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The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the most widely used local conflict of unmanned intelligent equipment since its development and installation. The various types of unmanned intelligent equipment that emerged in this conflict have also brought a series of changes and challenges to the traditional killing chain. In order to study the combat application of unmanned intelligent equipment in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its impact on the killing chain, according to the public report information, the application and characteristics of unmanned intelligent equipment in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict are analyzed in three aspects from the perspective of killing chain: enriching the options of kill chain awareness nodes, reducing kill chain kill costs, and shortening kill chain closed-loop time. According to the experience and lessons learned from the application of unmanned intelligent equipment in Russia and Ukraine, the enlightenment and suggestions for the development of unmanned intelligent equipment are put forward.

In the global context of climate change and frequent occurrence of extreme temperature variations, the impact of harsh climates on the outdoor thermal environment in remote, cold, mountainous villages is particularly pronounced, leading to many negative effects. The geoorphology of the village sites and their building layouts are important factors affecting the outdoor thermal environment. Therefore, exploring the spatiotemporal characteristics of these factors is significant for optimizing village construction and improving living environments. In this study, taking Fangjialiang Village in a cold mountainous area as an example, we analysed the outdoor thermal environment from a spatiotemporal perspective through comprehensive field investigations and measurements. The findings obtained are summarized as follows: (1) Landform elements were limited by boundary and azimuth constraints (difference in time temperature decay rate between the valley interior and valley edge area: ΔK = 0.48°C/m). (2) The temperature inversion phenomenon in the valley was significant (the average rate of temperature increase with elevation was 0.037°C/m). (3) The vertical distribution of the temperature was more susceptible to the influence of the difference in elevation inside the village (ρ≈–0.48). The average rate of temperature decrease with elevation is 0.489°C/m. (4) A compact building layout could sustainably weaken the effects of topographic elements (e.g. the average temperature sequenced as: closed internal courtyard (Avg = 14.60°C)> semi-open horizontal village street (Avg = 13.58°C)> fully open space (Avg = 13.11°C)). Therefore, the results of the study further revealed the coordinated relationship between the natural environment and rural settlements, proved the integrated effects of village siting and building layout, and provided useful insights for the construction and living environment optimization of mountain villages.

Vehicle edge computing enhances the computational capabilities of vehicles by offloading computations. The existing task offloading strategies do not simultaneously consider data security, priority of offloading tasks, computation resource release, and incentivizing vehicle to share computation resources, making it difficult to adapt to dynamic vehicle environments. To address these problems, this paper investigates the distributed vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) computation offloading problem, establishes a Markov decision process, and designs a deep reinforcement learning-based optimal task allocation strategy for computation offloading. This paper utilizes dynamic pricing to incentivize vehicle to share computation resources while considering task priorities and computation resource release mechanisms. Additionally, this paper embeds the offloading scheme into the blockchain, employs the vehicles blockchain with identity authentication mechanisms to encrypt sensitive information such as vehicle information, task information, and transaction information, thus ensuring data security. Simulation experimental results validate the performance of the proposed method. Compared with other algorithms, the average efficiency of the system is improved by at least 9.58% while the training time is saved by 10.28%.

Background Traditionally, open reduction with Kirschner wire fixation (ORKF) is used to treat paediatric patients with significantly displaced lateral humeral condyle fractures. However, in recent years, the use of closed reduction percutaneous pinning (CRPP) to treat lateral humeral condyle fractures in children has been increasingly reported. However, there is some controversy as to which surgical technique is more effective and safe. Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CRPP and ORKF in paediatric patients with lateral humeral condyle fractures. Methods Chinese databases including CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP and CBM and English databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched from inception to 2023-01-01 for the case-control studies of CRPP and ORKF to treat the lateral humeral condyle fractures, the quality of the literature was evaluated and data were extracted. RevMan 5.3 software was performed to conduct a meta-analysis comparing the relevant efficacy and safety indexes of the two surgical techniques. Results A total of 16 studies involving 1 165 cases were included for this meta-analysis. The results of meta-analysis indicated that CRPP was superior in status of surgical time (MD=-11.81, 95%CI=-15.04 to -8.58, P0.05) . Conclusion CRPP was superior to ORKF in the treatment of pediatric lateral humeral condyle fractures, both in terms of efficacy and overall complications, but more high-quality studies are needed to further validate CRPP in terms of specific complications.

The demand for advanced camouflage technology is increasing in modern military warfare. Multispectral compatibility and adaptive capabilities are increasingly desired features in camouflage materials. However, due to the strong wavelength dependence and limited tunability of electromagnetic wave responses, achieving simultaneous multispectral compatibility and adaptive capability in a single structure or device remains a challenge. By integrating coding metamaterials with infrared (IR) electrochromic devices, we demonstrate a highly integrated multispectral metal-based electro-optical metadevice. The fabricated metadevices enable the reversible tunability of IR emissivity (0.58 at 3–5 µm, 0.50 at 7.5–13 µm) and wideband microwave scattering reduction (>10 dB at 10–20 GHz). The excellent integration performance is attributed to the remarkable electromagnetic control capabilities of the coding metamaterials in a chessboard-like configuration and the IR electrochromic devices based on metal reversible electrodeposition. Furthermore, the monolithic integrated design with shared barium fluoride substrate and electrodes allows the metadevices to have a simple architecture, and the careful design avoids coupling between functions. Our approach is general enough for the design of various electrochromic devices and metamaterials for multispectral camouflage, offering valuable insights for the development of advanced adaptive multispectral camouflage systems.

Abstract Background Myopia is the most prevalent refractive error and a growing global health concern that significantly affects visual function. Researchers have recently emphasized considerably on the influence of lifestyle on myopia incidence and development. This study investigates the relationship between leisure sedentary behaviors (LSB)/physical activity (PA)/sleep traits and myopia. Methods LSB, PA, and sleep trait-associated genetic variants were used as instrument variables in a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine their causal effects on myopia. Summary genome-wide association studies (GWASs) statistical data for LSB and PA were obtained from UK Biobank, and the data of sleep traits was obtained from UK Biobank, UK Biobank and 23andMe, and FinnGen. We used summary statistics data for myopia from MRC IEU. The MR analyses was performed using the inverse variance-weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier methods. Results Computer use was genetically predicted to increase the myopia risk [IVW odds ratio (OR) = 1.057; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.038–1.078; P = 7.04 × 10− 9]. The self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (IVW OR = 0.962; 95% CI, 0.932–0.993; P = 1.57 × 10− 2) and television watching (IVW OR = 0.973; 95% CI, 0.961–0.985, P = 1.93 × 10− 5) were significantly associated with a lower myopia risk. However, genetically predicted sleep traits or accelerometer-measured physical activity had no significant associations with myopia. Conclusion Our results indicated that computer use is a risk factor for myopia, whereas television watching and MVPA may protect against myopia. These findings shed new light on possible strategies for reducing the prevalence of myopia.

AIM: To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of stromal lenticule addition keratoplasty (SLAK) with corneal crosslinking (CXL) on patients with corneal ectasia secondary to femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). METHODS: A series of 5 patients undertaking SLAK with CXL for the treatment of corneal ectasia secondary to FS-LASIK were followed for 4-9mo. The lenticules were collected from patients undertaking small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for the correction of myopia. Adding a stromal lenticule was aimed at improving the corneal thickness for the safe application of crosslinking and compensating for the thin cornea to improve its mechanical strength. RESULTS: All surgeries were conducted successfully with no significant complications. Their best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ranged from 0.05 to 0.8-2 before surgery. The pre-operational total corneal thickness ranged from 345-404 μm and maximum keratometry (Kmax) ranged from 50.8 to 86.3. After the combination surgery, both the corneal keratometry (range 55.9 to 92.8) and total corneal thickness (range 413-482 μm) significantly increased. Four out of 5 patients had improvement of corneal biomechanical parameters (reflected by stiffness parameter A1 in Corvis ST). However, 3 patients showed decreased BCVA after surgery due to the development of irregular astigmatism and transient haze. Despite the onset of corneal edema right after SLAK, the corneal topography and thickness generally stabilized after 3mo. CONCLUSION: SLAK with CXL is a potentially beneficial and safe therapy for advanced corneal ectasia. Future work needs to address the poor predictability of corneal refractometry and compare the outcomes of different surgical modes.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is marked by hepatic steatosis accompanied by an inflammatory response. At present, there are no approved therapeutic agents for NAFLD. Dendrobium Huoshanense polysaccharide (DHP), an active ingredient extracted from the stems of Dendrobium Huoshanense, and exerts a protective effect against liver injury. However, the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action DHP against NAFLD remain unclear. DHP was extracted, characterized, and administered to mice in which NAFLD had been induced with a high-fat and high-fructose drinking (HFHF) diet. Our results showed that DHP used in this research exhibits the characteristic polysaccharide peak with a molecular weight of 179.935 kDa and is composed primarily of Man and Glc in a molar ratio of 68.97:31.03. DHP treatment greatly ameliorated NAFLD by significantly reducing lipid accumulation and the levels of liver function markers in HFHF-induced NAFLD mice, as evidenced by decreased serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG). Furthermore, DHP administration reduced hepatic steatosis, as shown by H&E and Oil red O staining. DHP also inhibited the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway expression, thereby reducing levels of hepatic proinflammatory cytokines. Besides, untargeted metabolomics further indicated that 49 metabolites were affected by DHP. These metabolites are strongly associated the metabolism of glycine, serine, threonine, nicotinate and nicotinamide, and arachidonic acid. In conclusion, DHP has a therapeutic effect against NAFLD, whose underlying mechanism may involve the modulation of TLR4/NF-κB, reduction of inflammation, and regulation of the metabolism of glycine, serine, threonine, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism.

Abstract Fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor is a rare and specific subtype of solitary fibrous tumor. In this case, a mass of 8.3 cm in diameter was found in a 59-year-old male patient’s right retroperitoneum, as revealed by abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images. The tumor exhibited a well-circumscribed nature and histological features characterized by a combination of hemangiopericytomatous vasculature and mature adipose tissue, comprising around 70% of the total tumor composition. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed diffuse positive expression of STAT6 and CD34 in the tumor cells. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was determined to be a fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor located in the retroperitoneum. It is important to consider other potential differential diagnoses, including angiomyolipoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, spindle cell lipoma, and atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma.

Tea plants are a perennial crop with significant economic value. Chlorophyll, a key factor in tea leaf color and photosynthetic efficiency, is affected by the photoperiod and usually exhibits diurnal and seasonal variations. In this study, high-throughput transcriptomic analysis was used to study the chlorophyll metabolism, under different photoperiods, of tea plants. We conducted a time-series sampling under a skeleton photoperiod (6L6D) and continuous light conditions (24 L), measuring the chlorophyll and carotenoid content at a photoperiod interval of 3 h (24 h). Transcriptome sequencing was performed at six time points across two light cycles, followed by bioinformatics analysis to identify and annotate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in chlorophyll metabolism. The results revealed distinct expression patterns of key genes in the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. The expression levels of CHLE (magnesium-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester cyclase gene), CHLP (geranylgeranyl reductase gene), CLH (chlorophyllase gene), and POR (cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase gene), encoding enzymes in chlorophyll synthesis, were increased under continuous light conditions (24 L). At 6L6D, the expression levels of CHLP1.1, POR1.1, and POR1.2 showed an oscillating trend. The expression levels of CHLP1.2 and CLH1.1 showed the same trend, they both decreased under light treatment and increased under dark treatment. Our findings provide potential insights into the molecular basis of how photoperiods regulate chlorophyll metabolism in tea plants.

Urban outdoor space has a very important impact on the quality of people's outdoor activities, which has influenced people's health and moods. Its influence is the result of the combined action of various factors. Thermal and air quality environment are important factors affecting the overall comfort of the urban outdoor space. At present, there are few research on interaction with thermal and air quality environment. Therefore, a meteorological measurement and questionnaire survey have been conducted in a representative open space in a campus in Xi'an, China. The following are the research results:(1) Mean physiological equivalent temperature (MPET) is a significant factor affecting thermal sensation vote (TSV) and thermal comfort vote (TCV). PM2.5 has no significant effect on thermal comfort vote (TCV), but it is a considerable factor affecting thermal sensation vote (TSV) when 10.2°C ≤ MPET

The oxidation of natural rubber (NR) leads to a decrease in mechanical properties, even resulting in failure of NR products. Many studies focusing on this single factor have failed to fully elucidate the impact of tropical island environment on NR properties. Based on this concern, the synergistic effect of thermal oxygen and ultraviolet (UV) aging on NR was systematically studied. The results revealed that thermal oxygenation can promote UV aging, which leads to the appearance of surface cracks and deepening of color. With the extension of aging time, the mechanical properties of NR correspondingly decreased. Besides, to deeply understand the mechanism of the synergistic effect of thermal oxygen and UV aging on NR, we selected squalene to simulate and analyze the molecular structure changes in NR. Based on these results, a possible synergistic effect of thermal oxygen and UV aging mechanisms on NR could be proposed.

Considering the weakness of present prediction model on the traditional shopping mall building energy consumption caused by the limitations of the type and quantity of input variables, study proposes a shopping mall building energy consumption prediction model based on Chaos theory. This method firstly calculates the Lyapunov index of the energy consumption of the shopping mall to prove that the energy consumption of the shopping mall has chaotic characteristics. Secondly, it uses Chaos theory to reconstruct the phase space of the energy consumption data of the shopping mall to obtain the data with the energy consumption characteristics of the shopping mall as the data basis for the establishment of the model. Then the data is used to train the back-propagation (BP) neural network, and finally uses the confidence interval to describe the predicted value so as to complete the model building process. The RMSE of the model is reduced from 12.4 to 1.89, which proves the reliability of the algorithm. This method can provide a reference for building operation diagnostics and optimization.

Airport terminal buildings are large public transportation buildings with complex functions and dense crowds, and the wind environment has significant effects on passenger comfort and the energy consumption of air conditioning systems. In this study, we investigated Xianyang T3 Terminal as an example and used the Phoenics software to conduct comprehensive simulations based on different door bucket forms and parameters, as well as comprehensively considering the impacts of different outdoor wind environments. A terminal door bucket windproof design strategy was proposed based on our results. The results showed that door buckets could effectively reduce the entry of outdoor wind, and built-in door buckets performed the best. The width of the door bucket should be set to 9.3–11.3 m and the depth of the door bucket to 6.7–7.7 m. The height of the door bucket had little impact. A side door should be added to the door bucket, so it can be opened when the outdoor wind speed is high, and a mechanical ventilation system should be introduced to improve the indoor ventilation.

PurposeVitamin D deficiency is frequent in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), however, its prognostic relevance in MM was rather inconclusive. We first investigated the association of vitamin D deficiency with abnormal bone and lipid metabolism in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), and next assessed the impact of serum ratio of vitamin D to carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX) on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall free survival (OS) in patients with NDMM.MethodsThe data of 431 consecutive patients with NDMM at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from September 2013 to December 2022 were collected and retrospectively reviewed through our electronic medical record system. The measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood is an indicator of an individual’s overall vitamin D status.ResultsThe serum levels of vitamin D were negatively correlated with β-CTX in NDMM patients. Of note, positive correlation between vitamin D and cholesterol levels in the serum was found in this study. The cohort (n = 431) was divided into two groups based on the serum ratio of vitamin D to β-CTX. Compared to the group with a higher vitamin D to β-CTX ratio, the group with a lower vitamin D to β-CTX ratio (n = 257, 60%) exhibited hypocholesterolemia, inferior PFS and OS, along with increased cases of ISS stage-III and R-ISS stage-III, a higher number of plasma cells in the bone marrow, and elevated serum calcium levels. Consistent with this, multivariate analysis confirmed that the vitamin D to β-CTX ratio was an independent unfavorable indicator for survival in NDMM patients.ConclusionOur data demonstrated the ratio of vitamin D to β-CTX in the serum is a unique biomarker for NDMM patients to identify the high-risk cases with poor prognosis, which is superior to vitamin D itself for predicting PFS and OS in NDMM. Also, it is worth mentioning that our data on the connection between vitamin D deficiency and hypocholesterolemia might help clarify novel mechanistic aspects of myeloma development.

ObjectivePrecise risk stratification is increasingly essential in the management of multiple myeloma (MM) as some standard-risk (SR) patients still exhibit similar poor outcomes as genetically high-risk (GHR) patients in the era of novel agents. It has recently been demonstrated that functional high-risk (FHR) patients, those with suboptimal response to first-line induction therapy or early relapse within 12 months, have identifiable molecular characteristics from the SR group in the CoMMpass dataset. However, these findings lack practical validation in the real world.MethodsMM cells purified by CD138 microbeads from newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients received fluorescence in situ hybridization and sequencing with a 92-gene Panel. Cytogenetic abnormalities defined GHR patients with t(4;14) or t(14;16) or complete loss of functional P53 or 1q21 gain and International Staging System (ISS) stage 3. SR group was patients who did not fulfill any criteria for GHR or FHR.ResultsThere were 145 patients with NDMM, 78 in the SR group, 56 in the GHR group, and 11 in the FHR group. In the FHR group, eight patients were suboptimal responses to induction therapy, and three relapsed within 12 months. We found that male patients, patients with extra-medullary plasmacytoma (EMD), circulating clonal plasma cells (CPC) ≥0.05%, and P53 mono-allelic inactivation were significantly higher in the FHR group compared to the SR group. After a median follow-up of 21.0 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.0 months, 19.1 months and 36.6 months in the FHR, GHR, and SR groups, respectively. Compared to the SR group, FHR patients had a higher frequency of mutations in MKI67, ERN1, and EML4. GO analysis showed that mutations in FHR were enriched for oxidative stress, chromosomal segregation, and hypoxia tolerance.ConclusionThe FHR found in the SR NDMM patient group has unique clinical features, including being male, with EMD and CPC, and genetic characteristics of mutations affecting oxidative stress, chromosome segregation, and hypoxia tolerance. In contrast to previous reports, our data suggested that patients with P53 mono-allelic inactivation should be classified in the GHR group rather than the FHR group.

ObjectiveThe results of follow-up evaluation of GB 2757—2012 National Food Safety Standard- Distilled Wines and Mixed Wines were analyzed to reveal the main problems in the implementation of the standard and provide the basis for revision.MethodsThe comments of “Normal Tracking Evaluation” section on the national food safety standard follow-up evaluation platform were collected. The data was input to the Excel 2019 software for analysis. The key issues were discussed to provide suggestions for the revision of the standard.Results827 valid comments were received. When "no comment" was rejected， 47.95% of the comments were focused on "physicochemical indexes" including methanol and cyanide indicators. It was suggested that some other issues were worthy of attention and research， such as the microbiological risk of mixed wines， new categorization， characteristic index and physicochemical indexes.ConclusionThe comments reflects the key issues in the implementation of GB 2757—2012. The revision of standards should be timely started on the basis of scientific evaluation in the future. At the same time， it is suggested that the publicity， training and consultation should be strenghtened to improve understanding and applying of the standard.

In the practice of forensic pathology, fat embolism is one of the common causes of death, which can be divided into two categories: traumatic and non-traumatic. Non-traumatic fat embolism refers to the blockage of small blood vessels by fat droplets in the circulatory blood flow caused by non-traumatic factors such as underlying diseases, stress, poisoning and lipid metabolism disorders. At present, it is believed that the production of non-traumatic fat embolism is related to the disturbance of lipid metabolism, C-reactive protein-related cascade reaction, the agglutination of chylomicron and very low-density lipoprotein. The forensic identification of the cause of death of non-traumatic fat embolism is mainly based on the case, systematic autopsy, HE staining and fat staining, but it is often missed or misdiagnosed by forensic examiners because of its unknown risk factors, hidden onset, the difficulty of HE staining observation and irregular implementation of fat staining. In view of the lack of attention to non-traumatic fat embolism in forensic identification, this paper reviews the concepts, pathophysiological mechanism, research progress, existing problems and countermeasures of non-traumatic fat embolism, providing reference for forensic scholars.

To give play to the modeling advantages of the logical Petri net for batch processing and uncertainty of value transfer, this paper integralings the relevant game elements of multi-agent game process, excutes models for the multi-agent decision problem, solves the problem of multi-agent dynamic game decision optimization and puts forward logic game decision Petri net.Above all, this paper defines the properties of each token as rational persons and its utility function values, and provide the definition of utility functions and state probability transfer function.Next, this paper introduces decision transition, determines the optimal decision transition as per the comparison of token utility function value as well as provides related algorithm.Finally, the modeling and analysis of the dynamic game decision process of emergency are carried out based on logical game decision Petri net, and the dynamic game process is analyzed based on the reachability graph constructed by reachability identification.The algorithm is described for the generation of reachability graph, and how to solve the dynamic game decision problem is discussed, thus the optimal emergency pre-arranged plan is generated and the resource conflict in the process of emergency is analyzed by the logic game decision model of emergency.On this basis, this paper verifies the effectiveness and superiority of the model in the analysis of the emergency decision process.

Abstract Background Polysaccharides are important active ingredients in Ophiocordyceps gracilis with many physiological functions. It can be obtained from the submerged fermentation by the anamorph (Paraisaria dubia) of Ophiocordyceps gracilis. However, it was found that the mycelial pellets of Paraisaria dubia were dense and increased in volume in the process of fermentation, and the center of the pellets was autolysis due to the lack of nutrient delivery, which extremely reduced the yield of polysaccharides. Therefore, it is necessary to excavate a fermentation strategy based on morphological regulation for Paraisaria dubia to promote polysaccharides accumulation. Results In this study, we developed a method for enhancing polysaccharides production by Paraisaria dubia using microparticle enhanced technology, talc microparticle as morphological inducer, and investigated the enhancement mechanisms by transcriptomics. The optimal size and dose of talc were found to be 2000 mesh and 15 g/L, which resulted in a high polysaccharides yield. It was found that the efficient synthesis of polysaccharides requires an appropriate mycelial morphology through morphological analysis of mycelial pellets. And, the polysaccharides synthesis was found to mainly rely on the ABC transporter-dependent pathway revealed by transcriptomics. This method was also showed excellent robustness in 5-L bioreactor, the maximum yields of intracellular polysaccharide and exopolysaccharides were 83.23 ± 1.4 and 518.50 ± 4.1 mg/L, respectively. And, the fermented polysaccharides were stable and showed excellent biological activity. Conclusions This study provides a feasible strategy for the efficient preparation of cordyceps polysaccharides via submerged fermentation with talc microparticles, which may also be applicable to similar macrofungi. Graphical Abstract

MicroRNA-199a-5p (miR-199a-5p) and -3p are enriched in the myocardium, but it is unknown whether miR-199a-5p and -3p are co-expressed in cardiac remodeling and what roles they have in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. We show that miR-199a-5p and -3p are co-upregulated in the mouse and human myocardium with cardiac remodeling and in Ang-II-treated neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes (NMVCs) and cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). miR-199a-5p and -3p could aggravate cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. PPAR gamma coactivator 1 alpha (Ppargc1a) and sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) were identified as target genes to mediate miR-199a-5p in promoting both cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. However, miR-199a-3p aggravated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis through targeting RB transcriptional corepressor 1 (Rb1) and Smad1, respectively. Serum response factor and nuclear factor κB p65 participated in the upregulation of miR-199a-5p and -3p in Ang-II-treated NMVCs and mouse CFs, and could be conversely elevated by miR-199a-5p and -3p. Together, Ppargc1a and Sirt1, Rb1 and Smad1 mediated the pathological effect of miR-199a-5p and -3p by promoting cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, respectively. This study suggests a possible new strategy for cardiac remodeling therapy by inhibiting miR-199a-5p and -3p.

Due to their high prevalence and incidence, diabetes and atherosclerosis are increasingly becoming global public health concerns. Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and disability in type 1 and/or type 2 diabetes patients. Atherosclerosis risk in diabetic patients is obviously higher than that of non-diabetic individuals. Diabetes-related glycolipid metabolism disorder has been shown to play a central role in atherosclerosis development and progression. Hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia increase the risks for atherosclerosis and plaque necrosis through multiple signaling pathways, such as a prolonged increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factors in cardiovascular cells. Notwithstanding the great advances in the understanding of the pathologies of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis, the current medical treatments for diabetic atherosclerosis hold undesirable side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent demand to identify novel therapeutic targets or alternative strategies to prevent or treat diabetic atherosclerosis. Burgeoning evidence suggests that plant and herbal medicines are closely linked with healthy benefits for diabetic complications, including diabetic atherosclerosis. In this review, we will overview the utilization of plant and herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of the ethnopharmacological therapeutic potentials against diabetic atherosclerosis are gathered and reviewed. It is foreseeable that the natural constituents from medicinal plants might be a new hope for the treatment of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.

Background: Millions of people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) worldwide. Due to their complex pathology, no effective pharmacological treatment has been found to date, despite extensive research. Developing new, effective therapeutic agents to cure these disease remains a major challenge. Although the cause of AD and PD remains illusive, numerous studies indicates that oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation lead to neurodegeneration in the central nervous system and play vital role in AD and PD morbidity and progression. Flavonoids, which are found widely in nature, exhibit anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutative, anti-microbial, and neuroprotective properties, so have potential to treat these two kinds of diseases. Methods: In this review, we focus on the anti-oxidative and neuroprotective action of flavonoids in attenuating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and how they might be harnessed in the development of new pharmacological agents to treat these two diseases. Result: Some flavonoid compounds, like hesperidin, naringin, naringenin, tangeretin, nobiletin, silibinin, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, displayed to be effective in both AD and PD. Conclusion: Considerable studies have demonstrated the anti-AD and anti-PD effects of flavonoids through various in vitro and in vivo models. However, more rigorous studies are needed to be done for flavonoids to develop into effective drugs and apply them to clinical practice.

ObjectivesCapsaicin is a specific agonist of TRPV1 (multimodal sensory receptor), which improves oropharyngeal dysphagia by increasing sensory input from the oropharynx and hypopharynx and by increasing repetitive stimulation of the cerebral cortex. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of capsaicin on swallowing disorders in stroke patients and the elderly.MethodWe searched Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. We used the Mesh terms search database to screen all clinical trials that complied with the inclusion criteria. Studies were subjected to literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction to remove studies that did not meet the inclusion criteria. After literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the included study were performed.ResultsThis systematic review and meta-analysis were prospectively registered on PROSPERO under registration number CRD42022313958. Five high-quality randomized controlled trials were ultimately included. The results of our meta-analysis showed a more significant reduction in swallowing function score change in the capsaicin group compared to the control group [SMD = −1.30, 95% CI: (−2.35, −0.25), P = 0.01] and on the Water swallowing test the improvement was significantly higher in the capsaicin group [RR = 2.46, 95% CI: (1.73, 3.50), P < 0.0001].ConclusionsAlthough the results of our meta-analysis showed that capsaicin improved swallowing function, most studies had an unclear bias and included few studies. More studies are needed to support this in the future.Systematic review registrationwww.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=304061, identifier: 304061.

Ferritinophagy is a type of autophagy mediated by nuclear receptor activator 4 (NCOA4), which plays a role in inducing ferroptosis by regulating iron homeostasis and producing reactive oxygen species in cells. Under physiological conditions, ferritinophagy maintains the stability of intracellular iron by regulating the release of free iron. Studies have demonstrated that ferritinophagy is necessary to induce ferroptosis; however, under pathological conditions, excessive ferritinophagy results in the release of free iron in large quantities, which leads to lipid peroxidation and iron-dependent cell death, known as ferroptosis. Ferritinophagy has become an area of interest in recent years. We here in review the mechanism of ferritinophagy and its association with ferroptosis and various diseases to provide a reference for future clinical and scientific studies.

Utilizing mycoremediation is an important direction for managing heavy metal pollution. Zn2+ pollution has gradually become apparent, but there are few reports about its pollution remediation. Here, the Zn2+ remediation potential of Paraisaria dubia, an anamorph of the entomopathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps gracilis, was explored. There was 60% Zn2+ removed by Paraisaria dubia mycelia from a Zn2+-contaminated medium. To reveal the Zn2+ tolerance mechanism of Paraisaria dubia, transcriptomic and metabolomic were executed. Results showed that Zn2+ caused a series of stress responses, such as energy metabolism inhibition, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense system disruption, autophagy obstruction, and DNA damage. Moreover, metabolomic analyses showed that the biosynthesis of some metabolites was affected against Zn2+ stress. In order to improve the tolerance to Zn2+ stress, the metabolic mechanism of metal ion transport, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) synthesis, and microcycle conidiation were activated in P. dubia. Remarkably, the formation of microcycle conidiation may be triggered by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. This study supplemented the gap of the Zn2+ resistance mechanism of Paraisaria dubia and provided a reference for the application of Paraisaria dubia in the bioremediation of heavy metals pollution.

Objective To systematically characterize the dynamic expression pattern, stage specificity and co-expression pattern of RNA-binding protein (RBPs) and to predict their potential regulatory role in mouse spermatogenesis. Methods The whole transcriptome sequencing data of six spermatogenic cells types were integrated for analyzing the differentially expressed RBPs during spermatogenesis;STEM was used to analyze the dynamic expression pattern of RBPs; WGCNA was used to identify the RBPs co-expressed pattern; The differentially expressed and co-expressed RBPs were analyzed by the ClusterProfiler tool for GO function enrichment analysis. Results A total of 519 stage-specific RBPs were identified during spermatogenesis, and there were 7 dynamic expression patterns, of which RBPs at the meiotic stage accounted for the highest proportion; GO enrichment analysis showed that RBPs were mainly involved in the selective splicing, processing or translation of mRNA; WGCNA analysis showed that 246 RBPs were co-expressed, among which RBPs at the meiotic stage accounted for the highest proportion. Conclusions RBPs exhibit stage specificity and play a regulatory role in spermatogenesis with a coordinated expression mode. It functions mainly in the process of RNA processing or splicing in the early stage of spermatogenesis, and is have significant impact on the process of ribosome assembly or RNA translation in the later stage.

Objective To investigate the application of CRISPR/CasRx mediated gene knockdown at the RNA level in mouse spermatogonia cell line GC1-spg. Methods The EF1a core promoter. CasRx.SV40.U6.DRs expression plasmid (CasRx-gRNA) and three fluorescent protein of EF1a.EGFP, EF1a.mCherry, EF1a.tdToamto expression plasmids were constructed by homologous recombination. Three fluorescent protein expression plasmids and CasRx-gRNA expression plasmids were transiently transfected into human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293T, and the knockdown of exogenous gene (the fluorescent proteins,EGFP and mCherry) was used to detect by fluorescence intensity and Western blot. Additionally, the expression levels of endogenous gene (mRNA and lncRNA) were measured by q-PCR in HEK-293T cells transfected with CasRx-gRNA. The exogenous gene egfp, mCherry and CasRx-gRNA expression plasmids were transiently transfected into the mouse spermatogonia cell line GC1, and the knockdown efficiency of exogenous gene (the fluorescent proteins) was detected by the above method. Results CasRx-gRNA and three kinds of fluorescent protein expression plasmids were constructed successfully. After CRISPR/CasRx mediated RNA interference of exogenous genes (egfp, mCherry) and endogenous genes (mRNA, lncRNA) in HEK-293T cells, the expression level was significantly reduced (P＜0.01). The CRISPR/CasRx system was verified in the mouse spermatogonia cell line GC1, which could effectively and specifically knock down exogenous genes egfp and mCherry. Conclusions CRISPR/CasRx system exerts an effective and specific knock-down function in GC1-spg, providing a new gene silencing tool potentially used in the study of male reproduction.

Abstract This brief paper considers the exponential input‐to‐state stability (EISS) for delay reaction‐diffusion systems (DRDSs). The distributed input and boundary input are both included in the considered model. Boundary input is an important characteristic for DRDSs which are a kind of partial differential systems. Using Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method and Wirtinger‐type inequality, a delay‐dependent sufficient condition is obtained to ensure the EISS of DRDSs. Besides the effect of time delay on the EISS, this sufficient condition also shows the effect of the diffusion term on the EISS and this is a significant property of reaction–diffusion systems differing from the ordinary differential systems. At last, numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Four new species are described from Jinggang Mountain National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province of southern China: Draconarius lingdang sp. nov. (♂♀), D. substrophadatus sp. nov. (♀), Orumcekia cipingensis sp. nov. (♀) and Tonsilla shuikouensis sp. nov. (♀). Additionally, Coelotes septus Wang, Yin, Peng & Xie, 1990 is redescribed and its male is described for the first time.

Objective To investigate the effect of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole on the composition of esophageal microbiota in rats with reflux esophagitis. Methods The rat model of reflux esophagitis was established by the method of pyloric partial ligation and complete anterior gastric ligation. Rats were randomly divided into sham operation control group, reflux esophagitis control group and PPI treatment group (omeprazole). One week after the operation, distilled water/omeprazole tablets were intragastric administration once a day and two pieces of lower esophageal mucosa were obtained 2 weeks later, one for bacteria 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and another for pathological examination. Results Six surviving rats in each group were selected. The abundance values of sham operation control, reflux esophagitis control and PPI treatment groups at the genus level were as follows:Peptostreptococcus 2.5%±0.5%, 1.7%±0.7% and 1.9%±0.5%; Helicobacter 1.5%±0.1%, 1.0%±0.5% and 1.2%±0.3%;Turicibacter 1.0%±0.2%, 0.5%±0.2% and 1.0%±0.4% (P＜0.05). The abundances of Peptostreptococcus, Helicobacter, and Turicibacterin the reflux esophagitis control group were signifi-cantly reduced than those in the sham operation control group. The pathological grades of reflux esophagitis (mild/moderate/severe) in reflux esophagitis control and PPI treatment groups were 0/4/2 and 5/1/0(P＜0.05). Conclusions There are moderate changes in the composition of esophageal microbiota in rats with reflux esophagitis,the proportion of beneficial bacteria reduced. After the treatment of PPI omeprazole, the esophageal mucosal injury is alleviated, the proportion of beneficial bacteria increased, and the composition of esophageal microbiota returns to normal.

Outdoor space is essential for urban residents’ daily activities, and thermal comfort is an important indicator to evaluate these places. Currently, there are few studies on city outdoor thermal comfort in western China. This paper, by use of weather stations and questionnaires, studies the relationship between outdoor thermal comfort, adaptive thermal comfort, residents’ social characteristics, and the thermal comfort in Xi’an. In the spring, “neutral” is the most commonly perceived thermal sensation (44.19%), followed by slightly uncomfortable (31.4%). Air temperature is the most important meteorological parameter affecting thermal sensation vote, followed by solar radiation. The thermal acceptable range in Xi’an is 2.69~32.10°C, and the neutral temperature is 17.40°C. In terms of social status, young people (age≤20) have the highest heat sensitivity, while the middle-aged (20

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a primary brain tumor of unknown etiology. It is extremely aggressive, incurable and has a short average survival time for patients. Therefore, understanding the precise molecular mechanisms of this diseases is essential to establish effective treatments. In this study, we cloned and sequenced a splice variant of the hydroxysteroid 11-β dehydrogenase 1 like gene (HSD11B1L) and named it HSD11B1L-181. HSD11 B1L-181 was specifically expressed only in GBM cells. Overexpression of this variant can significantly promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of GBM cells. Knockdown of HSD11B1L-181 expression inhibited the oncogenic potential of GBM cells. Furthermore, we identified the direct interaction of parkin with HSD11B1L-181 by screening the GBM cDNA expression library via yeast two-hybrid. Parkin is an RBR E3 ubiquitin ligase whose mutations are associated with tumorigenesis. Small interfering RNA treatment of parkin enhanced the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of GBM. Finally, we found that the alkaloid peiminine from the bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq blocks the interaction between HSD11B1L-181 and parkin, thereby lessening carcinogenesis of GBM. We further confirmed the potential of peiminine to prevent GBM in cellular, ectopic and orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Taken together, these findings not only provide insight into GBM, but also present an opportunity for future GBM treatment.

Abstract Background Induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimen. However, many patients experience a relapse or exhibit refractory disease (R/R). There is an urgent need for more effective regimens to reverse anthracycline resistance in these patients. Methods In this paper, Twenty-seven R/R AML patients with anthracycline resistance consecutively received chidamide in combination with anthracycline-based regimen as salvage therapy at the Chinese PLA General Hospital. Results Of the 27 patients who had received one course of salvage therapy, 13 achieved a complete response and 1 achieved a partial response. We found that the HDAC3-AKT-P21-CDK2 signaling pathway was significantly upregulated in anthracycline-resistant AML cells compared to non-resistant cells. AML patients with higher levels of HDAC3 had lower event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. Moreover, anthracycline-resistant AML cells are susceptible to chidamide, a histone deacetylase inhibitor which can inhibit cell proliferation, increase cell apoptosis and induce cell-cycle arrest in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Chidamide increases the sensitivity of anthracycline-resistant cells to anthracycline drugs, and these effects are associated with the inhibition of the HDAC3-AKT-P21-CDK2 signaling pathway. Conclusion Chidamide can increase anthracycline drug sensitivity by inhibiting HDAC3-AKT-P21-CDK2 signaling pathway, thus demonstrating the potential for application.

Growing evidence suggests that hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality since uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risk of myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, hemorrhagic stroke, and chronic kidney disease. Impaired vascular homeostasis plays a critical role in the development of hypertension-induced vascular remodeling. Abnormal behaviors of vascular cells are not only a pathological hallmark of hypertensive vascular remodeling, but also an important pathological basis for maintaining reduced vascular compliance in hypertension. Targeting vascular remodeling represents a novel therapeutic approach in hypertension and its cardiovascular complications. Phytochemicals are emerging as candidates with therapeutic effects on numerous pathologies, including hypertension. An increasing number of studies have found that curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from dietary spice turmeric, holds a broad spectrum of pharmacological actions, such as antiplatelet, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiangiogenic effects. Curcumin has been shown to prevent or treat vascular remodeling in hypertensive rodents by modulating various signaling pathways. In the present review, we attempt to focus on the current findings and molecular mechanisms of curcumin in the treatment of hypertensive vascular remodeling. In particular, adverse and inconsistent effects of curcumin, as well as some favorable pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics profiles in arterial hypertension will be discussed. Moreover, the recent progress in the preparation of nano-curcumins and their therapeutic potential in hypertension will be briefly recapped. The future research directions and challenges of curcumin in hypertension-related vascular remodeling are also proposed. It is foreseeable that curcumin is likely to be a therapeutic agent for hypertension and vascular remodeling going forwards.

Abstract To explore the characteristics and prognostic significance of genetic mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we screened the gene mutation profile of 171 previously untreated AML patients using a next‐generation sequencing technique targeting 127 genes with potential prognostic significance. A total of 390 genetic alterations were identified in 149 patients with a frequency of 87.1%. Younger age and high sensitivity to induction chemotherapy were associated with a lower number of mutations. NPM1 mutation was closely related to DNMT3A and FLT3‐internal tandem duplication (FLT3‐ITD) mutations, but mutually exclusive with ASXL1 mutation and CEBPAdouble mutation. In univariate analysis, ASXL1 or TET2 mutation predicted shorter overall survival (OS) or relapse‐free survival (RFS), DNMT3A, FLT3‐ITD, or RUNX1 mutation predicted a higher likelihood of remission‐induction failure, whereas NRAS mutation or CEBPAdouble mutation predicted longer OS. Concurrent DNMT3A, FLT3‐ITD, and NPM1 mutations predicted shorter OS. Hypomethylation agents could improve the OS in patients with DNA methylation‐related mutations. According to multivariate analysis, TET2 mutation was recognized as an independent prognostic factors for RFS. In summary, our study provided a detailed pattern of gene mutations and their prognostic relevance in Chinese AML patients based on targeted next‐generation sequencing screening.

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the differences in yield formation among two parents (P1 and P2) and their F1 hybrid of cucumber, biomass production and whole source–sink dynamics were analyzed using a functional–structural plant model (FSPM) that simulates both the number and size of individual organs. Observations of plant development and organ biomass were recorded throughout the growth periods of the plants. The GreenLab Model was used to analyze the differences in fruit setting, organ expansion, biomass production and biomass allocation. The source–sink parameters were estimated from the experimental measurements. Moreover, a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) was applied to analyze whether the fruit setting is related to the source–sink ratio. The results showed that the internal source–sink ratio increased in the vegetative stage and reached a peak until the first fruit setting. The high yield of hybrid F1 is the compound result of both fruit setting and the internal source–sink ratio. The optimization results also revealed that the incremental changes in fruit weight result from the increases in sink strength and proportion of plant biomass allocation for fruits. The model-aided analysis revealed that heterosis is a result of a delicate compromise between fruit setting and fruit sink strength. The organ-level model may provide a computational approach to define the target of breeding by combination with a genetic model.

Objective To study the effect of spermatogenic cell-specific promoter Dazl in Spermatogenic cells. Constructing the eukaryotic reporter gene expression vector AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag containing spermatogenic cell-specific promoter Dazl. Methods The Adeno-associated virus vector AAV-CMV-RFP-Flag was modified by homologous recombination to construct mouse permatogenic cell-specific expression vector AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag. In vitro, GC1-spg wild-type cells and HEK-293T cells were transfected, and the expression specificity of AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag in vitro was verified by immunofluorescence, q-PCR, and Western blot. In vivo, AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag was packaged with adeno-associated virus (AAV), and AAV was injected into the testes of mouse through microinjection technology, then the expression specificity of AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag in vivo was detected by q-PCR. Results Mouse Sper- matogenic cell-specific expression vector AAV-Dazl-RFP-Flag is specifically expressed in spermatogenic, cells thus provid providing a more efficient tool for gene therapy of male reproductive infertility.

Abstract Background NAFLD is tightly associated with various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cancer. Previous studies had investigated the association between NAFLD and various extrahepatic cancers, but the available data to date is not conclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between NAFLD and various extrahepatic cancers comprehensively. Methods Searches were conducted of various electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and the Cochrane Library) to identify observational studies published between 1996 and January 2020 which investigated the association between NAFLD and extrahepatic cancers. The pooled OR/HR/IRR of the association between NAFLD and various extrahepatic cancers were analyzed. Results A total of 26 studies were included to investigate the association between NAFLD and various extrahepatic cancers. As the results shown, the pooled OR values of the risk of colorectal cancer and adenomas in patients with NAFLD were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.40–2.11) and 1.37 (95%CI: 1.29–1.46), respectively. The pooled OR values of the risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with NAFLD were 2.46 (95%CI: 1.77–3.44) and 2.24 (95%CI: 1.58–3.17), respectively. The pooled OR value of the risk of breast cancer in patients with NAFLD was 1.69 (95%CI: 1.44–1.99). In addition, NAFLD was also tightly associatied with the risk of gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and esophageal cancer. Conclusions NAFLD could significantly increase the development risk of colorectal adenomas and cancer, intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, breast, gastric, pancreatic, prostate, and esophageal cancer. NAFLD could be considered as one of the influencing factors during the clinical diagnosis and treatment for the extrahepatic cancers.

Abstract Background MiRNAs are a group of multifunctional non-coding RNAs which play an important role in the various physiological processes including the development of NAFLD. Recent studies have shown that miR-30b-5p tightly associated with the abnormal lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD, but the detailed mechanism of miR-30b-5p in the lipid metabolism was remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-30b-5p on the lipid metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma Huh-7 cells. Material and methods The correlation of intracellular fat content with the expression of miR-30b-5p in Huh-7 cells and HepG2 cells was investigated by treated cells with different concentrations of FFAs. The effect of miR-30b-5p on the lipid deposition in Huh-7 cells was tested by oil red O staining and TG concentrations measurement. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to investigate the lipid metabolism-related genes PPAR-α, SREBP-1, and GULT1 in miR-30b-5p overexpressed or inhibited Huh-7 cells. Target genes of miR-30b-5p were predicted using starBase, miRDB, and TargetScan databases and verified by qRT-PCR and western blot. Results The expression of miR-30b-5p was significant decreased in the FFAs treated Huh-7 cells and HepG2 cells. Overexpressing miR-30b-5p in Huh-7 cells decreased the number and size of lipid droplets and intracellular TG concentrations in Huh-7 cells. Expression of fatty acid oxidation related gene PPAR-α was increased and expression of lipid synthesis related gene SREBP-1 was decreased in the miR-30b-5p overexpressed Huh-7 cells. In addition, miR-30b-5p regulates the intracellular lipid metabolism by targeting PPARGC1A. Conclusions Overexpression of miR-30b-5p could reduce the intracellular fat deposition in Huh-7 cells, and miR-30b-5p might regulate the intracellular lipid metabolism by targeting the PPARGC1A in Huh-7 cells.

This study aims to evaluate and compare the indoor air velocities and thermal environment inside different generations of public residential buildings developed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) of Singapore and analyze the impact of façade design on the indoor thermal environment. To achieve this goal, several case studies were carried out, namely, five typical HDB blocks built in different generations from the 1970s to recent years. Firstly, these five blocks with different façade design features were simulated to obtain the indoor air temperatures for both window-closed and window-open scenarios by using the EnergyPlus V22.2.0 (U.S. Department of Energy) and Design-Builder v6 software(DesignBuilder Software Ltd, Stroud, Gloucs, UK). Meanwhile, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to obtain the area-weighted wind velocities in the corresponding zones to evaluate the indoor thermal comfort. Accordingly, the effects of façade design on indoor air temperatures under both the window-closed and window-open conditions were compared and analyzed. Positive correlations between the facades’ window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and the residential envelope transmittance value (RETV) and Ta were confirmed with statistical significance at a 0.05 level. Furthermore, the indoor thermal comfort based on the wind open scenarios was also investigated. The results indicate that the thermal environment can be greatly improved by implementing proper façade design strategies as well as opening the windows, which could result in an average 3.2 °C reduction in Ta. Finally, some principles were proposed for the façade design of residential buildings in tropical regions with similar climate conditions.

Purpose: Wound represents a major health challenge as they consume a large amount of healthcare resources to improve patient's quality of life. Many scientific studies have been conducted in search of ideal biomaterials with wound-healing activity for clinical use and collagen has been proven to be a suitable candidate biomaterial. This study intended to investigate the wound healing activity of collagen peptides derived from jellyfish following oral administration. Methods: In this study, collagen was extracted from the jellyfish--Rhopilema esculentum using 1% pepsin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used to identify and determine the molecular weight of the jellyfish collagen. Collagenase II, papain and alkaline proteinase were used to breakdown jellyfish collagen into collagen peptides. Wound scratch assay (in vitro) was done to determine migration potential of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) covering the artificial wound created on the cell monolayer following treatment with collagen peptides. In vivo studies were conducted to determine the effects of collagen peptides on wound healing by examining wound contraction, re-epithelialization, tissue regeneration and collagen deposition on the wounded skin of mice. Confidence level (p

The outdoor wind comfort is important for evaluations of the urban wind environment. The existing wind comfort criteria are based on the correlations between wind parameters, human activity levels, and wind comfort level categories. These criteria vary among different climates and regions, and they are influenced by meteorological parameters and human wind adaptation. In this study, an outdoor wind comfort questionnaire survey was conducted and meteorological measurements were collected in Xi’an, which is located in the cold region of China. The square and lake side were chosen as the test sites. The mean wind sensation vote (MWSV) and wind speed of neutral wind sensation were used as indexes to analyze the correlation between outdoor wind comfort and human wind adaptation. The results showed that the wind sensation level was generally moderate. At −1 < MWSV < 1, the fluctuations in the wind speed had little effect on the wind sensation, but when MWSV > 1 or MWSV < −1, the degree of discomfort increased as the absolute value of MWSV increased. When the wind speed exceeded 1 m/s, the amount of clothing insulation was greatly increased. The metabolic rate fluctuated between 1.5 met and 2 met. Expectations that the wind speed in the winter would be less than 1.05 m/s were greater than expectations that the wind speed would be more than 1.05 m/s in the summer, and people generally adapted to a low wind environment with wind speeds below 1 m/s. The acceptable wind ranges for more than 90% of participants at the square and lake side were (0 m/s, 2.02 m/s) and (0.01 m/s, 2.86 m/s). This study provides support for the revision of outdoor wind comfort standards and a methodological basis for outdoor wind comfort research at the same latitude throughout the world.

Abstract It is of real and direct significance for China to cope with oil price fluctuations and ensure oil security. This paper aims to quantitatively analyze the specific contribution ratios of the complex factors influencing international crude oil prices and to establish crude oil price models to forecast long-term international crude oil prices. Six explanatory influential variables, namely Dow Jones Indexes, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development oil stocks, US rotary rig count, US dollar index, total open interest, which is the total number of outstanding contracts that are held by market participants at the end of each day, and geopolitical instability are specified, and the samples, from January 1990 to August 2017, are divided into six sub-periods. Moreover, the co-integration relationship among variables shows that the contribution ratios of all the variables influencing Brent crude oil prices are in accordance with the corresponding qualitative analysis. Furthermore, from September 2017 to December 2022 outside of the sample, the Vector Autoregressive forecasts show that annually averaged Brent crude oil prices for 2017–2022 would be $53.0, $61.3, $74.4, $90.0, $105.5, and $120.7 per barrel, respectively. The Vector Error Correction forecasts show that annual average Brent crude oil prices for 2017–2022 would be $53.0, $56.5, $58.5, $60.7, $63.0 and $65.4 per barrel, respectively.

Objective: To understand the current situation of network pharmacology, and to analyze external and internal characteristics of literature, is of great significance for the development of network pharmacology in the future and its application in the modernization of Chinese medicine. Methods: Bibliometrics were adapted to perform visual analysis on the research status of network pharmacology with Citespace and SPSS for windows 22.0 version (IBM, Armonk, New York, USA). Knowledge map was used to analyze the knowledge system in the field, to identify the research hotspots and dynamic frontiers, and to elaborate the research status and development trend of domestic network pharmacology. Results: The research on network pharmacology in China is at the stage of the formation and construction of basic theories. At present, we focuses on the solution of actual disease problems and basic theoretical research, while the application in the research field of traditional Chinese medicine is a new hot spot and trend in the future development. Conclusions: It is important to pay attention to the connection and communication among the knowledge groups, so that a systematic knowledge system can be formed in the field of network pharmacology in domestic as soon as possible.

Maternal nicotine exposure causes alteration of gene expression and cardiovascular programming. The discovery of nicotine-medicated regulation in cardiogenesis is of major importance for the study of cardiac defects. The present study investigated the effect of nicotine on cardiac gene expression and epigenetic regulation during myocardial differentiation. Persistent nicotine exposure selectively inhibited expression of two cardiac genes, Tbx5 and Gata4, by promoter DNA hypermethylation. The nicotine-induced suppression on cardiac differentiation was restored by general nicotinic acetylcholine receptor inhibition. Consistent results of Tbx5 and Gata4 gene suppression and cardiac function impairment with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction were obtained from in vivo studies in offspring. Our results present a direct repressive effect of nicotine on myocardial differentiation by regulating cardiac gene suppression via promoter DNA hypermethylation, contributing to the etiology of smoking-associated cardiac defects.

[Purpose/significance] Under the background of novel coronavirus pneumonia, this paper proposes a method of identifying COVID-19 news elements in multi-task environment based on transfer learning to provide knowledge services of emergency for the public. [Method/process] Firstly, multiple tasks were used to identify news elements: Time elements were identified based on rules; besides, a cross domain element recognition model was constructed by integrating model transfer and deep learning methods. On this basis, the associated data of COVID-19 news elements was constructed, and the relationship between the elements was displayed by knowledge mapping. [Result/conclusion] The experimental results show that the F1 values of news elements except Drug are above 80%, which indicates that the transfer learning model can achieve fine recognition effect. Moreover, the knowledge map of associated data can intuitively display the key elements and main contents of news. In conclusion, the method proposed in this paper can effectively identify elements in COVID-19 news, thus it can help readers obtain important information from the news accurately and efficiently.

Changes in the demand for bulk cargo will have a significant impact on the industrial structure and transportation development planning, and trains and cargo ships are the main means of bulk cargo transportation. Accurately predicting the volume of bulk cargo transportation can be used to support transportation system management, such as operation planning and route selection design. This study uses the Elman model to conduct empirical analysis, predict the changing trend of bulk cargo transportation, and provide data reference for the formulation of transportation development plans.

This study examined how tumbler characteristics influenced the perception of volume at different viewing angles. Three tumbler characteristics were individually examined, namely, shape, size, and elongation. At four viewing angles (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°), 50 participants poured a certain amount of liquid (150 or 200 mL) into a designated tumbler according to their perception. Results showed that tumbler size and elongation influenced volume perception. At viewing angles of 0° and 30°, the participants poured more liquid into short-wide tumblers than into tall-slender tumblers. At viewing angles of 60° and 90°, the results were opposite. The reason may be that the change of viewing angle made the participant’s sight cues from the container diameter more visible than those from the container height. Similar results were obtained for the pair of small and large tumblers. However, no effect of viewing angle on tumblers with different geometric shapes was observed. The contradictory results in comparison with those of previous studies may be related to viewing angle; in addition, the effect of viewing angle was also influenced by the characteristics of tumblers.