Search

Clonorchis sinensis infections persist globally among humans. These pathogens mainly inhabit the intrahepatic biliary system. Most individuals with clonorchiasis exhibit mild symptoms. The absence of distinctive symptoms often results in delayed diagnosis and treatment, potentially leading to chronic infection. We herein report a case of a 29-year-old female presented with a year-long history of abdominal distention and dyspepsia. Imaging revealed intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, intrahepatic bile duct cyst, and associated deposits. One month post-cystectomy, the patient developed massive ascites and a significant increase in eosinophil count. After treatment, multiple worms were observed in the drainage tube. Morphological and DNA metagenomic analyses confirmed the presence of C. sinensis. Clinical manifestations of C. sinensis vary widely. Imaging serves as a valuable diagnostic tool in endemic areas, especially in detecting intrahepatic duct dilation where the flukes reside. In addition to intrahepatic bile duct dilation, abnormal echoes within the bile duct and the presence of floating objects in the gallbladder significantly aid in diagnosis. Clinicians may encounter these parasitic diseases unexpectedly, underscoring the importance of understating such cases in routine practice and contributing to our broader understanding of managing similar cases in clinical settings.

Traditional methods for algae removal in drinking water treatment, such as coagulation and sedimentation, face challenges due to the negative charge on algae cells’ surfaces, resulting in ineffective removal. Ultrasonic cavitation has shown promise in enhancing coagulation performance by disrupting extracellular polymer structures and improving cyanobacteria removal through various mechanisms like shear force and free radical reactions. However, the short lifespan and limited mass transfer distance of free radicals in conventional ultrasonic treatment lead to high energy consumption, limiting widespread application. To overcome these limitations and enhance energy efficiency, advanced carbon-based materials were developed and tested. Nitrogen-doped functional groups on nanodiamond surfaces were found to boost sonosensitivity by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species at the sonosensitizer-water interface. Utilizing low-power ultrasound (0.12 W/mL) in combination with N-ND treatment for 5 min, removal rates of Microcystis aeruginosa cells in water exceeded 90 %, with enhanced removal of algal organic matters and microcystins in water. Visualization through confocal microscopy highlighted the role of positively charged nitrogen-doped nanodiamonds in aggregating algae cells. The synergy between cell capturing and catalysis of N-ND indicates that efficient mass transfer of free radicals from the sonosensitizer’s surface to the microalgae’s surface is critical for promoting cyanobacteria floc formation. This study underscores the potential of employing a low-intensity ultrasound and N-ND system in effectively improving algae removal in water treatment processes.

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the association of accelerometer-measured sleep duration and different intensities of physical activity (PA) with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based prospective cohort study. Methods: Altogether, 88,000 participants (mean age = 62.2 ± 7.9 years, mean ± SD) were included from the UK Biobank. Sleep duration (short: 8 h/day) and PA of different intensities were measured using a wrist-worn accelerometer over a 7-day period between 2013 and 2015. PA was classified according to the median or World Health Organization-recommendation: total volume of PA (high, low), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (recommended, not recommended), and light-intensity PA (high, low). Incidence of type 2 diabetes was ascertained using hospital records or death registries. Results: During a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 1615 incident type 2 diabetes cases were documented. Compared with normal sleep duration, short (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.03–1.41) but not long sleep duration (HR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.89–1.15) was associated with excessive type 2 diabetes risk. This increased risk among short sleepers seems to be protected against by PA. Compared with normal sleepers with high or recommended PA, short sleepers with low volume of PA (HR = 1.81, 95%CI: 1.46–2.25), not recommended (below the World Health Organization-recommended level of) MVPA (HR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.55–2.36), or low light-intensity PA (HR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.13–1.90) had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while short sleepers with a high volume of PA (HR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.88–1.49), recommended MVPA (HR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.71–1.48), or high light-intensity PA (HR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.92–1.41) did not. Conclusion: Accelerometer-measured short but not long sleep duration was associated with a higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes. A higher level of PA, regardless of intensity, potentially ameliorates this excessive risk.

Background & Aims: The EAT-Lancet Commission in 2019 advocated a plant-centric diet for health and environmental benefits, but its relation to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is unclear. We aimed to discover the metabolite profile linked to the EAT-Lancet diet and its association with MASLD risk, considering genetic predisposition. Methods: We analyzed data from 105,752 UK Biobank participants with detailed dietary and metabolomic information. We constructed an EAT-Lancet diet index and derived a corresponding metabolomic signature through elastic net regression. A weighted polygenic risk score for MASLD was computed from associated risk variants. The Cox proportional hazards model was employed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the risk of MASLD (defined as hospital admission or death). Results: During a median follow-up period of 11.6 years, 1,138 cases of MASLD were documented. Participants in the highest group for the EAT-Lancet diet index had a multivariable HR of 0.79 (95% CI 0.66–0.95) for MASLD compared to the lowest group. The diet's impact was unaffected by genetic predisposition to MASLD (p = 0.42). Moreover, a robust correlation was found between the metabolomic signature and the EAT-Lancet diet index (Pearson r = 0.29; p

A new seismic repair method for reinforced concrete columns, which uses carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) grids and sprayed engineered cementitious composite (ECC) to form a composite reinforcement jacket, was proposed to improve the seismic performance of concrete columns damaged by earthquakes. Five specimen columns with 250 mm × 250 mm cross section and 1160 mm height were prepared and four different damage degree (no-damage, minor damage, moderate damage and severe damage) was controlled by the comparative specimen under the same amplitude-increasing lateral loading protocol and constant axial load. The pre-damaged columns were repaired and strengthened with three layers of CFRP grids and 25 mm thickness of sprayed ECC. The repaired columns were tested to failure and the effectiveness of the repairing schemes was evaluated by comparing load-carrying capacities, ductility, and energy dissipation. Based on the OpenSees seismic analysis software, a finite element model has been proposed to predict the seismic performance of the strengthened columns. The experimental results showed that the yield load, peak load, and ultimate load of the strengthened RC columns with no damage and slightly damage have significantly increased compared to the control specimen, with an increase range of 15% to 18%. For moderately damaged and severely damaged strengthened columns, the increase in the three characteristic load values is very small, or even reduced. Except for the severely damaged strengthened column, the ductility and energy consumption of other specimens have been improved to varying degrees. The analysis results indicated that the simulated values are in good agreement with the experimental ones, and the established finite element analysis model can be used to predict the seismic performance of strengthened columns.

Summary: Large prospective studies are required to better elucidate the associations of physical activity, sedentary behaviors (SBs), and sleep with overall cancer and site-specific cancer risk, accounting for the interactions with genetic predisposition. The study included 360,271 individuals in UK Biobank. After a median follow-up of 12.52 years, we found higher total physical activity (TPA) level and higher sleep scores were related to reduced risk of cancer while higher SB level showed a positive association with cancer. Compared with high TPA-healthy sleep group and low SB-healthy sleep group, low TPA-poor sleep group and high SB-poor sleep group had the highest risk for overall cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. Adherence to a more active exercise pattern was associated with a lower risk of cancer irrespective of genetic risk. Our study suggests that improving the quality of sleep and developing physical activity habits might yield benefits in mitigating the cancer risk.

Background: Whether or not there is targeted pharmacotherapy for dementia, an active and healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity (PA) may be a better option than medication for preventing dementia. We examined the association between leisure-time sedentary behavior (SB) and the risk of dementia incidence and mortality. We further quantified the effect on dementia risk of replacing sedentary time with an equal amount of time spent on different physical activities. Methods: In the UK Biobank, 484,169 participants (mean age = 56.5 years; 45.2% men) free of dementia were followed from baseline (2006–2010) through July 30, 2021. A standard questionnaire measured individual leisure-time SB (watching TV, computer use, and driving) and PA (walking for pleasure, light and heavy do-it-yourself activity, strenuous sports, and other exercise) frequency and duration in the 4 weeks prior to evaluation. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype data were available for a subset of 397,519 (82.1%) individuals. A Cox proportional hazard model and an isotemporal substitution model were used in this study. Results: During a median 12.4 years of follow-up, 6904 all-cause dementia cases and 2115 deaths from dementia were recorded. In comparison to participants with leisure-time SB 8 h/day, and the HR of dementia mortality was 1.35 (1.12–1.61) for >8 h/day. A 1 standard deviation increment of sedentary time (2.33 h/day) was strongly associated with a higher incidence of dementia and mortality (HR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.03–1.08 and HR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.03–1.12, respectively). The association between sedentary time and the risk of developing dementia was more profound in subjects 8 h/day, p for interaction = 0.013). Replacing 30 min/day of leisure sedentary time with an equal time spent in total PA was associated with a 6% decreased risk and 9% decreased mortality from dementia, with exercise (e.g., swimming, cycling, aerobics, bowling) showing the strongest benefit (HR = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.78–0.86 and HR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.72–0.86). Compared with APOE ε4 noncarriers, APOE ε4 carriers are more likely to see a decrease in Alzheimer's disease incidence and mortality when PA is substituted for SB. Conclusion: Leisure-time SB was positively associated with the risk of dementia incidence and mortality. Replacing sedentary time with equal time spent doing PA may be associated with a significant reduction in dementia incidence and mortality risk.

Background: Cross-sectional evidence and small-scale trials suggest positive effects of stair climbing on cardiometabolic disease and glucose regulation. However, few studies have examined the long-term association between stair climbing and the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association of stair climbing with T2D and assess modifications by genetic predisposition to T2D. Methods: We included 451,699 adults (mean age = 56.3 ± 8.1 years, mean ± SD; 55.2% females) without T2D at baseline in the UK Biobank and followed up to March 31, 2021. Stair climbing information was collected through the touchscreen questionnaire. Genetic risk score for T2D consisted of 424 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results: During a median follow up of 12.1 years, 14,896 T2D cases were documented. Compared with participants who reported no stair climbing, those who climbed stairs regularly had a lower risk of incident T2D (10–50 steps/day: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.89–1.00; 60–100 steps/day: HR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.87–0.98; 110–150 steps/day: HR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.80–0.91; >150 steps/day: HR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.87–0.99, p for trend = 0.0007). We observed a significant interaction between stair climbing and genetic risk score on the subsequent T2D risk (p for interaction = 0.0004), where the risk of T2D showed a downward trend in subjects with low genetic risk and those who reported stair climbing activity of 110–150 steps/day appeared to have the lowest overall T2D risk among those with intermediate to high genetic risk. Conclusion: A higher number of stairs climbed at home was associated with lower T2D incidence risk, especially among individuals with a low genetic predisposition to T2D. These findings highlight that stair climbing, as incidental physical activity, offers a simple and low-cost complement to public health interventions for T2D prevention.

As agroecology deteriorates, agricultural production is threatened by the combined stressors of exposure to environmental pollutants and pathogenic microbes. Proper agronomic practices for crop growth management and fertilization require understanding plant tolerance strategies. Both rice blast and heavy metals substantially impair rice crops, while silicon (Si) is an effective amendment to alleviate the combined stressors. Herein, this study was conducted to investigate the rice physiology and pathology perspective on the mechanism of Si alleviation against both lead (Pb) toxicity and Magnaporthe oryzae infection, utilizing pot experiments with inoculation of the virulent Magnaporthe oryzae strain. Exogenous Si reduced the phyto-availability and plant absorption of Pb, resulting in a 73.5% reduction in exchangeable Pb concentration in soil and a 40.23% reduction in rice plants. Furthermore, Si addition boosted the plant antioxidant system by increasing the activities of related enzymes, as the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase were significantly improved while the activity of peroxidase in rice panicles decreased. As a result, an improvement in dry matter quantity by 19.19% was observed compared to treatments without Si application, and the panicle blast severity (PBS) was reduced by 0.4–37.52%. Notwithstanding the interaction between the combined stressors, this study revealed that the speciation of Pb formation in the rhizosphere was the primary contributor to the alleviation of abiotic stresses, whereas the regulation of oxidative stress by enzymatic antioxidants played a dominant role in alleviating Magnaporthe oryzae colonization and impairments. The regulation process may reveal the mechanism of siliceous fertilizer functioning in the paddy system. Thereby the role of exogenous Si in anti-fungal, heavy metal toxicology, and plant physiology needs further study to fully elucidate the role of Si amendment, which is proposed to be considered from the perspective of soil chemistry and plant physiology.

Background and objectives: Overutilization of phlebotomy tubes at healthcare facilities leads to iatrogenic anemia, patient dissatisfaction, and increase in operational costs. In this study, we analyzed the phlebotomy tube usage data at the Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, to show potential inefficiencies with phlebotomy tube usage. Methods: Data of 984,078 patients with 1,408,175 orders and 4,622,349 total phlebotomy tubes were collected during years 2018–2021. Data of different patient types were compared. Furthermore, we assessed the data from subspecialty and test levels to explore the factors influencing the increase in phlebotomy tube usage. Results: We observed an overall 8% increase in both the mean number of tubes used and blood loss per order over the past 4 years. The mean blood loss per day for intensive care unit (ICU) patients was 18.7 ml (maximum 121.6 ml), which was well under the 200 ml/day threshold. However, the maximum number of tubes used reached more than 30 tubes/day. Conclusions: The 8% increase of phlebotomy tubes over 4 years should alarm laboratory managements, as tests offered are expected to increase in the future. Importantly, the whole healthcare community needs to work together to solve this problem with more creative solutions.

Substantial progress in the use of chemo-photodynamic nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDS) for the treatment of the malignant breast cancer has been achieved. The inability to customize precise nanostructures, however, has limited the therapeutic efficacy of the prepared nano-DDS to date. Here, we report a structurally defined tandem-responsive chemo-photosensitive co-nanoassembly to eliminate primary breast tumor and prevent lung metastasis. This both-in-one co-nanoassembly is prepared by assembling a biocompatible photosensitive derivative (pheophorbide-diphenylalanine peptide, PPA-DA) with a hypoxia-activated camptothecin (CPT) prodrug [(4-nitrophenyl) formate camptothecin, N-CPT]. According to computational simulations, the co-assembly nanostructure is not the classical core-shell type, but consists of many small microphase regions. Upon exposure to a 660 nm laser, PPA-DA induce high levels of ROS production to effectively achieve the apoptosis of normoxic cancer cells. Subsequently, the hypoxia-activated N-CPT and CPT spatially penetrate deep into the hypoxic region of the tumor and suppress hypoxia-induced tumor metastasis. Benefiting from the rational design of the chemo-photodynamic both-in-one nano-DDS, these nanomedicines exhibit a promising potential in the inhibition of difficult-to-treat breast tumor metastasis in patients with breast cancer.

The circRNAs, a new subclass of non-coding RNAs that are catalyzed by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), have been reported to be associated with the progression of multiple types of cancer. We previously discovered that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (HnRNP-L), a multi-functional RBP, is associated with pro-proliferation and anti-apoptosis activities in prostate tumor cells. In this study, we aim to establish the biological relevance of circCSPP1 (a newly discovered signature circRNA in prostate cancer [PCa]) and HnRNP-L to prostate cancer progression. First, we demonstrated that circCSPP1 expression was higher in prostate cancer tissues than in benign tissues and higher in prostate cancer cells than in benign cells. Then, the in vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that the circCSPP1 expression in prostate cancer cells was regulated by HnRNP-L, and the increased circCSPP1 significantly induced autophagy, which led to an enhanced potential in proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells. These results were consistent with the in vivo experiment where increased or decreased circCSPP1 was associated with higher or slower growth rate in grafted tumors. Finally, we demonstrated the potential competing endogenous RNA network, involving circCSPP1, miR-520h, and early growth response factor 1 (EGR1), in prostate cancer cells, which may play an important role in prostate cancer progression. Our study indicated that the increase in circCSPP1 in prostate cancer, which may be catalyzed by HnRNP-L, can induce cellular autophagy through the circCSPP1-miR-520h-EGR1 axis, leading to the progression of prostate tumor. This newly discovered circRNA biomarker may be used for clinical prognosis of prostate cancer as well as for development of novel therapy plans.

Both photothermal therapy (PTT) and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) are neoteric therapeutic method for tumor control and ablation without invasive. Herein, we report the synthesis of a newly designed near-infrared (NIR) trifluoromethyl-heptamethine cyanine (TFHC) dye, which could synergistically work as a mitochondrial-targeting sonosensitizer for SDT and also a photothermal therapy agent (PTA) for PTT. The structure and chemical components of TFHC were determined by 1H NMR and mass spectrum (MS). Furthermore, the introduce of trifluoromethyl was proved drastically improving the biocompatibility of TFHC. Moreover, TFHC was capable to kill cancer cells with a high efficiency (80%) under NIR and ultrasound (US) without causing any significant side effects. In general, the prepared mitochondria-targeting TFHC obtains the synergy effect for the PTT and SDT with excellent therapeutic effects and low side effects, which can be harnessed for the combinational cancer non-invasive therapy in the near future.

Co-amorphous solid dispersion (C-ASD) systems have attracted great attention to improve the solubility of poorly soluble drugs, but the selection of an appropriate stabilizer to stabilize amorphous forms is still a huge challenge. Herein, C-ASD system of two clinical combined used drugs (lacidipine (LCDP) and spironolactone (SPL)) as stabilizers to each other, was prepared by solvent evaporation method. The effects of variation in molar ratio of LCDP and SPL (3:1, 1:1, 1:3, 1:6, and 1:9) on the drug release characteristics were explored. Polarized light microscopy (PLM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to evaluate the solid states. Prepared C-ASDs were further studied for their stability under the high humidity (RH 92.5%). Further analysis of C-ASDs via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that hydrogen bond interactions between the two drugs played a significant role in maintaining the stability of the C-ASDs systems. Moreover, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations provided a clear insight into the stability mechanism at the molecular level. This study demonstrated the novel drug-drug C-ASDs systems is a promising formulation strategy for improved dissolution rate and enhanced physical stability of poorly soluble drugs. Keywords: Co-amorphous solid dispersion, Lacidipine, Spironolactone, Stability, Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations

Background: Recurrently disrupted sleep is a widespread phenomenon in our society. This is worrisome as chronically impaired sleep increases the risk of numerous diseases that place a heavy burden on health services worldwide, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. Therefore, strategies mitigating the current societal sleep crisis are needed. Scope of review: Observational and interventional studies have found that regular moderate to intensive exercise is associated with better subjective and objective sleep in humans, with and without pre-existing sleep disturbances. Here, we summarize recent findings from clinical studies in humans and animal experiments suggesting that molecules that are expressed, produced, and released by the skeletal muscle in response to exercise may contribute to the sleep-improving effects of exercise. Major conclusions: Exercise-induced skeletal muscle recruitment increases blood concentrations of signaling molecules, such as the myokine brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been shown to increase the depth of sleep in animals. As reviewed herein, BDNF and other muscle-induced factors are likely to contribute to the sleep-promoting effects of exercise. Despite progress in the field, however, several fundamental questions remain. For example, one central question concerns the optimal time window for exercise to promote sleep. It is also unknown whether the production of muscle-induced peripheral factors promoting sleep is altered by acute and chronic sleep disturbances, which has become increasingly common in the modern 24/7 lifestyle.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess whether the benefits of exercise on central adiposity and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) are maintained after discontinuation of intervention in the overweight/obese (OWOB) women. Methods: The study subjects were from 2 independent studies with similar aerobic exercise (AE) intervention programs. In study I, 15 OWOB postmenopausal women with pre-diabetes (body mass index, BMI = 24–33 kg/m2, aged 52–65 years) completed an 8-month exercise intervention and were followed for 2 years after the intervention. In study II, 12 OWOB (BMI = 25–35 kg/m2, aged 30–50 years) premenopausal women participated in a 6-week AE and were followed for 4 years after the intervention. The exercise program consisted of progressive AE with intensity of 60%–75% of initial fitness level, 30–60 min/time and 3–5 times/week. Fat mass (FM) was assessed by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA Prodigy; study I) or bioelectrical impedance device (Inbody 720; study II). Plasma glucose and insulin were assessed by chemiluminescent immunoassay and HOMA-IR was calculated. Results: Both 8-month and 6-week moderate AE were effective in reducing HOMA-IR (−18.9%, p = 0.012 and −26.7%, p = 0.046, respectively), and 8-month AE reduced FM at upper abdominal region (−6.2%, p = 0.021). However, these improvements were not maintained in either study at the follow-up. Conclusion: The AE program used in these studies was effective to reduce insulin resistance and/or FM in central body region among overweight and obese women. However, when exercise intervention was discontinued, the beneficial effects following both short- and long-term intervention disappeared. Thus maintaining exercise seems to be required if one wants to reap the benefits of exercise in the long-term.

The NF-κB pathway plays important roles in immune responses. Although its regulation has been extensively studied, here, we report an unknown feedforward mechanism for the regulation of this pathway by Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in macrophages. During bacterial infections, TLR ligands upregulate the expression of the 11S proteasome subunit PSME3 via NF-κB-mediated transcription in macrophages. PSME3, in turn, enhances the transcriptional activity of NF-κB by directly binding to and destabilizing KLF2, a negative regulator of NF-κB transcriptional activity. Consistent with this positive role of PSME3 in NF-κB regulation and importance of the NF-κB pathway in host defense against bacterial infections, the lack of PSME3 in hematopoietic cells renders the hosts more susceptible to bacterial infections, accompanied by increased bacterial burdens in host tissues. Thus, this study identifies a substrate for PSME3 and elucidates a proteolysis-dependent, but ubiquitin-independent, mechanism for NF-κB regulation that is important for host defense and innate immunity.

Microcystis aeruginosa, generally occurring in large colonies under natural conditions, mainly exists as single cells in laboratory cultures. The mechanisms involved in colony formation in Microcystis aeruginosa and their roles in algal blooms remain unknown. In this study, based on previous research findings that fluid motion may stimulate the colony formation in green algae, culture experiments were conducted under axenic conditions in a circular water chamber where the flow rate, temperature, light, and nutrients were controlled. The number of cells of Microcystis aeruginosa, the number of cells per colony, and the colonial characteristics in various growth phases were observed and measured. The results indicated that the colony formation in Microcystis aeruginosa, which was not observed under stagnant conditions, was evident when there was fluid motion, with the number of cells per largest colony reaching 120 and the proportion of the number of cells in colonial form to the total number of cells and the mean number of cells per colony reaching their peak values at a flow rate of 35 cm/s. Based on the analysis of colony formation process, fluid motion stimulates the colony formation in Microcystis aeruginosa in the lag growth phase, while flushes and disaggregates the colonies in the exponential growth phase. The stimulation effect in the lag growth phase may be attributable to the involvement of fluid motion in a series of physiological processes, including the uptake of trace elements and the synthesis and secretion of polysaccharides. In addition, the experimental groups exhibiting typical colonial characteristics in the lag growth phase were found to have higher cell biomass in the later phase.

To address the issues of poor robustness and weak generalization in existing infrared image deblurring methods, a fuzzy operator-based algorithm is proposed to solve the fuzzy imaging in dragon boat races. The experiment showed that the models trained utilizing original and synthesized datasets had very small differences in peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity performance indicators, and the evaluation results were close. For a blurry image with 19 pixels, the number of blurry pixels extracted by the research algorithm was 22, with a difference of 3 pixels. For a blurry image with 35 pixels, the algorithm extracted 34 blurry pixels, with a difference of 1 pixel. This indicated that the deblurring result of the algorithm was accurate. In terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity, the peak signal-to-noise ratio and structure similarity were 30.98 dB and 0.921, respectively, both of which were the optimal values in all algorithms. In terms of the change of pixel gray value, the simulated blur length of the research method was 19 pixels, and the actual blur length was 20 pixels far less than 30 pixels. The results verified the effectiveness and significance of the algorithm for deblurring of dragon boat competition infrared images.

After the resumption of work and production following the COVID-19 pandemic, many cities entered a “transition phase”, characterized by the gradual recovery of emission levels from various sources. Although the overall PM2.5 emission trends have recovered, the specific changes in different sources of PM2.5 remain unclear. Here, we investigated the changes in source contributions and the evolution pattern of pollution episodes (PE) in Wuhan during the “transition period” and compared them with the same period during the COVID-19 lockdown. We found that vehicle emissions, industrial processes, and road dust exhibited significant recoveries during the transition period, increasing by 5.4%, 4.8%, and 3.9%, respectively, during the PE. As primary emissions increased, secondary formation slightly declined, but it still played a predominant role (accounting for 39.1∼ 43.0% of secondary nitrate). The reduction in industrial activities was partially offset by residential burning. The evolution characteristics of PE exhibited significant differences between the two periods, with PM2.5 concentration persisting at a high level during the transition period. The differences in the evolution patterns of the two periods were also reflected in their change rates at each stage, which mostly depend on the pre-PE concentration level. The transition period shows a significantly higher value (8.4 μg m–3 h–1) compared with the lockdown period, almost double the amount. In addition to local emissions, regional transport should be a key consideration in pollution mitigation strategies, especially in areas adjacent to Wuhan. Our study quantifies the variations in sources between the two periods, providing valuable insights for optimizing environmental planning to achieve established goals.

This paper introduces a design of an annular water-cooled automotive exhaust-based thermoelectric generator (TEG). A comprehensive numerical model of TEG system is established to investigate the relationship between automotive exhaust temperature and coolant flow rate. Through numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the implementation of this device can effectively enhance the temperature uniformity at the hot side of the heat exchanger, consequently increasing the TEG's power output. After introducing the annular water-cooled radiator, the temperature uniformity of the thermoelectric module increased by 18.8%. By utilizing the numerical simulation outcomes alongside empirical formulas, calculations for the pump power consumption, maximum output power, and maximum net output power of the thermoelectric module (TEM) are conducted. The maximum net output power can be increased by 3.30%–53.24% by controlling the coolant flow rate. As a result, a relationship curve depicting the average temperature difference between the hot and cold ends of the TEM, in relation to the optimum coolant flow rate, is obtained. This relationship curve serves as a valuable tool for adjusting the radiator's coolant flow rate and augmenting the TEG's net output power, ultimately achieving the objective of heightening the power generation efficiency of the TEG.

Background: There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal perioperative antiplatelet strategy for carotid artery surgery. This multicentre study aimed to analyse the association between preoperative aspirin monotherapy following postoperative dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and the risk for stroke and death after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods: This cohort study included 821 patients with carotid artery stenosis who underwent CEA. Primary outcomes included any stroke or death up to the one-month postoperative follow-up. Multilevel multivariate regression analyses and descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Patients were predominantly male (53 %), with a mean age of 66.2 years. The primary outcome occurred in 1.6 % of patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibited a high risk for stroke or death (P = 0.011). The occurrence of any local complications in the neck was accompanied by an increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P = 0.007). Patients with a high systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = 0.002) experienced a longer operative duration. The length of hospital stay was longer in the patients with COPD (P = 0.020), minor stroke (P = 0.011), and major stroke (P = 0.001). A positive linear correlation was found between SBP and operative duration in the overall population (β 0.4 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.1–0.7]; P = 0.002). The resultant curve for DBP and any local complications in the neck exhibited a two-stage change and one breakpoint in the entire population (k = 68 mmHg,

Purpose: To characterize changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness in preterm infants from 30 to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age (PMA). Design: The prospective, observational Study of Eye Imaging in Preterm infantS (BabySTEPS) enrolled infants eligible for retinopathy of prematurity screening per the American Association of Pediatrics guidelines. Subjects: Infants imaged with an investigational, handheld OCT at ≥ 4 distinct imaging sessions between 30 to 60 weeks' PMA as part of BabySTEPS. Methods: Average choroidal thickness across the central subfoveal 1 mm in each eye at each time point was measured using custom segmentation software, and errors were manually corrected by a trained grader. We prospectively collected birth history data. A segmented mixed model was used to analyze the change in choroidal thickness as a function of PMA, birth weight, and gestational age (GA). Main Outcome Measures: Characterization of normative subfoveal choroidal thickness values and choroidal growth rate between 30 to 60 weeks' PMA. Results: We included 592 imaging sessions of 79 preterm infants (152 eyes). Mean (± standard deviation) GA was 27.5 ± 2.5 weeks. Mean choroidal thickness was 141.4 ± 34.5 μm at 30 weeks, 272.2 ± 83.9 μm at 38 weeks, and 306.2 ± 77.4 μm between 56 and 60 weeks. Between 30 and 60 weeks' PMA, choroidal growth followed a biphasic model, with a linear growth rate of 14.8 μm per week (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.6–16.0) from 30 until 38.4 weeks, then cessation of growth, with a growth rate of 0.3 μm per week (95% CI, −1.1 to 1.6) from 38.4 to 60 weeks. Infants with extremely low birth weight (ELBW; < 1000 g) and extremely preterm (GA < 28 weeks) infants had significantly slower initial growth rates compared with very low and low birth weight and very preterm and preterm infants (ELBW 13.0 vs. 21.0 μm per week; P < 0.0001 and extremely preterm 13.2 vs. 18.0 μm per week; P = 0.003). Conclusions: Preterm infant choroidal thickness experiences rapid linear growth from 30 to 38 weeks' PMA, at which time growth nearly stops. These foundational measurements and identification of the impact of extremes of low birth weight and prematurity on choroidal development will be essential as researchers begin to understand the role of choroidal development in ocular and retinal health in human infants. Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Wide-bandgap semiconductors exhibit much larger energy bandgaps than traditional semiconductors such as silicon, rendering them very promising to be applied in the fields of electronics and optoelectronics. Prominent examples of semiconductors include SiC, GaN, ZnO, and diamond, which exhibit distinctive characteristics such as elevated mobility and thermal conductivity. These characteristics facilitate the operation of a wide range of devices, including energy-efficient bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), as well as high-frequency high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) and optoelectronic components such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. These semiconductors are used in building integrated circuits (ICs) to facilitate the operation of power electronics, computer devices, RF systems, and other optoelectronic advancements. These breakthroughs include various applications such as imaging, optical communication, and sensing. Among them, the field of power electronics has witnessed tremendous progress in recent years with the development of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices, which is capable of switching large currents and voltages rapidly with low losses. However, it has been proven challenging to integrate these devices with silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic circuits required for complex control functions. The monolithic integration of silicon CMOS with WBG devices increases the complexity of fabricating monolithically integrated smart integrated circuits (ICs). This review article proposes implementing CMOS logic directly on the WBG platform as a solution. However, achieving the CMOS functionalities with the adoption of WBG materials still remains a significant hurdle. This article summarizes the research progress in the fabrication of integrated circuits adopting various WBG materials ranging from SiC to diamond, with the goal of building future smart power ICs.

Summary: Sensing of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA is mediated by the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) signaling axis. Signal transduction and regulation of this cascade is achieved by post-translational modifications. Here we show that cGAS-STING-dependent HIV-1 sensing requires interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15). ISG15 deficiency inhibits STING-dependent sensing of HIV-1 and STING agonist-induced antiviral response. Upon external stimuli, STING undergoes ISGylation at residues K224, K236, K289, K347, K338, and K370. Inhibition of STING ISGylation at K289 suppresses STING-mediated type Ⅰ interferon induction by inhibiting its oligomerization. Of note, removal of STING ISGylation alleviates gain-of-function phenotype in STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI). Molecular modeling suggests that ISGylation of K289 is an important regulator of oligomerization. Taken together, our data demonstrate that ISGylation at K289 is crucial for STING activation and represents an important regulatory step in DNA sensing of viruses and autoimmune responses.

Abstracts: Background: Few studies examined the associations of household fuel combustion with incident diabetes. The current study emphasizes the association of domestic fuel combustion with diabetes among middle- and older- Chinese. Methods: The data was extracted from a national and prospective cohort, the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which enrolled adults ≥ 45 years. A total of 4610 and 5570 participants were involved in heating and cooking-related analyses. Multivariable logistic models were conducted to assess the association of domestic fuel combustion for heating and cooking with diabetes. Furthermore, we also examined whether it differed from switching fuel types. Subgroup and interaction analyses were performed based on covariates to examine the robustness and find potential effect modifiers. Results: After about 5-year follow-up, 592 and 716 diabetes were diagnosed in heating and cooking-related analyses. Compared to cleaner fuel users, those who used solid fuel for heating [OR (95 % CI):1.32 (1.05–1.66)] maintained higher risks of incident diabetes. In addition, participants who were exposed to solid fuel for both heating and cooking [OR (95 % CI):1.55 (1.17–2.06)] might have further elevated diabetic risk. Those risks are likely to be attenuated if people switched cooking fuel from solid to cleaner [OR (95 % CI): 0.68 (0.53–0.89)]. Conclusions: Home solid fuel use for heating is associated with an increased risk of incident diabetes. If solid fuel was concurrently used for both cooking and heating, those risks might be further elevated. Interestingly, as compared to solid fuel users, the participants switching cooking fuel types from solid to cleaner presented reduced diabetic risk.

Inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) results in decreased production of proinflammatory PGE2 and can lead to shunting of PGH2 into the prostaglandin D2 (PGD2)/15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2) pathway. 15dPGJ2 forms Michael adducts with thiol-containing biomolecules such as GSH or cysteine residues on target proteins and is thought to promote resolution of inflammation. We aimed to elucidate the biosynthesis and metabolism of 15dPGJ2 via conjugation with GSH, to form 15dPGJ2-glutathione (15dPGJ2-GS) and 15dPGJ2-cysteine (15dPGJ2-Cys) conjugates and to characterize the effects of mPGES-1 inhibition on the PGD2/15dPGJ2 pathway in mouse and human immune cells. Our results demonstrate the formation of PGD2, 15dPGJ2, 15dPGJ2-GS, and 15dPGJ2-Cys in RAW264.7 cells after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Moreover, 15dPGJ2-Cys was found in lipopolysaccharide-activated primary murine macrophages as well as in human mast cells following stimulation of the IgE-receptor. Our results also suggest that the microsomal glutathione S-transferase 3 is essential for the formation of 15dPGJ2 conjugates. In contrast to inhibition of cyclooxygenase, which leads to blockage of the PGD2/15dPGJ2 pathway, we found that inhibition of mPGES-1 preserves PGD2 and its metabolites. Collectively, this study highlights the formation of 15dPGJ2-GS and 15dPGJ2-Cys in mouse and human immune cells, the involvement of microsomal glutathione S-transferase 3 in their biosynthesis, and their unchanged formation following inhibition of mPGES-1. The results encourage further research on their roles as bioactive lipid mediators.

There are few studies on the social vulnerability of small towns in landslide disaster areas. The occurrence of geological disasters will directly threaten the local socioeconomic growth, it is particularly important to identify vulnerable areas and populations by using the social vulnerability index system. Eleven small towns of landslide areas after Wenchuan earthquake were taken as examples, based on 863 questionnaires and statistical data, this study established a new comprehensive evaluation index system of social vulnerability evaluation in landslide areas, and conducted quantitative evaluation by using the improved TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) model, the social vulnerability index was adopted to compare, classify and rank the social vulnerability levels in townships. The empirical results indicate that the social vulnerability showed the characteristics of regional heterogeneity, most towns showed a high or medium level of social vulnerability. Only Yingxiu showed a low level of social vulnerability, Shuimo presented the highest evaluation score of social vulnerability in eleven towns, the inter-group difference between these two towns is 0.286. Risk perception is an important factor affecting social vulnerability in landslide areas, involving disaster awareness, disaster cognitive approach, and community publicity. Additionally, social structure is another key factor affecting these areas based on the scores of the top three areas with the highest social vulnerability, including disaster prevention facilities, residents' income, and infrastructure accessibility. The index system can evaluate the social vulnerability scientifically in landslide areas, it can be used for urban disaster management and socioeconomic development in geological disaster areas.

Although tourism development (TD) has economic benefits, its rapid development has brought serious environmental pollution and high-speed consumption of resources, which has caused a threat that can not be ignored. The ecological environment and tourism resources are an important part of the survival and sustainable development of tourism. The contradiction between TD and the resource environment cannot be eliminated, how to promote its coordinated development is the focus of this study. The evaluation system of TD and resource environment carrying capacity (RECC) is constructed in this paper, the situation of TD, RECC, and coupling coordination degree (CCD) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) is analyzed based on the CCD model and dynamic DM model. It is found that the evaluation values in all aspects of the study area were in a dynamic upward process from 2006 to 2018, and showed obvious characteristics of spatial imbalance. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai in the eastern coastal areas were at a high level, while Guizhou, Yunnan, and Anhui in the inland areas were at a low level. The purpose of this study is to explore the interaction and contradiction relationship between TD and RECC, and provide effective references and suggestions for future tourism development projects, which is of great significance to the regional long-term sustainable development of tourism.

Urban livability (UL) plays an important direction of sustainable cities and society. According to the core connotation of urban sustainable development goals (SDGs), this study deconstructed the relationship between UL and SDGs, and extracted corresponding indicators to construct a universal and scientific evaluation index system for evaluating urban livability in arid zone. The UL system was divided into seven dimensions: economic growth, urban construction and population, urban public service capacity, resource consumption and utilization, living standard of residents, current situation of urban environment, environmental pollution. TOPSIS model and SYS-GMM model were adopted to explore the spatial–temporal evolution and key factors of urban livability in arid areas, 24 cities on the Loess Plateau from 2013 to 2018 were chosen for this study. The evaluation results indicate that the overall livable level of 24 cities is not ideal, the temporal characteristic shows a rising trend of fluctuation, and the spatial characteristic shows central depression. Additionally, the empirical results show that there are six key factors for urban livability in the Loess Plateau, the fixed asset investment and population density have a negative impact on UL, while environmental regulation, industrial structure optimization, income level and Institutional quality play a positive impact on UL. The UL index system can measure the UL situation comprehensively and scientifically, which can provide a universal applicability index system for ecologically sensitive & arid areas to research UL, construct ecological livable cities, and achieve SDGs.

The electrochemical response to a dynamic 3.5% NaCl droplet on pure iron was investigated by newly developed concentric three-electrode array measurements. The freshly covered electrode surface of the volume-expanded droplet acts as the cathode in the corrosion cell, resulting in enhanced local anodic galvanic current density of the anode with steady area and position. As the thickness of a droplet with a constant covering area was reduced, the overall localized corrosion tendency declined, which can be attributed to a more homogeneous oxygen transfer process under a thinner droplet. The results suggest that dynamic droplets with increasing area coverage could promote and accelerate the initiation and propagation of atmospheric corrosion; whereas, the thinning droplets from its original geometry to a thin electrolyte film with an average thickness of 440 μm could decrease the tendency for localized corrosion. Keywords: Iron, Atmospheric corrosion, Dynamic droplet, Local electrochemical response, Concentric three-electrode Array

This work reports on ratiometric optical thermometers consisting of luminescent lanthanide complexes, namely Ln-PDC (Ln = Nd, Nd1.43Yb0.57, Gd1.45Nd0.40Yb0.15, PDC = pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate). The fluorescence intensity ratio techniques based on emissions of Stark sublevels of 4F3/2 (Nd3+) excited state for Nd3+-single doped sample, and the intensity ratio of Stark sublevels emissions which is severally from Nd3+ and Yb3+ ions for co-doped samples are employed for the thermometric characterizations in the physiological range (298–318 K).The results show that all three complexes can be employed as luminescent thermometers with comparable temperature sensing performance and operating in biological range under 808-nm excitation. Gd1.45Nd0.40Yb0.15-PDC demonstrates to be the best one with the relative sensitivity varying from 0.482 to 0.439% K−1in the physiological range, and the minimum temperature uncertainty is less than 0.08 K. The results may provide a new approach for lanthanide organic complexes based optical thermometer working in the second biological window.

A macromolecular surface modifier, namely polypropylene-block-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) copolymer, could diffuse preferably onto the surface and effectively increased the biocompatibility of PP. The blood and cell compatibilities of PP and PP-b-PVP/PP blend films were evaluated by determination of the extent of platelet adsorption, plasma recalcification time, hemolysis rate and cell proliferation using smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta. The results revealed that the blood and cell compatibilities of PP were improved significantly by entrapment of a few PP-b-PVP copolymers in PP., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The determination of membrane-substrate profile for adherent vesicle using confocal reflectance interference contrast microscopy (C-RICM) has pushed for the need of advanced mechanics model for interpreting adhesion mechanisms. In this work, a model for vesicles or cells adhesion is established, the governing equation is derived from the variation of the potential energy at the cohesive zone. A closed-form solution is found for vesicle spontaneously adheres to a substrate when its shear modulus, micro vanishes. Based on the model and C-RICM experiments the magnitude of the adhesion force is calculated for a lipid vesicle adheres to a glass substrate.