijing, China, included patients aged 1–18 years who had relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphocytic leukaemia with CD19 and CD22 positivity greater than 95% and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2. Patients were initially infused with CD19-directed CAR T cells intravenously, followed by CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion after minimal residual disease-negative complete remission (or complete remission with incomplete haematological recovery) was reached and all adverse events (except haematological adverse events) were grade 2 or better. The target dose for each infusion was 0·5 × 106 to 5·0 × 106 cells per kg. The primary endpoint was objective response rate at 3 months after the first infusion. Secondary endpoints were duration of remission, event-free survival, disease-free survival, overall survival, safety, pharmacokinetics, and B-cell quantification. The prespecified activity analysis included patients who received the target dose and the safety analysis included all treated patients. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04340154 , and enrolment has ended. Between May 28, 2020, and Aug 16, 2022, 81 participants were enrolled, of whom 31 (38%) were female and 50 (62%) were male. Median age was 8 years (IQR 6–10), all patients were Asian. All 81 patients received the first infusion and 79 (98%) patients received sequential infusions, CD19-directed CAR T cells at a median dose of 2·7 × 106 per kg (IQR 1·1 × 106 to 3·7 × 106) and CD22-directed CAR T cells at a median dose of 2·2 × 106 per kg (1·1 × 106 to 3·7 × 106), with a median interval of 39 days (37–41) between the two infusions. 62 (77%) patients received the target dose, including two patients who did not receive CD22 CAR T cells. At 3 months, 60 (97%, 95% CI 89–100) of the 62 patients who received the target dose had an objective response. Median follow-up was 17·7 months (IQR 11·4–20·9). 18-month event-free survival for patients who received the target dose was 79% (95% CI 66–91), duration of remission was 80% (68–92), and disease-free survival was 80% (68–92) with transplantation censoring; overall survival was 96% (91–100). Common adverse events of grade 3 or 4 between CD19-directed CAR T-cell infusion and 30 days after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion included cytopenias (64 [79%] of 81 patients), cytokine release syndrome (15 [19%]), neurotoxicity (four [5%]), and infections (five [6%]). Non-haematological adverse events of grade 3 or worse more than 30 days after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion occurred in six (8%) of 79 patients. No treatment-related deaths occurred. CAR T-cell expansion was observed in all patients, with a median peak at 9 days (IQR 7–14) after CD19-directed and 12 days (10–15) after CD22-directed CAR T-cell infusion. At data cutoff, 35 (45%) of 77 evaluable patients had CAR transgenes and 59 (77%) had B-cell aplasia. This sequential strategy induced deep and sustained responses with an acceptable toxicity profile, and thus potentially provides long-term benefits for children with this condition. The National Key Research & Development Program of China, the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS), and the Non-Profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For perovskite solar cells, the preparation of high-quality perovskite thin films is particularly critical. A perovskite solar cell absorbing layer CH3NH3PbI3 thin film was prepared with N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as an organic solvent using a one-step spin coating method. The effects of different annealing temperatures on the crystal structure, microstructure, and optical absorption properties of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films were studied, and based on this, a solar cell was prepared and its photoelectric performance was tested. The results showed that the change in annealing temperature didn't change the main phase structure of CH3NH3PbI3 thin film, but after annealing temperature exceeded 100 °C the evaporation rate of DMF increased, and the amount of residual PbI2 increased, resulting in a decrease in the purity of the film. As the annealing temperature increased, the grain size of CH3NH3PbI3 thin film continued to increase, and the absorbance first increased and then decreased. When the annealing temperature was 100 °C the grain size distribution uniformity of the film was the best, with a high coverage rate, and the absorbance reached its maximum, resulting in the best absorbance performance. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells assembled with CH3NH3PbI3 thin films first increased and then decreased with the increase of annealing temperature, when the annealing temperature was 100 °C, the short-circuit current density (Jsc), filling factor (FF), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the battery were all at their maximum values, which were 20.04 mA/cm², 70.58% and 15.38%, respectively. The photovoltaic performance of the battery was the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a building material with economic potential and various beneficial properties, glass fiber reinforced concrete (GRC) has been rapidly promoted and applied in the field of civil construction. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of fiber-reinforced composites plays a crucial role in the design and analysis of such composites. Therefore, the thermal expansion coefficient of glass fiber reinforced concrete is the focus of this paper. A micromechanics model based on the Mori–Tanaka method is proposed to predict the overall thermal expansion coefficient of GRC. The model considers concrete as a two-phase composite material composed of cement mortar and aggregate. In the derivation process, concrete is treated as the equivalent matrix while glass fiber is treated as the inclusion phase. The present analysis takes into account the effects of glass fiber aspect ratio and reinforcement direction, as well as the volume fractions of aggregate and glass fiber. It is found that the glass fiber aspect ratio and reinforcement direction have a significant effect on the thermal expansion coefficient of concrete. The advantage of this model is that it provides a simple and accurate approach for predicting the CTE of glass fiber reinforced concrete. The developed model is validated by comparison with theoretical and experimental data in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the potential benefits of mobile health (mHealth) services and applications, older adults face challenges and barriers to adopt mHealth. Published work on opportunities and challenges of mHealth for aging China has focused on trends in mHealth and its clinical applications, but not older adults' perceptions or their processes of adoption. In this study, questionnaires and interviews were conducted to understand older adults' perceptions and adoption of mHealth services in China. Conceptual models were generated using existing theories and refined using the findings of the user research. The proposed "pine tree model" illustrates the factors influencing Chinese older adults' adoption of mHealth services and describes the process for better adoption. Based on the research, suggestions were proposed to promote mHealth adoption among older adults, which will inform better design of mHealth for the aging population in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M2-like polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the major component of infiltrating immune cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which have been proved to exhibit significant immunosuppressive and pro-tumoral effects. However, the underlying mechanism of the tumor microenvironment (TME) educating TAMs to express M2-like phenotypes is still not fully understood. Here, we report that HCC-derived exosomes are involved in intercellular communications and exhibit a greater capacity to mediate TAMs' phenotypic differentiation. In our study, HCC cell-derived exosomes were collected and used to treat THP-1 cells in vitro. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results showed that the exosomes significantly promoted THP-1 macrophages to differentiate into M2-like macrophages, which have a high production of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and interleukin (IL)-10. The analysis of bioinformatics indicated that exosomal miR-21-5p is closely related to TAM differentiation and is associated with unfavorable prognosis in HCC. Overexpressing miR-21-5p in human monocyte-derived leukemia (THP-1) cells induced down-regulation of IL-1β levels; however, it enhanced production of IL-10 and promoted the malignant growth of HCC cells in vitro. A reporter assay confirmed that miR-21-5p directly targeted Ras homolog family member B (RhoB) 3′-untranslatedregion (UTR) in THP-1 cells. Downregulated RhoB levels in THP-1 cells would weaken mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) axis signaling pathways. Taken together, tumor-derived miR-21-5p promote the malignant advance of HCC, which mediated intercellular crosstalk between tumor cells and macrophages. Targeting M2-like TAMs and intercepting their associated signaling pathways would provide potentially specific and novel therapeutic approaches for HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secret handshake (SH), as an essential privacy-preserving primitive, entitles members of the same group to anonymously authenticate each other. Among all the existing designs, only the ones separately proposed by Zhang et al. over coding theory and An et al. over lattice are post-quantum secure. However, both schemes fall short of being practical due to their huge overhead (≫ 100 MB), and the code-based one is even insecure under impersonator attacks. Besides, all the known SH constructions are powerless to handle the problem of dynamically managing users. To fill the gap, in this work we first formalize the model of fully dynamic secret handshakes (FDSH), where members have the freedom of joining or leaving a group. Then, to achieve anonymous mutual authentication with ease, we introduce a newly-defined cryptographic primitive called anonymous message exchange (AME), where legal participants can exchange their messages anonymously. Further, two generic approaches of AME from non-interactive zero-knowledge arguments of knowledge (NIZKAoK) are provided, along with heuristic applications. Finally, by combining a well-designed AME and other suitable techniques, we present the first lattice-based FDSH in the random oracle model offering another attractive property: full deniability, which enables users to plausibly deny their participating in interactions. Our scheme sharply reduces the communication cost (< 10 MB) and surpasses the existing post-quantum systems in terms of security, efficiency, and functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Overweight and obesity, as a result of excess fat accumulation, have become a worldwide public health issue. Recent studies have shown that obesity is closely related to many human diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which adipose tissue plays a dual role. In addition to thermal and mechanical insulation and a critical role in energy storage and heat production, adipose tissue is also a highly plastic endocrine and signaling organ that secretes multiple bioactive molecules for inter‐organ crosstalk. The phenotypic and biological changes of adipose tissue under pathological conditions, especially in obesity, increase the challenge of deciphering the positive or negative effects of adipose tissue in disease. Despite numerous studies on obesity and adipose tissue, the ambiguous role of adipose tissue on specific organs or tissues in different diseases is not fully understood, and the definite mechanisms remain obscure. In this review, we first summarize the basic biological characteristics of adipose tissue in the physiological state and the abnormal remodeling of adipose tissue during obesity. We then discuss the complex and disparate effects of obesity on various human diseases, with a particular focus on the dual roles and underlying mechanisms of adipose tissue, a quintessential player in obesity, in this process. More importantly, rethinking the causes of the "obesity paradox" phenomenon in diseases from the perspective of adipose homeostasis and dysfunction provides a novel strategy for disease treatment by intervening in fat function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel cavity opto-magno-mechanical hybrid system to generate entanglements among multiple quantum carriers, such as magnons, mechanical resonators, and cavity photons in both the optical and microwave domains. Two Yttrium iron garnet (YIG) spheres are embedded in two separate microwave cavities which are joined by a communal mechanical resonator. Because the microwave cavities are separate, the ferromagnetic resonate frequencies of two YIG spheres can be tuned independently, as well as the cavity frequencies. We show that entanglement can be achieved with experimentally reachable parameters. The entanglement is robust against environmental thermal noise, owing to the mechanical cooling process achieved by the optical cavity. The maximum entanglement among different carriers is achieved by optimizing the parameters of the system. The individual tunability of the separated cavities allows us to independently control the entanglement properties of different subsystems and establish quantum channels with different entanglement properties in one system. This work could provide promising applications in quantum metrology and quantum information tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The easy preparation of low-cost, highly active, and environment-friendly carbon-based catalysts for wastewater treatment remains a challenge. In this study, we fabricated a biochar codoped with nitrogen and sulfur (NS-BC) as a low-cost and efficient catalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and p-chlorophenol degradation. NS-BC was synthesized by the pyrolysis of sawdust with urea and sulfur powder serving as the nitrogen source and sulfur source, respectively. Due to the large surface area and high defect degree of NS-BC, its catalysis performance for PMS (K obs =0.8104) was better than those of single-doped (K obs =0.4177 and K obs =0.3132) and undoped (K obs =0.1265) biochar, and it can completely degrade p-chlorophenol within 5 min. The main active substances in the activation process of PMS were elucidated by free radical burst experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis. Superoxide radical and singlet oxygen were the main active species of the system. These catalysts achieve rapid removal of a wide range of organic contaminants over a wide pH range. This work mainly emphasizes that the use of nonmetal-doped biochar to activate PMS to degrade p-chlorophenol, thereby avoiding the environmental harm of metal leaching during catalyst degradation. [Display omitted] • N,S-codoped biochar was successfully prepared by simple pyrolysis. • NS-BC showed excellent catalytic property in activating PMS to degrade 4-CP. • O 2 •− and 1O 2 were the dominant oxygen species responsible for degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the association between pulmonary hemorrhage and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs). The study participants were all VLBW newborns admitted from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The BPD subjects finally included were VLBWIs who survived until the diagnosis was established. This study was divided into pulmonary hemorrhage group (PH group, n = 35) and non-pulmonary hemorrhage group (Non-PH group, n = 190). By univariate analysis it was found that premature rupture of membranes, tracheal intubation in the delivery room, duration of mechanical ventilation, course of invasive ventilation (≥3 courses), pulmonary surfactant (>1 dose), medically and surgically treated patent ductus arteriosus, grade III-IV RDS, early onset sepsis, BPD and moderate to severe BPD showed significant differences between groups (p <.05). By Multivariate analysis, pulmonary hemorrhage did not increase the risks of BPD and moderate to severe BPD (adjusted OR for BPD = 1.710, 95% CI 0.581–5.039; adjusted OR for moderate to severe BPD = 2.401, 95% CI 0.736–7.834). It suggests that pulmonary hemorrhage is not associated with the development of BPD and moderate to severe BPD in VLBWIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the kinematics of upper body and cue stick among players of various skill levels when performing back spin and top spin shots. Twenty-eight male cue sports players were assigned to the novice (n = 10), intermediate (n = 9), or skilled groups (n = 9). The back spin and top spin tests were administrated while kinematic data were recorded using a 3D motion capture system. The results revealed greater upper limb joint ranges of motions (all p < 0.05), maximum angular velocities (all p < 0.05), and cue tip speed in the back spin than top spin shots (p < 0.001). None of joint kinematic or shot performance variables investigated was significantly different among the three skill levels (all p > 0.05). For the head movement, the novice group exhibited greater anteroposterior displacement than the skilled group (p = 0.020). In conclusion, except for the head movement, the upper body and cue stick kinematics did not significantly differ among players with varied skill levels. Greater joint ranges of motions and angular velocities were required to generate a faster cue tip speed for the back spin shots when compared with the top spin shots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of biogas as a renewable fuel is feasible due to its high energy density, allowing for the development of polygonation structures in a cascade configuration. However, the high initial cost associated with biogas-based high-temperature applications is the central gap considered in this study. This paper introduces a novel heat integration model that employs a novel multi-stage cascade heat recovery and cost-effective operational approach. A biogas burner, an organic Rankine cycle, a Kalina cycle, an absorption chiller cycle, a heat supplier unit, and a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer-based hydrogen generating process are all part of the proposed system. Following the structure's modeling with the Aspen HYSYS program, thermodynamic, environmental, and economic evaluations are carried out along with a thorough parametric assessment. The simulation results indicate that the system has the capability to generate 2993 kW of electricity, 23350 kg/h of hot water at 80 °C, 68120 kg/h of chilled water at 10 °C, and generate 40.32 kg/h of hydrogen. This structure's energy, exergy, and electrical efficiencies are measured at 40 %, 23.71 %, and 16.68 %, respectively. Moreover, the exergy analysis indicated that the biogas burner and ORC evaporator account for 75.1 % of the total irreversibility (13800 kW). [Display omitted] • Feasibility study of an innovative polygeneration process based on biogas. • Process development using Aspen HYSYS software together with 4E study. • Tackling the CO 2 emissions by presenting an innovative biogas system. • The proposed process could save up to 4.14 % on gas fuel consumption. • The total cost rate is 601.5 $/h and total unit cost is 37.62 $/GJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early pregnancy loss (EPL) presents as sporadic or recurrent miscarriage during the first trimester. In addition to chromosomal defects, EPL may result from impairment of the placental-decidual interface at early gestational age due to gene-environmental interactions. Methods: To better understand the pathogenesis associated with this impairment, cell development in chorionic villi and decidua of different forms of EPL (sporadic or recurrent) was investigated with single-cell RNA sequencing and compared to that of normal first-trimester tissue. Results: Unique gene expression signatures were obtained for the different forms of EPL and for normal tissue and the composition of placental and decidual cell clusters in each form was established. In particular, the involvement of macrophages in the EPL phenotypes was identified revealing an immunoactive state. Conclusion: Differential gene expression and unique marker genes among cell clusters from chorionic villi and decidua of miscarried and normal pregnancies, may lead to identification of biomarker for EPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and generate a class of structured light fulfilling the mathematical form of a SU(2) coherent state based on a set of circular Airy vortex modes. Such wave packets possess strong focus with both radial and angular self-accelerations, which exploit more general 3D inhomogeneous velocity control with global spatial symmetry of multilayer rotation akin to galactic kinematics, termed galaxy waves. Galaxy waves are endowed with higher degrees of freedom to control strong focusing and acceleration, which opens a direction of multi-dimensional accelerating of 3D structured light field, promising numerous applications in optical trapping, manufacturing, and nonlinear optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a primary form of land degradation in arid and semi-arid areas, soil salinity can adversely affect plant nutrient balance, photosynthesis, protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and other functions. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculation of plants is an environmentally friendly strategy to alleviate salt stress and improve salt tolerance. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database, in terms of the number of publications and citations, collaboration networks, and keywords, this bibliometric analysis employed VOSviewer 1.6.17 and HistCite Pro 2.1 software to map the scientific knowledge of related research, comprehensively review knowledge structure and provide an outlook on future research topics. The results showed that publications and citations increased exponentially between 1978 and 2021. Regarding knowledge structure, Asian nations conducted research in a more concentrated manner, developed close collaborative relationships, and produced rich research results. Halotolerant PGPR, sustainable agriculture, microbial community, soil salinization, microbiome, oxidative stress, and biofertilizer, are currently hot topics. This bibliometric study will provide a meaningful reference for investigating the field's evolution and pinpointing the research frontiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The G2385R variant of leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is mainly associated with Parkinson's disease(PD) in Asian populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the PD conversion rate and clinical characteristics of LRRK2 G2385R nonmanifesting carriers. Methods: All participants were from the community‐based longitudinal cohort of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. The G2385R carriers and noncarriers were screened by Sanger sequencing and received face‐to‐face interviews at baseline and follow‐up assessments. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to compare the conversion rate of PD. Cox regression models were used to estimate the risk of G2385R variant for PD. Results: In the combined cohort, 26 (7.9%) people developed PD in 329 carriers versus 9 (2.6%) in 345 noncarriers (P = 0.0016). Cox regression model confirmed that the G2385R variant was a strong risk factor for PD in a Chinese population older than 50 years (hazard ratio, 3.314; 95% confidence interval, 1.551–7.078; P = 0.002). No difference was found in clinical symptoms between carriers and noncarriers. Conclusions: We confirmed an increased conversion of PD in leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 G2385R carriers during a 10‐year follow‐up. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin plays a critical role in promoting the proliferation of osteoblasts and the growth and development of dental papilla cells. However, the effect and mechanism of melatonin on the growth and development of ALCs still need to be explored. CCK8 assay was used for the evaluation of cell numbers. qRT-PCR was used to identify the differentially expressed genes in ALCs after melatonin treatment. The number and morphology of ALCs were investigated by confocal microscopy. Alkaline phosphatase assay and Alizarin red S staining were used for measuring mineralization. Then, we focused on observing the crucial factors of the signaling pathway by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. Melatonin limited the cell number of ALCs in a dose-dependent manner and promoted the production of actin fibers. A high concentration of melatonin significantly promoted the mRNA levels of enamel matrix proteins and the formation of mineralized nodules. RNA-seq data showed that Wnt signaling pathway may be involved in the differentiation of ALCs under the influence of melatonin. This study suggests that melatonin plays a regulatory role in the cell number, differentiation, and mineralization of the ALCs, and then shows the relationship between the Wnt signaling pathway with the ALCs under melatonin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder of neurodevelopment in children. The diagnosis of ADHD mainly relies on the symptoms and some may be misdiagnosed due to age-based variation in behaviours. This study aimed to explore biomarkers that are greatly needed for the accurate diagnosis of ADHD. Seven hundred and forty-two samples were retrospectively investigated in three independent cohorts, screening, training, and validation, for circulation microRNA measurement using microarray, Taqman polymerase chain reaction, and regression analysis. A panel of five miRNAs (miR-4516, miR-6090, miR-4763-3p, miR-4281, and miR-4466) were identified as ADHD independent risk factors that provided a high diagnostic accuracy and specificity of ADHD (AUC = 0.940 and 0.927 in the training and validation datasets, respectively). This panel of miRNAs differentiated ADHD well from control groups. After clinical improvement by treatment, the panel of miRNAs in patients and AUC changed significantly and were close to those in healthy controls. Importantly, the targets of the miRNAs identified were commonly enriched in receptor signalling pathways, ion channels, and synapse structures. Our study identified a useful panel of miRNAs that have considerable clinical value in evaluating ADHD and provide important evidence for aberrant epigenetic regulation in ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An innovative extractive distillation process combining prefractionator with extractive distillation column for separating high-concentration azeotropic mixtures. • Multi-objective optimization is conducted with the minimization of TAC, CO 2 emissions, and entropy generation as the objective functions. • Entropy generation analyses highlights areas of irreversibility. • Heat pump technology and heat integration technology have obvious energy-saving effects. The process design and optimization of separating azeotropic mixtures by extractive distillation (ED) has been a hot problem in recent years. Conventional ED process often faces challenges of high energy consumption and high costs when dealing with azeotropic mixtures containing a high content of a certain component. Therefore, an energy-efficient innovative three-column extractive distillation process (ITCED) that is capable of simultaneously performing preconcentration and extractive distillation functions within a complex distillation column for separating ethyl acetate/n-propanol/water azeotropic mixture containing a large amount of n-propanol is developed. Multi-objective optimization is conducted with the minimization of total annual cost (TAC), CO 2 emissions, and entropy generation as the objective functions. According to the optimization results, the ITCED process exhibits substantial advantages compared to the conventional three-column extractive distillation process (TCED), with reductions of 34.95% in TAC, 35.84% in CO 2 emissions, and 38.91% in entropy generation. Subsequently, heat pump and heat integration technologies are employed to enhance the ITCED process for the further energy conservation. As a result, compared with the TCED process, the DHP-HI-ITCED process achieves savings of 48.18% in TAC, 67.5% in CO 2 emissions and 72.96% in entropy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Modified xylan with good amphiphilicity was obtained under mild reaction conditions by hydroxypropylsulfonation. • HSX exhibited a satisfactory dispersion efficiency of MWCNTs in water. • The aerogels were prepared by freeze-casting technology which reveals excellent mechanical performance. • The aerogel is utilized to construct a pressure sensor, which exhibit high sensitivity (S = 2.17 kPa−1) and impressive responsiveness. Currently, aerogels are promising for wearable pressure sensors due to their superior flexibility and high sensitivity. However, uniform dispersion of conductive solid filler is a critical step in the preparation process. Herein, xylan with good amphiphilicity was obtained by hydroxypropylsulfonation under mild reaction conditions, which is accepted as a dispersant for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in water. The hydroxypropylsulfonated xylan (HSX) exhibited a satisfactory dispersion efficiency reached to 97.8 %. After standing for 20 days, there are still 76 % of MWCNTs stabilized in the dispersion. Then, the ultralight, flexible and superstable anisotropic aerogels were prepared by freeze-casting technology. The obtained aerogel reveals excellent mechanical performance, with a great compressibility (undergoing a strain of 70 %) and elasticity (91.8 % height retention after 100 cycles at a strain of 20 %). As a proof of concept, the HSX/MWCNTs aerogel is utilized to construct a pressure sensor, which exhibit high sensitivity (S = 2.17 kPa−1) and impressive responsiveness to human motions. This work demonstrates a promising flexible electronic material for wearable electronics, electronic skin, and human motion monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of immunoglobulin (Ig) E is the lowest among serum Igs, but it can induces type I hypersensitivity and plays an important role in anti-parasitic infection. The present study aimed to explore the residence characteristics of IgE+ cells in the sheep small intestine and the impact of Moniezia benedeni infection on them. The recombinant plasmids pET-28a-IgE were constructed and induced and expressed in Escherichia coli. BL21 (DE3). The rabbit anti-sheep IgE polyclonal antibody was prepared using the obtained recombinant protein as antigen. Finally, the levels of IgE+ cells in the small intestine of healthy (Control group) and naturally M. benedeni -infected (Infected group) sheep were detected analyzed. The results showed that the rabbit anti-sheep IgE polyclonal antibody with good immunogenicity (titer = 1: 128000) could specifically bind to the heavy chain of natural sheep IgE. In the Control group, the IgE+ cells were mainly distributed in lamina propria of the small intestine, and the densities were significantly decreased from duodenum to ileum (P <0.05), with respective values of (4.28 cells / 104 μm2, 1.80 cells / 104 μm2, and 1.44 cells / 104 μm2 in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. In the Infected group, IgE+ cells density were 6.26 cells / 104 μm2, 3.01 cells / 104 μm2, and 2.09 cells / 104 μm2 in duodenum, jejunum and ileum respectively, which were significantly higher in all segments compared to the Control group (P <0.05), increasing by 46.26%, 67.22% and 45.14%, respectively. In addition, compared with the Control group, the IgE protein levels were significantly increased in all intestinal segments of the Infected group (P <0.01), however, there was no significant differences among the different intestinal segments within the same group (P >0.05). The results demonstrated that M. benedeni infection could significantly increase the content of IgE and the distribution density of its secreting cells in sheep small intestine. The intestinal mucosal immune system of sheep presented obvious specificity against M. benedeni infection. This lays a good foundation for further exploring molecular mechanisms of the intestinal mucosal immune system monitoring and responding to M. benedeni infection. • The prepared rabbit anti-sheep IgE polyclonal antibody has good immunogenicity and specificity. • Moniezia benedeni infection significantly increased IgE+ cells residence in sheep small intestine. • The intestinal mucosal immunity system of sheep presented obvious regional specificity in responding to M. benedeni infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain boundary diffusion of the heavy rare-earth element Tb, facilitated by multielement alloys, was investigated in Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets. This study systematically examined magnets treated with various diffusion sources: conventional TbH x powders, a mixture of TbH x and Pr 45.0 Cu 18.3 Al 27.5 Ga 9.2 (at%) alloys, and integrated Tb 10.0 Pr 35.0 Cu 18.3 Al 27.5 Ga 9.2 (at%) alloys. Results indicated that, although the total Tb content was considerably reduced from 2.80 to 0.49 wt%, the coercivities of the magnets employing multielement composite diffusion sources were still enhanced to a high level, comparable to those treated with TbH x alone. Notably, the coercivity of the magnets diffused with Tb 10.0 Pr 35.0 Cu 18.3 Al 27.5 Ga 9.2 substantially increased to 24.14 kOe from the original value of 14.19 kOe, and the Tb utilization rate reached 73.47%. In addition, the coercivity increment per unit mass of Tb was 20.31 kOe/wt%. Microstructural observations and analyses of the diffusion process revealed that the assisted diffusion by the multielement composite effectively prevented superficial Tb accumulation, thereby enhancing diffusion efficiency. This process resulted in the formation of typical continuous grain boundaries and a core-shell structure. Furthermore, it was observed that low-melting-point metal elements, particularly Al, preferentially infiltrated the magnet interior and wetted the grain boundary channels during the early diffusion stages, facilitating efficient Tb diffusion. This study lays the groundwork for developing highly efficient magnets with reduced heavy rare-earth content. • High-performance magnets were prepared by diffusing Tb with assist of multi-elements. • Coercivity increase of 9.95 kOe was achieved when consuming only 0.49 wt% Tb. • Favorable microstructures were formed by collaboratively diffusing multi-elements. • Priority diffusion of low-melting-point elements promoted the diffusion effect of Tb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing salinization threatens the normal growth of halophytes in saline habitats, especially at the seedling stage. Soil beneficial microorganisms have the potential to promote salt tolerance of halophytes, but less attention has been paid to the various responses between different halophytes with microbial inoculations. Here we performed pot experiments to assess the responses of Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. and Elaeagnus angustifolia Linn. to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculation in saline soil conditions. The results showed that neither a single AMF inoculation nor a single PGPR inoculation promoted the growth of N. tangutorum. In contrast, co-inoculation not only promoted biomass accumulation but also promoted the absorption of P, K+, and Ca2+ in the roots, and the accumulation of N, Na+, K+, and Ca2+ in the leaves. Co-inoculation also increased the K+/Na+ ratio in the roots as well as the Ca2+/Na+ ratio in both roots and leaves of N. tangutorum. Na+ is an important inorganic osmolyte, essential for both efficient osmoregulation and biomass accumulation in N. tangutorum. PGPR inoculation alone could not promote the growth of E. angustifolia. AMF inoculation, solely or combined with PGPR, was beneficial to the absorption of K+ and Ca2+ in the roots, the accumulation of N and K+ in the leaves, the maintenance of the K+/Na+ ratio and Ca2+/Na+ ratio in the leaves, the selective transportation of K+ and Ca2+ from roots to leaves, and the accumulation of proline and glycine betaine in the leaves of E. angustifolia. Increased nutrient absorption, ion homeostasis, and K+ and Ca2+ selective transportation in AMF-inoculated E. angustifolia helped reduce the toxic effects of Na+ and the damage caused by osmotic stress in saline soil conditions. "Plant-microbe specificity" leads to the different responses of N. tangutorum and E. angustifolia seedlings to AMF and PGPR inoculation in saline soil conditions. The different salt tolerance strategies for osmoregulation, nutrient acquisition, ion homeostasis, and ion transportation determine the differential responses in N. tangutorum and E.angustifolia to AMF and PGPR inoculations under saline soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the air transport industry, forcing airlines to take measures to ensure the safety of passengers and crewmembers. Among the many protective measures, mask mandate onboard the airplane is an important one, but travelers' mask-wearing intentions during flight remain uninvestigated especially in the US where mask use is a topic of on-going debate. This study focused on the mask use of airline passengers when they fly during COVID-19, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to examine the relationship between nine predicting factors and the mask-wearing intention in the aircraft cabin. A survey instrument was developed to collect data from 1124 air travelers on Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), and the data was statistically analyzed using structural equation modeling and logistic regression. Results showed that attitude, descriptive norms, risk avoidance, and information seeking significantly influenced the travelers' intention to wear a mask during flight in COVID-19. Group analysis further indicated that the four factors influenced mask-wearing intentions differently on young, middle-aged, and senior travelers. It was also found that demographic and travel characteristics including age, education, income, and travel frequency can be used to predict if the airline passenger was willing to pay a large amount to switch to airlines that adopted different mask policies during COVID-19. The findings of this study fill the research gap of air travelers' intentions to wear a mask when flying during a global pandemic and provide recommendations for mask-wearing policies to help the air transport industry recover from COVID-19. • Attitude, risk avoidance, descriptive norm, and information seeking affect mask use intention on airplane during COVID-19. • Attitude drives mask decisions of young and middle-aged travelers while for seniors risk avoidance was the key factor. • Some demographic and travel factors can predict willingness to pay more to switch to airlines with different mask policies. • During COVID-19, more US travelers support the use of masks when flying, but opposing attitudes still exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a chronic autoinflammatory disease characterized by fever, erythema, and sterile pustules occurring over large areas of the skin. The immunopathogenesis of GPP remains poorly understood. We aimed to profile serum cytokine levels in patients with GPP and analyze treatment-associated changes in cytokine levels. Methods: Twenty-four patients who were diagnosed with GPP and received drug treatment, together with 28 unaffected controls, were recruited in this study. Levels of 27 cytokines in serum samples from pre- and post-treated patients as well as unaffected controls were assessed using a Bio-Plex multiplex immunoassay. Multivariate analysis of cytokine levels and clinical parameters was conducted. Results: Serum levels of interleukins interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IL-17, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly elevated (p <.05) in patients with GPP compared with controls. Serum levels of IL-6, G-CSF, IL-8, IFN-γ, IL1-Ra, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-1β were correlated with GPP severity (r > 0.4, p <.001). Following treatment, serum levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, G-CSF, and IP-10 were significantly decreased (p <.05) compared with pretreatment levels. Among these cytokines, levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-12, IL-13, and IP-10 were reduced to normal levels. Conclusion: GPP patients exhibited markedly elevated levels of cytokines and chemokines involved in both type 1 and type 2 immune responses, suggesting hypercytokinemia occurs in GPP patients. IL-6 showed the strongest correlation with GPP disease severity and other clinical parameters such as CRP level and fever, thus representing an index for GPP severity. Our data comprehensively documented the cytokine profiles of GPP patients and may provide insights into GPP pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heightened stress during air pistol competitions may impair shooters' abilities to maintain gun stability, resulting in inferior performance. This study aimed to compare the pre-trigger muscle activation levels of upper muscles in 10-m air pistol shooters between training and simulated competition conditions. Seven sub-elite shooters from the Singapore National Youth Air Pistol Team shot 30 shots in a training versus simulated competition condition in randomised orders on separate days. Muscle activation for the forearm and shoulder muscles, namely extensor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, anterior deltoid, and posterior deltoid, were recorded using electromyography (EMG). Shooting performance was evaluated by total shot scores. Stress level was monitored via heart rate and the Mental Readiness Form-3. No statistically significant differences were found in EMG, performance, or stress-related variables between conditions, although moderate-to-large effect sizes were observed in some muscle activation and self-reported stress indicators. Analysis of individual performances using smallest worthwhile change showed that two participants improved under the simulated competition condition, while two declined, and three remained unaffected. In conclusion, sub-elite youth air pistol shooters were able to exhibit good neuromuscular control under high anxiety situations and thus their performance was largely unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise identification of glioblastoma (GBM) microinfiltration, which is essential for achieving complete resection, remains an enormous challenge in clinical practice. Here, the study demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy effectively identifies GBM microinfiltration with cellular resolution in clinical specimens. The spectral differences between infiltrative lesions and normal brain tissues are attributed to phospholipids, nucleic acids, amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. These biochemical metabolites identified by Raman spectroscopy are further confirmed by spatial metabolomics. Based on differential spectra, Raman imaging resolves important morphological information relevant to GBM lesions in a label‐free manner. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for Raman spectroscopy combined with machine learning in detecting infiltrative lesions exceeds 95%. Most importantly, the cancer cell threshold identified by Raman spectroscopy is as low as 3 human GBM cells per 0.01 mm2. Raman spectroscopy enables the detection of previously undetectable diffusely infiltrative cancer cells, which holds potential value in guiding complete tumor resection in GBM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon use efficiency (CUE) was identified as a pivotal parameter for elucidating the carbon cycle within ecosystems. It signified the efficiency with which light energy was transformed into organic matter by vegetation. In light of the challenges posed by global warming, it was deemed essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of the fluctuations and determinants of CUE. Despite the significance of this topic, the current research on factors influencing CUE remained incomplete, notably lacking in exploration of the impacts of ecological engineering on CUE. The objective of this study is to elucidate the influences of climate change and ecological engineering on CUE, quantifying their effects using residual analysis. Additionally, it aims to analyze the primary factors contributing to the fluctuations in CUE. Our findings indicated an average CUE of 0.8536 (±0.0026) with minor interannual variation. In the Three Rivers Source region, CUE is jointly influenced by ecological engineering (30.88%) and climate change (69.12%). Notably, climatic factors predominantly regulate CUE, accounting for approximately 90.20% of its regional variations, with over 44.70% of areas exhibiting contributions exceeding 80%. Moreover, the impact of evapotranspiration on CUE surpasses that of precipitation and temperature, while factors such as elevation and vegetation types also play significant roles. This study showed the quantification of climate change and ecological engineering effects on CUE, which would hold substantial implications for predicting and evaluating global carbon cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, a growing body of studies has explored spenders' happiness in prosocial spending (i.e., spending money on others). However, the happiness of recipients has been frequently ignored. Considering that most prosocial spending behaviors can be seen as a particular form of social interactions and emotional outcomes of social interactions depend on whom people interact with, the current study attempts to explore the influence of the social ties between spenders and recipients (strong vs. weak social ties) on recipients' happiness. More specifically, the present study also attempts to explain this influence from the aspect of basic psychological needs (i.e., relatedness, competence, and autonomy) satisfaction. Results of two studies reveal that gifts from strong social ties lead to recipients' greater happiness than those from weak social ties. Notably, relatedness satisfaction and competence satisfaction, but not autonomy satisfaction, explain this happiness effect of social ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) on the outcome of acute leukemia. Data from 114 patients who were diagnosed with acute leukemia (AL) and underwent allo-HSCT between Jan 2013 and Dec 2019 were collected and analyzed. The patients were attributed into MRD positive (MRD+) group and MRD negative (MRD−) group. Among the 114 acute leukemia patients, there were 32 MRD+ patients before transplantation, and 82 MRD− patients. No significant difference was found between the MRD+ group and the MRD− group in the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) (p = 0.09). Compared with the MRD+ group, the MRD− group had a higher incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) (p = 0.008). There is no significance in relapse between the two groups (p = 0.084), while the incidence of relapse was seemingly higher in the MRD+ group: 36.9% Vs 19.7%. We attributed to the lack of sample size and NRM in MRD+ group was remarkably higher. The MRD+ group had significantly worse one-year overall survival (OS) (, p = 0.003) and one-year progression-free survival (PFS) (, p = 0.009). In the multivariate analysis, MRD+ was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.898; 95%CI 1.042–3.457; p = 0.036). Pre-transplantation MRD positive status is a risk factor for survival and prognosis after HSCT. Upon this, emphasis should be put on (1) screening more efficient chemo regimen with targeted agents, to help patients reach and keep MRD− status before transplantation; (2) designing better management with different GvHD prophylaxis treatment, timely disease monitoring and preemptive intervention on relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The feature representation consists of two parts: data and its local-topology information. • We propose a replacement strategy to find local-topology representation of data. • Data augmentation is applied to improve the generalization performance of the model. • A two-stage image deep clustering algorithm is presented based on local-topology embedding called ITEC. Reasonable feature representation plays an important role in improving the performance of clustering algorithms. However, recent deep clustering studies only focusing on feature representation at the pixel level leads to feature representation with low discrimination. Our key insight is that considering local-topology information between images would help to get a highly discriminative representation, and therefore we design a replacement strategy to find local-topology representation of data, and propose a two-stage image deep clustering algorithm based on local-topology embedding called ITEC. Specifically, we take advantage of data augmentation technique to improve the generalization performance of the learning models; then local-topology representation of data is embedded into the representation of data itself, so as to better complete tasks of image clustering. Extensive experiments demonstrate that local-topology information effectively promotes the performance of deep clustering significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive system diseases have become a public health problem that endangers human physical and mental health. The causes of reproductive diseases are complex and diverse. From a biological point of view, abnormal cell proliferation may affect important physiological functions of reproductive organs and cause various gynecological or andrological diseases. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is the most commonly used indicator for detecting cell proliferation activity. The up- or downregulation of its expression is of great significance in reproductive system diseases. This review summarizes the significance of the latest research on PCNA expression in reproductive system diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are potential candidates for lung cancer prevention and therapy. A major limitation is the lack of an efficient delivery system to directly deliver miRNA to cancer cells while limiting systemic exposure. The delivery of miRNA via inhalation is a potential strategy for lung cancer prevention in high‐risk individuals. In this study, the authors investigate the efficacy of aerosolized let‐7b miRNA treatment in lung cancer prevention. Let‐7b shows significant inhibition of B[a]P‐induced lung adenoma with no detectable side effects. Single‐cell RNA sequencing of tumor‐infiltrating T cells from primary tumors reveals that Let‐7b post‐transcriptionally suppresses PD‐L1 and PD‐1 expression in the tumor microenvironment, suggesting that let‐7b miRNAs may promote antitumor immunity in vivo. Let‐7b treatment decreases the expression of PD‐1 in CD8+ T cells and reduces PD‐L1 expression in lung tumor cells. The results suggest that this aerosolized let‐7b mimic is a promising approach for lung cancer prevention, and that the in vivo tumor inhibitory effects of let‐7b are mediated, at least in part, by immune‐promoting effects via downregulating PD‐L1 in tumors and/or PD‐1 on CD8+ T cells. These changes potentiate antitumor CD8+ T cell immune responses, and ultimately lead to tumor inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the test-retest reliability of hallux flexion displacement measured using a smart sock system with embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. Thirty female participants consisting of 15 hallux valgus (HV) patients and 15 control participants were recruited. Maximum active hallux flexion displacement was measured twice on each participant in the first visit; the same procedures were repeated 7 days later. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC2,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were applied to test within-day and between-day reliability. Paired-samples T-test was performed to compare the displacements between trials. Results showed almost perfect within-day reliability for both HV and control groups (ICC = 0. 9 8 4 and 0.977, respectively) with small SEM (both 0.5 cm). However, fair to moderate between-day reliability was found (0.323 and 0.438, respectively). Significant differences were found between repeated measurements taken on the same day (mean difference = 0. 3 cm, p = 0. 0 2 3) and on different days (mean difference = 1. 6 cm, p = 0. 0 2 7), though the effect size was small. The poorer between-day reliability is likely due to the inconsistency in fitting the sock onto the foot. Future optimization of the prototype design is called for to improve the fitting consistency of wearable sensors onto patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]