Search

The importance of effective teacher-child interactions in preschool classrooms has been well documented; however, very few studies examined the difference between novice and experienced teachers. The aim of this study was to quantitatively compare the characteristics and patterns of teacher-child interactions during preschool picture book reading activities between novice and experienced teachers. Video observation data were collected from nine novice teachers and nine experienced teachers from a Chinese preschool, and were coded using the Flanders Interaction Analysis System. A total of 7,642 codes of experienced teachers and 6,444 codes of novice teachers were obtained. Aside from some commonalities, results indicated that there were several major differences between novice and experienced teachers. The indirect and positive influence on children, and the rate of positive influence to negative influence of experienced teachers were higher than that of novice teachers; the proportion of teacher talk, positive integration grid, steady-state grid, open question, and indirect response of novice teachers were higher than that of experienced teachers. The findings shed light on how novice and experienced teachers interact with their children, and how professional development supports should be delivered differently to novice and experienced teachers.

AIM: To investigate Omicron's impact on clinical presentation of acute primary angle closure (APAC) in China. METHODS: A consecutive case series with historical controls was conducted at Shenzhen Eye Hospital, the largest specialized hospital in Shenzhen, China. Medical records from a two-month period during the Omicron pandemic (December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023) were compared with records from two control groups (12/2018–1/2019 and 12/2021–1/2022) before pandemic. Patients with APAC were included, and the prevalence of APAC and demographic characteristics in Omicron-infected and non-infected patients were compared. RESULTS: Seventy-one (23.43%) out of 303 patients were diagnosed with APAC in the pandemic cohort, which was 2.98 and 2.61 times higher than that in control cohorts (7.87% in 2019, 8.96% in 2022, P

Wild soybean (Glycine soja), a relative of cultivated soybean, shows high adaptability to adverse environmental conditions. We identified and characterized a wild soybean transcription factor gene, GsWRKY40, that promotes plant salt stress. GsWRKY40 was highly expressed in wild soybean roots and was up-regulated by salt treatment. GsWRKY40 was localized in nucleus and demonstrated DNA-binding activities but without transcriptional activation. Mutation and overexpression of GsWRKY40 altered salt tolerance of Arabidopsis plants. To understand the molecular mechanism of GsWRKY40 in regulating plant salt resistance, we screened a cDNA library and identified a GsWRKY40 interacting protein GsbHLH92 by using yeast two-hybrid approach. The physical interaction of GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), GST pull-down, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) techniques. Intriguingly, co-overexpression of GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 resulted in higher salt tolerance and lower ROS levels than overexpression of GsWRKY40 or GsbHLH92 in composite soybean plants, suggesting that GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 may synergistically regulate plant salt resistance through inhibiting ROS production. qRT-PCR data indicated that the expression level of GmSPOD1 gene encoding peroxidase was cooperatively regulated by GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92, which was confirmed by using a dual luciferase report system and yeast one-hybrid experiment. Our study reveals a pathway that GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 collaboratively up-regulate plant salt resistance through impeding GmSPOD1 expression and reducing ROS levels, providing a novel perspective on the regulatory mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.

Abstract Topological domain structures have drawn great attention as they have potential applications in future electronic devices. As an important concept linking the quantum and classical magnetism, a magnetic Bloch point, predicted in 1960s but not observed directly so far, is a singular point around which magnetization vectors orient to nearly all directions. Here we show polar Bloch points in tensile-strained ultrathin ferroelectric PbTiO3 films, which are alternatively visualized by phase-field simulations and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopic imaging. The phase-field simulations indicate local steady-state negative capacitance around the Bloch points. The observation of polar Bloch points and their emergent properties consequently implies novel applications in future integrated circuits and low power electronic devices.

Abstract Background The ectopic superior parathyroid in the tracheoesophageal groove and paraesophageal region is rare. Hyperparathyroidism results when these glands become hyperfunctioning. That may necessitate surgical intervention in the form of parathyroidectomy, which requires a transsternal or transthoracic approach due to a deeply seated mediastinal parathyroid gland. Minimally invasive strategies have emerged recently as an alternative approach with less morbidity. Case presentation We present a case of the paraesophageal ectopic parathyroid gland in the superior posterior mediastinum, which was successfully treated with thoracoscopic resection. Conclusion The current imaging tools improve the thoracoscopic management of mediastinal parathyroid glands. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) can provide access and exposure to ectopic parathyroid adenoma with low morbidity and financial burden.

Levulinic acid, a hydrolysis product of lignocellulose, can be metabolized into important compounds in the field of medicine and pesticides by engineered strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Levulinic acid, as an intermediate product widely found in the conversion process of lignocellulosic biomass, has multiple applications. However, its toxicity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae reduces its conversion efficiency, so screening Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes that can tolerate levulinic acid becomes the key. By creating a whole-genome knockout library and bioinformatics analysis, this study used the phenotypic characteristics of cells as the basis for screening and found the HMX1 gene that is highly sensitive to levulinic acid in the oxidative stress pathway. After knocking out HMX1 and treating with levulinic acid, the omics data of the strain revealed that multiple affected pathways, especially the expression of 14 genes related to the cell wall and membrane system, were significantly downregulated. The levels of acetyl-CoA and riboflavin decreased by 1.02-fold and 1.44-fold, respectively, while the content of pantothenic acid increased. These findings indicate that the cell wall-membrane system, as well as the metabolism of acetyl-CoA and riboflavin, are important in improving the resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to levulinic acid. They provide theoretical support for enhancing the tolerance of microorganisms to levulinic acid, which is significant for optimizing the conversion process of lignocellulosic biomass to levulinic acid.

Despite the rapid progress of organic solar cells based on non-fullerene acceptors, simultaneously achieving high power conversion efficiency and long-term stability for commercialization requires sustainable research effort. Here, we demonstrate stable devices by integrating a wide bandgap electron-donating polymer (namely PTzBI-dF) and two acceptors (namely L8BO and Y6) that feature similar structures yet different thermal and morphological properties. The organic solar cell based on PTzBI-dF:L8BO:Y6 could achieve a promising efficiency of 18.26% in the conventional device structure. In the inverted structure, excellent long-term thermal stability over 1400 h under 85 °C continuous heating is obtained. The improved performance can be ascribed to suppressed charge recombination along with appropriate charge transport. We find that the morphological features in terms of crystalline coherence length of fresh and aged films can be gradually regulated by the weight ratio of L8BO:Y6. Additionally, the occurrence of melting point decrease and reduced enthalpy in PTzBI-dF:L8BO:Y6 films could prohibit the amorphous phase to cluster, and consequently overcome the energetic traps accumulation aroused by thermal stress, which is a critical issue in high efficiency non-fullerene acceptors-based devices. This work provides insight into understanding non-fullerene acceptors-based organic solar cells for improved efficiency and stability.

Abstract Background The use of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in completely resected stage IB NSCLC is still controversial. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of ACT in pathological stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high risk factors. Methods Patients with pT2aN0M0 stage IB NSCLC who underwent complete resection from 2013 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess potential independent risk factors associated with poor prognosis. To compare survival between patients who received ACT and those who did not. Results In univariate and multivariate analyses, adenocarcinomas with predominantly micropapillary (MIP) and solid patterns (SOL), poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), number of lymph nodes dissected less than 16 and tumor size larger than 36 mm were identified as high-risk factors for recurrence. In patients with high risk factors for recurrence, ACT resulted in significantly longer DFS (HR, 0.4689, 95%CI, 1.193–3.818; p = 0.0108) and OS (HR, 0.4696, 95%CI, 0.6578–6.895; p = 0.2073), although OS failed to reach statistically significance. After propensity score matching (PSM), 67 pairs of patients were 1:1 matched in the two groups and all baseline characteristics were well balanced. The results also demonstrated that ACT was associated with improved DFS (HR, 0.4776, 95%CI, 0.9779–4.484; p = 0.0440) while OS was not significantly different (92.5% vs. 91.0%; HR, 0.6167, 95%CI, 0.1688–2.038; p = 0.7458). In patients with low-risk factors for recurrence, DFS (HR, 0.4831, 95%CI, 0.03025-7.715; p = 0.6068) and OS (HR, 0.969, 95%CI, 0.08364-11.21; p = 0.9794) was not significantly different between those who received ACT and those who did not. Conclusion In patients with completely resected stage IB NSCLC, ACT can improve survival in patients with high risk for recurrence. Further large multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Abstract Background Anterior column realignment (ACR) is a novel surgical method for correcting spinal sagittal balance. meanwhile, oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) and anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) are considered minimally invasive surgical methods through natural anatomical space. This study aimed to explore the corrective effects and clinical outcomes of OLIF or ALIF combined with ACR technology in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD). Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients with sagittal imbalance who received OLIF and/or ALIF and ACR treatment from 2018 to 2021. Surgical time and intraoperative bleeding volume are recorded, the corrective effect is determined by the intervertebral space angle (IVA), lumbar lordosis (LL), the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), clinical outcome is evaluated by preoperative and final follow-up visual analog pain score (VAS), Japanese orthopedic association scores (JOA) and complications. Results Sixty-four patients were enrolled in the study, average age of 65.1(range, 47–82) years. All patients completed 173 fusion segments, for 150 segments of ACR surgery. The operation time of ALIF-ACR was 50.4 ± 22.1 min; The intraoperative bleeding volume was 50.2 ± 23.6 ml. The operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume of single-segment OLIF-ACR was 66.2 ± 19.4 min and 70.2 ± 31.6 ml. At the follow-up of 6 months after surgery, the intervertebral space angle correction for OLIF-ACR and ALIF-ACR is 9.2° and 12.2°, the preoperative and postoperative lumbar lordosis were 16.7° ± 6.4°and 47.1° ± 3.6° (p

Abstract In bioethanol production, the main by-product, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), significantly hinders microbial fermentation. Therefore, it is crucial to explore genes related to HMF tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for enhancing the tolerance of ethanol fermentation strains. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using genome-wide deletion library scanning and SGAtools, resulting in the identification of 294 genes associated with HMF tolerance in S. cerevisiae. Further KEGG and GO enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of genes OCA1 and SIW14 in the protein phosphorylation pathway, underscoring their role in HMF tolerance. Spot test validation and subcellular structure observation demonstrated that, following a 3-h treatment with 60 mM HMF, the SIW14 gene knockout strain exhibited a 12.68% increase in cells with abnormal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and a 22.41% increase in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species compared to the BY4741 strain. These findings indicate that the SIW14 gene contributes to the protection of the ER structure within the cell and facilitates the clearance of reactive oxygen species, thereby confirming its significance as a key gene for HMF tolerance in S. cerevisiae.

Landslides, prevalent in mountainous areas, are typically triggered by tectonic movements, climatic changes, and human activities. They pose catastrophic risks, especially when occurring near settlements and infrastructure. Therefore, detecting, monitoring, and predicting landslide deformations is essential for geo-risk mitigation. The mainstream of the previous studies have often focused on deterministic models for immediate landslide prediction. However, in most of them, the aspect of prediction uncertainties are not sufficiently addressed. This paper introduces an innovative probabilistic prediction method using a Variational Autoencoder (VAE) combined with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to forecast landslide deformations from a generative standpoint. Our approach consists of two main elements: firstly, training the VAE-GRU model to maximize the variational lower bound on the likelihood of historical precipitation data; secondly, using the learned approximated posterior distribution to predict imminent deformations from a generative angle. To assess the prediction quality, we use four widely-used metrics: Prediction Interval Coverage Probability (PICP), Prediction Interval Normalized Average Width (PINAW), Coverage Width-Based Criterion (CWC), and Prediction Interval Normalized Root Mean Square Width (PINRW). The results demonstrate that our proposed VAE-GRU framework surpasses traditional state-of-the-art (SOTA) probabilistic deformation prediction algorithms in terms of accuracy and reliability.

Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae for biodegradation and transformation of industrial toxic substances such as catechol (CA) has received widespread attention, but the low tolerance of S. cerevisiae to CA has limited its development. The exploration and modification of genes or pathways related to CA tolerance in S. cerevisiae is an effective way to further improve the utilization efficiency of CA. This study identified 36 genes associated with CA tolerance in S. cerevisiae through genome-wide identification and bioinformatics analysis and the ERG6 knockout strain (ERG6Δ) is the most sensitive to CA. Based on the omics analysis of ERG6Δ under CA stress, it was found that ERG6 knockout affects pathways such as intrinsic component of membrane and pentose phosphate pathway. In addition, the study revealed that 29 genes related to the cell wall-membrane system were up-regulated by more than twice, NADPH and NADP+ were increased by 2.48 and 4.41 times respectively, and spermidine and spermine were increased by 2.85 and 2.14 times, respectively, in ERG6Δ. Overall, the response of cell wall-membrane system, the accumulation of spermidine and NADPH, as well as the increased levels of metabolites in pentose phosphate pathway are important findings in improving the CA resistance. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the tolerance of strains to CA and reducing the damage caused by CA to the ecological environment and human health.

Low-light imaging capabilities are in urgent demand in many fields, such as security surveillance, night-time autonomous driving, wilderness rescue, and environmental monitoring. The excellent performance of SPAD devices gives them significant potential for applications in low-light imaging. This article presents a 64 (rows) × 128 (columns) SPAD image sensor designed for low-light imaging. The chip utilizes a three-dimensional stacking architecture and microlens technology, combined with compact gated pixel circuits designed with thick-gate MOS transistors, which further enhance the SPAD’s photosensitivity. The configurable digital control circuit allows for the adjustment of exposure time, enabling the sensor to adapt to different lighting conditions. The chip exhibits very low dark noise levels, with an average DCR of 41.5 cps at 2.4 V excess bias voltage. Additionally, it employs a denoising algorithm specifically developed for the SPAD image sensor, achieving two-dimensional grayscale imaging under 6 × 10−4 lux illumination conditions, demonstrating excellent low-light imaging capabilities. The chip designed in this paper fully leverages the performance advantages of SPAD image sensors and holds promise for applications in various fields requiring low-light imaging capabilities.

It has always been one of the hot spots of the whole society to improve teachers' quality and ability. With the progress of the era and the rapid development of biology, it puts forward higher requirements for the cultivation of biology teachers of middle school. How to cultivate a large number of high-quality biology teachers of middle school with good ethics and outstanding abilities is a focus problem worth exploring. There are some problems in the traditional training mode of biology normal students, such as backward teaching idea, unreasonable teaching arrangement and uneven teaching level. In view of these problems, normal universities should take a series of reform measures to promote the professional development of middle school biology teachers. Therefore, this paper summarizes the reform necessity, current situation and existing problems of the talent training mode. It also puts forward a series of reform measures on the talent training mode in the aspects of learning, innovation and reflection. Thus, this paper will provide important reference for the reform of talent training mode of middle school biology teachers in the future.

The 21st century is the century of life science. With the rapid development of life science and technology, the social needs of biological professionals are changing dramatically, and the requirements for their theoretical quality and practical ability are becoming higher and higher. The construction of characteristic disciplines in Henan Province is advancing steadily, which is having a far-reaching impact on the talent cultivation of colleges and universities in the province, and the talent training mode of colleges and universities has also changed greatly. With the continuous expansion of the national undergraduate enrollment scale, it is of great theoretical and practical significance for local normal universities to cultivate biological professionals to adapt to the development of life science and social needs, and to explore a new model for the cultivation of biological professionals. Xinyang Normal University, based on the experience of biological talents training in the past 45 years, especially in the past five years around the construction of Henan Province's characteristic disciplines, focuses on the construction of "teaching staff, teaching team and practice team", focusing on improving the theoretical quality and practical ability of students majoring in biology, that is, a new training model of "one center, two improvements" for biological professionals. The new model has important theoretical significance and potential application value for the continuous improvement of teaching quality of biology education.