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Abstract Background and objectives Congenital heart defect (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects. The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities and the clinical utility of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in fetuses with different types of CHD, aiming to assist genetic counseling and clinical decision-making. Methods In this study, 642 fetuses with CHD were enrolled from a single center over a six-year period (2017–2022). Both conventional karyotyping and CMA were performed simultaneously on these fetuses. Results The diagnostic yield of CMA in fetuses with CHD in our study was 15.3% (98/642). Our findings revealed a significant increase in the diagnostic yield of CMA compared to karyotyping in fetuses with CHD. Among CHD subgroups, the diagnostic yields were high in complex CHD (34.9%), conotruncal defects (28.6%), right ventricular outflow tract obstructive defects (RVOTO) (25.9%), atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD) (25.0%) and left ventricular outflow tract obstructive defects (LVOTO) (24.1%), while those in other CHD (10.6%) and septal defects (10.9%) were relatively low. The overall detection rate of clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities was significantly higher in the non-isolated CHD group compared to the isolated CHD group (33.1% vs. 9.9%, P

Abstract Modulation of scattering in random lasers (RLs) by magnetic fields has attracted much attention due to its rich physical insights. We fabricate magnetic gain polymer optical fiber to generate RLs. From macroscopic experimental phenomena, with the increase of the magnetic field strength, the magnetic transverse photocurrent exists in disordered multiple scattering of RLs and the emission intensity of RLs decreases, which is the experimental observation of photonic Hall effect (PHE) and photonic magnetoresistance (PMR) in RLs. At the microscopic level, based on the field dependence theory of magnetic disorder in scattered nanoparticles and the replica symmetry breaking theory, the magnetic-induced transverse diffusion of photons reduces the scattering disorder, and then decreases the intensity fluctuation disorder of RLs. Our work establishes a connection between the above two effects and RLs, visualizes the influence of magnetic field on RL scattering at the microscopic level, which is crucial for the design of RLs.

Abstract Northeast China is the main food production base of China. Extreme precipitation (EP) events can seriously impact agricultural production and socioeconomics, but the understanding of EP in Northeast China is still limited. In this study, using the non-stationary generalized extreme value (GEV) model, we investigate the trend and potential risk of EP in Northeast China during 1959–2017, especially in early and mid-summer (periods of high frequency of EP). Then, the relationships between EP and large-scale circulation over Northeast China in early and mid-summer are analyzed separately. The EP in Northeast China mainly presents positive trends in early summer but negative trends in mid-summer. Meanwhile, the EP with all the return periods presents apparently increasing trends in early summer, corresponding to more frequent EP events. Nevertheless, in mid-summer, the EP with 2-year return period decreases with location parameter, and the EP with 20-year, 50-year, and 100-year return periods slightly increases with scale parameter. The EP with 2-year return period occurs frequently in Liaoning Province, while the EP with 100-year return period is more likely to occur in Jilin Province and Heilongjiang Province. Moreover, the increase of the EP in early summer is mainly influenced by the northeast cold vortex; the effect of cold air on the EP is stronger in mid-summer, giving a clear explanation why the EP in mid-summer does not increase significantly. Overall, the outcomes of this study would be beneficial for the disaster prevention and mitigation in Northeast China.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contributes to the incidence and prognosis of lung cancer. The presence of COPD significantly increases the risk of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). COPD may promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment in LSCC by regulating the expression of immune‐inhibitory factors in T cells, although the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to decipher the tumour microenvironment signature for LSCC with COPD at a single‐cell level. Methods We performed single‐cell RNA sequencing on tumour tissues from LSCC with or without COPD, then investigated the features of the immune and tumour cells. We employed multiple techniques, including multispectral imaging, flow cytometry, tissue microarray analysis, survival analysis, co‐culture systems and in vitro and in vivo treatment experiments, to validate the findings obtained from single‐cell analyses. Results LSCC with COPD showed increased proportions of tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) and higher levels of CD8+ T cell exhaustion molecules, which contributed to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Further analysis revealed a critical cluster of CD74+ tumour cells that expressed both epithelial and immune cell signatures, exhibited a stronger capacity for tumorigenesis and predicted worse overall survival. Notably, migration inhibitory factor (MIF) secreted by TAMs from LSCC with COPD may promote the activation of CD74. MIF‐CD74 may interact with CD8+ T cells and impair their anti‐tumour activity by regulating the PI3K‐STAT3‐programmed cell death‐1 ligand 1 signalling pathway, facilitating tumour proliferation and immune evasion. Conclusions Our comprehensive picture of the tumour ecosystem in LSCC with COPD provides deeper insights into relevant immune evasion mechanisms and potential targets for immunotherapy. Highlight Our results demonstrated higher proportions of tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) and higher levels of exhaustion molecules in CD8+ T cells in the microenvironment of LSCC with COPD. CD74+tumour cells were associated with poor disease prognosis. Migration inhibitory factor (MIF)‐CD74 may interact with CD8+ T cells and impair their anti‐tumour activity by regulating the PI3K‐STAT3‐PD‐L1 signalling pathway, facilitating immune evasion.

Improving the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates and efficiently controlling membrane fouling are the keys to fully exploiting the applicability of anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) process in high-concentration wastewater treatment. To that purpose, an integrated reactor composed of an anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor and N anaerobic fluidized bed (AnCMBR-AFB) was built and pollutant removal efficiency, nitrogen and phosphorus recovery characteristics, and membrane pollution features of this integrated reactor were investigated. The results revealed that the integrated reactor had good pollutant removal efficiency, with turbidity, chromaticity, and UV254 average values of the effluent being 0.470 NTU, 0.011 A, and 0.057 cm−1, respectively, and the average CODCr removal rate was 80%. The nitrogen and phosphorus recoveries were significantly higher than the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates of conventional AnMBR at 23.20 ± 1.17% and 43.34 ± 1.54%, respectively. Microscopic analysis revealed the formation of magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) crystals on the carrier's surface, and friction between the carrier and the membrane surface could delay membrane fouling while allowing the contaminated membrane surface to retain significant roughness. Membrane fouling was mostly brought on by amides and saturated hydrocarbons, and inorganic metal ions also played a role to some extent. HIGHLIGHTS Pollutant removal during the operation of the AnCMBR-AFB-integrated reactor.; The AnCMBR-AFB-integrated reactor recovers nitrogen and phosphorus by the MAP crystallization process higher than AnMBR.; Membrane fouling is decreased by the friction between the fluidized carrier and the ceramic membrane.;

The land surface of a watershed acts as a large reservoir, with its catchment water storage capacity (CWSC) influencing rainfall-runoff relationship. Estimating CWSC at global grid scale is challenging due to calibration complexity, limited spatial continuity, and data scarcity. To address this, a deep learning-based approach incorporates spatial reconstruction and temporal transfer for capturing spatio-temporal variations in watershed characteristics. The study focuses on the Global Runoff Data Centre dataset and presents a grid-based hydrological model. Findings demonstrate accurate identification of CWSC distribution, with the model achieving an R ^2 of 0.92 and the runoff Kling–Gupta efficiency of 0.71 during validation. According to the CMIP6 projections, the global CWSC is anticipated to undergo a significant increase at a rate of 1.7 mm per decade under the SSP5-8.5 emission scenario. Neglecting spatio-temporal CWSC variability globally overestimates climate change’s impact on runoff, potentially reducing the projected long-term increase by up to 41%.

Diabetes patients need to monitor blood glucose all year round. In this article, a novel scheme is proposed for blood glucose detection. The proposed sensor is based on a U-shaped microfiber prepared using hydrogen-oxygen flame-heating technology, and then 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and glucose oxidase (GOD) are successively coated on the surface of the U-shaped microfiber via a coating technique. The glucose reacts with the GOD of the sensor surface to produce gluconic acid, which changes the effective refractive index and then shifts the interference wavelength. The structure and morphology of the sensor were characterized via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal laser microscopy (CLM). The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the sensor is as high as 5.73 nm/(mg/mL). Compared with the glucose sensor composed of the same material, the sensitivity of the sensor increased by 329%. The proposed sensor has a broad application prospect in blood glucose detection of diabetic patients due to the advantages of miniaturization, high sensitivity, and good stability.

Abstract Turbulent energy dissipation is a fundamental process in plasma physics that has not been settled. It is generally believed that the turbulent energy is dissipated at electron scales leading to electron energization in magnetized plasmas. Here, we propose a micro accelerator which could transform electrons from isotropic distribution to trapped, and then to stream (Strahl) distribution. From the MMS observations of an electron-scale coherent structure in the dayside magnetosheath, we identify an electron flux enhancement region in this structure collocated with an increase of magnetic field strength, which is also closely associated with a non-zero parallel electric field. We propose a trapping model considering a field-aligned electric potential together with the mirror force. The results are consistent with the observed electron fluxes from ~50 eV to ~200 eV. It further demonstrates that bidirectional electron jets can be formed by the hourglass-like magnetic configuration of the structure.

Abstract The morphology and motion of auroras have been widely studied due to their indications on magnetospheric processes. Here, we report a new kind of “auroral curls,” which have wavelengths in the mesoscale (∼100 km) and propagate azimuthally. Utilizing data from the Chinese Antarctic Zhongshan Station (the all‐sky imager and the high‐frequency radar), the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, we analyze an event occurred on 23 April 2019. We find these curls are fine structures in the poleward boundary of multiple arcs. Corresponding field‐aligned currents manifest as a series of longitudinally arranged pairs, while ionospheric flow velocities nearby oscillate with periods in the Pc 5 band. Observational evidence suggests these curls are connected with ultra‐low frequency (ULF) waves, which opens the possibility of using auroras to globally image ULF waves.

Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) has been globally recognized as an independent risk factor for various neurovascular diseases. In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between critical Hcy concentration and the risk of rupture in intracranial aneurysms (IAs). This study collected data from 423 patients with both ruptured and unruptured IAs. We compared demographic data, vascular rupture risk factors, and laboratory test results between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the correlation between critical plasma Hcy levels and the risk of rupture in small to medium-sized IAs. A total of 330 cases of ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) and 93 cases of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) were included. Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the ruptured and unruptured groups in terms of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, plasma Hcy levels, and IA morphology (all P < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0.504; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.279-0.911; P = 0.023), hyperlipidemia (OR 1.924; 95% CI 1.079-3.429; P = 0.027), and plasma Hcy levels (OR 1.420; 95% CI 1.277-1.578; P < 0.001) were independently associated with the rupture of small to medium-sized IAs, all with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Our study suggests that critical plasma Hcy levels are an independent risk factor for increased rupture risk in small to medium-sized intracranial aneurysms. Therefore, reducing plasma Hcy levels may be considered a valuable strategy to mitigate the risk of intracranial vascular abnormalities rupture and improve patient prognosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)