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Background: Alcohol drinking can cause hyperuricemia (HUA), but few studies have explored alcohol abstinence's health effects, particularly the abstinence duration on HUA. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of abstinence with HUA in rural Chinese adults. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 38,855 participants (15,371 males and 23,484 females) using the baseline data (2015–2017) from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. A questionnaire survey collected information on alcohol consumption patterns. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of type of alcoholic beverages, abstinence status and abstinence duration with HUA, respectively. Restricted cubic spline models were applied to visualize the dose-response trend of HUA risk with increasing abstinence duration. Results: 3,978 cases of 38,855 participants were identified with HUA. Total alcohol intake, including beer, liquor and rice wine intake was significantly associated with the increased risk of HUA, especially for male participants. Compared with current drinkers, former drinkers and non-drinkers presented lower ORs (95%CIs) of 0.686 (0.676, 0.844) and 0.718 (0.649, 0.793) for HUA. Furthermore, the aORs (95%CIs) for those former drinkers with < 5, 6–10 and ≥ 11 years abstinence duration were 0.868 (0.693, 1.086), 0.753 (0.519, 1.092) and 0.717 (0.517, 0.990), respectively. In addition, the risk of HUA decreased with the increasing years of abstinence duration (P for trend < 0.050) and negative linear dose-response associations were observed. Conclusion: Former drinkers were associated with a reduced risk of HUA compared with current drinkers. Moreover, sustained alcohol abstinence could be beneficial for preventing HUA. Clinical Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 2015-07-06 http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the fire protection level of critical infrastructure through scientific risk assessment, a dynamic risk assessment framework is proposed in this study. This framework, which was developed based on the principles and techniques of system safety engineering, caters to the unique features of critical infrastructure. The framework facilitates dynamic risk assessment of critical infrastructure and serves as a key driver for its advancement. Fault Tree Analysis is applied for the main failure analysis, which functioned to understand the causes of system failure and find the best way to control the risks. Event Tree Analysis is used to accident consequence analysis and simulated the accident process. Analytic Hierarchy Process is utilized for risk assessment indicators and weight calculation, with a novel approach to expert weight allocation and a dynamic indicator system. Based on the aforementioned methods, a systematic assessment of fire risk is conducted for the ultra‐high voltage (UHV) converter transformer by identifying potential hazards, main failures, and accident consequences. A dynamic indicator system is then established for the assessment of fire risk associated with the UHV converter transformer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) is a key factor for regulating viral transcription and replication. We recently characterized homeobox protein MSX-1 (MSX1) as a host restriction factor that inhibits HBV gene expression and genome replication by directly binding to HBV enhancer II/core promoter (EnII/Cp) and suppressing its promoter and enhancer activities. Notably, HBx expression was observed to be repressed more drastically by MSX1 compared to other viral antigens. In this work, we report that in addition to transcriptional repression, MSX1 also post-transcriptionally downregulates HBx protein stability. Mechanistically, MSX1 induces ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation of HBx, which is mediated through HBx C-terminal domain. Furthermore, this effect on HBx degradation correlates with MSX1-induced upregulation of DNAJA4 and CRYAB expression. Similar to MSX1, both DNAJA4 and CRYAB promote HBx degradation and repress HBV gene expression and genome replication. In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, immune active phase (IA) is associated with higher intrahepatic expression of MSX1, DNAJA4 and CRYAB, and lower serum HBV markers compared to immune tolerant (IT) phase. Finally, HBV infection is significantly suppressed by MSX1 overexpression in both NTCP-overexpressing cell and humanized liver mouse models. These results demonstrate additional and novel mechanisms of MSX1-mediated repression of HBV, and establish MSX1 as a multi-functional HBV restriction factor with therapeutic potential. Author summary: HBx is required to initiate cccDNA transcription and maintain HBV replication, and has been associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. Although previous studies have identified multiple host factors that modulate HBx in vitro, regulation of HBx in vivo in the context of CHB remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrate homeobox protein MSX1 degrades HBx via ubiquitin-independent proteasomal pathway, which is closely associated with upregulation of DNAJA4 and CRYAB expression by MSX1 at transcriptional level. DNAJA4- and CRYAB-mediated HBx degradation require an active J domain of DNAJA4 and the interaction between HBx and CRYAB, respectively. At the whole viral genome level, all these host genes could inhibit HBV gene expression and genome replication in vitro and in vivo. In CHB patients, the mRNA and protein levels of MSX1, DNAJA4 and CRYAB are comparatively higher in IA phase than in IT phase. Based on in vitro and in vivo infection systems, MSX1 markedly suppresses HBV replication. These results provide insight into the molecular mechanism of how MSX1 suppresses HBV by targeting HBx both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy is emerging as a pivotal driver for fostering the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It also has noticeable impacts on employment. This study utilized panel data from countries along the Belt and Road from 2010 to 2021 to investigate this nexus. First, an evaluation index system was established to assess the digital economy's development level. Subsequently, the entropy method was employed to measure the development level of the digital economy among countries along the Belt and Road. Then, it empirically examined the impact of the development of the digital economy on employment in countries along the Belt and Road. The study revealed that the overall impact of digital economy development on employment rate promotion was significant; however, disparities exist among different income groups of countries. In light of this, to enhance the employment situation in countries along the Belt and Road and facilitate the digital economy's contribution to its development, this article proposes three suggestions: (a) Directing investment for digital economy development; (b) enhancing the development of digital talents; (c) advancing digital innovation and cooperation. JEL Classification F062.4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reported the application of a twin‐column recycling chromatography system for the separation of three minor impurities in crude aloe‐emodin. The whole process went through three steps, each using a different mobile phase to separate corresponding impurity, which were integrated and automatically operated in a single device. Despite these impurities peaked closely in high‐performance liquid chromatography, they were successfully purified to a content exceeding 97%. In addition, the lab‐scale separation could reach the yields at the mg‐level. The high efficacy should be mainly attributed to the introduction of a small step solvent gradient between the upstream and downstream columns, which helped to counterbalance the band broadening. This report suggested that such an automated chromatographic system could provide fast and accurate separation of multiple impurities, allow the process of high‐throughput samples, and reduce the time required for purification and recovery of minor impurities in drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The exact causal association between dietary intake and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD) is unclear, and this study used two - sample, two - way Mendelian randomization ( MR) to conduct causal association analyses between them. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphism ( SNP) loci associated with dietary intake were extracted from the pooled data of genome - wide association studies ( GWAS) as instrumental variables (IV) . Causal associations between dietary intake and ADHD were analyzed using the TwoSampleMR package in R software. The main methods used included inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR Egger and weighted median tests. Cochran' Q, MR - Egger, and the " leave - one - out" method were used for heterogeneity test, pleiotropy test, and sensitivity analysis, respectively. Results The IVW results showed that avocado ( OR=0.309, 95%C/: 0.132-0.719), celery ( OR=0.503, 95%C/: 0.380 -0.905 ), mutton/lamb ( OR = 0. 349, 95 % C/: 0. 170-0.715), shellfish ( OR=0.083, 95%C/: 0.011 -0.638 ), grapefruit ( OR = 0. 175, 95% C/: 0. 043 - 0. 711) and oily fish ( OR = 0. 687, 95% C/: 0. 492 - 0. 960) were negatively associated with the development of ADHD, and naan bread ( 0R=4.109, 95% C/: 1.079 - 15.648 ), average weekly intake of spirits ( 0R=3.320, 95% C/: 1. 419 -7. 767), intake of artificial sweetener added to cereal ( OR =5. 064, 95% C/: 1. 507 - 17. 017), and standard Tea ( OR = 1.004, 95% C/: 1.002 -1.007) were positively associated with the development of ADHD. Conclusion Increased intake of avocado, celery, mutton/lamb, shellfish, grapefruit, and oily fish reduced the risk of ADHD, whereas increased intake of naan bread, average weekly spirits intake, Intake of artificial sweetener added to cereal, and standard tea raised the risk of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of efficient lubricants for ABS resins is widely recognized as beneficial for industrial production. Fatty diamides are typically applied as the lubricants for ABS resins; however, the connection between fatty chain structures and the lubricating properties is still vague. In this work, a range of ethylenediamine‐based amide lubricants (EDA‐Cn) with different fatty chain structures were successfully prepared and chemical structures were characterized in detail by the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The rheological test results suggested that the complex viscosity and relaxation time were positively associated with the fatty chain lengths of EDA‐Cn. The dynamic mechanical analysis results confirmed that EDA‐Cn exhibited excellent compatibility with ABS resins. The lubricating effect of EDA‐Cn decreased with increasing fatty chain lengths, which was manifested by a higher glass transition temperature, and lower elongation at break of ABS resins. In comparison to EDA‐C22, the complex viscosity (angular frequency = 0.1 rad/s) and glass transition temperature of EDA‐C10 have decreased by 24.9% and 3.9%, respectively. The molecular dynamics simulations revealed the intrinsic mechanism of lubricant‐substrate interaction. The EDA‐Cn containing short fatty chain lengths reduced the interaction energy with the matrix, thereby promoting the diffusive movement of the chain segments, and resulted in the increase in the mean square displacement and improved flow properties. These findings provided sufficient theoretical basis for the rational design and preparation of lubricants for ABS resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs are known to be one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on earth. However, these important ecosystems are heavily stressed by natural and anthropogenic activities. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an innovative approach that can provide a greater diversity of taxonomic detections, non-invasive sampling, and a lower field component cost than traditional biomonitoring methods. Taiping Island (Itu Aba Island) is one of the major coral reef islands situated in the South China Sea where underwater visual surveys documented an outbreak of Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS) in 2021. In our study, we used eDNA metabarcoding to investigate whether there were shifts in coral communities by comparing pre- and post-COTS outbreak communities. One metabarcoding assay targeting the 18S gene and two assays targeting the ITS2 region (one of these assays specifically targeting Acroporid corals) were applied to 42 seawater samples collected in 2019 and 2021 from 12 sites around Taiping Island. Based on these three metabarcoding assays, 52 unique hard coral species were identified, corresponding to a total of 51 species in 2019 and 26 species in 2021. Our results indicated a significant decline in coral diversity but an increase in sponge diversity from the phylum porifera at Taiping Island in 2021. We suggest that these faunal shifts may be due to active feeding and disturbance of COTS at outbreak proportions that result in habitat changes. Our findings also suggest that eDNA can continue to serve as a promising tool to monitor the change in coral as well as reef-associated taxa during devastating outbreak events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic oral mucosal inflammatory disease with a risk of becoming malignant. Emerging evidence suggests that microbial imbalance plays an important role in the development of OLP. However, the association between the oral microbiota and the metabolic features in OLP is still unclear. Methods: We conducted 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics profiling on 95 OLP patients and 105 healthy controls (HC).To study oral microbes and metabolic changes in OLP, we applied differential analysis, Spearman correlation analysis and four machine learning algoeithms Results: The alpha and beta diversity both differed between OLP and HC. After adjustment for gender and age, we found an increase in the relative abundance of Pseudomonas, Aggregatibacter, Campylobacter, and Lautropia in OLP, while 18 genera decreased in OLP. A total of 153 saliva metabolites distinguishing OLP from HC were identified. Notably, correlations were found between Oribacterium, specific lipid and amino acid metabolites, and OLP's clinical phenotype. Additionally, the combination of Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and (±)10-HDoHE effectively distinguished OLP from HC. Conclusions: Based on multi-omics data, this study provides comprehensive evidence of a novel interplay between oral microbiome and metabolome in OLP pathogenesis using the oral microbiota and metabolites of OLP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Angelica keiskei is a medicinal and edible plant that has been reported to possess potent antioxidant properties in several in vitro models, but its effectiveness on naturally aging organisms is still lacking. This study explores the antioxidant and health-promoting effects of Angelica keiskei in naturally aging mice. Methods: We treated 48-week-old mice with Angelica keiskei water extract (AKWE) 30 days, and measured indicators related to aging and antioxidants. In addition, we conducted network pharmacology analysis, component-target molecular docking, real-time PCR, and MTS assays to investigate relevant factors. Results: The results indicated that administration of AKWE to mice led to decrease blood glucose levels, improve muscle fiber structure, muscle strength, gait stability, and increase levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase in serum. Additionally, it decreased pigmentation of the heart tissues. Angelica keiskei combats oxidative stress by regulating multiple redox signaling pathways, and its ingredients Coumarin and Flavonoids have the potential to bind to SIRT3 and SIRT5. Conclusions: Our findings indicated the potential of Angelica keiskei as a safe and effective dietary supplement to combat aging and revealed the broad prospects of medicinal and edible plants for addressing aging and age-related chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), an important forage crop with high nutritional value and good palatability, plays a vital role in the development of animal husbandry in China. In Northeast China, there are vast areas of saline–alkali land that remain undeveloped. Given that alfalfa is a highly adaptable forage crop, exploring its salt tolerance at the molecular transcriptional level and identifying salt-tolerant genes has great significance for breeding salt-resistant alfalfa varieties. This also provides valuable genetic resources for better utilization of saline–alkali land. In this study, we conducted two rounds of screening on 41 alfalfa varieties and identified WL168 as a salt-sensitive variety and Longmu801 as a salt-tolerant variety. After 7 days of 300 mM salt stress, both varieties showed a decreasing trend in plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight over time, but Longmu801 demonstrated better water retention ability compared to WL168. Chlorophyll content also declined, but chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll levels in Longmu801 were higher than in WL168. Hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels increased overall, but Longmu801 had significantly lower levels than WL168 under prolonged stress. Both varieties showed increasing trends in soluble sugars, proline, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), with Longmu801 significantly outperforming WL168. This suggests that the two varieties share similar growth and physiological response mechanisms, with their differences primarily arising from variations in indicator levels. In the above, comparisons between varieties were conducted based on the relative values of the indicators in relation to their controls. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that under salt stress, Longmu801 had 16,485 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) relative to its control, while WL168 had 18,726 DEGs compared to its control. Among these, 2164 DEGs shared the same expression trend, with GO functions enriched in response to oxidative stress, nucleus, plasma membrane, and others. The KEGG pathways were enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, starch and sucrose metabolism, and others. This suggests that alfalfa's transcriptional response mechanism to salt stress involves these pathways. Additionally, the variety-specific DEGs were also enriched in the same KEGG pathways and GO functions, indicating that the differences between the two varieties stem from their unique stress-responsive DEGs, while their overall mechanisms for coping with stress remain similar. To further identify salt stress-related genes, this study conducted WGCNA analysis using 32,683 genes and physiological indicators. Six modules closely related to physiological traits were identified, and the top five genes ranked by degree in each module were selected as hub genes. Further analysis of these hub genes identified five genes directly related to salt stress: Msa085011, Msa0605650, Msa0397400, Msa1258740, and Msa0958830. Mantel test analysis revealed that these genes showed strong correlations with physiological indicators. This study will provide important insights for breeding salt-tolerant alfalfa varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to improve detection efficiency of fluorescence biosensor or a graphene field-effect transistor biosensor. Graphene field-effect transistor biosensing and fluorescent biosensing were integrated and combined with magnetic nanoparticles to construct a multi-sensor integrated microfluidic biochip for detecting single-stranded DNA. Multi-sensor integrated biochip demonstrated higher detection reliability for a single target and could simultaneously detect different targets. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the authors integrated graphene field-effect transistor biosensing and fluorescent biosensing, combined with magnetic nanoparticles, to fabricate a multi-sensor integrated microfluidic biochip for the detection of single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Graphene films synthesized through chemical vapor deposition were transferred onto a glass substrate featuring two indium tin oxide electrodes, thus establishing conductive channels for the graphene field-effect transistor. Using π-π stacking, 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester was immobilized onto the graphene film to serve as a medium for anchoring the probe aptamer. The fluorophore-labeled target DNA subsequently underwent hybridization with the probe aptamer, thereby forming a fluorescence detection channel. Findings: This paper presents a novel approach using three channels of light, electricity and magnetism for the detection of single-stranded DNA, accompanied by the design of a microfluidic detection platform integrating biosensor chips. Remarkably, the detection limit achieved is 10 pm, with an impressively low relative standard deviation of 1.007%. Originality/value: By detecting target DNA, the photo-electro-magnetic multi-sensor graphene field-effect transistor biosensor not only enhances the reliability and efficiency of detection but also exhibits additional advantages such as compact size, affordability, portability and straightforward automation. Real-time display of detection outcomes on the host facilitates a deeper comprehension of biochemical reaction dynamics. Moreover, besides detecting the same target, the sensor can also identify diverse targets, primarily leveraging the penetrative and noninvasive nature of light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU) is a prevalent oral mucosal disease, affecting around 20% of the global population. It can greatly impair the quality of life for affected individuals. However, the exact etiology of RAU remains unknown. Subjects and Methods: 16S rRNA sequencing (16S rRNA‐seq) and non‐targeted liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC–MS) were employed to investigate the salivary microbiota and metabolic phenotype between RAU patients (N = 61) and healthy controls (HCs) (N = 105). Results: Findings from 16S rRNA ‐seq indicated reduced oral microbial diversity in RAU patients compared to HCs, but increased interactions. Clinical variables did not show any significant association with the overall diversity of oral microbiota in RAU patients. However, significant correlations were observed between specific microorganisms and clinical variables. LC–MS results revealed dysregulation of amino acid, lipid, nucleotide, and caffeine metabolism in RAU patients. Furthermore, correlation analysis of 16S rRNA‐seq and LC–MS data revealed a significant association between salivary microbiota and metabolites in RAU patients. Conclusions: Our study revealed notable differences in salivary microbiota and metabolic profiles between RAU patients and HCs, indicating a strong link between oral microbiota dysbiosis, metabolic disturbances, and the onset and progression of RAU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Family firms not only play an important role in economic growth but should also be held partly responsible for environmental degradation. Employing normative stakeholder theory and analyzing unique Chinese survey data via stepwise regression models, our findings indicate that second‐generation successors did not significantly impact family firms' environmental investment. However, among second‐generation successors, we find that successors with international experience positively impacted environmental investment. The propensity score matching (PSM) and two‐stage least squares estimation (2SLS) approaches confirm our results. As an interdisciplinary study, our research is of great value to the environmental responsibility and family business literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid foams with tunable and photoresponsive stabilities and mechanical properties are highly desired in many domains, including the chemical and environmental protection industries. Here, we constructed photoresponsive liquid foams by structuring the interfacial adsorption layers and nanoparticle‐embedded Plateau borders of the foam with biodegradable components. These foams exhibited ultrahigh foam stability but were easily destroyed by light, leading to a clean recovery of the liquid phase. In the absence of light, the hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) coils in the foam formed mechanically strong liquid films or "cohesive states." Under irradiation, the ultrathin black phosphorus nanosheets induced changes in the packing parameters of the HPC assemblies within the Plateau borders and led to coil‐to‐globule transitions of the HPC and formed unstable liquid films with a "mobile state." The two interfacial states were reversibly and repeatedly switched by turning the light on and off, which caused rapid bubble coalescence and foam collapse, and we also proved that this destabilizing mechanism was inhibited by cellulose nanocrystals. This work provides an environmentally friendly approach to controlling foam stability, and the proposed strategy can be expanded to the production of multiresponsive fully liquid objects in theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Night‐side chorus waves are often observed during plasma sheet injections, typically confined around the equator and thus potentially responsible for precipitation of ≲100 keV electrons. However, recent low‐altitude observations have revealed the critical role of chorus waves in scattering relativistic electrons on the night‐side. This study presents a night‐side relativistic electron precipitation event induced by chorus waves at the strong diffusion regime, as observed by the ELFIN CubeSats. Through event‐based modeling of wave propagation under ducted or unducted regimes, we show that a density duct is essential for guiding chorus waves to high latitudes with minimal damping, thus enabling the strong night‐side relativistic electron precipitation. These findings underline both the existence and the important role of density ducts in facilitating night‐side relativistic electron precipitation. Plain Language Summary: Chorus waves, an important mode of electromagnetic waves in Earth's magnetosphere, play a vital role in scattering energetic electrons (electron precipitation) in the radiation belts. It has been shown in observations that night‐side chorus waves usually remain confined near their equatorial source and thus do not significantly affect relativistic electron precipitation. However, recent observations challenge this notion, suggesting a viable connection between the night‐side relativistic electron precipitation and chorus waves. In this work, we present an event observed on the ELFIN CubeSats that reveals intense relativistic electron precipitation on the night‐side, where the ratio between precipitation and trapped fluxes reaches the theoretical maximum of 1. To investigate the physical mechanism responsible for this event, we used numerical modeling to simulate scenarios with and without a density‐enhancement duct along magnetic field lines. Our results show that such ducts can efficiently trap chorus waves and guide them to high latitudes without significant damping where they can efficiently interact with the relativistic electrons. By comparing the precipitation intensity in ducted and unducted cases, we affirm the crucial role of density ducts in driving strong night‐side relativistic electron precipitation. Key Points: We present observations of night‐side relativistic electron precipitation induced by whistler‐mode wavesWe perform a comparison of observations with simulation results for different wave propagation regimesWe show that only ducted whistler‐mode waves can effectively scatter relativistic electrons on the night‐side [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the predominant form of head and neck cancer, often diagnosed at late stages, resulting in a poor prognosis. Recent studies indicate a potential association between OSCC and microbial presence. Microorganisms have been identified in various tumors and lesions, including OSCC and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). Intralesional microbiota are considered important components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and may contribute to carcinogenesis. Methods: Sources were collected through thorough searches of databases PubMed and Embase. The review focused on microbial characteristics, potential origins, and their impact on cancer progression. Results: Bacteria display varying abundance and diversity throughout the stages of OSCC and OPMDs. Intraleisional bacteria may have diverse sources, including not only oral plaque and saliva but also potentially the gut. Intralesional bacteria have both pro‐carcinogenic and anti‐carcinogenic effects, affecting processes like cell proliferation, invasion, and immune response. Conclusions: Intralesional microbiota are crucial in OSCC and OPMDs, influencing both disease progression and treatments. Despite their significance, challenges like inconsistent sampling and microbial identification remain. Future research is required to fully understand their role and improve clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver impairment caused by VCM has been linked to irreversible damage such as fibrosis, necrosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver angiosarcoma. However, the ability to detect abnormalities during initial phase have not been achieved so far. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of interleukin 8 (IL‐8) and C‐X‐C chemokines 2 (CXCR2) on screening for a VCM‐exposed group (n = 227) from a PVC manufacturing factory compared to a control group (n = 110) in Tianjin City in 2020 with influence factors evaluation. Ambient concentrations of VCM and health archives from 2012 to 2018 were collected for establishing the dose‐effect trend. A cross‐sectional survey in 2020 was performed to measure TDGA, IL‐8, CXCR2, 8‐OHdG, SOD, GPX, CAT, MDA, and ROS levels. Results indicated a continuous increased incidence on liver abnormalities despite a fluctuated downward trend in cumulative time‐weighted average (CTWA) VCM concentrations over the years. ALT, AST, and AST/ALT ratio all contributed to liver abnormalities that contained fatty liver, liver calcification, and liver cysts, IL‐8 and CXCR2 correlated with each other strongly and showed significant associations with oxidative stress markers, even AST/ALT ratio. IL‐8 (>1547 µg/m3) or CXCR2 (<139 µg/m3) influenced the AST/ALT ratio through reciprocal interactions under oxidative stress injury, CXCR2 (>222 µg/m3), working years of 21 to 30 (a) and 11 to 20 (a), TDGA (>1.52 mg/L), alcohol consumption, smoking habit, and a less sleeping duration of <4 h per day would also be potential factors affecting the AST/ALT ratio. In conclusion (1) even with decreased VCM concentrations in PVC manufacturing factories liver abnormalities that contained fatty liver, liver calcification, and liver cysts could still occur due to oxidative stress injury with involvement of IL‐8 and CXCR2. The status of protective measure and appropriate mask types also play a role; (2) the AST/ALT ratio could be a specific indicator for detecting abnormalities when combined with liver B ultrasonography results before impairment altered from bad to worse; and (3) factors such as definite medication history, fully broken protective facilities, alcohol consumption, less sleeping duration, inappropriate mask types, and longer working years could also influence AST/ALT ratio alterations through complex interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of landscape visual quality (LVQ) holds significant importance in the preservation and advancement of traditional villages. One challenge in measuring human perception lies in establishing a connection between public preferences and landscape characteristics. This study conducted an analysis of social media data from Anyi traditional villages in China to address this issue and identified eight human perceptions: naturalness, ancientness, colorfulness, variety, uniqueness, ingenuity, vividness, and pleasantness. A total of thirty characteristic indicators with potential explanations for LVQ were determined by research group through field investigations. A questionnaire survey was developed to assess human's preferences using 82 traditional village photos, and scores for the eight perceptions were obtained. The logistic regression was employed to establish distinct perception models, with perceptions serving as the dependent variables and characteristic indicators as the independent variables. Nomograms were subsequently utilized to visualize regression results and display the correlation between these two factors. The findings suggest that nomograms facilitate intuitive determination of the weights assigned to characteristic indicators in perceptual models, as well as their influence on LVQ. This work provides a reference for decision-making related to the adaptive protection and development of traditional villages, thereby helping to enhance the competitiveness of tourist destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is a widely adopted optimization strategy in datacenter networking that surpasses traditional kernel-based TCP/IP networking through mechanisms such as kernel bypass and hardware offloading. However, RDMA also faces a scalability challenge with regard to connection management due to limited on-chip memory capacity in the RDMA Network Interface Card (RNIC). This necessitates the storage of connection context within RNIC's memory and induces considerable performance degradation when maintaining a large number of connections. In this paper, we propose a novel RNIC microarchitecture design that achieves peak performance and scales well with the number of connections. First, we model RNIC and identify two key factors that degrade performance when the number of connections grows large: head-of-line blocking when accessing the connection context and connection context dependency in transmission processing. To address the head-of-line blocking problem, we then combine a non-blocking connection requester and connection context management module to process prepared connections first, which achieves peak message rate when the number of connections grows large. Besides, to eliminate connection context dependency in RNIC, we deploy a latency-hiding connection context scheduling strategy, maintaining low latency when the number of connections increases. We implement and evaluate our design, demonstrating its successful maintenance of peak message rate (66.4 Mop/s) and low latency (3.89 µs) while scaling to over 50,000 connections with less on-chip memory footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is a human parvovirus that causes lower respiratory tract infections in young children. It contains a single-stranded (ss) DNA genome of ~5.5 kb that encodes a small noncoding RNA of 140 nucleotides known as bocavirus-encoded small RNA (BocaSR), in addition to viral proteins. Here, we determined the secondary structure of BocaSR in vivo by using DMS-MaPseq. Our findings reveal that BocaSR undergoes N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification at multiple sites, which is critical for viral DNA replication in both dividing HEK293 cells and nondividing cells of the human airway epithelium. Mechanistically, we found that m6A-modified BocaSR serves as a mediator for recruiting Y-family DNA repair DNA polymerase (Pol) n and Pol K likely through a direct interaction between BocaSR and the viral DNA replication origin at the right terminus of the viral genome. Thus, this report represents direct involvement of a viral small noncoding RNA in viral DNA replication through m6A modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a high‐performance engineering plastic, the acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) resin possesses excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, and toughness. However, there is a lack of flow properties of the ABS resin for many processing operations. With the aim of enhancing the flowability of the ABS resin, the effect of N,N′‐ethylene bis oleamide (EBO) as a new lubricant on the melt flow rate (MFR), torque value, and rheological behavior of the ABS resin was investigated. The result showed the MFR of the ABS resin with 2.0 wt% EBO was 22.1 g/10 min, which was improved by 49% compared with the pure ABS resin (14.8 g/10 min). The torque value of the ABS resin, including 2.0 wt% EBO (1.69 N m) was lower than that of the pure ABS resin (2.03 N m). The rheological study further indicated that EBO can reduce the complex viscosity of the ABS resin. The above results indicated that EBO was an effective lubricant for the ABS resin. A possible lubrication mechanism was proposed based on the consequences of the rotational rheometry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and molecular dynamics simulation. EBO decreased the entanglement density of the polystyrene‐acrylonitrile (SAN) molecular chains and increased the mobility of the SAN molecular chain segments. On the other hand, EBO increased the free space of motion of the SAN molecular chain segments due to the free‐volume effect thereby increasing the mean square displacement of the system. This work will provide a new way to achieve the high‐flow ABS resin and provide new insights into the lubrication mechanism of lubricants in the ABS resin thereby expanding the applications of the ABS resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the catalytic activity of non-noble metal single atom catalysts (SACs) has attracted considerable attention in materials science. Although optimizing the local electronic structure of single atom can greatly improve their catalytic activity, it often involves in-plane modulation and requires high temperatures. Herein, we report a novel strategy to manipulate the local electronic structure of SACs via the modulation of axial Co–S bond anchored onto graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4) at room temperature (RT). Each Co atom is bonded to four N atoms and one S atom (Co-(N, S)/C3N4). Owing to the greater electronegativity of S in the Co–S bond, the local electronic structure of the Co atoms is available to be controlled at a relatively moderate level. Consequently, when employed for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, the adsorption energy of intermediate hydrogen (H*) on the Co atoms is remarkably low. In the presence of the Co-(N, S)/C3N4 SACs, the hydrogen evolution rates reach up to 10 mmol/(gh), which is nearly 10 and 2.5 times greater than the rates in the presence of previously reported transition metal/C3N4 and noble platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)/C3N4 catalysts, respectively. Attributed to the tailorable axial Co-S bond in the SAC, the local electronic structure of the Co atoms can be further optimized for other photocatalytic reactions. This axial coordination engineering strategy is universal in catalyst designing and can be used for a variety of photocatalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and development of novel fluorine‐free materials to replace fluorinated aqueous film‐forming foam (AFFF) are crucial for improving pool fire suppression performance and protecting the environment. In this study, we report the thermo‐responsive fluorine‐free foam stabilized by triblock PEO–PPO–PEO copolymers (EO)100(PO)65(EO)100 for pool fire suppression. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and reflected light interferometric techniques are conducted to study the molecular self‐assembly in bulk and film thinning behavior, and the foaming kinetics of copolymer solution and thermophysical properties of the liquid foam are studied by dynamic surface tension and oscillatory rheology analysis. At room temperature, the amphipathic structure of PEO–PPO–PEO makes it possible to absorb at the air–liquid interface forming large‐scale liquid foams containing the mobile films with a detergent state. Upon heating to the surface cooling temperature of burning oil, the mobile films can be actively switched into mechanically strong films with rigid surfaces. The in situ switching of the two interfacial states leads to the significant enhancement of the foam stability, especially under the dual defoaming effects of heat and oil. What's more, it is observed that the confinement of organized copolymer micelles in the Plateau borders and micellar self‐layering in film confinement induce drainage delay of foam and film's stepwise thinning phenomenon, further increasing film thickness and enhancing the thermal stability of the foam. In standard fire‐fighting tests, it is proved that the burnback performance exhibited by thermo‐responsive copolymer foams is three times better than that for classical fluorine‐free foams and almost 1.5 times higher than that for commercial AFFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of a superconductor–normal metal–superconductor Josephson junction (JJ) depends crucially on the transparency of the superconductor–normal metal (S/N) interface. We demonstrate a technique for fabricating planar JJs with perfect S/N interfaces. The technique utilizes a strong inverse proximity effect discovered in Al / V 5 S 8 bilayers, by which the Al layer is driven into the resistive state. The highly transparent S/N homointerface and the peculiar normal metal enable the flow of Josephson supercurrent across a 2.9 μ m long weak link. Moreover, our JJ exhibits a giant critical current and a large product of the critical current and the normal state resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases jeopardize health and reduce the quality of life. Accessing disease-related signals in advance is beneficial to prevent the occurrence or progression of those diseases. However, the inconvenience of periodical in-hospital examinations and the difficulty of sustaining daily health monitoring challenge personal compliance and possibly lead to limited prevention or treatment. Medical flexible electronics are electric devices fabricated on soft and extensible substrates to fit the human skin and enable non-invasive continuous monitoring of biophysical/biochemical signals. They provide the possibility of long-term, continuous, comfortable, and wireless healthcare monitoring and are expected to alleviate time and economic consumption by avoiding in-hospital examinations and treatment. Therefore, flexible electronics have emerged for early diagnosis and disease monitoring in stomatology. It is noteworthy that special biophysical/biochemical characteristics and the environment of dental, oral, and craniofacial areas bring distinct challenges that flexible electronics need to address ingeniously to ensure their stability, selectivity, and sensitivity. This review summaries flexible electronics and their specificity when used in dental, oral, and craniofacial applications, including monitoring saliva or cavity-gas related biosignals, sensing the mechanical fluctuation from facial muscle/respiratory activities or orthodontic forces, and executing special functions in the prevention or postoperative recovery of relevant diseases. Furthermore, after analyzing current challenges and proposing potential solutions, the "5I" principles of imperceptibility, intelligence, individualization, integration, and inexpensiveness are presented to help guide the future development of flexible electronics and promote their commercialization for dental, oral, and craniofacial medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the need for a space security situation assessment during orbit, the multi-satellite space environmental risk prediction and early warning system is based on the detection results of the space weather payload of the Fengyun 4A and 4B satellites, as well as the prediction results of the National Space Weather Center, for the first time. By comprehensively utilizing some open-source data, it is the first time that we have achieved a 24 h advanced prediction of the space environment high-energy proton, low-energy particle, and high-energy electron risks for the safety of the Fengyun-series high-orbit satellites, and a real-time warning of satellite single-event upset, surface charging, and deep charging risks. The automation system has preliminarily achieved an intelligent space risk assessment for the safety of multiple stationary meteorological satellites, effectively improving the application efficiency of the space environmental data and the products of Fengyun-series satellites. The business status is stable in operation, and the resulting error between the predicted results of various risk indices and the measured data was less than one level. The warning accuracy was better than 90%. This article uses the system for the first time, to use Fengyun satellite data to, accurately and in a timely manner, predict and warn us about the low-energy particles and surface charging high-risk levels of the Fengyun 4A and 4B satellites during the typical space weather event on 21 April 2023, in response to the impact of complex spatial environmental factors on the safety of Fengyun-series high-orbit satellites. The construction and operation of a multi-satellite space environmental risk prediction and early warning system can provide a reference for the safety work of subsequent satellite ground system operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progressive neuronal loss is a hallmark feature distinguishing neurodegenerative diseases from normal ageing. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Extracellular K+ homeostasis is a potential mediator of neuronal injury as K+ elevations increase excitatory activity. The dysregulation of extracellular K+ and potassium channel expressions during neurodegeneration could contribute to this distinction. Here we measured the cortical extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]e) in awake wild-type mice as well as murine models of neurodegeneration using K+-sensitive microelectrodes. Unexpectedly, aged wild-type mice exhibited significantly lower cortical [K+]e than young mice. In contrast, cortical [K+]e was consistently elevated in Alzheimer's disease (APP/PS1), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (SOD1G93A) and Huntington's disease (R6/2) models. Cortical resting [K+]e correlated inversely with neuronal density and the [K+]e buffering rate but correlated positively with the predicted neuronal firing rate. Screening of astrocyte-selective genomic datasets revealed a number of potassium channel genes that were downregulated in these disease models but not in normal ageing. In particular, the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kcnj10 was downregulated in ALS and Huntington's disease models but not in normal ageing, while Fxyd1 and Slc1a3 , each of which acts as a negative regulator of potassium uptake, were each upregulated by astrocytes in both Alzheimer's disease and ALS models. Chronic elevation of [K+]e in response to changes in gene expression and the attendant neuronal hyperexcitability may drive the neuronal loss characteristic of these neurodegenerative diseases. These observations suggest that the dysregulation of extracellular K+ homeostasis in a number of neurodegenerative diseases could be due to aberrant astrocytic K+ buffering and as such, highlight a fundamental role for glial dysfunction in neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the first experimental results on cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) at the Shengguang-II laser facility, in which two p-polarized laser beams irradiated planar targets at 45-deg incidence orthogonally. Frequency shifts of 0 and 0.06% were added between the two beams to investigate the relation of CBET to the degree of frequency shift. Enhancement of scattering was observed in the two-beam configuration with respect to the sum of the two single-beam configurations, indicating CBET was developed by the interaction of the two beams in the cases both with and without the frequency shift. When time delays were added between the seed and the pump pulses, scatter from the seed was enhanced, which further confirmed the existence of CBET in the experiments. The amplifications of the seed light by CBET with and without the frequency shift were sequentially ∼3.3 and ∼2.0 when the two beams were synchronized, and the energy loss due to CBET within the full aperture of the final optics of the pump to the total laser energy was ∼4% with the frequency shift. Calculations suggest that a more than 0.2% frequency shift may be needed to mitigate CBET under experimental laser-plasma conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin is a typical elastomer-toughening plastic, where the rubber component is polybutadiene (PB). In this paper, the influence of PB-g-Styrene-Acrylonitrile (SAN) concentration on the mechanical properties as well as the flow behavior of the ABS resin was studied. The notched impact strength of the ABS resin including 30 wt% PB-g-SAN was 18.7 kJ/m2, more than five times as high as that of neat SAN resin (3.8 kJ/m2). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination confirmed that the primary reason of the improved toughness of the ABS resin was the shear yielding effect of the matrix. Additionally, a melt flow indexer, rotating rheometer, torque rheometer and dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) were utilized to analyze the influence of PB-g-SAN concentration on the ABS resin flow behavior. The results showed that the melt flow rate (MFR) of the ABS resin decreased linearly and the complex viscosity (η*) as well as the tensile plateau modulus (E') values increased significantly with the growing concentration of PB-g-SAN. This indicated that the flow behavior of the ABS resin was negatively affected when excess PB-g-SAN concentration was added. The entanglement effect between the SAN copolymer on the PB particles surface and the matrix SAN molecular chains, as well as the PB particle volume effect, were suggested to be the main reasons of the negative effect. This research, we suggest, will provide profound scientific guidance for regulating the mechanical and processing characteristics of the ABS resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal tellurides (TMTs) have been ideal materials for exploring exotic properties in condensed-matter physics, chemistry and materials science1–3. Although TMT nanosheets have been produced by top-down exfoliation, their scale is below the gram level and requires a long processing time, restricting their effective application from laboratory to market4–8. We report the fast and scalable synthesis of a wide variety of MTe2 (M = Nb, Mo, W, Ta, Ti) nanosheets by the solid lithiation of bulk MTe2 within 10 min and their subsequent hydrolysis within seconds. Using NbTe2 as a representative, we produced more than a hundred grams (108 g) of NbTe2 nanosheets with 3.2 nm mean thickness, 6.2 µm mean lateral size and a high yield (>80%). Several interesting quantum phenomena, such as quantum oscillations and giant magnetoresistance, were observed that are generally restricted to highly crystalline MTe2 nanosheets. The TMT nanosheets also perform well as electrocatalysts for lithium–oxygen batteries and electrodes for microsupercapacitors (MSCs). Moreover, this synthesis method is efficient for preparing alloyed telluride, selenide and sulfide nanosheets. Our work opens new opportunities for the universal and scalable synthesis of TMT nanosheets for exploring new quantum phenomena, potential applications and commercialization.Fast and scalable synthesis of a variety of transition metal telluride nanosheets by solid lithiation and hydrolysis is demonstrated and several interesting quantum phenomena were observed, such as quantum oscillations and giant magnetoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recombinant humanized type III collagen (rhCol III) is a highly adhesive biomaterial composed of 16 adhesion‐related tandem repeats refined from human type III collagen. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of rhCol III on oral ulcers and reveal the underlying mechanism. Methods: Acid‐induced oral ulcers were induced on the murine tongue, and rhCol III or saline drops were administered. The effect of rhCol III on oral ulcers was assessed using gross and histological analyses. The effects on the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of human oral keratinocytes were investigated in vitro. The underlying mechanism was explored using RNA sequencing. Results: Administration of rhCol III accelerated the lesion closure of oral ulcers, reduced the release of inflammatory factors, and alleviated pain. rhCol III promoted the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of human oral keratinocytes in vitro. Mechanistically, the enrichment of genes associated with the Notch signaling pathway was upregulated after rhCol III treatment. Conclusion: rhCol III promoted the healing of oral ulcers, showing promising therapeutic potential in oral clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, China is deepening its cooperation in oil and gas resources with countries along the Initiative. In order to better mitigate risks and enhance the safety of investments, it is of significant importance to research the oil and gas investment environment in these countries for China's overseas investment macro-layout. This paper proposes an indicator system including 27 indicators from 6 dimensions. On this basis, game theory models combined with global entropy method and analytic hierarchy process are applied to determine the combined weights, and the TOPSIS-GRA model is utilized to assess the risks of oil and gas investment in 76 countries along the Initiative from 2014 to 2021. Finally, the GM (1,1) model is employed to predict risk values for 2022 e2025. In conclusion, oil and gas resources and political factors have the greatest impact on investment environment risk, and 12 countries with greater investment potential are selected through cluster analysis in conjunction with the predicted results. The research findings may provide scientific decisionmaking recommendations for the Chinese government and oil enterprises to strengthen oil and gas investment cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deactivation of catalyst for the oxidation of carbon monoxide in the impurity gases such as CO2, SO2, and NOx are common issues in practical use. In this work, Cu–Mn–Ce composite oxide catalysts (CMCO) were coupled with K2CO3 (KC) to inhibit the poisoning effect of these gases. The CMCO/KC composite catalysts, prepared by multi-step impregnation method, were tested for CO catalytic oxidation and CO2 chemical absorption in the presence of SO2 (0.004% and 0.04%) or NO2 (0.0025% and 0.025%), and further characterized by XRD and XPS. The results showed that CMCO/KC could catalyze CO efficiently at low temperatures, and proper K2CO3 addition (10–50 wt%) could even promote CMCO catalytic activity owing to the CO2 sorption. Among them, CMCO/50KC showed the highest CO catalytic performance with the T50 of 114.5 °C. More importantly, K2CO3 doping treatment could reduce or eliminate the catalyst deactivation caused by SO2 and NO2, due to the competitive sorption reaction of the alkali toward the acid gases. Further regeneration experiments revealed that CMCO/KC also had fine regeneration activity and stability for CO/CO2 removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In magnetic confinement fusion devices, the plasma particle and energy transport depend on the turbulence transport. Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) wave heating can interact with the turbulence in the plasma edge and change the turbulence transport. To understand their interaction/correlation, the radial modification of turbulence by ICRF in the scrape-off layer (SOL) was investigated using midplane reciprocating Langmuir probe, reflectometry, Doppler reflectometry, and Divertor probes on the EAST tokamak. We showed a first demonstration that this interaction occurs at all radii and affects the turbulence across the whole SOL. It was observed that ICRF attenuates the large-scale turbulence structures (usually in the form of blobs) by breaking them into smaller ones, leading to a suppression of low-frequency turbulence in the whole SOL. Moreover, this turbulence reduction is accompanied by an increase in the high-frequency turbulence fluctuations and an increase in the poloidal velocity in the SOL. This poloidal velocity is generated by the radial electric field during ICRF. Following this, BOUT++ simulations were conducted, and the simulations results are in line with the experimental results. They show that the RF-sheath induced radial electric field can explain the increase in high-frequency fluctuations and suppression of turbulence in the SOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full spatiotemporal distribution of chorus wave‐induced relativistic electron microburst is modeled for chorus waves originated from different L shells and MLTs, based on the newly developed numerical precipitation model (Kang et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022gl100841). The wave‐particle interaction process that induces each microburst is analyzed in detail, and its relation to the chorus wave propagation effects is explained. The global distribution of maximum precipitation fluxes and scale sizes of relativistic microbursts is then obtained by modeling chorus waves at different L‐shells and local times. The characteristics of dawn and midnight sector microbursts have little difference, but the noon sector has much larger maximum flux and much smaller full width at half maximum, which may be due to dayside's low electron flux in the Landau resonance range. This suggests the controlling effect of keV electrons on the MeV electron precipitation intensity and properties and the overall relativistic electron loss in the outer radiation belt. Key Points: Based on statistical chorus and electron distributions, the global distribution of relativistic microburst scale size is modeledDawn and night sectors are fairly similar in precipitation scale size, and dayside has larger maximum precipitation flux and smaller widthThe keV electron populations on dayside play a critical role on the MeV electron precipitation intensity and the microburst scale size [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We explored the viability of simultaneous bilateral endoscopic surgery (SBES) in the prone split-leg position for managing bilateral calculi. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 72 patients who underwent SBES, with procedures involving ureteroscopy (URS) and contralateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) simultaneously, in prone split-leg position. Results: Operative times averaged 109.38 ± 30.76 min, with an average hospital stay of 7.79 ± 3.78 days. The bilateral stone-free rate (SFR) was 70.83%, while URS and PNL demonstrated comparable unilateral SFR (83.33% and 79.17%, respectively). Receiver operating characteristics curves for predicting unilateral residual fragments yielded an area under the curve of 0.84 (URS) and 0.81 (PNL) with respective cutoff values of stone diameter of 11.55 mm and 23.52 mm. Fifty-seven (79.17%) and 15 (20.83%) patients encountered grade 0–1/2 complications, with no severe complications (grade 3–5) recorded. No significant changes in blood count or renal function were observed post-SBES. Conclusions: SBES in the prone split-leg position is a viable option for managing bilateral upper tract urolithiasis. Larger scale studies are needed to further assess safety and efficacy in various positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy during preoperative neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) of clinical Stages II and III. The patients received camrelizumab plus chemotherapy regimen on Day 1 for up to three to four cycles (3 weeks per cycle). The probabilities of overall survival (OS) were 55.6% at 12 months and 35.6% at 18 months (45 patients). The disease‐free survival (DFS) rates were 70.0% at 12 months and 63.3% at 18 months (30 patients). The median OS and DFS were not reached. The proportion of patients at postneoadjuvant pathological tumor stages ypT0, ypT2, and ypT3 were 10 (33.3%), 14 (46.7%), and 6 (20.0%), respectively, and those at stages ypN0 and ypN1 were 19 (63.3%) and 11 (36.7%), respectively. Additionally, the pathological complete response rate was 33.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.154–0.512), and the major pathologic response rate was 46.7% (95% CI: 0.277–0.656). Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) were reported in five patients (11.1%), with vomiting being the most common AE (three patients; 3.3%). Other common AEs of any grade included decreased lymphocyte count (48.9%), reactive capillary endothelial proliferation (46.7%), decreased white blood cell count (40.0%), anemia (31.1%), and vomiting (31.1%). The combination of camrelizumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced resectable ESCC demonstrated promising efficacy and acceptable safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products have played a significant role throughout history in the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases, particularly cancers. As a natural product primarily derived from various medicinal plants in the Withania genus, withanolides have been shown in several studies to exhibit potential activities in cancer treatment. Consequently, understanding the molecular mechanism of withanolides could herald the discovery of new anticancer agents. Withanolides have been studied widely, especially in the last 20 years, and attracted the attention of numerous researchers. Currently, over 1200 withanolides have been classified, with approximately a quarter of them having been reported in the literature to be able to modulate the survival and death of cancer cells through multiple avenues. To what extent, though, has the anticancer effects of these compounds been studied? How far are they from being developed into clinical drugs? What are their potential, characteristic features, and challenges? In this review, we elaborate on the current knowledge of natural compounds belonging to this class and provide an overview of their natural sources, anticancer activity, mechanism of action, molecular targets, and implications for anticancer drug research. In addition, direct targets and clinical research to guide the design and implementation of future preclinical and clinical studies to accelerate the application of withanolides have been highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefiting from the synergistic development of material design, device engineering, and the mechanistic understanding of device physics, the certified power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of single‐junction non‐fullerene organic solar cells (OSCs) have already reached a very high value of exceeding 19%. However, in addition to PCEs, the poor stability is now a challenging obstacle for commercial applications of organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Herein, recent progress made in exploring operational mechanisms, anomalous photoelectric behaviors, and improving long‐term stability in non‐fullerene OSCs are highlighted from a novel and previously largely undiscussed perspective of engineering exciton and charge carrier pathways. Considering the intrinsic connection among multiple temporal‐scale photocarrier dynamics, multi‐length scale morphologies, and photovoltaic performance in OPVs, this review delineates and establishes a comprehensive and in‐depth property‐function relationship for evaluating the actual device stability. Moreover, this review has also provided some valuable photophysical insights into employing the advanced characterization techniques such as transient absorption spectroscopy and time‐resolved fluorescence imagings. Finally, some of the remaining major challenges related to this topic are proposed toward the further advances of enhancing long‐term operational stability in non‐fullerene OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Evidence on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Chinese rural populations and its influence factors were limited. This study aimed to describe the distribution of HRQoL assessed by EQ-5D-5L and its determinants among a Chinese rural population. Methods: A total of 23,510 eligible participants (9542 men and 13,968 women) from the Henan rural cohort study were included. Tobit regression and generalized linear models were performed to investigate the associations between demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, common chronic diseases, and HRQoL. Results: Of all respondents, the most frequently reported problem was pain/discomfort dimension (23.05%), followed by mobility (12.72%), anxiety/depression (7.77%), and usual activities (6.45%), while the least reported was the self-care dimension (3.84%). The more problems reported in all dimensions with age increased except anxiety/depression. The mean (standard deviation) utility index and VAS score were 0.954 (0.111) and 78.34 (14.80), respectively. The regression analysis indicated that increasing age, former drinkers, poor sleep quality, and suffering from common chronic diseases were significantly associated with low HRQoL, while high education level, average monthly income, and physical activity were significantly associated with high HRQoL. Conclusion: This study described the distribution of HRQoL and its influence factors among the Chinese rural population, which was helpful for medical institutions and policymakers to allocate medical resources and better understand HRQoL among the Chinese rural population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose oxidation reaction is kinetically sluggish and demands a highly efficient catalyst. Herein, we report a direct glucose alkaline fuel cell (DGAFC) using physically mixed Ni2Co nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (Ni2Co-rGO) supported on nickel foam as an anode to promote glucose oxidation. The DGAFC with the Ni2Co-rGO anode delivered a remarkably enhanced peak power density of 40.44 W/m2 at room temperature, which was 74.91% higher than the control (23.12 W/m2). Different techniques including XPS, SEM, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to explore the physiochemical and electrochemical properties of the catalyst. Our results demonstrate that Ni2Co-rGO exhibits an excellent activity toward glucose oxidation in alkaline medium, leading to a drastic improvement in the anode performance. There should be a synergistic effect between rGO and Ni2Co. In the Ni2Co-rGO nanocomposite, rGO not only acts as a support for the Ni2Co nanoparticles and also promotes the electron transfer during the glucose oxidation process. This study can promote the development of bi-transition metal-based catalysts for DGAFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street trees are essential to urban ecological benefits and human well-being. The canopy morphology relates to the green view index (GVI), which needs to be calculated based on specific tree species. This study conducts a field study on 760 street trees of 3 species from the pedestrian perspective, and explores the differences in canopy GVI and its factors of different specifications of street trees using DBH grading. The results indicate that (1) street trees can provide 20% of the GVI in unilateral streets, with 13% of the GVI in a single canopy. (2) A flat oval crown with a wider canopy width is more effective in providing GVI than a long oval crown, and a CW with a higher canopy GVI highlights this advantage. (3) DBHs of 30 and 40 can be used as grading indicators for Cinnamomum camphora, and the specification requirements can be reduced for Southern magnolia and Chinese privet. (4) The concept of DE is introduced, and new parameters related to the central crown have significant impacts on GVI. The conclusions can improve the GVI application in urban greenery planning as well as have certain implications for the cost management of future seedling cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]