Search

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), a biodegradable material, has excellent mechanical properties and processing properties. Brassylic acid (BA) is a kind of diacid with long chains derived from biomass. In this study, poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene brassylate) is synthesized to investigate the effects of BA on the structure and properties of PBS. The relationship between the melting temperature of copolyesters and the content of butylene brassylate units is V-shaped, which is typical of isodimorphic random copolyesters. Due to the introduction of BA, the density of unstable ester bonds in copolyesters gradually decreases and the initial thermal decomposition temperature of copolyesters gradually increases with the increase of BA. The dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the glass transition temperature of PBS was reduced by the introduction of BA. When the BA content is 25%, the copolyesters and PBS have the same crystal structure. When the BA content is 50–100%, the copolyesters and poly(butylene brassylate) have the same crystal structure, which indicates that the butylene brassylate units are easier to crystallize than the butylene succinate units. The ductility of copolyesters increases with the addition of BA. When the BA content is 50%, the elongation at break reaches the maximum (> 2000%). The copolyesters are suited for films due to high elongation at break. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine (CM) in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. Methods: A multi-center retrospective cohort study was carried out, with cumulative CM treatment period of ⩾3 days during hospitalization as exposure. Data came from consecutive inpatients from December 19, 2019 to May 16, 2020 in 4 medical centers in Wuhan, China. After data extraction, verification and cleaning, confounding factors were adjusted by inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 2,272 COVID-19 patients were included. There were 1,684 patients in the CM group and 588 patients in the control group. Compared with the control group, the hazard ratio (HR) for the deterioration rate in the CM group was 0.52 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.41 to 0.64, P<0.001]. The results were consistent across patients of varying severity at admission, and the robustness of the results were confirmed by 3 sensitivity analyses. In addition, the HR for all-cause mortality in the CM group was 0.29 (95% CI: 0.19 to 0.44, P<0.001). Regarding of safety, the proportion of patients with abnormal liver function or renal function in the CM group was smaller. Conclusion: This real-world study indicates that the combination of a full-course CM therapy on the basic conventional treatment, may safely reduce the deterioration rate and all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients. This result can provide the new evidence to support the current treatment of COVID-19. Additional prospective clinical trial is needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of specific CM interventions. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062917) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the COVID-19 pandemic, fever clinics urgently require rapid nucleic acid tests to enhance their capacity for timely pathogen detection. This study evaluated the analytical performance and clinical utility of the Flash10 SARS-CoV-2 point-of-care test (Flash10 POCT) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in patients with fever in the adult fever clinic in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from August 1 to August 30, 2023. The analytical performance and clinical utility of the Flash10 POCT for detecting SARS-CoV-2 were assessed in 125 patients with fever syndrome in the adult fever clinic. The Flash10 POCT demonstrated an analytical precision of 3.1% for the Ct values of the ORF1ab gene and 2.9% for the Ct values of the N gene in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing. Furthermore, the Flash10 POCT demonstrated a lower limit of detection (LoD) of 100 copies/mL, with no detected aerosol contamination leakage. Of the 125 patients (median age 61.9 years, 52% male and 48% female), both the Flash10 POCT and RT-PCR tests yielded positive results for 100 patients and negative results for 25 patients (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.0001). The median turn-around-time for the Flash10 POCT was significantly shorter, at 1.05 h, compared to 16.15 h required for RT-PCR tests (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p < 0.0001). The Flash10 POCT showed high analytical performance, achieving a 100% detection rate for SARS-CoV-2 compared to RT-PCR tests, while also exhibiting a significantly shorter turn-around-time. Implementing the Flash10 POCT had the potential to expedite the care of adults presenting with fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rivers worldwide have been increasingly threatened by nitrate (NO3−) pollution. The Xianyang-Xi'an segment of the Weihe River, located in the loess plateau with serious soil erosion, has been highly urbanized and with intensive agricultural activities. Tracing the sources and transformations of NO3− is particularly challenging for this watershed which has multiple N sources and variable environmental factors. In this study, integrating antecedent studies with multiple stable isotopes and MixSIAR models, these river basins can be categorized into three classes: (1) urban areas, sewage, and manure were the predominant sources of NO3− in the Weihe River's mainstream, accounting for 73.4 ± 12.8%; (2) suburban areas, sewage and manure (Fenghe River, 58.0 ± 14.0%; Bahe River, 53.9 ± 15.0%) were recognized as the main sources of NO3−; (3) and the rural areas, ammonium nitrogen fertilizers were identified as the primary source of NO3− in the Heihe and Laohe Rivers. In addition, nitrification dominated the mainstream of the Weihe, Fenghe, and Bahe Rivers, while neither denitrification nor nitrification was evident in the Heihe and Laohe Rivers. In conclusion, this study is important for the improvement of surface water quality of rivers with different land use types and the development of targeted water environment management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, and various molecules associated with PANoptosis are involved in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. This work aims to identify key genes, and characterize PANoptosis-related molecular subtypes in AD. Moreover, we establish a scoring system for distinguishing PANoptosis molecular subtypes and constructing diagnostic models for AD differentiation. A total of 5 hippocampal datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In total, 1324 protein-encoding genes associated with PANoptosis (1313 apoptosis genes, 11 necroptosis genes, and 31 pyroptosis genes) were extracted from the GeneCards database. The Limma package was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to identify gene modules significantly associated with AD. The ConsensusClusterPlus algorithm was used to identify AD subtypes. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) was used to assess functional and pathway differences among the subtypes. The Boruta, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithms were used to select the three PANoptosis-related Key AD genes (PKADg). A scoring model was constructed based on the Boruta algorithm. PANoptosis diagnostic models were developed using the RF, SVM-RFE, and Logistic Regression (LR) algorithms. The ROC curves were used to assess the model performance. A total of 48 important genes were identified by intersecting 725 differentially expressed genes and 2127 highly correlated module genes from WGCNA with 1324 protein-encoding genes related to PANoptosis. Machine learning algorithms identified 3 key AD genes related to PANoptosis, including ANGPT1, STEAP3, and TNFRSF11B. These genes had strong discriminatory capacities among samples, with Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) analysis indicating Area Under the Curve (AUC) values of 0.839, 0.8, and 0.868, respectively. Using the 48 important genes, the ConsensusClusterPlus algorithm identified 2 PANoptosis subtypes among AD patients, i.e., apoptosis subtype and mild subtype. Apoptosis subtype patients displayed evident cellular apoptosis and severe functionality damage in the hippocampal tissue. Meanwhile, mild subtype patients showed milder functionality damage. These two subtypes had significant differences in apoptosis and necroptosis; however, there was no apparent variation in pyroptosis functionality. The scoring model achieved an AUC of 100% for sample differentiation. The RF PANoptosis diagnostic model demonstrated an AUC of 100% in the training set and 85.85% in the validation set for distinguishing AD. This study identified two PANoptosis-related hippocampal molecular subtypes of AD, identified key genes, and established machine learning models for subtype differentiation and discrimination of AD. We found that in the context of AD, PANoptosis may influence disease progression through the modulation of apoptosis and necrotic apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), a prevalent kind of cancerous tumor in female reproductive system that has a dismal prognosis in women worldwide. Given the very limited studies of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs) in UCEC. Our purpose was to construct a prognostic profile based on CRLs and explore its assess prognostic value in UCEC victims and its correlation with the immunological microenvironment.Methods: 554 UCEC tumor samples and 23 normal samples' RNA-seq statistics and clinical details were compiled from data in the TCGA database. CRLs were obtained using Pearson correlation analysis. Using LASSO Cox regression, multivariate Cox regression, and univariate Cox regression analysis, six CRLs are confirmed to develop a risk prediction model at last.We identified two main molecular subtypes and observed that multilayer CRLs modifications were related to patient clinicopathological features, prognosis, and tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration characteristics, and then we verified the prognostic hallmark of UCEC and examined its immunological landscape.Finally, using qRT-PCR, model hub genes' expression patterns were confirmed. Results: A unique CRL signature was established by the combination of six differently expressed CRLs that were highly linked with the prognosis of UCEC patients. According to their CRLs signatures, the patients were divided into two groups: the low-risk and the high-risk groups. Compared to individuals at high risk, patients at low risk had higher survival rates (p < 0.001). Additionally, Cox regression reveals that the profiles of lncRNAs linked to cuproptosis may independently predict prognosis in UCEC patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year risks' respective receiver operating characteristics (ROC) exhibited AUC values of 0.778, 0.810, and 0.854. Likewise, the signature could predict survival in different groups based on factors like stage, age, and grade, among others. Further investigation revealed differences between the different risk score groups in terms of drug sensitivity,immune cell infiltration,tumor mutation burden (TMB) score and microsatellite instability (MSI) score. Compared to the group of high risk, the low-risk group had greater rates of TMB and MSI. Results from qRT-PCR revealed that in UCEC vs normal tissues, AC026202.2, NRAV, AC079466.2, and AC090617.5 were upregulated,while LINC01545 and AL450384.1 were downregulated. Conclusions: Our research clarified the relationship between CRLs signature and the immunological profile and prognosis of UCEC.This signature will establish the framework for future investigations into the endometrial cancer CRLs mechanism as well as the exploitation of new diagnostic tools and new therapeutic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variants can affect gene expression by altering the level of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications. A better understanding of the association of these genetic variants with susceptibility to cervical cancer (CC) can promote advances in disease screening and treatment. Genome-wide identification of m6A-associated functional SNPs for CC was performed using the TCGA and JENGER databases, incorporating the data from RNA-seq and MeRIP-seq. The screened risk-associated SNP rs1059288 (A>G), which is located in the 3′ UTR of TAPBP, was further validated in a case–control study involving 921 cases and 1077 controls. The results revealed a significant association between rs1059288 and the risk of CC (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.13–1.92). Mechanistically, the presence of the risk G allele of rs1059288 was associated with increased m6A modification of TAPBP compared with the A allele. This modification was facilitated by the m6A methyltransferase METTL14 and the reading protein YTHDF2. Immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays containing 61 CC and 45 normal tissues showed an overexpression of TAPBP in CC. Furthermore, the upregulation of TAPBP promoted the growth and migration of CC cells as well as tumor-forming ability, inhibited apoptosis, and conferred increased resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs such as bleomycin, cisplatin, and doxorubicin. Knockdown of TAPBP inhibited the JAK/STAT/MICB signaling pathway in CC cells and upregulated certain immune genes including ISG15, IRF3, PTPN6, and HLA-A. These findings offer insights into the involvement of genetic variations in TAPBP in the development and progression of CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the influence of state changes on brucellosis, a stochastic brucellosis model with semi-Markovian switchings and diffusion is proposed in this paper. When there is no switching, we introduce a critical value R s and obtain the exponential stability in mean square when R s < 1 by using the stochastic Lyapunov function method. Sudden climate changes can drive changes in transmission rate of brucellosis, which can be modelled by a semi-Markov process. We study the influence of stationary distribution of semi-Markov process on extinction of brucellosis in switching environment including both stable states, during which brucellosis dies out, and unstable states, during which brucellosis persists. The results show that increasing the frequencies and average dwell times in stable states to certain extent can ensure the extinction of brucellosis. Finally, numerical simulations are given to illustrate the analytical results. We also suggest that herdsmen should reduce the densities of animal habitation to decrease the contact rate, increase slaughter rate of animals and apply disinfection measures to kill brucella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The envelope structure with high light transmittance accounts for an increasing proportion of building energy consumption, which is one of the shortcomings of energy conservation and emission reduction. Cellulose-based aerogel has become a research topic of interest because of its low thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties. However, most cellulose-based aerogels are opaque and flammable limiting their applications. Herein, cellulose/silica composite aerogels (CAS) with "organic–inorganic" structures were fabricated by two-step sol–gel method, spin-coating technique and supercritical CO2 drying, using the ionic liquid 1-allyl 3-methylimidazolium chloride salt to dissolve the Cotton pulp, followed by the addition of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) co-precursors into the cellulose gels. The synthesis mechanism, microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of as-prepared aerogels samples were investigated. The obtained CAS have low density (0.093–0.170 g/cm3), high specific surface area (660.87–1089.70 m2/g), and high mechanical property (compressive strength of 18.74 MPa, tensile strength as high as 1.54 MPa, and bending tests above 500 times). In particular, the CAS4 shows the lowest thermal conductivity (0.0188 W·m−1·K−1), good thermal stability (> 331 °C), high transparency (91.7%) and excellent flame retardancy. In addition, the self-designed aerogels glasses model was placed in a real outdoor environment for 5 h. The results showed that the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the aerogels glasses model was as high as 12 ℃ under the thermal equilibrium state. Thus, the as-prepared high-performance cellulose/silica composite aerogels may increase the role of aerogels glasses in the building envelope and have promising applications in transparent energy-efficient construction and thermal insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging contaminants (ECs) of significant concern are widely distributed throughout the environment due to various industrial practices and human activities. Given the alarming ecological threats and potential risks that ECs pose to human health and aquatic life, even at trace concentrations, it is imperative to develop innovative technologies to effectively address these challenges. The biophotoelectrochemistry (BPEC) system, which integrates microbial cells with photosensitizers for solar-to-chemical conversion, holds great potential as an efficient strategy for the removal of ECs. In this review, we provide new insights into the BPEC system for the ECs treatment by systematically summarizing the classification, sources, and environmental occurrence of ECs. Additionally, we explore the research progress and degradation mechanisms in ECs removal with BPEC. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives for the applications of the BPEC system in the ECs treatment are analyzed. This review aims to promote the development of BPEC technology for ECs treatment, offering a promising prospect for environmental remediation, circular economy, and clean-energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoacoustic detection has shown excellent performance in measuring thickness and detecting defects in metal nanofilms. However, existing research on ultrafast lasers mainly focuses on using picosecond or nanosecond lasers for large-scale material processing and measurement. The theoretical study of femtosecond laser sources for photoacoustic nondestructive testing (NDT) in nanoscale thin film materials receives much less emphasis, leading to a lack of a complete physical model that covers the entire process from excitation to measurement. In this study, we developed a comprehensive physical model that combines the two-temperature model with the acoustic wave generation and detection model. On the basis of the physical model, we established a simulation model to visualize the ultrafast lasermaterial interaction process. The damage threshold of the laser source is determined, and the effect of key parameters (laser fluence, pulse duration, and wavelength) for AlCu nanofilms on the femtosecond photoacoustic NDT process is discussed using numerical results from the finite element model. The numerical results under certain parameters show good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a facial feature, the auricle plays an important role in the integrity and aesthetics of the whole face. Auricular subunits are associated with patient satisfaction in auricular reconstruction, but there are few studies on auricular subunits. We want to evaluate the reproducibility of auricular subunits by measuring the coordinates of the marker points of auricular subunits, accordingly provide a reference for the improvement of auricular reconstruction and the aesthetics of auricular injection. Methods: Mimics 19.0 was used to carry out three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the computed tomography (CT) scan data of patients' brains; measure the three-dimensional coordinates of the 13 auricular subunit markers, the morphological auricle length and width, and the physiological auricle length and width; and analyze the reproducibility as well as the differences between group. Results: Reproducibility of auricle subunit markers: There are 1124 (58.82%) high reproducibility, 580 (30.35%) moderate reproducibility, and 207 (10.83%) low reproducibility. The superior tragus notch, tragus, and antitragus had the highest reproducibility. There was no significant difference between the groups in the marking points on the helix, and there were no statistically significant differences in the measurement values of the auricles on the two sides. The physiological ear length and width and the morphological ear length of males were larger than those of females. These showed significant differences between the age groups. Conclusion: Most auricular subunit markers have high reproducibility. The subunits with higher reproducibility are the structures that need to be optimized during auricle reconstruction surgery or auricle injection in the future. No Level Assigned: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CRISPR (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein9) system has emerged as a powerful genetic tool, gaining global recognition as a versatile and efficient gene-editing technique. Its transformation into a high-throughput research platform, CRISPR Screening, has demonstrated wide applicability across various fields such as cancer biology, virology, and drug target discovery, resulting in significant advances. However, its potential in studying retinal degenerative diseases remains largely unexplored, despite the urgent need for effective treatments arising from an incomplete understanding of disease mechanisms. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the evolution and current state of CRISPR tools and CRISPR screening methodologies. Noteworthy pioneering studies utilizing these technologies are discussed, alongside experimental design guidelines, including positive and negative selection strategies and delivery methods for sgRNAs (single guide RNAs) and Cas proteins. Furthermore, we explore existing in vitro models appropriate for CRISPR screening in retinal research and identify relevant research questions that could be addressed through this approach. It is anticipated that this review will stimulate innovation in retinal research, facilitating a deeper comprehension of retinal pathophysiology and paving the way for groundbreaking therapeutic interventions and enhanced patient outcomes in the management of retinal degenerative disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell senescence alters the homeostasis of distinct T cell populations and results in decayed adaptive immune protection in older individuals, but a link between aging and dynamic T cell clone changes has not been made. Here, using a newly developed computational framework, Repertoire Functional Units (RFU), we investigate over 6500 publicly available TCR repertoire sequencing samples from multiple human cohorts and identify age-associated RFUs consistently across different cohorts. Quantification of RFU reduction with aging reveals accelerated loss under immunosuppressive conditions. Systematic analysis of age-associated RFUs in clinical samples manifests a potential link between these RFUs and improved clinical outcomes, such as lower ICU admission and reduced risk of complications, during acute viral infections. Finally, patients receiving bone marrow transplantation show a secondary expansion of the age-associated clones upon stem cell transfer from younger donors. Together, our results suggest the existence of a 'TCR clock' that could reflect the immune functions in aging populations. Immune aging is associated with altered homeostasis of distinct T cell populations, but a link to clonal dynamic is still not made. Here the authors develop a new framework, Repertoire Functional Units (RFU), and use public TCR sequences to find specific TCR clonal changes that correlate with aged immune repertoires or outcomes of acute viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with a class of parabolic-elliptic chemotaxis models with density-suppressed motility and general logistic source in an n-dimensional smooth bounded domain. With some conditions on the density-suppressed motility function, we show the convergence rate of solutions is exponential as time tends to infinity for such kind of models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), caused by hyperoxia exposure, is the most common complication affecting preterm infants. The C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CXCL17) belongs to the chemokine family that plays important roles in various processes, but the function in BPD is unknown. Elevated serum CXCL17 levels were observed in human premature infants with hyperoxia-induced lung injury, suggesting that CXCL17 might be involved in BPD. To further validate our speculation, studies were conducted in a hyperoxia-induced lung injury mouse model and primary murine alveolar epithelial cells Type II (T2AEC) cells exposed to hyperoxia. RT-qPCR and western blot were used to validate CXCL17 expression in newborn mice. Hyperoxia exposure-induced lung injury was determined by assessing the lung wet-weight/dry-weight ratio and histological changes. Oxidative stress and inflammatory factors were examined by ELISA assay and RT-qPCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was evaluated by DHE staining. Apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining and western blot. The results showed that hyperoxia exposure increased CXCL17 levels in newborn mice pups. Hyperoxia exposure increased lung wet-weight/dry-weight ratio, increased alveolar diameter and enlarged alveoli, and reduced surfactant protein C expression. However, recombinant CXCL17 (rCXCL17) treatment alleviated hyperoxia-induced lung injury. rCXCL17 treatment inhibited hyperoxia-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in neonatal mice. These results were further verified in T2AEC cells. Additionally, rCXCL17 treatment activated the AKT pathway, which is a protective pathway in BPD. Collectively, rCXCL17 alleviates hyperoxia-induced lung injury in neonatal mice by activating the AKT pathway, indicating that CXCL17 may be a promising target for BPD therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the effects of spatial diffusion and environmental noise, this paper establishes a stochastic reaction–diffusion tuberculosis (TB) model that includes varying immunity period. Compared to the classical TB models, the TB models driven by stochastic partial differential equations are more versatile. Mathematically, the boundness of moment on the solutions is given. Furthermore, the regularity of an invariant measure and the unique geometric ergodicity of model are proved by the generalized coupling method. Some numerical simulations are also displayed, which demonstrate the effectiveness of theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring high product quality is of paramount importance in pharmaceutical drug manufacturing, as it is subject to rigorous regulatory practices. This study presents a research focused on the development of an on-line detection method and system for identifying surface defects in pharmaceutical products packaged in aluminum-plastic blisters. Firstly, the aluminum-plastic blister packages exhibit multi-scale features and inter-class indistinction. To address this, the deep semantic network with boundary refinement (DSN-BR) model is proposed, which leverages semantic segmentation domain knowledge, to accurately segment the defects in pixel level. Additionally, a specialized image acquisition module that minimizes the impact of ambient light is established, ensuring high-quality image capture. Finally, the image acquisition module, image detection module, and data management module are designed to construct a comprehensive online surface defect detection system. To validate the effectiveness of our approach, we employ a real dataset for instance verification on the implemented system. The experimental results substantiate the outstanding performance of the DSN-BR, achieving the mean intersection over union (MIoU) of 90.5%. Furthermore, the proposed system achieves an inference speed of up to 14.12 f/s, while attaining an F1-Score of 98.25%. These results demonstrate that the system meets the actual needs of the enterprise and provides theoretical and methodological support for intelligent inspection of product surface quality. By standardizing the control process of pharmaceutical manufacturing and improving the management capability of the manufacturing process, our approach holds significant market application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a kind of polyester from biomass. To increase the ductility of PLA, melt blending was used to prepare the polylactic acid/poly(butylene diglycolate) blends in this study. The effect of poly(butylene diglycolate) (PBD) on the thermal, crystallization, tensile, and dynamic mechanical properties of PLA was investigated. The blend containing 30 wt% PBD has a substantially improved elongation at break (79%) due to the lower glass transition temperature of PBD compared to PLA. The results indicated that PLA and PBD exhibited partial compatibility, which was confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed there is the interaction between PLA and PBD. In summary, the incorporation of PBD resulted in improved mechanical properties, indicating potential for applications requiring enhanced ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The security of vehicle communication becomes increasingly important due to the transmission requirement of large-scale security and privacy data in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). This paper investigates the physical layer secure transmission with reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) assistance in the coexistence of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V). It establishes a communication model for physical layer secure transmission where the eavesdropping user exists. Based on this model, we propose a V2I physical layer secure transmission rate (PLSTR) maximization problem and solve it by employing an alternating optimization algorithm based on generalized Rayleigh entropy and semi-definite relaxation programming so as to obtain optimal V2I base station precoding and RIS reflection coefficient matrix. Simulation results further validate the superiority of the proposed algorithm and analyze the impact of relevant parameters on system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the Cockayne Syndrome group B (CSB) gene cause cancer in mice, but premature aging and severe neurodevelopmental defects in humans. CSB, a member of the SWI/SNF family of chromatin remodelers, plays diverse roles in regulating gene expression and transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER); however, these functions do not explain the distinct phenotypic differences observed between CSB-deficient mice and humans. During investigating Cockayne Syndrome-associated genome instability, we uncover an intrinsic mechanism that involves elongating RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) undergoing transient pauses at internal T-runs where CSB is required to propel RNAPII forward. Consequently, CSB deficiency retards RNAPII elongation in these regions, and when coupled with G-rich sequences upstream, exacerbates genome instability by promoting R-loop formation. These R-loop prone motifs are notably abundant in relatively long genes related to neuronal functions in the human genome, but less prevalent in the mouse genome. These findings provide mechanistic insights into differential impacts of CSB deficiency on mice versus humans and suggest that the manifestation of the Cockayne Syndrome phenotype in humans results from the progressive evolution of mammalian genomes. CSB deficiency is associated with induction of R-loops and genome instability, impacting long genes linked to neuronal functions in humans. Here the authors provide mechanistic understanding on how mutations in the CSB gene affects RNAPII elongation and genome instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic starch (TPS) as a renewable filler and biodegradable polyester polylactic acid (PLA) blending is a cost-effective and feasible method. To improve the performance and compatibility of PLA/TPS blends, an epoxy-terminated hyperbranched polymer (EHBP) was designed and synthesized. The end epoxide group of EHBP formed chemical micro-crosslinking with the carboxyl group and hydroxyl group of PLA and TPS, thus improving the compatibility between PLA and TPS. The formation of chemical micro-crosslinks and improved compatibility of PLA/TPS blends were demonstrated. The tensile strength, elongation at break, impact strength, composite viscosity and energy storage modulus of the blends were significantly improved. When the EHBP content reached 5phr, the tensile strength, elongation at break and impact strength of the sample increased by 115.01%, 341.11% and 205.51%, respectively. However, the addition of EHBP resulted in a lower crystallinity and a slight decrease in biodegradability due to the occurrence of chemical micro-crosslinking. Nevertheless, the use of EHBP has great potential in PLA/TPS biodegradable packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) foam is regarded as one of the ideal alternatives to petroleum-based polymer foams in view of its advantages of lightweight, high elasticity, biodegradability and biocompatibility, while the problem of shrinkage after foaming has seriously limited its application in industry. In this paper, the no-shrinkage chain-extend PBAT-glycerin monostearate (GMS) foams with ultra-high volume expansion ratio (VER) were prepared by scCO2-assisted molten foaming method. The chain extension reaction between PBAT and chain extender (CE) were investigated by torque curves, gel fraction and FTIR measurements. Comparing with torqued PBAT, the storage modulus of CE-PBAT2 specimen increased 3 orders of magnitude and their crystallization temperature rose from 72.5 to 87.2 ℃. Furthermore, the addition of GMS was beneficial to enhance the dimensional stability of CE-PBAT foams. When 2 phr CE and 2.5 phr GMS were incorporated into PBAT, CEPBAT-GMS2.5 foam attained ultra-high VER of 25.38 times, resilience ratio of 87% with no-shrinkage, which revealed admirable compression and resilience properties. In conclusion, this study provided a feasible new method for improving the VER and dimensional stability of PBAT foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolytic copper foils are functional basic raw material in the electronics manufacturing industry. Due to different electrolytic process conditions (such as types of additives, current density, electrodeposition time, etc.), different microstructures will be formed during the raw foil manufacturing process, such as grain size, morphology, twinning, and texture. These microstructures are closely related to the performance of the electrolytic copper foil (ECF). Texture is one key aspect among them, as it affects various properties of ECF to a certain extent, including tensile strength, elongation, and hardness. Therefore, texture is receiving increasing research attention. This article reviews recent studies on the texture of ECF, analyzes the influence of electrolytic process conditions on the formation of texture, and explores the intrinsic relationship between texture and the mechanical properties of ECF. It also provides an outlook on the mechanisms for the study of ECF texture and its future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustable ring mode laser beam welding (ARMLBW) has become a promising welding method due to its stable weld quality. In this study, the equation for the distribution of heat flux density of the ring beam was derived, and a combined volumetric heat source model for simulating ARMLBW was proposed. The evolution of the weld pool and keyhole during the welding of AZ31B magnesium alloy using ARMLBW and conventional single laser beam welding (SLBW) laser was compared and analyzed. The results showed that the maximum error in size between the simulated and experimental weld cross-sections did not exceed 10%. Compared to SLBW, the duration of "bubbles" in the weld pool decreased by at least 75% in ARMLBW. The oscillation amplitude of the weld pool and keyhole volume increased by 100%, and the oscillation period was also extended by at least 64%. This is consistent with the experimental reduction in the number of porosity defects (65%), validating the effectiveness of the simulation results. Reducing the oscillation frequency of the weld pool and keyhole, as well as increasing the oscillation amplitude, can result in high-quality welds with fewer porosity defects. Additionally, long and narrow keyholes are more prone to porosity defects in smaller weld pool. The impact of the flowing liquid metal in the weld pool on the keyhole surface is an important factor in the formation of "bubbles," not all of which ultimately become porosity defects. Generally, porosity defects are formed by "bubbles" that have not completely merged with the keyhole and "bubbles" that have not overflowed from the weld pool. The combined action of positive and negative pressure is more likely to cause the formation of porosity defects in smaller weld pool. The formation of humps and depressions on the inner surface of the keyhole is related to the static pressure of the weld pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the shortcomings of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), such as brittleness, large grain size and high crystallinity, a kind of bio-based engineering polyester elastomer (BEPE) was incorporated into PHBV by melting blending method with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator. With the addition of BPO, the interfacial adhesion between PHBV and BEPE was improved, and BPO hindered the crystallization and reduced the crystallinity of PHBV/BEPE blends. At the same time, the gel content, the dynamic complex viscosity and dynamic elastic modulus of blends were increased significantly in low-frequency region with 0.7-phr BPO. Compared to that of neat PHBV, the elongation at break and impact strength of PHBV/BEPE/BPO (0.7 phr) blends were increased by 373.6 and 158.7%, respectively. Compared to that of PHBV/BEPE blends, the elongation at break and impact strength of the PHBV/BEPE/BPO (0.7 phr) blends were increased by 44.3 and 122.7%, respectively. The above phenomena were resulted from the formation of chemical micro-crosslinking between PHBV and BEPE. The main mechanism can be explained, PHBV and BEPE polymer radicals were generated by BPO initiator, and then, PHBV and BEPE polymer radicals recombined to form carbon–carbon crosslinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Stem cell therapy for periodontal defects has shown good promise in preclinical studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of stem cell support on the regeneration of both soft and hard tissues in periodontal treatment. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched and patients with periodontal defects who received stem cell therapy were included in this study. The quality of the included articles was assessed using Cochrane's tool for evaluating bias, and heterogeneity was analyzed using the I2 method. An Mendelian randomization investigation was conducted using abstract data from the IEU public databases obtained through GWAS. Nine articles were included for the meta-analysis. Stem cell therapy effectively rebuilds periodontal tissues in patients with periodontal defects, as evidenced by a reduction in probing depth, clinical attachment level and bone defect depth. And delta-like homolog 1 is a protective factor against periodontal defects alternative indicator of tooth loosening. The findings of this research endorse the utilization of stem cell treatment for repairing periodontal defects in individuals suffering from periodontitis. It is recommended that additional extensive clinical investigations be carried out to validate the efficacy of stem cell therapy and encourage its widespread adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to individual differences in tumors and immune systems, the response rate to immunotherapy is low in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Combinations with other therapeutic strategies improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in LUAD patients. Although radioimmunotherapy has been demonstrated to effectively suppress tumors, the underlying mechanisms still need to be investigated. Methods: Total RNA from LUAD cells was sequenced before and after radiotherapy to identify differentially expressed radiation-associated genes. The similarity network fusion (SNF) algorithm was applied for molecular classification based on radiation-related genes, immune-related genes, methylation data, and somatic mutation data. The changes in gene expression, prognosis, immune cell infiltration, radiosensitivity, chemosensitivity, and sensitivity to immunotherapy were assessed for each subtype. Results: We used the SNF algorithm and multi-omics data to divide TCGA-LUAD patients into three subtypes. Patients with the CS3 subtype had the best prognosis, while those with the CS1 and CS2 subtypes had poorer prognoses. Among the strains tested, CS2 exhibited the most elevated immune cell infiltration and expression of immune checkpoint genes, while CS1 exhibited the least. Patients in the CS2 subgroup were more likely to respond to PD-1 immunotherapy. The CS2 patients were most sensitive to docetaxel and cisplatin, while the CS1 patients were most sensitive to paclitaxel. Experimental validation of signature genes in the CS2 subtype showed that inhibiting the expression of RHCG and TRPA1 could enhance the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to radiation. Conclusions: In summary, this study identified a risk classifier based on multi-omics data that can guide treatment selection for LUAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of radiomics signatures obtained from dual-energy computed tomography enterography (DECTE) in the evaluation of mucosal healing (MH) in patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD). In this study, 106 CD patients with a total of 221 diseased intestinal segments (79 with MH and 142 non-MH) from two medical centers were included and randomly divided into training and testing cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. Radiomics features were extracted from the enteric phase iodine maps and 40-kev and 70-kev virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) of the diseased intestinal segments, as well as from mesenteric fat. Feature selection was performed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression. Radiomics models were subsequently established, and the accuracy of these models in identifying MH in CD was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The combined-iodine model formulated by integrating the intestinal and mesenteric fat radiomics features of iodine maps exhibited the most favorable performance in evaluating MH, with AUCs of 0.989 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.977–1.000) in the training cohort and 0.947 (95% CI 0.884–1.000) in the testing cohort. Patients categorized as high risk by the combined-iodine model displayed a greater probability of experiencing disease progression when contrasted with low-risk patients. The combined-iodine radiomics model, which is built upon iodine maps of diseased intestinal segments and mesenteric fat, has demonstrated promising performance in evaluating MH in CD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the stroke incidence has been increasing year by year, and the related sequelae after stroke, such as cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and post-stroke depression, seriously affect the patient's rehabilitation and daily activities. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), as a safe, non-invasive, and effective new rehabilitation method, has been widely recognized in clinical practice. This article reviews the application and research progress of rTMS in treating different functional impairments (cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, unilateral spatial neglect, depression) after stroke in recent years, and preliminary summarized the possible mechanisms. It has been found that the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of rTMS in improving post-stroke functional impairments include pulse number, stimulated brain areas, stimulation intensity and frequency, as well as duration. Generally, high-frequency stimulation is used to excite the ipsilateral cerebral cortex, while low-frequency stimulation is used to inhibit the contralateral cerebral cortex, thus achieving a balance of excitability between the two hemispheres. However, the specific mechanisms and the optimal stimulation mode for different functional impairments have not yet reached a consistent conclusion, and more research is needed to explore and clarify the best way to use rTMS. Furthermore, we will identify the issues and challenges in the current research, explore possible mechanisms to deepen understanding of rTMS, propose future research directions, and offer insightful insights for better clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with varying clinical outcomes. The identification of distinct subgroups of CRC patients based on molecular profiling can aid in better understanding the disease and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the potential of membrane trafficking-related genes (MTRGs) in sub-grouping colorectal cancer patients based on their overall survival and immune microenvironments. Consensus clustering analysis identified two distinct clusters with different expression profiles of membrane trafficking-related genes. The patients in cluster 1 had a significantly better overall survival than those in cluster 2. Furthermore, the immune microenvironments in the two clusters were also found to be significantly different, with cluster 1 having a higher immune score and more immune cells present. Functional analysis of differentially expressed genes between the two clusters revealed that MTRGs were involved in immune response and metabolic processes, and a risk signature model based on MTRGs was established to predict the prognosis of CRC patients. These findings suggest that MTRGs play a crucial role in the immune microenvironment and overall survival of CRC patients and may provide a potential target for personalized therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature (RT) NO2 sensing has always been a challenge for metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors. Herein, we report a one-dimensional (1D) hierarchical Ag modified Cu@Cu2O/CuO hybrid which is synthesized by low-temperature liquid-phase etching self-assembly method. The Ag nanoparticles are directly modified onto the surface of Cu nanowires (NWs) through simple and efficient substitution reaction, and serve as active centers to improve the gas sensing properties of the hybrid. Subsequently, the Ag–Cu NWs is etched by alkaline solution to form the 1D hierarchical Ag–Cu@Cu2O/CuO hybrids at RT. When applied as sensing material, the Ag–Cu@Cu2O/CuO exhibits high response of 71.3 to 10 ppm NO2 with excellent selectivity and fast response/recovery at 25 °C. The nanostructure of the material is characterized systematically and the sensing mechanism is discussed. The synergistic effect of Ag heteroatom and the special morphology as well as the hierarchical Cu2O/CuO heterostructure in the Ag–Cu@Cu2O/CuO (4 h) hybrid are recognized as the main reason for its excellent NO2 sensing performance. This work provides a good idea for simple and effective improving the gas sensing properties of metal oxide materials with low power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mounting evidence suggests a significant correlation between depressive disorders and neurodegenerative conditions, encompassing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Depression represents a substantial non-motor manifestation frequently identified in individuals with PD, posing a significant threat to patients’ overall well-being and necessitating the implementation of effective management strategies. Despite its high prevalence, impacting over 40% of PD patients, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying depression and its relationship to dopaminergic system degeneration remain largely ambiguous. In this study, we presented our findings demonstrating distinct characteristics of cortical astrocytes in PD patients compared to reactivated glial cells in the substantia nigra. We identified a subset of differentially expressed genes associated with depressive disorders from PD-associated cortical astrocytes. Furthermore, we uncovered the potential involvement of the hypoxia signaling in driving cortical astrocytic dysfunctions. Through a comprehensive investigation utilizing transcriptome and chromatin accessibility analyses on cultured human astrocytes, we revealed that hypoxic treatment could induce similar expression changes observed in cortex from PD patients. Additionally, we provided evidence that activation of the HIF-1 signaling pathway suppressed the expression of key components of mitochondrial ribosomes and electron transport chain proteins COX2 and CYTB, resulting in abnormal mitochondrial membrane potential. Our results underscore the potential impact of glial metabolic abnormalities on the development of depressive disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of porous silica microspheres in the field of materials has made a breakthrough because of its unique properties. Nevertheless, owing to the limitation of technology, there was no simple and inexpensive method to industrialize porous silica microspheres which could be adjusted pore size and pore size distribution. In this paper, porous silica microspheres were prepared using silica nanoparticles with different morphologies and particle sizes as silica sources by the polymerization-induced colloid aggregation (PICA) method. The particle size, morphology, porosity, and thermal stability of the porous silica microspheres were analyzed by optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption analysis, and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The results showed that the porous silica microspheres prepared with branched-chain silica nanoparticles as the silica source had an extensive pore size distribution and many macro- and mesoporous structures. By changing the size and morphology of silica nanoparticles, it reached the purpose of regulating pore size and pore size distribution of porous silica microspheres. The porous silica microspheres were loaded with copper catalyst and subjected to furfural hydrogenation reaction. The results showed that the catalytic effect of the porous silica microspheres prepared with branched-chain silica as the carrier was suitable, and the catalytic efficiency was 85% when the mass ratio of urea-formaldehyde resin to silica was 1/2. It was 1.28–2.57 times higher than that of other microspheres-loaded catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual defect detection, which is pivotal in industrial quality control, often requires extensive datasets for training deep-learning models. However, in industrial environments, the presence of multiple production batches, small lot sizes, and rapidly evolving task requirements make it challenging to acquire sufficient and diverse defect data. To address these challenges, this study introduces an innovative approach to data augmentation and defect detection under few-data conditions. Our strategy employs a two-stage feature-enhancement method complemented by an expert knowledge-based image-generation method. The former ensures robustness in color and richness in feature representation by focusing on local defect irregularities. The latter leverages both the core mechanistic understanding of experts and nonquantitative empirical insights, combined with a variable background domain, to generate rich images with diverse defect features. We evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method using a proprietary dataset curated by an automotive component manufacturing enterprise. The experimental results revealed that, across the five defect categories, training on 2 images achieved an F1-Score of 41.06%, which improved to 67.11% when the training dataset was expanded to 15 images. A comparative analysis with prevailing feature enhancement and image generation methods revealed our solution's superiority, bridging methodological drawbacks, and markedly eclipsing others in terms of enhancement potency. Furthermore, when benchmarked against additional public industrial datasets, the model exhibited exceptional adaptability and superior performance, thus highlighting its potential as a robust tool for quality control in manufacturing scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new nozzle structure based on oil–air lubrication is proposed to address the problem of fluctuating oil supply limitations that can occur during the transfer of lubricant in the conventional nozzle structure for oil–air lubrication, resulting in low lubricant usage. The corresponding nozzle structure model and the three-dimensional simulation model of the internal moving components of the bearing are established, considering the movement of the lubricant at the nozzle outlet. The two conventional nozzle structures and the new nozzle structure are compared and analyzed by numerical simulation for the oil and gas two-phase flow distribution law under different working conditions. A high-speed bearing lubrication test bench was built to compare and analyze the effect of the new nozzle structure and the two conventional nozzle structures on the bearing temperature rise under different operating conditions. The results show that under the same nozzle outlet diameter and bearing operating conditions, the new nozzle structure saves more than 20% of the lubricant required to achieve the desired lubrication effect on the bearing temperature compared to the two conventional nozzle structures, significantly improving the efficiency of lubricant use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The fully encapsulated bolt is prone to stress concentration, which leads to the bolt breaking suddenly. Energy-absorbing bolt adapted to the large deformation of surrounding rock through slight yield but long-term support. When filling thickness to asperity height ratio (t/a) is small, the joint shear failure behavior is controlled by the asperities and the filling. When t/a is large, the joint shear failure mainly exists within the filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing excellent electrocatalysts is a significant step in accelerating the widespread implementation of the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). MoS2 is one of the promising alternatives to platinum-based catalysts, while its HER activity is far from Pt due to the lack of active sites. It is urgent to develop a novel strategy to activate the basal planes of MoS2 for enhancing the HER activity. Herein, a facile hydrothermal method with a low-temperature H2O2 etching method is developed to fabricate MoS2 with O-doped and S-vacancy dual defects. The dual defects MoS2 nanosheet demonstrates remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity, achieving 10 mA cm−2 with a small overpotential of around 143 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4. Construct dual-defect MoS2 via a facile hydrothermal method and mild H2O2 etching process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To research the dynamics of the cavitation bubble under the interaction of particle clusters, the bubble morphological evolutionary characteristics near three equal-sized spherical particles are theoretically explored in the present study based on the Weiss theorem and the velocity potential superposition theory. The three particles are arranged symmetrically, and the fluid velocity field near the three particles and the cavitation bubble is obtained. Moreover, the effects of the bubble-particle distance and the maximum radius of the cavitation bubble on the fluid velocity are investigated, and the contribution mechanisms of the fluid velocity field constituents are compared. The analysis has found that: (1) The fluid velocity between the bubble and the particle is lower than that at the other locations in both the growth and collapse phases, thus the bubble cannot always maintain a standard spherical shape. (2) The bubble-particle distance and the maximum radius of the cavitation bubble are the key parameters affecting the circumferential inhomogeneity of the radial velocity of the fluid around the bubble. The larger the maximum radius or the smaller the bubble-particle distance is, the more visible the non-circularity of the bubble morphology. (3) The image bubbles and the linear sinks contribute oppositely to the fluid velocity field, and the presence of the image bubble reduces the fluid velocity. In the low velocity region, the image bubble is the main mechanism contributing to the effect of the particle on the fluid velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazardous thermal conditions resulting from climate change may play a role in cardiovascular disease development. We chose the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) as the exposure metric to evaluate the relationship between thermal conditions and cardiovascular mortality in Shenzhen, China. We applied quasi-Poisson regression non-linear distributed lag models to evaluate the exposure-response associations. The findings suggest that cardiovascular mortality risks were significantly increased under heat and cold stress, and the adverse effects of cold stress were stronger than heat stress. Referencing the 50th percentile of UTCI (25.4°C), the cumulative risk of cardiovascular mortality was 75% (RRlag0-21 =1.75, 95%CI: 1.32, 2.32) higher in the 1st percentile (3.5°C), and 40% (RRlag0-21=1.40, 95%CI: 1.09, 1.80) higher in the 99th percentile (34.1°C). We observed that individuals older than 65 years were more vulnerable to both cold and heat stress, and females were identified as more susceptible to heat stress than males. Moreover, increased mortality risks of hypertensive disease and cerebrovascular disease were observed under cold stress, while heat stress was related to higher risks of mortality for hypertensive disease and ischemic heart disease. We also observed a stronger relationship between cold stress and ischemic heart disease mortality during the cold season, as well as a significant impact of heat stress on cerebrovascular disease mortality in the warm season when compared to the analysis of the entire year. These results confirm the significant relationship between thermal stress and cardiovascular mortality, with age and sex as potential effect modifiers of this association. Providing affordable air conditioning equipment, increasing the amount of vegetation, and establishing comprehensive early warning systems that take human thermoregulation into account could all help to safeguard the well-being of the public, particularly vulnerable populations, in the event of future extreme weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet flood control requirements, reservoir water levels undergo a two-step drop process before the rainy season. To examine the relationship between the deformation characteristics of the accumulation body and this water level drop, a large-scale centrifuge modeling study was conducted. The dropping scheme involved a second drop stage rate twice that of the first stage. The macroscopic deformation, pore pressure, and earth pressure change laws during the two-step drop were analyzed. Numerical simulations were also performed to assess the impact of water level rate on deformation and stability. The results showed that during reservoir impoundment, accumulation deformation was minimal. In the 1st drop stage, tensile cracks initially formed at the front edge and rapidly extended, creating a fault zone. As the fault zone collapsed, tensile cracks propagated toward the middle and back of the slope. In the 2nd drop stage, the slope continued to slide along the previously formed fault zone, albeit with reduced intensity. Vertical compaction in the middle and rear sections contributed to stabilizing crack expansion. Pore pressure exhibited hysteresis during reservoir impoundment but gradually weakened in each drop stage. Earth pressure on the leading edge underwent significant changes in each stage, with the highest intensity observed during the first drop stage in the middle and rear sections. The water level drop rate triggering slope instability ranged from 0.7 to 1.5 m/d in the 1st drop stage. Deformation and failure demonstrated a progressive weakening pattern from the front to the rear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crotonis Fructus (CF), a poisonous traditional laxative, has been used to treat constipation, edema, ascites, and inflammation for more than 2000 years. However, CF possesses toxicity and its toxic mechanism is still unclear. Thus, this research explored the deleterious impacts and underlying mechanisms of CF by evaluating alterations in gut microbiota composition and metabolites. High-throughput sequencing was employed on the 16S rDNA gene to explore the intestinal flora. The untargeted metabolomics method was utilized for evaluating serum metabolomics analysis. The results showed that CF could induce obvious hepatic and gastrointestinal damage by histopathologic morphology of the liver, stomach, duodenum, and colon. According to 16S rDNA sequencing, CF can cause gut microbiota disturbance in rats, and the abundance of opportunistic pathogens such as Clostridia_UCG_014_unclassified increased significantly, while the levels of beneficial bacterial Lactobacillus remarkably declined after CF treatment. Additionally, metabolomics analysis demonstrated that CF may induce toxicity by disrupting the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway and metabolites such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Moreover, a correlation study revealed the link between intestinal flora, serum metabolites, and toxicity-related biochemical markers. The results provide a new idea for the research and clinical application of toxic traditional medicine. Key points: • Crotonis Fructus could affect the gut flora and serum metabolic disruption in SD rats. • Crotonis Fructus could promote the proliferation of harmful bacteria and inhibit beneficial bacteria. • Glycerophospholipid metabolism was disturbed by Crotonis Fructus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus have higher infectivity, more immune escape but lower risk of severe clinical outcomes than the ancestral variants. However, people are still wondering whether SARS-CoV-2 may become lethal again or whether some highly-pathogenic strain may emerge in the future. Compared with ancestral variants, Omicron has more selective proliferation in the upper respiratory tract (URT). The temperature of human URT is 33–34°C, and the virus strains other than Omicron cannot replicate effectively at this temperature. While Omicron adapted to the low temperature environment, so its distribution mainly depends on the expression levels of ACE2 in cells. Similar distribution switch from lungs to URT has been observed for the 1918 H1N1 influenza virus, which vanished after 1921 and has been turned to become the seasonal human influenza A viruses. However, some relatively high-pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 strains and influenza virus strains may still emerge in the future. Future evolutionary directions of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]