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Metallic lithium (Li) is recognized as a promising candidate for anode material of Li‐ion batteries owing to high theoretical specific capacity and low redox potential. However, uncontrollable dendrite growth and huge volume expansion during Li plating/stripping processes hinder its practical application. Herein, N‐doped carbon nanofibers@MoP nanoflakes (NCNF@MoP) is developed as a potential host to address the above challenges. During the formation of solid electrolyte interphase, MoP nanoflakes can be changed into metallic Mo with high lithiophilicity and Li3P with high ionic conductivity. The whole composite host is transformed into a mixed ion/electron conducting network to reduce nucleation overpotential and accelerate diffusion kinetics at the electrode/electrolyte interface. As a proof of concept, the symmetric cell using NCNF@MoP host presents a long‐term cycling up to 2500 h with a low nucleation overpotential of 10 mV at 1 mA cm−2. Additionally, the Li‐NCNF@MoP||LiFePO4 full cell demonstrates a good capacity retention of 92.6% over 2200 cycles at a high current density of 5C (1 C = 169 mA g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable ultrasound imaging technology has become an emerging modality for the continuous monitoring of deep-tissue physiology, providing crucial health and disease information. Fast volumetric imaging that can provide a full spatiotemporal view of intrinsic 3D targets is desirable for interpreting internal organ dynamics. However, existing 1D ultrasound transducer arrays provide 2D images, making it challenging to overcome the trade-off between the temporal resolution and volumetric coverage. In addition, the high driving voltage limits their implementation in wearable settings. With the use of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology, we report an ultrasonic phased-array transducer, i.e., a 2D piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT) array, which is driven by a low voltage and is chip-compatible for fast 3D volumetric imaging. By grouping multiple pMUT cells into one single drive channel/element, we propose an innovative cell–element–array design and operation of a pMUT array that can be used to quantitatively characterize the key coupling effects between each pMUT cell, allowing 3D imaging with 5-V actuation. The pMUT array demonstrates fast volumetric imaging covering a range of 40 mm × 40 mm × 70 mm in wire phantom and vascular phantom experiments, achieving a high temporal frame rate of 11 kHz. The proposed solution offers a full volumetric view of deep-tissue disorders in a fast manner, paving the way for long-term wearable imaging technology for various organs in deep tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence suggests a robust correlation between the gut microbiome and alopecia areata. In light of the extensive diversity of gut microbiota, this study aims to utilize state-of-the-art and comprehensive data to explore the causative association between gut microbiota and alopecia areata. Objective: We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR)-based two-sample study to elucidate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and alopecia areata. Method: Summary information on Ncase = 767 and Ncontrol = 394,105 cases of alopecia areata was obtained from the FinnGen study. A total of 473 gut microbial taxa were summarized from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) catalog. The study comprised a forward Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with the gut microbiome as the exposure factor and alopecia areata as the outcome, as well as a reverse MR analysis with alopecia areata as the exposure factor and the gut microbiome as the outcome. Various analytical methods including inverse variance weighting (IVW), Weighted Median, MR-Egger, Weighted Mode, and Simple Mode were employed. Subsequently, sensitivity analysis was conducted to ensure the robustness of our research findings. Result: This study has established a causal relationship between gut microbiota and alopecia areata. Forward causal analysis revealed causality relationships between 16 gut microbial taxa and alopecia areata, while reverse causal analysis found that there may be a causal relationship between alopecia areata and 16 gut microbial taxa (not statistically significant). Conclusion: Our study findings suggest a causal relationship between gut microbiota and alopecia areata, providing potential guidance for future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyester-ether glycol was synthesized with poly(polyol adipate) as starting agent, epoxy alkane as the polymerization monomer, and alkali metal as catalyst. The effects of catalyst dosage on the polymerization was discussed, and its structure was characterized by FTIR and GPC. The self-made polyester-ether glycol was used to prepare polyurethane high-resilience foam and polyurethane elastomer, and the effects of polyester-ether glycol on their mechanical properties were studied. The results showed that the optimum catalyst concentration was 0.6%. When polyester-ether glycol was applied to polyurethane high resilience foam with the addition amount of 15%, it had a significant effect on improving the mechanical properties of the products. Compared with traditional propylene glycol polyether, polyurethane synthesized with polyester-ether glycol had significant advantages in mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fagopyrum dibotrys, belonging to the family Polygonaceae and genus Fagopyrum, is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is rich in beneficial components, such as flavonoids. As its abundant medicinal value has become increasingly recognized, its excessive development poses a considerable challenge to wild germplasm resources, necessitating artificial cultivation and domestication. Considering these factors, a high-quality genome of F. dibotrys was assembled and the evolutionary relationships within Caryophyllales were compared, based on which 58 individual samples of F. dibotrys were re-sequenced. We found that the samples could be categorized into three purebred populations and regions distributed at distinct elevations. Our varieties were cultivated from the parental populations of the subpopulation in central Yunnan. F. dibotrys is speculated to have originated in the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau region, and that its combination with flavonoids can protect plants against ultraviolet radiation; this infers a subpopulation with a high accumulation of flavonoids. This study assembled a high-quality genome and provided a theoretical foundation for the future introduction, domestication, and development of cultivated varieties of F. dibotrys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, cement and dechlorinated Polyaluminum Chloride Residue (PACR) have been used to prepare a net slurry and mortar specimens. Two hydration activity indicators have been used to quantitatively analyze the dechlorinated PACR hydration activity. In particular, the effect of dechlorinated PACR content on the compressive strength of mortar has been assessed by means of compressive strength tests. Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been employed to observe the microstructure of the considered hydration products. The following results have been obtained. The 28th day activity index of the dechlorinated PACR is 75%, and therefore it meets the criterion for the use of active admixture. The increase in the content of the dechlorinated PACR tends to reduce the compressive strength of mortar specimens, however, it is beneficial to its later strength growth. When the content is not greater than 10%, the strength remains unchanged, otherwise, it decreases. The PACR does not form a new crystalline phase in the cement slurry, and the dechlorinated PACR remains active until the age of the 28th day. The inclusion of the PACR mainly deteriorates the early strength of the cement slurry, but it promotes the production of hydration products in the cement slurry after the 7th day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the role of Akkermansia muciniphila, a type of gut bacteria, in preventing Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice. The study found that mice treated with A. muciniphila had reduced bacterial loads and improved intestinal barrier function compared to control mice. A. muciniphila was also found to increase levels of linoleic acid in the intestines, which strengthened the epithelial barrier and protected against L. monocytogenes infection. These findings suggest that A. muciniphila or linoleic acid-based strategies could be potential approaches for preventing listeriosis. [Extracted from the article]

The mechanical behavior of polymer networks is intrinsically correlated with the local chain topology and chain connectivity. In this study, we delve into this relationship through the lens of coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations. Our aim is to illuminate the intricate interplay between local topology and stress distribution within polymer monomers, cross-linkers, and various components with distinct cross-link connections, thereby elucidating their collective impact on the mechanical properties of polymer networks. We mainly focus on how specific local structures contribute to the overall mechanical response of the network. In particular, we employ local stress analysis to unravel the mechanics of these structures. Our findings reveal the diverse responses of individual components, such as junctions, strands, cross-linkers between junctions, and dangling chain ends, when subjected to stretching. Notably, we observe that these components exhibit varying degrees of deformation tolerance, underscoring the significance of their roles in determining the mechanical characteristics of the network. Our investigations highlight junctions as primary contributors to stress accumulation, and particles with higher local stress showing a stronger correlation between stress and Voronoi volume. Moreover, our results indicate that both strands and cross-linkers between junctions exhibit heightened stress levels as strand lengths decrease. This study enhances our understanding of the multifaceted factors governing the mechanical attributes of cross-linked polymer systems at the microstructural level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Changan powder (CAP) is mainly used to treat various intestinal diseases. Few studies on CAP have been reported; therefore, it is necessary to clarify the material basis of CAP to lay the foundation for further elucidating its functional mechanism and support the rational use of drugs. Objectives: In the present study, we aimed to propose a methodology for the quality control of CAP based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of its components. Methods: An ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (UPLC‐FT‐ICR‐MS) method was developed to identify chemical components in CAP. In addition, fingerprints of 10 different batches of CAP were established, and quantitative analysis based on UPLC was performed to analyze the quality of CAP. Results: A total of 58 compounds were preliminarily characterized. The similarity of 10 batches of CAP was greater than 0.995, and 23 common peaks were calibrated. Investigation of the quantitative analytical methodology showed that the four components had good linear relationships within their respective concentration ranges (r2 ≥ 0.9992), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of precision and stability was less than 2%. The RSD of sample recovery ranged from 0.78% to 1.52%. Conclusion: The established method can quickly and effectively identify the chemical components of CAP and accurately quantify the known components in CAP. The established fingerprinting and content determination method is stable, reliable, and easy to operate and can be applied in quality control and in vivo research on CAP. Changan powder (CAP) consists of Viburnum betulifolium Batal. and Terminalia chebula Retz., mainly used to treat various intestinal diseases. In this study, a total of 58 components were identified in the CAP, and the contents of four index components were determined by UPLC. The established method can rapidly and effectively identify the chemical components of CAP, and the established fingerprint and content determination methods are stable, reliable, and easy to operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective To explore the relationship between cumulative ecological risk and junior middle school student's online aggressive behavior. Methods In 2023, convenience sampling method was adopted. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 340 junior middle school students from 2 middle schools in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with cumulative ecological risk scale, normative beliefs about aggression scale and online aggressive behavior scale, and the mediation effect was tested by non-parametric percentile Bootstrap method with bias correction. Results The cumulative ecological risk was positively correlated with online aggressive behavior and normative beliefs about aggression (r = 0.51, r = 0.53,P <0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between normative beliefs about aggression and online aggressive behavior (r = 0.73, P <0.01). Online aggressive behavior had significant positive regression on cumulative ecological risk and normative beliefs about aggression (β = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09-0.26, β = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.56-0.70, P < 0.001), and normative beliefs about aggression had significant positive regression on cumulative ecological risk (β = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.44-0.60, P <0.001). Normative beliefs about aggression played a partial mediating role between cumulative ecological risk and online aggressive behavior, and the mediating effect was 0.33 (95% CI: 0.27-0.40), accounting for 64.71% of the total effects. Conclusion Cumulative ecological risk can not only directly affect the online aggressive behavior, but also indirectly affect the online aggressive behavior of junior middle school student through the normative belief about aggression. In the future, the level of online aggressive behavior can be regulated by intervening the normative belief about aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces stochastic disturbances into a semi-parametric SEIR model with infectivity in an incubation period. The model combines the randomness of disease transmission and the nonlinearity of transmission rate, providing a flexible framework for more accurate description of the process of infectious disease transmission. On the basis of the discussion of the deterministic model, the stochastic semi-parametric SEIR model is studied. Firstly, we use Lyapunov analysis to prove the existence and uniqueness of global positive solutions for the model. Secondly, the conditions for disease extinction are established, and appropriate stochastic Lyapunov functions are constructed to discuss the asymptotic behavior of the model's solution at the disease-free equilibrium point of the deterministic model. Finally, the specific transmission functions are enumerated, and the accuracy of the results are demonstrated through numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-dimensional (0D) cadmium(Cd)-based A2BX4-type hybrid metal halide perovskites incorporating large sterically hindered cations define a new type of structure, which shows good performance in photoelectric detection because of their unique charge transmission. Herein, we report the synthesis of novel 0D (C19H18P)2CdCl4 single crystals (SCs) via a solution natural-volatilization method. Bulk (C19H18P)2CdCl4 SCs have sizes of 6 × 5 × 3 mm3. The as-synthesized SCs of (C19H18P)2CdCl4 exhibit a direct bandgap of 4.19 eV, possess a high resistivity of 3.73 × 1011 Ω cm, and demonstrate a low stable dark current. The crystal showcases an observed mobility-lifetime (μτ) product on a scale of 10−4 cm2 V−1. Furthermore, an X-ray photoconductor was successfully fabricated based on the SC of (C19H18P)2CdCl4, which displays an outstanding sensitivity of ∼143.6 μC Gyair−1 cm−2 when biased at 1000 V (333 V mm−1), a response current with exceptional stability, and a stable baseline with the lowest dark current drift of 7.34 × 10−4 pA cm−1 s−1 V−1. This work introduces a groundbreaking approach using single-crystal metal halide perovskites, opening up new possibilities for exploring optoelectronic applications, which holds the potential to unveil a novel generation of materials for X-ray detection and imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are believed to drive tumor development and metastasis. Activin and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are important cytokines with the ability to induce cancer stemness. However, the effect of activin and HGF combination treatment on CSCs is still unclear. Methods: In this study, we sequentially treated colorectal cancer cells with activin and HGF and examined CSC marker expression, self-renewal, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. The roles of forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) and sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), two stemness-related transcription factors, in activin/HGF-induced aggressive phenotype were explored. Results: Activin and HGF treatment increased the expression of CSC markers and enhanced sphere formation in colorectal cancer cells. The tumorigenic and metastatic capacities of colorectal cancer cells were enhanced upon activin and HGF treatment. Activin and HGF treatment preferentially promoted stemness and metastasis of CD133+ subpopulations sorted from colorectal cancer cells. FOXM1 was upregulated by activin and HGF treatment, and the knockdown of FOXM1 blocked activin/HGF-induced stemness, tumorigenesis, and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells. Similarly, SOX2 was silencing impaired sphere formation of activin/HGF-treated colorectal cancers. Overexpression of SOX2 rescued the stem cell-like phenotype in FOXM1-depleted colorectal cancer cells with activin and HGF treatment. Additionally, the inhibition of FOXM1 via thiostrepton suppressed activin/HGF-induced stemness, tumorigenesis and metastasis. Conclusions: Sequential treatment with activin and HGF promotes colorectal cancer stemness and metastasis through activation of the FOXM1/SOX2 signaling. FOXM1 could be a potential target for the treatment of colorectal cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM), a common precancerous lesion of gastric cancer, can be caused by bile acid reflux. GATA binding protein 4 (GATA4) is an intestinal transcription factor involved in the progression of gastric cancer. However, the expression and regulation of GATA4 in GIM has not been clarified. Methods: The expression of GATA4 in bile acid-induced cell models and human specimens was examined. The transcriptional regulation of GATA4 was investigated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter gene analysis. An animal model of duodenogastric reflux was used to confirm the regulation of GATA4 and its target genes by bile acids. Results: GATA4 expression was elevated in bile acid-induced GIM and human specimens. GATA4 bound to the promoter of mucin 2 (MUC2) and stimulate its transcription. GATA4 and MUC2 expression was positively correlated in GIM tissues. Nuclear transcription factor-κB activation was required for the upregulation of GATA4 and MUC2 in bile acid-induced GIM cell models. GATA4 and caudal-related homeobox 2 (CDX2) reciprocally transactivated each other to drive the transcription of MUC2. In chenodeoxycholic acid-treated mice, MUC2, CDX2, GATA4, p50, and p65 expression levels were increased in the gastric mucosa. Conclusions: GATA4 is upregulated and can form a positive feedback loop with CDX2 to transactivate MUC2 in GIM. NF-κB signaling is involved in the upregulation of GATA4 by chenodeoxycholic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel three-dimensional (3D) coupled configuration of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers (pMUTs) by combing a curved and an annular diaphragm for transmit performance optimization in biomedical applications. An analytical equivalent circuit model (EQC) is developed with varied excitation methods to incorporate the acoustic–structure coupling of the curved and annular diaphragm-coupled pMUTs (CAC-pMUTs). The model-derived results align well with the reference simulated by the finite element method (FEM). Using this EQC model, we optimize the key design parameters of the CAC-pMUTs in order to improve the output sound pressure, including the width of the annular membrane, the thickness of the passive layer, and the phase difference of the driving voltage. In the anti-phase mode, the designed CAC-pMUTs demonstrate a transmit efficiency 285 times higher than that of single annular pMUTs. This substantial improvement underscores the potential of CAC-pMUTs for large array applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has emerged as the third most prevalent and second deadliest cancer worldwide. Metabolic reprogramming is a key hallmark of cancer cells. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) is over‐expressed in multiple cancers, including CRC. Although the role of PHGDH in metabolism has been extensively investigated, its effects on CRC development remains to be elucidated. In the present study, it was demonstrated that PHGDH expression was significantly up‐regulated in colorectal cancer. PHGDH expression was positively correlated with that of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and its target genes, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, in CRC cells. Knockdown of PHGDH reduced AhR levels and activity, as well as the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione. The selective AhR antagonist stemregenin 1 induced cell death through reactive oxygen species‐dependent autophagy in CRC cells. PHGDH knockdown induced CRC cell sensitivity to stemregenin 1 via the autophagy pathway. Our findings suggest that PHGDH modulates AhR signaling and the redox‐dependent autophagy pathway in CRC, and that the combination of inhibition of both PHGDH and AhR may be a novel therapeutic strategy for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shensong Yangxin capsule (SSYXC), an effective Chinese patent medicine, has been recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopeia, mainly for the treatment of coronary heart disease and ventricular premature beat. To further complete the quality evaluation of SSYXC, a comprehensive analysis strategy was established. Firstly, the components of SSYXC were qualitatively analysed using ultra‐high‐ performance liquid chromatography–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. A total of 134 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. Additionally, the fingerprint of SSYXC was established by HPLC, and the similarity of 10 batches of SSYXC was elucidated by similarity analysis. The result indicated that the consistency of chemical composition is good. Finally, to enhance the quality control of SSYXC, according to the results of the fingerprint analysis, the contents of the seven active components was determined, comprising morroniside, loganin, paeoniflorin, salvianolic acid B, palmatine hydrochloride, berberine hydrochloride and tanshinone IIA. In conclusion, the established method, comprising identification of components, fingerprint analysis and quantification of multicomponents, can be sensitively and comprehensively applied to the quality evaluation of SSYXC, which can provide chemical ingredients bases for quality control and the pharmacodynamic mechanism of SSYXC, which could serve as a benchmark for controlling the quality of other Chinese patent medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent advances have been made in clinical treatments of breast cancer, the general prognosis of patients remains poor. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a more effective therapeutic strategy. Lysine demethylase 4B (KDM4B) has been reported to participate in breast cancer development recently, but its exact biological role in breast cancer remains unclear. Here, we observed that KDM4B was down-regulated in human primary BRCA tissues and the low levels of KDM4B expression were correlated with poor survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that KDM4B inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Besides, knockdown of KDM4B promoted the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell stemness in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, KDM4B down-regulates PHGDH by decreasing the enrichment of H3K36me3 on the promoter region of PHGDH. Knockdown of PHGDH could significantly reversed proliferation, migration, EMT, and cell stemness induced by KDM4B silencing in breast cancer cells. Collectively, we propose a model for a KDM4B/PHGDH axis that provides novel insight into breast cancer development, which may serve as a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a therapeutic target for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel–polypropylene hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (SPHFRC) is a class type of concrete material that shows superior performance and is noticing increasing engineering applications around the world. The effect of cyclic loading and chloride-induced corrosion on the bond performance between the corroded reinforcement and SPHFRC is less understood, which is important for the design of SPHFRE structures especially in marine zones. In this work, experimental and simulation studies are carried out to investigate the bond behavior of SPHFRC. A total of 65 specimens with different fiber volume fractions, corrosion levels, and stirrup confinement are tested under cyclic loading. The failure mode, cyclic bond response, effect of steel fiber, effect of corrosion, effect of stirrups, and energy dissipation capacity were investigated through the cyclic loading test. An observable degradation of bond performance of corroded SPHFRC in terms of crack, stiffness, ultimate strength, and energy dissipation capacity was obtained, which became more striking as the corrosion rate increased. A three-dimensional simulation model is proposed for capturing the cyclic bond degradation of SPHFRC structures within an acceptable range, which can be used in practice engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Euodia genus comprises numerous untapped medicinal plants that warrant thorough evaluation for their potential as valuable natural sources of herbal medicine or food flavorings. In this study, untargeted metabolomics and in vitro functional methods were employed to analyze fruit extracts from 11 significant species of the Euodia genus. An investigation of the distribution of metabolites (quinolone and indole quinazoline alkaloids) in these species indicated that E. rutaecarpa (Euodia rutaecarpa) was the most widely distributed species, followed by E. compacta (Euodia compacta), E. glabrifolia (Euodia glabrifolia), E. austrosinensis (Euodia austrosinensis), and E. fargesii (Euodia fargesii). There have been reports on the close correlation between indole quinazoline alkaloids and their anti-tumor activity, especially in E. rutaecarpa fruits which exhibit effectiveness against various types of cancer, such as SGC-7901, Hela, A549, and other cancer cell lines. Additionally, the E. rutaecarpa plant contains indole quinazoline alkaloids, which possess remarkable antibacterial properties. Our results offer novel insights into the utilization of Euodia resources in the pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fabricate the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites with excellent mechanical, thermal and shape memory properties, shape memory composites containing (TPU)/ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/EVA grafting maleic anhydride (EVA-g-MAH)/functional graphene oxide nanosheets (fGONs) were designed, prepared and reported. The effects of VA contents (VA15 and VA40) in EVA on the compatibility of TPU/EVA blends were first evaluated and based on this, TPU/EVA/EVA-g-MAH/fGONs composites were investigated. The contact angle analysis revealed better interface compatibility of TPU/EVA40 compared to others, and fGONs tended to be distributed more in the TPU phase TPU phase. The enhanced compatibility of EVA and TPU can be attributed to the chemical interactions between EVA-g-MAH and TPU, as confirmed by FTIR and FESEM analysis. Increasing the proportion of EVA content in the TPU/EVA blend resulted in increasing elastic modulus. The mechanical characteristics of TPU composites containing GO and fGONs were enhanced compared with TPU/EVA and TPU/EVA/EVA-g-MAH. The shape memory performance examination indicated that EVA improved the shape fixation rate (Rf) of TPU, and the Rf was 147.3% higher than that of TPU. By incorporating 5% EVA-g-MAH, the blend demonstrated an increased Rf value of 79.60%, alongside a reduced shape recovery rate (Rr) of 75.5%. After adding fGONs, both the Rf and Rr were increased. The Rf and Rr of TPU/EVA/EVA-g-MAH/GO-IPDI composite reached 92.29% and 82.23%. DSC and DMA analysis revealed the glass transition temperature, storage modulus, and loss modulus of the composites were increased after adding fGONs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C18H12N2O4, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 12.3075(7) Å, b = 6.5075(3) Å, c = 18.4929(9) Å, β = 92.883(4)°, V = 1,479.24(13) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0394, wRref(F2) = 0.1047, T = 173 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C20H13ClN2O3, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 6.2256(5) Å, b = 18.3976(15) Å, c = 14.5582(15) Å, β = 90.555(8)°, V = 1667.4(3) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0443, wRref(F2) = 0.1003, T = 153(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aurophilicity is a d10–d10 closed-shell interaction, which is repulsively calculated by the Hartree–Fork (HF) method, whereas binding energies (Eb) are largely overestimated under the second-order Møller–Plesset (MP2) method, compared to the coupled cluster singles and doubles with perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] method. The unusual energy errors between different wave functional methods were also verified in other closed-shell metallophilic systems and even were taken as a label of metallophilic interaction. Here, we performed a benchmark study on a collection of structures with weak interactions, sp–sp bonds, sp–d bonds, and d–d bonds, to investigate the influence factor of the errors of HF and MP2 methods. It was found that the large energy errors of HF and MP2 methods were not specified for closed-shell interactions, and the errors could also be very large for many covalent bonds, which was strongly related to the azimuthal quantum number of interaction orbitals. Compared to the CCSD(T) method, the MP2 method weakens the s–s covalent interactions slightly, strengthens the p–p covalent interactions slightly, and overestimates the d–d covalent interactions largely (can be −170 kcal/mol for the Re–Re quadruple bond). This benchmark study suggests that the special energy errors in metallophilicity may result from the participation of d orbitals. Benchmark studies on various density functional methods were also given for calculating binding energies of d–d bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray detection is widely used in various applications. However, to meet the demand for high image quality and high accuracy diagnosis, the raw data increases and imposes challenges for conventional X-ray detection hardware regarding data transmission and power consumption. To tackle these issues, we present a scheme of in-X-ray-detector computing based on CsPbBr3 single-crystal detector with convenient polarity reconfigurability, good linear dynamic range, and robust stability. The detector features a stable trap-free device structure and achieves a high linear dynamic range of 106 dB. As a result, the detector could achieve edge extraction imaging with a data compression ratio of ~50%, and could also be programmed and trained to perform pattern recognition tasks with a high accuracy of 100%. Our research shows that in-X-ray-detector computing can be used in flexible and complex scenarios, making it a promising platform for intelligent X-ray imaging. In-sensor computing requires detectors with polarity reconfigurability and linear responsivity. Pang et al. report a CsPbBr3 perovskite single crystal X-ray detector for edge extraction imaging with a data compression ratio of 46.4% and classification task with an accuracy of 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private sector plays an increasingly vital role in nature conservation globally. This study explores the concept of political embeddedness, which suggests that governments and environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) can leverage each other's strengths to achieve both formal and informal goals. Using the case of Laohegou Nature Reserve in China, this study illustrated how the complementary advantages of the government and ENGOs form the foundation of a land trust reserve. Within the case, the study found that power and interest balance between the government and ENGOs during project implementation supported their formal cooperation in nature conservation. This study proposed a political perspective to elaborate power and interest in the formal and informal dimensions of nature conservation public–private partnership (PPP) project. Moreover, it noted that a balance of power between the government and ENGOs is essential in building partnership networks with inclusive interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast and high‐linearity detection of fast neutron is vital for special nuclear material seeking, nuclear accident emergency response, nondestructive neutron imaging, and neutron cancer therapy. Neutron scintillators with fast time resolution and linear energy response are indispensable for precisely acquiring the energy and temporal evolution of fast neutron, but none of the conventional neutron scintillators, whether organic, two‐component or inorganic, have performed well in this regard. To address these challenges, it is urgent to develop novel neutron scintillators. Here, 2D hybrid perovskite single crystals (C4H12N)2PbBr4 (BA2PbBr4) successfully combined with fast response time of 2.66 ns and linear energy response to fast neutrons, γ ray, and α particle, is reported. The rapid response time and linear energy response of 2D hybrid perovskite scintillator originate from intensive states density of lead halide frameworks, which are the key fluorescence emitters under neutron irradiation. This effectively suppresses the ionization quenching effect during the fluorescence process. This work represents a milestone in fast neutron detection, demonstrating a new type of neutron scintillator based on 2D hybrid perovskite single crystals with fast and high‐linearity detection characteristics, having great potential in high precision neutron spectrum measurement and nuclear reaction kinetics monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C16H14N2O3, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 4.9621(10) Å, b = 11.828(2) Å, c = 23.727(5) Å, β = 94.527(4)°, V = 1388.2(5) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0551, wRref(F2) = 0.1847, T = 296(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mainly including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are increasing globally. We aimed to evaluate the potential association between IBD and nephrolithiasis, tubulointerstitial nephritis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: Data of hospitalized adults ≥20 years of age were extracted from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) during 2016–2018. Patients with UC, CD, or CKD were identified through the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD‐10) codes. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis (1:1) was conducted to balance the characteristics between groups. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the relationships between UC or CD and kidney conditions. Results: Three cohorts were included for analysis after PSM analysis. Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 contained 235 262 subjects (117 631 with CD or without IBD), 140 856 subjects (70 428 with UC or without IBD), and 139 098 subjects (69 549 with CD or UC), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that compared to non‐IBD individuals, CD patients were significantly associated with greater odds for nephrolithiasis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08–2.43), tubulointerstitial nephritis (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.24–1.38), CKD at any stage (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.24–1.32), and moderate‐to‐severe CKD (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.17–1.26), while UC was associated with a higher rate of nephrolithiasis. Compared to UC, CD was associated with higher odds for all such kidney conditions. Conclusions: Patients with CD are more likely to have nephrolithiasis, tubulointerstitial nephritis, CKD at any stage, and moderate‐to‐severe CKD compared to non‐IBD individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As one of the most frequent complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) shows a profound impact on 50% of patients with symptoms of neuropathic pain, numbness and other paresthesia. No valid serum biomarkers for the prediction of DPN have been identified in the clinic so far. This study is to investigate the potential serum biomarkers for DPN firstly based on 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR)-based metabolomics technique.Methods: Thirty-six patients enrolled in this study were divided into two groups: 18 T2DM patients without DPN (T2DM group) and 18 T2DM patients with DPN (DPN group). Serum metabolites were measured via 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Bioinformatic approaches including principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), independent sample t-test, Fisher's test, Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis, Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to identify the potential altered serum biomarkers.Results: A total of 20 metabolites were obtained and further analyzed. Formate was identified as the only potential biomarker that decreased in the DPN group with statistical significance after multiple comparisons (p< 0.05). Formate also displayed a negative relationship with some elevated clinical markers in DPN. ROC curve analysis showed a good discriminative ability for formate in DPN with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.981.Conclusion: Formate could be considered a potential serum metabolic biomarker for DPN. The reduced level of formate in DPN may be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and gut microbiota alteration. Monitoring the level of serum formate would be an important strategy for the early diagnosis of DPN and a supplement of formate may be a promising treatment for DPN in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using intelligent agriculture is an important way for the industry to achieve highquality development. To improve the accuracy of the identification of crop diseases under conditions of limited computing resources, such as in mobile and edge computing, we propose an improved lightweight MobileNetV2 crop disease identification model. In this study, MobileNetV2 is used as the backbone network for the application of an improved Bottleneck structure. First, the number of operation channels is reduced using point-by-point convolution, the number of parameters of the model is reduced, and the re-parameterized multilayer perceptron (RepMLP) module is introduced; the latter can capture long-distance dependencies between features and obtain local a priori information to enhance the global perception of the model. Second, the efficient channel-attention mechanism is added to adjust the image-feature channel weights so as to improve the recognition accuracy of the model, and the Hardswish activation function is introduced instead of the ReLU6 activation function to further improve performance. The final experimental results show that the improved MobilNetV2 model achieves 99.53% accuracy in the Plant Village crop disease dataset, which is 0.3% higher than the original model, and the number of covariates is only 0.9M, which is 59% less than the original model. Also, the inference speed is improved by 8.5% over the original model. The crop disease identification method proposed in this article provides a reference for deployment and application on edge and mobile devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional off-axis injection becomes inadequate in diffraction limited storage ring (DLSR) for its small dynamic aperture (DA). On-axis injection with thin septum could solve the problem. This paper focuses on the theoretical calculation, field simulation, and measurement of thin septum magnets. The scheme of eddycurrent type thin septum magnets (the thinnest portion is with the thickness of 0.9 mm) was adopted with laminated silicon steel sheets as the magnet core. The simulation of main field, stray field along the beam trajectory, the leakage field decayed over 1 millisecond time was carried out within Opera 2D/3D. Field measurement and analysis of thin septum magnets also has been conducted comprehensively. The results meet requirements, and the work laid a foundation for injection technology of an advanced light source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future linear accelerators require klystrons with higher radio frequency (RF) to drive higher gradient accelerating structure. An x-band accelerator structure was used to accelerate electrons at the Shanghai Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility (SXFEL) in Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SARI-CAS). A pulse transformer is a crucial device in an RF system. This study presents a highvoltage pulse transformer used for a 50 MW x-band pulsed klystron in SXFEL. Typical specifications of the pulse transformer are peak pulse voltage 420 kV, peak pulse current 300 A, 50 Hz repetition rate and 1.5 µs flattop pulse width. Design and optimization of pulse transformer are achieved by using equivalent circuit analytic methods and computational aided simulation. The relevant experiments show that this pulse transformer can meet the requirements of 50MW x-band klystron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the deep learning approach for identifying plant diseases, the high complexity of the network model, the large number of parameters, and great computational effort make it challenging to deploy the model on terminal devices with limited computational resources. In this study, a lightweight method for plant diseases identification that is an improved version of the ShuffleNetV2 model is proposed. In the proposed model, the depthwise convolution in the basic module of ShuffleNetV2 is replaced with mixed depthwise convolution to capture crop pest images with different resolutions; the efficient channel attention module is added into the ShuffleNetV2 model network structure to enhance the channel features; and the ReLU activation function is replaced with the ReLU6 activation function to prevent the generation of large gradients. Experiments are conducted on the public dataset Plant Village. The results show that the proposed model achieves an accuracy of 99.43%, which is an improvement of 0.6 percentage points compared to the ShuffleNetV2 model. Compared to lightweight network models, such as MobileNetV2,MobileNetV3, Efficient Net, and EfficientNetV2, and classical convolutional neural network models, such as ResNet34, ResNet50, and ResNet101, the proposed model has fewer parameters and higher recognition accuracy, which provides guidance for deploying crop pest identification methods on resource-constrained devices, including mobile terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of drug-resistance in the opportunistic pathogen Escherichia coli has become a global public health concern. Due to the share of similar flora between pets and their owners, the detection of pet-origin antibiotic-resistant E. coli is necessary. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of feline-origin ESBL E. coli in China and to explore the resistance elimination effect of garlic oil to cefquinome on ESBL E. coli. Cat fecal samples were collected from animal hospitals. The E. coli isolates were separated and purified by indicator media and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ESBL genes were detected by PCR and Sanger sequencing. The MICs were determined. The synergistic effect of garlic oil and cefquinome against ESBL E. coli was investigated by checkerboard assays, time-kill and growth curves, drug-resistance curves, PI and NPN staining, and a scanning electronic microscope. A total of 80 E. coli strains were isolated from 101 fecal samples. The rate of ESBL E. coli was 52.5% (42/80). The prevailing ESBL genotypes in China were CTX-M-1, CTX-M-14, and TEM-116. In ESBL E. coli, garlic oil increased the susceptibility to cefquinome with FICIs from 0.2 to 0.7 and enhanced the killing effect of cefquinome with membrane destruction. Resistance to cefquinome decreased with treatment of garlic oil after 15 generations. Our study indicates that ESBL E. coli has been detected in cats kept as pets. The sensitivity of ESBL E. coli to cefquinome was enhanced by garlic oil, indicating that garlic oil may be a potential antibiotic enhancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning (DL) algorithms, has demonstrated remarkable progress in image-recognition tasks, enabling the automatic quantitative assessment of complex medical images with increased accuracy and efficiency. AI is widely used and is becoming increasingly popular in the field of ultrasound. The rising incidence of thyroid cancer and the workload of physicians have driven the need to utilize AI to efficiently process thyroid ultrasound images. Therefore, leveraging AI in thyroid cancer ultrasound screening and diagnosis cannot only help radiologists achieve more accurate and efficient imaging diagnosis but also reduce their workload. In this paper, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the technical knowledge of AI with a focus on traditional machine learning (ML) algorithms and DL algorithms. We will also discuss their clinical applications in the ultrasound imaging of thyroid diseases, particularly in differentiating between benign and malignant nodules and predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in thyroid cancer. Finally, we will conclude that AI technology holds great promise for improving the accuracy of thyroid disease ultrasound diagnosis and discuss the potential prospects of AI in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskites have recently emerged as promising X/γ-ray scintillators. However, the small Stokes shift of exciton luminescence in perovskite scintillators creates problems for the light extraction efficiency and severely impedes their applications in hard X/γ-ray detection. Dopants have been used to shift the emission wavelength, but the radioluminescence lifetime has also been unwantedly extended. Herein, we demonstrate the intrinsic strain in 2D perovskite crystals as a general phenomenon, which could be utilized as self-wavelength shifting to reduce the self-absorption effect without sacrificing the radiation response speed. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated the first imaging reconstruction by perovskites for application of positron emission tomography. The coincidence time resolution for the optimized perovskite single crystals (4 × 4 × 0.8 mm3) reached 119 ± 3 ps. This work provides a new paradigm for suppressing the self-absorption effect in scintillators and may facilitate the application of perovskite scintillators in practical hard X/γ-ray detections. Efficient light extraction in perovskite X/γ-ray scintillators is hindered by the small Stokes shift of exciton luminescence. Here, Jin et al. exploit the intrinsic strain in 2D perovskite as "self-wavelength shifting" to reduce the self-absorption effect without sacrificing the device response speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant therapy favors the prognosis of various cancers, including esophagogastric junction cancer (EGC). However, the impacts of neoadjuvant therapy on the number of dissected lymph nodes (LNs) have not yet been evaluated in EGC. Methods: We selected EGC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2006–2017). The optimal number of resected LNs was determined using X-tile software. Overall survival (OS) curves were plotted with the Kaplan–Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated using univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses. Results: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy significantly decreased the mean number of LN examination compared to the mean number of patients without neoadjuvant therapy (12.2 vs. 17.5, P = 0.003). The mean LN number of patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was 16.3, which was also statistically lower than 17.5 (P = 0.001). In contrast, neoadjuvant chemotherapy caused a significant increase in the number of dissected LNs (21.0, P < 0.001). For patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the optimal cutoff value was 19. Patients with > 19 LNs had a better prognosis than those with 1–19 LNs (P < 0.05). For patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the optimal cutoff value was 9. Patients with > 9 LNs had a better prognosis than those with 1–9 LNs (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy decreased the number of dissected LNs, while neoadjuvant chemotherapy increased it in EGC patients. Hence, at least 10 LNs should be dissected for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 20 for neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which could be applied in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production prediction is an important factor influencing the realization of an intelligent agricultural supply chain. In an Internet of Things (IoT) environment, accurate yield prediction is one of the prerequisites for achieving an efficient response in an intelligent agricultural supply chain. As an example, this study applied a conventional prediction method and deep learning prediction model to predict the yield of a characteristic regional fruit (the Shatian pomelo) in a comparative study. The root means square error (RMSE) values of regression analysis, exponential smoothing, grey prediction, grey neural network, support vector regression (SVR), and long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network methods were 53.715, 6.707, 18.440, 1.580, and 1.436, respectively. Among these, the mean square error (MSE) values of the grey neural network, SVR, and LSTM neural network methods were 2.4979, 31.652, and 2.0618, respectively; and their Rvalues were 0.99905, 0.94, and 0.94501, respectively. The results demonstrated that the RMSE of the deep learning model is generally lower than that of a traditional prediction model, and the prediction results are more accurate. The prediction performance of the grey neural network was shown to be superior to that of SVR, and LSTM neural network, based on the comparison of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roflumilast is a phosphodiesterase‐4 inhibitor which treats chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Roflumilast N‐oxide is the major metabolite of roflumilast with a similar mechanism of action to roflumilast. Although racial differences in roflumilast drug disposition have been observed, the necessity of dose adjustment is subject to debate. This study compares the pharmacokinetics of a single 500 μg dose of roflumilast in healthy Chinese and Caucasian subjects under uniform conditions. Chinese subjects were found to have longer t1/2 and higher AUC0‐t and Cmax than Caucasian subjects. The point estimates on the geometric mean of AUC0‐t in Chinese subjects were 22% higher for roflumilast and 46% higher for roflumilast N‐oxide. Point estimates on the geometric mean of Cmax were 9% and 24% higher for roflumilast and roflumilast N‐oxide, respectively. Total phosphodiesterase‐4 (PDE4) inhibitory (tPDE4i) activity, a theoretical parameter that describes the combined contribution to PDE4 inhibitory activity of roflumilast and roflumilast N‐oxide, was 44% higher in Chinese subjects than in Caucasian subjects. With about a 10‐fold higher plasma AUC compared to the parent roflumilast and a much longer observed half‐life, roflumilast N‐oxide has been estimated to contribute about 90% of tPDE4i, with 10% attributed to the parent compound roflumilast. Following body weight normalization, these figures were lower but remained significant. Safety analysis showed signs of reduced tolerance or different pharmacodynamic response to roflumilast in Chinese recipients than in Caucasians. Our results suggest that Chinese patients should receive a dose of roflumilast lower than 500 μg daily during future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is hypothesized that leukocyte-poor (LP) platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is preferred over leukocyte-rich (LR) PRP for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were reviewed for all English-language studies comparing LP-PRP or LR-PRP with relevant controls or each other. The follow-up periods were 6 months and 12 months. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score between baseline and follow-up. The secondary outcome measures were changes in the WOMAC pain subscale, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score between baseline and follow-up, and the incidence of local adverse reactions. Treatment outcomes were analyzed using the mean difference between treatments for continuous outcomes and the odds ratio for binary outcomes, with 95% credibility intervals. Treatment modalities were ranked using the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities. Risk of bias was assessed using the relevant Cochrane tools, RoB 2 (version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies - of Interventions) for prospective comparative studies (PCSs).Results: This network meta-analysis included 23 studies: 20 RCTs and 3 PCSs, with a total of 2,260 patients and a mean follow-up period of 9.9 months. The overall risk-of-bias assessment of the RCTs revealed that 9 studies had low risk, 7 had some concerns, and 4 had high risk. The overall risk-of-bias assessment of the PCSs revealed that 1 study had low risk and 2 had moderate risk. We found no significant (p < 0.05) difference in all outcome measures and local adverse reactions between LP-PRP and LR-PRP. SUCRA rankings revealed that, for all outcome measures, LP-PRP is preferred to LR-PRP across follow-up periods.Conclusions: Leukocyte concentration of PRP does not play a significant role in patient-reported outcome measures for knee OA. LP-PRP is preferred to LR-PRP according to SUCRA rankings, but this preference may not be important in clinical practice.Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nerve injury can induce aberrant changes in ion channels, enzymes, and cytokines/chemokines in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs); these changes are due to or at least partly governed by transcription factors that contribute to the genesis of neuropathic pain. However, the involvement of transcription factors in neuropathic pain is poorly understood. In this study, we report that transcription factor (TF) ETS proto-oncogene 1 (ETS1) is required for the initiation and development of neuropathic pain. Sciatic nerve chronic constrictive injury (CCI, a clinical neuropathic pain model) increases ETS1 expression in the injured male mouse DRG. Blocking this upregulation alleviated CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, with no apparent effect on locomotor function. Mimicking this upregulation results in the genesis of nociception hypersensitivity; mechanistically, nerve injury-induced ETS1 upregulation promotes the expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1, a key initiator of pain) via enhancing its binding activity to the HDAC1 promotor, leading to the elevation of spinal central sensitization, as evidenced by increased expression of p-ERK1/2 and GFAP in the dorsal spinal horn. It appears that the ETS1/HDAC1 axis in DRG may have a critical role in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain, and ETS1 is a potential therapeutic target in neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fecal calprotectin (FC) levels correlate with the disease activity of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD); however, the utility of FC in predicting IBD relapse remains to be determined. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of fecal calprotectin in predicting the relapse of inflammatory bowel disease. We searched Pubmed (MEDLINE), Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library databases up to 7 July 2021. Our study estimated the pooled sensitivity and specificity, summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve, and the optimal cut-off value for predicting IBD relapse using a multiple threshold model. A total of 24 prospective studies were included in the meta-analysis. The optimal FC cut-off value was 152 μg/g. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of FC was 0.720 (0.528 to 0.856) and 0.740 (0.618 to 0.834), respectively. FC is a useful, non-invasive, and inexpensive biomarker for the early prediction of IBD relapse. An FC value of 152 μg/g is an ideal threshold to identify patients with a high relapse probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]