Search

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, and several studies have attempted to identify its risk factors. This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep duration and sleep quality, and the 7‐year incidence of CVD among middle‐aged and older Chinese individuals. A total of 6682 participants aged 45–90 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study database were included in this study. The authors estimated sleep duration and quality based on self‐reported data of night sleep hours and disturbance symptoms, and examined the associations between them and the composite outcome of CVD using logistic regression models. A total of 1692 participants (25.32%) reported new CVD events during follow‐up. Short sleep duration ( 8 h/night). Additionally, participants with mild sleep disturbance in all three models, and severe sleep disturbance in Models 2 and 3 had a significantly higher risk of CVD (p .05). In conclusion, short sleep duration and sleep disturbance are both associated with an increased risk of CVD in middle‐aged and older Chinese individuals.

Abstract Heteropolycyclic molecular systems, which are essential components in the fields of materials and pharmacology, frequently consist of 2D extended organic aromatic rings. Here, we introduce a type of inorganic-organic hybrid 3D conjugates by merging an aromatic boron cluster with a phosphine and a π-conjugated unit. To achieve this, a couple-close synthetic strategy via B–H activation of nido-carboranes with alkynes has been developed, which leads to diverse boron cluster-extended phosphoniums in a twisted structure with high yields under mild conditions. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the fusion between the boron cluster and the formed borophosphonium heterocycle facilitates electron delocalization throughout the structure. The unusual framework demonstrates distinct properties from bare boron clusters and pure aromatic ring-extended counterparts, such as improved thermal/chemical stability and photophysical properties. Thus, the boron cluster-based 3D conjugates expand the library of aromatic-based heterocyclics, showcasing great potential in functional materials.

Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is an important foodfish species. It has been cultured in Singapore since the 1980s. A selective breeding program to improve growth, meat quality and disease resistance has been ongoing in Singapore since 2004. In 2012, outbreaks of the big belly disease (BBD) occurred in two batches of offspring generated by a mass-cross among F1 brooders in a hatchery. After the outbreaks, only 437 survived in 6000 F2 juveniles. Molecular parentage analysis with 10 microsatellites revealed that four parents (F1) produced high percentage of offspring that survived the BBD outbreaks. Eighty-two BBD survivor offspring (F2) were selected based on their growth performance at 90 days post hatch (dph), family origin and allelic diversity. They were used as brooders to generate F3. In a period of five years, these F2 brooders produced six batches of offspring, where no outbreak of BBD occurred. In the same period, outbreaks of BBD occurred in 4 out of 18 batches produced by F2 brooders selected for growth, with mortality rates ranging from 85.1% to 95.4%. In F3, the average body weight (57.1 ± 1.09 g, n = 3068) of the line for BBD survival was slightly lower than that (60.6 ± 2.29 g, n = 4280) of the line for growth at 90 dph. In both lines, the body weight of F3 was much higher than that (46.90 ± 0.19 g, n = 12117) of F2. The genetic diversity in the line for BBD survival (F3) was much lower than that in F3 line for growth due to small founder population. These data indicate that the selection of BBD survival during BBD outbreaks using molecular parentage analysis is effective to reduce BBD outbreaks. Avoiding further reduction of genetic diversity is essential in the line selected for increased survival against BBD.

Objective To understand the prevalence and influencing factors of different types of obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han and Tibetan residents in Gansu province, and to provide evidence for the prevention and control of obesity. Methods Data of 18 114 middle-aged and elderly adults aged 35 to 75 years old with complete body measurement information were analyzed. The data were collected in the baseline survey of "Gansu Province′s Urban and Rural Natural Population Cohort Establishment and Tumor Follow-up Study" of the "Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China" conducted from November 2018 to May 2019. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BFP) and visceral fat index (VFI) were used to assess the prevalence of general obesity, central obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity, respectively. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of different types of obesity. Results Among the 18 114 middle-aged and elderly adults enrolled in Gansu Province, there were 16 999 Han (93.8%) and 1 115 Tibetan (6.2%) ones. The prevalence rates of general obesity, central obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han and Tibetan residents were 12.5% and 9.0%, 31.4% and 33.9%, 50.7% and 41.9%, 40.0% and 27.7%, respectively. The prevalence rates of general obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity among Han adults were higher than those among Tibetan residents (all P < 0.05). The results of multivariable unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that being female was a risk factor for body fat obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents and for general obesity, central obesity, and body fat obesity among middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Gansu province, but was a protective factor for general obesity, central obesity, visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents and for visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Gansu province. Age ≥ 45 years old was a risk factor for general obesity, central obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents and for body fat obesity among middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Gansu province. Primary school education and above was a protective factor for central obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents in Gansu province. Being married was a risk factor for general obesity and visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents in Gansu province. Being a non-farmer was a risk factor for general obesity and central obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents in Gansu province. Per capita annual household income ≥ 4 000 Yuan was a risk factor for visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents in Gansu province. Smoking was a protective factor for general obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han residents in Gansu province. Drinking was a risk factor for central obesity among middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Gansu province. ConclusionThe prevalence rates of general obesity, body fat obesity, and visceral obesity were higher among middle-aged and elderly Han residents than those among middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Gansu province, and gender was a common influencing factor for the four types of obesity among middle-aged and elderly Han and Tibetan residents in Gansu province.

Abstract Purpose The study investigated the effect of capsular tension ring (CTR) implantation on postoperative refractive stability and accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) formulas for axial length (AL) ≥ 27.0 mm patients. Methods Prospective case series. The eyes of patients underwent phacoemulsification extraction combined with IOL implantation were classified as CTR implantation (A-CTR) and without CTR implantation (B-CON) groups. Refractive outcome and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were recorded at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months post-operation. Prediction refractive error (PE) and absolute refractive error (AE) of each formula were calculated. Results A total of 89 eyes (63 patients) were included and randomized into the CTR (A-CTR) and control groups (B-CON). Comparison of refraction at different postoperative times of the CTR group showed no statistical difference (all P > 0.05). The ACD in the A-CTR group gradually deepened, and that in the B-CON group gradually shallowed (all P > 0.05). The formulas’ AE showed statistically significant differences in CTR and CON groups (P 0.05), the other five formulas were more myopic in A-CTR group than that in the B-CON group (all P > 0.05). Conclusion Patients with 13 mm diameter CTR implantation tended to have stable refraction at 1 week post-surgery and 1 month for those without it. CTR of the 13 mm diameter had no effect on the selection of formulas. Additionally, it is found that Kane and EVO formulas were more accurate for patients with AL ≥ 27.0 mm.

Abstract Background The identification and assessment of environmental risks are crucial for the primary prevention of congenital heart disease (CHD). We were aimed to establish a nomogram model for CHD in the offspring of pregnant women and validate it using a large CHD database in Northwest China. Methods A survey was conducted among 29,204 women with infants born between 2010 and 2013 in Shaanxi province, Northwest China. Participants were randomly assigned to the training set and to the validation set at a ratio of 7:3. The importance of predictive variables was assessed using random forest. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to construct the nomogram for the prediction of CHD. Results Multivariate analyses revealed that the gravidity, preterm birth history, family history of birth defects, infection, taking medicine, tobacco exposure, pesticide exposure and singleton/twin pregnancy were significant predictive risk factors for CHD in the offspring of pregnant women. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the prediction model was 0.716 (95% CI: 0.671, 0.760) in the training set and 0.714 (95% CI: 0.630, 0.798) in the validation set, indicating moderate discrimination. The prediction model exhibited good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 = 1.529, P = 0.910). Conclusions We developed and validated a predictive nomogram for CHD in offspring of Chinese pregnant women, facilitating the early prenatal assessment of the risk of CHD and aiding in health education.

Abstract Accumulating evidence has revealed the gut bacteria dysbiosis and brain hippocampal functional and structural alterations in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the potential relationship between the gut microbiota and hippocampal function alterations in patients with MDD is still very limited. Data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were acquired from 44 unmedicated MDD patients and 42 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs). Severn pairs of hippocampus subregions (the bilateral cornu ammonis [CA1-CA3], dentate gyrus (DG), entorhinal cortex, hippocampal–amygdaloid transition area, and subiculum) were selected as the seeds in the functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Additionally, fecal samples of participants were collected and 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was used to identify the altered relative abundance of gut microbiota. Then, association analysis was conducted to investigate the potential relationships between the abnormal hippocampal subregions FC and microbiome features. Also, the altered hippocampal subregion FC values and gut microbiota levels were used as features separately or together in the support vector machine models distinguishing the MDD patients and HCs. Compared with HCs, patients with MDD exhibited increased FC between the left hippocampus (CA2, CA3 and DG) and right hippocampus (CA2 and CA3), and decreased FC between the right hippocampal CA3 and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex. In addition, we found that the level of proinflammatory bacteria (i.e., Enterobacteriaceae) was significantly increased, whereas the level of short-chain fatty acids producing-bacteria (i.e., Prevotellaceae, Agathobacter and Clostridium) were significantly decreased in MDD patients. Furthermore, FC values of the left hippocampal CA3- right hippocampus (CA2 and CA3) was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in patients with MDD. Moreover, altered hippocampal FC patterns and gut microbiota level were considered in combination, the best discrimination was obtained (AUC = 0.92). These findings may provide insights into the potential role of gut microbiota in the underlying neuropathology of MDD patients.

The existing deep learning based foreign object detection models for conveyor belts are relatively large and difficult to deploy on edge devices. There are errors and omissions in detecting foreign objects of different sizes and small objects. In order to solve the above problems, a foreign object detection method for coal mine conveyor belts based on improved YOLOv8 is proposed. The depthwise separable convolution, squeeze-and-excitation (SE) networks are used to reconstruct the Bottleneck of the C2f module in the YOLOv8 backbone network as a DSBlock, which improves the detection performance while keeping the model lightweight. To enhance the capability to obtain information from objects of different sizes, an efficient channel attention (ECA) mechanism is introduced. The input layer of ECA is subjected to adaptive average pooling and adaptive maximum pooling operations to obtain a cross channel interactive MECA module, which enhances the global visual information of the module and further improves the precision of foreign object recognition. The method modifies the 3 detection heads of YOLOv8 to 4 lightweight small object detection heads to enhance sensitivity to small objects and effectively reduce the missed and false detection rates of small object foreign objects. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv8 achieves a precision of 91.69%, mAP@50 reached 92.27%, an increase of 3.09% and 4.07% respectively compared to YOLOv8. The detection speed of improved YOLOv8 reaches 73.92 frames/s, which can fully meet the demand for real-time detection of foreign objects on conveyor belts in coal mines. The improved YOLOv8 outperforms mainstream object detection algorithms such as SSD, Faster-RCNN, YOLOv5, and YOLOv7-tiny in terms of precision, mAP@50, number of parameters, weight size, and number of floating point operations.

The low-cycle fatigue behavior of solutionized (T4) and aged (T6) WE43 magnesium alloys was studied at room temperature. The total strain amplitudes (Δεt/2) were 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7% and 1.0%. Detailed microstructure evolution was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that plastic strain amplitude decreased with the increasing cycle number in T4 alloy, which is due to the dense persistent slip bands (PSBs) and dynamic precipitates hindering dislocation slip. In contrast, the plastic strain amplitude increases gradually in T6 alloy, which is attributed to the enhanced activation of pyramidal slip. The low-cycle fatigue life of T6 alloy with larger fatigue ductility coefficient is longer than that of T4 alloy. The Coffin-Manson model can accurately predict the fatigue life of T4 and T6 alloys compared to Jahed-Varvani (JV) energy model. For T4 alloy, the fatigue damage mechanism was dominated by basal slip. For T6 alloy, the enhanced pyramidal slip plays an important role to accommodate plastic deformation.

Abstract Understanding the co-variability between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the background state in the tropical Pacific is critical for projecting future ENSO. The difficulty is rooted in a circular logic that the background state routinely defined by multi-decadal mean modulates, and is modulated by, ENSO. This circularity arises due to the asymmetry between El Niño and La Niña, resulting in a non-zero mean, referred to as the ENSO rectification effect. Here, we develop a method based on Box-Cox normalization to define the tropical Pacific background state and its associated anomalies, which removes the ENSO rectification effect and is referred to as the normalized mean state. The normalized mean state accurately quantifies ENSO-related anomalies, ENSO asymmetry, and the ENSO rectification effect. It is evident in both observations and model simulations that the normalized mean state has a clear asymmetric impact on the amplitude of ENSO. A warm background state weakens El Niño but strengthens La Niña through two key processes: the nonlinear response of precipitation to SST and oceanic zonal advection feedback. The normalized mean state successfully solves the circular reasoning fallacy resulting from ENSO asymmetry and offers a framework to study ENSO and tropical climate dynamics with far-reaching impacts on global climate.

Abstract Background Sex-related differences in colorectal (CRC) incidence and mortality are well-documented. However, the impact of sex on metabolic pathways that drive cancer growth is not well understood. High expression of asparagine synthetase (ASNS) is associated with inferior survival for female CRC patients only. Here, we used a CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate HCT116 ASNS −/− and HCT 116 ASNS +/+ cancer cell lines. We examine the effects of ASNS deletion on tumor growth and the subsequent rewiring of metabolic pathways in male and female Rag2/IL2RG mice. Results ASNS loss reduces cancer burden in male and female tumor-bearing mice (40% reduction, q < 0.05), triggers metabolic reprogramming including gluconeogenesis, but confers a survival improvement (30 days median survival, q < 0.05) in female tumor-bearing mice alone. Transcriptomic analyses revealed upregulation of G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER1) in tumors from male and female mice with HCT116 ASNS −/− xenograft. Estradiol activates GPER1 in vitro in the presence of ASNS and suppresses tumor growth. Conclusions Our study indicates that inferior survival for female CRC patients with high ASNS may be due to metabolic reprogramming that sustains tumor growth. These findings have translational relevance as ASNS/GPER1 signaling could be a future therapeutic target to improve the survival of female CRC patients.

Alanine hydrochloride was prepared from alanine, then its derivative was synthesized by amidation. The structure of the synthesized product was characterized by infrared and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. The corrosion inhibition effect of alanine and alanine derivative on carbon steel at 30 ℃ in 0.5 mol/L sulfuric acid medium was studied by weight loss method, electrochemical method and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that alanine derivative had better corrosion inhibition than alanine due to the hydrophobic alkane long chain. The weight loss method and electrochemistry showed that the corrosion inhibition rate reached more than 90% at the alanine derivative dosage of 300 mg/L. The adsorption of corrosion inhibitor on carbon steel surface conformed to Langmuir adsorption model. Alanine derivative at low mass concentrations(50-100 mg/L) could inhibit the oxidation of anode metal,which was anode corrosion inhibitor. At higher mass concentrations(200-500 mg/L), the rate of hydrogen evolution reaction at the cathode and metal oxidation reaction at the anode was reduced at the same time, thus reducing the overall corrosion reaction rate, so alanine derivative was a mixed corrosion inhibitor.

Abstract Background Mediation analysis is a powerful tool to identify factors mediating the causal pathway of exposure to health outcomes. Mediation analysis has been extended to study a large number of potential mediators in high-dimensional data settings. The presence of confounding in observational studies is inevitable. Hence, it’s an essential part of high-dimensional mediation analysis (HDMA) to adjust for the potential confounders. Although the propensity score (PS) related method such as propensity score regression adjustment (PSR) and inverse probability weighting (IPW) has been proposed to tackle this problem, the characteristics with extreme propensity score distribution of the PS-based method would result in the biased estimation. Methods In this article, we integrated the overlapping weighting (OW) technique into HDMA workflow and proposed a concise and powerful high-dimensional mediation analysis procedure consisting of OW confounding adjustment, sure independence screening (SIS), de-biased Lasso penalization, and joint-significance testing underlying the mixture null distribution. We compared the proposed method with the existing method consisting of PS-based confounding adjustment, SIS, minimax concave penalty (MCP) variable selection, and classical joint-significance testing. Results Simulation studies demonstrate the proposed procedure has the best performance in mediator selection and estimation. The proposed procedure yielded the highest true positive rate, acceptable false discovery proportion level, and lower mean square error. In the empirical study based on the GSE117859 dataset in the Gene Expression Omnibus database using the proposed method, we found that smoking history may lead to the estimated natural killer (NK) cell level reduction through the mediation effect of some methylation markers, mainly including methylation sites cg13917614 in CNP gene and cg16893868 in LILRA2 gene. Conclusions The proposed method has higher power, sufficient false discovery rate control, and precise mediation effect estimation. Meanwhile, it is feasible to be implemented with the presence of confounders. Hence, our method is worth considering in HDMA studies.

The orientation (including the c axis orientation and crystal direction parallel to rolling direction) evolution of grown recrystallization grains during annealing at 250 °C for 45–180 min in Mg–Zn-Gd alloy was characterized by quasi-in-situ electron backscatter diffraction method. An unusual grain orientation rotation during the process of static recrystallization grain growth, rather than common plastic deformation or recrystallization nucleation process, was observed. Due to the higher storage energy, the growth size in the early stage of annealing (1.41 μm) is larger than that in the late stage of annealing (0.73 μm) for most (∼76%) grains, and corresponding average c-axis rotation angles are 3.65° and 1.39°, respectively, indicating that the larger the increase in grain size, the greater the changing degree in grain orientation. It is speculated that the orientation rotation during grain growth process is mediated by the interaction between dislocations and grain boundaries. The results reported in the current paper can provide a new insight into the study on the relationship between preferential grain growth and non-basal texture formation in rare earth contained Mg alloys.

Abstract As a key factor in determining testis size and sperm number, sertoli cells (SCs) play a crucial role in male infertility. Heat stress (HS) reduces SCs counts, negatively impacting nutrient transport and supply to germ cells, and leading to spermatogenesis failure in humans and animals. However, how HS affects the number of SCs remains unclear. We hypothesized that changes in SC metabolism contribute to the adverse effects of HS. In this study, we first observed an upregulation of arachidonic acid (AA), an unsaturated fatty acid after HS exposure by LC-MS/MS metabolome detection. By increasing ROS levels, expression of KEAP1 and NRF2 proteins as well as LC3 and LAMP2, 100 µM AA induced autophagy in SCs by activating oxidative stress (OS). We observed adverse effects of AA on mitochondria under HS with a decrease of mitochondrial number and an increase of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). We also found that AA alternated the oxygen transport and absorption function of mitochondria by increasing glycolysis flux and decreasing oxygen consumption rate as well as the expression of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) proteins Complex I, II, V. However, pretreatment with 5 mM NAC (ROS inhibitor) and 2 µM Rotenone (mitochondrial ETC inhibitor) reversed the autophagy induced by AA. In summary, AA modulates autophagy in SCs during HS by disrupting mitochondrial ETC function, inferring that the release of AA is a switch-like response, and providing insight into the underlying mechanism of high temperatures causing male infertility.

Effects of Mo and C addition on the microstructural evolution and corrosion resistance in chloride solution of FeNiCrAl duplex alloy were investigated. The results showed that α phase stabilizing element Mo increased the α/γ volume ratio and γ phase stabilizing element C decreased its ratio in FeNiCrAl alloy, and the chemical composition of α and γ phases was changed by Mo and C addition, which affected the corrosion resistance of FeNiCrAl alloy. Pitting corrosion mainly occurred in α phase around NbC precipitated at α/γ interface due to the micro-galvanic corrosion (MGC) effect between α (anode), γ (cathode) and NbC (cathode) phases. The pitting corrosion resistance was improved by Mo and C addition, resulting from that Mo and C enhanced the passivity of passive films and decreased the MGC effect between α, γ and NbC phases.

Abstract The dry reforming of methane provides an attractive route to convert greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) into valuable syngas, so as to resolve the carbon cycle and environmental issues. However, the development of high-performance catalysts remains a huge challenge. Herein, we report a 0.6% Ir/CeO2−x catalyst with a metal-support interface structure which exhibits high CH4 (~72%) and CO2 (~82%) conversion and a CH4 reaction rate of ~973 μmolCH4 gcat −1 s−1 which is stable over 100 h at 700 °C. The performance of the catalyst is close to the state-of-the-art in this area of research. A combination of in situ spectroscopic characterization and theoretical calculations highlight the importance of the interfacial structure as an intrinsic active center to facilitate the CH4 dissociation (the rate-determining step) and the CH2* oxidation to CH2O* without coke formation, which accounts for the long-term stability. The catalyst in this work has a potential application prospect in the field of high-value utilization of carbon resources.

Cavitation generated during injector jetting can significantly affect fuel atomization. Laser-induced cavitation bubble is an important phenomenon in laser induced plasma ignition technology. Limited by the difficulties in experimental measurements, numerical simulations have become an important tool in the study of laser-induced cavitation bubble, but most previous numerical models used to study the dynamics of laser-induced cavitation bubble usually ignore the effect of chemical reactions. In this study, the finite volume method is used to solve the compressible two-dimensional reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equation by considering the heat and mass transfer as well as the chemical reactions within the cavitation bubble. The effects of overall reaction and elementary reactions on the cavitation bubble are evaluated, respectively. It is found that by additionally considering chemical reactions within the numerical model, lower maximum temperatures and higher maximum pressures are predicted within the bubble. And the generated non-condensable gases produced by the chemical reactions enhance the subsequent expansion process of the cavitation bubble. Besides, the effect of the one-sided wall boundary condition on cavitation bubble is compared with the infinite boundary condition. Influenced by the wall boundary, the cavitation bubble forms a localized high pressure on the side of the bubble away from the wall during the collapse process, which causes the bubble to be compressed into a ”crescent” shape. The maximum pressure and temperature inside the bubble are lower due to localized losses caused by the wall.

Recurrent and prolonged heat waves during summer have significantly impacted the growth and quality of cultivated melons in China. Molybdenum (Mo), a trace element crucial for the plant’s photosynthesis process under normal planting conditions, is posited to not only improve plant stress tolerance but also enhance fruit quality and nutritional content. In this study, melon cv. ‘Japanese Sweet Treasure’ was used as the experimental material. Various concentrations of ammonium molybdate solution (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mg·L–1) were foliar sprayed to examine their impact on the growth, photosynthetic characteristics, carbohydrate metabolism, and fruit quality of melons under high-temperature stress. The results indicated that plants sprayed with Mo exhibited enhanced plant parameters, including height, stem diameter, root volume, root activity, and physiological characteristics of melons under high-temperature stress, in comparison to the control (CK). The most significant improvements were observed in plants treated with 0.1 mg·L–1 Mo (T2). This treatment also showed higher improvement in melon net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and total chlorophyll relative to other treatments. It also significantly promotes carbohydrate metabolism in melon plant leaves under high-temperature stress, enhancing their antioxidant enzyme activity. Melon plants exhibit a respective increase in sucrose, soluble sugars, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) compared to the control. Melon sprayed with 0.1 mg·L–1 Mo showed significantly higher levels of vitamin C, soluble proteins, and soluble solids in fruits compared to other treatments, with a respective increase of 27.9% in individual fruit weight and 20.1% in per-plant yield compared to the CK. In conclusion, spraying 0.1 mg·L–1 Mo effectively mitigates damage caused by high-temperature stress during melon cultivation. It enhances the photosynthetic capacity of melon leaves, promotes carbohydrate metabolism in plant leaves, and thereby strengthens stress resistance. This comprehensive improvement leads to enhanced quality and yield of melon fruits.

3% Y2O3p/ZGK200 composites were subjected to unidirectional rolling (UR) and cross rolling (CR) at 400 °C and 350 °C followed by annealing at 300 °C for 1 h. The microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of rolled and annealed composites were systematically studied. The rolled composites exhibited a heterogeneous microstructure, consisting of deformed grains elongated along rolling direction (RD) and Y2O3 particles bands distributed along RD. After annealing, static recrystallization (SRX) occurred and most deformed grains transformed into equiaxed grains. A non-basal texture with two strong T-texture components was obtained after UR while a non-basal elliptical/circle texture with circle multi-peaks was obtained after CR, indicating that rolling path had great influences on texture of the composites. After annealing process, R-texture component disappeared or weakened, as results, a non-basal texture with double peaks tilting from normal direction (ND) to transverse direction (TD) and a more random non-basal texture with circle multi-peaks were obtained for UR and CR composites, respectively. The yield strength of rolled composites after UR showed obvious anisotropy along RD and TD while a low anisotropic yield strength was obtained after CR. Some Y2O3 particles broke during rolling. The fracture of the composites was attributed to the existence of Y2O3 clusters and interfacial debonding between particles and matrix during tension, as a result, the ductility was not as superior as matrix alloy.

Abstract Background Outliers, data points that significantly deviate from the norm, can have a substantial impact on statistical inference and provide valuable insights in data analysis. Multiple methods have been developed for outlier detection, however, almost all available approaches fail to consider the spatial dependence and heterogeneity in spatial data. Spatial data has diverse formats and semantics, requiring specialized outlier detection methodology to handle these unique properties. For now, there is limited research exists on robust spatial outlier detection methods designed specifically under the spatial error model (SEM) structure. Method We propose the Spatial-Θ-Iterative Procedure for Outlier Detection (Spatial-Θ-IPOD), which utilizes a mean-shift vector to identify outliers within the SEM. Our method enables an effective detection of spatial outliers while also providing robust coefficient estimates. To assess the performance of our approach, we conducted extensive simulations and applied it to a real-world empirical study using life expectancy data from multiple countries. Results Simulation results showed that the masking and JD (Joint Detection) indicators of our Spatial-Θ-IPOD method outperformed several commonly used methods, even in high-dimensional scenarios, demonstrating stable performance. Conversely, the Θ-IPOD method proved to be ineffective in detecting outliers when spatial correlation was present. Moreover, our model successfully provided reliable coefficient estimation alongside outlier detection. The proposed method consistently outperformed other models (both robust and non-robust) in most cases. In the empirical study, our proposed model successfully detected outliers and provided valuable insights in the modeling process. Conclusions Our proposed Spatial-Θ-IPOD offers an effective solution for detecting spatial outliers for SEM while providing robust coefficient estimates. Notably, our approach showcases its relative superiority even in the presence of high leverage points. By successfully identifying outliers, our method enhances the overall understanding of the data and provides valuable insights for further analysis.

Abstract Background This meta-analysis aimed to explore the most robust findings across numerous existing resting-state functional imaging and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies on the functional and structural brain alterations in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods A whole-brain voxel-wise meta-analysis was conducted to compare the differences in the intrinsic functional activity and gray matter volume (GMV) between individuals with ASD and typically developing individuals (TDs) using Seed-based d Mapping software. Results A total of 23 functional imaging studies (786 ASD, 710 TDs) and 52 VBM studies (1728 ASD, 1747 TDs) were included. Compared with TDs, individuals with ASD displayed resting-state functional decreases in the left insula (extending to left superior temporal gyrus [STG]), bilateral anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex (ACC/mPFC), left angular gyrus and right inferior temporal gyrus, as well as increases in the right supplementary motor area and precuneus. For VBM meta-analysis, individuals with ASD displayed decreased GMV in the ACC/mPFC and left cerebellum, and increased GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus (extending to the left insula and STG), bilateral olfactory cortex, and right precentral gyrus. Further, individuals with ASD displayed decreased resting-state functional activity and increased GMV in the left insula after overlapping the functional and structural differences. Conclusions The present multimodal meta-analysis demonstrated that ASD exhibited similar alterations in both function and structure of the insula and ACC/mPFC, and functional or structural alterations in the default mode network (DMN), primary motor and sensory regions. These findings contribute to further understanding of the pathophysiology of ASD.

Abstract Introduction This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide an updated evidence base for clinical decision-making by comparing the efficacy and safety of aflibercept 2 mg and ranibizumab in treating retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Methods A systematic search was conducted using eight databases up to December 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and real-world studies (RWSs) comparing aflibercept and ranibizumab in patients with RVO were evaluated. The primary outcomes assessed were efficacy, number of injections administered, and adverse events. Results Three RCTs (424 patients) and 11 RWSs (1415 patients) were included. For central RVO (CRVO), RCTs demonstrated a comparable efficacy, whereas RWSs showed that mean changes from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were significantly greater with aflibercept compared to ranibizumab; the number of injections of aflibercept was fewer than that of ranibizumab in RCTs, but similar in RWSs. For branch RVO (BRVO), no statistically significant difference in efficacy between the two drugs in RCTs/RWSs was observed, with fewer injections of aflibercept at 12 months in RWSs. The safety profiles of both drugs were similar for both CRVO and BRVO. Conclusions For CRVO, aflibercept had similar efficacy and safety profile but with fewer injections versus ranibizumab in RCTs; RWSs showed greater BCVA improvement and CRT reduction with aflibercept than ranibizumab. For BRVO, RCTs showed similar in efficacy, safety, and injection numbers for both drugs, while RWSs demonstrated that aflibercept required fewer injections at 12 months of follow-up. Overall, this study provides updated evidence for clinical decision-making in the treatment of RVO.

Revealing the localized corrosion process of Mg alloy is considered as one of the most significant ways for improving its corrosion resistance. The reliable monitor should be high distinguishability and real-time in liquid environment. Herein, Mg-9Al-1Fe and Mg-9Al-1Fe-1Gd alloys were designed to highlight the impact of intermetallic on the corrosion behaviour. In-situ AFM with a special electrolyte circulation system and quasi-in-situ SEM observation were used to monitor the corrosion process of the designed alloys. SEM-EDS and TEM-SAED were applied to identify the intermetallic in the designed alloys, and their volta potentials were measured by SKPFM. According to the real-time and real-space in-situ AFM monitor, the corrosion process consisted of dissolution of anodic α-Mg phase, accumulation of corrosion products around cathodic phase and shedding of some fine cathodic phase. Then, the localized corrosion process of Mg alloy was revealed combined with the results of the monitor of corrosion process and Volta potential difference.

Starch serves as the primary energy source for human activities and is utilized as a crucial raw material in various industries. However, due to limited land resources and challenging yield growth, the traditional starch-producing plants are significantly influenced by environmental conditions, which made it unable to meet the demands of population expansion. On the other hand, the traditional source of starch exhibits a relatively stable structure but faces performance limitations that fail to fully meet application requirements. Consequently, structural modifications have been often employed to effectively regulate the performance of starch. Chemical modification is a commonly employed method for controlling performance, but it can pose potential risks to food safety due to the occurrence of chemical reactions caused by limited reagents, residues of chemical auxiliary materials, generation of by-products, and the introduction of new chemical groups into starch molecules. Therefore, the traditional starch resources are inadequate to meet the demands of sustainable development. It is imperative to explore novel starch resources possessing “future characteristics”. According to their characteristics, the sources of future starch could be divided into three categories: firstly, the traditional starch source plants could be genetic breeding or gene edited to achieve directional or site-directed transformation of starch structure, making starch with special application performance; secondly, new starch resources that could overcome the limitations of land and natural environment, or are rich in starch but have not been fully developed and utilized; thirdly, new cell-free synthetic starch that does not take plants and microorganisms as carriers. This review elucidates the necessity, feasibility and development trend of future starch development, and emphasizes on the research status and characteristics of three types of future starch, taking high amylose starch, waxy starch, duckweed starch, microalgae starch, CO2 synthetic starch and polysaccharide biosynthesis starch as examples. This review will provide valuable guidance for future advancements in starch development.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is one of the most harmful pests in many agroecosystems worldwide. To effectively manage this pest, there is an urgent need to develop novel bio-active acaricides that support integrated pest management strategies targeting T. urticae. In this study, we explored the acaricidal effects of xenocoumacin 1 (Xcn1) on T. urticae and its predator Neoseiulus californicus using the highly purified compound. Xcn1 was extracted and purified from the cell-free supernatant of the Xenorhabdus nematophila CB6 mutant constructed by the easy promoter activated compound identification (easyPACId) method. When the concentration of Xcn1 exceeded 100 μg mL−1, the survival rate of spider mite adults declined to below 40% and the fecundity was decreased by 80% at six days post-application. At concentrations of 25 and 50 μg mL−1, Xcn1 significantly impeded spider mite development by inhibiting the molt. However, neither concentration had any adverse effects on the survival or reproduction of the predatory mite N. californicus. The results from laboratory and semi-field experiments consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of the antimicrobial metabolite Xcn1 in controlling pest mites at both the molecular and physiological levels. Our study offers a promising possibility that combines the compatible biocontrol agents of Xcn1 and predatory mites for integrated pest mite control.

Micro-scale corrosion imaging in conjunction with electrochemical potential noise (EPN) provides a promising, comprehensive corrosion monitoring technique that can precisely visualise specific aspects of corrosion activity. In this work, rapid, economical, and real-time monitoring through a self-designed device, captured simultaneously with the electrochemical potential and micrographs, was employed to analyse the corrosion activity of H57 brass in an HCl solution using the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). Conducted simultaneously in the time-frequency domain, the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) analysis of the electrochemical potentials and image features shows EPN fluctuations corresponding to feature noises. Similarly, the consistency of them in-situ Brass corrosion in the HCl solution, as revealed through a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) neural network. The results indicate that the image features extracted by GLCM can quantify the changes in corrosion images and correspond to the corrosion behaviour of brass. Notably, the anomalous peaks of feature noises accompany or lag behind EPN. Leveraging these image features, the optimized NARX model demonstrates a high predictive capability for EPN. These findings are expected to guide future corrosion monitoring techniques and even enable corrosion prediction via micron-scale corrosion images.

Abstract Background Macular hole (MH) development following scleral buckling (SB) surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair is rare. This study presents both full-thickness MH (FTMH) and lamellar MH (LMH) cases following SB for the treatment of RRD. Methods Clinical records of patients undergoing SB surgery for treatment of RRD at the Xi’an People’s Hospital (Xi’an Fourth Hospital) from January 2016 to December 2021 were reviewed, and cases with postoperative MH were selected. Clinical features and follow-up data were summarised, and possible causes were analysed. Results Among 483 identified cases (483 eyes), four eyes (three male patients, one female patient) had postoperative MH, with prevalence, mean age, and mean axial length of 0.83%, 43.5 ± 10.66 years, and 29.13 ± 3.80 mm, respectively. All patients did not undergo subretinal fluid (SRF) drainage. The mean time for detecting MH was 26 ± 15.5 days postoperatively. Macula-off RRD with high myopia and FTMH combined with retinal re-detachment were diagnosed in three patients. One patient had macula-on RRD with outer LMH. The average follow-up duration was 7.25 ± 1.5 months. The FTMH closed successfully after reoperation, while the outer LMH closed without intervention. Visual acuity insignificantly improved or slightly decreased in all patients. Conclusions Patients with high myopia combined with macula-off RRD might be more susceptible to FTMH, causing MH related retinal detachment. Additionally, LMH following SB was noted in patients with macula-on RRD. Therefore, we should raise awareness of MH following SB for RRD repair.

Abstract Background Studies on the factors affecting vault after posterior chamber phakic Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) have been carried out, but most of them are single-centered and subjective selections of parameters. The present study aimed to systematically analyze the factors for vault. Methods A systematic review of case series, case-control, and cohort studies derived from the articles published in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang and VIP, as well as ClinicalTrials, which were conducted to search for studies on factors of vault using four core terms: phakic intraocular lenses, vault, risk factor and observational study, from January 01, 1997, to February 20, 2023. The included studies were meta-analyzed quantitatively and described qualitatively. Subsequently, meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used. Results We identified 13 studies (1,607 subjects), and 14 factors were considered. Meta-analysis showed that anterior chamber depth (ACD), horizontal corneal white-to-white (hWTW), ICL-size, and age are dual effects of the abnormal vaults; anterior chamber volume (ACV) and lens thickness (LT) are a one-way effect; while axial length (AL), ICL- spherical equivalent (ICL-SE) and Km are insignificant. In addition, descriptive analysis of anterior chamber angle (ACA), horizontal sulcus to sulcus (hSTS), ciliary processes height (T value), crystalline lens rise (CLR), and gender showed that all factors except gender tend to have significant effects on vault. Sensitivity analysis showed stable combined results. Country and design respectively affect the heterogeneity in ACD and ICL-size at low vault, while design affects the heterogeneity in ACD at high vault. No publication bias exists. Conclusions Vault after ICL is related to multiple factors, especially anterior segmental biologic parameters, and they are weighted differently. We hope to provide a reference for the selection and adjustment of ICL.

Introduction: Air pollution from diesel combustion is linked in part to the generation of diesel exhaust particles (DEP). DEP exposure induces various processes, including inflammation and oxidative stress, which ultimately contribute to a decline in lung function. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling is critical for lung homeostasis. The impact of DEP on cAMP signaling is largely unknown.Methods: We exposed human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells to DEP for 24–72 h and evaluated mitochondrial bioenergetics, markers of oxidative stress and inflammation and the components of cAMP signaling. Mitochondrial bioenergetics was measured at 72 h to capture the potential and accumulative effects of prolonged DEP exposure on mitochondrial function.Results: DEP profoundly altered mitochondrial morphology and network integrity, reduced both basal and ATP-linked respiration as well as the glycolytic capacity of mitochondria. DEP exposure increased gene expression of oxidative stress and inflammation markers such as interleukin-8 and interleukin-6. DEP significantly affected mRNA levels of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP-1 and -2 (Epac1, Epac2), appeared to increase Epac1 protein, but left phospho-PKA levels unhanged. DEP exposure increased A-kinase anchoring protein 1, β2‐adrenoceptor and prostanoid E receptor subtype 4 mRNA levels. Interestingly, DEP decreased mRNA levels of adenylyl cyclase 9 and reduced cAMP levels stimulated by forskolin (AC activator), fenoterol (β2-AR agonist) or PGE2 (EPR agonist).Discussion: Our findings suggest that DEP induces mitochondrial dysfunction, a process accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammation, and broadly dampens cAMP signaling. These epithelial responses may contribute to lung dysfunction induced by air pollution exposure.

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics and to identify predictors of moderate to severe anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ATB-DILI) in patients with tuberculosis.MethodsThis prospective study enrolled Tuberculosis (TB) patients treated with first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs at the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University between May 2022 and June 2023. The occurrence of ATB-DILI was monitored, and demographic and clinical data were gathered. We analyzed risk factors for the development of moderate to severe ATB-DILI.ResultsATB-DILI was detected in 120 (10.7%) of the patients, with moderate to severe ATB-DILI occurring in 23 (2.0%) of the 1,124 patients treated with anti-tuberculosis treatment. Multivariate cox regression analysis identified malnutrition (HR = 4.564, 95% CI: 1.029–20.251, p = 0.046) and hemoglobin levels

We herein present a case of a ruptured giant omphalocele with congenital short small intestine. Vacuum-sealing drainage and carboxymethylcellulose silver dressing promoted wound healing after repair, avoided abdominal compartment syndrome, and reduced the risks of multiple procedures. We review the perioperative management of omphaloceles in congenital short small intestines.

The efficient management of water resources in Chinese agriculture is crucial for ensuring food security and mitigating environmental consequences such as water scarcity and pollution. Agricultural technological innovation is crucial in optimizing agricultural practices and making them more sustainable. To this end, this study investigates the dynamic relationship between agricultural technological innovation and total-factor agricultural water usage efficiency (TFAWUE) in Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2020. The study utilizes the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Malmquist productivity index approach to measure the overall efficiency of water usage in agriculture, known as total-factor agricultural water usage efficiency (TFAWUE). The findings suggest that the mean TFAWUE score of Chinese provinces is 1.1356, surpassing a value of 1. It illustrates that Chinese provinces witnessed a growth of 13.56 in TFAWUE over the study period. Technological change is the primary determinant of growth in the TFAWUE, as technology change (TC) is higher than efficiency change (EC). Subsequently, by employing a rigorous econometrics series, this study provides valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of agricultural technological innovation and its impact on total-factor agricultural water usage efficiency. The study constructs a composite multidimensional index of agricultural technological development, encompassing various technologies pivotal to the agriculture sector. Analysis shows that agricultural technologies enable farmers to implement water conservation practices effectively to enhance agricultural water usage efficiency. However, the farm scale reduces the efficiency of agricultural water usage. Additionally, sprinkler technology positively enhances water usage efficiency in agriculture. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in the agricultural sector, offering guidance on sustainable practices and policies for managing water resources in conjunction with improvements in agricultural technologies.

Abstract The trade winds cause strong upwelling in the eastern equatorial Pacific, and create the eastern Pacific Cold Tongue (EPCT) that has far‐reaching impacts on global climate. However, large discrepancies persist in quantifying 20th‐century EPCT sea surface temperature (SST) changes across different instrumental data sets. Here we synthesize four coral Sr/Ca‐SST records from the tropical central‐eastern Pacific to develop a Cold Tongue Index (CTI) reconstruction for 1887–1997. The coral CTI record shows a rapid 20th century warming of the EPCT, suggesting an underestimation of warming trends in instrumental CTI records. The decadal to multidecadal changes in reconstructed EPCT SST show an association with the Walker Circulation. Our reconstruction indicates that recent EPCT cooling during the global warming hiatus is not unusual in the context of the 20th century. Our results provide new evidence for 20th century EPCT SST changes and an observational constraint for predicting future tropical climate changes.

This study investigates the simultaneous influence of the digital economy, environmental technologies, business activity, and institutional quality on both the environment and economic growth in G7 economies from 1996 to 2020. The study provides an in-depth analysis to investigate the influence of institutional quality, particularly the regulatory environment, on business activity. Employing a rigorous methodology encompassing correlation analysis, long-term examination using Driscoll and regression estimators, and the utilization of various digital economy indicators such as internet usage and cell subscriptions, we uncover significant insights. The findings underscore the substantial impact of digital economies in mitigating carbon emissions and driving economic growth at an accelerated rate. Moreover, the study reveals that certain regulatory constraints on corporate operations can paradoxically facilitate carbon emission management while also fostering economic expansion. The study validates the presence of an inverted U-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in G7 economies. This suggests that there is a specific point at which economic activities start to contribute more to carbon emissions. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of achieving a balance between economic growth driven by foreign direct investment and the goals of environmental sustainability. Environmental technology is becoming increasingly important in the regulation of emissions. Significantly, the study highlights the need to enhance the quality of implementing institutional regulations. It suggests that G7 economies can improve both environmental quality and economic growth by adopting superior regulatory methods. These findings are relevant for governments seeking economic growth and environmental protection. They suggest the need for specific policy actions to accomplish sustainable development goals.

ObjectiveThe content of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) in the soil directly affects crop yield, making it a crucial indicator in agricultural production processes. Insufficient levels of the two nutrients can impede crop growth and reduce yield, while excessive levels can result in environmental pollution. Rapidly quantifying the N and K content in soil is of great importance for agricultural production and environmental protection.MethodsA rapid and quantitative method was proposed for detecting N and K nutrient ions in soil based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip electrophoresis and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C4D). Microfluidic chip electrophoresis enables rapid separation of multiple ions in soil. The electrophoresis microfluidic chips have a cross-shaped channel layout and were fabricated using soft lithography technology. The sample was introduced into the microfluidic chip by applying the appropriate injection voltage at both ends of the injection channel. This simple and efficient procedure ensured an accurate sample introduction. Subsequently, an electrophoretic voltage was applied at both ends of the separation channel, creating a capillary zone electrophoresis that enables the rapid separation of different ions. This process offered high separation efficiency, required a short processing time, and had a small sample volume requirement. This enabled the rapid processing and analysis of many samples. C4D enabled precise measurement of changes in conductivity. The sensing electrodes were separated from the microfluidic chips and printed onto a printed circuit board (PCB) using an immersion gold process. The ions separated under the action of an electric field and sequentially reach the sensing electrodes. The detection circuit, connected to the sensing electrodes, received and regulated the conductivity signal to reflect the variance in conductivity between the sample and the buffer solution. The sensing electrodes were isolated from the sample solution to prevent interference from the high-voltage electric field used for electrophoresis.Results and DiscussionsThe voltage used for electrophoresis, as well as the operating frequency and excitation voltage of the excitation signal in the detection system, had a significant effect on separation and detection performance. Based on the response characteristics of the system output, the optimal operating frequency of 1 000 kHz, excitation voltage of 50 V, and electrophoresis voltage of 1.5 kV were determined. A peak overshoot was observed in the electrophoresis spectrum, which was associated with the operating frequency of the system. The total noise level of the system was approximately 0.091 mV. The detection limit (S/N = 3) for soil nutrient ions was determined by analyzing a series of standard sample solutions with varying concentrations. The detection limited for potassium (K+), ammonium (NH4+), and nitrate (NO3‒) standard solutions were 0.5, 0.1 and 0.4 mg/L, respectively. For the quantitative determination of soil nutrient ion concentration, the linear relationship between peak area and corresponding concentration was investigated under optimal experimental conditions. K+, NH4+, and NO3‒ exhibit a strong linear relationship in the range of 0.5~40 mg/L, with linear correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.994, 0.997, and 0.990, respectively, indicating that this method could accurately quantify N and K ions in soil. At the same time, to evaluate the repeatability of the system, peak height, peak area, and peak time were used as evaluation indicators in repeatability experiments. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 4.4%, indicating that the method shows good repeatability. In addition, to assess the ability of the C4D microfluidic system to detect actual soil samples, four collected soil samples were tested using MES/His and PVP/PTAE as running buffers. K+, NH4+,Na+, Chloride (Cl‒), NO3‒, and sulfate (SO43‒) were separated sequentially within 1 min. The detection efficiency was significantly improved. To evaluate the accuracy of this method, spiked recovery experiments were performed on four soil samples. The recovery rates ranged from 81.74% to 127.76%, indicating the good accuracy of the method.ConclusionsThis study provides a simple and effective method for the rapid detection of N and K nutrient ions in soil. The method is highly accurate and reliable, and it can quickly and efficiently detect the contents of N and K nutrient ions in soil. This contactless measurement method reduced costs and improved economic efficiency while extending the service life of the sensing electrodes and reducing the frequency of maintenance and replacement. It provided strong support for long-term, continuous conductivity monitoring.

Abstract Introduction Female sex workers (FSWs) experience heightened vulnerability to HIV and other health harms, and cross-border FSWs face additional challenges due to language issues, higher mobility, and weaker negotiation skills. Given the critical role of social network factors in HIV transmission, it is imperative to explore the social network characteristics of Vietnamese cross-border FSWs in China to enhance AIDS prevention and control. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 Vietnamese FSWs in Hekou County, Yunnan Province from May to July 2018. The samples were selected using a purposive sampling strategy and stopped when reached theoretical saturation. Data collection and analysis were conducted iteratively to identify themes within the data. Participants reported their social relationships and how these relationships affected their HIV risk behaviours. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and reviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Among 22 Vietnamese FSWs, the median age was 23.5. Concerning social networks, interviews revealed that their social networks were composed of three components: Workplace networks (customer, boss, colleague), Hometown networks (spouse or boyfriend, family member, fellow villager), and Social institutions networks (Chinese social institutions network, Vietnamese social institutions network). None of these networks can simply support or hinder Vietnamese FSWs’ preventive high-risk HIV behaviours, and the impact is achieved through each network’s ways. Within the workplace network, the predominant influence is the ascendancy-submissiveness dynamic that exists among customers, bosses, and VFSWs. In the hometown network, familial responsibilities emerge as the principal factor impacting VFSWs. Meanwhile, within the social institution network, pivotal roles are played by the Chinese CDC and the Vietnamese government in the dissemination of HIV knowledge. Conclusions The social networks of Vietnamese female sex workers exert a dual impact on high-risk HIV behaviors. Interventions should be designed and tailored to address the specific contextual factors and challenges associated with social networks among cross-border FSWs in China and other similar settings.

ObjectiveTo examine changes in the number of sexual partners among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and their associations with early negative experiences (including adverse childhood experience [ACE] and the age of having first homosexual behavior). MethodsTotally 423 YMSM at ages of 16 – 24 years were recruited with accidental sampling and respondent-driven sampling during September 2017 – January 2018 with the assistance of gay men′s organizations in three cities (Wuhan, Changsha and Nanchang) and were followed up three times from July 2018 to December 2020. Three subgroups of YMSM with different trajectories of changing in the number of sexual partners were discriminated through latent class trajectory modeling with the R LCTMtools program and the relationship between early negative experiences and the trajectory of changing number of sexual partners among the YMSM was explored using unordered multinomial logistic regression analysis. ResultsThe three types of trajectory of changing in the number of sexual partners discriminated among the YMSM were less fluctuation with small number, slow downward, and rapid upward and the proportion (number) of the YMSM assigned into the three trajectory subgroups were 46.81% (198), 35.70% (151), and 17.49% (74), respectively. Among the YMSM, 29.79% (126) reported the first homosexual behavior at the age of less than 18 years and 56.26% (238) reported ACE. The experiences of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction were reported by 38.53% (163), 22.46% (95), and 27.66% (117) of the YMSM. Unordered multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for potential confounders (age, education, occupation and sexual orientation) and compared to the YMSM of the subgroup with the trajectory of less fluctuation of small sexual partner number, the YMSM having first homosexual behavior under age of 18 years were more likely to have a slow downward trajectory (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.469, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.468 – 4.151) and a rapid upward trajectory (aOR = 2.565, 95%CI: 1.360 – 4.838) of sexual partner number; the YMSM ever experiencing physical abuse and sexual abuse were more likely to have a slow downward trajectory, with the aORs (95%CI) of 1.943 (1.003 – 3.765) and 1.854 (1.053 – 3.265); and the YMSM ever experiencing physical abuse were more likely to have a rapid upward trajectory (aOR = 2.386, 95%CI: 1.114 – 5.108). ConclusionThe self-reported early negative experience is high among YMSM recruited in three China cities and the trajectory of change in sexual partner number of the YMSM is associated with early negative experiences. The results suggest that attention should be paid to early negative experiences of YMSM for implementing relevant interventions.

Abstract Background Despite the relationship between Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depressive symptoms, which has been well researched in general populations, little is known about homosexual and bisexual populations, especially lesbian and bisexual women in China. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of ACEs and depressive symptoms and to analyze the relationship between them among lesbian and bisexual women in China. Methods The eligible participants were aged 16 years or older who report their sexual orientation as homosexual or bisexual. The data was collected through anonymous questionnaires with the help of Lespark in Beijing from July 18 to December 29, 2018, and all participants had informed consent to this study. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between ACEs and depressive symptoms among lesbian and bisexual women. All statistical analyses were conducted by the software of SPSS 22.0. Results Among 301 lesbian and bisexual women, 81.4% were lesbian, 18.4% were bisexual women, and the majority were 21–30 years. As for ACEs, 51.5% reported at least one ACE, in which emotional neglect (22.6%) and emotional abuse (22.3%) were common ACEs. As for depressive symptoms of lesbian and bisexual women, the detection rate was 56.1%. The multiple linear regression analyses showed that abuse (β = 2.95, 95%CI:1.07–4.83) and neglect (β = 3.21, 95%CI:1.09–5.31) were positively associated with depressive symptoms and lesbian and bisexual women with three (β = 4.11, 95%CI: 0.99–7.22) or more (β = 6.02, 95%CI: 3.23–8.78) ACEs suffered from more depressive symptoms than others. Conclusion Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depressive symptoms were at high prevalence among lesbian and bisexual women in China. ACEs were associated with depressive symptoms, especially childhood abuse and neglect experiences that have a significant effect on lesbian and bisexual women mental health.

Abstract Background To explore the changes of cytokines expression in aqueous humor (AH) of eyes of patients with congenital cataract (CC) who underwent delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS). Methods 28 patients with CC underwent DSBCS. AH samples were collected from each eye before surgery. The contents of cytokines in AH were detected by Luminex xMAP Technology. Results There was no significant difference in the expression of IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1 and PDGFAA in the AH of the first and second eyes (P = 0.35, 0.39, 0.17, respectively). The level of IL-8 in the first-eye AH was negatively correlated with age (ρ=– 0.519, P = 0.008). IP-10 and MCP-1 in the second-eye AH were negatively correlated with age (ρ=– 0.483, P = 0.009; ρ=– 0.445, P = 0.018,respectively). Conclusion The first-eye surgery in patients with CC may not cause the change of cytokines in the contralateral eye. The expression of IL-8, IP-10 and MCP-1 in the AH was negatively correlated with the age of patients. Trial registration The study was registered at www.chictr.org.cn on March 22, 2022 and the clinical trial number is ChiCTR2200057927.

Purpose: As common clinical screening tests cannot effectively predict a difficult airway, and unanticipated difficult laryngoscopy remains a challenge for physicians. We herein used ultrasound to develop some point-of-care predictors for difficult laryngoscopy. Methods: This prospective observational study included 502 patients who underwent laryngoscopy and a detailed sonographic assessment. Patients under 18 years old, or with maxillofacial deformities or fractures, limited mouth opening, limited neck movement or history of neck surgery were excluded from the study. Laryngoscopic views of all patients were scored and grouping using the modified Cormack-Lehane (CL) scoring system. The measurements acquired comprised tongue width, the longitudinal cross-sectional area of the tongue, tongue volume, the mandible-hyoid bone distance, the hyoid bone-glottis distance, the mandible-hyoid bone-glottis angle, the skin-thyrohyoid membrane distance, the glottis-superior edge of the thyroid cartilage distance (DGTC), the skin-hyoid bone distance, and the epiglottis midway-skin distance. ANOVA and Chi-square were used to compare differences between groups. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for difficult laryngoscopy and it was visualized by receiver operating characteristic curves and nomogram. R version 3.6.3 and SPSS version 26.0 were used for statistical analyses. Results: Difficult laryngoscopy was indicated in 49 patients (CL grade Ⅲ – Ⅳ) and easy laryngoscopy in 453 patients (CL grade Ⅰ – Ⅱ). The ultrasound-measured mandible-hyoid bone-glottis angle and DGTC significantly differed between the 2 groups (p

Background: Cataract is a blinding disease worldwide. It is an age-related disease that mainly occurs in people over 65 years old. Cataract is also prevalent in patients with diabetes mellites (DM). The pathological mechanisms underlying diabetic cataract (DC) are more complex than that of age-related cataract. Studies have identified that polyol pathway, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and oxidative stress are the primary pathogenesis of DC. In recent years, molecular-level regulations and pathological processes of lens epithelial cells (LECs) have been confirmed to play roles in the initiation and progression of DC. A comprehensive understanding and elucidation of how chronic hyperglycemia drives molecular-level regulations and cytopathological processes in the lens will shed lights on the prevention, delay and treatment of DC. Main text: Excessive glucose in the lens enhances polyol pathway and AGEs formation. Polyol pathway causes imbalance in the ratio of NADPH/NADP+ and NADH/NAD+. Decrease in NADPH/NADP+ ratio compromises antioxidant enzymes, while increase in NADH/NAD+ ratio promotes reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction in mitochondria, resulting in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress in the lens causes oxidation of DNA, proteins and lipids, leading to abnormalities in their structure and functions. Glycation of proteins by AGEs decreases solubility of proteins. High glucose triggered epigenetic regulations directly or indirectly affect expressions of genes and proteins in LECs. Changes in autophagic activity, increases in fibrosis and apoptosis of LECs destroy the morphological structure and physiological functions of the lens epithelium, disrupting lens homeostasis. Conclusions: In both diabetic animal models and diabetics, oxidative stress plays crucial roles in the formation of cataract. Epigenetic regulations, include lncRNA, circRNA, microRNA, methylation of RNA and DNA, histone acetylation and pathological processes, include autophagy, fibrosis and apoptosis of LECs also involved in DC.

Background: It is well-established that prenatal folic acid supplements can reduce neural tube defects. However, the associations between folic acid supplementation, dietary folate intake, and overall folate intake with sex-specific birth outcomes are not yet fully understood. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association of periconceptional folic acid supplement, dietary folate, and total folate intake with the sex ratio at birth and sex-specific birth weight. Methods: Data were sourced from a cross-sectional survey conducted between August and December 2013 in Northwest China, involving 7318 infants and their mothers, recruited using a stratified multistage random sampling method. Folic acid supplements (400 μg/d) were ascertained via a retrospective in-person interview. Dietary folate was evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Birth outcomes, including sex and weight at birth, were obtained from the Medical Certificate of Birth. Generalized linear models were employed to calculate relative risks (RRs) or differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: No association or dose–response relationship was observed between folic acid supplement, dietary folate, and total folate intake during periconception and the likelihood of male births. However, women who took folic acid supplements during pre- and post-conception were associated with an increased male birth weight by 52.8 (8.1 to 97.5) g. Additionally, the total folate intake during periconception was associated with birth weight for males (upper vs. lower tertile: β = 38.8, 95%CI: 5.0 to 72.5 g, p-trend = 0.024) and females (upper vs. lower tertile: β = 42.4, 95%CI: 6.7 to 78.1; p-trend = 0.022). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that periconceptional total folate intake does not correlate with sex ratio at birth but was positively linked to infant birth weights, regardless of gender. These findings offer novel insights into potential benefits of total folate intake, beyond the prevention of neural tube defects, for policymakers and public health.

Summary: Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent risk factor for cognitive impairment. Cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, as an important pathology of cognitive impairment, can be caused by impaired Aβ clearance in the periphery. The liver is the primary organ for peripheral Aβ clearance, but the role of peripheral Aβ clearance in NAFLD-induced cognitive impairment remains unclear. Methods: We examined correlations between NAFLD severity, Aβ accumulation, and cognitive performance in female Sprague–Dawley rats. The impact of NAFLD on hepatic Aβ clearance and the involvement of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP-1) were assessed in rat livers and cultured hepatocytes. Additionally, a case–control study, including 549 NAFLD cases and 549 controls (782 males, 316 females), investigated the interaction between NAFLD and LRP-1 rs1799986 polymorphism on plasma Aβ levels. Findings: The severity of hepatic steatosis and dysfunction closely correlated with plasma and cerebral Aβ accumulations and cognitive deficits in rats. The rats with NAFLD manifested diminished levels of LRP-1 and Aβ in liver tissue, with these reductions inversely proportional to plasma and cerebral Aβ concentrations and cognitive performance. In vitro, exposure of HepG2 cells to palmitic acid inhibited LRP-1 expression and Aβ uptake, which was subsequently reversed by a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) agonist. The case–control study revealed NAFLD to be associated with an increment of 8.24% and 10.51% in plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels, respectively (both P

Abstract Intrashell oxygen isotope (δ18Os) analyses of terrestrial snails have been carried out over two decades. However, the intraspecies/interspecies differences are not yet well understood. Here, we conducted a high‐resolution intrashell δ18Os study on 43 shells from Cathaica fasciola and Bradybaena ravida, and 1449 δ18Os data were obtained. These large amounts of data demonstrate the reproducibility of intrashell δ18Os. Our results suggest that C. fasciola and B. ravida have similar growing seasons mainly from March to October in the studied region. The ecological habits of the two species could explain the distinctive variations in their δ18Os sequences. Therefore, our study may interpret the discrepancy between the studies of land snail species and the stable/clumped isotopes of their shells. Moreover, the calculated average growth rate is ∼290 μm/day (from 250 to 330 μm/day) for nonadult C. fasciola. Thus, the use of snail shells for reconstructing high‐resolution terrestrial climate changes is promising.

Abstract Soft ferromagnetic permalloy (NiFe) thin films are promising for applications in spintronic devices because of their constituent electrical and magnetic properties. Electron beam evaporation and sputtering techniques have been used to deposit NiFe thin films. For in situ stacking of NiFe with functional complex oxides, the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method is highly desirable. However, the growth of high‐quality NiFe (and non‐oxide thin films in general) by PLD remains a formidable task. Here, high‐quality NiFe thin films of various thicknesses on oxide/non‐oxide substrates with desirable magnetic properties by PLD at room temperature are reported. The magnetic properties are found to be strongly dependent on the laser fluence of the deposition process. The laser fluence of 4 J cm−2 produces the highest magnetization of ≈547 emu cc−1. The small coercivity (few Oersted) and sharp ferromagnetic switching behavior indicate uniaxial anisotropy with an easy axis along the in‐plane direction. In addition, thickness‐dependent magnetodynamics characterizations are studied via ferromagnetic resonance. These results offer significant insight into the PLD‐based development of thin metal magnetic films.

Abstract Background Gut microbiota plays a key role in the development of sarcopenia via the ‘gut‐muscle’ axis, and probiotics‐based therapy might be a strategy for sarcopenia. Fecal microbiota transplantation from young donors (yFMT) has attracted much attention because of its probiotic function. However, whether or not yFMT is effective for sarcopenia in old recipients is largely unknown. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of yFMT on age‐related sarcopenia. Methods The fecal microbiota of either young (12 weeks) or old (88 weeks) donor rats was transplanted into aged recipient rats for 8 weeks. Then, muscle mass, muscle strength, muscle function, muscle atrophy, and muscle regeneration capacity were measured. Analysis of fecal 16 s rRNA, serum non‐targeted metabolomic, gut barrier integrity, and muscle transcriptome was conducted to elucidate the interaction between gut microbiota and skeletal muscles. Results As evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging examination, grip strength test (P

Abstract In this paper, we review the integration of microfluidic chips and computer vision, which has great potential to advance research in the life sciences and biology, particularly in the analysis of cell imaging data. Microfluidic chips enable the generation of large amounts of visual data at the single-cell level, while computer vision techniques can rapidly process and analyze these data to extract valuable information about cellular health and function. One of the key advantages of this integrative approach is that it allows for noninvasive and low-damage cellular characterization, which is important for studying delicate or fragile microbial cells. The use of microfluidic chips provides a highly controlled environment for cell growth and manipulation, minimizes experimental variability and improves the accuracy of data analysis. Computer vision can be used to recognize and analyze target species within heterogeneous microbial populations, which is important for understanding the physiological status of cells in complex biological systems. As hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms continue to improve, computer vision is expected to become an increasingly powerful tool for in situ cell analysis. The use of microelectromechanical devices in combination with microfluidic chips and computer vision could enable the development of label-free, automatic, low-cost, and fast cellular information recognition and the high-throughput analysis of cellular responses to different compounds, for broad applications in fields such as drug discovery, diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

A healthy lifestyle is related to metabolic syndrome (MetS), but the mechanism is not fully understood. This study aimed to examine the association of components of MetS with lifestyle in a Chinese population and potential mediation role of serum uric acid (SUA) in the association between lifestyle behaviors and risk of components of MetS. Data were derived from a baseline survey of the Shaanxi urban cohort in the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in northwest China. The relationship between components of MetS, healthy lifestyle score (HLS), and SUA was investigated by logistic or linear regression. A counterfactual-based mediation analysis was performed to ascertain whether and to what extent SUA mediated the total effect of HLS on components of MetS. Compared to those with 1 or less low-risk lifestyle factors, participants with 4–5 factors had 43.6% lower risk of impaired glucose tolerance (OR = 0.564; 95%CI: 0.408~0.778), 60.8% reduction in risk of high blood pressure (OR = 0.392; 95%CI: 0.321~0.478), 69.4% reduction in risk of hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 0.306; 95%CI: 0.252~0.372), and 47.3% lower risk of low levels of HDL cholesterol (OR = 0.527; 95%CI: 0.434~0.641). SUA mediated 2.95% (95%CI: 1.81~6.16%) of the total effect of HLS on impaired glucose tolerance, 14.68% (95%CI: 12.04~18.85%) on high blood pressure, 17.29% (95%CI: 15.01~20.5%) on hypertriglyceridemia, and 12.83% (95%CI: 10.22~17.48%) on low levels of HDL cholesterol. Increased HLS tends to reduce risk of components of MetS partly by decreasing the SUA level, which could be an important mechanism by which lifestyle influences MetS.