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The popularity and widespread of electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) have warranted a necessity for monitoring different populations directly or indirectly exposed to particulate matter (PM) from ECIGs. To accurately estimate exposure to aerosols from ECIGs, it is important to correctly measure the concentration of aerosols. Real-time aerosol monitors are usually based on optics that provides biased measurements that are adjusted using filter correction factors. In addition, low-cost aerosol sensors have become popular that allow widespread of these sensors and can estimate ECIG aerosol exposure after calibration. Therefore, this study determined the filter correction factors for three aerosol monitors (MiniWRAS, pDR, and SidePak) based on exposure to six ECIG brands and two particle sizes (PM1 and PM2.5). In addition, the GeoAir2 low-cost monitor was evaluated compared to filter corrected MiniWRAS measurements for these exposures. The study also evaluated the real-time measurements and mass median diameter (MMD) for each ECIG brand. The correction factors varied between aerosol monitors, ECIG brands and particle sizes, with ranges for PM2.5 that span between 1.85 and 2.42 (MiniWRAS), 0.50 and 0.58 (pDR), and 0.24 and 0.28 (SidePak). The GeoAir2 underestimated the reference measurements but had a high correlation (r ¼ 0.90 0.94), showing that the monitor can be effectively calibrated to provide good estimates. The real-time average PM2.5 measurements differed between aerosol instruments with concentrations that ranged between 1398 and 3706 lg/m³ (MiniWRAS), 5479 and 16,825 lg/m³ (pDR), and 9783 and 29,808 lg/m³ (SidePak). Finally, the MMD values spanned between 0.45 and 0.80 lm based on the MiniWRAS measurements. The differences between the raw real-time measurements for the aerosol monitors show the necessity for developing filter correction factors to accurately measure ECIG exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Based on the analysis of a biochemical information database, the "target-pathway" network of anlotinib in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer was constructed by using network pharmacological methods to explore the mechanism of multi-target and multi-pathway treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: The 3D molecular structure formula of anlotinib was obtained by searching the PubChem database, and the target of anlotinib was predicted by using the PharmMapper database; obtain non-small cell lung cancer related targets through the GeneCards database, screen common genes related to drug targets and diseases by Venny 2.1.0, and build the relationship between drugs and diseases. Through the STRING11.5 database, the interaction relationship between action targets was built, the protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and the target degree was analyzed by Cytocsape 3.7.2 software to screen molecular docking objects. The DAVID database was used for Gene Ontology gene enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis to predict its mechanism, and the AutoDock software was used for molecular docking of the main targets. Results: The analysis results showed that there were 76 possible targets involved in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with anlotinib, mainly acting on epidermal growth factor receptor, mitogen-activated protein kinase 14, tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 11, heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha, tyrosine-protein kinase Lck, cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit alpha and other target protein genes, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis obtained 60 possible pathways related to its treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, mainly involving progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, prostate cancer, proteoglycans in cancer, FoxO signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, Ras signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. Conclusion: Anlotinib has the characteristics of multi-targets and multi-pathways in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, which provides a scientific basis for the follow-up study on the optimization of its efficacy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and the revelation of the pharmacological effects of anlotinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I-motifs are four-strand noncanonical secondary structures formed by cytosine (C)-rich sequences in living cells. The structural dynamics of i-motifs play essential roles in many cellular processes, such as telomerase inhibition, DNA repli-cation, and transcriptional regulation. In cells, the structural dynamics of the i-motif can be modulated by the interaction of poly(C)-binding proteins (PCBPs), and the interaction is closely related to human health, through modulating the transcription of oncogenes and telomere stability. Therefore, the mechanisms of how PCBPs interact with i-motif structures are fundamentally important. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. I-motif structures in the promoter of the c-MYC oncogene can be unfolded by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), a PCBP, to activate its transcription. Here, we selected this system as an example to comprehensively study the unfolding mechanisms. We found that the promoter sequence containing 5 C-runs preferred folding into type-1245 to type-1234 i-motif structures based on their folding stability, which was further confirmed by single-molecule FRET. In addition, we first revealed that the c-MYC i-motif structure was discretely resolved by hnRNP K through two intermediate states, which were assigned to the opposite hairpin and neighboring hairpin, as further confirmed by site mutations. Furthermore, we found all three KH (hnRNP K homology) domains of hnRNP K could unfold the c-MYC i-motif structure, and KH2 and KH3 were more active than KH1. In conclusion, this study may deepen our understanding of the interactions between i-motifs and PCBPs and may be helpful for drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the impact of Bushen Qudu Decoction on renal function, renal tissue morphology and TGF-β1/Smads signal transduction pathway in adenine-induced chronic renal failure rats. Methods: 76 rats were assigned to normal group, model group, uremic clearance group, benazepil group, Bushen Qudu decoction gunshan A group and Bushen Qudu decoction Guiza group. Renal failure was induced in rats using intragastric administration of adenine for 30 days. The expressions of TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3 and Smad6 were determined with immunohistochemistry. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to assay the mRNA expression of TGF-β1 in each group, while protein expressions of Smad2, Smad3 and Smad6 were determined with western blot. The scores of glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions in each group were obtained by histopathological examination. Results: Bushen Qudu decoction significantly reduced BUN and creatinine in rats with chronic renal failure; furthermore, it also lowered the protein expressions of TGF-β1 and SMAD2/3, but Smad6 protein, relative to control (p < 0.05). The TGF-β1mRNA expression was down-regulated (p < 0.05), relative to control group. Conclusion: Bushen Qudu decoction reduces renal interstitial fibrosis in rats and delays the progression of chronic renal failure by regulating TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. These findings provide some insight that should facilitate the development of new drugs that would delay the onset of chronic renal failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the effect of agricultural data collection and transmission, based on the technology adopted by the mainstream agricultural environmental information monitoring system on the market, this paper uses game theory to innovatively improve the algorithm mechanism of wireless sensor nodes, optimise the clustering structure and routing method of wireless sensor networks, design a remote monitoring platform for field farm information and finally build a complete agricultural information monitoring system. Moreover, taking the temperature and humidity sensor as an example, this paper improves the parameters on the basis of testing the various performance of the sensor, and develops the software of the main chip on the basis of the improved node, and completes the driver design of the sensor. In addition, this paper constructs a wireless sensor network data transmission model based on game theory, and combines simulation experiments to conduct experimental research on the system model constructed in this paper. From the test results, it can be seen that the model constructed in this paper has a better effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of critical source areas (CSAs) is pivotal for the management of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of watersheds. Most studies focus on source (S) factors and ignore the driving (D) factors of such pollution. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and the export coefficient method (ECM) were incorporated to quantify the S factors of ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) and total phosphorus (TP) as NPS pollution. Specifically, S factors coupled with D factors, including precipitation, slope, soil and land use, were regarded as multifactors. Moreover, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was adopted to determine the respective weights of multi-factors after overlaying the factor maps to identify the CSAs. These CSAs accounted for 23.86% of the total area, and generated 54.94% of NH4-N and 42.59% of the TP loads. In contrast with single and multi-factors, we found that using multi-factors having differing weights was more accurate for identifying CSAs. Our study results indicate this approach is reasonable for CSAs' identification in watersheds, and it can provide insights into different pollution sources and migration, thus providing a sounder basis for future decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunas are among the most economically important fish species and play critical roles in food composition and nutrition of humans. As apex predators, they also keep the marine ecosystem healthy and balanced. Both natural and human factors influence the status of this important marine resource and their habitats. There is a large cadre of studies on how tunas are of great significance to the exploitation and management of their fisheries, yet there are few summaries of this research. We aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively synthesize the global knowledge structure and emerging trends in tuna research using bibliometric software. References with "Tuna", "Katsuwonus", or "Thunnus" as the subject in the Web of Science Core Collection Database from 1995 to 2019 were visually analyzed using CiteSpace. Publication rate and output, active countries, institutions, authors, and co-cited references were performed. Results suggested that the number of international tuna research papers increased significantly between 2000 and 2010, as a considerable number of high-impact articles emerged during this period. Researchers paid more attention to 19 main topics during this period, notably "overfishing", "bycatch", "climate change", "marine pollution", and "fish management", which all posed potential risks and challenges to tuna survival. Future research should emphasize resolving these challenges and building international cooperation for the proper management of tuna populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock breaking efficiency of drill bits is an important index for measuring the drilling efficiency in the oil and gas drilling field, and it is influenced by many factors, such as structure and material. This study developed a calculation model and an experimental model of rock breaking of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) and diamond impregnated cutter (DIC) hybrid bit to reveal the influence of bit structure and material on tangential force, axial force and wear height. On the basis of the calculation model of the co-rail arrangement of the PDC--DIC hybrid bit and the rock breaking mode, a rock breaking mechanical parameter prediction model and a rock breaking performance test model were established. Rock stress calculation method, rock failure criterion, and mechanical specific energy (MSE) calculation method were used to analyze the rock stress and the relationship between MSE and tangential force, axial force, and wear height during combined rock breaking. The accuracy of the model was verified by experiments. Results show that the specific work of rock breaking of the PDC-DIC hybrid bit is less than that of PDC, and a reverse nonlinear relationship exists between specific work of rock breaking and wear height. The energy required for hybrid bit to break rock is less than that of PDC bit. A positive nonlinear relationship exists between the energy of PDC-DIC hybrid bit and the wear height, whereas the cutting depth and the wear height show a negative nonlinear relationship. The stress distribution of PDC rock breaking is uniform, and the maximum equivalent stress is up to 104 MPa. The stress distribution of rock breaking of the hybrid PDC-DIC is extremely nonuniform, and stress concentration occurs with a minimum equivalent stress of 84 MPa and a maximum stress of 161 MPa, which is beneficial to rock breaking. Rock breaking of PDC-DIC hybrid bit can promote the generation and development of rock cracks, thereby reducing the crushing strength of the rock. The study provides a design method and theoretical basis for designing a new type of PDC-DIC hybrid bit, with certain reference for exploring the rock breaking mechanism of various bits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is used to treat recurrent and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rmNPC). This meta-analysis aims to study the efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKI in treating patients with rmNPC. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to November 2023, and included literature that met the criteria. We extracted objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), median overall survival (mOS), and adverse reaction-related events and performed meta-analysis using Stata 14.0. Results: A total of nine articles were included. The summary results showed that the ORR for patients treated with EGFR-TKI for rmNPC was 38% (95% CI = 27%-49%), the DCR was 71% (95% CI = 61%-80%), the mPFS was 6.29 months (95% CI = 5.22-7.35), and the mOS was 15.94 months (95% CI = 14.68-17.20). The most common grade 3-4 adverse reaction events in these patients were mucositis, nasopharyngeal necrosis, and oral ulceration. We found an incidence rate of 49% (95% CI = 38%-61%) for grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs). The anti-PD1 combined with TKI treatment method is more effective than the EGFR-TKI alone for treating rmNPC. Conclusion: The study shows that EGFR-TKI has good efficacy in treating rmNPC but does not translate into survival benefits and owns a high incidence of grade 3-4 AEs. More RCT trials are needed in the future to verify the efficacy of anti-PD1 combined with TKI treatment method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomechanical measurements, especially the detection of weak contact forces, play a vital role in many fields, such as material science, micromanipulation, and mechanobiology. However, it remains a challenging task to realize the measurement of ultraweak force levels as low as nanonewtons with a simple sensing configuration. In this work, an ultrasensitive all-fiber nanonewton force sensor structure based on a single-mode-tapered U-shape multimode-single-mode fiber probe is proposed and experimentally demonstrated with a limit of detection of ~5.4 nanonewtons. The use of the sensor is demonstrated by force measurement on a human hair sample to determine the spring constant of the hair. The results agree well with measurements using an atomic force microscope for the spring constant of the hair. Compared with other force sensors based on optical fiber in the literature, the proposed all-fiber force sensor provides a substantial advancement in the minimum detectable force possible, with the advantages of a simple configuration, ease of fabrication, and low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall-runoff modeling is a complex nonlinear time-series problem in the field of hydrology. Various methods, such as physical-driven and data-driven models, have been developed to study the highly random rainfall-runoff process. In the past 2 years, with the advancement of computing hardware resources and algorithms, deep-learning methods, such as temporal convolutional network (TCN), have been shown to be good prospects in time-series prediction tasks. The aim of this study is to develop a prediction model based on TCN structure to simulate the hourly rainfall-runoff relationship. We use two datasets in the Jingle and Kuye watersheds to test the model under different network structures and compare with the other four models. The results show that the TCN model outperforms the Excess Infiltration and Excess Storage Model (EIESM), artificial neural network, and long short-term memory and improves the flood forecasting accuracy at different foreseeable periods. It is shown that the TCN has a faster convergence rate and is an effective method for hydrological forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted in an oasis area in northwest China to assess the coupling effects of water and nitrogen supply through drip irrigation on photosynthetic characteristics, nitrogen uptake, and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), as well as the nitrate distribution in the root-zone soil. The experiment included three irrigation levels (210 [W1], 300 [W2], and 390 [W3] mm), three nitrogen levels (162 [N1], 232 [N2], and 302 [N3] kg/hm2), and control treatment (no fertilization during whole growth period and only irrigated at the budding stage). A nitrogen content over-accumulation in the soil was observed under the low irrigation amount with high fertilizer supply, which cannot enhance the sunflowers’ absorption of nitrogen. Excessive irrigation caused leach of the soil nitrogen, reduced nitrogen content in the root-zone soil (0-40 cm) and limited nitrogen uptake by the crop. Although low irrigation amount with high fertilizer supply can increase the nitrogen content in the soil, it cannot enhance the sunflowers’ absorption of nitrogen. At the vegetative stage of sunflower growth, the accumulation of nitrogen in the organs was mainly concentrated in the leaves, while it was transferred to the flower disk at the reproductive growth stage. Reasonable coupling of water and nitrogen improved the transport of nitrogen from leaves and stems to the flower disk and promoted the formation of yield components. Six regression equations were established with irrigation and fertilization amount as independent variables, and seed rate, seed weight per flowerdisk, 1000 grain weight, yield, water use efficiency and nitrogen partial factor productivity as dependent variables, respectively. Multiple regression and spatial analysis suggested that the irrigation amount of 241.62- 253.35 mm and the fertilization application of 202.02-209.40 N kg/hm² was a good irrigation strategy, under which all six factors exceed 75% of their maxima, and the yield of sunflower reached 3 229.3 kg/hm² [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of breast cancer has exhibited an annually increasing trend, and the disease has become the most common malignant tumour worldwide. Currently, the primary treatment for breast cancer is surgical resection. However, metastatic recurrence is the main cause of cancer-related death in this patient population. Various factors are associated with breast cancer prognosis, and anaesthesia-induced changes in the tumour microenvironment have attracted increasing attention. To date, however, it remains unclear whether anaesthetic drugs have a positive or negative impact on cancer outcomes after surgery. The present article reviews the effects of different anaesthetics on the postoperative prognosis of breast cancer surgery to guide the choice of anaesthetic technique(s) and agents for such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The art of pressed flowers is a method of artistic expression involving the pressing of flowers, leaves, and other plant organs for artistic creative purposes. However, the pressing process often results in color variation of the plant material, which significantly diminishes the quality of artistic works and must be solved using appropriate techniques. During this research, phenylalanine (10 mmol.L-1) was used to treat the petals of postharvest Petunia flowers to investigate the impact of phenylalanine on mitigating color variation, and the effect of phenylalanine on inhibiting the color variation of Petunia petals during the pressing process was evaluated by color measurement, physicochemical indices, and gene expression level analyses. Using the CIEL*a*b* color measurements, the samples from the test group had significantly higher brightness (L*) and red coloration (a*) at the final stage (S4) than the control group. In addition, phenylalanine had a significant inhibitory effect on malondialdehyde and superoxide anion accumulations in Petunia petals during pressing and reduced the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase. The quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the transcript levels of CHS, DFR, F3050H, and UFGT genes in the petals of the treatment group continued to increase during the pressing process, and the transcript levels of key genes in the anthocyanin metabolic pathway of the treated samples were higher than those of the control group at the final stage (S4). These results indicated that phenylalanine can effectively diminish the color variation of Petunia petals in the pressing process, which could serve as a theoretical basis for the development of a comprehensive technology system aimed at preserving the color of pressed horticultural plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral resources are increasing important for sustainable development in modern society. As the progressive depletion of shallow mineral deposits, deep or ultra-deep mineral extraction is an inevitable choice for mineral and energy security in various countries in the future. The trend of occurrences of geohazards including rock burst, cascading ground failure, uncontrollable underground space squeezing, coal and gas outburst, and fires, will be expected to excessively increasing as deepening the mine depth. Mining safety science and engineering challenges are drawing more and more attention over last decade and beyond. In August 2023, the 6th International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering was held in Harbin to promote innovative development of mining safety, and foster international collaborations among scholars in the field of mining safety. It served as a platform for the exchange of the most recent advancements in mining safety scientific theories, technologies, and equipment by bringing together global talent. Over 400 attendees representing 9 countries, including Australia, Russia, United State, Kazakhstan, and Canada, engaged in academic discussions and knowledge sharing on new theories, technologies, equipment, and methods in mining safety science and engineering. The latest research results are of great significance in enhancing the practices of preventing mine disaster and ensuring the safety of mining operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth’s inner core is predominantly composed of solid iron (Fe) and displays intriguing properties such as strong shear softening and an ultrahigh Poisson’s ratio. Insofar, physical mechanisms to explain these features coherently remain highly debated. Here, we have studied longitudinal and shear wave velocities of hcp-Fe (hexagonal close-packed iron) at relevant pressure–temperature conditions of the inner core using in situ shock experiments and machine learning molecular dynamics (MLMD) simulations. Our results demonstrate that the shear wave velocity of hcp-Fe along the Hugoniot in the premelting condition, defined as T/Tm (Tm: melting temperature of iron) above 0.96, is significantly reduced by ~30%, while Poisson’s ratio jumps to approximately 0.44. MLMD simulations at 230 to 330 GPa indicate that collective motion with fast diffusive atomic migration occurs in premelting hcp-Fe primarily along [100] or [010] crystallographic direction, contributing to its elastic softening and enhanced Poisson’s ratio. Our study reveals that hcp-Fe atoms can diffusively migrate to neighboring positions, forming open-loop and close-loop clusters in the inner core conditions. Hcp-Fe with collective motion at the inner core conditions is thus not an ideal solid previously believed. The premelting hcp-Fe with collective motion behaves like an extremely soft solid with an ultralow shear modulus and an ultrahigh Poisson’s ratio that are consistent with seismic observations of the region. Our findings indicate that premelting hcp-Fe with fast diffusive motion represents the underlying physical mechanism to help explain the unique seismic and geodynamic features of the inner core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome is the basic unit of TCM treatment, which help clinicians assess the disease progression and treatment preoperative of tumor patients. However, the prognostic significance of TCM syndrome is still unclear. This study aims to detect the differences in overall survival between different TCM syndrome and further develop a new nomogram with TCM syndrome for predicting overall survival in colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 324 patients with colorectal cancer were enrolled and categorized into three groups based on TCM syndrome: deficiency, excess, and deficiency-excess. The prognosis of colorectal cancer patients with different TCM syndromes was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. Results: The proportion of advanced stage and lymph metastasis in the patients with deficiency syndrome was higher, and the overall survival was shorter than other syndromes. Meanwhile, the TCM syndrome (P < 0.001), tumor invasion depth (P < 0.001), lymph metastasis (P = 0.018), organic metastasis (P = 0.005) and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage (P = 0.029) were the independent prognostic factor. Then, a new nomogram with TCM syndrome was established and assessed. 324 colorectal cancer patients were randomly divided into training (n = 215) and validation cohorts (n = 109). A nomogram incorporating preoperative TCM syndrome, gender, age, T, N, and M status was developed, which had good discrimination and calibration. Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicated that TCM syndrome could assess the prognosis of colorectal cancer. The nomogram incorporating TCM syndromes and tumor information is helpful for risk stratification and prognostic predictions in colorectal cancer preoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To analyze the expression of cluster of differentiation 80 (CD80)/cluster of differentiation 163 (CD163) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and their correlation with the syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine, pathology and prognosis. Methods: (1) The correlation between the pathological characteristics of 232 postoperative CRC patients and the deficiency and excess syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine was analyzed using the chi-square test, Spearman’s correlation, and Cox regression methods. (2) Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR were used to detect the expression of CD80 and CD163 in cancer and para cancer tissues of CRC patients. (3) The relationships between the changes of CD80 and CD163 and the prognosis of CRC patients with deficiency syndrome. Patient survival were analyzed using cardinality and Cox regression proportional-hazards model regression. Results: (1) The degree of differentiation and tumor node metastasis stage of CRC were statistically different between patients with deficiency and excess syndromes (P < 0.05); carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen19-9were highly expressed in the excess syndrome group, and both were significantly correlated with the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes (P <0.001); deficiency and excess syndromes, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were all independent factors affecting the postoperative survival of CRC patients. (2) The distribution of post-operative survival in CRC patients was significantly correlated with the distribution of the disease type (P<0.001). (3) The expression levels of CD163 protein and message RNA were significantly higher in CRC cancer tissues than in paraneoplastic tissues (P <0.001); whereas the expression of CD80 was significantly higher in paraneoplastic tissues than in cancer tissues(P < 0.001). (4) The expression levels of CD80/CD163 were significantly different indifferent parts of the tissues of patients with deficiency and excess syndromes (P <0.001). (5) CRC patients with high CD80 expression and low CD163 expression had longer survival cycles (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The malignant progression of CRC patients with deficiency syndrome is faster than that with excess syndrome. The correlation between deficiency and excess syndromes and the expression levels of CD80 and CD163 could be an independent risk factor for the survival prognosis of patients with CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As people age, geriatric syndromes characterized by frailty significantly impact both clinical practice and public health. Aging weakens people's immune functions, leading to chronic lowgrade inflammation that ultimately contributes to the development of frailty. Effectively managing geriatric syndromes and frailty can help alleviate the economic burden of an aging population. This review delves into the intricate relationship among aging, infection-induced inflammation, chronic inflammation, and frailty. In addition, it analyzes various approaches and interventions to address frailty, such as smart rehabilitation programs and stem-cell treatments, offering promising solutions in this new era. Given the importance of this topic, further research into the mechanisms of frailty is crucial. Equally essential is the devising of relevant measures to delay its onset and the formulation of comprehensive clinical, research, and public health strategies to enhance the quality of life for elderly individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal macrophages are essential players in intestinal inflammation and intestinal immune homeostasis. Intestinal macrophages have the ability to polarize into two distinct phenotypes based on various environmental signals. These phenotypes include the typically activated pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and the alternatively activated anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Under normal circumstances, intestinal macrophages prevent inflammatory damage to the gut. However, when genetic and environmental factors influence the polarization of intestinal macrophages, it can lead to an imbalance in M1/M2 macrophage activation and subsequently an imbalance in the control of intestinal inflammation. It transforms physiological inflammation into pathological intestinal damage. In patients with ulcerative colitis-associated cancer (UC-CRC), intestinal inflammatory disorders are closely associated with intestinal M1/M2 macrophage polarization imbalance. Consequently, restoring the polarization equilibrium of M1/M2 macrophages might be an effective measure to prevent and treat UC-CRC. This paper aims to examine the clinical evidence of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of UC-CRC, the pivotal role of macrophage polarization in UC-CRC pathogenesis, and the potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating macrophage polarization to treat UC-CRC. Our goal is to provide novel insights into the clinical practice, basic research, and drug development of UC-CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximating the partition function of the ferromagnetic Ising model with general external fields is known to be\#BIS-hard in the worst case, even for bounded-degree graphs, and it is widely believed that no polynomial-time approximation scheme exists. This motivates an averagecase question: are there classes of instances for which polynomial-time approximation schemes exist? We investigate this question for the random field Ising model on graphs with maximum degree\Delta. We establish the existence of fully polynomial-time approximation schemes and samplers with high probability over the random fields if the external fields are independent and identically distributed Gaussians with variance larger than a constant depending only on the inverse temperature and\Delta. Our methods work more generally for external fields that are large in absolute value with high probability. The main challenge is that such a hypothesis does not rule out the existence of a positive density of vertices at which the external field is small. These regions, which may have connected components of size\Theta (log n), are a barrier to algorithms based on establishing zero-free regions of partition functions and cause worst-case analyses of Glauber dynamics to fail. The analysis of our algorithm is based on percolation on a self-avoiding walk tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now well known that solids under ultra-high-pressure shock compression will enter the warm dense matter (WDM) regime which connects condensed matter and hot plasma. How condensed matter turns into the WDM, however, remains largely unexplored due to the lack of data in the transition pressure range. In this letter, by employing the unique high-Z three-stage gas gun launcher technique developed recently, we compress gold into TPa shock pressure to fill the gap inaccessible by the two-stage gas gun and laser shock experiments. With the aid of high-precision Hugoniot data obtained experimentally, we observe a clear softening behavior beyond ~560 GPa. The state-of-the-art ab-initio molecular dynamics calculations reveal that the softening is caused by the ionization of 5d electrons in gold. This work quantifies the partial ionization effect of electrons under extreme conditions, which is critical to model the transition region between condensed matter and WDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preexisting lung-restricted autoantibodies (LRAs) are associated with a higher incidence of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), although it remains unclear whether LRAs can drive its pathogenesis. In syngeneic murine left lung transplant recipients, preexisting LRAs worsened graft dysfunction, which was evident by impaired gas exchange, increased pulmonary edema, and activation of damage-associated pathways in lung epithelial cells. LRA-mediated injury was distinct from ischemia-reperfusion injury since deletion of donor nonclassical monocytes and host neutrophils could not prevent graft dysfunction in LRA-pretreated recipients. Whole LRA IgG molecules were necessary for lung injury, which was mediated by the classical and alternative complement pathways and reversed by complement inhibition. However, deletion of Fc receptors in donor macrophages or mannose-binding lectin in recipient mice failed to rescue lung function. LRA-mediated injury was localized to the transplanted lung and dependent on IL-1β-mediated permeabilization of pulmonary vascular endothelium, which allowed extravasation of antibodies. Genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of IL-1R in the donor lungs prevented LRA-induced graft injury. In humans, preexisting LRAs were an independent risk factor for severe PGD and could be treated with plasmapheresis and complement blockade. We conclude that preexisting LRAs can compound ischemia-reperfusion injury to worsen PGD for which complement inhibition may be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese herbal medicine additives can not only directly improve the growth performance of chickens, but also indirectly affect the growth of chickens by enhancing the antioxidant capacity, immunity and disease resistance of the body, and eliminating diseases and adverse factors, thereby improving the growth performance of chickens. In the context of the current national prohibition of adding antibiotics to feed, the research and application of Chinese herbal medicine additives are of practical significance to eliminate the long-term use of antibiotics as chicken feed additives and reduce the threat to the environment and human health. For this reason, the research related to the substitution of Chinese herbal medicine for antibiotics is made a brief introduction to provide a reference in research and production practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are noncanonical RNA secondary structures formed by guanine (G)-rich sequences. These complexes play important regulatory roles in both animals and plants through their structural dynamics and are closely related to human diseases and plant growth, development, and adaption. Thus, studying the structural dynamics of rG4s is fundamentally important; however, their folding pathways and their unfolding by specialized helicases are not well understood. In addition, no plant rG4-specialized helicases have been identified. Here, using single-molecule FRET, we experimentally elucidated for the first time the folding pathway and intermediates, including a G-hairpin and G-triplex. In addition, using proteomics screening and microscale thermophoresis, we identified and validated five rG4-specialized helicases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, DExH1, the ortholog of the famous human rG4 helicase RHAU/DHX36, stood out for its robust rG4 unwinding ability. Taken together, these results shed light on the structural dynamics of plant rG4s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qiulitage structural belt in Tarim Basin has a large reservoir burial depth and complex geological conditions. Challenges such as ultra-depth, high temperature, high pressure and high stress lead to significant problems related to well control safety and project efficiency. To solve these key technical issues that set barriers to the process of exploration and development, a drilling technology process via the integration of geology and engineering was established with geomechanics as the bridge. An integrated key drilling engineering technology was formed for improving the drilling speed and safety of ultra-deep wells, including well location optimization, well trajectory optimization, formation pressure prediction before drilling, stratum drillability evaluation, and bit and speed-up tool design and optimization. Combined with the seismic data, logging data, structural characteristics, and lithology distribution characteristics, a rock mechanics data volume related to the three-dimensional drilling resistance characteristics of the block was established for the first time. The longitudinal and lateral heterogeneities were quantitatively characterized, providing a basis for bit design, improvement and optimization. During the drilling process, the geomechanical model was corrected in time according to the actual drilling information, and the drilling "three pressures" data were updated in real time to support the dynamic adjustment of drilling parameters. Through field practice, the average drilling complexity rate was reduced from 18% to 4.6%, and the drilling cycle at 8,500 m depth was reduced from 326 days to 257 days, which comprised significant improvements compared to the vertical wells deployed in the early stage without considering geology-engineering integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of postoperative mortality in lung transplant recipients and the most important risk factor for development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. The mechanistic basis for the variability in the incidence and severity of PGD between lung transplant recipients is not known. Using a murine orthotopic vascularized lung transplant model, we found that redundant activation of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLR2 and -4) on nonclassical monocytes activates MyD88, inducing the release of the neutrophil attractant chemokine CXCL2. Deletion of Itgam (encodes CD11b) in nonclassical monocytes enhanced their production of CXCL2 and worsened PGD, while a CD11b agonist, leukadherin-1, administered only to the donor lung prior to lung transplantation, abrogated CXCL2 production and PGD. The damage-associated molecular pattern molecule HMGB1 was increased in peripheral blood samples from patients undergoing lung transplantation after reperfusion and induced CXCL2 production in nonclassical monocytes via TLR4/MyD88. An inhibitor of HMGB1 administered to the donor and recipient prior to lung transplantation attenuated PGD. Our findings suggest that CD11b acts as a molecular brake to prevent neutrophil recruitment by nonclassical monocytes following lung transplantation, revealing an attractive therapeutic target in the donor lung to prevent PGD in lung transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the prognostic value of preoperative CA19-9 in α-fetoprotein (AFP)-positive and -negative HCC with hepatitis B virus (HBV) background (HBV-HCC), and explored the underlying mechanism. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed in HBV-HCC patients who underwent curative resection (Cohort 1). Immunohistochemical staining of CA19-9 in HCC and liver parenchyma were quantified in another cohort of 216 patients with resected HCC (Cohort 2). Immunohistochemical staining of CA19-9 and serum CA19-9 level was also compared between patients with HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) (Cohort 3). In Cohort 1, CA19-9 ≥ 39 U/mL was an independent risk factor for RFS (HR = 1.507, 95% CI = 1.087-2.091, p = 0.014) and OS (HR = 1.646, 95% CI = 1.146-2.366, p = 0.007). CA19-9 ≥ 39 U/mL was also associated with significantly higher incidence of macrovascular invasion (MaVI) compared with CA19-9 < 39 U/mL (23.0% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.002), and elevated aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and lower albumin. Immunohistochemical staining of CA19-9 revealed that CA19-9 expression was found exclusively in the background liver but not in HCC tumor cells. In contrast, tumor tissue was the main source of CA19-9 in ICC patients. CA19-9 ≥ 39 U/mL was associated with worse OS and RFS in both AFP-positive and negative HCC patients. CA19-9 indicated more severe inflammation and cirrhosis in the liver of HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of long-term natural climate change and human activities on runoff generation mechanism in the middle Yellow River Basin are long-standing concerns. This study analyzed the characteristics of hydro-climatic variables in the meso-scale Tuweihe catchment based on the observed data for the period 1956-2016 and a climate elastic method. The spatial distribution of dominant runoff processes (DRP) following land use changes in case of rainfall was identified. The results show significant decreasing trends in annual runoff, whereas slightly downward trends are identified for annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, 1984 is detected as the mutation year of the study period. The average contributions of climate change and human activities to the runoff reduction in the Tuweihe catchment were 33.2% and 66.8%, respectively. In general, the influences of human activities on runoff are applied mostly through the alteration of the catchment characteristics. The dominant runoff processes changes between 1980 and 2015 show significant effects of large-scale soil and water conservation measures in the Tuweihe catchment. We found that Hortonian overland flow (HOF) and fast subsurface flow (SSF1) were the two main processes in 1980 (30.3% and 34.4% respectively), but the proportion of HOF decreased by 9.6% in 2015. The proportions of saturation overland flow (SOF) and SSF have increased to varying degrees, which means that the catchment is more prone to generate subsurface flow processes. Consequently, under similar rainfall conditions, the runoff yield of flood events decreases in the second period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A confined assembly strategy is reported for polarized structural coloration. • DCP is adjusted by kinetic trapping multi-domain cholesteric mesophases. • The chiral photonic materials can be applied for information storage and encryption. Chiroptical materials with tunable circular polarization performances have gained wide interest because of promising applications in optical devices and information communication. However, limited by their intrinsic chirality, such materials suffer from serious deficiencies in dynamical manipulation on circularly polarized light (CPL). Here, we demonstrate a kinetic trapping approach to capture multi-domain cholesteric mesophases for polarization-dependent structural coloration. The resultant photonic structures depicted by limited solvent evaporation display light control from selective left-handed circularly polarized light reflection to dual reflection, as a result of forming highly tilted and distorted domains with a phase-retardation effect. Notably, a positive linear correlation is established between the circular polarization behavior and structural orientation regulated by the solvent evaporation. The tunable circular polarization structural colors enable the application of the photonic materials for complex encryption in terms of polychromatic coding arrays. The confined-anisotropic-fabrication method of photonic structures paves a foundation toward advanced functional materials with promising applications in light science and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three types of magnetite were identified in the Mamupu deposit based on the detailed textural and mineral assemblage. • The study on texture and composition of magnetite restricts the evolution process of breccia ore body. • The geochemical characteristics of magnetite reveal the coupling relationship between Cu-Au and W-Mo in the Mamupu. The Mamupu copper polymetallic deposit is characterized by multistage magnetite, but the genesis and fluid evolution process of this deposit are still obscure. Three types of magnetite were identified in Mamupu based on comprehensive textural observations and paragenesis. Mag1 occurs as subhedral to euhedral crystals, and smooth Mag1a and porous Mag1b can be distinguished under Backscattered Electron (BSE). Mag2 is characterized by 120° triple junction textures and has been replaced by hematite. Mag3 is commonly replaced by hydrothermal fluids and exhibits well-developed oscillatory zoning and core (Mag3a)-rim (Mag3b) textures. The geochemistry of Mamupu magnetite suggests that they are of hydrothermal origin. Mag1 has undergone extensive fluid-rock interactions, whereas the sharp contacts with Mag1a and Mag1b and the microporosity of Mag1b imply that the Mag1b was generated by the coupled dissolution reprecipitation of the Mag1a grains. This process may be triggered by low-temperature and high-salinity fluid produced by intensive water-rock interaction between ore-bearing magmatic-hydrothermal fluid and carbonate surrounding rock of the Jiaoga Formation. The 120° triple junction textures of Mag2 indicate that it was formed during a fluid-assisted recrystallization process, and Mag2 replaced by hematite represents the increase in oxygen fugacity. From Mag3a to Mag3b, the contents of V and Mn increased while the contents of chalcophile elements decreased, suggesting a decrease of oxygen fugacity and the precipitation of sulfide, which represents the beginning of the sulfide stage. Moreover, petrography and geochemistry data of magnetite represented that the breccia ore of Mamupu belongs to skarn mineralization. The geochemical characteristics of magnetite show that Cu-Au and W-Mo in Mamupu precipitated in different stages, representing the transformation from a relatively oxidized environment in the early stage to a relatively reduced environment in the late stage. These results reveal that trace elements in magnetite can be utilized to define the genesis and evolution of the skarn deposit. In addition, it can also restrict the precipitation mechanism of ore-forming elements in the deposits. However, detailed textural observations should be carried out before experimental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]