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Purpose: Carotid artery web (CaW) is a rare focal fibromuscular dysplasia that can lead to embolic strokes with large vessel occlusion. This condition can be effectively treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Our study aims to assess the prevalence of CaW among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who underwent EVT and to compare the clinical characteristics of CaW with other carotid artery pathologies. Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with AIS who underwent EVT at a single medical center and two regional teaching hospitals in Taiwan from September 2014 to December 2021. We compared CaW with carotid dissection (CaD) and carotid large artery atherosclerosis (CaLAA) in terms of patient demographics and thrombus histological findings. Results: Of the 576 AIS patients who underwent EVT, four (mean age: 50 years) were diagnosed with CaW, resulting in a prevalence of 0.69%. Among these four patients, three experienced successful reperfusion after EVT and achieved functional independence (defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≤2) three months post-stroke. Importantly, none of the CaW patients suffered a recurrent stroke within one year. Patients with CaW were younger than those with CaD or CaLAA, and exhibited fewer vascular risk factors. Additionally, CaW was associated with distal occlusion sites. The thrombus composition in CaW patients was similar to that in CaD patients. Conclusion: In conclusion, CaW is a rare finding among Asian patients with carotid artery disease who undergo for AIS. It is more prevalent in younger patients with a limited number of vascular risk factors.

For the development of new energy automobile industry and the trend of automobile lightweight have put forward a huge demand for high-strength lightweight materials, so developing high strength aluminum alloys is particularly momentous. As the most widely used aluminum alloy, 6000 series aluminum alloys (Al–Mg–Si alloys) have the advantages such as better mechanical properties, outstanding welding properties, excellent formability and fine processing capability, and therefore have obtained great attention as the structural materials. In addition, the Al–Mg–Si alloys with low density and corrosion resistance not only reduce the total weight of the car, but also extend the service life when subjected to chemical corrosion, which effectively achieve energy saving and emission reduction. This paper summarizes the research progress of 6000 series aluminum alloys, in particular, and reviews the methods of microalloying and particle strengthening, and their effects on the microstructure and properties of the alloy, thus providing a reference for the subsequent development of high-performance aluminum alloys in automobile and aerospace industries.

Rapid growth in industrial sectors such as automotive and shipbuilding has highlighted the significance of strip casting technology to produce lightweight alloys, particularly aluminum alloys widely used in both industrial production and daily life. Twin-roll casting (TRC), as an economically and environmentally friendly method for slab/strip production and processing, has attracted significant interest from researchers. However, the development of TRC aluminum alloys faces many challenges due to limited understanding of microstructural characteristics and control mechanisms. To further enhance comprehension of TRC aluminum alloys, this article reviews the influencing parameters, control methods, and existing issues related to TRC sub-rapid solidification (SRS) microstructure. It firstly summarizes TRC equipment types and their solidification characteristics, followed by a detailed analysis on key parameters affecting the evolution of TRC microstructure including rolling speed, roll separation force (RSF), and heat transfer coefficient (HTC). Finally, solutions to TRC defects are summarized and evaluated alongside their underlying mechanisms. This article provides a comprehensive review of the characteristics and control mechanisms of TRC microstructure while offering valuable insights for the future production of high-quality TRC aluminum strips.

In the global pursuit of energy conservation, reduction in consumption and emissions, as well as lightweighting, 5xxx-series aluminum alloys have emerged as a promising lightweight and high-strength material with a wide range of applications in aerospace, transportation, building structures, medical devices, and more. However, it is worth noting that 5XXX-series aluminum alloys belong to a category of non-heat-treatable reinforced aluminum alloys with limited means of enhancing their properties through heat treatment. Consequently, the development of high-performance 5XXX-series aluminum alloys poses a significant challenge. This paper provides an overview of the research progress on 5xxx-series aluminum alloys while discussing the current state of research regarding the influence of microalloying elements on their microstructure and properties. Furthermore, it elucidates the emerging trends in synergistic regulation between deformation processes and heat treatment processes for enhancing organizational refinement and improving alloy properties. Additionally, this study analyzes the reinforcement mechanism responsible for the exceptional properties exhibited by 5xxx-series aluminum alloys. Lastly, it discusses the exceptional properties exhibited by 5xxx-series alloys along with their primary areas of application. The findings presented herein can serve as a valuable reference for future advancements in advanced high-performance 5xxx-series aluminum alloys.

Soil alkalization is a major challenge for global crop production. This study reveals a novel defense mechanism in rice seedlings against alkaline stress, involving methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and auxin pathways. Under alkaline stress (15 mM Na2CO3), rice seedlings exhibited elevated levels of endogenous MeJA and upregulation of JA-responsive genes. Pre-treatment with MeJA (50 µM) significantly improved seedling survival, growth, and mitigated root damage under alkaline stress. This treatment also upregulated genes associated with cell death suppression (OsBI1) and stress tolerance (OsJRL, OsNAC). Notably, MeJA pre-treatment increased auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) levels in roots, and upregulated genes involved in IAA synthesis (OASA1, OASA2) and auxin signaling (Aux/IAA, ARFs). Blocking auxin transport with N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid intensified root damage under alkaline stress and diminished the protective effect of MeJA. These results highlight the crucial role of MeJA-induced activation of auxin pathway in enhancing rice tolerance to alkaline stress, and provide valuable insights for developing strategies to improve crop resilience in alkaline soils.

Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the world. Human genetics can provide strong AF therapeutic candidates, but the identification of the causal genes and their functions remains challenging. Here, we applied an AF fine-mapping strategy that leverages results from a previously published cross-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS), expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) from left atrial appendages (LAAs) obtained from two cohorts with distinct ancestry, and a paired RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and ATAC sequencing (ATAC-seq) LAA single-nucleus assay (sn-multiome). At nine AF loci, our co-localization and fine-mapping analyses implicated 14 genes. Data integration identified several candidate causal AF variants, including rs7612445 at GNB4 and rs242557 at MAPT. Finally, we showed that the repression of the strongest AF-associated eQTL gene, LINC01629, in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes using CRISPR inhibition results in the dysregulation of pathways linked to genes involved in the development of atrial tissue and the cardiac conduction system.