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Abstract Background Growing evidence indicated that to develop of atherosclerosis observed more often by people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the underlying mechanism is not fully clarified. Considering that amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in the brain is the key pathophysiology of AD and plasma Aβ is closely relate to Aβ deposition in the brain, in the present study, we investigated the relationships between atherosclerosis and plasma Aβ levels. Methods This was a population based cross-sectional study. Patients with high risk of atherosclerosis from Qubao Village, Xi’an were underwent carotid ultrasound for assessment of atherosclerosis. Venous blood was collected on empty stomach in the morning and plasma Aβ1−40 and Aβ1−42 levels were measured using ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and plasma Aβ levels. Results Among 344 patients with high risk of atherosclerosis, 251(73.0%) had CAS. In the univariate analysis, the plasma Aβ levels had no significant differences between CAS group and non-CAS group (Aβ1−40: 53.07 ± 9.24 pg/ml vs. 51.67 ± 9.11pg/ml, p = 0.211; Aβ1−42: 40.10 ± 5.57 pg/ml vs. 40.70 pg/ml ± 6.37pg/ml, p = 0.285). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that plasma Aβ levels were not associated with CAS (Aβ1−40: OR = 1.019, 95%CI: 0.985–1.054, p = 0.270;Aβ1−42: OR = 1.028, 95%CI: 0.980–1.079, p = 0.256) in the total study population. After stratified by hypertension, CAS was associated with plasma Aβ1−40 positively (OR = 1.063, 95%CI: 1.007–1.122, p = 0.028) in the non-hypertension group, but not in hypertensive group. When the plasma Aβ concentrations were classified into four groups according to its quartile, the highest level of plasma Aβ1−40 group was associated with CAS significantly (OR = 4.465, 95%CI: 1.024–19.474, p = 0.046). Conclusion Among patients with high risk of atherosclerosis, CAS was associated with higher plasma Aβ1−40 level in non-hypertension group, but not in hypertension group. These indicated that atherosclerosis is associated with plasma Aβ level, but the relationship may be confounded by hypertension.

Abstract Background Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) is a relatively rare but highly damaging and potentially sight-threatening type of uveitis caused by infection with the human herpesvirus. Without timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, ARN can lead to severe vision loss. We aimed to develop a deep learning framework to distinguish ARN from other types of intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis using ultra-widefield color fundus photography (UWFCFP). Methods We conducted a two-center retrospective discovery and validation study to develop and validate a deep learning model called DeepDrARN for automatic uveitis detection and differentiation of ARN from other uveitis types using 11,508 UWFCFPs from 1,112 participants. Model performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the area under the precision and recall curves (AUPR), sensitivity and specificity, and compared with seven ophthalmologists. Results DeepDrARN for uveitis screening achieved an AUROC of 0.996 (95% CI: 0.994–0.999) in the internal validation cohort and demonstrated good generalizability with an AUROC of 0.973 (95% CI: 0.956–0.990) in the external validation cohort. DeepDrARN also demonstrated excellent predictive ability in distinguishing ARN from other types of uveitis with AUROCs of 0.960 (95% CI: 0.943–0.977) and 0.971 (95% CI: 0.956–0.986) in the internal and external validation cohorts. DeepDrARN was also tested in the differentiation of ARN, non-ARN uveitis (NAU) and normal subjects, with sensitivities of 88.9% and 78.7% and specificities of 93.8% and 89.1% in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. The performance of DeepDrARN is comparable to that of ophthalmologists and even exceeds the average accuracy of seven ophthalmologists, showing an improvement of 6.57% in uveitis screening and 11.14% in ARN identification. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the feasibility of deep learning algorithms in enabling early detection, reducing treatment delays, and improving outcomes for ARN patients.

AIM: To assess the gap between the peak of the base curve to the surface of the cornea, as well as examines the correlation between the thickness of the tear film and the fitting of the orthokeratology lens through optical coherence tomography(OCT), providing an intuitive and quantitative clinical evaluation method for the fitting of the orthokeratology lens.METHODS: Myopia patients who fitted orthokeratology at our hospital from January to December 2023 were included. Examinations, including naked vision, slit lamp, non-contact intraocular pressure, ocular fundus, eye position, corneal diameter, corneal topography, tear film rupture time, optometry, etc., were performed on all patients before fitting. The trial lens parameter was selected according to the examination results, and fluorescein staining was performed to evaluate lens fitting state after patients adapted to wearing glasses. According to the performance of fluorescein staining, the inspected eyes are divided into three groups: lens loose group, lens fitting group, and lens tight group. In addition, the tear film thickness of three groups of subjects was measured by OCT, and the differences between the three groups of data were evaluated.RESULTS: A total of 49 myopic patients(77 eyes)were included. The average sphere degree was -3.10±1.25 D, the average cylinder degree was -0.43(-0.75, 0)D, the average horizontal keratometry(HK)was 42.48±0.81 D, and vertical keratometry(VK)was 42.98(42.25, 43.50)D. There were 21 cases(34 eyes)in the lens fitting group, with 13 cases of bilateral eyes, 8 cases of one eye, 14 cases(22 eyes)in the lens loose group, with 8 cases of bilateral eyes, 6 cases of one eye, and 14 cases(21 eyes)in the lens tight group, with 7 cases of bilateral eyes, 7 cases of one eye. There was no statistical difference in the main basic data of the subjects in the three groups(all P>0.05). OCT showed that the tear film thickness of the lens fitting group, the lens loose group, and the lens tight group was 231.18(219.0, 243.0), 220.41(214.0, 224.3), and 249.00(241.5, 258.0)μm, respectively, and there was statistical significance in the thickness among the three groups(P

The natural vegetable oil known as Korean pine seed oil is well-known for its high content of being various unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic, linoleic and pinopuric acid. It has been proved that Korean pine seed oil has several physiological benefits such as lowering blood lipids, enhanceing immunity, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and anti-tumor. This review summarized the extraction methods and pharmacological effects of Korean pine seed oil in recent years, and put forward good suggestions for its application in edible oil and industrial production.

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672‑6731.2024.03.014

Fusarium infection of wheat can lead to scab, mycotoxin contamination and yield reduction. Fusarium is a serious threat to food security. In this study, the Fusarium strains in wheat were isolated and identified. The three strains N1, N2 and N3 belonged to Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium asiaticum and Fusarium culmatum, respectively. The production of zearalenone, vomitoxin and fumonisin by the three strains was analyzed by toxin-producing gene detection and mycotoxin detection. The results showed that N1 and N3 could produce zearalenone and vomitoxin, but did not produce fumonisin, while N2 did not produce these three toxins. In this study, ozone and chlorine dioxide were further used for gas fumigation to explore the effect of gas fumigation on the three strains isolated. By observing the spore morphology, mycelium length and mycelium morphology, the results showed that chlorine dioxide fumigation could effectively inhibit the growth of mycelium and spore germination, while ozone could only inhibit spore germination and had no obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of mycelium.

Diagnosis of intracranial tuberculoma remains a challenge due to its rarity, non-specific clinical presentation, and radiological findings. Herein, we describe a case of intracranial tuberculomas in a male diabetic patient who presented headache and vomiting on admission. Neuroimaging findings indicated multiple ring contrast-enhanced lesions with extensive perilesional edema. However, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination was normal. When a biopsy of brain lesions was performed, pathological characteristics of tuberculosis were absent and acid-fast staining was negative. A tuberculosis diagnosis was subsequently obtained from an Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissue. The patient was treated with an optimized anti-tuberculosis regimen which included high-dose intravenous administration of rifampicin and isoniazid, and oral administration of linezolid. The patient recovered well and exhibited marked clinical improvement. This case report demonstrates that when CSF analysis does not indicate the presence of intracranial tuberculomas, analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissue specimens with the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay may be able to confirm a diagnosis. Furthermore, a high dose of rifampicin and isoniazid plus linezolid may improve patient outcome.

In person re-identification, most prevalent models are predominantly designed for cloud computing environments which introduces complexities that limit their effectiveness in edge computing scenarios. Person re-identification systems optimized for edge computing can achieve real-time or near-real-time responses, providing substantial practical value. Addressing this gap, this paper presents the Attention Knowledge-aided Distillation Lightweight Network (ADLN), a network architecture expressly crafted for edge computing. The ADLN enhances inference speed while maintaining accuracy, which is essential for real-time applications. The core innovation of the ADLN lies in its dimension interaction attention mechanism, strategically integrated into the network to boost recognition performance. This mechanism is complemented by a self-distillation approach, transferring attention knowledge from deeper to shallower layers, thereby streamlining the network and accelerating inference. Moreover, the ADLN employs an optimization strategy combining cross-entropy loss, weighted triplet loss regularization, and center loss, effectively reducing intra-class variances. Tested on Market1501 and DukeMTMC-ReID datasets, experiments indicate that the ADLN significantly reduces the model’s parameter count and identification latency, while largely maintaining accuracy.

Objective: A new technical idea was provided for the study of biogenic amine formation mechanism and food safety risk assessment. Methods: An analytical method was established for determination of tyramine, phenylethylamine, tryptamine, octopamine and cadaverine in cheeses with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Biogenic amines were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction from cheeses, and were separated by HILIC column, determined by positive electrospray ionization (ESI) with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, quantified by the internal standard method. The effect of extraction solvent type, ultrasonic time and matrix effect on the peak area was studied, and the performance of the method was validated and evaluated. Results: Using 0.1% formic acid (acetonitrile/water) as the extraction solvent, the samples were extracted by ultrasound for 15 min. Ammonium acetate of 5 mmol/L (pH value was adjusted to 4 by formic acid) and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phase，biogenic amines without derivatization were detected by HPLC-MS/MS. The recoveries of 5 biogenic amines were 78.6%~113.8% and relative standard deviations were 2.41%~7.12% at three spiked levels. The limit of detection of tryptamine, phenylethylamine, tyramine and octopamine was 0.75 μg/kg and the limit of quantification was 2.5 μg/kg; The limit of detection of cadaverine was 1.50 μg/kg and the limit of quantification was 5.0 μg/kg. The linear relationship was good in the respective linear ranges, and the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. The method was used for the determination of commercially available cheese samples. The contents of different biogenic amines in different samples varied greatly, ranging from 4.45 to 2 863.00 μg/kg, which was within the safe range. Conclusion: The proposed method was suitable for fast determination of 5 kinds of biogenic amines in cheese.

an era of increased sustainable transport, the European inland navigation industry has received significant attention to attain sustainable transport. Tremendous opportunities to substantially move freight on waterways are present in the UK; however, several challenges have been appropriately addressed, including infrastructural gaps and various institutional support programs. The paper addresses the UK’s current situation of inland navigation and the key challenges affecting the sectors as a viable alternative transport solution. The article explores and summarises the geographic opportunities, commercial feasibility, and the current condition of the UK’S inland navigation sector. From the practical scenario of the UK’s experience, an attempt was made by the authors to find the critical challenges and issues faced by the industry. The emerging themes from the analysis of this paper indicated governance and leadership issues, cooperation, and coordination mechanism between establishments with various functions and responsibilities, merged with infrastructural investment, are strategic elements for expansion in the UK. Conclusively, the authors presented recommendations for improvement and sustainable development.

Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a common type of conversion/dissociative disorder. In recent years, the continuous development of imaging techniques such as fMRI, DTI and PET, as well as analytical methods such as morphological analysis and fiber tract tracking, not only provides technical support for the study of neurobiological mechanisms of FMD, but also has important value for its differential diagnosis, efficacy evaluation and prognosis prediction. This article reviews the progress of imaging research on FMD, so as to provide basis for diagnosis, treatment and pathophysiological mechanism of the disease.

Objective To explore changes of brain structure in patients with functional movement disorder (FMD) and their correlation with disease severity. Methods Nine patients with FMD (FMD group) as well as 10 gender⁃ and age⁃matched healthy volunteers (control group) were recruited in Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, from May to October 2023, and then they underwent MRI. Simplified Functional Movement Disorder Rating Scale (S ⁃FMDRS) was used to assess movement disorder symptoms and severity. Clinical Global Impression ⁃ Severity (CGI ⁃ S) was used to evaluate disease severity. Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire ⁃ 20 (SDQ ⁃20) was used to assess body dissociation. Chinese version of Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure (MACE) was used to assess childhood abuse situation. 36⁃Item Short Form of Health Survey (SF⁃36) was used to assess health status. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 (HAMD⁃17) were used to evaluate anxiety and depression. Results Compared with the control group, the FMD group exhibited higher scores on SDQ⁃20 (Z = 2.259, P = 0.028) and Chinese version of MACE (t = ⁃ 3.570, P = 0.002) as well as HAMA (t = ⁃ 3.999, P = 0.001), while SF⁃36 scores for vitality (t = 3.091, P = 0.009) and social functioning (t = 2.275, P = 0.046) were lower in the FMD group. Cortical thickness was greater in the FMD group in the right inferior occipital gyrus and sulcus cortex (t = ⁃ 2.924, P = 0.009), right anterior cingulate gyrus and sulcus cortex (t = ⁃ 3.286, P = 0.004), right orbitofrontal cortex (t = ⁃ 2.381, P = 0.029), while thickness in the left subcallosal area (t = 2.492, P = 0.023) and left paracentral lobule gyrus and sulcus (t = 2.139, P = 0.047), as well as volume of the right cerebellar white matter (t = 2.685, P = 0.016), left cerebellar white matter (t = 2.121, P = 0.049), and the middle posterior region of the corpus callosum (t = 2.550, P = 0.021) were smaller than those of the control group. Correlation analysis revealed left cerebellar white matter were positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.837, P = 0.038), while cortical thickness in the left subcallosal area were negatively correlated with disease duration (r = ⁃ 0.831, P = 0.040). Conclusions There are structural changes in the limbic system, sensorimotor area, visual cortex, and certain white matter regions in the brains of FMD patients, and several regions were correlated with the disease duration.

Objective To preliminarily summarize the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of functional movement disorder (FMD) based on movement disorders clinic in China. Methods and Results A total of 593 patients with movement disorders newly diagnosed in movement disorders clinic of 22 clinical medical centers from August to September in 2023 were included, including 37 patients (6.24%) with FMD and 556 patients (93.76%) with organic movement disorder. Comparison of the epidemiological characteristics of the 2 groups, the proportions of corona virus disease (COVID⁃19) infection (χ2 = 4.217, P = 0.040) and psychopsychological symptoms (χ2 = 18.694, P = 0.000) in the FMD group were higher than those in the organic movement disorder group, while age (t = 3.757, P = 0.000), age of onset (t = 3.720, P = 0.000) and proportion of hypertension (χ2 = 4.736, P = 0.030) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Comparison of the clinical characteristics of the 2 groups, the FMD group had higher proportions of tremor (χ2 = 3.955, P = 0.047) and myoclonus (Fisher′s exact probability: P = 0.011) than the organic movement disorder group, and the proportions of parkinsonism (χ2 = 8.491, P = 0.004) and gait disorder (χ2 = 5.028, P = 0.025) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Conclusions The age and age of onset, as well as the proportions of COVID⁃19 infection, hypertension, psychopsychological symptoms, tremor, myoclonus, parkinsonism and gait disorder with FMD were different from those with organic movement disorder in China.

This study aimed to design an evaluation scale of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) confidence and then evaluate its validity and reliability.

Objective: In order to improve the energy efficiency of the transcritical two stage CO2 refrigeration system, the conventional exergy analysis and advanced exergy analysis of the system were conducted. Methods: Advanced exergy analysis provides more valuable information on the interaction between system components and the potential for component improvement by splitting the exergy destruction into endogenous/exogenous and unavoidable/avoidable parts. Results: The results indicated that the transcritical two stage CO2 refrigeration system had significant potential for efficiency improvement. The priority of the optimized components from conventional and advanced exergy analysis was different. The advanced exergy analysis showed that performance optimization of the high-pressure stage compressor, low-pressure stage compressor and evaporator were the focus of improving system energy efficiency. Conclusion: The endogenous avoidable exergy destruction of the high-pressure stage compressor, low-pressure stage compressor and evaporator accounted for 20.9%, 15.2% and 36.5% of the endogenous avoidable exergy destruction of the system, respectively. The improvement of the high-pressure stage compressor, low-pressure stage compressor and evaporator are able to reduce their exergy destruction by 58.8%, 49.3% and 90.2%, respectively. The conventional exergy analysis cannot provide such recommendations.

Myocardial infarction (MI) results in high mortality. The size of fibrotic scar tissue following MI is an independent predictor of MI outcomes. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is involved in various fibrotic diseases. Its role in post-MI cardiac fibrosis, however, remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the biological role of TXNIP in post-MI cardiac fibrosis and the underlying mechanism using mouse MI models of the wild-type (WT), Txnip-knockout (Txnip-KO) type and Txnip-knock-in (Txnip-KI) type. After MI, the animals present with significantly upregulated TXNIP levels, and their fibrotic areas are remarkably expanded with noticeably impaired cardiac function. These changes are further aggravated under Txnip-KI conditions but are ameliorated in Txnip-KO animals. MI also leads to increased protein levels of the fibrosis indices Collagen I, Collagen III, actin alpha 2 (ACTA2), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The Txnip-KI group exhibits the highest levels of these proteins, while the lowest levels are observed in the Txnip-KO mice. Furthermore, Txnip-KI significantly upregulates the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)B1, p-Smad3, NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), Cleaved Caspase-1, and interleukin (IL)1B after MI, but these effects are markedly offset by Txnip-KO. In addition, after MI, the Smad7 level significantly decreases, particularly in the Txnip-KI mice. TXNIP may aggravate the progression of post-MI fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, followed by IL1B generation and then the enhancement of the TGFB1/Smad3 pathway. As such, TXNIP might serve as a novel potential therapeutic target for the treatment of post-MI cardiac fibrosis.

The differences in the chemical composition of Morus nigra (M. nigra) extracts from four different extraction methods, ultrasound-assisted extraction with pure water (WU), pure water decoction extraction (WD), ultrasonic-assisted extraction with formic acid water (FAU), and pure water heat reflux extraction (WHR), were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology.

Obesity-related cardiovascular diseases are associated with overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigate the role of angiotensin II (Ang II) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced cardiac dysfunction by focusing on cardiac glucose and lipid metabolism and energy supply. Ang II plays a role in cardiovascular regulation mainly by stimulating angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), among which AT1aR is the most important subtype in regulating the function of the cardiovascular system. AT1aR gene knockout (AT1aR‒/‒) rats and wild-type (WT) rats are randomly divided into four groups and fed with either a normal diet (ND) or a HFD for 12 weeks. The myocardial lipid content, Ang II level and cardiac function are then evaluated. The expressions of a number of genes involved in glucose and fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial dynamics are measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Our results demonstrate that AT1aR knockout improves HFD-induced insulin resistance and dyslipidemia as well as lipid deposition and left ventricular dysfunction compared with WT rats fed a HFD. In addition, after feeding with HFD, AT1aR‒/‒ rats not only show further improvement in glucose and fatty acid oxidation but also have a reverse effect on increased mitochondrial fission proteins. In conclusion, AT1aR deficiency ameliorates HFD-induced cardiac dysfunction by enhancing glucose and fatty acid oxidation, regulating mitochondrial dynamics-related protein changes, and further promoting cardiac energy supply.

Granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare systemic autoimmune vasculitis disease that is highly correlated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). It was formerly called as “Wegener’s granulomatosis.” The clinical manifestations are diverse, mainly involving the upper respiratory tract, lungs, and kidneys, and this disease can involve the brain parenchyma as an isolated solid mass. Only one case has been reported thus far. To provide further information on this rare case, we report a case of GPA involving the fourth ventricle and review the relevant literature. A 32-year-old Chinese female developed fever, cough, and shortness of breath for 20 days. An 80 mm × 80 mm skin ulcer was seen on the right lower limb. CT showed multiple large patches of increased density in both lungs. The patient’s serological ANCA was positive. Later, the patient developed dizziness and headache. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed a mass of approximately 21 mm × 24 mm in the fourth ventricle. The patient had a craniotomy for mass resection, and macroscopically, the mass was gray–red and measured 25 mm × 20 mm × 20 mm, was soft, had local hemorrhage and necrosis, and had no capsule. The main microscopic features included necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis, the patient’s immunohistochemistry was positive for CD68 and negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, and the acid-fast staining and hexaamine silver staining were negative. Combined with the clinical history, serology, and imaging, the pathological diagnosis was GPA in the fourth ventricle. The patient was switched to rituximab combined with steroid therapy because she did not tolerate cyclophosphamide. After 5 months of follow-up, the patient’s lung lesions and skin ulcers had completely improved, but the brain lesions had further progressed. When a patient has multiple system diseases, abnormal clinical manifestations, and positive serological ANCAs, a diagnosis of GPA should be carefully considered, and biopsies of easy-to-access sites should be performed. If the patient’s histopathological manifestations include vasculitis, granuloma, and necrosis, a diagnosis of GPA is more likely. If a patient subsequently develops an intraventricular mass, the clinicians should consider a diagnosis of GPA, which can rarely involve the cerebral ventricle to avoid an unnecessary biopsy or surgical treatment of intracranial lesions. When a patient is intolerant to the traditional treatment drug cyclophosphamide and needs to be switched to rituximab, the treatment effect of intracerebral lesions is not ideal; therefore, the treatment of lesions involving GPA in the ventricle is worthy of further exploration.

In order to rapidly determine aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in maize, a AFB1-ZEN-DON three-in-one combined detection method has been established. This quantitative immunofluorescence assay based on superconductor coating was used to detect multiple maize samples. Combined with the recovery rate, stability, detection limit, precision and other indexes, the applicability of the method were evaluated and compared with the results of liquid chromatography. The results showed that the AFB1-ZEN-DON three-in-one combined detection method had the good linearity in the range of 0.5~30 µg/mL for AFB1, 5~200 µg/kg for ZEN and 100~2 500 µg/mL for DON, respectively. The relative deviation of AFB1, ZEN and DON detected by this method was –2.84%~11.91%, –3.43%~18.12% and 1.83%~12.91%, respectively, which were within the allowable deviation of 20%, 15% and 23%. The detection limit of AFB1 was 0.41 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantification was 1.12 μg/kg. The limit of detection of ZEN was 3.22 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantitation was 9.15 μg/kg. The detection limit of DON was 35.42 μg/kg and the corresponding limit of quantitation was 100.84 μg/kg. Compared with the results of liquid chromatography, the superconductor coated immunofluorescence test strip method is an effective, practical, rapid and quantitative analysis method within the allowable deviation range, suggesting that it could meet the requirements of simultaneous detection of AFB1, ZEN and DON in maize.

Objective: This study aimed to control the degree of crosslinking and etherification in the preparation process of crosslinked hydroxypropyl starch and improve the product performance. Methods: Waxy corn starch was used as a raw material to prepare the composite modified starch （hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, HDP） under alkaline conditions, during which process sodium trimetaphosphate （STMP） and propylene oxide （PO） was used as the cross-linker and etherifying agent, respectively. The effects of the addition level of STMP and PO on the properties of the Brabender viscosity behavior, transparency and freeze-thaw stability of waxy corn starch were investigated. Results: Combined with the preliminary laboratory exploration and the optimization of this study, a HDP with improved thermal stability, transparency and freeze-thaw stability and lowered gelatinization temperature was obtained. The preparation conditions of HDP were as follows: in the case that the amount of sodium trimetaphosphate was 0.30 g/100 g and cross-linking reaction time was 45 minutes, and the amount of propylene oxide added was 6 mL/100 g and the etherification time was 90 minutes. Conclusion: Compared to raw waxy corn starch, the cross-linked and etherified starches with decreased gelatinization temperature and improved freeze-thaw stability, thermal stability and gelling properties are observed.

With urbanization and anthropogenic pressures, the eco-environmental quality of East and Southeast Asian coastal regions has undergone drastic changes in the 21st century. To assess these environmental variations and realize regional sustainable development goals, a quantitative monitoring of the eco-environment is necessary, but challenging. The remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) was recently proposed and applied to quantitatively monitor the eco-environmental quality, but bias during multitemporal observations is a major limitation. Thus, a novel method, Continuous Remote Sensing Ecological Index (CRSEI), was developed in this study to enable constant and objective monitoring of large-scale and long-term environmental changes in the coastal regions of East and Southeast Asia. To reduce the multitemporal bias of pixels caused by imaging conditions and sensor status, a change detection algorithm requiring limited auxiliary data was developed. High-resolution images show that the CRSEI enables adequate multitemporal monitoring of eco-environmental changes with fewer false fluctuations on the local scale. The proposed CRSEI should deepen the current understanding of environmental changes and provide a solid scientific reference for environmental protection on multiple scales. The results of this research indicate that the eco-environmental quality of the east and southeast Asian coast remained generally stable during the studied period (2001–2019), with the mean CRSEI changed slightly from 5918 to 5856. However, on a regional level, each area revealed different conditions. First, the Korean Peninsula had relatively stable and well-maintained eco-environmental quality with a CRSEI of around 5500 during 2001–2019. Second, The North China coast had lower eco-environmental quality compared to other regions, but it showed the most improvement, with the CRSEI increasing from 2719 to 2807. Third, the eco-environmental quality of South China and Myanmar's coastal region remained relatively stable, with a CRSEI of around 5730 and 6720, respectively. Fourth, the continental coast of some Southeast Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and Cambodia, experienced a significant decline in eco-environmental quality, as indicated by a dramatic decrease in the CRSEI from 6751 to 6527. Notably, the areas with declining eco-environmental quality were concentrated in the western border regions of Cambodia, where unrestricted cultivation has led to the destruction of tropical rainforests.

Fe-based stents have been made a figure in biodegradable stents by their good mechanical capacity and biocompatibility, appropriate strength–ductility combination. Although the iron corrosion rate was not ideal, which had been optimized by iron alloy and polymer coating introduction. As a long-term implanted biodegradable material, the real concern about iron-based stents mainly laid in long-term biosafety. In this work, rats were used as an animal model to study the chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of iron-based stents. Two years later, the changes in body weight and the physiological status during the experiment were monitored, and the blood routine and blood analysis combined with the health of major organs and histopathological tests were performed. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference compared with the control group (316L SS) in body weight, blood routine index, blood biochemical index, and carcinogenic rate that further confirmed the biosafety of iron-based material.

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a disorder of the autonomic motor or sensory system with well⁃defined symptoms, which covers functional movement disorder, psychogenic non⁃epileptic seizures, functional sensory disorder, functional cognitive disorder, persistent postural perceptual dizziness and so on. Its complex and diverse characteristics make the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and research difficult, so FND has long been a "gray area", but its high incidence, disability rate and high consumption of medical resources remind us that FND cannot be ignored. This paper reviews the current clinical classification of FND and the diagnostic criteria in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment by domestic colleagues.

In order to rapidly determine deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEN) in maize, a rapid quantitative immunofluorescence assay based on superconductor coating was used to detect multiple maize samples. Combined with the recovery rate, stability, detection limit, precision and other indexes, the applicability of the method was evaluated and compared with the results of liquid chromatography. The results showed that the superconductor coated immunofluorescence diaper method had the good linearity in the range of 100 ng/mL~2 500 ng/mL for DON and 5~200 µg/kg for ZEN. The recoveries of DON were 103.72%~108.17% in the range of 500~2 000 µg/kg, and 97.81%~111.27% in the range of ZEN 50~150 µg/kg. Compared with the results of liquid chromatography, the superconductor coated immunofluorescence diaper method is an effective, practical, rapid and quantitative analysis method within the allowable deviation range, which can meet the requirements of simultaneous detection of DON and ZEN in maize.

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a kind of autonomic motor or sensory system disease with well⁃defined clinical symptoms. It has attracted the attention of many scientists due to its high incidence and heavy social burden, and many studies have promoted the development of FND. However, due to the late start of related research in China, clinicians, patients and their families have relatively weak understanding of the concept of FND and related knowledge. This article analyzes the current status of FND diagnosis and treatment in China, proposed the suggestions to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment for FND in details and enhance related study.

This network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of different pharmacological treatments for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Thirty-four relevant studies were extracted from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane database, and MEDLINE. Treatment with tacrolimus (TAC), cyclophosphamide (CTX), mycophenolate mofetil, chlorambucil (CHL), cyclosporin A (CSA), steroids, rituximab (RTX), and conservative therapy were compared. Outcomes were measured using remission rate and incidence of side effects. Summary estimates were expressed as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The quality of findings was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. In the direct meta-analysis for comparison of complete remission (CR) rate, the curative effect of RTX is inferior to CTX (OR 0.37; CI 0.18, 0.75). In the NMA of CR rate, the results showed that the curative effects of CTX, CHL, and TAC were significantly higher than those of the control group. The efficacy of RTX is not inferior to the CTX (OR 0.81; CI 0.32, 2.01), and the level of evidence was moderate; CSA was not as effective as RTX, and the difference was statistically significant with moderate evidence (OR 2.98, CI 1.00, 8.91). In summary, we recommend CTX and RTX as the first-line drug for IMN treatment.

Strip optical waveguides were realized in Yb3+-doped silicate glass with ultrashort pulse laser ablation assisted He+ ion implantation. Planar waveguides were first prepared near the glass surface by He+ ion implantation (450 keV + 500 keV + 550 keV), followed by annealing at 260℃. After that, under the processing parameters of 3 μJ energy and 50 μm/s ablation velocity, two parallel tracks with separation of 15, 20, and 25 μm were, respectively, inscribed on the sample, which confine the light in lateral direction to form a strip waveguide. The near-field intensity measurement indicates that the strip waveguides maintain the single-mode propagation characteristics with 976 nm laser injection, and present the multi-mode characteristics with 632.8 nm laser injection, showing that the guided modes are well supported in the strip waveguides. The minimum propagation loss of strip waveguide is 1.35 dB/cm. Fluorescence emission spectra indicate that the gain properties of waveguide core were maintained well after waveguide preparation, revealing that the strip waveguide device in Yb3+-doped silicate glass has the potential to become an active device as waveguide laser or waveguide amplifier.

BACKGROUND Multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) has been widely applied to accurate and precise measurements of isotope ratios due to its high sample throughput, strong ionization ability of ICP sources and high mass resolution. For decades, the standard-sample bracketing (SSB) method has been used to correct for instrumental mass bias during the measurement to achieve accurate results. When the content of the target isotope in samples is low, the measurement results are easily influenced by the background signals. "On Peak Zero" correction deducts the background signal from the total signal, which is an effective method to eliminate the background interference and has been widely used, but no research has been conducted to systematically explore the mathematical principles behind this correction. OBJECTIVES To establish a mathematical model for the "On Peak Zero" correction, and verify its confidence by applying it to isotope measurements of different concentrations of Li, S, Fe, Sr, Nd and Pb standard solutions. METHODS In this study, a mathematical model of the influence by the background signal on isotopic composition was established by mathematical reasoning and approximate substitution. Standard solutions of different concentrations of Li, S, Fe, Sr, Nd and Pb were prepared for the application of the "On Peak Zero" method through experimental analysis. Two types of blank signals were subtracted separately from the aggregate signals to simulate isotope measurements without and with "On Peak Zero" correction. RESULTS The results indicate that the lower the concentration of the target element, the greater is the blank solution signal influence on the accuracy of the sample to be tested, and the "On Peak Zero" method can better eliminate the influence of the blank solution on the sample measurements. The simulation results based on this model were consistent with the real experimental results in this study. CONCLUSIONS The mathematical model and the data explain well the effect of background concentration on the experimental isotope values, and are useful for understanding the application of the "On Peak Zero" method in MC-ICP-MS isotope analysis.

Objective: In order to efficiently extract resveratrol and to maintain the good antioxidant capacity. Methods: Resveratrol was extracted from grape skin residue using intermittent ultrasonic assisted enzymatic extraction. The response surface method （RSM） was utilized to optimize the extraction process, and the antioxidant capacity of resveratrol were analyzed. Results: The experiment results indicated that under the condition of buffer solution pH of 5.0, cellulase dosage of 1.3% and enzymolysis temperature of 57 ℃, the resveratrol obtained better extraction effect after intermittent assisted treatment with 300 W ultrasonic waves for accumulatively 43 min, and the average yield could reach 0.293%. The antioxidant analysis found that the resveratrol had obvious scavenging effect on DPPH·, ·OH and ABTS·, as well the total antioxidant capacity was better. Conclusion: The resveratrol extracted by intermittent ultrasonic assisted cellulase method, both the yield and antioxidant capacity have been greatly improved comparing with the single enzymatic method or continuous ultrasonic extraction.

Objective To investigate the effect of cognitive⁃motor dual⁃task on gait automaticity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods A total of 45 patients with primary PD in Tianjin Huanhu Hospital were selected from June 2020 to December 2021. Cognitive single task, motor single task and cognitive⁃motor dual⁃task in the "off" and "on" states of dopaminergic medication were performed. The correct number of subtractions was recorded to measure cognitive performance. A three⁃dimensional gait analyzer was used to extract the parameters of stride length and gait velocity, and the dual⁃task cost (DTC) was calculated to measure gait automaticity. Results Compared with single task, patients with PD showed slower gait velocity (t=11.909, P=0.000; t=11.621, P=0.000), shortened stride length (t=9.027, P=0.000; t=9.991, P=0.000), while there was no significant difference in the correct number of subtraction (t=0.651, P=0.519; t=1.205, P=0.234) during both "off" and "on" states. In patients with PD, the DTC of gait velocity (Z=⁃4.148, P=0.000) and stride length (Z=⁃4.114, P=0.000) in the "off" state was higher than that in the "on" state, while the DTC for subtraction had no significant difference (Z=⁃1.005, P=0.315). The DTC of gait velocity in the "off" and "on" states of patients with PD was negatively correlated with the Mini⁃Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (rs=⁃0.474, P=0.000; rs=⁃0.461, P=0.000), but positively correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Ⅲ (UPDRS Ⅲ) score (rs=0.446, P=0.002; rs=0.428, P=0.003). Conclusions Patients with PD have a significant decrease in stride length and gait velocity, and higher risk of falling when performing dual⁃task. Dopaminergic medication can improve the gait automaticity of patients, and cognitive decline may lead to gait automaticity disorder in patients with PD.

Cancer is a fetal and complex disease. Individual differences of the same cancer type or the same patient at different stages of cancer development may require distinct treatments. Pathological differences are reflected in tissues, cells and gene levels etc. The interactions between the cancer cells and nearby microenvironments can also influence the cancer progression and metastasis. It is a huge challenge to understand all of these mechanistically and quantitatively. Researchers applied pattern recognition algorithms such as machine learning or data mining to predict cancer types or classifications. With the rapidly growing and available computing powers, researchers begin to integrate huge data sets, multi-dimensional data types and information. The cells are controlled by the gene expressions determined by the promoter sequences and transcription regulators. For example, the changes in the gene expression through these underlying mechanisms can modify cell progressing in the cell-cycle. Such molecular activities can be governed by the gene regulations through the underlying gene regulatory networks, which are essential for cancer study when the information and gene regulations are clear and available. In this review, we briefly introduce several machine learning methods of cancer prediction and classification which include Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), Decision Trees (DTs), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and naive Bayes. Then we describe a few typical models for building up gene regulatory networks such as Correlation, Regression and Bayes methods based on available data. These methods can help on cancer diagnosis such as susceptibility, recurrence, survival etc. At last, we summarize and compare the modeling methods to analyze the development and progression of cancer through gene regulatory networks. These models can provide possible physical strategies to analyze cancer progression in a systematic and quantitative way.

Akabane virus (AKAV) has been detected in a variety of host species in China, but there are only limited records of its occurrence in goats. However, more attention needs to be paid to understanding the diversity of viruses in this species. The aim of the study was to explore the genotype characteristics and variation trend of AKAV and their relationship with virulence in Yunnan, China.

Objective: An analytical method was established for determination of 13 kinds of bisphenols and alkylphenol compounds in liquid dairy products by salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction coupled with HPLC-MS/MS. Methods: The salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction pre-treatment method was adopted, and the detection was performed in the mode of negative ion source multiple reaction monitoring （MRM） by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and quantitative analysis was performed by matrix external standard method. Besides, the effect of extraction solvent type, selection and the usage of salting-out agents on the recoveries were studied and the performance of the method was evaluated. Results: The liquid dairy products were liquid-liquid extracted with acetonitrile as extraction solvent and 0.4 g sodium chloride as salting-out agents. The 13 kinds of phenols had a good linear relationship, and the correlation coefficients were all ＞ 0.99. The standard recovery rates of milk and yoghurt were 81.5% to 118.1% and 80.8% to 107.6%, respectively, and the relative standard deviations were 1.89% to 12.3% and 1.12% to 11.9%. The detection limits were 0.15 to 0.75 μg/kg, and the quantification limits were 0.5 to 2.5 μg/kg. One of the commercially available liquid dairy product was found to contain 4-NP, and the concentrations was 9.28 μg/kg. Conclusion: The established method is suitable for the rapid detection of 13 kinds of bisphenols and alkylphenol compounds in liquid dairy products.

ZnO–water nanofluid in an inner pipe was experimentally investigated to improve the thermal efficiency of double-pipe heat exchangers. In this work, a 57.6% increase in the Nusselt number was obtained at Re = 14,340 when the ZnO–water nanofluid flowed through a helically corrugated tube. It was found that helical corrugation played a more important role in heat transfer enhancement than thermophysical properties of the nanofluid at the Reynolds number below 10,221. In addition, with the increase of the Reynolds number, the advantages of nanofluids in thermal performance become obvious, and Nusselt numbers increase by 28.5 and 30.6% with the effects of helical corrugation and ZnO–nanofluid, respectively, at Re = 14,349.

The approved health food products in China were analyzed from the following five aspects: the number of approved products, the use of raw materials, the claim of health function, the distribution of dosage forms, and the index of signature ingredients. It was found that almost all Spirulina powder was the primary processed product, and the homogeneity was serious. Moreover, the characteristic components were different from those of β-carotene and phycocyanin specified in the record. Based on these problems, the healthy development of health food industry should be promoted by broadening the idea of product research and development, and then improve the synergistic effect of registration and filing.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the best thawing method of squid in storage and processing. Methods: Three kinds of squid were thawed by four thawing methods: low temperature thawing, ultrasonic thawing, flowing water thawing and hydrostatic thawing. The changes of sensory quality, texture characteristics, thawing loss rate, cooking loss rate, volatile base total nitrogen (TVB-N value), thiobarbituric acid value (TBARS value) and salt-soluble protein content (SSP value) of different squid were investigated during the thawing process. Results: Ultrasonic thawing took the shortest time, but thawing loss rate was high and the juice loss was serious; The low temperature thawing time was too long, with high TBARS value but poor quality; The loss rates of hydrostatic thawing and cooking were high, and the phenomena of protein degradation and fat oxidation were serious; The mastication of squid was better under flowing water thawing, and the loss rate of thawing was relatively low, and the characteristics of muscle structure were maintained well. Conclusion: Flow water thawing is the most suitable thawing method for squid.

The current study was focused on the evaluation of the performance of a modified flocculant (PEI-T) for the removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater. Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) through an amidation reaction to form a new flocculant PEI-T. Results revealed that: (a) PEI-T and PEI had similar turbidity removal effect, but PEI-T had a good function of catching heavy metal copper and mercury; (b) when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist in a water sample, Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote the removal of each other and the residual concentration of Cu2+ and turbidity decrease further; and (c) the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ can promote the removal of copper ions by PEI-T. HIGHLIGHTS Modified flocculant (PEI-T) was evaluated for removal of turbidity and heavy metals from wastewater.; Thioglycolic acid was introduced into the molecular chain of cationic flocculant polyethyleneimine (PEI) to form a new flocculant, PEI-T.; These flocculants had similar turbidity removal effect.; Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances promote their removal when Cu2+ and turbidity-causing substances coexist.;

To evaluate the safety of stent malapposition of corrodible nitride iron stent as biodegradable cardiovascular implants, a total of 108 stents were implanted into the abdominal aortas, iliac arteries, and iliac artery bifurcations of 36 New Zealand white rabbits separately. Each rabbit was implanted with three stents. After a follow-up period of 3 months, no thrombus and embolism were found in local and downstream vessels. And no other adverse events occurred either. Stent strut covered by endothelial layer started to show signs of degradation, while struts exposed to bifurcated blood flow covered by a layer of tissue and no rust particle was found on the surface. Also, there were no traces of thrombosis and traces of excess inflammation. The authors conclude that the risk brought by stent malapposition in less than 9 months is acceptable.

The latest “Guide to College English Teaching” lists cross-cultural education as an important part of college English courses. At the same time, ICAO ’s requirements for civil aviation pilots and controllers ’cross-cultural abilities increase year by year, which raises new requirements for the cultivation of cultural abilities. This article explores this subject from two aspects of cross-cultural psychology and cross-cultural behavior, using SPSS22.0 data analysis method and Delphi method to establish an evaluation model, which includes four first-level indicators: attitude, awareness, knowledge and skill. Attitude and consciousness evaluate cross-cultural psychology, and knowledge and skills evaluate cross-cultural behavior. Under the 4 first-level indicators, there are 6 second-level indicators and 17 third-level indicators. This paper uses the accuracy and convenience of language operators in the process of information conversion to transform fuzzy subjective qualitative analysis into quantitative analysis, and proposes a set of evaluation methods for cross-cultural competence based on language operators. At the same time, an empirical study was conducted with C University as an example. The statistical results show that the method has good applicability and scientificity for the evaluation of the cross-cultural competence of civil aviation college students.

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing, and non-specific inflammatory bowel disease, and the current treatment strategies were mainly used to relieve symptoms or for maintenance. Endometrial regenerative cells (ERCs) are mesenchymal-like stromal cells and have been demonstrated to alleviate multiple immune-dysregulation diseases. Pro-inflammatory stimuli were reported to enhance the immunosuppressive functions of ERCs, but the mechanism underlined is not fully understood. Here, we have designed this study to investigate the therapeutic effects of IL-1β-primed ERCs in the attenuation of experimental colitis. Methods BALB/c mice were given 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) for 7 consecutive days and free tap water for 3 days sequentially to induce experimental colitis. PBS (200 μL), ERCs, and IL-1β-primed ERCs (10ng/mL, 48 h) were injected (1 million/mouse/day, i.v.) on day 2, 5, and 8, respectively. Colonic and splenic samples were harvested on day 10 after DSS induction. Results It was found that IL-1β-primed ERC treatment markedly attenuated colonic damage, body weight loss, and colon length shortening in colitis mice. Compared with other treatments, cell populations of CD4+IL-4+Th2 cells, CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), and CD68+CD206+ macrophages in spleens were also significantly upregulated in the IL-1β-primed ERC-treated group (p < 0.05). In addition, lower expression of pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ, IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-6), but higher levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were detected in colons in the IL-1β-primed ERC-treated group (p < 0.05 vs. other groups). Importantly, we also found that different generations of ERCs had an overall lower secretion of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) by IL-1β pre-stimulation (p < 0.05) and a higher expression of β-catenin in colonic and splenic tissues after the administration of IL-1β-primed ERCs. Conclusions This study has demonstrated that IL-1β pre-stimulation effectively downregulated DKK1 expression in ERCs, which in turn promoted the wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in colonic and splenic tissues. Consequently, IL-1β-primed ERCs exhibited an enhanced therapeutic effect in the attenuation of DSS-induced colitis.

Many researchers numerically investigated U-tube underground heat exchanger using a two-dimensional simplified pipe. However, a simplified model results in large errors compared to the data from construction sites. This research is carried out using a three-dimensional full-size model. A model validation is conducted by comparing with experimental data in summer. This article investigates the effects of fluid velocity and buried depth on the heat exchange rate in a vertical U-tube underground heat exchanger based on fluid–structure coupled simulations. Compared with the results at a flow rate of 0.4 m/s, the results of this research show that the heat transfer per buried depth at 1.0 m/s increases by 123.34%. With the increase of the buried depth from 80 to 140 m, the heat transfer per unit depth decreases by 9.72%.

The advancement of technology in the field of telecommunications and increasing use of smartphones worldwide has simplified the purchasing and payment process via mobile devices. This new payment method enables people to enjoy services in a flexible and convenient manner while going about their daily activities. This study explores the continued use of mobile payment antecedents in Sudan. A total of 453 questionnaires were collected; SPSS and AMOS were used to test the proposed theoretical model using structural equation modeling. According to the findings, satisfaction was the most important factor in the intention to use mobile payment. Hedonic motivation and price value were found to have a negative influence on the intention to use mobile payment in Sudan.

The extraction technologies of plant essential oils were briefly summarized, and the functional characteristics of plant essential oils and the different application forms of plant essential oils in the preservation of fruits and vegetables were emphatically reviewed, including the essential oils nanocrystallization, the essential oils microencapsulation, and the essential oils combining with physical technologies and so on. This review could provide a theoretical basis for the further application of plant essential oils in the preservation of fruits and vegetables in the future.

During the century-long mining process of the Fushun west open pit, slope slippage and deformation caused varying degrees of horizontal deformation, uneven settlement, and ground cracks on the surface of the urban areas, which caused a certain degree of damage to buildings and infrastructure and affected the livings of residents in the surrounding communities. In this study, a set of building reinforcement and community resilience enhancement methods that can resist slope deformation was proposed to improve the ability of urban areas to cope with slope geological hazards and emergency response. The main research contents included: Firstly, this paper systematically analyzed the deformation mechanism of the dip sloping and the inverse dip sloping section of the open pit mine, which was based on the field measured data and simulation calculation results. In other words, the horizontal deformation of the stratum in the dip sloping section was dominant, while the stratum in the inverse dip sloping section was prone to ground cracks and uneven settlement. In view of this, three surface deformation characteristic subdivisions of the surrounding urban area were proposed. In addition, a study on the damage characteristics of buildings with different types of foundations and structures under the influence of side slope deformation were carried out, and the anti-deformation reinforcement measures for load-bearing members mainly based on steel fiber concrete, carbon fiber materials and profile steel were proposed. Finally, a three-level disaster emergency setting system for urban areas around open pit mine was established, and the disaster prevention and resilience enhancement strategy for build and unbuilt the communities around the side slopes was constructed. The study aims to provide technical support to the overall resilience and response of the urban communities adjacent to open-pit mine slopes against consequent geological hazards and emergencies, thereby promoting sustainable urban development.

The Yangtze River Basin faces unprecedented challenges in harmonizing competing interests in its ecological and social systems. The central government of China, in response to the need for change in governance arrangements and cooperation, passed the Yangtze River Protection Law. It is China's first legislation at the basin scale and for a specific river basin. Ecological disturbances caused by industrial and other human activity, followed by political support for environmental protection, catalyzed the passage of this law. As the first tentative effort to regulate a complex and changing social-ecological system, it has incorporated multiple legal and institutional design principles identified in the adaptive governance and law scholarship: scaled approaches to social-ecological systems, cooperation to address geographical and sectoral fragmentation, and participatory capacity. These commonalities show that designs are fundamental to tackle geographic and sectoral fragmentation of complex systems and catalyze the emergence of adaptive water governance.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic progressive degenerative disease with gradually decreasing cognition. Because of the high prevalence, heavy social burden and wide interaction with others, the ethical issues are increasingly prominent. This article focuses on the details, such as disclosing diagnosis, breaking bad news, advance directives, hospice care and palliative care, and driving. From these issues, as a medical staff, we should know and respect our patients and their families sufficiently. We should make a reasonable treatment with patients and their families for a better outcome. At the same time, more propaganda about advance directives and hospice care should be taken for a healthier perception. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2021.04.005