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Using the particle swarm optimization algorithm, we conducted an extensive search for the high-pressure stable structure of technetium diboride (TcB2) within the pressure range of 0–400 GPa. At zero pressure, the P63/mmc (hP6-TcB2) structure is considered the ground state configuration. As the pressure increases, a structural transition from hP6-TcB2 to P6/mmm (hP3-TcB2) occurs at approximately 174.9 GPa. We discuss the bonding between the two distinct phases and analyze the contribution of different atomic bonds to maintaining their structural stability. Meanwhile, the temperature–pressure phase diagram of TcB2 was successfully determined for the first time through the quasi-harmonic approximation method. It is predicted that the transition pressure from hP6-TcB2 to hP3-TcB2 can be reduced to about 164 GPa at a room temperature of 300 K. These results provide valuable insights into the behavior of TcB2 under different temperature and pressure conditions and open up new possibilities for exploring its potential applications in a variety of environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the additional advantages of integrating contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) into the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) ultrasound (US) for the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components. Materials and methods: This prospective multicenter study recruited women suspected of having adnexal lesions with solid components between September 2021 and December 2022. All patients scheduled for surgery underwent preoperative CEUS and US examinations. The lesions were categorized according to the O-RADS US system, and quantitative CEUS indexes were recorded. Pathological results served as the reference standard. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify risk factors for malignancy in adnexal lesions with solid components. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to assess diagnostic performance. Results: A total of 180 lesions in 175 women were included in the study. Among these masses, 80 were malignant and 100 were benign. Multivariable analysis revealed that serum CA-125, the presence of acoustic shadowing, and peak intensity (PI) ratio (PImass/PIuterus) of solid components on CEUS were independently associated with adnexal malignancy. The modified CEUS risk stratification model demonstrated superior diagnostic value in assessing adnexal lesions with solid components compared to O-RADS US (AUC: 0.91 vs 0.78, p < 0.001) and exhibited comparable performance to the Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adnexa (ADNEX) model (AUC 0.91 vs 0.86, p = 0.07). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the potential value of CEUS as an adjunctive tool for enhancing the precision of diagnostic evaluations of O-RADS US. Clinical relevance statement: The promising performance of the modified CEUS risk stratification model suggests its potential to mitigate unnecessary surgeries in the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components. Key Points: • The additional value of CEUS to O-RADS US in distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal lesions with solid components requires further evaluation. • The modified CEUS risk stratification model displayed superior diagnostic value and specificity in characterizing adnexal lesions with solid components when compared to O-RADS US. • The inclusion of CEUS demonstrated potential in reducing the need for unnecessary surgeries in the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify the travel time and cost characteristics of mixed traffic involving electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel-powered vehicles on roads, in this paper, we comprehensively consider three factors affecting road impedance: queue length, waiting time, and service rate. Initially, a time characteristic function and a cost characteristic function for mixed traffic impedance are constructed. From the perspective of travel time, we consider the impact of EV penetration on the actual road capacity and introduce a capacity coefficient to modify the BPR (Bureau of Public Roads) road impedance function. Given that different types of vehicles might need to wait at charging stations, we employ queuing theory to calculate the queuing time at these stations and construct an impedance model that considers travel time. From the perspective of travel costs, we account for the energy consumption costs and road usage fees for different types of vehicles. The energy consumption cost for travel mileage is obtained by multiplying the unit mileage energy consumption cost of mixed traffic by the travel mileage. For road usage fees, we adopt the conventional method of multiplying the per-kilometer rate for each vehicle type by the travel mileage, thus constructing an impedance model that incorporates travel costs. Finally, in the numerical analysis section, based on the vehicle travel mileage, we categorize travel into short-, medium-, and long-distance trips for analysis. With the constructed mixed traffic impedance model, we conduct a detailed analysis of the travel time and cost characteristics of mixed traffic over different travel distances. We explore the specific impacts of the electric vehicle penetration rate, traffic flow volume, and travel mileage on road impedance. The results indicate that as the penetration rate of electric vehicles increases, the total energy consumption of the transportation system significantly decreases. Moreover, at high electric vehicle penetration rates, although an increase in traffic flow leads to higher traffic impedance and longer travel times, the overall travel costs are reduced. This demonstrates that increasing the penetration rate of electric vehicles positively contributes to reducing the energy consumption and costs of transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation tillage technology possesses substantial potential to enhance agricultural production efficiency and tackle issues such as wind erosion and land degradation in semi-arid regions. The integration of no-tillage and straw mulching technologies in the conventional aeolian semi-arid agricultural zones of western Liaoning, China, has led to notable improvements in crop yield and soil quality. However, a comprehensive assessment of the mechanisms and kinetics involved in soil nutrient variations is yet to be conducted. During a two-year study period, we assessed four tillage systems in the aeolian semi-arid regions of Northern China: no-tillage with full straw mulching (NTFS), no-tillage with half straw mulching (NTHS), no-tillage without straw mulching (NT), and conventional tillage (CT). The investigation focused on examining nutrient conditions, enhancing photosynthetic activity, and increasing maize yield while improving water use efficiency (WUE). Our findings emphasize the beneficial impact of combining no-tillage and straw mulching on enhancing soil water retention, resulting in a notable rise in soil moisture levels during the crucial growth phases of maize. This approach also positively influenced soil nutrient levels, particularly in the 0–20 cm layer, fostering an environment conducive to maize cultivation. In terms of ecological benefits, no-tillage with straw mulching curtailed soil sediment transport and wind erosion, notably at 30–40 cm heights, aiding in the ecological protection of the region. The yield and WUE were substantially higher under NTFS and NTHS than under CT, with NTHS demonstrating the most significant gains in yield (14.5% to 16.6%) and WUE (18.3% to 21.7%) throughout the study period. A TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) analysis confirmed NTHS as the optimal treatment, achieving the highest scores for soil water, nutrient availability, wind erosion control, maize photosynthesis, yield, and WUE, thus emerging as the most effective conservation tillage strategy for sustainable agriculture in aeolian semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer coatings are emerged as promising candidates for zinc anode artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) owing to their barrier effect and zincophilicity. However, the poor ionic conductivity of conventional polymer coatings limits their application. Herein, inspired by epidermis function, a porous poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) coating is fabricated to stabilize Zn anode via a novel phase inversion method. The modified Zn anode delivers a remarkable lifespan of over 4000 h at 1 mA cm−2, 1 mAh cm−2, and 120 h at 20 mA cm−2, 20 mAh cm−2 in symmetrical cells. Moreover, porous PMMA‐Zn||NVO full cell also exhibits an excellent cycling stability over 500 cycles at 1 A g−1 as well as an ultralong lifespan exceeding 5000 cycles at 5 A g−1. The excellent cycling stability and rate performance are mainly attributed to the avoided side reactions by the coating protection, as well as the enhanced diffusion and reaction kinetics derived from the good zincophilicity and porous structure of porous PMMA. The facile and universal method for fabricating porous polymer ASEI provides a new insight for the application of conventional polymer materials in Zn anode protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and nitrogen are crucial for producing spring maize. Currently, irrigation and fertilization systems often rely on a single indicator, resulting in inefficient practices. This study aims to determine an optimal nitrogen application rate for shallow buried drip irrigation (SBDI) to balance growth characteristics, yield (Y), water use efficiency (WUE), and soil nitrogen levels. In a typical semi-arid region of Northeast China, we conducted controlled experiments from 2022 to 2023, adopting a two-factor quadratic saturation D-optimal design method to study the effects of different irrigation amounts (145.40, 271.70, 348.20, and 436.20 mm) and nitrogen fertilizer application amounts (34.80, 185.90, 277.40, and 382.80 kg·hm−2) on spring maize. The results indicate that increasing both irrigation and nitrogen application rates can enhance dry matter accumulation (DMA) from 15.17% to 32.70%. The impact of irrigation and fertilization on the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of spring maize was greater for the irrigation applications than the nitrogen applications, particularly at 9:00 a.m. and 13:00 p.m. and slightly less so at 11:00 a.m. and 15:00 p.m. Concurrently, there were significant increases in total nitrogen (TN1 by 20.85% in the 0–20 cm soil layer; TN2 by 33.33% in the 20–40 cm soil layer) and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AHN1 by 14.65% at 0–20 cm; AHN2 by 28.86% at 20–40 cm). Y improved from 12.02% to 44.09%, and WUE increased from 20.08% to 140.07%. The optimal water and fertilizer management mode for spring maize SBDI in semi-arid areas was determined through comprehensive analysis using the TOPSIS entropy weight method. When the irrigation amount is 436.20 mm, and the nitrogen fertilizer application amount is 277.40 kg·hm−2, it can significantly promote the DMA, Y, WUE, photosynthetic characteristics, and soil nitrogen content of spring maize. This study provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of SBDI water–fertilizer coupling for spring maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Genetic polymorphisms in the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene have been implicated in PCa susceptibility, development, and progression. This study aims to assess the contributions of three IL-10 promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), A-1082G (rs1800896), T-819C (rs3021097), and A-592C (rs1800872), to the risk of PCa in Taiwan. The three IL-10 genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP methodology and were evaluated for their contributions to PCa risk among 218 PCa patients and 436 non-PCa controls. None of the three IL-10 SNPs were significantly associated with the risks of PCa (p all > 0.05) in the overall analyses. However, the GG at rs1800896 combined with smoking behavior was found to significantly increase the risk of PCa by 3.90-fold (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.28–11.89, p = 0.0231). In addition, the rs1800896 AG and GGs were found to be correlated with the late stages of PCa (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90 and 6.42, 95% CI = 1.05–3.45 and 2.30–17.89, p = 0.0452 and 0.0003, respectively). The IL-10 promoter SNP, A-1082G (rs1800896), might be a risk factor for PCa development among smokers and those at late stages of the disease. These findings should be validated in larger and more diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thickness of the bonding interface changes after the structure has been subjected to tensile load, thereby affecting the strength of the bonding structure. It is necessary to monitor the evolution of the bonding interface thickness under tensile load. Through terahertz time-domain spectroscopy imaging and scale-invariant feature transform image processing, the thickness variation of three interfaces of 150 silicon-based adhesive structures under tensile load were analyzed. It was determined that variation at the edge was larger than that in the middle area. The research results also provide data support for the bonding structure health monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northwestern Pacific. We found that rapid changes in the maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are not always concurrent. RI cases can be categorized into three types: (a) RIv, only Vmax strengthens rapidly; (b) RIp, only Pmin decreases rapidly; (c) RIpv, rapid changes in Vmax and Pmin occur concurrently. At the onset of RI, RIv‐type TCs exhibit the weakest intensity and the smallest size, with deep convection concentrated in the inner‐core region; RIp‐type TCs are characterized by the strongest cyclone intensity and the largest outer‐core size, with strong convection covering the inner‐ and outer‐core regions; RIpv‐type TCs show moderate intensity, size, and convection distribution. For RIpv, significant strengthening of wind profile is concentrated in the inner‐core region, while for RIp it is more prominent in the outer‐core. Plain Language Summary: The rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) continues to pose challenges in both operational forecasting and scientific research. The maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are two commonly used TC intensity indicators. In most of existing studies, one single indicator (usually Vmax) is used to investigate the RI process. Whether there is a difference between RI cases defined by 24‐hr strengthening of Vmax and 24‐hr deepening of Pmin is an issue deserving discussion. The study found that rapid changes in Vmax and Pmin are not always concurrent. In the cases where only Vmax strengthens rapidly, the outer‐core size of TC expands slowly. While in the cases where only Pmin deepens rapidly, the enhancement of outer circulation is distinctive. Since the Pmin, as an integral variable, reflects TC information of both the intensity and the size, RI cases classified via these two commonly used indicators (Vmax and Pmin) could help us further understand the relationship between TC intensity and size. Key Points: Rapid changes in the maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are not always concurrent in tropical cyclones (TCs)TCs that only experience a rapid increase in Vmax (RIv) tend to have a significantly weaker lifetime maximum intensityThe evident expansion of the outer circulation occurs in TCs of which only Pmin deepens rapidly (RIp) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer is among the most common malignant tumors affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Liver metastases, a complication present in approximately 50% of colorectal cancer patients, are a considerable concern. Recently, studies have revealed the crucial role of miR-455 in tumor pathogenesis. However, the effect of miR-455 on the progression of liver metastases in colorectal cancer remains controversial. As an antagonist of bone morphogenetic protein(BMP), Gremlin 1 (GREM1) may impact organogenesis, body patterning, and tissue differentiation. Nevertheless, the role of miR-455 in regulating GREM1 in colorectal cancer liver metastases and how miR-455/GREM1 axis influences tumour immune microenvironment is unclear. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis shows that miR-455/GREM1 axis plays crucial role in liver metastasis of intestinal cancer and predicts its possible mechanism. To investigate the impact of miR-455/GREM1 axis on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of colorectal cancer cells, colony formation assay, wound healing and transwell assay were examined in vitro. The Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay confirmed a possible regulatory effect between miR-455 and GREM1. In vivo, colorectal cancer liver metastasis(CRLM) model mice was established to inquiry the effect of miR-455/GREM1 axis on tumor growth and macrophage polarization. The marker of macrophage polarization was tested using immunofluorescence(IF) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), cytokines were detected in culture medium supernatants. Results: We found that miR-455 and BMP6 expression was increased and GREM1 expression was decreased in liver metastase compared with primary tumor. miR-455/GREM1 axis promotes colorectal cancer cells proliferation, migration, invasion via affected PI3K/AKT pathway. Moreover, downregulating GREM1 augmented BMP6 expression in MC38 cell lines, inducing M2 polarization of macrophages, and promoting liver metastasis growth in CRLM model mice. Conclusion: These data suggest that miR-455/GREM1 axis promotes colorectal cancer progression and liver metastasis by affecting PI3K/AKT pathway and inducing M2 macrophage polarization. These results offer valuable insights and direction for future research and treatment of CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bladder cancer, an age-related disorder, primarily affects individuals aged 65 and older. Accelerated biological aging, which is linked to increased cancer susceptibility, raises questions about its association with bladder cancer risk. We evaluated four widely recognized epigenetic clocks—HannumAge, HorvathAge, GrimAge, and PhenoAge—for their relationship with bladder cancer risk in a large case–control study. By leveraging genome-wide-association study (GWAS) data and constructing weighted genetic risk scores (GRS), we found that higher HannumAge and HorvathAge GRS were significantly associated with increased bladder cancer risk (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.44–1.98, p = 1.56 × 10−10 and OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.00–1.19, p = 0.04, respectively). Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using inverse-variance weighting (IVW) confirmed these associations, which was also supported by sensitivity analyses. However, GrimAge and PhenoAge showed no significant association with bladder cancer risks. Our findings highlighted the link between accelerated biological aging and elevated bladder cancer risk. Bladder cancer is an age-related disease, with over three-quarters of cases occurring in individuals aged 65 years and older. Accelerated biological aging has been linked to elevated cancer risks. Epigenetic clocks serve as excellent predictors of biological age, yet it remains unclear whether they are associated with bladder cancer risk. In this large case–control study, we assessed the associations between four well-established epigenetic clocks—HannumAge, HorvathAge, GrimAge, and PhenoAge—and bladder cancer risk. Utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which were identified in a genome-wide association study (GWAS), linked to these clocks as instruments, we constructed a weighted genetic risk score (GRS) for each clock. We discovered that higher HannumAge and HorvathAge GRS were significantly associated with increased bladder cancer risk (OR = 1.69 per SD increase, 95% CI, 1.44–1.98, p = 1.56 × 10−10 and OR = 1.09 per SD increase, 95% CI, 1.00–1.19, p = 0.04, respectively). Employing a summary statistics-based Mendelian randomization (MR) method, inverse-variance weighting (IVW), we found consistent risk estimates for bladder cancer with both HannumAge and HorvathAge. Sensitivity analyses using weighted median analysis and MR-Egger regression further supported the validity of the IVW method. However, GrimAge and PhenoAge were not associated with bladder cancer risk. In conclusion, our data provide the first evidence that accelerated biological aging is associated with elevated bladder cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9, which degrade type IV collagen, are linked to cancer invasion and metastasis. Gene polymorphisms in MMP-2 and MMP-9 can influence their function, impacting cancer development and progression. This study analyzed the association between polymorphisms MMP-2 rs243865 (C-1306T), rs2285053 (C-735T), and MMP-9 rs3918242 (C-1562T) with serum concentrations of these enzymes in upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) patients. We conducted a case–control study with 218 UTUC patients and 580 healthy individuals in Taiwan. Genotyping was performed using PCR/RFLP on DNA from blood samples, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 serum levels and mRNA expressions in 30 UTUC patients were measured using ELISA and real-time PCR. Statistical analysis showed that MMP-2 rs2285053 and MMP-9 rs3918242 genotypes were differently distributed between UTUC patients and controls (p = 0.0199 and 0.0020). The MMP-2 rs2285053 TT genotype was associated with higher UTUC risk compared to the CC genotype (OR = 2.20, p = 0.0190). Similarly, MMP-9 rs3918242 CT and TT genotypes were linked to increased UTUC risk (OR = 1.51 and 2.92, p = 0.0272 and 0.0054). In UTUC patients, TT carriers of MMP-2 rs2285053 and MMP-9 rs3918242 showed higher mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that MMP-2 rs2285053 and MMP-9 rs3918242 genotypes are significant markers for UTUC risk and metastasis in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Additive of 1-adamantanecarbonitrile is used to strengthen the poly(ethylene oxide) based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). LiF-based integral cathode/SPE and Li/SPE interfaces are generated. The NMC811/Li all-solid-state performs stable cycle at 45 °C (1000, 80%). The interfacial instability of the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes impedes the long-term cycling and further application of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. In this work, we have shown an effective additive 1-adamantanecarbonitrile, which contributes to the excellent performance of the poly(ethylene oxide)-based electrolytes. Owing to the strong interaction of the 1-Adamantanecarbonitrile to the polymer matrix and anions, the coordination of the Li+-EO is weakened, and the binding effect of anions is strengthened, thereby improving the Li+ conductivity and the electrochemical stability. The diamond building block on the surface of the lithium anode can suppress the growth of lithium dendrites. Importantly, the 1-Adamantanecarbonitrile also regulates the formation of LiF in the solid electrolyte interface and cathode electrolyte interface, which contributes to the interfacial stability (especially at high voltages) and protects the electrodes, enabling all-solid-state batteries to cycle at high voltages for long periods of time. Therefore, the Li/Li symmetric cell undergoes long-term lithium plating/stripping for more than 2000 h. 1-Adamantanecarbonitrile-poly(ethylene oxide)-based LFP/Li and 4.3 V Ni0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2/Li all-solid-state batteries achieved stable cycles for 1000 times, with capacity retention rates reaching 85% and 80%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, severe capacity decay induced by the polysulfide shuttle effect still remains a great obstacle to the commercialization of lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs). Herein, Ni-doped ZIF67 (ZIF67/Ni) was prepared by the coprecipitation method, and then (Co, Ni)-NC/CNT composites in which in situ formed Co–Ni nanoparticles and CNTs are embedded in the 3D N-doped nanoporous carbon network structure were successfully obtained by a two-step carbonization heat treatment, without shrinkage and collapse of the skeleton. The synergistic catalysis of Co–Ni bimetal significantly promotes redox kinetics, renders strong chemisorption toward polysulfides, and reduces the CVD growth temperature of CNTs (600 °C). Furthermore, the 3D conductive network of the N-doped C skeleton embedded with CNTs and Co–Ni nanoparticles ensures fast electron/ion transportation and structural stability of the skeleton. As the cathode host of LSBs (Co, Ni)-NC/CNT composites exhibit excellent rate performance (1352–590.6 mA h g–1 at 0.5–10 A g–1) and superior cycling stability (reversible capacity of 744 and 544 mA h g–1, with decay rates of 0.031% and 0.029% per cycle at 1 and 5A g–1 for 1000 cycles, respectively). The simple and scalable construction strategy of MOF derivatives shows an important application prospect in electrochemical energy storage, catalysis, electromagnetic shielding/microwave absorption, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African-ancestry (AA) participants are underrepresented in genetics research. Here, we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) in AA female participants to identify putative breast cancer susceptibility genes. We built genetic models to predict levels of gene expression, exon junction, and 3′ UTR alternative polyadenylation using genomic and transcriptomic data generated in normal breast tissues from 150 AA participants and then used these models to perform association analyses using genomic data from 18,034 cases and 22,104 controls. At Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.05, we identified six genes associated with breast cancer risk, including four genes not previously reported (CTD-3080P12.3, EN1, LINC01956 and NUP210L). Most of these genes showed a stronger association with risk of estrogen-receptor (ER) negative or triple-negative than ER-positive breast cancer. We also replicated the associations with 29 genes reported in previous TWAS at P < 0.05 (one-sided), providing further support for an association of these genes with breast cancer risk. Our study sheds new light on the genetic basis of breast cancer and highlights the value of conducting research in AA populations. Here, the authors integrate genomic and transcriptomic data obtained from African-ancestry female participants and identify six genes associated with breast cancer risk which provides biological insights into this common cancer in an underrepresented population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the concept of a circular economy has increasingly gained attention as a framework for guiding businesses and policymakers. Given its significant environmental impact, the building industry plays a pivotal role in the transition toward a circular economy. To address this, our review proposes a bio-based building material, specifically straw bale, which elaborates on the circularity of bio-based buildings based on the 3R principles of a circular economy: reduce, reuse, and recycle. In terms of the "reduce" principle, straw-bale buildings can reduce construction waste, the environmental impact, energy requirements, and carbon emissions. Regarding the "reuse" principle, straw-bale buildings utilize agricultural waste resources and are easily disassembled due to their prefabrication. As for the "recycle" principle, straw-bale buildings can undergo physical, biological, and biochemical conversion processes (thermochemical conversion), yielding both wooden composite boards and potential biogas and biomass fuels for electricity and heating. This study evaluates the contribution of straw packaging construction and the use of straw as a raw material, using the 3R principles to determine future research opportunities for the construction industry to achieve a circular economy. The results of this study offer circular economy solutions and interdisciplinary research insights for researchers and practitioners interested in the building environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high porosity micropore arrayed parylene membrane is a promising device that is used to capture circulating and exfoliated tumor cells (CTCs and ETCs) for liquid biopsy applications. However, its fabrication still requires either expensive equipment or an expensive process. Here, we report on the fabrication of high porosity (>40%) micropore arrayed parylene membranes through a simple reactive ion etching (RIE) that uses photoresist as the etching mask. Vertical sidewalls were observed in etched parylene pores despite the sloped photoresist mask sidewalls, which was found to be due to the simultaneous high DC-bias RIE induced photoresist melting and substrate pedestal formation. A theoretical model has been derived to illustrate the dependence of the maximum membrane thickness on the final pore-to-pore spacing, and it is consistent with the experimental data. A simple, yet accurate, low number (<50) cell counting method was demonstrated through counting cells directly inside a pipette tip under phase-contrast microscope. Membranes as thin as 3 μm showed utility for low number tumor cell capture, with an efficiency of 87–92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoMorph is a new mass‐flux convection parametrization under development at the Met Office designed for use within the Unified Model and its successor model, LFRic. Use of a three‐dimensional idealised model enables controlled tests of the performance of the scheme across different regimes. This includes the interaction between the physical parametrizations and the resolved dynamics, allowing study of the emergent organisation of convection on the resolved scale. A selection of well‐known cases is revisited here, with the purpose of documenting the extent to which CoMorph captures a range of important, but challenging, behaviour such as the diurnal cycle and sensitivity to tropospheric moisture. Simulations using CoMorph‐A, a new physics package, that has been demonstrated to perform well at numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate scales, are compared against the current global atmosphere configuration and high‐resolution results. In addition to an entirely new convection scheme, the package of changes includes significant changes to the cloud, microphysics, and boundary‐layer parametrizations. Recognising that CoMorph‐A is the first version of a scheme that will continue to be substantially developed and to obtain good performance, compromises in tuning have had to be made. These idealised tests therefore show what works well in this configuration, and what areas will require further work. As such, it is quite a demanding testbed and could be viewed as some of the equipment required for a "convective playground". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the moist buffering halo region of shallow maritime cumulus clouds is systematically investigated using large eddy simulations with various grid resolutions and numerical choices. Autocorrelation analyses of cloud liquid water and relative humidity suggest a converged size of 200–300 m for moist patches outside clouds when the model resolution is below 50 m, but may overestimate this size due to noncloudy moist regions. Based on a composite analysis, the structure of the moist halo immediately outside individual clouds is examined. It is found that, regardless of model resolution, the distribution of relative humidity in the halo region does not depend on cloud size, but on the real distance away from the cloud boundary, indicating some size‐independent length scales are responsible for the halo formation. The relative humidity decays with distance more quickly with finer horizontal resolution, which is possibly related to the model resolution dependence of the cloud spectrum. The halo size near the cloud base is larger than that within the cloud layer and this feature is robust across all simulations. Further analyses of backward and forward Lagrangian trajectories originating from the moist halo region reveal the possible role for subcloud coherent structures in cloud‐base halo formation. Possible mechanisms explaining cloud halo sizes and associated length scales are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vortex-induced vibrations of a two-degree-of-freedom rough rotating cylinder at a low Reynolds number of 200 and a mass ratio of 2.6 are investigated via numerical simulations. The relevant calculation parameters are as follows: a rotation rate between zero and one, surface roughness height between 0% and 15%, and reduced velocity between 1 and 12. It is found that reasonable rough surface and rotational motion of the smooth cylinder are two effective factors for suppressing the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) response. Conversely, a rotating cylinder with a rough surface enhances the VIV response. Four wake patterns (2S, P + S, 2P, and multiple vortices patterns) are captured. At low rotation rates, with increasing roughness height, the wake pattern develops into a multiple vortex pattern after multiple evolutions. The variation in roughness at a high rotation rate does not correlate with a change in the wake pattern. The area of the cylindrical motion trajectory is positively correlated with the roughness height, and the time-averaged dimensionless displacements of the cross-flow and in-line flow directions increase with increasing roughness height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When an emergency vehicle (EV) passes through an isolated signal intersection, it is crucial to ensure the efficient passage of the EV while minimizing the negative impact on ordinary vehicles (OVs), particularly in high-traffic flow scenarios. Given the constraints on temporal and spatial resources within intersection areas, OVs ahead of EV often face challenges in finding safe gaps for giving way, resulting in significant obstructions to OVs. This research introduces a novel collaborative control framework to jointly optimize dynamic emergency lane settings and signal schemes, considering EV priority and OVs benefits for a single signalized intersection. Firstly, we propose a dynamic emergency lane control algorithm to help obstructed EV in roadway segments by extending and reallocating temporal and spatial resources for vehicles. Then, we establish a collaborative control model considering EV priority and OVs benefits. Assigning the highest priority to the emergency priority phase, this model optimizes signal schemes to prevent interphase conflict, taking into account OVs benefits. Finally, our collaborative control framework also employs an Eco-Driving algorithm for the optimization of OV speed to reduce fuel consumption. The case study results reveal that in comparison to other baseline methods, our proposed model significantly reduces EV travel time, simultaneously lowering the travel time and fuel consumption of OVs. Sensitivity analysis of varying traffic flow scenarios reveals that, as vehicle volumes increase, our proposed method demonstrates more pronounced reductions in both EV and OV travel time. In addition, there is a progressive increase in the proportion of dynamic emergency lane utilization, with activation occurring at earlier locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniform symmetric bodies can be observed floating asymmetrically under certain circumstances. Previous explanations of this are mostly abstract and lack experimental verification, making their understanding and application difficult. This article presents in detail alternative insights into the floating equilibria of uniform prisms and parabolic cylinders. The intrinsic characteristics of the equilibrium curves are investigated, and several equilibria different from those in the literature are found. The inflection points in the equilibrium curves are analyzed quantitatively due to their significance for floating states. Furthermore, experiments have been conducted for the square prism which validate the derived equilibrium curve, and provide a practical impression of the asymmetric floating phenomenon of symmetric bodies. These results have the potential to be applied in naval and ocean engineering, such as in the design of vessels and floating offshore structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent clinical trials of anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) have produced encouraging cognitive and clinical results. The purpose of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to compare and rank mAb drugs according to their efficacy and safety. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials testing various mAbs for the treatment of cognitive decline in patients with AD, up to March 31, 2023. R software (version 4.2.3) along with JAGS and STATA software (version 15.0) were used for statistical analysis. Odds ratio (OR) for binary variables, mean difference (MD) for continuous variables, and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were utilized to estimate treatment effects and rank probabilities for each mAb in terms of safety and efficacy outcomes. We calculated the surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) to evaluate each mAb, with higher SUCRA values indicating better efficacy or lower likelihood of adverse events. Results: Thirty-three randomized controlled trials with a total of 21,087 patients were included in the current NMA, involving eight different mAbs. SUCRA values showed that aducanumab (87.01% and 99.37%, respectively) was the most likely to achieve the best therapeutic effect based on the changes of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores. Donanemab (88.50% and 99.00%, respectively) performed better than other therapies for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale–cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and Positron Emission Tomography-Standardized Uptake Value ratio (PET-SUVr). Lecanemab (87.24%) may be the most promising way to slow down the decrease of Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study–Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) score. In the analysis of the incidence of adverse events (subjects with any treatment-emergent adverse event), gantenerumab (89.12%) had the least potential for adverse events, while lecanemab (0.79%) may cause more adverse events. Solanezumab (95.75% and 80.38%, respectively) had the lowest incidence of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities characterized by edema and effusion (ARIA-E) and by cerebral microhemorrhages (ARIA-H) of the included immunotherapies. While SUCRA values provided a comprehensive measure of treatment efficacy, the inherent statistical uncertainty required careful analysis in clinical application. Conclusion: Despite immunotherapies significantly increasing the risks of adverse events and ARIA, the data suggest that mAbs can effectively improve the cognitive function of patients with mild and moderate AD. According to the NMA, aducanumab was the most likely to achieve significant improvements in different cognitive and clinical assessments (statistically improved MMSE and CDR-SB), followed by donanemab (statistically improved ADAS-Cog, and PET-SUVr) and lecanemab (statistically improved ADCS-ADL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, coal mine has applied shield tunneling machines to roadway excavation to improve production efficiency. Geological condition is an important factor that determines the efficiency of shield machines. The shield machine is most favorable for medium to hard surrounding rocks such as limestone and sandstone. Therefore, the lithology prediction of the location of a planned excavation roadway becomes the core issue in improving the efficiency of the shield machine. At present, seismic inversion is an essential method for lithology prediction. However, in Yangquan Xinjing area, missing P-wave logging curves affects the impedance inversion. Therefore, using existing logging curves to generate missing P-wave logging curves and using sandstone exposure data to continuously update lithology distribution prediction results are of great interest. In this study, logging curves were first pretreated by standardization to ensure the inversion effect. Because of the missing acoustic logging curves, the random forest regression algorithm was introduced using density, natural gamma, apparent resistivity, and spontaneous potential curves as characteristic variables to establish a curve regression prediction model. Then, P-wave logging curves were acquired. After a full analysis of the principles of acoustic and gamma curves, a quasi-acoustic curve is constructed, and a quasi-acoustic inversion was performed. The top and bottom interfaces of the K7 sandstone were interpreted on the inversion data body. The interpreted horizon information was converted from the time domain to the depth domain. The predicted results agreed well with the exposed data. At the same time, combined with the lithology exposure data from the shield tunneling machine, the distribution prediction of the K7 sand body in the target roadway section was updated and iterated many times, which provided effective guidance for the optimization of the tunneling route of the shield tunneling machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal antenatal depression (AD) is a nonpsychotic depressive episode during pregnancy that can harm both the pregnant woman and the fetus. This study aimed to investigate the intrinsic interrelationships between AD and its influencing factors by constructing a path model. This survey-based cross-sectional study included 1071 pregnant women who underwent pregnancy examinations in three hospitals in Nantong City, China, between February and June 2023. General information and information regarding maternal AD, pregnancy stress, prenatal anxiety, social support, marital satisfaction, sleep quality, and resilience were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS 25.0 was employed to determine the factors influencing pregnancy depression, and Amos25.0 was used to construct a structural equation model. AD incidence was 19.4% (208/1071). The independent risk factors affecting AD in pregnant women have been integrated into the established path analysis model. The model demonstrated a good fit (χ2/DF = 1.238, comparative fit index = 0.999, goodness-of-fit index = 0.998, normed fit index = 0.996, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.990, incremental fit index = 0.999, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.015). While prenatal anxiety (0.230) and hyperthyroidism (0.048) only had direct effects on AD, mental resilience was the biggest factor affecting AD, followed by pregnancy stress, marital satisfaction, prenatal anxiety, sleep quality, social support, and hyperthyroidism. Improved mental resilience, social support, sleep quality, and marital satisfaction; reduced pregnancy stress and prenatal anxiety; and effective hyperthyroidism treatment might reduce AD. This study underscored the significance of delivering actionable strategies and tangible assistance to pregnant women to reduce AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-layer lightweight composite structures are widely used in the field of aviation and aerospace during the processes of manufacturing and use, and, as such, they inevitably produce defects, damage, and other quality problems, creating the need for timely non-destructive testing procedures and the convenient repair or replacement of quality problems related to the material. When using terahertz non-destructive testing technology to detect defects in multi-layer lightweight composite materials, due to the complexity of their structure and defect types, there are many signal characteristics of terahertz waves propagating in the structures, and there is no obvious rule behind them, resulting in a large gap between the recognition results and the actual ones. In this study, we introduced a U-Net-BiLSTM network that combines the strengths of the U-Net and BiLSTM networks. The U-Net network extracts the spatial features of THz signals, while the BiLSTM network captures their temporal features. By optimizing the network structure and various parameters, we obtained a model tailored to THz spectroscopy data. This model was subsequently employed for the identification and quantitative analysis of defects in multi-layer lightweight composite structures using THz non-destructive testing. The proposed U-Net-BiLSTM network achieved an accuracy of 99.45% in typical defect identification, with a comprehensive F1 score of 99.43%, outperforming the CNN, ResNet, U-Net, and BiLSTM networks. By leveraging defect classification and thickness recognition, this study successfully reconstructed three-dimensional THz defect images, thereby realizing quantitative defect detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanism of the heavy quark dominance in the orbital excitation is proposed in this paper which is testified to be reasonable for singly and doubly heavy baryons. In the relativistic quark model, an analysis of the Hamiltonian figures out the mechanism that the excitation mode with lower energy levels is always associated with the heavy quark(s), and the splitting of the energy levels is suppressed by the heavy quark(s). So, the heavy quarks dominate the orbital excitation of singly and doubly heavy baryons. Furthermore, a physical understanding of this mechanism is given in a semi-classical way. Accordingly, the predicted mass spectra of singly and doubly heavy baryons confirm the rationality of this mechanism. In addition, an interesting consequence of this mechanism is that a heavy-light meson is more likely to be produced in the strong decay of the high-orbital excited states, which is supported by experiments. This mechanism is rooted in the breakdown of the mass symmetry. Therefore, it may be also valid for other multi-quark systems, such as the tetraquarks Qqqq and QQqq, or the pentaquarks Qqqqq and QQqqq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Au nano-cone array (Au-NCA) and a three-segment hybridization strategy, a novel SERS biosensor is proposed for the ultrasensitive detection of the microRNA miR-21. The uniform, stable, and reproducible Au-NCA was prepared by the single-layer colloidal ball template method. Subsequently, the target was hybridized with sequence 2. The resulting target-sequence 2 complex was then hybridized with sequence 1 anchored on Au-NCA. Thus, a three-segment sequence complex was formed. SERS measurements can be performed without the need for complex purification and amplification steps. Due to the ability of miR-21 to perform specific complementary hybridization with two sequences, SERS biosensors have superior specificity for miR-21 without interference from other miRNAs. Under the optimal conditions, the SERS biosensor was applied and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 3.02 aM. This method has been successfully used to the detection of miR-21 in the serum of lymphoma patients and healthy volunteers. The results are consistent with the traditional test methods. Therefore, this novel SERS biosensor shows excellent clinical translational potential in the detection of lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermomechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC CMCs) were studied up to 2000 °C using high-temperature in situ flexural testing in argon. The CMC specimens were fabricated using an ultrahigh concentration (66 vol%) aqueous slurry containing nano-sized silicon carbide powder. The SiC powder compacts were obtained by drying the slurry and were densified using the precursor impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) method with field assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS). The high relative density of the SiC green body (77.6%) enabled densification within 2.5 days using four PIP cycles. In contrast, conventional PIP processes take over 7 days. The in situ flexural strength of the Cf/SiC CMC was 434 MPa at 1750 °C, which was 84% higher than the room temperature value. The value further increased to 542 MPa at 2000 °C. Possible mechanisms to explain the excellent strength of the CMC at elevated temperatures are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Prenatal stress is a highly prevalent mental disorder experienced by pregnant women. This study assessed the prevalence and influencing factors of prenatal stress and investigated the mediating role of social support and resilience between self-efficacy and prenatal stress among pregnant women in China. Methods: A convenience sample comprising 1071 pregnant women from three hospitals in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, was recruited between February and June 2023. These participants completed a set of general survey questionnaires and were assessed using the Pregnancy Pressure Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Chinese version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Furthermore, a hierarchical multiple regression model was employed to investigate the relevant factors and mediators of prenatal stress symptoms. A structural equation model was used to examine the mediating role of social support and resilience in the relationship between self-efficacy and prenatal stress. Results: The results of the multivariate regression analysis indicated significant associations between prenatal stress and parity, self-efficacy, social support, and resilience (P < 0.001). Self-efficacy accounted for 35.33% of the total effect, with a direct effect of -2.5306 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.0309 to -1,0303). Further examination through mediation analysis revealed the mediating roles of social support and resilience in the relationship between self-efficacy and prenatal stress. The mediating effect of social support was − 1.5933 (95% CI: -2.2907 to -0.9496), accounting for 22.24% of the total effect. Similarly, resilience exhibited a mediating effect of -3.0388 (95% CI: -4.3844 to -1.7135), accounting for 42.43% of the total effect. Conclusion: The mediation analysis revealed that among pregnant women in China, the influence of self-efficacy on prenatal stress is channelled through social support and resilience. Therefore, enhancing social support, resilience, and self-efficacy might alleviate prenatal stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a profoundly aggressive and fatal cancer. One of the key factors defining its aggressiveness and resilience against chemotherapy is the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The important task of discovering upstream regulators of stemness that are amenable for targeting in PDAC is essential for the advancement of more potent therapeutic approaches. In this study, we sought to elucidate the function of the nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 2 (NR5A2) in the context of pancreatic CSCs. Methods: We modeled human PDAC using primary PDAC cells and CSC-enriched sphere cultures. NR5A2 was genetically silenced or inhibited with Cpd3. Assays included RNA-seq, sphere/colony formation, cell viability/toxicity, real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, ChIP, CUT&Tag, XF Analysis, lactate production, and in vivo tumorigenicity assays. PDAC models from 18 patients were treated with Cpd3-loaded nanocarriers. Results: Our findings demonstrate that NR5A2 plays a dual role in PDAC. In differentiated cancer cells, NR5A2 promotes cell proliferation by inhibiting CDKN1A. On the other hand, in the CSC population, NR5A2 enhances stemness by upregulating SOX2 through direct binding to its promotor/enhancer region. Additionally, NR5A2 suppresses MYC, leading to the activation of the mitochondrial biogenesis factor PPARGC1A and a shift in metabolism towards oxidative phosphorylation, which is a crucial feature of stemness in PDAC. Importantly, our study shows that the specific NR5A2 inhibitor, Cpd3, sensitizes a significant fraction of PDAC models derived from 18 patients to standard chemotherapy. This treatment approach results in durable remissions and long-term survival. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the expression levels of NR5A2/SOX2 can predict the response to treatment. Conclusions: The findings of our study highlight the cell context-dependent effects of NR5A2 in PDAC. We have identified a novel pharmacological strategy to modulate SOX2 and MYC levels, which disrupts stemness and prevents relapse in this deadly disease. These insights provide valuable information for the development of targeted therapies for PDAC, offering new hope for improved patient outcomes. A Schematic illustration of the role of NR5A2 in cancer stem cells versus differentiated cancer cells, along with the action of the NR5A2 inhibitor Cpd3. B Overall survival of tumor-bearing mice following allocated treatment. A total of 18 PDX models were treated using a 2 x 1 x 1 approach (two animals per model per treatment); n=36 per group (illustration created with biorender.com). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance is still a big challenge for cancer patients. We previously demonstrated that inhibiting peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PADI2) enzyme activity with Cl-amine increases the efficacy of docetaxel (Doc) on tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells with PADI2 expression. However, it is not clear whether this effect applies to other tumour cells. Here, we collected four types of tumour cells with different PADIs expression and fully evaluated the inhibitory effect of the combination of PADIs inhibitor (BB-Cla) and Doc in vitro and in vivo on tumour cell growth. Results show that inhibiting PADIs combined with Doc additively inhibits tumour cell growth across the four tumour cells. PADI2-catalysed citrullination of MEK1 Arg 189 exists in the four tumour cells, and blocking the function of MEK1 Cit189 promotes the anti-tumour effect of Doc in these tumour cells. Further analysis shows that inhibiting MEK1 Cit189 decreases the expression of cancer cell stemness factors and helps prevent cancer cell stemness maintenance. Importantly, this combined treatment can partially restore the sensitivity of chemotherapy-resistant cells to docetaxel or cisplatin in tumour cells. Thus, our study provides an experimental basis for the combined therapeutic approaches using docetaxel- and PADIs inhibitors-based strategies in tumour treatment. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'The virtues and vices of protein citrullination'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 25–30% of those affected by colorectal cancer (CRC), the most prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy, develop metastases. The survival rate of patients with liver metastasis of CRC (CRLM) remains low owing to its unpredictability and a lack of biomarkers that can be applied to distinguish groups at higher risk for CRLM among patients with CRC. Therefore, our study aimed to find biomarkers that can predict the risk of CRLM. Screening of the Gene Expression Omnibus database, supported by an analysis of clinically obtained tissue and serum data using qPCR and ELISA, in an attempt to identify relevant biomarkers, enabled us to determine that orosomucoid 1 (ORM1) was differentially expressed in liver metastases and primary tumors of patients with CRC. Functionally, overexpression of ORM1 promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the proliferative, migratory, and invasive activities of MC38 cells and activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, MC38 cells overexpressing ORM1 enhanced the tumor immune microenvironment by promoting macrophage M2 polarization and elevating interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression. In vivo experiments further confirmed in vitro results, indicating that liver metastases elevated by ORM1 were partially attenuated by the depletion of macrophages or IL-10. Considered together, ORM1 promotes CRC progression and liver metastasis by regulating tumor cell growth and inducing macrophage M2 polarization, which mediates tumor immune tolerance, and thus acts as a potential predictive marker and therapeutic target in CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The road traffic state is usually analyzed from a temporal and macroscopic perspective; however, traffic flow parameters, such as density and spacing, can explain the evolution of traffic states from the microscopic perspective and the spatial distribution of vehicles in lanes. In this paper, we attempt to take both temporal and spatial characteristics into consideration simultaneously, and a parameter is defined as the traffic spatiotemporal state of urban road sections to represent the operational status of road traffic, using advanced prediction techniques to estimate its short-term trends. An estimation method is constructed for the traffic spatiotemporal state considering travel times, speeds, and queuing situations from temporal and spatial perspectives. Then, based on Takens' theorem and the single variable phase space, the phase space of multiple traffic parameters is reconstructed and the chaotic characteristics are analyzed. Next, an LSTM prediction model is constructed based on the phase space reconstruction of multiple variables, and the traffic parameters are predicted by empirical analysis. The results show the proposed estimation method has a significantly improved accuracy. Finally, combined with RFID data, the traffic spatiotemporal state of the case section is calculated, which provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for road traffic state evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the predictability of the most long‐lived tropical cyclone (TC) Freddy in 2023 while it traversed westward across the southern tropical Indian Ocean during the first 18 days of its existence. Global ensemble forecasts revealed southward track deflection and intensity underestimation of Freddy. We identified three key factors contributing to the limited predictability of Freddy, which are associated with the Mascarene High, Storm Dingani, and Freddy itself. The large track errors of Freddy can be attributed to the underestimated strength of the Mascarene High, the more northeastern position of Dingani, and the presence of excessively large or small sizes of Freddy. These findings were further validated through a high‐resolution regional model. Specifically, Freddy's track and intensity most closely matched the observations when these three factors were most closely represented. It underscores the pivotal role played by the interaction between TCs and multi‐scale systems in TC forecasts. Plain Language Summary: In 2023, Storm Freddy emerged as the most long‐lived tropical cyclone (TC) in record, lasting 35 days over the southern tropical Indian Ocean and spanning both weather and sub‐seasonal to seasonal time ranges. The primary objective of this study is to understand the factors contributing to the poor predictability of Freddy in forecasts spanning over 2 weeks. This holds significant importance as our understanding about the ability of the numerical models to predict long‐lived TCs remains limited. Using over 7,000 global ensemble forecasts from five global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) centers and a high‐resolution regional model, we identified three key factors contributing to the limited predictability of Freddy: the strength of the Mascarene High, the position of Storm Dingani (2023), and the size of Freddy. In large track‐error results of the global forecasts and regional simulations for Freddy, the strength of the Mascarene High was underestimated, Dingani was located further northeast, and Freddy was either too large or too small. Our investigation emphasizes the crucial role played by the interaction between the TC and multi‐scale systems in TC forecasts. This is meaningful for the improvement of Numerical Weather Prediction models to deal with extreme TC events in the future. Key Points: Due to the long lifespan of Storm Freddy, many forecasting challenges across several numerical models aroseThe limited predictability of Freddy was related to the underestimated Mascarene High and the more northeastern position of Storm DinganiThe inaccurately forecasted size of Freddy, whether excessively large or small, also contributed to the large track errors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between IL-8 rs4073, rs2227306, rs2227543, and rs1126647 genotypes and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Taiwanese population. Our findings reveal that the A allele and AA genotype of IL-8 rs4073 are significantly associated with an increased susceptibility to CRC in Taiwan. This observation provides further evidence of the complex interplay between inflammation and carcinogenesis in CRC development. Furthermore, individuals with the AA genotype exhibit significantly higher levels of serum IL-8 expression. Combining IL-8 rs4073 genotyping with the assessment of IL-8 levels may have potential benefits in terms of the precise risk evaluation and early detection of CRC among patients. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is upregulated in CRC and plays an important role in its development and progression. Genetic variants in the IL-8 gene may impact the risk of CRC by modulating IL-8 levels. Our primary objective was to investigate the role of IL-8 genotypes in the development of CRC. To accomplish this, we employed the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method to analyze the genotypes of IL-8 rs4017, rs2227306, rs2227543, and rs1126647 in 362 CRC patients and 362 controls. Additionally, we evaluated the interactions between these genotypes and factors such as age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass index (BMI) status in relation to the risk of CRC. Furthermore, we utilized quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to measure the serum IL-8. The results demonstrated a significant difference in the distribution of rs4017 genotypes between the control and case groups (p for trend = 0.0059). Logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with variant AA genotype had a 1.92-fold higher CRC risk (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28–2.89, p = 0.0023). Moreover, carriers of the IL-8 rs4017 AT + AA genotypes exhibited a significant association with CRC risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.02–1.91, p = 0.0460). Additionally, individuals with IL-8 rs4017 AA genotype displayed significantly elevated serum IL-8 compared to those with TT genotype at a 1.73–fold level (p < 0.0001), indicating a correlation between genotype and phenotype. In conclusion, the genotypes of IL-8 rs4017, along with their associated expression levels, can potentially serve as predictive markers for the risk of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of nusinersen and risdiplam in the treatment of spinal muscular disease (SMA). Methods: We screened the literature published in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane before July 2023 to conduct randomized controlled trials to test the treatment of SMA patients with nusinersen and risdiplam. The data were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4 software and Stata version 15.0 software. Results: A total of six randomized controlled trials were included, involving 728 SMA patients, to synthesize evidence. It is reported that nusinersen treatment was beneficial for increasing the score of the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale—Expanded (HFMSE) (WMD: 4.90; 95% CI: 3.17, 6.63; p < 0.00001), Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) (WMD: 3.70; 95% CI: 3.30, 4.10; p < 0.00001), and Hammersmith Infant Neurological Evaluation Section 2 (HINE-2) (WMD: 5.21; 95% CI: 4.83, 5.60; p < 0.00001). In addition, the risdiplam treatment group also showed statistically significant improvements in the HFMSE score (WMD:0.87; 95% CI: 0.05, 1.68; p = 0.04), the 32-item Motor Function Measure (MFM32) (WMD:1.48; 95% CI: 0.58, 2.38; p = 0.001), and (WMD: 1.29; 95% CI: 0.57, 2.01; p = 0.0005). Nusinersen and risdiplam did not cause a statistically significant increase in the RULM score for adverse events (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.51, 1.7; p = 0.82) and for severe adverse events (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.27; p = 0.31). Conclusion: Our analysis found that nusinersen and risdiplam treatment showed clinically meaningful improvement in motor function and a similar incidence rate of adverse events compared with the placebo. Further research should be carried out to provide a direct comparison between the two drugs in terms of safety and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Heart failure (HF) is a common clinical syndrome due to ventricular dysfunction and is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Ferroptosis, marked by excessive iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is closely related to HF. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and validate ferroptosis-related markers in HF by bioinformatics analysis and animal experiments validation.Materials and Methods: The gene expression profiles (GSE36074) of murine transverse aortic constriction (TAC) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO); From the FerrDb database, ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) were identified. Using GEO2R, differential expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. An overlapping analysis was conducted among DEGs and FRGs to identify ferroptosis-related DEGs (FRDEGs). We then performed clustering, functional enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses. In addition, the key FRDEGs were extracted by cytoHubba plugin and the networks of transcription factors (TFs)-key FRDEGs and microRNA-key FRDEGs were constructed. Lastly, the key FRDEGs were carried by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).Results: Fifty-nine FRGs showing significantly different expression were identified from a total of 1918 DEGs in mice heart by transverse aortic constriction. GO and KEGG functional enrichment analysis revealed that these 59 ferroptosis-related DEGs mostly associated with positive regulation of apoptotic process, FoxO signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, Apoptosis, Ferroptosis. Five key FRDEGs (Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2) were identified using PPI networks; Based on TFs-key FRDEGs networks, we found that Mapk14, Hif1a, Tlr4 and Ptgs2 were regulated by 3, 4, 5, and 29 TFs, respectively; however, Ddit3 was not regulated by any TF; By analyzing the miRNA–key FRDEGs networks, we found that 39, 74, 11, 28, and 18 miRNAs targets regulate the expression of Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2, respectively. Lastly, five key FRDEGs were validated at the mRNA and protein levels by RT-qPCR and IHC, which were in line with our bioinformatics analysis.Conclusion: Our findings reveal that Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2 may be involved in the development of HF through regulating ferroptosis and as potential targets for HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the changes in the outer size distribution of landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) over the Chinese mainland from 1977 to 2020. The period was divided into two epochs: 1977–98 and 1999–2020. The results show that the size distribution of landfalling TCs over South China has no apparent change, while that of landfalling TCs over East China (LTCEC) is narrower in the second epoch, and the difference in the median sizes between East China and South China become more significant. Furthermore, it is found that LTCEC formed over the western part of the western North Pacific (W-WNP) shifted to a larger size range (300–500 km) at landfall, while those formed over the eastern part of the western North Pacific (E-WNP) rarely grew to extremely large size (>500 km). Further investigation revealed that over the W-WNP, the genesis position of LTCEC migrated equatorward during the second epoch, leading to a longer TC lifetime before landfall. Also, the increase of background relative vorticity and moisture associated with the southward migration is conducive to larger initial vortices. For TCs originating from the E-WNP, the change in the active area of TC passages reduced the frequency of TCs affecting the Chinese coast. Moreover, the growth of TC size during the intensification stage was significantly suppressed, lowering the occurrence probability of extremely large TCs. Changes in the large-scale thermodynamic environments between the two epochs were explored. Increased static stability and decreased convective available potential energy are possible factors limiting TC size increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple factors may be responsible for the development of postpartum stress, including perceived social support, marital satisfaction, and maternal postnatal attachment. However, the underlying mediation mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the complex relationships between perceived social support and postpartum stress among Chinese women. Methods: A convenience sample comprising 406 postpartum women was recruited from six hospitals in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China. The participants completed general survey questionnaires and were evaluated using the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale, and the Marital Satisfaction Scale. Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship between postpartum stress and the various influencing factors by performing a multiple linear regression analysis. The potential mediating roles of marital satisfaction and maternal and infant attachment in the association between perceived social support and postpartum stress were explored by performing a mediation analysis. Results: According to the multivariate regression analysis, perceived social support, marital satisfaction, and maternal postnatal attachment contributed to postpartum stress levels (P < 0.05). The mediation analysis revealed that marital satisfaction and maternal postnatal attachment played parallel mediating roles in the association between perceived social support and postpartum stress, and the mediating effect of marital satisfaction was − 0.1125 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.1784 to -0.0520), accounting for 33.20% of the total effect, and the mediating effect of maternal postnatal attachment was − 0.0847 (95% CI: -0.1304 to -0.0438), accounting for 25.00% of the total effect. Conclusion: Our study revealed that perceived social support could influence postpartum stress not only through direct effect (41.80% of the total effect), but also through the indirect effect (mediation effect) of marital satisfaction and maternal postnatal attachment (58.20% of the total effect), suggesting that improving postpartum women's social support, enhancing maternal and infant attachment, and improving their marital satisfaction could help lower postpartum stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the occurrence characteristics of insect pests in different storage materials. Knowing the development characteristics of Plodia interpunctella larvae infested on several variety of peanuts in different oleic content, can provide reference on their scientific management in stored peanut. [Methods] The developmental duration, instars, and larvae head capsule width of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) were assayed in several varieties of high oleic acid peanut kernel that included in Kainong 1715, Kainong 1760 and Kainong 301, as well as some non-high oleic acid varieties that involved in Yuhua 47, Kainong 192, Kainongbai No. 2 and Haihua No.1, at temperature of 24, 28 and 32 °C. The zero developmental temperature and effective accumulated temperature of the larvae were also calculated according to the tested temperatures and development days. [Results] There were five instars of larvae in all seven assayed varieties of peanut at three temperatures. The developmental duration of P. interpunctella larvae cultured with high oleic acid variety of Kainong 1715 was 77, 46, and 37 d, respectively. The shortest developmental duration was 53, 27, and 27 d in non-high oleic acid variety of Kainongbai No.2, at 24, 28 and 32 °C, respectively. The developmental duration of the larvae in high oleic acid variety of Kainong 1715, Kainong 1760, and Kainong 301 was significantly longer than that in others. The developmental duration from larvae to pupae was shorten with temperature increasing. The head capsule width in each larvae instar was not significantly among of peanut varieties, the time reached the same width of head capsule was different significantly. The zero developmental temperature of the larvae in high oleic acid variety of Kainong 1715, Kainong 1760, Kainong 301, and non-high oleic acid variety of Kainongbai No.2 was 16.4, 15.2, 17.3 and17.7 °C, respectively. The effective accumulated temperature in larval stage of the moth in high oleic acid variety of Kainong 1760 was highest up to 619 degree·days, and lowest (331.5 degree·days) in non-high oleic acid variety of Kainongbai No.2. [Conclusion] The development duration of the larvae in high oleic acid peanut was obviously longer than that in non-high oleic acid peanut. The head capsule width of larvae at each instar was not significantly affected by peanut in different oleic content. The developmental threshold temperature of the larvae in different peanut varieties was between 15.2 and 17.7°C. The effective accumulated temperature in larval stage in high oleic acid variety was significantly higher than that in non-high oleic acid variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The modification of histone acetylation plays a vital role in regulating tumor occurrence and development, but the interaction between histone acetylation modulator genes and the liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) microenvironment, as well as immunotherapy, has not been investigated. Materials and Methods: Analysis of all statistical data was carried out using R software (Version 4.2.0) and the online tool Sangerbox. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, including signature construction and validation, functional analyses, immune and genomic features analyses, and immunotherapy prediction analyses, were performed to explore the prognostic and therapeutic role of histone acetylation modulator genes in LIHC development and progression. Results: The LIHC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was selected as the training cohort; the GSE76427 cohort from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the LIRI-JP cohort from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database were selected as the validation cohorts. The histone acetylation modulator gene-based prognostic signature was constructed and validated successfully. Immune infiltration analysis showed that most immune cells and immune functions were enriched in patients with high histone acetylation risk scores (HARS). Additionally, high levels of checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) were also observed in high HARS patients. Meanwhile, TIDE algorithm analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between HARS and immunotherapy response, and submap algorithm analysis was used for the verification of the results, from which we found that high HAPS patients were more likely to respond to immunotherapy. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the histone acetylation modulator genes, particularly for KAT21, SIRT6, and HAT1, may have the potential to function as a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for LIHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 25–30% of those affected by colorectal cancer (CRC), the most prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy, develop metastases. The survival rate of patients with liver metastasis of CRC (CRLM) remains low owing to its unpredictability and a lack of biomarkers that can be applied to distinguish groups at higher risk for CRLM among patients with CRC. Therefore, our study aimed to find biomarkers that can predict the risk of CRLM. Screening of the Gene Expression Omnibus database, supported by an analysis of clinically obtained tissue and serum data using qPCR and ELISA, in an attempt to identify relevant biomarkers, enabled us to determine that orosomucoid 1 (ORM1) was differentially expressed in liver metastases and primary tumors of patients with CRC. Functionally, overexpression of ORM1 promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the proliferative, migratory, and invasive activities of MC38 cells and activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, MC38 cells overexpressing ORM1 enhanced the tumor immune microenvironment by promoting macrophage M2 polarization and elevating interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression. In vivo experiments further confirmed in vitro results, indicating that liver metastases elevated by ORM1 were partially attenuated by the depletion of macrophages or IL-10. Considered together, ORM1 promotes CRC progression and liver metastasis by regulating tumor cell growth and inducing macrophage M2 polarization, which mediates tumor immune tolerance, and thus acts as a potential predictive marker and therapeutic target in CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]