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Revealing pedestrian behaviors and intentions is conducive to ensure the secure interaction between automated vehicles and pedestrians in urban roads. Most previous research on pedestrian intention has lacked consideration of fine-grained behavioral characteristics associated with intention. This paper establishes a classification framework for identifying the specific intentions and behaviors of pedestrian crossings, which is concerned with head posture and gestures. A novel pedestrian fine-grained crossing behavior recognition model based on three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. It has the improved attention mechanism modules and cascaded residual networks, which can pull out channel and spatiotemporal features and make feature granularity better. Then, a new large-scale pedestrian behavior video data set based on the proposed classification framework is captured by a real-car test. The model and data set proposed in this study are experimentally verified and compared with the Resnet-3D and spatiotemporal graph convolution network (ST-GCN) model and a publicly available pedestrian detection data set. The results showed that the proposed method can effectively detect the fine-grained behavior of pedestrians and understand their intentions accordingly. The findings can be indicative to the safe interaction between autonomous vehicles and pedestrians and therefore improve the traffic efficiency of vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate the effect of drainage from intentional extramacular holes after internal limiting membrane insertion to treat macular hole retinal detachment (MHRD) in highly myopic eyes. Methods: This study is a retrospective, observational, and comparative case series that included 25 consecutive highly myopic eyes with MHRD. All eyes underwent standard 23-gauge vitrectomy, inverted internal limiting membrane insertion into the macular hole, subretinal fluid drainage from an intentionally created extramacular retinal hole, and tamponade with either silicone oil (SO group, n = 13) or perfluoropropane (C3F8 group, n = 12). A facedown position was maintained for 1 week postoperatively. The anatomic and functional outcomes were compared between two groups at the endpoint. Results: There was no significant difference in the retinal reattachment rate between the SO and C3F8 groups (100% and 91.67%, P = 0.48). The macular hole closure rates were 92.31% in the SO group and 100% in the C3F8 group (P = 0.52). The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 2.18 ± 0.60 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution(logMAR) preoperatively to 1.11 ± 0.36 logMAR (P < 0.01) in the SO group and from 2.20 ± 0.61 to 1.29 ± 0.50 (P < 0.01) in the C3F8 group at the endpoint. There was no significant difference in BCVA improvement between the two groups (P = 0.37). Conclusion: The drainage technique from intentional extramacular holes after internal limiting membrane insertion is an effective treatment for MHRD in highly myopic eyes, regardless of whether silicone oil or gas is used as a tamponade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Huruan1212 (HR1212) is well-regarded for its superior eating and cooking quality in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. Still, its high susceptibility to rice panicle blast and lack of fragrance have limited its further spread and utilization. Pigm and Pi-ta are two dominant genes known for their stable broad-spectrum resistance against rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae , while badh2 is the crucial gene that regulates rice aroma. Methods: In this study, we utilized a molecular marker-assisted selection backcrossing strategy to introduce Pigm , Pi-ta , and badh2 into introgressed lines employing re-sequencing for precise genetic background selection. Results: Finally, we selected three introgressed lines, including two that carry Pigm with the highest background recovery rates, showing eating and cooking qualities similar to those of HR1212, and one line that pyramids Pigm , Pi-ta , and badh2 , which features a strong aroma. They all displayed significantly enhanced resistance to panicle blast and improved yield compared to HR1212. Discussion: In conclusion, this study expanded the germplasm resources of japonica , providing a material foundation for enhancing breeding programs aimed at developing rice blast-resistant and high-quality fragrant japonica varieties. Additionally, the study demonstrated that integrating molecular markers and re-sequencing can inform breeders' decision-making more precisely and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backfat thickness (BFT) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) are important commercial traits in the pig industry. With the increasing demand for human health and meat production, identifying functional genomic regions and genes associated with these commercial traits is critical for enhancing production efficiency. In this research, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on a Landrace population comprising 4,295 individuals with chip data for BFT and FCR. Our analysis revealed a total of 118 genome-wide significant signals located on chromosomes SSC1, SSC2, SSC7, SSC12, and SSC13, respectively. Furthermore, we identified 10 potential regions associated with the two traits and annotated the genes within these regions. In addition, enrichment analysis was also performed. Notably, candidate genes such as SHANK2 , KCNQ1 , and ABL1 were found to be associated with BFT, whereas NAP1L4 , LSP1 , and PPFIA1 genes were related to the FCR. Our findings provide valuable insights into the genetic architecture of these two traits and offer guidance for future pig breeding efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the change rule of freshness and acid ions in reconstituted tobacco slurry, the content changes of 17 organic acids and 5 inorganic anions in reconstituted tobacco slurry with different residence times under confined condition were determined by on-line solid-phase extraction ion chromatography in this study. The results showed that the changes of acetic acid, nitrate ion and isovaleric acid in different reconstituted tobacco slurries with oscillation time were regular and consistent, and the trends of the changes of acetic acid, nitrate ion and isovaleric acid in different reconstituted tobacco slurries with oscillation time were correlated with each other in a highly significant way. Taking the evaluation of olfactory aroma and sensory quality qualities of reconstituted tobacco pulps with different residence times as a benchmark, it was found that the variation patterns of nitrate ions and isovaleric acid in reconstituted tobacco pulps with oscillation time were consistent with the variation patterns of olfactory and sensory qualities in the process of closed oscillation; compared with the fresh pulp, the olfactory aroma and sensory qualities of tobacco pulps had unpleasant odours appearing when the content of nitrate ions was reduced by about 48%. The selection of isovaleric acid and nitrate ion as the characteristic components of tobacco reconstituted pulp for monitoring can provide technology for optimising pulp retention time and production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euphjatrophanes H–L (1–5), four new jatrophane-type and one new lathyrane-type diterpenoid, were isolated from Euphorbia peplus, along with eight known diterpenoids (6–13). Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and X-ray crystallographic experiments. All compounds were subjected to bioactivity evaluation using flow cytometry in autophagic flux assays with HM mCherry-GFP-LC3 cells, the human microglia cells which stably expressed the tandem monomeric mCherry-GFP-tagged LC3. Compounds 1–3, 5–10, and 12 significantly increase autophagic flux, and compounds 1 and 12 displayed relatively high BBB permeability, with logPe values of −4.853 and −5.017, respectively. These findings indicated that jatrophane diterpenoids could serve as a valuable source for innovative autophagy inducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-angiogenesis offers an important treatment strategy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Metronomic chemotherapy (MCT) provides antiangiogenic effects without increased toxicities, making it good partner for antiangiogenic therapy. We conducted the present retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib plus MCT for HER2 negative MBC. Patients with HER2 negative MBC who received metronomic chemotherapy (Vinorelbine (NVB), Capecitabine (CAPE), Etoposide (VP-16)) with anlotinib were retrospectively analyzed from Jan 2019 to Dec 2021. The primary end point was progression free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) and safety. 48 patients with HER2 negative MBC were enrolled. 19 (39.6%) patients received NVB, 17 (35.4%) patients received CAPE and 12 (25.0%) patients received VP-16. The overall ORR and DCR were 8.3% (4/48) and 87.5% (42/48) respectively. The median PFS was 5.6 months (95% CI 4.3-7.0 months), and the median OS was 25.2 months (95% CI 20.2-30.1 months). The patients with age ≥ 50 (5.3 vs. 7.7 months, P = 0.014, HR = 0.407) and pathologic grade 1 or 2 (6.2 vs. 3.2 months, P = 0.023, HR = 2.471) had significantly longer PFS. The patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive (5.3 vs. 7.7 months, P = 0.004, HR = 0.206) and pathologic grade 1 or 2 (6.2 vs. 3.2 months, P = 0.020, HR = 3.882) had significantly longer OS. The incidence of all grades adverse events (AEs) was 56.3% (27/48) and grade 3–4 AEs was 12.5% (6/48). Within the context of real-world clinical practice, anlotinib in combination with metronomic chemotherapy provides a well-tolerated and effective treatment option for HER2-negative MBC, which warrants further investigation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the following logarithmic fractional Kirchhoff equation: $$\begin{align*} &\left(a+b \int_{\mathbb{R}^{3}}|(-\Delta)^{s/2} u|^{2} \,{\rm d} x\right)(-\Delta)^{s} u+V(x) u\notag \\ &\quad =|u|^{p-2} u \log u^{2}+\lambda|u|^{q-2} u, \quad{\rm in} \ \mathbb{R}^{3}, \end{align*}$$ (a + b ∫ R 3 | (− Δ) s / 2 u | 2 d x) (− Δ) s u + V (x) u = | u | p − 2 ulog ⁡ u 2 + λ | u | q − 2 u , in R 3 , where a, b>0, $ (-\Delta)^{s} $ (− Δ) s is the fractional Laplace operator with $ q \geq ~2_{s}^{*}=\frac {6}{3-2 s} $ q ≥ 2 s ∗ = 6 3 − 2 s and V satisfies suitable conditions. Since the presence of supercritical exponents leads to a lack of compactness, we introduce a truncation function to reduce the exponents, allowing compactness to be recovered. We show that the above equation has a ground state solution and a sign-changing solution via the constraint variation method, the quantitative deformation lemma and Moser's iterative method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a common adverse effect of radiation therapy that negatively affects treatment progression and the quality of life of patients. Identifying biomarkers for RILI can provide reference for the prevention and treatment of RILI in clinical practice. In this study, to explore key proteins related to RILI, we constructed a rat model of RILI and analyzed RILI tissues and normal lung tissues using tandem mass spectrometry labeling and quantitative proteomics technology. We used Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks for bioinformatics analysis of Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The results identified 185 differentially expressed proteins in lung tissue from the RILI group compared with the controls, including 110 up-regulated proteins and 75 down-regulated proteins. GO analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins were involved oxidation-reduction process, cellular biosynthetic processes and extracellular matrix. KEGG results demonstrated that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in the PI3K-Akt, ECM receptor interactions, arachidonic acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism and other pathways. These results on the functions and signaling pathways of the differentially expressed proteins provide a theoretical basis for further study of the mechanism of RILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Twelve new limonoids (1—12), named trichilitins A—L, were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Trichilia connaroides, together with ten known compounds (13—22). The structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic investigations, X‐ray diffraction analyses, and ECD calculations. Compound 1, which belongs to a unique class of ring B‐seco limonoid, has been identified as 6/7/6/5 tetracyclic due to a key Baeyer‐Villiger oxidation. Compounds 2—7 were identified as ring intact limonoids, while compounds 8—10 were established as ring D‐seco ones, and 11 and 12 were determined to be rearranged ones. All of the compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against three human tumor cell lines (HCT‐116, NCl‐H1975, and SH‐SY5Y). Compounds 6, 7, 13, 14, and 19 exhibited significant cytotoxic effects, especially 7 exhibited significant cytotoxic effects against HCT‐116 with an IC50 value of 0.035 μmol·L–1 and was more active than the positive control, doxorubicin with an IC50 value of 0.20 μmol·L–1. Compound 7 effectively induced apoptosis of HCT‐116, which was associated with S‐phase cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, the Western blot analysis showed that compound 7 could induce cell cycle arrest by promoting the expression levels of p53 and p21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frailty has been associated with increased mortality among patients with surgery. However, evidence about the frailty prevalence and outcomes in frail populations with hepatectomy is inconsistent and has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively synthesize the prevalence of frailty and the role of frailty on mortality in patients with hepatectomy. Methods: Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies that explored the prevalence and impact of frailty in hepatectomy from inception until January 24, 2024. The pooled prevalence of frailty and odds ratio (OR) corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) in mortality and major complications estimates were analyzed. Results: A total of 26 studies containing 128 868 patients with hepatectomy were included. The prevalence of frailty in hepatectomy was 23% (95% CI: 17–28; p =.000). Frailty was associated with an increased odds ratio for mortality (adjusted OR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.85–5.04; p =.000). Furthermore, frailty was significantly associated with an increased odds ratio for major complications (adjusted OR = 3.20; 95% CI: 2.04–5.04; p <.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of frailty in patients with hepatectomy is prevalent, which has a significant adverse impact on the outcomes of patients with hepatectomy. These findings highlight the importance of frailty assessment in this population, which may provide prognostic details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) live in multilevel societies of over 100 individuals. Despite exploiting low visibility high-altitude forests and home ranges of 14 km2, they maintain large and cohesive social networks that serve to coordinate travel and daily activities effectively. During traveling, foraging, and feeding, golden snub-nosed monkeys communicate using contact or coo calls. These contact calls are conspicuous (70–75 decibels), directional, and function to communicate affiliative intention, identity, and location. Based on social network analyses, we found that golden snub-nosed monkeys exchanged contact calls among individuals within their resident one-male multi-female unit (OMU) and with conspecifics from neighboring OMUs. Within each OMU, there were more frequent call exchanges among more spatially separated members than among closely located individuals. In the case of contact calls between OMUs, there were more frequent contact call exchanges among closely located leader males. These findings demonstrate that contact call exchanges communicate individual identity and location, promote social bonds, and contribute to OMU and inter-OMU coordinated behavior that is essential to a well-functioning multilevel or tiered social network. In addition, given that 34% of all contact call exchanges were initiated by adult males (twice the number given by adult females), male OMU leadership appears to play a critical role in coordinating activities, directing travel, and promoting group cohesion. Moreover, given that higher-ranking males initiated more contact call exchanges than lower-ranking males, higher-ranking males appear to play a more important role in leading and coordinating travel and the fission–fusion dynamics of this multilevel society. Significance statement: Primates living in a large multi-level society face significant challenges in coordinating group movement and promoting social cohesion. We found that golden snub-nosed monkeys use contact coo calls to regulate spatial proximity and social interactions within their resident one-male multi-female unit (OMU) and with neighboring OMUs. Adult males are the primary call-givers. Within OMUs, there were significantly more frequent call exchanges between more spatially separated members. In contrast, between OMUs, there were more frequent contact call exchanges between leader males, especially when they were in close spatial proximity. Contact calls, which are given at an average distance of 5-200 m, communicate information concerning caller identity, location, and intention. Given that more than 90% of contact call exchanges occurred during foraging and traveling, this call type is critical in coordinating activities and regulating fission-fusion dynamics in this large multi-level society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mikania micrantha ("mile-a-minute" weed) is a global invasive alien weed that can cause severe damage to agroforestry ecosystems and significant agricultural losses worldwide. Although chemical, manual, or mechanical control methods are widely used to control M. micrantha, RNA interference (RNAi)-based biocontrol methods have rarely been reported for this species. The MONOPTEROS (MP) gene, encoding an auxin response factor, plays an essential role in embryonic root initiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we identified the MP gene from M. micrantha via orthologous gene analysis. A total of 37 MP orthologous genes was identified in 4 plants, including 9 MP candidate genes in M. micrantha, 13 in Helianthus annuus, 6 in Chrysanthemum nankingense, and 9 in Lactuca sativa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that an MP candidate gene in M. micrantha (Mm01G000655, named MmMP) was clustered into one clade with the MP gene in A. thaliana (AtMP). In addition, both MmMP and AtMP contain a B3-DNA binding domain that is shared by transcription factors that regulate plant embryogenesis. To study gene function, dsRNA against MmMP (dsMmMP) was applied to the roots of M. micrantha. Compared with those of the controls, the expression of MmMP was reduced by 43.3%, 22.1%, and 26.2% on the first, third, and fifth days after dsMmMP treatment, respectively. The dsMmMP-treated plants presented several morphological defects, mostly in the roots. Compared with water-treated plants, the dsMmMP-treated plants presented reduced developmental parameters, including root length, number of adventitious roots, root fresh and dry weights, plant height, and aboveground biomass. Additionally, safety assessment suggested that this dsMmMP treatment did not silence MP genes from non-target plants, including rice and tomato; nor did it inhibit root growth in those species. Collectively, these results suggest that MmMP plays an important role in root development in M. micrantha and provides a potential target for the development of species-specific RNAi-based herbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Giant cell reparative granulomas are nonneoplastic, benign lesions that can expand and dissolve bone. Fibrous dysplasia is a benign condition in which normal bone tissue is replaced by abnormally proliferating immature reticular bone and fibrous tissue. The combination of giant cell reparative granuloma and fibrous dysplasia is extremely rare and can pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges because of the complexity of clinical presentation. Case Presentation: We here present a patient who had a combination of fibrous dysplasia of bone and a giant cell reparative granuloma. An elderly male was admitted to the hospital with a blood‐streaked nasal discharge, blurry vision in his right eye, and an enlarged mass under the chin. A CT scan revealed that the lesion had infiltrated the head and face extensively, including the right maxillary sinus, sieve sinus, and the right nasal cavity, contraindicating surgery. The patient received a total dose of 30 Gy of 6 MV x‐ray radiotherapy delivered through helical tomotherapy over 15 sessions, with a single dose of 2 Gy being administered five times a week. Concurrently, The dose is 4 mg of zoledronic acid administered intravenously once every 21 days. After treatment, the patient's nasal congestion was significantly relieved, the vision of the right eye improved, and the mandibular lesion was significantly reduced. Conclusions: Treatment with radiotherapy combined with zoledronic acid for our patient's inoperable osteolytic giant cell reparative granuloma adjacent to vital nerves and blood vessels was extremely effective and safe. This case report provides a reference for the management of this rare combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, various exact balancing‐based weighting methods were introduced to the causal inference literature. It eliminates covariate imbalance by imposing balancing constraints in a certain optimization problem, which can nevertheless be infeasible when there is bad overlap between the covariate distributions in the treated and control groups or when the covariates are high dimensional. Recently, approximate balancing was proposed as an alternative balancing framework. It resolves the feasibility issue by using inequality moment constraints instead. However, it can be difficult to select the threshold parameters. Moreover, moment constraints may not fully capture the discrepancy of covariate distributions. In this paper, we propose Mahalanobis balancing to approximately balance covariate distributions from a multivariate perspective. We use a quadratic constraint to control overall imbalance with a single threshold parameter, which can be tuned by a simple selection procedure. We show that the dual problem of Mahalanobis balancing is an ℓ2 norm‐based regularized regression problem, and establish interesting connection to propensity score models. We derive asymptotic properties, discuss the high‐dimensional scenario, and make extensive numerical comparisons with existing balancing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of composite I‐sections in aerostructures faces a significant challenge with conventional laminates because they are prone to delamination under out‐of‐plane loads. To address this issue, this study investigates the design, manufacture, and mechanical properties of 3D woven near‐net‐shaped composite I‐sections. The study also compares their advantages with equivalent laminates and examines the influence of weave patterns on their mechanical behavior. Specimens were manufactured using the vacuum‐assisted resin transfer molding technique, and quasi‐static tensile, compressive, and bending tests were conducted to assess the properties of I‐sections with three different weave patterns. It finds that the ultimate strength and damage tolerance of the considered design of 3D woven I‐sections are better than the considered design of 2D woven laminated counterparts, and different weave patterns play a significant effect in damage mode and load‐bearing capacity. In addition, using 3D woven preforms to manufacture composite I‐sections also exhibits shortened production time in terms of layup and resin infusion. Highlights: The 3D woven I‐sections show improved damage tolerance over 2D counterparts.The design of weave patterns affects the properties of I‐section composites.Using 3D preforms to manufacture I‐sections exhibits shortened production time.Design consideration is proposed for the optimal weave pattern of the I‐sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume expansion and poor conductivity greatly limit the application of silicon as an anode for lithium-ion batteries. Although nanocrystallization of silicon and its surface carbon coating can be improved to some extent, the serious problems of particle aggregation and structural instability have not been effectively solved. In this paper, gelatin and sodium alginate (GE + SA) derived carbon/silicon composites are successfully prepared by a liquid-phase method, the freeze-drying technique, and heat treatment. Si nanoparticles (NPs) are uniformly encapsulated in a three-dimensional network of N-doped carbon that is enriched with a rich pore structure. The reversible capacity of the particular Si@C composite electrode was maintained at 580 mA h g−1 after 300 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1, showing good cycling stability. Meanwhile, the anode also has excellent rate performance with reversible capacities of 2230, 1458, 1101, and 686.6 mA h g−1 at current densities of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 A g−1, respectively. The GE + SA derived carbon/silicon composites effectively solve the problems of particle aggregation and an unstable carbon/silicon interface structure and can become candidates for anode materials in lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sol–gel method is efficient and cost‐effective for synthesizing SnO2 sol, wherein SnO2 nanocrystallites (NCs) are stabilized by electric double‐layer of solvated ions tightly bound to their surface. However, this strong binding makes the removal of electric double‐layer residues from the SnO2 electron transport layer (ETL) to be difficult at low temperatures. This hinders both the close contact and subsequent growth among adjacent SnO2 NCs, leading to severe carriers scattering at grain boundary, adversely affecting the electrical properties of SnO2 ETL. Herein, SnO2 sol is synthesized via an ethanol‐based sol–gel method and aqueous ammonia (NH3·H2O) is introduced to effectively clean stubborn electric double‐layer residues within the SnO2 ETL at a low temperature (80 °C). Removing residues reduces the gap among adjacent SnO2 NCs and promotes further reconstructed growth through oriented attachment (OA), thereby reducing the number of grain boundaries. Hence, the energy barriers for electron transport decrease within the SnO2 ETL. Furthermore, MHP prepared on the treated ETL has fine‐tuned energy level alignment, improving the electron extraction capacity. Consequently, flexible perovskite solar cells (f‐PSCs) incorporating this ETL achieved a notable increase in power conversion efficiency, rising from 19.16% to 23.71%, as well as superior mechanical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation and immunosuppression are important features of tumours, including oral squamous cellular carcinoma (OSCC). Interleukin 37 (IL37), a cytokine known for the ability to suppress inflammation and immunity, shows two seemingly contradictory functions in tumours. This study aims to investigate the mechanism that regulates IL37 and its role in OSCC progression. Herein, IL37, CD86 and CD206 in OSCC specimens were determined. Hypoxia, MCC950 and siRNA‐Gasdermin D (GSDMD) were utilised to investigate the mechanism of IL37 production and release. Animal experiments were established to examine the role of IL37 in OSCC growth in vivo. We found the levels of IL37 are elevated in OSCC tissues compared with normal oral mucosa. In cell experiments, hypoxia was proved to be a vital facilitator in IL37 expression and release. Mechanically, hypoxia promoted IL37 expression through the activation of NACHT–LRR–PYD‐containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and promoted IL37 release via GSDMD. Furthermore, IL37 levels in OSCC specimens are positively correlated with the number of M2 macrophages, but negatively with M1. Further studies revealed IL37 facilitated OSCC progression via promoting macrophage polarization from M1 to M2 and enhancing tumour cell proliferation. Thus, IL37 could be a promising target for OSCC treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal proteins (RPs) are essential components of ribosomes, playing a role not only in ribosome biosynthesis, but also in various extra-ribosomal functions, some of which are implicated in the development of different types of tumors. As universally acknowledged, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been garnering global attention due to its complex pathogenesis and challenging treatments. In this review, we analyze the biological characteristics of RPs and emphasize their essential roles in HCC. In addition to regulating related signaling pathways such as the p53 pathway, RPs also act in proliferation and metastasis by influencing cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in HCC. RPs are expected to unfold new possibilities for precise diagnosis and individualized treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital transformation and technological innovation have an essential impact on enterprise performance, and clarifying the relationship between the two has become a real problem that enterprise management needs to solve. This study utilizes data from China's listed enterprises between 2012 and 2022 to comprehensively analyze the influence and mechanism of digital transformation on enterprise performance. The findings indicate the following: (1) Digital transformation can effectively promote improving enterprise performance and dual innovation levels. (2) Digital transformation positively impacts enterprise performance primarily through enhanced exploitative innovation, exploratory innovation, dual innovation balance, and complementarity. (3) Managerial power positively moderates the promotion effect of digital transformation on enterprise performance. (4) The impact of digital transformation on enterprise performance is more significant in the eastern and central regions, high-tech industries, and enterprises with good profitability. Based on these results, enterprises are suggested to accelerate digital transformation, fully tap the synergistic driving effect of dual innovation, strengthen the management's cognition and leadership of digital transformation, and implement dynamic and differentiated digital transformation strategy based on region, industry, and their own characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is part of a system that regulates cell proliferation in response to changes in cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. In malignant tumors, that system is almost always disrupted in ways that promote the stability of YAP. Mutations in genes encoding Ras proteins are found in 30% of all human cancers, but the mechanisms by which these mutated proteins promote cancer are still incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the regulation of YAP stability by the Ras oncogenes and found that while Ras does not directly regulate YAP, the stability of YAP is directly controlled by one of Ras's own effectors, the Rac1 GTPase, a small regulatory protein involved in controlling cell shape and migration. This regulation of YAP by Rac1 could potentially play an important role in the development of therapeutic resistance to Ras inhibitors, which we know can be promoted by the overexpression of YAP. Background: Oncogenic mutations in the KRAS gene are detected in >90% of pancreatic cancers (PC). In genetically engineered mouse models of PC, oncogenic KRAS drives the formation of precursor lesions and their progression to invasive PC. The Yes-associated Protein (YAP) is a transcriptional coactivator required for transformation by the RAS oncogenes and the development of PC. In Ras-driven tumors, YAP can also substitute for oncogenic KRAS to drive tumor survival after the repression of the oncogene. Ras oncoproteins exert their transforming properties through their downstream effectors, including the PI3K kinase, Rac1 GTPase, and MAPK pathways. Methods: To identify Ras effectors that regulate YAP, YAP levels were measured in PC cells exposed to inhibitors of oncogenic K-Ras and its effectors. Results: In PC cells, the inhibition of Rac1 leads to a time-dependent decline in YAP protein, which could be blocked by proteosome inhibitor MG132. This YAP degradation after Rac1 inhibition was observed in a range of cell lines using different Rac1 inhibitors, Rac1 siRNA, or expression of dominant negative Rac1T17N mutant. Several E3 ubiquitin ligases, including SCFβTrCP, regulate YAP protein stability. To be recognized by this ligase, the βTrCP degron of YAP (amino acid 383–388) requires its phosphorylation by casein kinase 1 at Ser384 and Ser387, but these events must first be primed by the phosphorylation of Ser381 by LATS1/2. Using Flag-tagged mutants of YAP, we show that YAP degradation after Rac1 inhibition requires the integrity of this degron and is blocked by the silencing of βTrCP1/2 and by the inhibition of casein kinase 1. Unexpectedly, YAP degradation after Rac1 inhibition was still observed after the silencing of LATS1/2 or in cells carrying a LATS1/2 double knockout. Conclusions: These results reveal Rac1 as an oncogenic KRAS effector that contributes to YAP stabilization in PC cells. They also show that this regulation of YAP by Rac1 requires the SCFβTrCP ligase but occurs independently of the LATS1/2 kinases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have drastically shifted the current landscape toward a wide variety of malignancies. However, ICIs are interrupted owing immune‐related adverse events (irAEs), therapy completion, and disease progression. The risk–benefit of rechallenged ICIs remains inconclusive. Herein, a systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICI rechallenge in the treatment of advanced solid tumor. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to analyze the efficacy and safety of ICI rechallenge. The study protocol was approved by the PROSPERO International Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022372222). The last updated search date was March 2, 2024. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and incidence rates of all‐ and high‐grade irAEs were evaluated. Results: A total of 41 retrospective studies comprising 2343 patients were ultimately enrolled for qualitative and quantitative assessments. A total of 1200 (51.2%) individuals were male and the median age was 66 years (range 18–97 years). The majority of the tumors was lung cancer (n = 898, 38.3%). The occurrence rates of all‐grade and high‐grade (grade 3 or 4) irAEs between initial and readministration ICIs were not significantly different (all‐grade: OR, 0.75, 95% CI: 0.39–1.45, p = 0.40; I2 = 87%; high‐grade: OR, 0.96, 95% CI: 0.62–1.49, p = 0.87, I2 = 65%). ICIs restart presented a decreased ORR and DCR compared to initial ICI administration (ORR: OR, 0.36, 95% CI: 0.23–0.56, p < 0.00001; I2 = 67%; DCR: OR, 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43–0.89, p = 0.010; I2 = 53%). Seven studies with 513 patients for survival analysis revealed a nonsignificant difference in OS between the ICIs rechallenge and discontinuation cohorts (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.35 to 1.35, p = 0.27). Conclusion: Rechallenging immunotherapy is feasible, and patients should be carefully evaluated by a multidisciplinary team prior to initial therapy for close monitoring and assessment of the risk–benefit ratio. Therefore, prospective trials are essential to guide clinicians in the decision‐making process. PROSPERORegistration: CRD42022372222. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of life (OoL) has always been a mysterious and challenging topic that puzzles human beings. Clay minerals have unique properties and wide distribution in early Earth environments. They can not only adsorb biological small molecules to catalyze their polymerization, but play an active role in the formation and evolution of protocells. In this review, the research progress on the interactions of clay minerals with biomolecules and protocells complex structures in the field of the OoL based on chemical evolution theory is summarized. The types, structures and properties of clay minerals, biological molecules and protocell models related to the OoL are introduced in detail. The mechanism of interaction between clay minerals and biological molecules, the construction of protocells and the role of clay minerals in the formation, structure and stability of protocells are systematically described. Finally, the future research priorities and challenges in the field of OoL based on clay minerals, biomolecules and protocells are discussed. It is aspired that this review can further advance the exploration of the OoL from a new perspective, and can also bring some interesting findings and ideas to the interdisciplinary research of materials, biology, chemistry and other related disciplines.Clay minerals have a variety of interactions with small biomolecules, which can be used as structural and functional templates to promote the organic synthesis of biomolecules and the formation and evolution of protocells, playing a non‐negligible role in the field of the OoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL), especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), has been widely applied in air handling unit (AHU) fault diagnosis (FD). However, its application faces two major challenges. Firstly, the accessibility of operational state variables for AHU systems is limited in practical, and the effectiveness and applicability of existing DL methods for diagnosis require further validation. Secondly, the interpretability performance of DL models under various information scenarios needs further exploration. To address these challenges, this study utilized publicly available ASHRAE RP-1312 AHU fault data and employed CNNs to construct three FD models under three various information scenarios. Furthermore, the layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) method was used to interpret and explain the effects of these three various information scenarios on the CNN models. An R-threshold was proposed to systematically differentiate diagnostic criteria, which further elucidates the intrinsic reasons behind correct and incorrect decisions made by the models. The results showed that the CNN-based diagnostic models demonstrated good applicability under the three various information scenarios, with an average diagnostic accuracy of 98.55%. The LRP method provided good interpretation and explanation for understanding the decision mechanism of CNN models for the unlimited information scenarios. For the very limited information scenario, since the variables are restricted, although LRP can reveal key variables in the model's decision-making process, these key variables have certain limitations in terms of data and physical explanations for further improving the model's interpretation. Finally, an in-depth analysis of model parameters—such as the number of convolutional layers, learning rate, β parameters, and training set size—was conducted to examine their impact on the interpretative results. This study contributes to clarifying the effects of various information scenarios on the diagnostic performance and interpretability of LRP-based CNN models for AHU FD, which helps provide improved reliability of DL models in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the limitations and adverse effects of current rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatments, there is an urgent need for safer and more effective therapeutic options. Levamisole (LVM) is a non-specific immunomodulator with potential for treating skin diseases, tumors, and autoimmune disorders. Recognizing LVM's potential despite its controversial reputation, this study aimed to investigate its safety profile and therapeutic efficacy towards RA. Methods: To evaluate the potential toxicity of LVM, a 28-day oral administration was conducted in SD rats, assessing general toxicity and neurotoxicity using serum biochemical indicators, the Morris water maze test, transmission electron microscopy, and H&E staining. Subsequently, the therapeutic effects of LVM on RA were evaluated. Results: The results showed that 30 mg/kg LVM has promising therapeutic effects in the treatment of RA with negligible toxicity from 45 mg/kg to 180 mg/kg. Discussions: This study provides valuable preclinical data on the safety and efficacy of LVM, laying the groundwork for future clinical applications and potentially offering a safer and more effective treatment option for RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advancement of autonomous driving technology, the accurate prediction of vehicle trajectories has become a research hotspot. In order to accurately predict vehicles' trajectory, this study comprehensively explores the impact of driving style and intention on trajectory prediction, proposing a novel prediction method. Firstly, the dataset AD4CHE was selected as the research data, from which the required trajectory data of vehicles were extracted, including 1202 lane-changing and 1137 car-following driving trajectories. Secondly, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network based on the Keras framework was constructed by using the TensorFlow deep-learning platform. The LSTM network integrates driving intention, driving style, and historical trajectory data as inputs to establish a vehicle-trajectory prediction model. Finally, the mean absolute error (MAE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) were selected as the evaluation indicators for the models, and the prediction results of the models were compared under two conditions: not considering driving style and considering driving style. The results demonstrate that models incorporating driving style significantly outperformed those that did not, highlighting the critical influence of driving style on vehicle trajectories. Moreover, compared to traditional kinematic models, the LSTM-based approach exhibits notable advantages in long-term trajectory prediction. The prediction method that accounts for both driving intention and style effectively reduces RMSE, significantly enhancing prediction accuracy. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for vehicle-driving risk assessment and contribute positively to the advancement of autonomous driving technology and the sustainable development of road traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy requires producers to focus on the green design of front‐end products and the recycling of end‐of‐life waste products at the same time and fulfill dual environmental responsibilities. Under this background, we study the recycling decision and corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation for closed‐loop supply chains (CLSC) considering green design under EPR policy. We build game models of CLSC under six situations, and analyze the interaction between the manufacturer's green design behavior and the retailer's CSR behavior, along with their influence on recycling decisions and the operational performance of CLSC. We show that both the manufacturer's green design behavior and the retailer's CSR behavior are beneficial to improving social welfare and the other party's profits, but a higher level of green design is uneconomical for the manufacturer. Similarly, a higher CSR awareness is not conducive to retailer's profitability. We also find that under the influence of the government's "Tax‐Reduction‐Subsidy" policy, the selection of the optimal recycling channel is influenced by factors such as the difficulty of recycling waste products, government subsidies, and the profit of unit reprocesses from the perspective of maximizing supply chain member's profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the disciplines of medicine, biology and social science, causal mediation analysis is widely used to examine the effect of an exposure on an outcome through different causal pathways. Recently, there is rapid development of mediation analysis with survival data. An early work of Lange and Hansen proposed to identify the direct and indirect causal effects under the additive hazards model with a single mediator. However, inaccurate measurements of mediators and confounders may lead to biased causal effect estimation. We propose a measurement error correction approach to tackle measurement error in the mediators and confounders under the additive hazards model where multiple mediators are present. We apply the proposed corrected method to the ACTG175 Study data set, and uncover interesting findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic alcoholic liver disease (CALD) is a global health problem which includes multiple pathological processes such as immune inflammation and oxidative stress. 4-hydroxy-2(3H)-benzoxazolone (HBOA), an alkaloid isolated from Acanthus ilicifolius L, has been shown to exert hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects. However, its effects on CALD remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of HBOA on CALD. Methods: Rats were administered alcohol by gavage continuously for 12 weeks to establish the CALD model, and then treated with HBOA by gavage for 4 weeks. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to predict the potential mechanisms of the effects of HBOA on CALD. Liver histology and function, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway components were evaluated. Results: HBOA significantly improved alcohol-induced liver injury and steatosis. It decreased the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-a [TNF-a], interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6), and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione [GSH], and glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px]). Western blotting confirmed that HBOA treatment largely diminished NF-Bp65 nuclear translocation. Comprehensive transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses indicated that HBOA regulated the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway to achieve therapeutic effects in rats with CALD. Conclusion: HBOA has a therapeutic effect on rats with CALD. Its mechanism of action mainly affects the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway to promote lipid metabolism homeostasis by regulating the expression of Etnppl, Gpcpd1, and Pla2g4c. In addition, it may also inhibit the TLR4/NF-B signaling pathway, thereby reducing the immune-inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current micro-plastic forming methods for metal foil arrays have problems such as high cost and complex processes. A highly efficient, flexible, low-cost, green, and environmentally friendly submerged cavitation water jet micro-forming processing method for metal foil arrays is proposed, which used vacuole collapse shock wave loading. The micro-hole formation of 304 stainless steel foil array with a thickness of 80 μm was used as an example to study the influence of target distance and impact time on the depth and uniformity of micro-hole formation by plastic forming of metal foil array, and the feasibility of the method was verified. The results show that the depth of the array micropores located on the radius r = 13.6 mm within the impact zone of vacuole collapse is 166.4 μm, and the maximum surface roughness is 1.54 μm. The thinning rate is between 2 and 10% under the conditions of impact action time 5 min, target distance 120 mm, and pressure 20 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC) is a rare malignancy. Clinically, its histological morphology resembles that of epithelial ovarian tumors (EOC), often leading to misdiagnosis. Diagnosis and treatment of PPC are time-sensitive because of the rapidly progressive nature of the disease. Case report: Herein, we report the case of a 54-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer; however, extensive workup showed evidence of Müllerian PPC origin. Furthermore, the patient harbored a targetable BRCA mutation. Conclusion: The patient was treated with the BRCA-targeting agents and had a good prognosis after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Summary: This paper is dedicated to the problem of adaptive fuzzy fault‐tolerant control (FTC) for a class of stochastic nonstrict feedback nonlinear multi‐agent systems (MASs) with input quantization and full state constraints. Firstly, based on the backstepping technique and the bounded estimation method, the effect of actuator faults can be eliminated by the proposed adaptive updating laws. Secondly, the stochastic barrier Lyapunov functions (BLFs) are constructed to ensure that all state constraints are not violated. Meanwhile, the introduction of input quantization can effectively save network resources and reduce computational burden. It is further shown that all the closed‐loop signals are uniformly bounded, and the consensus tracking errors asymptotically tend to zero. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is illustrated by a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The distant metastasis of lung cancer primarily occurs in the bones, liver, brain, and lungs, while the breast is an extremely rare site of metastasis. There is very limited literature on the occurrence of breast metastasis from lung cancer, and metastatic lesions in the breast are prone to being misdiagnosed as primary breast cancer, requiring careful attention and differentiation in the clinical diagnostic and treatment process. Case summary: The patient, a 63-year-old female, initially presented with an EGFR exon 21 L858R mutated left lung adenocarcinoma in 2017, treated successfully with surgical resection and subsequent monitoring. The relapse of disease occurred in January 2020. Despite maintaining a prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) with first-generation EGFR-TKI Afatinib, disease progression occurred in 2022 without detectable resistance mutations. Transition to second-generation TKI Furmonertinib resulted in poor control, with rapid progression including unusual bilateral breast metastases that exhibited inflammatory breast cancer-like peau d'orange changes. Standard chemotherapy achieved only short-term stability. Upon detecting a MET amplification mutation, treatment with Savolitinib was initiated. Remarkably, this led to significant clinical and radiographic improvement, notably resolving the peau d'orange appearance and reducing multiple lesions across the body. Conclusion: This case underscores the importance of continuous genetic profiling and tailored treatment approaches in managing advanced lung adenocarcinoma, particularly when presenting with rare metastatic sites and complex genetic landscapes. The successful application of Savolitinib following the identification of a MET amplification mutation highlights its potential in overcoming resistance mechanisms in NSCLC, providing a significant therapeutic option for similarly challenging cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forward-looking information is often seen as private messages that managers deliver to the public, and a positive tone usually implies a positive signal from them. We use a sample of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2011 to 2020 to examine the relationships between forward-looking information tone and company marketing expenditures. Our findings show that: first, forward-looking information tones contain valuable content that investors can comprehend, and the more positive the tone, the greater the marketing expenditures a company has. Second, this positive relationship is strengthened for companies that are more financially constrained. Finally, optimistic forward-looking messages can increase marketing expenditures in a greater magnitude for companies operating in the areas subject to a higher degree of marketisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine jatrophane diterpenoids were isolated from the whole plant Euphorbia helioscopia, including two new ones, helioscopnins A (1) and B (2). Comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and ECD calculations elucidated their structures, including absolute configurations. All compounds were evaluated for bioactivity towards autophagic flux by flow cytometry using HM mCherry-GFP-LC3 cells. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 significantly increased autophagic flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively utilizing deep red to near-infrared (DR-NIR) phosphors to achieve the optimal performance of NIR phosphor-converted white LEDs (DR-NIR pc-wLEDs) is currently a research hotspot. In this study, an optical model of DR-NIR pc-wLEDs with virtual multilayer fluorescent films was established based on the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method. Different gradient distributions of the particles were assigned within the fluorescent film to explore their impact on the optical performance of pc-LEDs. The results show that, for the case with single-type particles, distributing more DR-NIR particles far from the blue LED chip increased the overall radiant power. The distribution of more DR-NIR particles near the chip increased the conversion ratio from blue to DR-NIR light. The ratio of the 707 nm fluorescence emission intensity to the 450 nm excitation light intensity increased from 1:0.51 to 1:0.28. For multiple-type particles, changes in the gradient distribution resulted in dual-nature changes, leading to a deterioration in the color rendering index and an increase in the correlated color temperature, while also improving the DR-NIR band ratio. The reabsorption caused by the partial overlap between the excitation band of the DR-NIR particles and the emission band of the other particles enhanced the radiant power at 707 nm. Distributing DR-NIR phosphor particles closer to the chip effectively amplified this effect. The proposed model and its results provide a solution for the forward design of particle distributions in fluorescent films to improve the luminous performance of DR-NIR pc-wLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of ovarian function suppression (OFS) of various gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) combined with aromatase inhibitors (AI) in premenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive) breast cancer. Potential risk factors associated with insufficient OFS were analyzed. Patients and methods: Premenopausal HR-positive breast cancer patients who had received AI with GnRHa were studied retrospectively. Patients were divided into different groups according to monthly or trimonthly GnRHa schedules they received, and the effectiveness of OFS was compared between groups. Insufficient OFS was defined as at least one instance of estradiol ≥ 30 pg/ml. Patient data was gathered from medical records for this comparison. Results: Of the 264 patients enrolled in this study, 117 were administered 3.6 mg of goserelin monthly (goserelin 1 M group), 63 received 3.75 mg of leuprorelin monthly (leuprorelin 1 M group) and 84 were given 11.25 mg of leuprorelin every three months (leuprorelin 3 M group). Overall, 7.20% experienced insufficient OFS. The incidence rates in the three GnRHa depot groups were 7.69%, 6.35%, and 7.14%, respectively, without a significant statistical difference (P = 0.900). Notably, younger patients exhibited a higher likelihood of insufficient OFS [OR = 0.900, 95%CI (0.824–0.982), P = 0.018]. Conclusion: Insufficient OFS remains a concern during GnRHa and AI treatment. The effectiveness of the three GnRHa depots commonly used in China seems comparable. Younger patients face a heightened risk of insufficient OFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the potential of a commercially available plastic scintillator, the Exradin W2, as a real‐time dosimeter for ultra‐high‐dose‐rate (UHDR) electron beams. This work aimed to characterize this system's performance under UHDR conditions and addressed limitations inherent to other conventional dosimetry systems. Methods and materials: We assessed the W2's performance as a UHDR electron dosimeter using a 16 MeV UHDR electron beam from the FLASH research extension (FLEX) system. Additionally, the vendor provided a beta firmware upgrade to better handle the processing of the high signal generated in the UHDR environment. We evaluated the W2 regarding dose‐per‐pulse, pulse repetition rate, charge versus distance, and pulse linearity. Absorbed dose measurements were compared against those from a plane‐parallel ionization chamber, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters and radiochromic film. Results: We observed that the 1 × 1 mm W2 scintillator with the MAX SD was more suitable for UHDR dosimetry compared to the 1 × 3 mm W2 scintillator, capable of matching film measurements within 2% accuracy for dose‐per‐pulse up to 3.6 Gy/pulse. The W2 accurately ascertained the inverse square relationship regarding charge versus virtual source distance with R2 of ∼1.00 for all channels. Pulse linearity was accurately measured with the W2, demonstrating a proportional response to the delivered pulse number. There was no discernible impact on the measured charge of the W2 when switching between the available repetition rates of the FLEX system (18–180 pulses/s), solidifying consistent beam output across pulse frequencies. Conclusions: This study tested a commercial plastic scintillator detector in a UHDR electron beam, paving the way for its potential use as a real‐time, patient‐specific dosimetry tool for future FLASH radiotherapy treatments. Further research is warranted to test and improve the signal processing of the W2 dosimetry system to accurately measure in UHDR environments using exceedingly high dose‐per‐pulse and pulse numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traits of rural domestic sewage emission are unclear, negatively affecting rural domestic sewage treatment and sewage management. This study used data from the Second National Pollution Source Census Bulletin to establish a data set. The spatial distribution characteristics and main factors influencing rural sewage discharge in the Northern Region were studied using spatial autocorrelation analysis and structural equations. The findings demonstrated that (1) a significant Spearman correlation between drainage water volume (DWV), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) and that the correlation coefficients between DWV and COD, NH3–N, TN and TP were 0.87**, 1.0**, 0.99**, 0.99**, respectively; (2) rural sewage discharge showed spatial autocorrelation, and rural domestic sewage discharge in the districts and counties with an administration was significantly higher than in the surrounding areas; and (3) social development was the main driver rural domestic sewage changes (path coefficient was 0.407**), and the main factors influencing rural domestic sewage discharge were the urbanization rate, years of education, and population age structure. This study obtained the spatial variation law and clarified the main influencing factors of rural domestic sewage to provide data support and a theoretical basis for subsequent rural sewage collection and treatment. Use of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China as a typical case, provides a theoretical foundation for scientific decision-making on rural domestic sewage treatment at the national and regional levels and offers new perspectives for managing pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the incidence of endometrial cancer (EC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) has been increasing, and has shown young trend. It is crucial to study the fertility-preserving treatment of endometrial lesions and fertility-promoting protocols. Age, obesity, and irregular ovulation are not only high-risk factors for endometrial lesions but also key factors affecting female fertility. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes in patients with AEH and EC after conservative treatment. Based on the existing studies, this article reviews the progress of research on pregnancy outcomes of ART and its influencing factors in such patients. It helps physicians in providing optimal fertility guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active catalysts with salt and acid/alkali resistance are desired in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation processes and marine environment applications. F- and Cl-doped graphene (F-GN and Cl-GN) were prepared via electronegative and atom radius adjustment for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) pollution removal to satisfy these requirements. The introduction of special F and Cl functionalities into graphene exhibits superior electron transfer properties for PMS activation, considering the experimental and density functional theory (DFT) calculation results. The TCH degradation efficiency reached up to 80% under various pH and salt disturbance conditions with F-GN and Cl-GN. Cl-GN exhibited an activity superior to F-GN due to the higher electron polarization effect of C atoms adjacent to Cl atoms. The presence of more positive charged C sites in Cl-GN (around Cl doping) is more favorable for PMS attachment and sequence radical generation than F-GN. In addition, the main active species functionalized during reaction included ·OH and SO4−·, and the stability of F-GN and Cl-GN was confirmed to be over 60% by recycle test. Final research results provide an effective strategy for designing and preparing PMS activators resistant to salt, acid, and alkali, thereby expanding their application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) ultrathin films (P3HT-T) were prepared by spin-coating a dilute P3HT solution (in a toluene: o-dichlorobenzene (Tol:ODCB) blend with a volume ratio of 80:20) with ultrasonication and the addition of the nucleating agent bicycle [2.2.1] heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid disodium salt (HPN-68L) on glass, Si wafers and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The electrical and mechanical properties of the P3HT-T ultrathin films were investigated, and it was found that the conductivity and crack onset strain (COS) were simultaneously improved in comparison with those of the corresponding pristine P3HT film (P3HT-0, without ultrasonication and nucleating agent) on the same substrate, regardless of what substrate was used. Moreover, the conductivity of P3HT-T ultrathin films on different substrates was similar (varying from 3.7 S·cm−1 to 4.4 S·cm−1), yet the COS increased from 97% to 138% by varying the substrate from a Si wafer to ITO. Combining grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that the solid order and crystallinity of the P3HT-T ultrathin film on the Si wafer are highest, followed by those on glass, and much lower on ITO. Finally, the surface energy and roughness of three substrates were investigated, and it was found that the polar component of the surface energy γp plays a critical role in determining the crystalline microstructures of P3HT ultrathin films on different substrates. Our work indicates that the P3HT ultrathin film can obviously improve the stretchability and simultaneously retain similar electrical performance when a suitable substrate is chosen. These findings offer a new direction for research on stretchable CP ultrathin films to facilitate future practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acidic postconditioning by transient CO2 inhalation applied within minutes after reperfusion has neuroprotective effects in the acute phase of stroke. However, the effects of delayed chronic acidic postconditioning (DCAPC) initiated during the subacute phase of stroke or other acute brain injuries are unknown. Mice received daily DCAPC by inhaling 5%/10%/20% CO2 for various durations (three cycles of 10- or 20-min CO2 inhalation/10-min break) at days 3–7, 7–21, or 3–21 after photothrombotic stroke. Grid-walk, cylinder, and gait tests were used to assess motor function. DCAPC with all CO2 concentrations significantly promoted motor functional recovery, even when DCAPC was delayed for 3–7 days. DCAPC enhanced the puncta density of GAP-43 (a marker of axon growth and regeneration) and synaptophysin (a marker of synaptogenesis) and reduced the amoeboid microglia number, glial scar thickness and mRNA expression of CD16 and CD32 (markers of proinflammatory M1 microglia) compared with those of the stroke group. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) increased in response to DCAPC. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of TDAG8 (a proton-activated G-protein-coupled receptor) was increased during the subacute phase of stroke, while DCAPC effects were blocked by systemic knockout of TDAG8, except for those on CBF. DCAPC reproduced the benefits by re-expressing TDAG8 in the peri-infarct cortex of TDAG8-/- mice infected with HBAAV2/9-CMV-TDAG8-3flag-ZsGreen. Taken together, we first showed that DCAPC promoted functional recovery and brain tissue repair after stroke with a wide therapeutic time window of at least 7 days after stroke. Brain-derived TDAG8 is a direct target of DCAPC that induces neuroreparative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapsed and refractory (R/R) idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a clinical challenge with no standard treatment. In this preliminary clinical trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety profiles of a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi), zanubrutinib, in patients with R/R iMCD. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate at Week 12 according to the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) response criteria. The trial was terminated early due to a lack of treatment response in the first enrolled 5 patients. Although 3 patients achieved symptomatic response, none of the 5 patients had an overall response by Week 12. One patient had progressive disease and the other 4 had stable disease. The study drug was well tolerated without grade 2 or higher adverse events. Our findings suggest that BTKi therapy is not effective for iMCD, and further attempts at single-agent therapy with zanubrutinib or other BTKis for iMCD should be considered with caution and probably avoided. This trial was registered at www.clinialtrials.gov as #NCT04743687. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible bird’s nest (EBN), a most highly priced and valuable foodstuff, contains high percentage of proteins and carbohydrates. However, proteins adhering to these carbohydrates make the EBN hard and tough, which need to be boiled as the bird’s nest soup to make the Chinese cuisine. To overcome the hard and tough texture of EBN and improve the digestion degrees, the present study screened and identified a probiotic strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens YZW02 from 5-year stored EBN sample completely solubilizing EBN for the first time. The 24-h B. amyloliquefaciens fermented EBN contained 20.30–21.48 mg/mL of the soluble protein contents with a recovery rate of 98–100%, DPPH radical scavenging rate of 84.76% and ABTS radical scavenging capacity of 41.05%. The mixed fermentation of B. amyloliquefaciens YZW02 and Bacillus natto BN1 were further applied to improve the low-MW peptide percentages and antioxidant activities. The mixed-fermentation of B. natto BN1 with 4-h cultured B. amyloliquefaciens YZW02 had the lowest percentage (82.23%) of >12-kDa proteins/peptides and highest percentages of 3–12 kDa, 1–3 kDa and 0.1–1 kDa peptides of 8.6% ± 0.08, 7.57% ± 0.09, 1.77% ± 0.05 and 0.73% ± 0.05, with the highest DPPH, ABTS and •OH scavenging capacity of 90.23%, 46.45% and 49.12%, respectively. These findings would provide an efficient strategy for improving the solubility and antioxidant activities of EBNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malicious encrypted traffic detection is a critical component of network security management. Previous detection methods can be categorized into two classes as follows: one is to use the feature engineering method to construct traffic features for classification and the other is to use the end‐to‐end method that directly inputs the original traffic to obtain traffic features for classification. Both of the abovementioned two methods have the problem that the obtained features cannot fully characterize the traffic. To this end, this paper proposes a hierarchical multimodal deep learning model (HMMED) for malicious encrypted traffic detection. This model adopts the abovementioned two feature generation methods to learn the features of payload and header, respectively, then fuses the features to get the final traffic features, and finally inputs the final traffic features into the softmax classifier for classification. In addition, since traditional deep learning is highly dependent on the training set size and data distribution, resulting in a model that is not very generalizable and difficult to adapt to unseen encrypted traffic, the model proposed in this paper uses a large amount of unlabeled encrypted traffic in the pretraining layer to pretrain a submodel used to obtain a generic packet payload representation. The test results on the USTC‐TFC2016 dataset show that the proposed model can effectively solve the problem of insufficient feature extraction of traditional detection methods and improve the ACC of malicious encrypted traffic detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]