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BackgroundPatients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) have limited treatment options and have a deteriorated quality of life with an uncertain prognosis. Early identification of ESLD patients with a poor prognosis is valuable, especially for palliative care. However, it is difficult to predict ESLD patients that require either acute care or palliative care. ObjectiveWe sought to create a machine-learning monitoring system that can predict mortality or classify ESLD patients. Several machine-learning models with visualized graphs, decision trees, ensemble learning, and clustering were assessed. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of patients from Wan Fang Hospital and Taipei Medical University Hospital. A total of 1214 patients from Wan Fang Hospital were used to establish a dataset for training and 689 patients from Taipei Medical University Hospital were used as a validation set. ResultsThe overall mortality rate of patients in the training set and validation set was 28.3% (257/907) and 22.6% (145/643), respectively. In traditional clinical scoring models, prothrombin time-international normalized ratio, which was significant in the Cox regression (P

BackgroundLow infection and case-fatality rates have been thus far observed in Taiwan. One of the reasons for this major success is better use of big data analytics in efficient contact tracing and management and surveillance of those who require quarantine and isolation. ObjectiveWe present here a unique application of big data analytics among Taiwanese people who had contact with more than 3000 passengers that disembarked at Keelung harbor in Taiwan for a 1-day tour on January 31, 2020, 5 days before the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the Diamond Princess cruise ship on February 5, 2020, after an index case was identified on January 20, 2020. MethodsThe smart contact tracing–based mobile sensor data, cross-validated by other big sensor surveillance data, were analyzed by the mobile geopositioning method and rapid analysis to identify 627,386 potential contact-persons. Information on self-monitoring and self-quarantine was provided via SMS, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) tests were offered for symptomatic contacts. National Health Insurance claims big data were linked, to follow-up on the outcome related to COVID-19 among those who were hospitalized due to pneumonia and advised to undergo screening for SARS-CoV-2. ResultsAs of February 29, a total of 67 contacts who were tested by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction were all negative and no confirmed COVID-19 cases were found. Less cases of respiratory syndrome and pneumonia were found after the follow-up of the contact population compared with the general population until March 10, 2020. ConclusionsBig data analytics with smart contact tracing, automated alert messaging for self-restriction, and follow-up of the outcome related to COVID-19 using health insurance data could curtail the resources required for conventional epidemiological contact tracing.

BackgroundAn effective data collection method is crucial for high quality monitoring of health interventions. The traditional face-to-face data collection method is labor intensive, expensive, and time consuming. With the rapid increase of mobile phone subscribers, text messaging has the potential to be used for evaluation of population health interventions in rural China. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of using text messaging as a data collection tool to monitor an infant feeding intervention program. MethodsParticipants were caregivers of children aged 0 to 23 months in rural China who participated in an infant feeding health education program. We used the test-retest method. First, we collected data with a text messaging survey and then with a face-to-face survey for 2 periods of 3 days. We compared the response rate, data agreement, costs, and participants’ acceptability of the two methods. Also, we interviewed participants to explore their reasons for not responding to the text messages and the reasons for disagreement in the two methods. In addition, we evaluated the most appropriate time during the day for sending text messages. ResultsWe included 258 participants; 99 (38.4%) participated in the text messaging survey and 177 (68.6%) in the face-to-face survey. Compared with the face-to-face survey, the text messaging survey had much lower response rates to at least one question (38.4% vs 68.6%) and to all 7 questions (27.9% vs 67.4%) with moderate data agreement (most kappa values between .5 and .75, the intraclass correlation coefficients between .53 to .72). Participants who took part in both surveys gave the same acceptability rating for both methods (median 4.0 for both on a 5-point scale, 1=disliked very much and 5=liked very much). The costs per questionnaire for the text messaging method were much lower than the costs for the face-to-face method: ¥19.7 (US $3.13) versus ¥33.9 (US $5.39) for all questionnaires, and ¥27.1 (US $4.31) versus ¥34.4 (US $5.47) for completed questionnaires. The main reasons for not replying were that participants did not receive text messages, they were too busy to reply, or they did not see text messages in time. The main reasons for disagreement in responses were that participants forgot their answers in the text messaging survey and that they changed their minds. We found that participants were more likely to reply to text messages immediately during 2 time periods: 8 AM to 3 PM and 8 PM to 9 PM. ConclusionsThe text messaging method had reasonable data agreement and low cost, but a low response rate. Further research is needed to evaluate effectiveness of measures that can increase the response rate, especially in collecting longitudinal data by text messaging.

BackgroundMaternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) household survey data are collected mainly with pen-and-paper. Smartphone data collection may have advantages over pen-and-paper, but little evidence exists on how they compare. ObjectiveTo compare smartphone data collection versus the use of pen-and-paper for infant feeding practices of the MNCH household survey. We compared the two data collection methods for differences in data quality (data recording, data entry, open-ended answers, and interrater reliability), time consumption, costs, interviewers’ perceptions, and problems encountered. MethodsWe recruited mothers of infants aged 0 to 23 months in four village clinics in Zhaozhou Township, Zhao County, Hebei Province, China. We randomly assigned mothers to a smartphone or a pen-and-paper questionnaire group. A pair of interviewers simultaneously questioned mothers on infant feeding practices, each using the same method (either smartphone or pen-and-paper). ResultsWe enrolled 120 mothers, and all completed the study. Data recording errors were prevented in the smartphone questionnaire. In the 120 pen-and-paper questionnaires (60 mothers), we found 192 data recording errors in 55 questionnaires. There was no significant difference in recording variation between the groups for the questionnaire pairs (P = .32) or variables (P = .45). The smartphone questionnaires were automatically uploaded and no data entry errors occurred. We found that even after double data entry of the pen-and-paper questionnaires, 65.0% (78/120) of the questionnaires did not match and needed to be checked. The mean duration of an interview was 10.22 (SD 2.17) minutes for the smartphone method and 10.83 (SD 2.94) minutes for the pen-and-paper method, which was not significantly different between the methods (P = .19). The mean costs per questionnaire were higher for the smartphone questionnaire (¥143, equal to US $23 at the exchange rate on April 24, 2012) than for the pen-and-paper questionnaire (¥83, equal to US $13). The smartphone method was acceptable to interviewers, and after a pilot test we encountered only minor problems (eg, the system halted for a few seconds or it shut off), which did not result in data loss. ConclusionsThis is the first study showing that smartphones can be successfully used for household data collection on infant feeding in rural China. Using smartphones for data collection, compared with pen-and-paper, eliminated data recording and entry errors, had similar interrater reliability, and took an equal amount of time per interview. While the costs for the smartphone method were higher than the pen-and-paper method in our small-scale survey, the costs for both methods would be similar for a large-scale survey. Smartphone data collection should be further evaluated for other surveys and on a larger scale to deliver maximum benefits in China and elsewhere.

Herein, the high-temperature hot deformation and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of high-manganese steel were investigated through the measurement of true stress-strain curves, the establishment of constitutive equations, the construction of recrystallization and hot processing maps, and the characterization of microstructure evolution. Furthermore, the influence of V on the DRX behavior of high-manganese steel during the hot deformation process, particularly for LNG storage tanks, was systematically evaluated. The results indicate that both the critical stress (σc) and peak stress (σp) of the tested steels increase as the deformation temperature decreases and the strain rate increases. Additionally, a higher V content leads to an increase in σc and σp, thereby suppressing the occurrence of DRX. Compared to 0.1V steel, 0.2V steel precipitates a greater quantity of carbides at the grain boundaries (GBs), which effectively stabilizes the GBs and inhibits the growth of DRX grains. In contrast, 0.1V steel achieves DRX over a wider range of Z parameters (at lower temperatures and higher strain rates). The activation energies for hot deformation (Q) of the two tested steels are 479.100 kJ/mol and 438.274 kJ/mol, respectively. The hot processing maps indicate that an increase in V content reduces the hot workability of high-manganese steel. The optimal temperature and strain rate for hot processing of 0.1V steel are 1035–1095 °C and 0.01–0.0451 s⁻1, respectively. For 0.2V steel, the optimal hot processing parameters are a temperature of 1065–1100 °C and a strain rate of 0.01–0.07 s⁻1.

Abstract Panax japonicus, a traditional medicinal plant from the Araliaceae family, produces bioactive triterpenes with health benefits. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, its roots have been used, but the chemical basis of its medicinal use is unclear, particularly regarding the metabolism and regulation of triterpene saponin biosynthesis. This study employed an integrative approach using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and transcriptome analysis. Our UPLC analysis showed that ginsenoside Ro and chikusetsusaponin IVa were mainly detected in P. japonicus root. Subsequently, a comparative transcriptome analysis of four P. japonicus tissues (roots, leaves, flowers and fruits) was conducted using Illumina sequencing. As a result, 90,985 unigenes were functionally annotated from a total of 211,650 assembled non-redundant transcripts. Among these, 42,829 unigenes were annotated in NR database. Tissue-specific gene analysis revealed that roots had the highest number of specifically expressed unigenes (11,832). The majority of these unigenes were associated with metabolic processes. Additionally, tissue expression patterns analysis for three common transcription factor families indicated that WRKY family genes showed a significantly root-specific expression pattern, potentially playing a role in triterpene saponin biosynthesis. Notably, we investigated the expression profiles of genes related to the biosynthesis of triterpene saponins and found that four genes, ACCT, HMGS, HMGR and SS, encoding key enzymes in triterpene saponins biosynthesis pathway, were primarily expressed in the root. Overall, our study provides a set of P. japonicus tissue transcriptome data, which will aid in the discovery of triterpene saponin biosynthetic genes and offers valuable genetic information for this medical plant.

Abstract Image quality is significantly impacted by rain, posing challenges in fields like surveillance, autonomous driving, and outdoor robotics. The field of image deraining, particularly for single image, has attracted considerable attention to improve image clarity in inclement weather. To overcome the inherent complexity of the single‐image rain removal task, we proposed a novel architecture of the attention mechanism and gated recurrent network (AMGR‐Net) that combines spatial and channel attention mechanisms with gated recurrent units. AMGR‐Net contains multiple modules, each of which uses convolution kernels and attention mechanisms to enhance feature extraction. AMGR‐Net demonstrates superior performance over state‐of‐the‐art methods in both synthetic and real‐world image datasets, as evidenced by higher peak signal to noise ratio and structural similarity index measurement scores. The integration of spatial attention significantly enhances feature expression, enabling more effective rain streak removal and detail preservation. Furthermore, this method also shows promising results in the application of stripe noise removal from meteorological satellite cloud images.

Abstract Kinematic data is a valuable source of movement information that provides insights into the health status, mental state, and motor skills of individuals. Additionally, kinematic data can serve as biometric data, enabling the identification of personal characteristics such as height, weight, and sex. In CeTI-Locomotion, four types of walking tasks and the 5 times sit-to-stand test (5RSTST) were recorded from 50 young adults wearing motion capture (mocap) suits equipped with Inertia-Measurement-Units (IMU). Our dataset is unique in that it allows the study of both intra- and inter-participant variability with high quality kinematic motion data for different motion tasks. Along with the raw kinematic data, we provide the source code for phase segmentation and the processed data, which has been segmented into a total of 4672 individual motion repetitions. To validate the data, we conducted visual inspection as well as machine-learning based identity and action recognition tests, achieving 97% and 84% accuracy, respectively. The data can serve as a normative reference of gait and sit-to-stand movements in healthy young adults and as training data for biometric recognition.

Although several synthetic hydrogels with defined stiffness have been developed to facilitate the proliferation and maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), the influence of biochemical cues in lineage-specific differentiation and functional cluster formation has been rarely reported. Here, we present the application of Supragel, a supramolecular hydrogel formed by synthesized biotinylated peptides, for islet-like cluster differentiation. We observed that Supragel, with a peptide concentration of 5 mg/mL promoted spontaneous hPSCs formation into uniform clusters, which is mainly attributable to a supporting stiffness of ∼1.5 kPa as provided by the Supragel matrix. Supragel was also found to interact with the hPSCs and facilitate endodermal and subsequent insulin-secreting cell differentiation, partially through its components: the sequences of RGD and YIGSR that interacts with cell membrane molecules of integrin receptor. Compared to Matrigel and suspension culturing conditions, more efficient differentiation of the hPSCs was also observed at the stages 3 and 4, as well as the final stage toward generation of insulin-secreting cells. This could be explained by 1) suitable average size of the hPSCs clusters cultured on Supragel; 2) appropriate level of cell adhesive sites provided by Supragel during differentiation. It is worth noting that the Supragel culture system was more tolerance in terms of the initial seeding densities and less demanding, since a standard static cell culture condition was sufficient for the entire differentiation process. Our observations demonstrate a positive role of Supragel for hPSCs differentiation into islet-like cells, with additional potential in facilitating germ layer differentiation.

Abstract Background Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections poses global challenges, with limited options available for targeted therapy. Polymyxin was been regarded as one of the most important last-resort antimicrobial agents. Many factors could accelerate the resistance evolution of polymyxin. Insertion sequence (IS) inserted into mgrB is the main polymyxin resistance mechanism in K. pneumoniae. In this study, two CRKPs (KP31157 and KP31311) were isolated from the urine of a patient, shifting from susceptible to resistant as the mgrB inserted by ISkpn14. We intended to explore the origin of the IS and underlying mechanisms resulting in polymyxin resistance. Methods The within-host evolution relationship and molecular features of both CRKPs were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). pKP31311_KPC-2 plasmid genome structures contained in the above two CRKPs were aligned with the homologic plasmids, retrieved from the NCBI genome database via comparative genomic analysis. The plasmids encoding ISkpn14 elements flanked by direct repeat (DR) or not were analyzed. The mRNA expression, plasmid curing and in vitro antibiotics inducing experiment were employed to understand the potential mechanism of polymyxin resistance. Results Both strains, sharing homology, exhibited polymyxin resistance due to the insertion of ISkpn14 into the mgrB gene, influenced by minocycline exposure. Minocycline and tigecycline could accelerate polymyxin resistance (P

Abstract Tongue cancer is among the most prevalent head and neck cancers and is most commonly treated via surgery. We assessed the articulation differences in patients with early and advanced tongue cancer. The study included 26 postoperative tongue cancer patients. We evaluated articulation based on bilabial, labiodental, apical, posterior, laminal, apical front, and apical back speech sounds. The 26 postoperative tongue cancer patients (24 males, two females) had an average age of 54.3 (range 37–89 old) years. Twelve patients were classified as early T stage (T1/T2), while 14 were classified as advanced T stage (T3/T4). The total articulation score was not significantly related to the T stage but apical sounds were so associated. The total articulation score did not significantly differ between postoperative patients with early and advanced tongue cancer. In subgroup analysis, the apical sound was significantly impaired in postoperative patients with advanced tongue cancer.

Abstract Objective This study aims to compare the efficacy of the Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI) and the Elixhauser-Van Walraven Comorbidity Index (ECI-VW) in predicting mortality risk among patients undergoing heart valve surgery. Methods Clinical data were extracted from the INSPIRE Database using R language. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve was employed to assess the predictive accuracy of ACCI and ECI-VW for in-hospital all-cause mortality and post-surgical all-cause mortality at 7 and 28 days. Subgroup analysis was conducted to validate the application efficacy, and the optimal cutoff value was identified. Results The study included 996 patients, with 931 survivors and 65 cases of in-hospital all-cause mortality. The area under the curve (AUC) for ACCI in predicting in-hospital all-cause mortality was 0.658 (95% CI: 0.584, 0.732), while the AUC for ECI-vw in predicting the same outcome was 0.663 (95% CI: 0.584, 0.741). For predicting all-cause mortality within 7 days post-surgery, the AUC of ACCI was 0.680 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.56), and for ECI-vw, it was 0.532 (95% CI: 0.353, 0.712). Regarding the prediction of all-cause mortality within 28 days after surgery, the AUC for ACCI was 0.724 (95% CI: 0.622, 0.827), and for ECI-vw, it was 0.653 (95% CI: 0.538, 0.69). Patients were categorized into two groups based on the ACCI cutoff value of 3.5, including Group 1 (ACCI 3.5 points, 173 cases). The overall survival rate for these two patient groups was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, revealing that the 28-day postoperative survival rate for patients in Group 1 was significantly higher than that for patients in Group 2 (P

Abstract Background Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common complication characterized by fullness of the bladder without the ability to urinate. Its etiology in proctology surgery is multifactorial. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for POUR after radical surgery for anal fistula. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 511 patients who underwent radical surgery for anal fistula at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from August 2022 to December 2023. Risk factors for POUR were analyzed by means of binary logistic regression analyses. Results POUR occurred in 57 patients (11.2%) within 48 h post-surgery, and males were predominantly affected (84.4%). Independent risk factors included a history of urological disease (OR = 6.048; p

Highlights A multiscale hierarchical structure design, integrating wrinkled MXene radar-infrared shielding layer and flexible Fe3O4@C/PDMS microwave absorption layer The assembled stealth devices realize a near-perfect stealth capability in both X-band (8-12 GHz) and long-wave infrared (8-14 µm) wavelength ranges. The optimal device demonstrates exceptional curved surface conformability, self-cleaning capability (contact angle ≈ 129°), and abrasion resistance (recovery time ≈ 5 s).

Abstract Background Viral infectious diseases of poverty (vIDPs) remain a significant global health challenge. Despite their profound impact, the burden of these diseases is not comprehensively quantified. This study aims to analyze the global burden of six major vIDPs, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), HIV/AIDS, acute hepatitis, dengue, rabies, and Ebola virus disease (EVD), using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021 (GBD 2021). Methods Following the GBD 2021 framework, we analyzed the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of the six vIDPs across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We examined the association between the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) and the burden of vIDPs. All estimates were reported as numbers and rates per 100,000 population, calculated using the Bayesian statistical model employed by GBD 2021, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI). Results In 2021, vIDPs caused approximately 8.7 million deaths and 259.2 million DALYs, accounting for 12.8% and 9.0% of the global all-cause totals, respectively. Globally, the burden of vIDPs varied significantly: COVID-19 caused around 7.9 million (95% UI: 7.5, 8.4) deaths and 212.0 million (95% UI 197.9, 234.7) DALYs in 2021. Acute hepatitis had the second-highest age-standardized incidence rate, with 3411.5 (95% UI: 3201.8, 3631.3) per 100,000 population, while HIV/AIDS had a high age-standardized prevalence rate, with 483.1 (95% UI: 459.0, 511.4) per 100,000 population. Dengue incidence cases rose from 26.5 million (95% UI: 3.9, 51.9) in 1990 to 59.0 million (95% UI: 15.5, 106.9) in 2021. Rabies, although reduced in prevalence, continued to pose a significant mortality risk. EVD had the lowest overall burden but significant outbreak impacts. Age-standardized DALY rates for vIDPs were significantly negatively correlated with SDI: acute hepatitis (r = −0.8, P

Abstract Dopamine (DA) neurons play a crucial role in the development and manifestation of depression, as well as in response to antidepressant treatments. While the function of the predominantly distributed DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is well established, the contribution of a small fraction of DA neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) during depression remains unclear. In this study, we found that chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induces depression-related behaviors and decreases spontaneous firing rates, excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents of DA neurons in the DRN associated with reduced excitatory synaptic transmission in male and female mice. The chemogenetic inhibition of DA neurons in the DRN produces depressive phenotypes. Conversely, their activation completely reversed the anhedonic and despair behaviors induced by CUS. Furthermore, we showed that a DRN dopaminergic projecting to the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST) selectively controls depressive behaviors by influencing the neural activity and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) mediating EPSC of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II+ (CaMKII+) target neurons by regulating dopamine neurotransmitter and dopamine receptor 2 (DR2) in the dBNST. Overall, these findings highlight the essential role of the DRNDA → dBNSTCaMKII+ neural circuit in bi-directionally mediating stress-induced depression-related behaviors. Our findings indicate that DRN DA neurons are a key component of the neural circuitry involved in regulating depression-related behaviors, making them a potential therapeutic target for depression.

Abstract Background The ability of skeletal muscle to respond adequately to changes in nutrient availability, known as metabolic flexibility, is essential for the maintenance of metabolic health and loss of flexibility contributes to the development of diabetes and obesity. The tumour suppressor protein, p53, has been linked to the control of energy metabolism. We assessed its role in the acute control of nutrient allocation in skeletal muscle in the context of limited nutrient availability. Methods A mouse model with inducible deletion of the p53‐encoding gene, Trp53, in skeletal muscle was generated using the Cre‐loxP‐system. A detailed analysis of nutrient metabolism in mice with control and knockout genotypes was performed under ad libitum fed and fasting conditions and in exercised mice. Results Acute deletion of p53 in myofibres of mice activated catabolic nutrient usage pathways even under ad libitum fed conditions, resulting in significantly increased overall energy expenditure (+10.6%; P = 0.0385) and a severe nutrient deficit in muscle characterized by depleted intramuscular glucose and glycogen levels (−62,0%; P

As critical conduits for the dissemination of online public opinion, social media platforms offer a timely and effective means for managing emergencies during major disasters, such as earthquakes. This study focuses on the analysis of online public opinions following the Maduo M7.4 earthquake in Qinghai Province and the Yangbi M6.4 earthquake in Yunnan Province. By collecting, cleaning, and organizing post-earthquake Sina Weibo (short for Weibo) data, we employed the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model to extract information pertinent to public opinion on these earthquakes. This analysis included a comparison of the nature and temporal evolution of online public opinions related to both events. An emotion analysis, utilizing an emotion dictionary, categorized the emotional content of post-earthquake Weibo posts, facilitating a comparative study of the characteristics and temporal trends of online public emotions following the earthquakes. The findings were visualized using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. The analysis revealed certain commonalities in online public opinion following both earthquakes. Notably, the peak of online engagement occurred within the first 24 hours post-earthquake, with a rapid decline observed between 24 to 48 hours thereafter. The variation in popularity of online public opinion was linked to aftershock occurrences. Adjusted for population factors, online engagement in areas surrounding the earthquake sites and in Sichuan Province was significantly high. Initially dominated by feelings of “fear” and “surprise”, the public sentiment shifted towards a more positive outlook with the onset of rescue operations. However, distinctions in the online public response to each earthquake were also noted. Following the Yangbi earthquake, Yunnan Province reported the highest number of Weibo posts nationwide; in contrast, Qinghai Province ranked third post-Maduo earthquake, attributable to its smaller population size and extensive damage to communication infrastructure. This research offers a methodological approach for the analysis of online public opinion related to earthquakes, providing insights for the enhancement of post-disaster emergency management and public mental health support.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an important treatment strategy for patients with coronary artery disease. However, bleeding after PCI significantly increases the mortality risk. The search for prognostic predictors and optimal antiplatelet therapy for patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) after PCI has been a much researched upon topic in current cardiovascular research. However, there is no widely accepted prognostic model or recommended antiplatelet therapy for patients with PCI-HBR. In this trial, based on prospective multi-center database building, we will analyze the adverse prognostic predictors for patients with PCI-HBR, observe the types of antiplatelet drugs and duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in PCI-HBR patients, and compare the safety and feasibility of different antiplatelet regimens and treatment courses. The prognostic analysis and an appropriate antiplatelet strategy for patients with PCI and high bleeding risk (PPP-PCI) trial will help analyze bleeding risk factors in PCI-HBR patients and explore the appropriate antiplatelet treatment options. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05369442). The Research Ethics Committee of West China Hospital authorized this study (2022 Review #269). The trial results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences.

Structural modularization, lightweight and functional integration are the urgent development directions for next generation high-performance aeroengines. Heat concentration during aeroengine operation would lead to local high temperature, which tremendously negative impacts on aeroengine structural life and performance. Therefore, the design and optimization of radiator structures are significant for the efficiency and reliability of aeroengine. The structural geometry design and layout optimization of radiators is promising to improve the heat dissipation efficiency and reduce aerodynamic loss. The purpose of this study is to investigate the state of the art and perspectives of aeroengine radiator structural design by a comprehensive literature review. The main contents involve the review on the structural design and layout optimization technologies of radiator structures, the analyses of the structural features, design theory and methods of existed radiator structures, the induction of the theory and method of different radiators structural optimization design, and the discussion on the application perspectives of advanced structures in aeroengine radiators, the report on the current challenges and development directions of the design of radiator structures, including smart materials, lattice structures, variable structures, advanced optimization theories and methods, heat dissipation methods and so forth. The efforts of this study are promising to support the high-performance and lightweight design of aeroengine structures besides radiators, and thermal management system.

Abstract Photovoltaic development has played a crucial role in mitigating the energy crisis and addressing global climate change. However, it has also had significant impacts on the ecological environment. To ensure the sustainable growth of the photovoltaic industry, it is essential to establish an indicator system to assess the ecological and environmental effects of photovoltaic development. This study utilizes the Driving-Pressure–Status–Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to create an indicator system for evaluating the ecological and environmental effects of desert photovoltaic development. The study evaluates the ecological and environmental effects at the on-site (WPS), transitional zone (TPS), and off-site (OPS) areas of the Qinghai Gonghe Photovoltaic Park in China. The entropy weight method was utilized to calculate indicator weights, while the evaluation model and indicators were transformed uniformly to obtain standardized scores for ecological and environmental effects. and conducting a thorough analysis of the distribution characteristics and factors influencing the evaluation indicators’ scores. Overall, the large-scale development of desert photovoltaics in Gonghe County has had a positive impact on the ecological environment. The WPS had better ecological and environmental conditions than did the TPS and OPS, and the ecological and environmental evaluation levels of the WPS were categorized as “general” (0.439), while the ecological and environmental effect evaluation levels of the TPS (0.286) and OPS (0.28) were both “poor”, indicating significant room for improvement. Moreover, all indicators in the scheme layer, which are used to evaluate ecological and environmental quality, yielded higher scores for the WPS than for the TPS and OPS, demonstrating that photovoltaic development has a positive effect on desert area ecology and the environment.

Abstract Over the past decade, organoids have emerged as a prevalent and promising research tool, mirroring the physiological architecture of the human body. However, as the field advances, the traditional use of animal or tumor-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) as scaffolds has become increasingly inadequate. This shift has led to a focus on developing synthetic scaffolds, particularly hydrogels, that more accurately mimic three-dimensional (3D) tissue structures and dynamics in vitro. The ECM–cell interaction is crucial for organoid growth, necessitating hydrogels that meet organoid-specific requirements through modifiable physical and compositional properties. Advanced composite hydrogels have been engineered to more effectively replicate in vivo conditions, offering a more accurate representation of human organs compared to traditional matrices. This review explores the evolution and current uses of decellularized ECM scaffolds, emphasizing the application of decellularized ECM hydrogels in organoid culture. It also explores the fabrication of composite hydrogels and the prospects for their future use in organoid systems.

Abstract With the proceeding of global warming and water eutrophication, the phenomenon of green tide has garnered significant societal interest. Consequently, researchers had increasingly focused on the potential applications of green algae biomass, particularly its polysaccharides. The polysaccharide serves as the primary active constituent of green algae and has demonstrated numerous advantageous biological activities, including antioxidant, antiviral, anticoagulant, hypolipidemic and immuno-modulatory activities. The favorable bioavailability and solubility of green algae oligosaccharides are attributed to their low molecular weight. So there has been a growing interest in researching green algae polysaccharides and oligosaccharides for the utilization of marine biological resources. This review summarized the extraction, purification, chemical structure, composition, biological activity, and potential applications prospect of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides derived from green algae. The review could be helpful for expanding the applications of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides of green algae. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Lymphocyte receptors independently evolved in both jawed and jawless vertebrates with similar adaptive immune responses. However, the diversity of functional subtypes and molecular architecture in jawless vertebrate lymphocytes, comparable to jawed species, is not well defined. Here, we profile the gills, intestines, and blood of the lamprey, Lampetra morii, with single-cell RNA sequencing, using a full-length transcriptome as a reference. Our findings reveal higher tissue-specific heterogeneity among T-like cells in contrast to B-like cells. Notably, we identify a unique T-like cell subtype expressing a homolog of the nonlymphoid hematopoietic growth factor receptor, MPL-like (MPL-L). These MPL-L+ T-like cells exhibit features distinct from T cells of jawed vertebrates, particularly in their elevated expression of hematopoietic genes. We further discovered that MPL-L+ VLRA+ T-like cells are widely present in the typhlosole, gill, liver, kidney, and skin of lamprey and they proliferate in response to both a T cell mitogen and recombinant human thrombopoietin. These findings provide new insights into the adaptive immune response in jawless vertebrates, shedding new light on the evolution of adaptive immunity.

Based on the independently developed 5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and research needs of 13C metabolic MRI, a gradient coil and 1H/13C dual resonance radiofrequency (RF) coil system for small-bore MRI were designed. The gradient coil was designed by using the finite-difference stream function method, and the RF coil was designed as a saddle coil combined with a surface coil in a dual-resonance scheme. Numerical simulation analysis of the magnetic field distribution was carried out by using the finite-element method, and a set of gradient and RF coils for small-bore 5 T 13C MRI was successfully developed. The feasibility of the design scheme was verified using a home-made 5 T MRI system, and the magnetic resonance images of 13C-labeled urea phantom and 1H magnetic resonance images of mice head were acquired by experimental tests, which lays a foundation for 13C metabolic MRI based on dynamic nuclear polarization in the future.

Aluminum–Lithium (Al–Li) alloys widely used in aerospace manufacture are highly susceptible to corrosion, which limits their industrial applications. Herein, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES) is used as a modifier for low-surface-energy treatment of TiO2 nanoparticles. The water-based polyurethane (PU) is made as a binder to achieve a tight bonding between modified ceramic particles and Al–Li alloy, thus resulting in the extremely-feasible air-spraying preparation of a superhydrophobic coating with strong abrasion resistance. The water contact angle (CA) of as-prepared coating achieves 160 ± 0.83°, and the rolling angle (SA) is as low as 5.95 ± 0.59°. The surface structure, organization and composition are further characterized using SEM, EDS, XPS and laser confocal microscopy. Meanwhile, the electrochemical impedance and potentiodynamic polarization tests are performed for corrosion characterization. The results show that the corrosion potential of such coating increases by 170 mV compared with substrate, the corrosion current density decreases by two orders of magnitude, and the impedance modulus increases by two orders. The corrosion inhibition rate of the as-prepared coating is 98.8%, indicating that the corrosion resistance has been significantly enhanced. In addition, the mechanical robustness and stability of the coating is evaluated and confirmed using a sandpaper rubbing test. It also possesses great self-cleaning, anti-pollution and thermostable behaviors, thereby allowing them to work in extreme manufactures. Moreover, the as-prepared coating exhibits excellent adaptability to various materials and anti-icing property. This work sheds positive insights in enlarging industrial applications of multifunctional ceramic coatings in aerospace fields.

Abstract Background The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a reliable marker of insulin resistance that is involved in the progression of hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the association of the TyG index with the risk for major cardiovascular events (MACE) in young adult hypertension. Methods A total of 2,651 hypertensive patients aged 18–40 years were consecutively enrolled in this study. The TyG index was calculated as Ln [triglycerides × fasting plasma glucose/2]. The cutoff value for an elevated TyG index was determined to be 8.43 by receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. The primary endpoint was MACE, which was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, non-fatal stroke, and end-stage renal dysfunction. The secondary endpoints were individual MACE components. Results During the median follow-up time of 2.6 years, an elevated TyG index was associated with markedly increased risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 3.440, P

The study investigated the effects of violin note B7 (Violin), double bass note E1 (Bass) and Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448 (Mozart), on laying hens in terms of the production performance, egg quality and physiological characteristics. One hundred and sixty 600-day-old laying hens (ISA Brown) were randomly categorised into four groups with four replicates (10 hens/ replicate), and exposed to specific sound frequency for 12 weeks. The results indicated that Violin group presented significantly higher thick albumin height, Haugh unit and yolk index compared to the control group (p

The modification of stereoregulated functionalized polymers on the surface of natural rubber (NR) is a challenging task. This work provided a practicable grafting method to design photochromic polymer brushes on the NR surfaces using surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization (SI-ROMP). The designed photochromic polymer brushes were based on norbornenes with spiropyrin (SP) pendents, and grew from the surface of NR films in the presence of Grubbs 2nd catalyst. The results showed that the grafting rate of polymer brushes with photoisomerization structure reached up to 44.91 %. The modified natural rubber (NR-SP) films exhibited rapid coloring/decolorization property under UV irradiation and visible light. This photochromic property initiated by the light-induced isomerisation of the spiropyran structure and the increased surface energy under light stimuli. NR-SP films exhibited stable photochromic characteristics and outstanding anti-fatigue properties after exposing to over six cycles of consecutive UV/Vis irradiation. A simple and practical strategy for the preparation of highly sensitive photochromic natural rubber materials is proposed and provides a potential application in the fields of information storage and anti-counterfeiting.

Cervical cancer remains a significant global public health concern, often exhibits cisplatin resistance in clinical settings. Hypoxia, a characteristic of cervical cancer, substantially contributes to cisplatin resistance. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin in patients with cervical cancer and to identify potential effective drugs against cisplatin resistance, we established a hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)-related risk score (HRRS) model using clinical data from patients treated with cisplatin. Cox and LASSO regression analyses were used to stratify patient risks and prognosis. Through qRT-PCR, we validated nine potential prognostic HIF-1 genes that successfully predict cisplatin responsiveness in patients and cell lines. Subsequently, we identified fostamatinib, an FDA-approved spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as a promising drug for targeting the HRRS-high group. We observed a positive correlation between the IC50 values of fostamatinib and HRRS in cervical cancer cell lines. Moreover, fostamatinib exhibited potent anticancer effects on high HRRS groups in vitro and in vivo. In summary, we developed a hypoxia-related gene signature that suggests cisplatin response prediction in cervical cancer and identified fostamatinib as a potential novel treatment approach for resistant cases.

Recently, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) have developed rapidly and have been applied in many fields, such as power storage and new energy transportation. LICs utilize the cathode materials of electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and the anode materials of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This produces a unique energy storage mechanism different from those of LIBs and EDLCs, i.e., charge transfer and Li+ insertion and desorption. Consequently, LICs combine the advantages of LIBs and EDLCs with high energy density, high power density, and long cycle life. However, because of this unique energy storage protocol, LICs inherit the poor low-temperature performance of LIBs, severely limiting their widespread application. Sometimes, the electrolyte becomes more viscous or even solidifies, affecting normal ion transportation and charge transfer. An increase in impedance prevents the normal operation of LICs, severely limiting their all-weather applications. Improving the low-temperature performance of LICs has become an urgent issue and has received widespread attention from researchers. Electrodes and electrolytes are the main components of LICs, and numerous studies have shown that their relationship directly determines the energy storage process of LICs at low temperatures. Therefore, this article reviews the recent research progress on the design and fabrication of low-temperature LICs in terms of electrodes and electrolytes. First, the research on key electrode materials for high-performance low-temperature LICs is discussed, including chemical modification, surface modification, ion insertion, and the development of new electrode materials for rapid intercalation of traditional carbon-based materials. Second, the electrolyte system that matches the electrode material is critically reviewed. The fundamental reasons for the poor performance of LICs in low-temperature environments are comprehensively explained from the chemical properties, physical states, and reaction mechanisms, providing a sufficient theoretical basis for searching electrolyte systems with better low-temperature performance. Third, starting from the main components of the electrolyte–lithium salts, solvents, and additives, this article summarizes the past year’s progress on low-temperature electrolytes in LICs. Emphasis is placed on additives for LIC electrolytes, which, as the essence of the entire electrolyte system, are the most controllable factor throughout the electrolyte system and currently the most available factor for selection. They can reduce the viscosity of the electrolyte with minimal content and improve the low-temperature charging and discharging ability of LICs. Commonly used low-temperature additives such as fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), vinylene carbonate (VC), ropylene sulfite (PS) and lithium difluorooxalate borate (LiODFB) demonstrate excellent low-temperature performance. Finally, the article summarizes the research progress of the new generation of low-temperature electrolytes and provides a tentative outlook toward next-generation LICs with a wide temperature range.

Background: Histopathology diagnosis is often regarded as the final diagnostic method for malignant tumors; however, it has some drawbacks. This study explored a computer-aided diagnostic method that can be used to identify benign and malignant gastric cancer using histopathological images. Methods: The most suitable process was selected through multiple experiments by comparing multiple methods and features for classification. First, the U-net was applied to segment the image. Next, the nucleus was extracted from the segmented image, and the minimum spanning tree (MST) diagram structure that can capture the topological information was drawn. The third step was to extract the graph-curvature features of the histopathological image according to the MST image. Finally, by inputting the graph-curvature features into the classifier, the recognition results for benign or malignant cancer can be obtained. Results: During the experiment, we used various methods for comparison. In the image segmentation stage, U-net, watershed algorithm, and Otsu threshold segmentation methods were used. We found that the U-net method, combined with multiple indicators, was the most suitable for segmentation of histopathological images. In the feature extraction stage, in addition to extracting graph-edge and graph-curvature features, several basic image features were extracted, including the red, green and blue feature, gray-level co-occurrence matrix feature, histogram of oriented gradient feature, and local binary pattern feature. In the classifier design stage, we experimented with various methods, such as support vector machine (SVM), random forest, artificial neural network, K nearest neighbors, VGG-16, and inception-V3. Through comparison and analysis, it was found that classification results with an accuracy of 98.57% can be obtained by inputting the graph-curvature feature into the SVM classifier. Conclusion: This study created a unique feature, the graph-curvature feature, based on the MST to represent and analyze histopathological images. This graph-based feature could be used to identify benign and malignant cells in histopathological images and assist pathologists in diagnosis.

Background: The reproducibility of positron emission tomography (PET) radiomics features is affected by several factors, such as scanning equipment, drug metabolism time and reconstruction algorithm. We aimed to explore the role of 3D local binary pattern (LBP)-based texture in increasing the accuracy and reproducibility of PET radiomics for predicting pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM) in patients with cervical cancer. Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 177 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. They underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)whole-body PET/computed tomography (PET/CT), followed by pelvic 18F-FDG PET/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR). We selected reproducible and informative PET radiomics features using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm, and established 4 models, PET/CT, PET/CT-fusion, PET/MR and PET/MR-fusion, using the logistic regression algorithm. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to evaluate the models in the training data set (65 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection) and test data set (112 patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy or no treatment). The DeLong test was used for pairwise comparison of the ROC curves among the models. Results: The distribution of age, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stage and PLNM between the training and test data sets were different (P < 0.05). The LBP-transformed radiomics features (50/379) had higher reproducibility than the original radiomics features (9/107). Accuracy of each model in predicting PLNM was as follows: training data set: PET/CT = PET/CT-fusion = PET/MR-fusion (0.848) and test data set: PET/CT = PET/CT-fusion (0.985) > PET/MR = PET/MR-fusion (0.954). There was no statistical difference between the ROC curve of PET/CT and PET/MR models in both data sets (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The LBP-transformed radiomics features based on PET images could increase the accuracy and reproducibility of PET radiomics in predicting pelvic lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer to allow the model to be generalised for clinical use across multiple centres.

Abstract Most COVID-19 vaccines elicit immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. However, Spike protein mutations in emerging strains and immune evasion by the SARS-CoV-2 virus demonstrates the need to develop more broadly targeting vaccines. To facilitate this, we use mass spectrometry to identify immunopeptides derived from seven relatively conserved structural and non-structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins (N, E, Nsp1/4/5/8/9). We use two different B-lymphoblastoid cell lines to map Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I and class II immunopeptidomes covering some of the prevalent HLA types across the global human population. We employ DNA plasmid transfection and direct antigen delivery approaches to sample different antigens and find 248 unique HLA class I and HLA class II bound peptides with 71 derived from N, 12 from E, 28 from Nsp1, 19 from Nsp4, 73 from Nsp8 and 45 peptides derived from Nsp9. Over half of the viral peptides are unpublished. T cell reactivity tested against 56 of the detected peptides shows CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses against several peptides from the N, E, and Nsp9 proteins. Results from this study will aid the development of next-generation COVID vaccines targeting epitopes from across a number of SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

Abstract Serine/threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) serves as a scaffold protein and is engaged in a variety of cellular activities, although its importance in antiviral innate immunity is unknown. We discovered that STRAP works as an interferon (IFN)-inducible positive regulator, facilitating type I IFN signaling during pseudorabies virus infection. Mechanistically, STRAP interacts with TBK1 to activate type I IFN signaling. Both the CT and WD40 7 − 6 domains contribute to the function of STRAP. Furthermore, TBK1 competes with PRV-UL50 for binding to STRAP, and STRAP impedes the degradation of TBK1 mediated by PRV-UL50, thereby increasing the interaction between STRAP and TBK1. Overall, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for STRAP in innate antiviral immune responses during PRV infection. STRAP could be a potential therapeutic target for viral infectious diseases.

Abstract Background Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of leading causes of diabetes-associated mortality. The gut microbiota-derived branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) have been reported to play a central role in the onset and progression of DCM, but the potential mechanisms remain elusive. Results We found the type 1 diabetes (T1D) mice had higher circulating BCAA levels due to a reduced BCAA degradation ability of the gut microbiota. Excess BCAA decreased hepatic FGF21 production by inhibiting PPARα signaling pathway and thereby resulted in a higher expression level of cardiac LAT1 via transcription factor Zbtb7c. High cardiac LAT1 increased the levels of BCAA in the heart and then caused mitochondrial damage and myocardial apoptosis through mTOR signaling pathway, leading to cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in T1D mice. Additionally, transplant of faecal microbiota from healthy mice alleviated cardiac dysfunction in T1D mice, but this effect was abolished by FGF21 knockdown. Conclusions Our study sheds light on BCAA-mediated crosstalk among the gut microbiota, liver and heart to promote DCM and FGF21 serves as a key mediator. Video Abstract

A comprehensive understanding of the distribution pattern and driving factors of population aging at the country level in China is fundamental for enhancing the governance capacity of the governing authorities and implementing a national strategy to actively cope with the aging society. On the basis of the 2000, 2010, and 2020 census data on the Chinese population, we determined the distribution pattern of population aging in China over the past 20 years at the county level and adopted a fractional response model to identify the main influencing factors of such spatial distribution from three perspectives: the natural environment, socioeconomic factors, and population migration. The following observations were made: 1) During the past 20 years, most counties in China have entered into an "aging society," some counties have entered into an "aged society," and counties in the Chengdu-Chongqing region, central Inner Mongolia, and peripheral Yangtze River Delta have entered into a "hyper-aged society." 2) The spatial structure of the distribution of population aging exhibited various patterns. Overall, the Hu Line is a clear demarcation for the distribution, with the degree of aging of the counties in the southeastern half of the line being generally higher than that of the counties in the northwestern half and maintaining a certain degree of stability. During the past 20 years, the aging population has shown a gradient diffusion of the characteristics of the Eastern monsoon region―Northwest arid region―Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region. From a local perspective, population aging presents various structural characteristics, such as "homogenization," "reverse core-edge," and "core-edge" spatial structures. 3) Significant regional differences exist in population aging. Vast differences in population aging between different ecological regions, between urban and rural areas, and between ethnic and non-ethnic autonomous regions are obvious, and these differences tend to expand further. 4) Natural factors have laid the macro pattern of the distribution of population aging. Socioeconomic factors are the main driving force of the aging process, and population migration has played an important role in restructuring the aging space pattern. This study provides a scientific basis for optimization of the spatial allocation of pension resources, and different regions can actively respond to the formulation and improvement of differentiated policies for population aging.

The postmortem conversion of muscle to meat goes through a series of complex physiological and biochemical changes, among which protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) are key factors affecting meat quality. Glycolysis is the major energy supply pathway in postmortem muscle. PTMs can change the function and structure of pyruvate kinase, a rate-limiting enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, which can in turn affect meat quality. Beginning with an overview of the structure and function of pyruvate kinase, this article reviews the recent research progress on the effects of PTMs of pyruvate kinase on its function and structure and the effects of pyruvate kinase phosphorylation, acetylation and S-nitrosylation on meat quality.

Abstract Understanding thermal transport mechanisms in phase change materials is critical to elucidating the microscopic picture of phase transitions and advancing thermal energy conversion and storage. Experiments consistently show that cubic phase germanium telluride (GeTe) has an unexpected increase in lattice thermal conductivity with rising temperature. Despite its ubiquity, resolving its origin has remained elusive. In this work, we carry out temperature-dependent lattice thermal conductivity calculations for cubic GeTe through efficient, high-order machine-learned models and additional corrections for coherence effects. We corroborate the calculated phonon properties with our inelastic X-ray scattering measurements. Our calculated lattice thermal conductivity values agree well with experiments and show a similar increasing trend. Through additional bonding strength calculations, we propose that a major contributor to the increasing lattice thermal conductivity is the strengthening of second-nearest neighbor interactions. The findings herein serve to deepen our understanding of thermal transport in phase-change materials.

Abstract Background Organoids are approved by the US FDA as an alternative to animal experiments to guide drug development and for sensitivity screening. Stable organoids models of gastric cancer are desirable for personalized medicine and drug screening. Methods Tumor tissues from a primary cancer of the stomach and metastatic cancer of the lymph node were collected for 3D culture. By long-term culture for over 50 generations in vitro, we obtained stably growing organoid lines. We analyzed short tandem repeats (STRs) and karyotypes of cancer cells, and tumorigenesis of the organoids in nude mice, as well as multi-omics profiles of the organoids. A CCK8 method was used to determine the drugs sensitivity to fluorouracil (5-Fu), platinum and paclitaxel. Results Paired organoid lines from primary cancer (SPDO1P) and metastatic lymph node (SPDO1LM) were established with unique STRs and karyotypes. The organoid lines resulted in tumorigenesis in vivo and had clear genetic profiles. Compared to SPDO1P from primary cancer, upregulated genes of SPDO1LM from the metastatic lymph node were enriched in pathways of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis with stronger abilities of cell migration, invasion, and pro-angiogenesis. Based on drug sensitivity analysis, the SOX regimen (5-Fu plus oxaliplatin) was used for chemotherapy with an optimal clinical outcome. Conclusions The organoid lines recapitulate the drug sensitivity of the parental tissues. The paired organoid lines present a step-change toward living biobanks for further translational usage.

Abstract With advancements in sustainable urban development, research on urban functional areas has garnered significant attention. In recent years, Point-of-Interest, with their large volume of information and ease of acquisition, have been widely applied in research on urban functional domains. However, scholars currently focus on the identification of urban functional areas, usually relying on data from a single period, whereas research on the prediction of functional areas has not yet been well validated. Therefore, in this study, we propose a new method based on several years of POI data to predict urban functional areas. Taking Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, as an example, we first identified the functional area distribution of the old city of Nanjing over several years using POI data and then designed multiple sets of experiments to explore the CA–Markov model’s ability to predict functional areas from various aspects, including model overall accuracy, robustness, and comparison analysis between predictions and actual situations. The results show that (1) for mixed or single functional areas, the model’s predictions over several years tend to be stable, and the accuracy of the predictions over many years indicates the robustness of the model in predicting urban functional areas. (2) For mixed functional areas in cities, model predictions largely rely on the distribution of the base years used for prediction, leading to inaccurate results; thus, it is still not applicable for simulating and predicting mixed functional areas. (3) For single functional areas in cities or primary functions within an area, the model’s predicted degree of change was close to the actual degree of change, making the results referable.

Combined with sizing and two-dimensional knitting technology，continuous alumina fiber sewing threads with partial covering structures of F-3，F-4 and F-5 were prepared，and the effect of covering structure on the wear behavior between sewing threads and pinholes was studied by using a self-developed experimental device. The contour appearance of sewing threads with different coating structures and the damage morphology evolution under friction were characterized by 3D profilometer. Through the tensile tests，the strength retention rate of sewing thread under different rubbing times was characterized. The wear performance of sewing thread under different experimental parameters was evaluated by the number of wear breaks. The results show that the change of coating process parameters affects the fluctuation state of sewing thread surface profile，which leads to the increase of hairiness length after wear with the increase of coating yarn number and knitting pitch. Compared with the original yarn and sizing yarn，the wear resistance of sewing thread is significantly improved. With the increase of rubbing times，the strength retention rate of sewing thread shows a rapid decline and then tends to be flat. When rubbing times reach 30 times，the strength retention rates of F-3，F-4 and F-5 sewing threads are 12.89%，28.82% and 18.35% respectively. With the increases of friction distance and yarn tension and the decrease of friction angle，the number of wear-out of sewing thread decreases gradually.

Traditional predictive models, often used in simpler settings, face issues like high latency and computational demands, especially in complex real-world environments. Recent progress in deep learning has advanced spatiotemporal prediction research, yet challenges persist in general scenarios: (ⅰ) Latency and computational load of models; (ⅱ) dynamic nature of real-world environments; (ⅲ) complex motion and monitoring scenes. To overcome these challenges, we introduced a novel spatiotemporal prediction framework. It replaced high-latency recurrent models with fully convolutional ones, improving inference speed. Furthermore, it addressed the dynamic nature of environments with multilevel frequency domain encoders and decoders, facilitating spatial and temporal learning. For complex monitoring scenarios, a large receptive field token mixer spatial-frequency attention units (SAU) and time attention units (TAU) ensured temporal and spatial continuity. This framework outperformed current methods in accuracy and speed on public datasets, showing promising practical applications beyond electricity monitoring.

Abstract Cell fate decisions remain poorly understood at the molecular level. Embryogenesis provides a unique opportunity to analyze molecular details associated with cell fate decisions. Works based on model organisms have provided a conceptual framework of genes that specify cell fate control, for example, transcription factors (TFs) controlling processes from pluripotency to immunity1. How TFs specify cell fate remains poorly understood. Here we report that SALL4 relies on NuRD (nucleosome-remodeling and deacetylase complex) to interpret BMP4 signal and decide cell fate in a well-controlled in vitro system. While NuRD complex cooperates with SALL4 to convert mouse embryonic fibroblasts or MEFs to pluripotency, BMP4 diverts the same process to an alternative fate, PrE (primitive endoderm). Mechanistically, BMP4 signals the dissociation of SALL4 from NuRD physically to establish a gene regulatory network for PrE. Our results provide a conceptual framework to explore the rich landscapes of cell fate choices intrinsic to development in higher organisms involving morphogen-TF-chromatin modifier pathways.

Abstract Background Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) infects a wide range of fish species and causes high mortality rates in aquaculture. This viral infection is characterized by seasonal outbreaks that are temperature-dependent. However, the specific mechanism behind temperature-dependent SVCV infectivity and pathogenicity remains unclear. Given the high sensitivity of the composition of intestinal microbiota to temperature changes, it would be interesting to investigate if the intestinal microbiota of fish could play a role in modulating the infectivity of SVCV at different temperatures. Results Our study found that significantly higher infectivity and pathogenicity of SVCV infection in zebrafish occurred at relatively lower temperature. Comparative analysis of the intestinal microbiota in zebrafish exposed to high- and low-temperature conditions revealed that temperature influenced the abundance and diversity of the intestinal microbiota in zebrafish. A significantly higher abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis and its metabolite secondary bile acid (deoxycholic acid, DCA) was detected in the intestine of zebrafish exposed to high temperature. Both colonization of Parabacteroides distasonis and feeding of DCA to zebrafish at low temperature significantly reduced the mortality caused by SVCV. An in vitro assay demonstrated that DCA could inhibit the assembly and release of SVCV. Notably, DCA also showed an inhibitory effect on the infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, another Rhabdoviridae member known to be more infectious at low temperature. Conclusions This study provides evidence that temperature can be an important factor to influence the composition of intestinal microbiota in zebrafish, consequently impacting the infectivity and pathogenicity of SVCV. The findings highlight the enrichment of Parabacteroides distasonis and its derivative, DCA, in the intestines of zebrafish raised at high temperature, and they possess an important role in preventing the infection of SVCV and other Rhabdoviridae members in host fish. Video Abstract

Abstract Study design A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA). Objective To compare the effectiveness and safety of different posterior decompression techniques for LSS. Summary of background data Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is one of the most common degenerative spinal diseases that result in claudication, back and leg pain, and disability. Currently, posterior decompression techniques are widely used as an effective treatment for LSS. Methods An electronic literature search was performed using the EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. Two authors independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. A Bayesian random effects model was constructed to incorporate the estimates of direct and indirect treatment comparisons and rank the interventions in order. Results In all, 14 eligible studies comprising 1,260 patients with LSS were included. Five interventions were identified, namely, spinal processes osteotomy (SPO), conventional laminotomy/laminectomy (CL), unilateral laminotomy/laminectomy (UL), bilateral laminotomy/ laminectomy (BL), and spinous process-splitting laminotomy/laminectomy (SPSL). Among these, SPO was the most promising surgical option for decreasing back and leg pain and for lowering the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). SSPL had the shortest operation time, while SPSL was associated with maximum blood loss. SPO and UL were superior to other posterior decompression techniques concerning lesser blood loss and shorter length of hospital stay, respectively. Patients who underwent BL had the lowest postoperative complication rates. Conclusion Overall, SPO was found to be a good surgical choice for patients with LSS.

Abstract A method based on Gabor spectral mode transmissibility functions (GSMTFs) is proposed to detect local damage in a cantilevered structure under nonstationary ambient excitations. Gabor transformation and singular value decomposition are used to reduce the influences of other vibration modes on Gabor spectral mode transmissibility functions and process nonstationary structural responses, respectively. A new state characteristic based on the fundamental structure frequency is formulated on the basis of the GSMTFs, eventually leading to the development of a new damage indicator. The probability density functions of the damage indicator for healthy and damaged states can be estimated from the measured data, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve derived from these probability distributions and the corresponding area under the ROC curve (AUC) are used to determine the damage location. A six-degree-of-freedom system and a typical transmission tower are numerically studied, and the results show that the proposed method can estimate the structural damage location under nonstationary random loads. The proposed method is further validated with a planar frame in the laboratory, which exhibits multiple damage elements via random force hammer excitations. The results show that the AUC values computed for certain parts of the structure containing the damaged elements are greater than those for other parts of the structure, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, the proposed method is compared with the dot product difference (DPD) index, and the results from the laboratory planar frame demonstrate that the proposed method can better identify damage.

Abstract Background Uterine sarcoma is a rare and heterogeneous gynecological malignancy characterized by aggressive progression and poor prognosis. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinicopathological characteristics and the prognosis of uterine sarcoma in Chinese patients. Methods In this single-center retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of 75 patients with histologically verified uterine sarcoma treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University between 2011 and 2020. Information on clinical characteristics, treatments, pathology and survival was collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were visualized in Kaplan-Meier curves. Prognostic factors were identified using the log-rank test for univariate analysis and Cox-proportional hazards regression models for multivariate analysis. Results The histopathological types included 36 endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS,48%), 33 leiomyosarcomas (LMS,44%) and 6 adenosarcomas (8%). The mean age at diagnosis was 50.2 ± 10.7 years. Stage I and low-grade accounted for the majority. There were 26 recurrences and 25 deaths at the last follow-up. The mean PFS and OS were 89.41 (95% CI: 76.07-102.75) and 94.03 (95% CI: 81.67-106.38) months, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that > 50 years, post-menopause, advanced stage, ≥ 1/2 myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion and high grade were associated with shorter survival (P 50 years and high-grade were independent risk factors of PFS, while high-grade and lymphovascular space invasion were independent risk factors of OS. Conclusion In Chinese patients with uterine sarcoma, post-menopause and advanced stage were associated with a significantly poorer prognosis. The prognosis of ESS was better than that of LMS. Color Doppler flow imaging positive signals of the tumor helped to identify LMS, which needs to be further tested in a larger sample in the future.