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Abstract To evaluate whether radiomics models based on unenhanced paranasal sinuses CT images could be a useful tool for differentiating inverted papilloma (IP) from chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP). This retrospective study recruited 240 patients with CRSwNP and 106 patients with IP from three centers. 253 patients from Qilu Hospital were randomly divided into the training set (n = 151) and the internal validation set (n = 102) with a ratio of 6:4. 93 patients from the other two centers were used as the external validation set. The patients with the unilateral disease (n = 115) from Qilu Hospital were selected to further develop a subgroup analysis. Lesion segmentation was manually delineated in CT images. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm was performed for feature reduction and selection. Decision tree, support vector machine, random forest, and adaptive boosting regressor were employed to establish the differential diagnosis models. 43 radiomic features were selected for modeling. Among the models, RF achieved the best results, with an AUC of 0.998, 0.943, and 0.934 in the training set, the internal validation set, and the external validation set, respectively. In the subgroup analysis, RF achieved an AUC of 0.999 in the training set and 0.963 in the internal validation set. The proposed radiomics models offered a non-invasion and accurate differential approach between IP and CRSwNP and has some significance in guiding clinicians determining the best treatment plans, as well as predicting the prognosis.

Abstract Approximately 75% of stroke survivors have movement dysfunction. Rehabilitation exercises are capable of improving physical coordination. They are mostly conducted in the home environment without guidance from therapists. It is impossible to provide timely feedback on exercises without suitable devices or therapists. Human action quality assessment in the home setting is a challenging topic for current research. In this paper, a low-cost HREA system in which wearable sensors are used to collect upper limb exercise data and a multichannel 1D-CNN framework is used to automatically assess action quality. The proposed 1D-CNN model is first pretrained on the UCI-HAR dataset, and it achieves a performance of 91.96%. Then, five typical actions were selected from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale for the experiment, wearable sensors were used to collect the participants’ exercise data, and experienced therapists were employed to assess participants’ exercise at the same time. Following the above process, a dataset was built based on the Fugl-Meyer scale. Based on the 1D-CNN model, a multichannel 1D-CNN model was built, and the model using the Naive Bayes fusion had the best performance (precision: 97.26%, recall: 97.22%, F1-score: 97.23%) on the dataset. This shows that the HREA system provides accurate and timely assessment, which can provide real-time feedback for stroke survivors’ home rehabilitation.

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effects of different shrub plants on the structure and diversity of inter-root soil bacterial communities, in order to provide scientific support for ecological restoration and revegetation of the Mu Us Desert. Methods Three major shrub plants (Artemisia ordosica, Salix psammophila, Caragana microphylla) in the Mu Us Desert were selected for this study. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, the bacterial community structure and diversity in the inter-root soils of these plants were analysed in depth, and combined with the determination of soil physicochemical and microbiological properties, the response characteristics of the bacterial diversity in the inter-root soils of the different plants were assessed comprehensively. Results It was found that although the soil pH did not show significant differences among different plant growths, the SOC, TN and TP contents were higher in Salix psammophila sample plot and Artemisia ordosica sample plot, which indicated that the plant growths had a positive effect on the soil nutrient contents. Through Venn diagram analysis, it was observed that the number of OTUs of bacteria in the soils of different shrubland sites varied, and all of them were higher than those in the soils of the sample sites where no plants grew, which indicated that plants had an effect on soil bacterial diversity. The bacterial Chao1 index were higher in the Artemisia ordosica sample plot sample site, suggesting that the growth of Artemisia ordosica contributes to the enhancement of soil bacterial richness. Soil bacterial communities showed compositional differences among different sample plots, especially the higher relative abundance of Betaproteobacteria in the Artemisia ordosica sample plot sample plot, which may be related to the increase of soil organic matter content. Conclusion The results of the study revealed that specific plants, such as Artemisia ordosica, can significantly improve the soil nutrient status of windy sandy soils, increase soil organic matter and nitrogen content, and thus enhance the diversity and abundance of soil microorganisms. The bacterial community structure in the inter-root soils of different plants differed significantly, with changes in the relative abundance of the dominant phyla, such as Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria, reflecting the differences in soil nutrient status. These findings emphasise the important role of plants on soil chemical properties and microbial community structure, providing an important basis for soil management and ecological restoration.

Abstract Metalens, characterized by their unique functions and distinctive physical properties, have gained significant attention for their potential applications. To further optimize the performance of metalens, it is necessary to characterize the phase modulation of the metalens. In this study, we present a multi-distance phase retrieval system based on optical field scanning and discuss its convergence and robustness. Our findings indicate that the system is capable of retrieving the phase distribution of the metalens as long as the measurement noise is low and the total length of the scanned light field is sufficiently long. This system enables the analysis of focal length and aberration by utilizing the computed phase distribution. We extend our investigation to measure the phase distribution of the metalens operating in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum and identify the impact of defects in the sample on the phase. Additionally, we conduct a comparative analysis of the phase distribution of the metalens in air and ethanol and observe the variations in the phase modulation of the metalens in different working mediums. Our system provides a straightforward method for the phase characterization of metalens, aiding in optimizing the metalens design and functionality.

Abstract The impact of efferocytosis-related genes (ERGs) on the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. In this study, efferocytosis-associated biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC were identified by integrating data from transcriptome sequencing and public databases. Finally, the expression of biomarkers was validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Our study may provide a reference for CRC diagnosis. Background It has been shown that some efferocytosis related genes (ERGs) are associated with the development of cancer. However, it is still uncertain how ERGs may influence the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods In our study, the CRC cohorts were gained from transcriptome sequencing and the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database (GSE71187). Efferocytosis related biomarkers with diagnostic utility for CRC were identified through combining differentially expressed analysis, machine learning algorithms, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Then, infiltration abundance of immune cells between CRC and control was evaluated. The regulatory networks (including mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA and miRNA/transcription factors (TF)-mRNA networks) were created. Finally, the expression of biomarkers was validated via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results There were 3 biomarkers (ELMO3, P2RY12, and PDK4) related diagnosis for CRC patients gained. ELMO3 was highly expressed in CRC group, while P2RY12 and PDK4 was lowly expressed. Besides, the infiltrating abundance of 3 immune cells between CRC and control groups was significantly differential, namely activated CD4 memory T cells, macrophages M0, and resting mast cells. We then constructed a mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA network containing 3 mRNAs, 33 miRNAs, and 22 lncRNAs, and a miRNA/TF-mRNA network including 3 mRNAs, 33 miRNAs, and 7 TFs. Additionally, RT-qPCR results revealed that the expression trends of all biomarkers were consistent with the transcriptome sequencing data and GSE71187. Conclusion Taken together, this study provides three efferocytosis related biomarkers (ELMO3, P2RY12, and PDK4) for diagnosis of CRC, providing a scientific reference for further studies of CRC.

Abstract With the rapid development of Chinese transportation networks, such as the Sichuan-Tibet railway, numerous tunnels are under construction or planned in mountainous regions. Some of these tunnels must traverse or be situated near active fault zones, which could suffer damage from fault slip. In this study, the seismic response of a mountain tunnel subjected to coseismic faulting was analyzed using a fault-structure system in a two-step process. Firstly, a nonuniform slip model was proposed to calculate the ground deformations and internal displacements induced by a specific active fault on a geological scale, considering nonuniform slips on the fault plane. The 1989 Loma Prieta and 2022 Menyuan earthquakes were chosen as case studies to validate the proposed slip model. Secondly, the calculated displacement of the Menyuan earthquake was used as the input load for the discrete–continuous coupling analysis of the Daliang tunnel on an engineering scale. The simulated deformation of the Daliang tunnel aligned with the on-site damage observations following the Menyuan earthquake. Lastly, the effects of different fault conditions on the tunnel seismic response were investigated. The results indicate that the distribution of the peak longitudinal strain of the lining is governed by fault mechanisms, and the degree of fault slip significantly influences the response of the tunnel. A tunnel passing through an active fault with a wider fault fracture zone and smaller dip angle experience less damage.

Abstract Background Synovial fibrosis is a common complication of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a pathological process characterized by myofibroblast activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) are implicated in KOA pathogenesis, contributing to synovial fibrosis through diverse mechanisms. Nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) is a recently identified transcription factor with crucial roles in various fibrotic diseases. However, its molecular determinants in KOA synovial fibrosis remain unknown. This study aims to investigate the role of NUPR1 in KOA synovial fibrosis through in vivo and in vitro experiments. Methods We examined NUPR1 expression in the murine synovium and determined the impact of NUPR1 on synovial fibrosis by knockdown models in the destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced KOA mouse model. TGF-β was employed to induce fibrotic response and myofibroblast activation in mouse FLSs, and the role and molecular mechanisms in synovial fibrosis were evaluated under conditions of NUPR1 downexpression. Additionally, the pharmacological effect of NUPR1 inhibitor in synovial fibrosis was assessed using a surgically induced mouse KOA model. Results We found that NUPR1 expression increased in the murine synovium after DMM surgical operation. The adeno-associated virus (AAV)-NUPR1 shRNA promoted NUPR1 deficiency, attenuating synovial fibrosis, inhibiting synovial hyperplasia, and significantly reducing the expression of pro-fibrotic molecules. Moreover, the lentivirus-mediated NUPR1 deficiency alleviated synoviocyte proliferation and inhibited fibroblast to myofibroblast transition. It also decreased the expression of fibrosis markers α-SMA, COL1A1, CTGF, Vimentin and promoted the activation of the SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3) pathway. Importantly, trifluoperazine (TFP), a NUPR1 inhibitor, attenuated synovial fibrosis in DMM mice. Conclusions These findings indicate that NUPR1 is an antifibrotic modulator in KOA, and its effect on anti-synovial fibrosis is partially mediated by SMAD3 signaling. This study reveals a promising target for developing novel antifibrotic treatment.

Abstract Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become the gold standard for evaluating coronary lesion-specific ischemia. However, FFR is an invasive method that may cause possible complications in the coronary artery and requires expensive equipment, which limits its use. Promising noninvasive diagnostic methods, such as computed tomography angiography–derived FFR (CT-FFR) and the quantitative flow ratio (QFR), have been proposed. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the QFR and CT-FFR in predicting coronary lesion-specific ischemia, with the FFR serving as the reference standard. Patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease who underwent coronary CT angiography revealing 30–90% diameter stenosis in the main coronary artery (≥ 2.0 mm reference diameter) were enrolled. The FFR was measured during invasive coronary angiography (within 15 days after coronary CT angiography). An FFR ≤ 0.8 was the reference standard for coronary lesion-specific ischemia. A total of 103 vessels from 92 consecutive patients (aged 59.8 ± 9.2 years; 60.9% were men) were evaluated. The diagnostic performance of a QFR ≤ 0.80 for predicting coronary lesion-specific ischemia demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity (92.2%, 87.2%, and 96.4%, respectively), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.987 (P

Abstract Background Despite the use of targeted therapeutic approaches, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is still associated with a high incidence of complications and a poor prognosis. Indisulam (also known as E7070), a newly identified molecular glue compound, has demonstrated increased therapeutic efficacy in several types of cancer through the rapid degradation of RBM39. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of indisulam in T-ALL, elucidate its underlying mechanisms and explore the role of the RBM39 gene. Methods We verified the anticancer effects of indisulam in both in vivo and in vitro models. Additionally, the construction of RBM39-knockdown cell lines using shRNA confirmed that the malignant phenotype of T-ALL cells was dependent on RBM39. Through RNA sequencing, we identified indisulam-induced splicing anomalies, and proteomic analysis helped pinpoint protein changes caused by the drug. Comprehensive cross-analysis of these findings facilitated the identification of downstream effectors and subsequent validation of their functional roles. Results Indisulam has significant antineoplastic effects on T-ALL. It attenuates cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis and interferes with cell cycle progression in vitro while facilitating tumor remission in T-ALL in vivo models. This investigation provides evidence that the downregulation of RBM39 results in the restricted proliferation of T-ALL cells both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that RBM39 is a potential target for T-ALL treatment. Indisulam’s efficacy is attributed to its ability to induce RBM39 degradation, causing widespread aberrant splicing and abnormal translation of the critical downstream effector protein, THOC1, ultimately leading to protein depletion. Moreover, the presence of DCAF15 is regarded as critical for the effectiveness of indisulam, and its absence negates the ability of indisulam to induce the desired functional alterations. Conclusion Our study revealed that indisulam, which targets RBM39 to induce tumor cell apoptosis, is an effective drug for treating T-ALL. Targeting RBM39 through indisulam leads to mis-splicing of pre-mRNAs, resulting in the loss of key effectors such as THOC1.

Abstract Objectives The geographical environment and military activities in the plateau area pose potential work-related stressors for military personnel, leading to burnout which is an external manifestation of internal energy exhaustion caused by stress. Without countermeasures, this can result in serious military problems. This study aims to examine the association between burnout and occupational stressors among military personnel stationed in the plateau area of China. Material and methods A stratified randomized cluster sampling survey was conducted among 2026 military personnel from 6 different troops stationed in the plateau area of China. The Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey(MBI-GS in Chinese) was administered from March 2022 to December 2023, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results A total of 2026 military personnel participated in the survey. The mean overall burnout score was 3.37 ± 0.73, with emotional exhaustion at 2.69 ± 0.89, depersonalization at 3.58 ± 0.92, and professional achievement at 3.81 ± 0.85 levels respectively reported by participants on average scale scores ranging from zero to six. Severe level of burnout was reported by 43.2% of participants while medium level of burnout was reported by 54 .3%. Age, education level, length of military service, and household income were identified as important factors influencing burnout. Conclusion This study highlights a relatively high prevalence of burnout among military personnel stationed in plateau areas necessitating attention towards their occupational health particularly focusing on working hours and economic aspects so as to formulate effective policies and implement intervention measures that strengthen career development for soldiers deployed in such regions.

Al–Li alloy has been widely used in the manufacture of aerospace aircraft structural parts due to its high specific strength and excellent comprehensive performance. Friction stir welding (FSW), as a solid-state joining technique, generates comparatively lower heat generation in contrast to fusion welding. However, even with this reduced heat input, the welded joints of 2195 Al–Li alloy still exhibit noticeable thermal softening. FSW is very sensitive to welding heat input, and the thermal cycle of high peak temperature coarsens the grain in the weld zone, thereby reducing joint properties. To overcome these problems, external cooling can be applied to reduce peak temperature and increase cooling speed, improving the performance of FSW joints. In order to study the mechanism of external cooling on the microstructure evolution of joints, this work established a multi-scale simulation of splat cooling assisted friction stir welding (SCaFSW) of 2195 Al–Li alloy. The temperature change and material deformation data in SCaFSW were calculated in the macroscopic finite element model and used for further Monte Carlo microstructure evolution simulation, and compared with the conventional FSW process. Results reveal that the splat cooling significantly reduces the area of the high temperature region of the workpiece, decreasing the temperature at the same location 10 mm behind the tool by approximately 50 °C compared to FSW. While the local temperature field around the tool pin is not affected by the splat cooling, which mainly accelerates the cooling rate of the welded joint and reduces the plastic strain. In addition, the dislocation density in the weld nugget zone (WNZ) of SCaFSW joint is higher than that in conventional FSW, which promotes the process of grain nucleation and finally refines the grain in the WNZ. The simulated average grain size and thermal cycling results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Abstract Background Recently, the application of deep learning (DL) has made great progress in various fields, especially in cancer research. However, to date, the bibliometric analysis of the application of DL in cancer is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the research status and hotspots of the application of DL in cancer. Methods We retrieved all articles on the application of DL in cancer from the Web of Science database Core Collection database. Biblioshiny, VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to perform the bibliometric analysis through analyzing the numbers, citations, countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. Results We found 6,016 original articles on the application of DL in cancer. The number of annual publications and total citations were uptrend in general. China published the greatest number of articles, USA had the highest total citations, and Saudi Arabia had the highest centrality. Chinese Academy of Sciences was the most productive institution. Tian, Jie published the greatest number of articles, while He Kaiming was the most co-cited author. IEEE Access was the most popular journal. The analysis of references and keywords showed that DL was mainly used for the prediction, detection, classification and diagnosis of breast cancer, lung cancer, and skin cancer. Conclusions Overall, the number of articles on the application of DL in cancer is gradually increasing. In the future, further expanding and improving the application scope and accuracy of DL applications, and integrating DL with protein prediction, genomics and cancer research may be the research trends.

Background/Objectives: This study examined the relationships between 24-h movement behaviors and physical fitness (PF) in preschool children. Methods: The study was conducted on 474 children aged 3–6 years in Zhuhai. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) were collected by the accelerometer, and sleep time was assessed through the parent-report questionnaire. Balance, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), flexibility, muscle strength, muscular endurance, and speed-agility were measured using a balance beam test, 20 m shuttle run test, sit and reach test, handgrip test, sit-ups, and 4 × 10 m shuttle run test respectively. The compositional data analysis was used to examine the association between 24-h movement behaviors and PF, and the compositional isotemporal substitution analysis was used for the time reallocation. Results: The daily composition, adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), was significantly associated with CRF (p

To address air pollution and offer a convenient and comfortable living environment, the Chinese government launched a smart city pilot (SCP) project in 2012, accompanied by a comprehensive set of environmental and energy-related laws and regulations. Although academic interest in smart cities has surged, there remains a notable gap in empirical research exploring the economic, environmental, and energy effects of such initiatives. Taking 232 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2017 as research subjects, this study measures energy efficiency by using energy consumption per unit of GDP and adopts a difference-in-differences (DID) analysis to investigate the impact of SCPs on energy efficiency. The empirical results indicate that SCPs improved energy efficiency by promoting urban technological innovation capabilities and green total factor productivity, and this effect was more pronounced in cities that were more dependent on traditional fossil fuel energy sources and had more developed fiscal and financial levels. Studying the impact of smart city construction on energy utilization efficiency in developing countries, such as China, is not only significantly enlightening for China’s green and low-carbon transition but also provides reference opinions for constructing smart cities and the path to enhancing energy efficiency in other developing countries. The findings provide valuable insights into the global development of smart cities, urban sustainability, and high-quality economic growth.

Abstract The effect of low‐FODMAPs diet on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Western China has not been reported. We aimed to investigate the effect of low‐FODMAPs diet on IBS patients in the area and whether low‐FODMAPs diet‐induced alterations of microbiota could be improved through probiotics. IBS patients were randomized to the control group, low‐FODMAPs diet group, probiotics group, or combined group. IBS Symptom Severity Score questionnaire (IBS‐SSS) and IBS Quality of Life Score questionnaire (IBS‐QOL) were completed at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks to evaluate the severity of symptoms. Fresh feces were collected for analyses of gut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids at baseline and 4 weeks after intervention. Seventy‐three patients were included in the per protocol analysis. After intervention, there was significant improvement in IBS‐SSS in the low‐FODMAPs group (37.5%, 44.2%), probiotics group (51.4%, 62.0%), and combined group (34.1%, 40.4%) at both 2 weeks and 4 weeks, compared with the baseline (p

Abstract Background Flavivirus is a challenge all over the world. The replication of flavivirus takes place within membranous replication compartments (RCs) derived from endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Flavivirus NS1 proteins have been proven essential for the formation of viral RCs by remodeling the ER. The glycosylation of flavivirus NS1 proteins is important for viral replication, yet the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods HeLa cells were used to visualize the ER remodeling effects induced by NS1 expression. ZIKV replicon luciferase assay was performed with BHK-21 cells. rZIKV was generated from BHK-21 cells and the plaque assay was done with Vero Cells. Liposome co-floating assay was performed with purified NS1 proteins from 293T cells. Results We found that the glycosylation of flavivirus NS1 contributes to its ER remodeling activity. Glycosylation deficiency of NS1, either through N-glycosylation sites mutations or tunicamycin treatment, compromises its ER remodeling activity and interferes with viral RCs formation. Disruption of NS1 glycosylation results in abnormal aggregation of NS1, rather than reducing its membrane-binding activity. Consequently, deficiency in NS1 glycosylation impairs virus replication. Conclusions In summary, our results highlight the significance of NS1 glycosylation in flavivirus replication and elucidate the underlying mechanism. This provides a new strategy for combating flavivirus infections.

This study sought to determine the effects of rosemary leaf powder (RP) on laying performance, egg quality, serum indices, gut barrier function, and cecal microbiota and metabolites of late-phase laying hens. A total of 84 “Jing Tint 6” laying hens at 65-week old were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 0.3% RP. Our study revealed that RP improved the Haugh unit and decreased yolk n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio of laying hens, increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), jejunal activities of SOD and catalase (CAT), and jejunal zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression, as well as decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level and jejunal TNF-α mRNA expression. Rosemary leaf powder markedly enhanced (P

Thermochemical conversions are pathways for biomass utilization to produce various value-added energy and chemical products. For the development of novel thermochemical conversion technologies, an accurate understanding of the reaction performance and kinetics is essential. Given the diversity of the thermal analysis techniques, it is necessary to understand the features and limitations of the reactors, ensuring that the selected thermal analysis reactor meets the specific need for reaction characterization. This paper provides a critical overview of the thermal analysis reactors based on the following perspectives: 1) gas flow conditions in the reactor, 2) particle's external and internal heat and mass transfer limitations, 3) heating rate, 4) temperature distribution, 5) nascent char production and reaction, 6) liquid feeding and atomization, 7) simultaneous sampling and analyzing of bed materials, and 8) reacting atmosphere change. Finally, prospects and future research directions in the development of analysis techniques are proposed.

Implant-associated Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) osteomyelitis is a severe challenge in orthopedics. While antibiotic-loaded bone cement is a standardized therapeutic approach for S. aureus osteomyelitis, it falls short in eradicating Staphylococcus abscess communities (SACs) and bacteria within osteocyte-lacuna canalicular network (OLCN) and repairing bone defects. To address limitations, we developed a borosilicate bioactive glass (BSG) combined with ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) magnetic scaffold to enhance antibacterial efficacy and bone repair capabilities. We conducted comprehensive assessments of the osteoinductive, immunomodulatory, antibacterial properties, and thermal response of this scaffold, with or without an alternating magnetic field (AMF). Utilizing a well-established implant-related S. aureus tibial infection rabbit model, we evaluated its antibacterial performance in vivo. RNA transcriptome sequencing demonstrated that BSG + 5%Fe3O4 enhanced the immune response to bacteria and promoted osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of MSCs. Notably, BSG + 5%Fe3O4 upregulated gene expression of NOD-like receptor and TNF pathway in MSCs, alongside increased the expression of osteogenic factors (RUNX2, ALP and OCN) in vitro. Flow cytometry on macrophage exhibited a polarization effect towards M2, accompanied by upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes (TGF-β1 and IL-1Ra) and downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-6 and IL-1β) among macrophages. In vivo CT imaging revealed the absence of osteolysis and periosteal response in rabbits treated with BSG + 5%Fe3O4 + AMF at 42 days. Histological analysis indicated complete controls of SACs and bacteria within OLCN by day 42, along with new bone formation, signifying effective control of S. aureus osteomyelitis. Further investigations will focus on the in vivo biosafety and biological mechanism of this scaffold within infectious microenvironment.

Radioisotopes tend to play important roles in many fields, such as industry, healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, etc. Radioisotope production is mainly through accelerators or research reactors, and high flux research reactor is one of the most effective approaches for radioisotope production. The physical basis of preparing radioisotope relies on nuclear reactions occurring in the reactor core, which includes fission, (n,γ), (n,α), and (n,p) reaction, etc. Among them, fission and (n,γ) reaction are most important in the nuclear reactor. For example, the 99Mo could be generated by uranium fission and extracting from the fission products, or through the radiative capture reaction from enriched 98Mo. As for the fission method, the irradiation target is gradually transitioning from high enriched uranium (HEU) target to low enriched uranium (LEU) target due to the requirement of non-proliferation. In this paper, studies on the impacts of different fission targets on radioisotope productions are conducted. Moreover, an optimized study on the radiative capture method is performed to improve the production efficiency. It is concluded that it is advantageous to use radiative capture method to generate radioisotopes in high flux reactor, which helps to improve the specific activity with environmental friendliness.

It is essential to understand the formation and evolution mechanism of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar Al/Mg alloys to mitigate the deleterious effect of hard and brittle IMCs on the performance of dissimilar joints. To this end, a multiphase-field model with input variables of both temperature and strain rate is developed to study the whole IMCs formation and growth process at the Al/Mg bonding interface in weld nugget zone. The effects of diffusion, elastic deformation, and large plastic deformation on the generation and growth of IMCs are considered. The numerical simulation results indicate that due to the influence of high dislocation density, the higher diffusion coefficient of the Mg matrix leads to the nucleation of Al12Mg17 first. When IMCs grow into layers, the higher diffusion coefficient of Al3Mg2 leads to a faster growth rate of Al3Mg2 than that of Al12Mg17. The elastic energy caused by lattice mismatch between IMCs and matrix plays an inhibitory role in the growth of IMCs. Large plastic deformation in FSW causes an increase in both the stored energy which promotes the IMCs growth and the dislocation density which intensifies the diffusion process, causing IMCs to form at the interface in a short time. With the model, the IMCs evolution from generation to growth is quantitatively analyzed. The predicted thickness of IMCs matches well with the experimental measurements.

Abstract This study delves into the effectiveness of combining remimazolam with low-dose propofol in pediatric fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Ninety children scheduled for fiberoptic bronchoscopy in our hospital were enrolled as research participants. Based on the intraoperative anesthetic drug regimen, the children were divided into three groups: group R (remimazolam 0.2–0.4 mg/kg), group P (propofol 1–3 mg/kg), and group RP (remimazolam0.2 mg/kg, propofol 0.5 mg/kg). Immediately post-anesthesia, group P exhibited lower blood pressure and heart rate (HR) compared to both group R and group RP (P

Abstract Natural stilbenes have shown significant potential in the prevention and treatment of diseases due to their diverse pharmacological activities. Here we present a mild and effective Ti-catalyzed intermolecular radical-relay [2σ + 2π] cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]-butanes and 1,3-dienes. This transformation enables the synthesis of bicyclo[2.1.1]hexane (BCH) scaffolds containing aryl vinyl groups with excellent regio- and trans-selectivity and broad functional group tolerance, thus offering rapid access to structurally diverse stilbene bioisosteres.

Abstract A novel double side friction stir Z shape lap-butt welding (DS-FSZW) process was proposed to achieve excellent mechanical properties of Al/Cu medium-thick dissimilar joints. The influence of welding parameters on weld microstructure and properties of DS-FSZW joint were systematically investigated. It indicated that defect-free medium-thick Al/Cu DS-FSZW joint could be achieved under an optimal welding parameter. DS-FSZW joint was prone to form void defects in the bottom of the second-pass weld. The recrystallization mechanisms at the top and middle of the weld nugget zone (WNZ) were continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and geometric dynamic recrystallization (GDRX). While the major recrystallization mechanism at the bottom of the WNZ was GDRX. DS-FSZW joint of the optimal welding condition with 850 r/min-400 mm/min was produced with a continuous thin and crack-free IMCs layer at the Al/Cu interface, and the maximum tensile strength of this joint is 160.57 MPa, which is equivalent to 65.54% of pure Cu base material. Moreover, the corrosion resistance of Al/Cu DS-FSZW joints also achieved its maximum value at the optimal welding parameter of 850 r/min-400 mm/min. It demonstrates that the DS-FSZW process can simultaneously produce medium-thick Al/Cu joints with excellent mechanical performance and corrosion resistance.

Abstract The verified text data of wheat varieties is an important component of wheat germplasm information. To automatically obtain a structured description of the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of wheat varieties, the aim at solve the issues of fuzzy entity boundaries and overlapping relationships in unstructured wheat variety approval data, WGIE-DCWF (joint extraction model of wheat germplasm information entity relationship based on deep character and word fusion) was proposed. The encoding layer of the model deeply fused word semantic information and character information using the Transformer encoder of BERT. This allowed for the cascading fusion of contextual semantic feature information to achieve rich character vector representation and improve the recognition ability of entity features. The triple extraction layer of the model established a cascading pointer network, extracted the head entity, extracted the tail entity according to the relationship category, and decoded the output triplet. This approach improved the model’s capability to extract overlapping relationships. The experimental results demonstrated that the WGIE-DCWF model performed exceptionally well on both the WGD (wheat germplasm dataset) and the public dataset DuIE. The WGIE-DCWF model not only achieved high performance on the evaluation datasets but also demonstrated good generalization. This provided valuable technical support for the construction of a wheat germplasm information knowledge base and is of great significance for wheat breeding, genetic research, cultivation management, and agricultural production.

Abstract Genomic alterations that activate Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) are common in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and confer sensitivity to FGFR inhibition. However, the depth and duration of response is often limited. Here, we conduct integrative transcriptomics, metabolomics, and phosphoproteomics analysis of patient-derived models to define pathways downstream of oncogenic FGFR2 signaling that fuel ICC growth and to uncover compensatory mechanisms associated with pathway inhibition. We find that FGFR2-mediated activation of Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) maintains a highly glycolytic phenotype. Conversely, FGFR inhibition blocks glucose uptake and glycolysis while inciting adaptive changes, including switching fuel source utilization favoring fatty acid oxidation and increasing mitochondrial fusion and autophagy. Accordingly, FGFR inhibitor efficacy is potentiated by combined mitochondrial targeting, an effect enhanced in xenograft models by intermittent fasting. Thus, we show that oncogenic FGFR2 signaling drives NF-κB-dependent glycolysis in ICC and that metabolic reprogramming in response to FGFR inhibition confers new targetable vulnerabilities.

Abstract Efficient milk production in mammals confers evolutionary advantages by facilitating the transmission of energy from mother to offspring. However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for the gradual establishment of milk production efficiency in mammals, from marsupials to eutherians, remains elusive. Here, we find that mammary gland of the marsupial sugar glider contained milk components during adolescence, and that mammary gland development is less dynamically cyclic compared to that in placental mammals. Furthermore, fused in sarcoma (FUS) is found to be partially responsible for this establishment of low efficiency. In mouse model, FUS inhibit mammary epithelial cell differentiation through the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2, leading to lactation failure and pup starvation. Clinically, FUS levels are negatively correlated with milk production in lactating women. Overall, our results shed light on FUS as a negative regulator of milk production, providing a potential mechanism for the establishment of milk production from marsupial to eutherian mammals.

Highlights High-quality large-area perovskite films are prepared using a solid–liquid two-step film formation method combined with CsBr modification for the buried interface and Urea additive for perovskite crystallization. The inverted perovskite solar modules’ performance is enhanced to 20.56% in 61.56 cm2 with improved stability.

Polymer-derived-ceramic (PDC) route is an excellent strategy to tailor components at the molecular level, while existing synthetic methods face various problems such as complex preparation, multi-step reaction, and high conversion temperature, etc. Here, we propose an approach to prepare Zr-, Hf-, or Zr/Hf-containing metallocene-based ceramic precursors, which are constructed by the alkylation reaction between cyclopentadienyl ligand and methylene. Through the homogeneous and one-pot reaction occurs, we collect the target products. The reaction condition is mild, and the conversion temperature (1400 °C) is relatively low, and with a high ceramic yield (57.50–66.34%). The obtained metal-containing polymers are further converted to the orthorhombic phase (M7O8.79F9.71, M = Zr, Hf) after pyrolysis at 800 °C. Annealing at an intermediate temperature of 1400 °C in an argon atmosphere results in cubic crystalline ZrC or HfC nanoparticles embedded in a ceramic matrix. The free carbons are in-situ formed after high-temperature treatment, and higher disorder of carbons is observed with increasing temperature. This work provides a good strategy for the potential precursor of ultrahigh-temperature ceramics.

Transcription factors regulating crop uptake and translocation of the micronutrient Cu have not been identified. We isolated a novel R2R3-MYB transcription factor, OsMYB84, and showed that it was a positive regulator involved in uptake and transport of Cu via activation of OsCOPT2 and OsHMA expression. OsMYB84 was highly expressed in roots and anthers and induced by Cu. Overexpression of OsMYB84 promoted uptake and root-to-shoot translocation of Cu in rice, facilitated Cu distribution into grain and increased grain yield. In contrast, mutation of OsMYB84 reduced Cu concentration in xylem sap. OsMYB84 bound to the promoter region of OsCOPT2 and OsHMA5 and upregulated their expression. OsCOPT2 mutants showed reduced uptake of Cu and OsHMA5 overexpression lines showed increased root-to-shoot translocation of Cu.

Abstract Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common childhood tumor with a high incidence worldwide. The regulatory role of RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in gene expression has attracted significant attention, and the impact of methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) on tumor progression has been extensively studied in various types of cancer. However, the specific influence of METTL14 on NB remains unexplored. Using data from the Target database, our study revealed significant upregulation of METTL14 expression in high-risk NB patients, with strong correlation with poor prognosis. Furthermore, we identified ETS1 and YY1 as upstream regulators that control the expression of METTL14. In vitro experiments involving the knockdown of METTL14 in NB cells demonstrated significant inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, suppressing METTL14 inhibited NB tumorigenesis in nude mouse models. Through MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq analyses, we further discovered that YWHAH is a downstream target gene of METTL14. Mechanistically, we observed that methylated YWHAH transcripts, particularly those in the 5′ UTR, were specifically recognized by the m6A “reader” protein YTHDF1, leading to the degradation of YWHAH mRNA. Moreover, the downregulation of YWHAH expression activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, promoting NB cell activity. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the oncogenic effects of METTL14 in NB cells, highlighting its role in inhibiting YWHAH expression through an m6A-YTHDF1-dependent mechanism. These findings also suggest the potential utility of a biomarker panel for prognostic prediction in NB patients.

Abstract Introduction Empathy is considered the ability to understand or feel others emotions or experiences. As an important part of medical education, empathy can affect medical students in many ways. It is still lacking a comprehensive evaluation of the existing articles on empathy’s impact on medical students, despite the existence of many articles on the topic. Objectives To summarize the impact of empathy on medical students during medical education from four perspectives: mental health, academic performance, clinical competence, and specialty preference. Methods The search terms used for retrieval were “empathy”, “medical student”, “mental health”, “depression”, “anxiety”, “burnout”, “examinations”, “academic performance”, “clinical competence”, “specialty preference” on PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science before January 2024. The search was carried out by two reviewers. Titles and abstracts were screened independently and reviewed based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. A consensus was drawn on which articles were included. Results Our results indicated that high empathy was a positive factor for mental health, However, students with high affective empathy were more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and burnout. Empathy was found to be unrelated to academic performance, but positively correlated with clinical competence, particularly in terms of communication skills. Medical students with high levels of empathy tended to prefer people-oriented majors. Conclusions Medical students who score higher on the self-reported empathy scales often have better mental health, better communication skills, and tend to choose people-oriented specialties. But empathy is not related to academic performance. Additionally, the different dimensions of empathy have different impacts on medical students. It is necessary to design targeted courses and training for medical students to enhance their empathy.

Abstract Background Radiation therapy stands to be one of the primary approaches in the clinical treatment of malignant tumors. Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, a malignancy predominantly treated with radiation therapy, provides an invaluable model for investigating the mechanisms underlying radiation therapy resistance in cancer. While some reports have suggested the involvement of circRNAs in modulating resistance to radiation therapy, the underpinning mechanisms remain unclear. Methods RT-qPCR and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression level of circCDYL2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue samples. The effect of circCDYL2 on radiotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma was demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo functional experiments. The HR-GFP reporter assay determined that circCDYL2 affected homologous recombination repair. RNA pull down, RIP, western blotting, IF, and polysome profiling assays were used to verify that circCDYL2 promoted the translation of RAD51 by binding to EIF3D protein. Results We have identified circCDYL2 as highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, and it was closely associated with poor prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that circCDYL2 plays a pivotal role in promoting radiotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Our investigation unveils a specific mechanism by which circCDYL2, acting as a scaffold molecule, recruits eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit D protein (EIF3D) to the 5′-UTR of RAD51 mRNA, a crucial component of the DNA damage repair pathway to facilitate the initiation of RAD51 translation and enhance homologous recombination repair capability, and ultimately leads to radiotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Conclusions These findings establish a novel role of the circCDYL2/EIF3D/RAD51 axis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy resistance. Our work not only sheds light on the underlying molecular mechanism but also highlights the potential of circCDYL2 as a therapeutic sensitization target and a promising prognostic molecular marker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract Background Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is part of standard care in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) at present. As evidence from retrospective studies increases, the benefits of PCI for limited-stage SCLC are being challenged. Methods A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled study was designed. The key inclusion criteria were: histologically or cytologically confirmed small cell carcinoma, age ≥ 18 years, KPS ≥ 80, limited-stage is defined as tumor confined to one side of the chest including ipsilateral hilar, bilateral mediastinum and supraclavicular lymph nodes, patients have received definitive thoracic radiotherapy (regardless of the dose-fractionation of radiotherapy used) and chemotherapy, evaluated as complete remission (CR) of tumor 4–6 weeks after the completion of chemo-radiotherapy. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned to two arms: (1) PCI and brain MRI surveillance arm, receiving PCI (2.5 Gy qd to a total dose of 25 Gy in two weeks) followed by brain MRI surveillance once every three months for two years; (2) brain MRI surveillance alone arm, undergoing brain MRI surveillance once every three months for two years. The primary objective is to compare the 2-year brain metastasis-free survival (BMFS) rates between the two arms. Secondary objectives include 2-year overall survival (OS) rates, intra-cranial failure patterns, 2-year progression-free survival rates and neurotoxicity. In case of brain metastasis (BM) detect during follow-up, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) will be recommended if patients meet the eligibility criteria. Discussion Based on our post-hoc analysis of a prospective study, we hypothesize that in limited-stage SCLC patients with CR after definitive chemoradiotherapy, and ruling out of BM by MRI, it would be feasible to use brain MRI surveillance and omit PCI in these patients. If BM is detected during follow-up, treatment with SRS or whole brain radiotherapy does not appear to have a detrimental effect on OS. Additionally, this approach may reduce potential neurotoxicity associated with PCI.

Abstract Understanding the sensing mechanism of metal oxide semiconductors is imperative to the development of high-performance sensors. The traditional sensing mechanism only recognizes the effect of surface chemisorbed oxygen from the air but ignores surface lattice oxygen. Herein, using in-situ characterizations, we provide direct experimental evidence that the surface chemisorbed oxygen participated in the sensing process can come from lattice oxygen of the oxides. Further density functional theory (DFT) calculations prove that the p-band center of O serves as a state of art for regulating the participation of lattice oxygen in gas-sensing reactions. Based on our experimental data and theoretical calculations, we discuss mechanisms that are fundamentally different from the conventional mechanism and show that the easily participation of lattice oxygen is helpful for the high response value of the materials.

The genus Ablepharus Lichtenstein, 1823 contains the common snake-eyed skinks, distributed from southern Europe and northern Africa to eastern Asia. Ablepharus alaicus Elpatjevsky, 1901 inhabits Central Asia and, according to historical literature, was once recorded in north-western China. However, there are no voucher records of this species from China. Some populations of a subspecies of A. alaicus have been elevated to new species, for example, A. eremchenkoi (Panfilov, 1999). However, no detailed studies have been conducted. In August and September 2023, we captured sixteen and fourteen skink specimens from Wuqia County and Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, respectively, in Xinjiang, northwest China. Morphological and phylogenetic comparisons showed that the skinks collected from these two locations belong to A. eremchenkoi and A. alaicus, respectively. In this study, we confirmed the first record of A. eremchenkoi in China, rediscovered A. alaicus, reported voucher records for these two skinks and reviewed the taxonomic history of Ablepharus in Xinjiang, northwest China.

Phosphorus (P) is essential for living plants, and P deficiency is one of the key factors limiting the yield in rapeseed production worldwide. As the most important organ for plants, root morphology traits (RMTs) play a key role in P absorption. To investigate the genetic variability of RMT under low P availability, we dissected the genetic structure of RMTs by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), linkage mapping and candidate gene association studies (CGAS). A total of 52 suggestive loci were associated with RMTs under P stress conditions in 405 oilseed rape accessions. The purple acid phosphatase gene BnPAP17 was found to control the lateral root number (LRN) and root dry weight (RDW) under low P stress. The expression of BnPAP17 was increased in shoot tissue in P-efficient cultivars compared to root tissue and P-inefficient cultivars in response to low P stress. Moreover, the haplotype of BnPAP17Hap3 was detected for the selective breeding of P efficiency in oilseed rape. Over-expression of the BnPAP17Hap3 could promote the shoot and root growth with enhanced tolerance to low P stress and organic phosphorus (Po) utilization in oilseed rape. Collectively, these findings increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying BnPAP17-mediated low P stress tolerance in oilseed rape.

AbstractThe complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) was described by using next-generation sequencing. The total length of mtDNA was 16,893 bp, which contained 13 PCGs (COX1-3, ND1-6, ND4L, ATP6, ATP8, and CYTB), 22 transfer RNA(tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a control region (D-loop). The Bayesian inference tree showed that T. dadunensis was included in Gekkonidae and was a sister taxon to Cyrtopodion scabrum. The complete mtDNA of T. dadunensis will be an important genetic resource to the studies of conservation and research of geckonids.

Abstract Mental disorders are the leading contributors to the globally nonfatal burden of disease. This study was aimed to estimate the burden of mental disorders in Asian countries. Based on GBD 2019, the prevalence and disability-adjusted life of years (DALYs) rates with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) were estimated in Asian countries. Predictions for the future burden of 8 selected countries, ranks of the burden of mental disorders and correlations with Sociodemographic Index (SDI) were also estimated. During the past 3 decades, while the number of DALYs of mental disorders increased from 43.9 million (95% UI: 32.5–57.2) to 69.0 million (95% UI: 51.0–89.7), the age-standardized rates of DALYs of mental disorders remained largely consistent from 1452.2 (95% UI: 1080.16–1888.53) per 100,000 population in 1990 to 1434.82 (95% UI: 1065.02–1867.27) per 100,000 population in 2019, ranked as the eighth most significant disease burden in Asia in 2019. Depressive disorders (37.2%) were the leading contributors to the age-standardized DALY rates of mental disorders in Asia, followed by anxiety disorders (21.5%). The age-standardized DALY rates in females were higher than their male counterparts, both peaked at 30-34 years. The age-standardized DALY rates were predicted to remain stable, with the number of DALYs presented an upward trend in the future. There was no significant correlation between the burden of mental disorders and SDI. All mental disorders ranked higher in 2019, compared in 1990. To reduce this burden, urgent measures for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for mental disorders need to be taken by Asian governments.

Abstract Background Nutrition and exercise are important interventions for sarcopenia. There were few studies on oral oligopeptide nutrition preparations combined with exercise to intervene in the older people with sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of oligopeptide nutrition preparation combined with exercise intervention on the older people with sarcopenia in community. Methods A total of 219 subjects aged 65 years or older with sarcopenia were randomly divided into 4 groups. The nutrition group (n = 58) was given individualized nutrition education and oral oligopeptide nutrition preparation. The exercise group (n = 50) received exercise intervention. The combined group (n = 52) received both oral nutrition preparation and exercise interventions. The control group (n = 59) only received individualized nutrition education. The nutrition preparation can provide energy 185kcal and protein 24.2g per day. The exercise intervention including warm-up exercise, resistance exercise and aerobic exercise, the training time was 60min for 5 times every week. The intervention lasted for 16 weeks. Hand grip strength, gait speed, body composition and hematology parameters were measured before and after intervention. Results A total of 159 subjects completed the study. Compared with baseline, the left grip strength and 6-m walking speed of the subjects in nutrition group increased significantly after the intervention, and the grip strength of both hands in exercise group and combined group increased significantly. The body weight of the subjects in nutrition group, exercise group and combined group increased significantly after intervention, but no increase in soft lean mass (SLM) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) was observed in any of the four groups. The fat-free mass (FFM) of the legs of the control group, exercise group and nutrition group decreased after intervention, and only the FFM of the legs of the combined group maintained the level before the intervention. Conclusion Both oral peptide nutrition and exercise interventions can improve the muscle strength or function of the older people with sarcopenia. However, there were no increases in muscle mass observed. Trial registration ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100052135. Registered 20 October 2021, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=135743

Abstract A within-host and between-host hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) mathematical model is established and the affect of optimal control in its within-host part on HFMD transmission is studied. Through define two basic reproduction numbers, by using the fast-slow system analysis method of time scale, the global stabilities of the between-host (slow) system and within-host (fast) system are researched, respectively. An optimal control problem with drug-treatment control on coupled within-host and between-host HFMD model is formulated and analysed theoretically. Finally, the purposed optimal control measures are applied to the actual HFMD epidemic analysis in Zhejiang Province, China from April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021. The numerical results show that the drug control strategies can reduce the virus load per capita and can effectively prevent large-scale outbreaks of HFMD.

Abstract MALAT1, one of the few highly conserved nuclear long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), is abundantly expressed in normal tissues. Previously, targeted inactivation and genetic rescue experiments identified MALAT1 as a suppressor of breast cancer lung metastasis. On the other hand, Malat1-knockout mice are viable and develop normally. On a quest to discover the fundamental roles of MALAT1 in physiological and pathological processes, we find that this lncRNA is downregulated during osteoclastogenesis in humans and mice. Remarkably, Malat1 deficiency in mice promotes osteoporosis and bone metastasis of melanoma and mammary tumor cells, which can be rescued by genetic add-back of Malat1. Mechanistically, Malat1 binds to Tead3 protein, a macrophage-osteoclast–specific Tead family member, blocking Tead3 from binding and activating Nfatc1, a master regulator of osteoclastogenesis, which results in the inhibition of Nfatc1-mediated gene transcription and osteoclast differentiation. Notably, single-cell transcriptome analysis of clinical bone samples reveals that reduced MALAT1 expression in pre-osteoclasts and osteoclasts is associated with osteoporosis and metastatic bone lesions. Altogether, these findings identify Malat1 as a lncRNA that protects against osteoporosis and bone metastasis.

Abstract The rapid development of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells has resulted in laboratory-scale devices having power conversion efficiencies that are competitive with commercialised technologies. However, hybrid perovskite solar cells are yet to make an impact beyond the research community, with translation to large-area devices fabricated by industry-relevant manufacturing methods remaining a critical challenge. Here we report the first demonstration of hybrid perovskite solar cell modules, comprising serially-interconnected cells, produced entirely using industrial roll-to-roll printing tools under ambient room conditions. As part of this development, costly vacuum-deposited metal electrodes are replaced with printed carbon electrodes. A high-throughput experiment involving the analysis of batches of 1600 cells produced using 20 parameter combinations enabled rapid optimisation over a large parameter space. The optimised roll-to-roll fabricated hybrid perovskite solar cells show power conversion efficiencies of up to 15.5% for individual small-area cells and 11.0% for serially-interconnected cells in large-area modules. Based on the devices produced in this work, a cost of ~0.7 USD W−1 is predicted for a production rate of 1,000,000 m² per year in Australia, with potential for further significant cost reductions.

Abstract Background Occupational hazards occur in all walks of life. China’s horticulture industry is undergoing rapid development. However, the mental health of garden workers has not received much attention. This study investigates the mental health status and influencing factors of Chinese garden workers and provides a basis for promoting their mental health and ensuring the healthy development of Chinese horticulture. Methods A cross-sectional survey of garden workers in Beijing was conducted from 10 July 2021 to 10 October 2021. A total of 3349 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective response rate of 95.69%. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on the demographic characteristics, job satisfaction, stress, anxiety, and depression of garden workers, and the influencing factors affecting the mental health of Chinese garden workers were found through a t-test, variance analysis, and ordinal multi-class logistic regression analysis. Results Survey respondents were mostly male (54.4%) and under the age of 40 (64.1%). The anxiety and depression symptoms of the garden workers were moderate. Among staff members, 40.2% were in a normal state of stress. Gender, three meals on time, monthly income, and job satisfaction were the factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among garden workers. Conclusion Compared to medical staff and other groups, the stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms of Chinese garden workers are severe. Gender, monthly income, and job satisfaction are important factors affecting their mental health. Managers should continuously improve the working environment of garden workers, provide salaries that match their positions, and improve their job recognition and satisfaction to reduce the impact of negative emotions on personal health.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the distinguished academic career and scientific accomplishments of Prof. Noritatsu Tsubaki at the University of Toyama. For over 35 years, he has dedicated himself to the research field of one-carbon (C1) chemistry, including catalytic conversion of C1 molecules to valuable chemicals and superclean fuels, innovative catalyst and reactor development, and the design of new catalytic reactions and processes. Organized chronologically, this review highlights Prof. Tsubaki's academic contributions from 1990, when he studied and worked at The University of Tokyo, to his current role as a full professor at the University of Toyama. The academic section of this review is divided into three main parts, focusing on Prof. Tsubaki's pioneering work in C1 chemistry. We believe that this review will serve as a highly valuable reference for colleagues in the fields of C1 chemistry and catalysis, and inspire the development of more original and groundbreaking research.

It is well known that calcium oxide (CaO) has better catalytic efficiency than most heterogeneous catalysts in many transesterification reactions. However, the gradual deactivation problem prevents its large-scale application in industry. In this paper, the deactivation mechanism of CaO in a fixed-bed reactor is investigated based on the transesterification reaction of propylene carbonate and methanol. The leaching amount of CaO during the reaction was estimated by the concentration of Ca in the products. The pretreated and recovered catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TG-MS and SEM-EDS. It is evident from experiments and characterization that the deactivation process of CaO is accompanied by the leaching of calcium species and the generation of CaCO3, which are also verified by DFT calculations. At high temperature and high weight hourly space velocity, the deactivation was attributed to the formation of dense CaCO3 shell, which prevents the contact between the feedstock and the active species inside.

The catalytic performance of different acidic catalysts for diethyl oxalate synthesis from the one-step transesterification of dimethyl oxalate and ethanol was evaluated. The effects of different factors (e.g., acidity, electron accepting capacity, cations type and crystalline water) on the catalytic activity of acidic catalysts were investigated respectively. It was proposed and confirmed that the transesterification reaction catalyzed by a Lewis acid (FeCl3) and a Bronsted acid (H2SO4) follows a first-order kinetic reaction process. In addition, the Lewis acid-catalyzed transesterification processes with different ester structures were used to further explore and understand the speculated reaction mechanism. This work enriches the theoretical understanding of acid-catalyzed transesterification reactions and is of great significance for the development of highly active catalysts for diethyl oxalate synthesis, diminishing the industrial production cost of diethyl oxalate, and developing downstream bulk or high-value-added industrial products.

Wildfires have caused immense damage to the environment, property and human safety in recent years. Fortunately, the deployment of firefighting aircraft, particularly water bombers, has emerged as one of the most effective strategies for combating wildfires. However, the intricate environment of forest fire sites, characterized by thermal turbulence and canyon winds, presents a formidable flight risk for firefighting aircraft. To address this issue, this study conducted a comprehensive risk assessment of firefighting aircraft operating in a wildfire environment, analyzing the impact of thermal turbulence and canyon winds using a finite element simulation method. This approach not only bridges the research gap in the field of flight safety but also evaluates the environmental risks encountered by firefighting aircraft when entering forest fire sites. Our findings underscore thermal turbulence and canyon winds as potential hazards for aircraft flying over mountainous terrain, elucidating the effect of thermal turbulence on aircraft engine intakes and quantifying the total lift loss incurred during encounters with canyon winds featuring non-uniform airflow velocities. Specifically, thermal turbulence can induce instability and vibration in aircraft engines, whereas canyon winds can generate updrafts and downdrafts that may compromise aircraft structures or lead to lift loss. Furthermore, we cite several references to emphasize the multifaceted risks associated with the forest fire site environment, encompassing temperature gradients, thunderstorms, and air pollution. Such comprehensive wildfire data can be invaluable in assessing the flight safety of firefighting aircraft during water-dropping missions in forest fire scenarios.

Abstract Background Cancer burden from the elderly has been rising largely due to the aging population. However, research on the long‐term epidemiological trends in cancer of the elderly is lacking. Methods Registry data of this population‐based cross‐sectional study were from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The study population aged 65 years or more, from geographically distinct regions. Joinpoint regression and JP Surv method were used to analyze cancer trends and survival. Results Mortality rate during 1975–2020 decreased from 995.20 to 824.99 per 100,000 elderly persons, with an average annual decrease of 0.421% (95% CI, 0.378–0.464). While overall incidence increased with no significance. Prostate (29%) and breast (26%) cancer were the most common malignancies, respectively, in elderly males and females, and the mortality for both of the two (prostate 15%, breast 14%) ranked just behind lung and bronchus cancer, which had the highest mortality rates in males (29%) and females (23%). Many cancers showed adverse trends in the latest follow‐up periods (the last period calculated by the Joinpoint method). For intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, incidence (male Annual Percentage Change [APC] = 7.4*; female APC = 6.7*) and mortality (male APC = 3.0*; female APC = 3.3*) increased relatively fast, and its survival was also terrible (3‐year survival only 10%). Other cancers with recent increasing mortality included cancer of anus, anal canal and anorectum, retroperitoneum, pleura, peritoneum, etc. Most cancers had favorable trends of survival during the nearest follow‐up period. Conclusion Against the background of overall improvement, many cancers showed adverse trends. Further research for the underlying mechanisms and targeted implements towards adverse trends is also urgent.

Background and aimsLimited data have been reported on achieving functional cure using pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2b treatment for postpartum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of Peg-IFN alpha-2b in HBV postpartum women without HBeAg and identify factors linked to the functional cure.MethodsA total of 150 HBeAg-negative postpartum women were retrospectively recruited.47 patients received Peg-IFN alpha-2b [Peg-IFN(+) group] and 103 patients did not [Peg-IFN(-) group]. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to adjust the baseline imbalance between the two groups. The patients were followed for at least 48 weeks. The primary endpoints were hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) loss and HBsAg seroconversion at 48 weeks. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with HBsAg loss at 48 weeks.ResultsAt week 48,the HBsAg loss and seroconversion rate in Peg-IFN(+) group were 51.06%(24/47) and 40.43%(19/47), respectively. Even after PSM, Peg-IFN(+) group still showed higher HBsAg loss rate (50.00% vs 7.14%,p12IU/mL were good predictors of HBsAg loss. No serious adverse events were reported.ConclusionPeg-IFN alpha-2b treatment could achieve a high rate of HBsAg loss and seroconversion in HBeAg-negative postpartum women with reliable safety, particularly for patients experience postpartum flare and have low baseline HBsAg levels.