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Overcoming the hardness‐toughness trade‐off in diamonds attracts much interest in physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Recently synthesized nanotwinned diamond composite exhibits massive enhancement in fracture toughness without sacrificing its unprecedented Vickers hardness [Y. Yue et al., Nature 582, 370 (2020)]. Several mechanisms for the toughness enhancement are unveiled based on the edge‐cracked models while the mechanism from Vickers indentation has remained elusive. Here, the energy of nanotwinned diamonds, diamond polytypes, and diamond composites is systematically investigated from Vickers indentation simulation. The results show diamond structures dissipate energy by interface migration, accompanied by the phase transformation from diamond polytypes to the cubic diamond (3C diamond). By tuning the density and distribution of interfaces, the dissipated energy of the diamond is increased to more than twice that of a single‐crystal 3C diamond. This work complements the established mechanisms and provides a universal strategy for toughening diamonds and related materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional (2D) Janus materials are a fascinating class of materials resulting from their unique electronic and magnetic properties induced by mirror symmetry breaking. However, 2D Janus materials with intrinsic magnetism remain rather rare, casting a mysterious veil over magnetism. In this work, the electronic and magnetic properties of Janus Mn2GeX (X = As, Sb) monolayers using the first‐principles calculations are investigated. The results demonstrate that these Janus materials exhibit excellent mechanical and dynamic stability, indicating their potential for future applications in nanoscale spintronic devices. Interestingly, the Janus Mn2GeAs$\left(\text{Mn}\right)_{2} \text{GeAs}$ and Mn2GeSb$\left(\text{Mn}\right)_{2} \text{GeSb}$ monolayers possess exciting half‐metallic character with wide half‐metallic gaps of 0.29 and 0.18 eV, and spin gaps of 1.68 and 1.62 eV, respectively. Their calculated ground state exhibits a strong preference for ferromagnetic ordering, with a Curie temperature (Tc$T_{c}$) of 630 and 590 K, respectively. Additionally, the ferromagnetism of Janus Mn2GeX (X = As, Sb) monolayers is robust against biaxial strain ranging from −6% to 6%. Under 6% tensile strain, the calculated Tc$T_{c}$ of the Mn2GeSb$\left(\text{Mn}\right)_{2} \text{GeSb}$ monolayer is 639 K, which represents a 9% increase compared to the Tc$T_{c}$ observed in the unstrained condition. All these intriguing electronic and magnetic properties make the Janus Mn2GeX (X = As, Sb) monolayers an appealing candidate for applications in nanoscale spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Semi-supervised learning has attracted more and more attention in medical image segmentation as it alleviates reliance on high-cost annotated data. Meanwhile, existing semi-supervised methods that utilize few labeled data alongside a larger amount of unlabeled data are limited to scenarios where the labeled data comprises at least 10% of the total. However, the effectiveness of these methods significantly diminishes when the proportion of labeled data is extremely low, such as 1% or 5%. Concentrating on this vital yet infrequently addressed scenario, a new method called Diverse Views Cross-Pseudo Supervision (DVCPS) is proposed in this paper. Diverse views at both the data-level and feature-level for unlabeled data are constructed by this method. The Feature Dual Views Network (FDVNet) is introduced, comprising a shared encoder and two distinct decoders. FDVNet is designed to extract both consensus and complementary information from inconsistent views. The predictions generated by the student FDVNet and the pseudo-labels generated by the teacher FDVNet, each produced by different decoders for unlabeled data, are utilized for cross-supervision to acquire complementary information. DVCPS was validated on the ACDC dataset and the MSD Prostate dataset. Compared with other current state-of-the-art methods at specific proportions of labeled data, the best performance in semi-supervised segmentation was achieved by DVCPS. With over a doubling of Dice improvement on each dataset with only 1% labeled data, this demonstrates that DVCPS can effectively address the extreme imbalance of labeled data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lately, numerous researches have portrayed stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) is predominantly connected with short-term adverse prognosis among individuals who have acute coronary syndrome. Nevertheless, the relation of SHR with prolonged effects and the value of SHR in predicting in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with or lacking chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain unclear. The present study was designed to elucidate the relation of SHR with prolonged prognosis and the value of SHR in predicting the long-term all-cause and cardiovascular death of CAD patients with CKD or non-CKD. Methods: We assessed 45,780 adults with CAD from a Chinese multi-center registry. SHR was computed via a formula [SHR = (admission glucose) (mmol/L) / (1.59 * HbA1c [%] – 2.59)]. Based on the presence or absence of CKD and SHR levels, patients were categorized into four groups. Long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were the primary endpoints. The Kaplan–Meier method, restricted cubic spline (RCS), cox regression analysis, subgroups analysis, and sensitivity analysis were employed to estimate the connection between SHR and all-cause as well as cardiovascular mortality. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.2 years (IQR 3.0–8.0), among 45,780 CAD patients (mean age [SD]: 62.8 ± 10.6 years; 23.9% female), the number of all-cause deaths was 7144(15.6%), and cardiovascular-related deaths was 3255 (7.1%). In cohorts with CKD, patients with high SHR had higher all-cause mortality (30.2% vs. 27.6%; adjusted hazard ratio HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04–1.22; P = 0.003) and cardiovascular mortality (18.2% vs. 15.6%; HR adjusted 1.17, 95% CI 1.06–1.30; P = 0.002) compared to the individuals in low SHR. However, this was not the case in CAD cohorts without CKD [all-cause mortality (12.9% vs. 11.9%; HR adjusted 1.04, 95%CI 0.98–1.10, P = 0.206); cardiovascular mortality (5.1% vs. 4.4%; HR adjusted 1.09, 95%CI 0.99–1.20, P = 0.084)]. KM analysis revealed that high SHR is linked with all-cause mortality [CKD (log-rank P < 0.001); no-CKD (log-rank P = 0.024)] and cardiovascular mortality [CKD (log-rank P < 0.001); no-CKD (log-rank P = 0.01)] in CAD patients with or without CKD. RCS demonstrated that the relation between SHR and all-cause mortality was U-shaped after full modification, which was shown for CKD patients (P for non-linearity = 0.003) and also for patients without CKD (P for non-linearity = 0.001). Analogous effects were discovered for cardiovascular mortality, which was the case for CKD patients (P for non-linearity < 0.001) and also for patients without CKD (P for non-linearity = 0.001). Conclusions: Among patients with CAD, an elevated stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) is implicated in a heightened risk of long-term outcomes, particularly in those with CKD. This signifies that SHR might have a latent function in the cardiovascular risk categorization of the CAD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy characterized by both exocrine and neuroendocrine components. Treatment options for metastatic cases are limited, with typical therapeutic approaches involving a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. A 68-year-old male with metastatic gastric MANEC was treated with targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy, including S-1, apatinib, cadonilimab, and paclitaxel. After six cycles, the liver metastases resolved completely, and the primary tumor achieved partial remission, leading to conversion surgery. The patient underwent a radical D2 gastrectomy with R0 resection, including proximal gastrectomy, splenectomy, omentectomy, and esophagogastric anastomosis, along with radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases. Postoperative pathology confirmed the disappearance of liver metastases but revealed residual adenocarcinoma in the primary gastric lesion and neuroendocrine components in the perigastric lymph nodes. The patient was discharged seven days post-surgery. Five months postoperatively, new liver metastases were detected, exhibiting neuroendocrine differentiation. The patient was subsequently treated with a maintenance regimen of S-1 and pembrolizumab. This case highlights the significant heterogeneity of gastric MANEC and the challenges in managing such cases. While conversion surgery can be effective in certain contexts, the high likelihood of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, particularly in neuroendocrine components, necessitates cautious consideration. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term benefits of conversion surgery in metastatic gastric MANEC and to develop tailored therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Achieving and maintaining an optimal reduction in partially or fully displaced intra-articular fractures, specifically Type C distal radius fractures, can present challenges. This study aims to retrospectively evaluate and summarize a method utilizing multi-directional temporary Kapandji technique in combination with the volar locking plate fixation for these fractures. Method: The study involved 15 patients diagnosed with Type C distal radius fractures who underwent surgery between January 2024 and April 2024. The procedure incorporated a multi-directional temporary Kapandji technique, followed by stable osteosynthesis using a volar locking plate system. The functional outcomes were assessed after 4 (2–6) months of follow-up using the modified Mayo wrist scoring system (MMWS). The MMWS is a rating system used to evaluate wrist function and pain, including pain, motion, grip strength. Results: All the patients incision healed within 2 weeks. All the fractures had uneventful union within 8–12 weeks. Based on the modified Mayo wrist scoring (MMWS) system, most patients showed good to excellent functional recovery. Conclusion: This reduction method proved to be both simple and replicable, enabling satisfactory alignment with minimal force. The volar locking plate system provided rigid and stable fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rectal cancer is a common cancer worldwide and lacks effective prognostic markers. The development of prognostic markers by computational pathology methods has attracted increasing attention. This paper aims to construct a prognostic signature from whole slide images for predicting progression-free survival (PFS) of rectal cancer through an unsupervised artificial intelligence algorithm. Methods: A total of 238 patients with rectal cancer from two datasets were collected for the development and validation of the prognostic signature. A tumor detection model was built by transfer learning. Then, on the basis of the tumor patches recognized by the tumor detection model, a convolutional autoencoder model was built for decoding the tumor patches into deep latent features. Next, on the basis of the deep latent features, the tumor patches were divided into different clusters. The cluster number and other hyperparameters were optimized by a nested cross-validation method. The percentage of each cluster from the patient's tumor patches, which is hereafter called PCF, was calculated for prognostic signature construction. The prognostic signature was constructed by Cox proportional hazard regression with L2 regularization. Finally, bioinformatic analysis was performed to explore the underlying biological mechanisms of the PCFs. Results: The accuracy of the tumor detection model in distinguishing tumor patches from non-tumor patches achieved 99.3%. The optimal cluster number was determined to be 9. Therfore, 9 PCFs were calculated to construct the prognostic signature. The prognostic signature achieved a concordance index of 0.701 in the validation cohort. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed the prognostic signature had good risk stratification ability. Through the bioinformatic analysis, several PCF-associated genes were identified. These genes were enriched in various gene ontology terms. Conclusion: The developed prognostic signature can effectively predict PFS in patients with rectal cancer and exploration of the underlying biological mechanisms may help to promote its clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albuminuria is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Podocyte injury significantly contributes to proteinuria in DN. Our study found that lncRNA EVF‐2 is upregulated in podocytes of DN patients, correlating with cell cycle re‐entry and inflammation. Specific knockout or knockdown of lncRNA evf‐2 in diabetic mice or cultured podocytes alleviated podocyte injury associated with these processes. RNA sequencing of evf‐2‐overexpressing podocytes unveiled a predominant enrichment of upregulated mRNAs in cell cycle and inflammation pathways, with alternative splicing in cell cycle‐related mRNAs Ccnb1 and Tacc3. Chromatin isolation by RNA purification‐mass spectrometry (ChIRP‐MS) analysis highlighted the involvement of ribonucleoprotein complex and mRNA processing‐related proteins, with hnRNPU as the main binding partner of evf‐2 in spliceosomes. Knockdown of hnRNPU partially restored the upregulation of mRNAs induced by evf‐2 overexpression, altering splice variants of Ccnb1 and Tacc3. This study is the first to reveal the splice variants of cell cycle‐related genes in DN and elucidate the interaction between lncRNA evf‐2 and hnRNPU. This interaction culminates in the upregulation of cell cycle‐related genes and inflammatory factors through diverse pathways, potentially involving transcriptional activation, RNA stability modulation, alternative splicing or translational regulation. This highlights potential novel pathways for DN treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the shortcomings in action evaluation within VR simulation power training, this paper introduces a novel action recognition and evaluation method based on dynamic recognition of finger keypoints combined with an improved Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm. By constructing an action recognition model centered on hand keypoints, the proposed method integrates distance similarity and cosine similarity to account comprehensively for both numerical differences and directional consistency of action features. This approach effectively tackles the challenges of feature extraction and recognition for complex actions in VR power training. Furthermore, a scoring mechanism based on the improved DTW algorithm is proposed, which employs Gaussian-weighted feature-derivative Euclidean distance combined with cosine similarity. This method significantly reduces computational complexity while improving scoring accuracy and consistency. Experimental results indicated that the improved DTW algorithm outperformed traditional methods in terms of classification accuracy and robustness. In particular, cosine similarity demonstrated superior performance in capturing dynamic variations and assessing the consistency of fine hand movements. This study provides an essential technical reference for action evaluation in VR simulation power training and offers a scientific basis for advancing the intelligence and digitalization of power VR training environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of combining inspiratory muscle resistance with strength training on lung function and aerobic capacity in artistic swimmers. Methods: This research constitutes a placebo-controlled randomized trial, involving a five-week walking program conducted twice a week. Fourteen female artistic swimmers were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (TG group, n = 7) or the control group (CG group, n = 7). Both groups underwent the same strength training program. The TG group performed inspiratory muscle strengthening at 50% of maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) during strength training, whereas the CG group engaged in strength training with 15% MIP inspiratory muscle training twice a week. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included an incremental stress test, pulmonary function test, inspiratory muscle strength test, and a specialized performance test. Results: Following the 5-week intervention, within-group comparisons revealed that the inspiratory muscle strength index, vital capacity, and forced vital capacity significantly increased in both the CG and TG groups (P < 0.01). The TG group exhibited a significant increase in minute ventilation (P < 0.05), while the CG group showed a significant increase in tidal volume (P < 0.05). Additionally, the TG group demonstrated a significant improvement in running speed at the ventilation threshold and maximum oxygen uptake (P < 0.05), along with a significant increase in tidal volume (P < 0.01). Both the CG and TG groups showed significant increases in the scores for the 50-meter diving and 25-meter torpedo (P < 0.05). Between-group comparisons showed that the TG group experienced significant improvements in the inspiratory muscle strength index, minute ventilation, running speed corresponding to maximum oxygen uptake, and 25-meter torpedo performance (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that a 5-week program combining inspiratory muscle resistance with strength training can effectively enhance the aerobic exercise capacity of artistic swimmers. Moreover, high-intensity inspiratory muscle resistance combined with strength training can improve the muscle's ability to utilize oxygen during exercise. Trial Registration: Beijing Research Institute of Sports Science (TKSLL202201); China Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2300072833, 26/06/2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the transport of energy within space plasmas, particularly in the solar wind, remains a complex challenge. Accurate measurement of electron temperatures and their nonthermal characteristics is crucial for comprehending energy transport properties in plasmas. Quasi-thermal-noise (QTN) spectroscopy has emerged as a dependable tool for precise electron parameters assessment as it is less susceptible to spacecraft effects than particle detectors. In this study, we apply a QTN spectroscopy fitting method to analyze data from the Parker Solar Probe FIELDS radio instrument obtained during Encounters 2 through 13, under unbiased antenna conditions. We use the kappa function to characterize the electron velocity distribution and employ a fitting technique to derive the changes in each parameter across heliocentric distances ranging from 12 R s to 76 R s. Specifically, we find that the electron density scales as n e ∝ r −2.09±0.04 and the T e ∝ r −0.65±0.02. The distribution of the kappa index has three distinct regions as a function of radial distance from the Sun. Furthermore, we conduct a statistical analysis of solar wind energy flux which we finds follows a power-law relationship w total ∝ r −1.92±0.04. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide-field quantum sensing and imaging with solid-state spins has attracted wide interest for its ability to detect relative physical quantities with high sensitivity at nanoscale. However, the optical diffraction limit hinders the improvement in spatial resolution. In this work, we utilize blind structured illumination microscopy to perform wide-field quantum sensing with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. Without the requirement of prior knowledge of excitation light field, the spatial resolution of NV centers imaging is enhanced by 1.8-fold in comparison with conventional microscopy. Combined with spin manipulation and detection, super-resolution NV center sensing is subsequently performed to reveal the optical and electrical properties of nanodevice. The high spatial resolution and feasibility of this work will promote the applications of quantum sensing in nanoscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium oxysporum is a destructive plant pathogen with robust survival mechanisms, complicating control efforts. This study aimed to develop nanoformulated fungicides, screen antagonistic bacteria, and evaluate their combined efficacy. A novel self-emulsifying nanoemulsion (DZW) was formulated using zein and benzaldehyde-modified wheat gluten (BgWG) as carriers for dimethachlon (DTN). The preparation process optimized material ratios and emulsification techniques. Concurrently, antagonistic bacterial strains against F. oxysporum were screened via the plate standoff method, identifying Bacillus velezensis MLY71 as both antagonistic and compatible with DTN. The DZW nanoemulsion achieved a particle size of 93.22 nm, an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 90.57%, and a DTN loading capacity (LC) of 67.09%, with sustained release over 96 h. The combination of DTN (0.04 mg·mL⁻¹) and B. velezensis MLY71 (1 × 10⁴ CFU·mL⁻¹) achieved a 76.66% inhibition rate against F. oxysporum MLY127, 1.71 times greater than DTN alone, indicating significant synergy. At a DTN concentration of 0.20 mg·mL⁻¹, the combination of DZW and MLY71 showed a synergy coefficient of 1.33. This synergy was also observed in soil environments, indicating its adaptability for controlling soil-borne pathogens. As sustainable management continues to gain attention in agricultural disease control, this study offers a promising strategy for achieving higher efficacy with the same fungicide dose or satisfactory control with reduced fungicide application. The excellent drug-loading performance of BgWG also expanded the applications of the wheat by-product gluten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a growing interest in using insects as sustainable protein sources for ruminant feed, such as the adults of the two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus), larvae of the mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), and pupae of the silkworm (Bombyx mori). The advantages of these insects over other plant materials lie in their elevated levels of crude protein and fat. However, this interest lacks a comprehensive understanding of the impact of insects on the ruminal fermentation processes, including digestibility and gas production, as well as the impact on animal performance and related health aspects. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of ruminal fermentation indices across diverse insect species. Employing descriptive and meta-analysis methodologies, we examined the impact of incorporating insect-derived meals in ruminants' diets. Moreover, we evaluated the growth performance and biochemical parameters of blood in ruminants when species such as Tenebrio molitor , Hermetia illucens , Oriental Hornet (Vespa Orientalis), and Bombyx mori were incorporated into ruminants' diets. The meta-analysis was performed on a limited dataset of 14 in vitro and eight in vivo trials, investigating insect meal as a potential feed source. A comparison is drawn between these insect-based feeds and conventional dietary sources such as soybean meal, alfalfa hay, and commercial concentrate diets. Our meta-analysis revealed that incorporating Gryllus bimaculatus and Hermetia illucens to partially replace protein sources in ruminants' diet did not adversely affect digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and ruminant production, supporting the feasibility as a feed ingredient for ruminant animals. In addition, the oriental hornet showed an overall higher outcome on the final BW, ADG, digestibility, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, suggesting the promising effect of this insect for future use in ruminants. The data also indicates that dietary insect inclusion levels should not exceed 30% (DM basis) to achieve an optimal ruminal fermentation profile. Furthermore, it offers comparative insights into the nutritional value of these insects, which warrant further investigation at the in vivo level. Ultimately, the existing understanding of the nutritional utilization potential of these insects by ruminants, particularly concerning macro- and micronutrients, is evaluated and revealed to be significantly constrained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous clonal disease originated from B- or T-cell lymphoid precursor cells. ALL is often refractory or relapses after treatment. Novel treatments are anxiously needed in order to achieve a better response and prolonged overall survival in ALL patients. In the present study, we aimed at examining the antitumor effect of niclosamide on ALL. We investigated the effects of niclosamide on the proliferation and apoptosis in vitro , the growth of ALL cells in xenografted NOD-Prkdcem26Cd52 il2rgem26Cd22 /Nju (NCG) mice. The results showed that niclosamide treatment potently inhibited the growth of ALL cells and induced apoptosis via elevating the levels of reactive oxygen species and activating TP53. These findings suggest that niclosamide may be a promisingly potential agent for ALL therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the intensity and constraint factors of land use conflicts provides essential insights for efficient land use planning. Currently, China's spatial development is gradually transitioning towards the coordinated development of production, living, and ecological functions (PLEFs). Previous studies have typically focused on land use conflicts from a micro perspective, examining conflicts between production, living, and ecological land uses at a fine scale. There is limited research from a macro perspective that conducts a theoretical analysis based on the production, living, and ecological functions of land use conflicts themselves. In addition, existing studies primarily analyze the influencing factors of land use conflicts, with limited literature directly addressing the constraint factors of land use conflicts. This study focuses on 12 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province, China, using data from 2010 to 2020. It categorizes land use conflicts at the macro level into production perspective, living perspective, and ecological perspective conflicts. For each of these conflict perspectives, different pressure, state, and response indicators are introduced. This approach leads to the development of a theoretical framework for analyzing land use conflicts at the macro level. On this basis, a spatiotemporal evolution analysis of land use conflicts was conducted. Additionally, using a constraint factor diagnosis model, the study analyzed the constraint factors of land use conflicts at the macro level across cities, leading to the following research conclusions: (1) the land use conflicts from the production and living perspectives in the 12 prefecture-level cities of Hubei showed an upward trend from 2010 to 2020, while the land use conflicts from the ecological perspective exhibited a downward trend; (2) during the study period, Wuhan exhibited the highest intensity of land use conflicts from both the production and living perspectives, while Ezhou experienced the highest intensity of land use conflicts from the ecological perspective for most of the study period; (3) the main constraining factors of land use conflicts from the production perspective in the 12 prefecture-level cities of Hubei are population density, average land GDP, and effective irrigation rate. The primary constraining factors of land use conflicts from the living perspective are population density, urbanization rate, and average land real estate development investment. The main constraining factors of land use conflicts from the ecological perspective are population density, average land fertilizer input, and effective irrigation rate. This study constructs a new theoretical framework for land use conflict assessment at the macro level, providing a novel approach for studying land use conflicts at the macro scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paratuberculosis (PTB), primarily caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic infection that affects ruminants and is difficult to prevent, diagnose, and treat. Investigating how MAP infections affect the gut microbiota in sheep can aid in the prevention and treatment of ovine PTB. This study examined fecal samples from eight small-tail Han sheep (STHS) at various stages of infection and from three different field areas. All samples underwent DNA extraction and 16S rRNA sequencing. Among all samples, the phyla p. Firmicutes and p. Bacteroidota exhibited the highest relative abundance. The dominant genera in groups M1–M6 were UCG-005, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Akkermansia, UCG-005, and Bacteroides, whereas those in groups A–C were Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Escherichia–Shigella, and Acinetobacter, respectively. The microbial community structure varied significantly among groups M1–M6. Specifically, 56 microbiota consortia with different taxonomic levels, including the order Clostridiales, were significantly enriched in groups M1–M6, whereas 96 microbiota consortia at different taxonomic levels, including the family Oscillospiraceae, were significantly enriched in groups A–C. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report that MAP infection alters the intestinal microbiota of STHS. Changes in p. Firmicutes abundance can serve as a potential biomarker to distinguish MAP infection and determine the infection stage for its early diagnosis. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the treatment of PTB by regulating the intestinal microbiota, including p. Firmicutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil available nutrients (SANs) can be rapidly converted, absorbed, and utilized by crops. The study of the spatial distribution and variation of SANs, as well as their response to environmental factors, is crucial for precision fertilization and soil ecosystem function regulation. In this study, 220 soil surface-layer samples (0–20 cm) were collected in 2019 from loquat orchards in the mid-low mountain hilly areas of central China to explore the spatial distribution and variation of SANs, as well as the effects of environmental factors (including the topography, vegetation index, soil property, and climate) on SANs, using a path analysis model. The results showed that the available potassium (AK) and ammonium nitrogen (AN) levels exhibited a moderate average content, which was 123.14 mg·kg−1 and 119.03 mg·kg−1, respectively, whereas available phosphorus (AP) levels displayed a high average content (26.78 mg·kg−1), and all three SANs showed an uneven spatial distributions. The nugget effect values of AK and AN ranged from 25% to 75%, indicating moderate spatial variation, and those of AP were <25%, suggesting high spatial variation. Furthermore, the mean annual precipitation (MAP) had a direct positive effect on AK levels, while slope had an indirect effect on AK levels through the ratio vegetation index (RVI), suggesting that precipitation had greater impact on AK levels than topography. Soil erosion had a direct negative effect on AP and AN levels, accelerating the loss of SANs. The MAP and soil type (ST) directly affected soil AN content. Specifically, sufficient precipitation and fine soil facilitated the storage and conversion of AN in soil. Taken together, our path analysis indicated that all the four categories of environmental factors had direct or indirect effects on SANs, and our geostatistical analysis revealed the spatial distribution and variation law of SANs in the study area. Our findings offer a theoretical basis and valuable references for achieving precision fertilization in orchards and improving loquat yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial grain crop, wheat is vulnerable to pest attacks throughout its growth cycle, leading to reductions in both yield and quality. Therefore, promptly detecting and identifying wheat pests is essential for effective pest management and to guarantee better wheat production and quality. Wheat pests exhibit considerable diversity and are often found in complex environmental contexts. Intraspecies variation among wheat pests can be substantial, while differences between species may be minimal, making accurate pest detection a difficult task. We provide an enhanced algorithm, YOLO-Wheat, based on YOLOv8, to solve the aforementioned issues. The proposed YOLO-Wheat, an extension of YOLOv8, integrates SimAM into the C2f module to enhance feature extraction capabilities. Additionally, a novel feature fusion technique, CGconcat, is introduced, which enhances fusion efficiency by applying channel weighting to emphasize critical feature information. Moreover, the EMA attention mechanism is implemented before the detection head to preserve feature information through multipath processing, thereby addressing detection challenges posed by pests of varying sizes. Experiments revealed that YOLO-Wheat achieved an mAP@0.5 of 89.6%, reflecting a 2.8% increase compared to its prior performance. Additionally, mAP@0.5:0.95 reached 46.5%, marking a 1.7% improvement. YOLO-Wheat also performs better than other popular object detection algorithms (YOLOv5, YOLOv10, RT-DETR), and the model is successfully deployed for simple real-time detection. These results demonstrate that YOLO-Wheat can achieve real-time high-precision detection for wheat pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Yunnong (YN) chicken is a local Chinese breed known for its egg-laying capabilities. This study aimed to identify genes associated with eggshell quality in YN chickens by comparing them with the commercially established Jingfen (JF) breed. The results showed that YN chicken eggs had superior eggshell thickness, strength, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness compared to JF eggs. RT-qPCR analysis identified five key genes—LSS, NSDHL, MSMO1, SQLE, and FDFT1—linked to eggshell quality. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed a complex interplay of metabolic, immune, and cellular processes potentially influencing eggshell traits in poultry. The eggshell quality traits in avian species, including Yunnong chickens (YN), are crucial for commercial and breeding purposes. The use of advanced biotechnologies, such as gene sequencing, has become increasingly common for identifying genetic markers and comparing specific traits in livestock. However, genetic markers related to eggshell traits in YN chickens remain unexplored. This study aimed to compare eggshell quality traits and identify genetic markers in YN chickens versus commercial Jingfen chickens (JF). A total of 400 chicks (200 per breed) were reared for 300 days under controlled conditions. At the end, 60 eggs from each breed were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to examine eggshell cross-sections and mammillary layer structure. Tissue samples from kidneys and eggshell glands were collected from six hens per breed for RT-qPCR analysis to study gene expression profiles. Results showed that YN chickens had significantly higher eggshell strength, thickness, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness than JF chickens (p < 0.01). Despite this, YN chickens had a thinner mammillary layer. RT-qPCR analysis confirmed five candidate genes related to eggshells (LSS, NSDHL, MSMO1, SQLE, and FDFT1) that play an important role in this process. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in several biological processes, including steroid biosynthesis, glycerolipid metabolism, purine metabolism, and thiamine metabolism. Based on these results, the YN chickens have strong eggshells with better thickness, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness. In addition, genomic and pathways analysis suggest a complex interaction of metabolic, immune, and cellular processes potentially influencing eggshell quality traits in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the rate of spicy food consumption is rising, and chili pepper is among the most popular spicy foods consumed nationwide. However, little effort has been made to understand the mechanism behind spicy food craving. This exploratory study aimed to investigate differences in insula-based resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between spicy food cravers and non-cravers, and the association between rsFC, impulsivity and spicy food craving. A group of extreme cravers (n = 49) and a group of age- and sex-matched non-cravers (n = 46) completed a resting-state fMRI scan, during which participants were instructed to keep their eyes closed, to not think of anything in particular, and to remain awake. Participants completed the Spicy Food Craving Questionnaire, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Sensation Seeking Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and rated the frequency of spicy food intake. Results revealed increased insula-occipital lobe resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with spicy food cravings, and the positive correlations between insula-middle occipital gyrus rsFC, impulsivity and spicy food craving. Specifically, the insula-middle occipital gyrus rsFC strength mediated the relationship between the motor impulsivity and spicy food craving. It is hoped that our exploratory findings may shed new insights into the neural mechanisms of spicy food craving and motivate further exploration of spicy food craving in diverse contexts and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, active polysaccharides were extracted from Brassica rapa L. polysaccharide (BRP), and structural characterization was preliminarily investigated. Its immunomodulatory activity and molecular biological mechanisms in cyclophosphamide‐induced immunosuppressed mice were also explored, as well as its effects on intestinal microbiota. Results indicate that BRP is an acidic heteropolysaccharide with the main components of Ara, GalA, and GlcA and has α‐ and β‐glycosidic linkages with pyranose bonds. The results of the study showed that BRP could effectively improve the thymus and spleen indices and repair Cy‐induced immune tissue damage in immunosuppressed mice. Meanwhile, BRP increased the immune cell activity and antioxidant levels in mice. In addition, BRP increased the secretion of cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐10, and TNF‐α) and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG) in mouse serum. It also regulates the relative expression of genes related to the TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathways as well as regulates the diversity and composition of mouse intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, BRP was able to regulated the immune function in immunosuppressed mice, providing a theoretical basis for the development of immunomodulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces the development of a W-M1.0 electrochromic film, characterized by a "coral"-like TiO2@WO3 heterostructure, synthesized via a hydrothermal process leveraging the inherent instability of MXene. The film showcases exceptional electrochromic performance, with a coloring response time of 2.8 s, a bleaching response time of 4.6 s, and a high coloring efficiency of 137.02 cm2C−1. It also demonstrates a superior light modulation ability of 73.83% at 1033 nm. Notably, the W-M1.0 film exhibits remarkable cyclic stability, retaining over 90% of its initial light modulation capacity after 4000 cycles, outperforming many existing electrochromic materials. The film's enhanced performance is credited to its coral-like structure, which boosts the specific surface area and promotes ion transport, and the TiO2@WO3 heterojunctions, which enhance charge transfer and stabilize the material. Devices fabricated with the W-M1.0 film as the cathode and a PB film as the anode exhibit a seamless transition from dark blue to colorless, underscoring their potential for smart window and dynamic glass applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis‐associated acute kidney injury (SA‐AKI) is a common complication that can lead to renal failure in patients, significantly affecting the prognosis and survival of patients. Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and interleukin 18 (IL‐18) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SA patients for the occurrence of SA‐AKI. Material and Methods: We screened AKI‐related data sets using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with AKI. KEGG and GO analysis were used to identify enriched molecular functions and pathways. The study included 62 SA patients admitted to the Department of Intensive Care Medicine of our hospital from February 2021 to June 2022, including 34 non‐AKI cases and 28 AKI cases, and 25 healthy volunteers were used as the control group. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was used to detect the levels of NLRP3 and IL‐18 in PBMCs of the subjects. Results: Bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation showed that the expression levels of NLRP3 and IL‐18 were significantly upregulated in SA‐AKI patients. In addition, the expressions of NLRP3 and IL‐18 were positively correlated with APACHE II scores. ROC curve analysis revealed that NLRP3 and IL‐18 have the potential to diagnose SA‐AKI. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for NLRP3 and IL‐18 as potential diagnostic biomarkers for SA‐AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a mathematical modeling and numerical investigation of oscillatory flow induced microdroplet breakup in low melting point alloy (LMPA)-in-water two-phase flow system in a microchannel. The effects of perturbation flow Weber number, and oscillating frequencies on the droplet breakup dynamics have been elucidated. Lowering the wall temperature will accelerate the solidification process of LMPA droplets, giving rise to the rapid formation of ultra-small particles with size down to 1 micron in less than 3 ms. The versatile approach combines oscillatory flow dominated droplet breakup process and phase change process, leading to the formation of LMPA microparticles with monodispersed size distribution and well-tailored properties by using a straight microchannel, which obviates the need for sophisticated design and complex fabrication process of microdevices. This work will provide a strategy to manipulating LMPA droplet size and structure for the massive production of ultra-small LMPA microparticles via a facile control over the flow conditions in the two-phase flow in a microfluidic system. It will open up for a diversity of applications of LMPA microparticles in various fields such as energy storage and thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moths use pheromones to ensure intraspecific communication. Nevertheless, few studies are focused on both intra- and intersexual communication based on pheromone recognition. Pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are generally believed pivotal for male moths in recognizing female pheromones. Our research revealed that PBP1 of Agriphila aeneociliella (AaenPBP1) serves a dual function in both intra- and intersexual pheromone recognition. Here, a total of 20 odorant-binding protein (OBP) family genes from A. aeneociliella were identified and subjected to transcriptional analysis. Among these, AaenPBP1 was primarily highly expressed in the antennae. Competitive fluorescence binding assays and molecular docking analyses demonstrated that AaenPBP1 exhibits a strong binding affinity for the female sex pheromone (Z)-9-Hexadecenyl acetate and the male pheromone 1-Nonanal. Notably, hydrogen bonds were observed between Ser56 and the ligands. The analysis of pheromone components and PBPs in lepidopteran lineage suggested that their strong and precise interactions, shaped by coevolution, may play a crucial role in facilitating reproductive isolation in moths. Our findings provide valuable insight into the functional significance of PBPs in invertebrates and support the development of behavioral regulation tools as part of an integrated pest management strategy targeting crambid pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of bacterial biofilms and the occurrence of excessive inflammatory response greatly imped the healing process of chronic wounds in diabetic patients. However, effective strategies to simultaneously address these issues are still lacking. Here, a microenvironment‐adaptive nanodecoy (GC@Pd) is constructed via the coordination and in situ reduction of palladium ions on gallic acid‐modified chitosan (GC) to promote wound healing by synergistic biofilm eradication, inflammation alleviation, and immunoregulation. During the weakly acidic conditions of the biofilm infection stage, GC@Pd serves as a nanodecoy to induce bacterial aggregation. Subsequently, through its oxidase‐like activity generating reactive oxygen species and the hyperthermia from photothermal effects, it effectively eliminates the biofilm. As the local microenvironment of diabetic wounds transitions to an alkaline inflammatory state, the enzyme‐like activity of GC@Pd adapts to catalase‐like activity, effectively eliminating reactive oxygen species at the site of inflammation. Additionally, GC@Pd could selectively capture pro‐inflammatory cytokines through Michael addition reactions. In vivo experiments and transcriptomic analysis confirmed that GC@Pd could accelerate the wound transition from inflammatory to proliferative phase by eliminating biofilm infection and reducing the inflammatory response, thus promoting diabetic chronic wound healing. The nanodecoy provides a potential therapeutic strategy for treating biofilm‐infected diabetic chronic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation is a green method for converting N2 to NH3, but it remains a challenging task due to the lack of effective photocatalysts. Herein, a series of porous metal covalent organic polymers (MCOPs) with the integration of dinuclear rhodium(II) catalytic centers were rationally constructed for photocatalytic N2 fixation. Interestingly, the porous MCOPs had double‐layers two‐dimensional (2D) structures with the coordinated Rh(II) as the point of registry. The photocatalytic experiment showed that Rh‐TAPA with significant donor‐acceptor (D−A) features exhibited a high activity toward NH3 production with a rate of 319.8 μmol g−1 h−1. The electron transfer process, N2 adsorption and activation mechanism of RhCOPs were further investigated through comprehensive characterization, including DFT calculations and in situ characterization. This work provided a valuable insight into the photocatalytic N2 fixation process with porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Wheat growth process has been experiencing severe challenges arising from the adverse environment. Notably, the incidence of Fusarium crown rot (FCR), a severe soil‐borne disease caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum (Fp), has significantly intensified in various wheat‐growing regions, resulting in a decline in grain yield. However, the identification of wheat varieties and the exploration of effective gene resources resistant to FCR have not yet been accomplished. Here, we screened and identified the tryptophan metabolism pathway to participate in wheat resistance to FCR by correlation analysis between transcriptome and metabolome, and found that indole‐3‐acetaldehyde (IAAld) and melatonin, two key metabolites in the tryptophan metabolic pathway, were significantly accumulated in Fp‐induced wheat stem bases. Interestingly, exogenous application of these two metabolites could significantly enhance wheat resistance against Fp. Additionally, we observed that the activity of TaALDHase, a crucial enzyme responsible for catalyzing IAAld to produce indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), was inhibited. Conversely, the activity of TaMTase, a rate‐limiting involved in melatonin biosynthesis, was enhanced in the Fp‐induced wheat transcriptome. Further analysis showed that TaWRKY24 could regulate IAA and melatonin biosynthesis by inhibiting the expression of TaALDHase and enhancing the transcription of TaMTase, respectively. Silencing of TaALDHase could significantly increase wheat resistance to FCR. However, interference with TaWRKY24 or TaMTase could decrease wheat resistance to FCR. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the crucial role of the tryptophan metabolism pathway in conferring resistance against FCR in wheat, thereby expanding its repertoire of biological functions within the plant system. Significance Statement: We utilized an integrated multi‐omics analysis to elucidate the regulatory role of a crucial metabolic pathway in conferring resistance against Fusarium crown rot in wheat. Our study demonstrates that the TaWRKY24 gene in wheat acts as a central hub, orchestrating key genes involved in the tryptophan metabolic pathway and actively participating in defense mechanisms against Fusarium crown rot. By downregulating these genes and modulating metabolites regulated by them, we enhance the disease resistance of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Congenital right aortic arch (RAA) and double aortic arch (DAA) were difficult to be diagnosed by traditional fetal echography. However, these two diseases have distinct clinical therapies and long-term outcomes which makes the differential diagnosis of great importance. While fetal screening by traditional fetal echography provides limited information about the branches of the aortic arch. This study aimed to discover and evaluate a novel combination of different echocardiography views in the diagnosis and differentiation of RAA and DAA. Methods: From January 2014 to December 2022, a total of 414,686 pregnant women underwent routine ultrasound examinations of the fetus during the second trimester. The scan of the fetal heart included a fetal four-chamber view, The left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) view, a right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) view, a three-vessel (3 V) view, and three vessels and trachea (3VT) view. Then the cases diagnosed as RAA or DAA by initial ultrasound screening from two hospitals were divided into the RAA group and the DAA group. Then enter the prenatal diagnosis consultation. All the pregnant women were offered invasive prenatal diagnosis. Genetic tests were fully discussed and decided after genetic counseling. Further ultrasound examination by two more experienced sonographers, in addition to the fetal echocardiogram views, includes further multi-angle scanning of the aortic arch branches with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) or high definition flow imaging (HDFI) for further diagnosis, and the reasons for misdiagnosis were analyzed and summarized. Results: A total of 332 cases were diagnosed with RAA or DAA by initial ultrasound, including RAA group 244 cases and DAA group 88 cases. In the RAA group, the mirror RAA (MRAA) could not be completely diagnosed by 3VT view alone in traditional echocardiography, with accuracy and sensitivity of 88.9% and 72.6%, respectively. In the DAA group, 36 cases were misdiagnosed only by 3VT view alone in traditional echocardiography, with the accuracy and specificity of 88.9% and 86.8%, respectively. However, the accuracy for MRAA or DAA could reach 100% when combined with 3VT and multi-angle scanning of the aortic arch branches. The abnormal detection rate of genetic tests was 10.5% (20/190), excluding the cases who refused the invasive prenatal diagnosis. Conclusion: Combining 3VT and multi-angle scanning of the aortic arch branches With CDFI or HDFI could effectively distinguish RAA variants from DAA. The invasive prenatal diagnosis should be recommended for patients with RAA or DAA, and the accurate prenatal diagnosis was highly valuable in providing appropriate perinatal counseling and prognostic evaluation. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The right aortic arch (RAA) and double aortic arch (DAA) are congenital anomalies of the great arteries. The prenatal diagnosis and differentiation by echocardiography of these two malformations are important because it influence the future clinical decision and patients' outcomes. In this study, a multi-centered retrospective study was carried out and we determined that the combination of traditional fetal echocardiography with multi-angle scanning of the aortic arch branches With CDFI or HDFI better diagnosed and differentiated fetal RAA and DAA. Further, genetic screening should be recommended for patients with RAA or DAA because they might be associated with other congenital diseases. Record the gestational week, birth weight, Apgar score, and whether the mother had complications such as preeclampsia or diabetes during pregnancy for infants with RAA and DAA. Follow up on these infants' diagnoses, examination results, and treatment status through the hospital medical record system or by telephone at the age of about six months of the infants. This study contributed to developing a more accurate prenatal diagnosis strategy for these two anomalies, which was highly valuable in providing appropriate perinatal counseling and prognostic evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To investigate susceptibility to contezolid, a novel oxazolidinone, multicentre surveillance was conducted involving 2449 strains of Staphylococcus and Enterococcus collected from 65 hospitals across China. Methods The MICs of contezolid, linezolid and other clinically significant antibiotics were determined by the broth microdilution method. Consistency with the broth microdilution method for contezolid was assessed using agar dilution method, as well as disc diffusion and ETEST for linezolid, respectively. WGS was conducted on all 20 linezolid-resistant and 30 randomly non-resistant strains to analyse linezolid resistance genes (optrA , poxtA , cfr) and 23S rRNA mutation sites. Results All strains exhibited WT susceptibility to contezolid, while resistance proportions to daptomycin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, tigecycline and eravacycline ranged from 0% to 5.2% in Staphylococcus , and from 0% to 7.8% in Enterococcus. Linezolid resistance was higher in Enterococcus faecalis (4.4%) compared with Enterococcus faecium (0.2%). Contezolid showed a lower MIC50 (0.5 mg/L) than linezolid (2 mg/L) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. Against Enterococcus , contezolid demonstrated a cumulative MIC percentage of 70% for VRE and 39.1% for E. faecalis (at MIC = 1 mg/L), whereas linezolid showed 0% and 1.1%, respectively. Among the 20 linezolid-resistant Enterococcus strains, all carried the optrA gene without 23S rRNA mutations. For contezolid, MICs were 4 mg/L for 19 strains and 2 mg/L for 1 strain. The ETEST, agar dilution and disc diffusion methods showed essential and categorical agreements of >90% for linezolid, with no major errors or very major errors. Conclusions Contezolid demonstrated significant in vitro antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus , VRE and linezolid-resistant E. faecalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When vibrations generated by marine machinery propagate through a ship's hull into the ocean, they produce low-frequency radiated noise with distinct "acoustic fingerprint" characteristics. This noise, characterized by stable and concentrated energy, long transmission distances, and difficulty in elimination, becomes the primary target for enemy sonar detection. Active vibration isolation serves as a critical method for reducing low-frequency vibrations in ships and enhancing their acoustic stealth performance. However, control challenges persist, including multi-frequency excitation, frequency fluctuation, multi-channel coupling, and slow convergence speed. To address these issues, this paper introduced an innovative multi-channel decentralized decoupling filtered-x least mean square (DMFxLMS) algorithm. Firstly, a recursive least squares identification algorithm with a forgetting factor was proposed, taking into account the characteristics of single-input, multi-output and multi-input, and multi-output control systems, effectively enhancing the algorithm's convergence speed and control accuracy. Secondly, based on the decentralized decoupling control concept, the multi-channel control system was simplified into parallel single-channel control loops. The control weight coefficient updates were only related to adjacent error signals, significantly reducing the algorithm's computational complexity. Thirdly, an anti-impact link was designed to improve the algorithm's robustness, considering the interference caused by other mechanical equipment during the control process. The influence of abnormal error signals in the control weight coefficient correction term was suppressed, and a percentage function was introduced to limit the output signal. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the DMFxLMS algorithm were verified through simulations and experiments. The results demonstrated that the DMFxLMS algorithm achieved significant control effects for both constant frequency line spectrum excitation and frequency fluctuating line spectrum excitation, fulfilling the objective of reducing base vibration. The DMFxLMS algorithm exhibited fast convergence and excellent robustness, making it suitable for practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xisha Islands constitute the largest coral reef archipelago on the northern margin of the Coral Triangle and are the largest coral reef archipelago among the islands in the South China Sea. This study employed various survey methods including underwater spearfishing, gill netting, handline fishing, longlining fishing, underwater visual surveys, and environmental DNA (eDNA). Additionally, historical data from 1956 to 2023 were reviewed to comprehensively analyze the adaptation characteristics of the fish community structure in the Xisha Islands. The Xisha Islands have documented a total of 874 coral reef fish species, categorized into 27 orders, 102 families, and 337 genera. Of these species, the order Perciformes demonstrated the greatest species richness, which represents 71.05% of the total fish species documented. The structure of coral reef fish communities in the Xisha Islands has undergone significant changes. Firstly, a significant decline in the population of large-sized and carnivorous fish species was observed. The proportion of large-sized fish species diminished by 6.02% (62 species), and the medium-sized fish species saw a reduction of 3.09% (51 species). In contrast, there was a surge of 9.12% in the small-sized fish species population. The carnivorous fish species experienced a decrease of 4.73% (102 species), while an increase was noted in the population of herbivorous and omnivorous fish species. Secondly, the numbers of orders, families, and genera have also significantly decreased, with noticeable declines in the average taxonomic distinctness (Delta +), the variation taxonomic distinctness (Lambda +), functional richness (FRic), and quadratic entropy (RaoQ). Thirdly, the similarity between fish species at different time periods is relatively low. Among different functional groups, large-sized and carnivorous fish species exhibit the lowest similarity, whereas herbivorous fish species exhibit the highest. The turnover of live coral fish species is also evident. Overall, the coral reef fish in the Xisha Islands are showing a trend towards herbivory, miniaturization, and a simplification in species composition and functionality. This study contributes to a better understanding and prediction of the adaptation trends in fish species composition in the Xisha Islands, which is crucial for ensuring the ecosystem services of coral reefs and for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: This study aims to examine the global, regional, and national burden of ischemic stroke from 1990 to 2021. Method: We used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database to comprehensively assess ischemic stroke indicators globally, regionally, and in 204 countries, including incidence, deaths, disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs), estimated annual percentage change (EAPC), and Joinpoint regression analysis. Results: In 2021, there were a total of 7,804,449 cases of ischemic stroke globally (95% uncertainty interval = 6,719,760–8,943,692), with an age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of 92.39. This represents a declining trend compared to 1990, with an EAPC of −0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.76 to −0.58). Mortality and DALY rates also showed a downward trend (EAPC in age‐standardized mortality rate: −1.83, 95% CI = −1.92 to −1.74; EAPC in age‐standardized DALY rate = −1.59, 95% CI = −1.68 to −1.50). The burden of ischemic stroke was inversely correlated with gross domestic product. Regionally, from 2014 to 2021, the Caribbean experienced the fastest increase in ASIR (annual percent change = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.18). Among 204 countries, North Macedonia had the highest incidence, mortality, and DALY rates. In addition to metabolic risks, particulate matter pollution and low temperatures were significant environmental and occupational risk factors for ischemic stroke. Smoking and a diet high in sodium were identified as key behavioral risk factors. Conclusions: Ischemic stroke remains a serious global health challenge, and our results from this cross‐sectional study suggest that the burden of disease remains high in Eastern Europe, East Asia, Central Asia, and Sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing demand for high performance energy storage devices, the advanced manufacturing technology of electrodes, which is a crucial component, has become increasingly essential in academic research and industrial applications. Activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) is a promising candidate for lithium‐ion capacitor (LIC) electrodes due to its abundant internal space and pores. However, the wider application of ACFC is restricted by its inferior conductivity. The conventional coating process is costly in terms of both materials and time and is only applicable to surface treatment with limitations in treating shaped substrate such as ACFCs. To overcome the applications obstacles of ACFC in batteries and capacitors, we propose a novel strategy for modification that utilizes electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to deposit Super P onto the surface, thus enhancing its conductivity. After being deposited for 10 min at 80 V, the modified ACFC exhibited higher conductivity. When matched with Si@C anode, the assembled LIC demonstrates excellent initial specific areal capacitance (710 mF cm−2) and cycling retention, with 76.92% remaining after 100 cycles at a current density of 7 mA cm−2. When matched with Si@C anode, the assembled LIC demonstrates excellent initial specific areal capacitance (26.91 F g−1) and cycling retention, with 85.21% remaining after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g−1. This work showcases the potential of EPD technology in the realm of electrode preparation and offers insights for electrode manufacture in other systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized phosphorescence (CPP) is a spin-forbidden radiative process, and its underlying mechanism is not comprehensively understood, mainly due to the limited examples of efficient triplet emission from small chiral organic molecules with well-defined structures. Here we investigate a pair of chiral enantiomers, R- and S-BBTI, that feature highly distorted spiral ring-locked heteroaromatics with heavy iodine atoms. These chiral molecules are found to exhibit large dissymmetry factors up to 0.013 and emit near-infrared CPP with an efficiency of 4.2% and a lifetime of 119 μs in dimethyl sulfoxide solution excited by ultraviolet irradiation. Their crystals show efficient CPP with 7.0% quantum efficiency and a lifetime of 166 μs. Extensive experimental chiroptical investigations combined with theoretical calculations reveal an efficient spin-flip process that modulates the electron and magnetic transition dipole moments to enhance CPP performance. Moreover, the phosphorescence of R/S-BBTI is oxygen-sensitive and photoactivatable in dimethyl sulfoxide. Therefore, R/S-BBTI can be applied for hypoxia imaging in cells and tumours, expanding the application scope of CPP materials. Two chiral enantiomers, R- and S-BBTI, are found to efficiently emit near-infrared circularly polarized phosphorescence with a large dissymmetry factor of 0.013 in dilute solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylate emulsion is widely used in various industrial fields and is an important polymer emulsion. However, the high flammability limits its application. Besides, acrylate emulsion generally releases a large amount of smoke during combustion. To improve the fire resistance and smoke suppression properties of acrylate emulsions, methyl methacrylate‐butyl acrylate copolymer P(MMA‐BA)/DOPO‐based polymerizable monomer (HEPO)/zinc molybdate sepiolite (Mo‐Sep) composite emulsion was prepared by emulsion polymerization, and the effect of Mo‐Sep content on the flame‐retardant performance, thermal stability, and smoke suppression performance of the composite emulsion was studied. Through microcalorimeter and smoke density meter tests, it was found that the heat release rate (HRR) of the composite emulsion, added with 30% HEPO/3% Mo‐Sep, was reduced by 63.3%, and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) was reduced by 72.1%. The total heat release (THR) is reduced by 49.0%, while the peak‐specific optical density is reduced by 48.0%. It shows that the composite emulsion has excellent flame‐retardant and smoke suppression properties compared to pure MAA‐BA emulsion. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the addition of Mo‐Sep increases the density of carbon residue. This composite emulsion may have potential application scenarios in the field of flame‐retardant coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locating and classifying the target object is performed by the siamese-based tracking framework by evaluating the similarity on the feature maps from the template and search branches. While the promising tracking performances have been achieved by the state-of-the-art (SOTA) trackers, the robustness and accuracy of these trackers significantly decline in complex scenes, such as deformation in appearance and interference in background. In order to suppress these defects, sophisticated template updating mechanisms as well as refinement modules have been proposed by many recent works, but these methods do not consider higher-order correlations between features, which play an important role in obtaining accurate localization and classification information. For this, we propose a high-order spatial constraint (HOSC) module, considering high-order correlations between features through recursively executing interactions in feature maps. Additionally, to learn superior feature representations and more discriminative features, a more efficient and effective channel attention with mutual compensation (CAMC) module is proposed in this work, where channel attention from the template branch is utilized to enhance the channel constraint of the search branch for improving the learning of discriminative features and it would be advantageous for the template branch to encode more contextual information from the search image. Finally, extensive experiments were conducted on datasets (OTB100, VOT2018, LaSOT and GOT-10K), and the proposed method achieves competitive performance compared to SOTA trackers (CNN-based). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]