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Lampreys are early jawless vertebrates that are the key to understanding the evolution of vertebrates. However, the lack of cytomic studies on multiple lamprey organs has hindered progress in this field. Therefore, the present study constructed a comprehensive cell atlas comprising 604,460 cells/nuclei and 70 cell types from 14 lamprey tissue samples. Comparison of cellular evolution across species revealed that most lamprey cell types are homologous to those in jawed vertebrates. We discovered acinar- and islet-like cell populations despite the lack of parenchymal organs in lampreys, providing evidence of pancreatic function in vertebrates. Furthermore, we investigated the heterogeneity of lamprey immune cell populations. Natterin was highly expressed in granulocytes, and NATTERIN was localized to the lipid droplets. Moreover, we developed a transgenic mouse model expressing Natterin to elucidate the role of NATTERIN in lipid metabolism, whereas the browning of white adipose tissue was induced. These findings elucidate vertebrate cellular evolution and advance our understanding of adipose tissue plasticity and metabolic regulation in lampreys. Lampreys are jawless vertebrates that can offer unique insights into vertebrate evolution. Here they generate a comprehensive cell atlas of the lamprey, uncovering 70 distinct cell types across 14 tissues, and identify pancreas-like cells in the lamprey small intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The type of atlantodental space tissue in patients with atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) can help doctors understand the possibility of reduction before surgery. However, relevant research on this topic is lacking. In this study, we aimed to summarise the atlantodental space classification of patients with AAD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and explore their clinical characteristics. Materials and methods: Preoperative 3T cervical MR images of patients who underwent posterior reduction and fixation surgery for non-traumatic AAD between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2023 were collected. Two radiologists read and recorded the MRI results based on the standard protocol. The kappa value was used to evaluate intra- and inter-observer agreements. The patient's age, sex, body mass index, clinical symptoms, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and visual analogue scale information were obtained from medical records. Results: A total of 135 patients with AAD (mean age, 51.3 ± 14.0 years, 52 men) were included in the analysis. The inter-observer agreement between the two readers was 0.818 (P < 0.0001). The intra-observer consistencies were 0.882 (P < 0.0001) and 0.896 (P < 0.0001). Patients with inflexible tissue signs exhibit more irreducible in hyperextension position, and their range of motion of ADI is smaller. These patients were older and had a higher incidence of abnormal spinal cord signals and JOA scores. Conclusions: Novel MRI signs exhibited high inter- and intra-observer consistency and were associated with patient age, abnormal spinal cord signals, reducibility, range of motion of ADI, and symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discover a "less-is-more" effect that adding local antagonistic interactions (negative edge weights) can enhance the overall synchronizability of a dynamical network system. To explain this seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon, a condition is established to identify those edges the weight reduction of which improves the synchronizability index of the underlying network. We further reveal that this condition can be interpreted from the perspective of resistance distance and network community structure. The obtained result is also verified via numerical experiments on a 14-node network and a 118-node network. Our finding brings new thoughts and inspirations to the future directions of optimal network design problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn-air batteries (ZABs) present high energy density and high safety but suffer from low oxygen reaction reversibility and dendrite growth at Zn electrode in alkaline electrolytes. Non-alkaline electrolytes have been considered recently for improving the interfacial processes in ZABs. However, the dynamic evolution and reaction mechanisms regulated by electrolytes at both the positive and Zn negative electrodes remain elusive. Herein, using in situ atomic force microscopy, we disclose that thin ZnO2 nanosheets deposit in non-alkaline electrolyte during discharge, followed by the formation of low-modulus products encircled around them. During recharge, the nanosheets are completely decomposed, revealing the favorable reversibility of the O2/ZnO2 chemistry. The circular outlines with low-modulus, composed of C = C and ZnCO3, are left which play a key role in promoting the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) during the subsequent cycles. In addition, in situ optical microscopy shows that Zn can be uniformly dissolved and deposited in non-alkaline electrolyte, with the formation of homogeneous solid electrolyte interphase. Our work provides straightforward evidence and in-depth understanding of the interfacial reactions at both electrode interfaces in non-alkaline electrolyte, which can inspire strategies of interfacial engineering and material design of advanced ZABs. Zinc-air batteries typically employ alkaline electrolytes and the fundamental understanding of their operation with non-alkaline electrolytes is less explored. Here, authors use in situ atomic force microscopy to elucidate the interfacial reactions at both electrodes in non-alkaline electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) is a large coral reef fish distributed in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. With a high market value, this species can grow up to approximately 2.7 meters in length and weigh 440 kilograms. With the rapid development of bioinformatics, higher standards of genome analysis are now required compared to previous reference genomes. This study presents a gapless assembly of the giant grouper genome, which has a length of 1.03 Gb. The sequences were assembled onto 24 chromosomes with a coverage of over 99% (1.02 Gb), and telomeres were detected on 24 chromosomes. Analysis using Merqury indicated a high level of accuracy, with an average consensus quality value of 59.24. The ONT ultralong and PacBio HiFi data were aligned with the assembly using minimap2, resulting in a mapping rate of 99.9%. The study inferred 25,815 protein-coding genes. These results lay a foundation for exploring the evolution and biology of the giant grouper, and advancing molecular breeding techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofilm CdS@Cd/Si heterojunctions have been fabricated by a two-step method. The obvious rectification effect can be observed. However, the leakage current density is relatively large. According to the criterion for judging the conduction model, three conduction mechanisms can be observed, which are the thermally generated electrons model, the Ohmic model and the space-charge-limited-current model from low voltage to high voltage, respectively. The preparation process of nanofilm CdS@Cd/Si heterojunctions by this two-step method, which directly grows nanofilm CdS@Cd on the silicon substrate to construct heterojunctions, can reduce the introduction of excessive defects and facilitate the release of stress in the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pompe disease, a severe lysosomal storage disorder, is marked by heart problems, muscle weakness, and respiratory difficulties. This study aimed to identify novel markers for infantile-onset Pompe disease by analyzing key genes and immune cells infiltrating affected skeletal muscles, building on existing research linking its progression to the immune cell infiltration. The datasets GSE38680 and GSE159062 were downloaded and differential expression genes (DEGs) were identified. Potential markers were screened using support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models. To analyze DEGs and immune processes, 22 immune cell types in affected tissues were examined using CIBERSORT. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in the calcium signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Machine learning identified GPNMB, CALML6 and TRIM7 as key genes. Immune cell infiltration analysis showed that the expression levels of the above three genes were closely related to immune cells in our target population under study, including T cells regulatory (Tregs), monocytes, macrophages M0, resting and activated dendritic cells, naive and memory B cells. Overall, our study results may provide new clues for exploring markers related to Pompe disease by highlighting key genes and their relationship with immune infiltration, offering insights into the disease's development. However, previous studies have shown limited evidence of significant immune cell infiltration in muscle biopsies from Pompe patients, and this lack of direct evidence necessitates further investigation and experimental validation in laboratory settings to confirm these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has emerged as a new therapeutic paradigm for a variety of advanced cancers, but wide clinical application is hindered by low response rate. Here we use a peptide-based, biomimetic, self-assembly strategy to generate a nanoparticle, TPM1, for binding PD-L1 on tumour cell surface. Upon binding with PD-L1, TPM1 transforms into fibrillar networks in situ to facilitate the aggregation of both bound and unbound PD-L1, thereby resulting in the blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Characterizations of TPM1 manifest a prolonged retention in tumour (> 7 days) and anti-cancer effects associated with reinvigorating CD8+ T cells in multiple mice tumour models. Our results thus hint TPM1 as a potential strategy for enhancing the ICB efficacy. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy such as anti-PD-L1 is efficient for treating specific cancer types, but poor response rates remain a caveat. Here the authors generate a peptide-based, self-assembly nanomaterial that binds and aggregates PD-L1 as a fibrillar networks to enhance the anti-tumour efficacy of anti-PD-L1 in multiple mouse tumour models. [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.)

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.)

This article discusses a clinical study on the combination therapy of ruxolitinib and emapalumab for the treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The study found that the combination therapy resulted in improved response rates compared to mono-therapy with either drug. The decrease in IL-6 and IL-10 levels correlated with the therapeutic effect, while the decline in IFN-γ levels was not associated with disease response. The study suggests that the combination therapy is a more effective and safe treatment for HLH, particularly in cases of EBV- and lymphoma-associated HLH. However, careful titration of the drug doses and schedules is necessary for maximum benefit. [Extracted from the article]

Accurate flood runoff and water level predictions are crucial research topics due to their significance for early warning systems, particularly in improving peak flood level forecasts and reducing time lags. This study proposes a novel method, Trend Forecasting Method (TFM), to improve model accuracy and overcome the time lag problem due to data scarcity. The proposed method includes the following steps: (1) select appropriate input factors causing flood events, (2) determine the most suitable AI method as the basis for forecasting models, (3) a forecasting model using a multi-step-ahead approach and a forecasting model with variation in flood depth as input are developed as compared to the selected model in Step 2, and (4) according to the rising limb and falling limb of a flood hydrograph, the maximum and minimum values predicted by the models above are respectively selected as the final outputs. The application to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method was conducted in the Annan District of Tainan City, Taiwan. Of all the models tested, the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) demonstrated superior accuracy in forecasting flood depths, followed by Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Bidirectional LSTM, with the Back Propagation Neural Network falling behind. With a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) of 0.56 for the next hour's forecast, the GRU model's structure appears particularly fitting for flood depth forecast. However, all four models showed time lag issues. TFM substantially enhanced the GRU model's forecast accuracy, mitigating the time lag. TFM achieved an NSE of 0.82 for forecasting 10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 50-, and 60-min lead time. The observed flood depths had a 68% probability of consistent rise or fall, validating TFM's underlying hypothesis. Furthermore, including an autoregressive model in TFM reduced the time lag problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate flood forecasts provide a critical time for authorities and the public to enact flood response measures and initiate evacuations. Long short-term memory (LSTM) is widely used in flood forecasting to ensure sufficient response time. The lag length of rainfall (LR), the number of hidden layers (NL), and the number of neurons (NN) are key parameters of the LSTM model. However, flood forecasting research seldom explores their optimization via the Genetic Algorithm (GA). This study introduces a novel LSTM-GA model, which integrates LSTM with GA to optimize the LR, NL, and NN for flash flood forecasting. The case study pertains to the water level forecasting of the Wu River in Taiwan. To assess the improvement brought by the proposed model, a standard LSTM model was utilized as a benchmark. This model accurately forecasted floods in the next 1 to 6 h, achieving a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) score ranging from 0.896 to 0.906. It also exhibited strong flood peak forecast performance. The integration of GA enhanced the LSTM's forecasting accuracy, with NSE scores rising to between 0.917 and 0.931. Notably, a shorter forecast lead time augmented the degree of improvement. In the LSTM model, LR was set as the river's concentration time, and NL represented the water storage function of the watershed. For short lead time forecasting, surface runoff was the dominant factor, leading to smaller optimized values for LR and NL. Conversely, long lead time forecasting needed to consider the impact of subsurface and groundwater runoff, resulting in larger optimized values for LR and NL. In conclusion, the parameters optimized through GA consider the watershed's characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the Roussouly classification has been widely used in surgical planning for adult scoliosis patients, little is known about whether it can be used to guide sagittal correction for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the Roussouly classification could be used to help surgeons restore the ideal sagittal alignment for AIS patients to avoid the development of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, eighty-seven patients with Lenke 5 AIS who underwent surgery from January 2010 to August 2020 were enrolled and divided into two groups: the PJK group and the non-PJK group. All patients were classified into "current types" and "ideal types" according to two versions of the Roussouly classification, and the mismatch rate was evaluated in terms of the consistency between their current type and ideal type. Student's t test, Mann‒Whitney U test, Pearson's Chi-square test, and others were used to compare the two groups regarding patient demographic characteristics (age, sex, Risser sign, etc.) and radiographic parameters (sagittal vertical axis [SVA]; thoracic kyphosis [TK]; thoracolumbar junctional kyphosis [TLK]; lumbar lordosis [LL]; pelvic incidence [PI]; pelvic tilt [PT]; sacral slope [SS]; upper instrumented vertebra [UIV]; lower instrumented vertebra [LIV]; etc.). Multivariate logistic regression with backwards stepwise selection was performed to identify the risk factors for PJK. Results: PJK was observed in 16 out of 87 patients (18.4%) until the final follow-up. The incidence of PJK was significantly higher in the patients not matching their ideal type than in those who did after surgery (60.9% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.000). The patients with ideal Type 1 had the highest incidence of PJK, while the lowest incidence was observed in patients with ideal Type 2 (50.0% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.000). The PJK group had greater TK, LL, and PI-LL than the non-PJK group before and after surgery. The postoperative PJA in the PJK group was also larger than that in the non-PJK group. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that postoperative Roussouly type mismatch was significantly associated with the occurrence of PJK (OR = 64.2, CI = 9.6–407.1, p = 0.000). Conclusions: The Roussouly classification could serve as a prognostic tool for PJK in Lenke 5 AIS patients. Corrective surgery should restore sagittal alignment with respect to the patient's ideal sagittal profile (according to the Roussouly classification based on the PI) to decrease the incidence of PJK in AIS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical procedures often rely on unaided visual observation or endoscopic assistance, which may pose challenges in cases involving intricate anatomical relationships. Real-time imaging technologies capable of intraoperative visualization of target organs have the potential to enhance the precision of surgical procedures by facilitating accurate identification, separation, and protection of vital tissues or organs. Despite these advantages, the widespread adoption of such technologies has been hindered by factors such as the prohibitive cost of equipment. This study aims to optimize and develop a device based on Indocyanine Green (ICG) for fluorescence imaging. The objective is to monitor changes in the average fluorescence intensity of ICG in the bladder, offering valuable guidance for surgeries involving the bladder. 1. Male rabbits were administered 0.01 mg/ml ICG via the renal pelvis and ear vein to obtain fluorescence images of the ureter, bladder, and small intestine. 2. After ligating the bilateral ureters of male rabbits, a retrograde bladder perfusion of 5 ml 0.01 mg/ml ICG was conducted to capture fluorescence images of the bladder over time. The average fluorescence intensity was computed using Image Pro Plus 6.0, and the corresponding curve was generated using Prism 8.0. Using a similar methodology, the average fluorescence intensity of male rabbits without ureteral ligation was measured and plotted over time. 1. The developed device facilitated imaging of the ureter, bladder, and small intestine. 2. The bladder's average fluorescence intensity exhibited changes over time in response to urine production and ureteral ligation, contrasting with observations without ureteral ligation. We have successfully constructed and optimized a modular fluorescence imaging system for organs and tissues. This system proves effective in imaging experiments involving hollow organs in animals and offers valuable insights for relevant surgical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a subtype of pyruvate kinase, plays a crucial role as a key enzyme in the final step of glycolysis. It is involved in regulating the tumor microenvironment and accelerating tumor progression. However, the relationship between PKM2 expression and the prognosis and immune infiltration remains unclear in lung cancer. In this study, we analyzed PKM2 expression in pan-cancer, and investigated its association with prognosis and immune cell infiltration of lung cancer by using multiple online databases, including Gent2, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), PrognoScan, Kaplan–Meier plotter, and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). The results showed that PKM2 expression is elevated in tumor tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues of most cancers, including lung cancer. Prognostic analysis indicated that high expression of PKM2 was associated with poorer prognosis in overall lung cancer patients, especially in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Notably, PKM2 exhibited a strong correlation with B cells and CD4+ T cells in LUAD; and with B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ cells, and macrophages in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Furthermore, PKM2 expression displayed a significant negative correlation with the expression of immune cell markers in both LUAD and LUSC. These findings suggested that PKM2 could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for lung cancer and provided insights into its essential role in modulating the immune cell infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given afferent functions, sensory nerves have recently been found to exert efferent effects and directly alter organ physiology. Additionally, several studies have highlighted the indirect but crucial role of sensory nerves in the regulation of the physiological function of osteoclasts. Nonetheless, evidence regarding the direct sensory nerve efferent influence on osteoclasts is lacking. In the current study, we found that high levels of efferent signals were transported directly from the sensory nerves into osteoclasts. Furthermore, sensory hypersensitivity significantly increased osteoclastic bone resorption, and sensory neurons (SNs) directly promoted osteoclastogenesis in an in vitro coculture system. Moreover, we screened a novel neuropeptide, Cyp40, using an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). We observed that Cyp40 is the efferent signal from sensory nerves, and it plays a critical role in osteoclastogenesis via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-Ras/Raf-p-Erk-NFATc1 pathway. These findings revealed a novel mechanism regarding the influence of sensory nerves on bone regulation, i.e., a direct promoting effect on osteoclastogenesis by the secretion of Cyp40. Therefore, inhibiting Cyp40 could serve as a strategy to improve bone quality in osteoporosis and promote bone repair after bone injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wastewater discharged from crude oil storage tanks (WCOST) contains high concentrations of salt and metal iron ions, and high chemical oxygen demand (COD). It belongs to "3-high" wastewater, which is difficult for purification. In this study, WCOST treatments were comparatively investigated via an advanced pretreatment and the traditional coagulation–microfiltration (CMF) processes. After WCOST was purified through the conventional CMF process, fouling occurred in the microfiltration (MF) membrane, which is rather harmful to the following reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit, and the effluent featured high COD and UV254 values. The analysis confirmed that the MF fouling was due to the oxidation of ferrous ions, and the high COD and UV254 values were mainly attributable to the organic compounds with small molecular sizes, including aromatic-like and fulvic-like compounds. After the pretreatment of the advanced process consisting of aeration, manganese sand filtration, and activated carbon adsorption in combination with CMF process, the removal efficiencies of organic matter and total iron ions reached 97.3% and 99.8%, respectively. All the water indexes of the effluent, after treatment by the advanced multi-unit process, meet well the corresponding standard. The advanced pretreatment process reported herein displayed a great potential for alleviating the MF membrane fouling and enhanced the lifetime of the RO membrane system in the 3-high WCOST treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six species of lungfish possess both lungs and gills and are the closest extant relatives of tetrapods. Here, we report a single-cell transcriptome atlas of the West African lungfish (Protopterus annectens). This species manifests the most extreme form of terrestrialization, a life history strategy to survive dry periods that can last for years, characterized by dormancy and reversible adaptive changes of the gills and lungs. Our atlas highlights the cell type diversity of the West African lungfish, including gene expression consistent with phenotype changes of terrestrialization. Comparison with terrestrial tetrapods and ray-finned fishes reveals broad homology between the swim bladder and lung cell types as well as shared and idiosyncratic changes of the external gills of the West African lungfish and the internal gills of Atlantic salmon. The single-cell atlas presented here provides a valuable resource for further exploration of the respiratory system evolution in vertebrates and the diversity of lungfish terrestrialization. The water-to-land transition of vertebrates is a landmark event in evolutionary history. This work utilizes single-cell RNA sequencing to explore the adaptations in African lungfish lungs and gills to terrestrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A virus-like nanoparticle (reBiosome) was developed via site-specific codon mutation for displaying unnatural amino acid (Azi) on virus envelope protein at a rational site, followed by conjugating weak acid-responsive polyethylene glycol polymer on Azi via bioorthogonal chemistry. The reBiosome exhibited reduced virus-like immunogenicity, prolonged blood circulation and enhanced delivery to weakly acidic disease foci. The reBiosome enabled efficient delivery of gene editing and gene silencing system, demonstrating remarkable therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer and arthritis, respectively. Gene therapy offers potentially transformative strategies for major human diseases. However, one of the key challenges in gene therapy is developing an effective strategy that could deliver genes into the specific tissue. Here, we report a novel virus-like nanoparticle, the bioorthgonal engineered virus-like recombinant biosome (reBiosome), for efficient gene therapies of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The mutant virus-like biosome (mBiosome) is first prepared by site-specific codon mutation for displaying 4-azido-L-phenylalanine on vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein of eBiosome at a rational site, and the reBiosome is then prepared by clicking weak acid-responsive hydrophilic polymer onto the mBiosome via bioorthogonal chemistry. The results show that the reBiosome exhibits reduced virus-like immunogenicity, prolonged blood circulation time and enhanced gene delivery efficiency to weakly acidic foci (like tumor and arthritic tissue). Furthermore, reBiosome demonstrates robust therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer and arthritis by delivering gene editing and silencing systems, respectively. In conclusion, this study develops a universal, safe and efficient platform for gene therapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is typically activated in cancer cells as a rescue strategy in response to cellular stress (e.g., chemotherapy). Herein, we found that Berbamine Hydrochloride (Ber) can act as an effective inhibitor of the late stage of autophagic flux, thereby potentiating the killing effect of chemotherapy agents. Lung carcinoma cells exposed to Ber exhibited increased autophagosomes, marked by LC3-II upregulation. The increased level of p62 after Ber treatment indicated that the autophagic flux was blocked at the late stage. The lysosome staining assay and cathepsin maturation detection indicated impaired lysosomal acidification. We found that Nox2 exhibited intensified co-localization with lysosomes in Ber-treated cells. Nox2 is a key enzyme for superoxide anion production capable of transferring electrons into the lysosomal lumen, thereby neutralizing the inner protons; this might explain the aberrant acidification. This hypothesis is further supported by the observed reversal of lysosomal cathepsin maturation by Nox2 inhibitors. Finally, Ber combined with cisplatin exhibited a synergistic killing effect on lung carcinoma cells. Further data suggested that lung carcinoma cells co-treated with Ber and cisplatin accumulated excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), which typically activated MAPK-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. The enhanced anti-cancer effect of Ber combined with cisplatin was also confirmed in an in vivo xenograft mouse model. These findings indicate that Ber might be a promising adjuvant for enhancing the cancer cell killing effect of chemotherapy via the inhibition of autophagy. In this process, Nox2 might be a significant mediator of Ber-induced aberrant lysosomal acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textural and compositional zoning within plagioclase phenocrysts records the magma chamber processes, such as magma differentiation, magma recharge and mixing, and crustal contamination. The plagioclase phenocrysts in the Daqiao and Qiaojia plagioclase-phyric basalts from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (LIP) show complex textural and compositional zoning patterns, e.g., normal, reverse, oscillatory, and patchy zoning patterns. Most plagioclase phenocrysts exhibit a core–rim normal zoning pattern (Pl-A) with euhedral high-An cores (An = 76–78%, in mole fraction) and low-An rims (An = 68–72%), indicative of the crystal regrowth processes caused by recharge of relatively evolved magmas after the formation of high-An cores. Some phenocrysts have a core–rim reverse zoning pattern (Pl-B) with irregular ovaloid cores, characterized by extremely low An (60–61 mol%) and Ba (84–88 ppm) contents and extremely high 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7120–0.7130). The rims of the Pl-B have relatively high An (69–72 %), Ba (~160 ppm) contents, and low 87Sr/86Sri (~0.7056). These Pl-B plagioclase phenocrysts preserve the information about the interaction between the crustal xenocrysts and the transporting magmas. Some plagioclase phenocrysts show a core–mantle–rim oscillatory zoning pattern (Pl-C) with multiple oscillations of An (70–80 %), Ba (88–147ppm) from core to rim, revealing replenishment and mixing of multiple batches of basaltic melts with diverse compositions. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the Pl-C do not vary significantly (0.7050–0.7054). A small portion of phenocrysts has patchy patterns in the cores (Pl-D), where the low-An patches (72–75 %) in form of elliptical or irregular elongated shapes were enclosed by the high-An domains (80–87 %). These features can be attributed to crystal dissolution and regrowth processes during the reaction between early-formed low-Cumulates and recharged hot primitive melts. The cores, mantles, and rims of different types of plagioclase phenocrysts (except the core of Pl-B) commonly display nearly constant Sr isotopic compositions, implying insignificant wall-rock assimilation at shallow-level magma reservoir(s) during the growth of these plagioclase phenocrysts. In conclusion, the massive crystallization of plagioclase in the late stage was an important controlling factor for the formation of iron-rich basalts in the Emeishan LIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine parvovirus 1 (PPV1) mainly induces severe reproductive failure in pregnant swine, and causes huge economic losses to the swine industry. Cell apoptosis induced by PPV1 infection has been identified the major cause of reproductive failure. However, the molecular mechanism was not fully elucidated. In this study, the potential mechanism of PPV1 induced apoptosis in PK-15 cells was investigated. Our results showed that PPV1 induced apoptosis in PK-15 cells. Further studies revealed toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) was involved in the PPV1-mediated apoptosis. TLR2 siRNA significantly decreased the apoptosis. Finally, our study showed NF-κB was activated by TLR2 during PPV1-induced apoptosis. The activation of NF-κB signaling was demonstrated by the phosphorylation of p65, p65 nuclear translocation and degradation of inhibitor of kappa B α (IκBα). Together, these results provided evidence that the recognition between PPV1 and PK-15 cells was mainly through TLR2, and then induction of the NF-κB signaling pathway activation, which further induces apoptosis. Our study could provide information to understand the molecular mechanisms of PPV1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliable predictive markers to identify which patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer tumors (NSCLC) will achieve durable clinical benefit (DCB) for chemo-immunotherapy are needed. In this retrospective study, we collected radiomics and clinical signatures from 94 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 combined with chemotherapy from January 1, 2018 to May 31, 2022. Radiomics variables were extracted from pretreatment CT and selected by Spearman correlation coefficients and clinical features by Logistics regression analysis. We performed effective diagnostic algorithms principal components analysis (PCA) and support vector machine (SVM) to develop an early classification model among DCB and non-durable benefit (NDB) groups. A total of 26 radiomics features and 6 clinical features were selected, and then principal component analysis was used to obtain 6 principal components for SVM building. RC-SVM achieved prediction accuracy with AUC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.87–0.94) in the training set, 0.73 (95% CI 0.61–0.85) in the cross-validation set, 0.84 (95% CI 0.80–0.89) in the external validation set. The new method of RC-SVM model based on radiomics-clinical signatures provides a significant additive value on response prediction in patients with NSCLC preceding chemo-immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Base flood elevation (BFE) and design flood elevation (DFE) are essential references for building floodproofing. Previous BFE and DFE mapping methods were mainly applied to inland rivers and coastal areas, and few studies mentioned the mapping method of densely populated cities. This study proposes a high-resolution BFE and DFE mapping in the densely populated city of Tainan in Taiwan using the SOBEK model and hydraulic digital elevation model. DEM 1 was a 20-m resolution DEM without the building block (BB) method. DEMs 2 and 3 were 1-m resolution DEMs without and with the BB method, respectively. Compared to the observed flooding depths from the water level gauge, the simulation results with DEMs 1 and 2 were closer to the actual situation than that with DEM 3, as DEMs 1 and 2 could represent the water storage effect in buildings. Because buildings in a high building density area (HBDA) had adopted dry floodproofing, the water level rose when the subcritical flow flowed by the buildings. From a risk management perspective, BFE and DFE mapping should adopt DEM 3. The water levels rise effect on buildings was less pronounced in a low building density area (LBDA). DEM 1 could be used for BFE and DFE mapping to save computing power. Generally, a city can be divided into different areas according to building densities. The high-resolution DEM with BB method should be used for HBDA. LBDA should use a low-resolution DEM without the BB method, which can account for model computation efficiency and flood risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since flooding in urban areas is rarely observed using sensors, most researchers use artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict flood hazards based on model simulation data. However, there is still a gap between simulation and real flooding phenomenon due to the limitation of the model. Few studies have reported on the AI model for flood inundation depth forecasting based on observed data. This study presents a novel method integrating long short-term memory (LSTM) with moving average (MA) for flood inundation depth forecasting based on observed data. A flood-prone intersection in Rende District, Tainan, Taiwan, was adopted as the study area. This investigation compared the forecasting performance of the backpropagation neural network (BPNN), recurrent neural network (RNN) and LSTM models. Accumulated rainfall (Ra) and the moving average (MA) method were applied to enhance the LSTM model performance. The model forecast accuracy was evaluated using root mean square error, coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). Analytical results indicated that the LSTM had better forecasting ability than the RNN and BPNN, because LSTM had both long-term and short-term memory. Since Ra was an important factor in flooding, adding the Ra to the model input upgraded the LSTM forecasting accuracy for high inundation depths. Because MA reduced the noise of the data, processing the model output using the MA also elevated the forecasting accuracy for high inundation depths. For 3-step-ahead forecasting, the NSE of the model benchmark BPNN was 0.79. Using LSTM, Ra and MA, NSEs gradually increased to 0.83, 0.88 and 0.91, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To validate and facilitate ultrasound examinations on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity measurements in routine clinical practice. Methods: A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of ultrasound examinations on joints and its correlation with clinical RA disease activity was performed. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library were searched for literatures published up to May 01st 2021. Bayesian random-effect NMA was conducted to pool the correlations of ultrasonographic assessment scores with composite RA disease activity measurements. Results: Fifteen studies evaluating twelve different existing ultrasonographic measurements on joints evaluation for RA disease activity scoring were included in this NMA. For comparisons with clinical disease activity index and simplified disease activity index, synovitis gray scale ultrasound 7 joints (GSUS7) demonstrated modest correlation of 0.30[− 0.74, 1.23] and 0.46[− 0.45, 1.15] respectively, followed by synovitis power Doppler ultrasound 7 joints (PDUS7) (0.25[− 0.57, 1.14], 0.31[− 0.46, 1.24]) and power Doppler ultrasound 12 joints (PDUS12) (0.23[− 1.36, 0.83], 0.25[− 1.18, 0.88]). As for disease activity score using 28 joint counts, PDUS12 showed the biggest correlation of 0.53[− 0.09, 1.11], followed by ultrasound 7 joints (US7) (0.50[0.06, 0.93]), PDUS7 (0.49[− 0.24, 1.12]), power Doppler ultrasound 6 joints (PDUS6) (0.42[− 0.29, 1.21]), synovitis PDUS7 (0.47[− 0.09, 1.27]) and synovitis GSUS7 (0.40[0.01, 0.86]). Conclusion: Comparative validity was observed on fewer joints ultrasonic evaluation for RA disease activity measurements, such as synovitis GSUS7 and synovitis PDUS7. Ultrasonographic measurements can be complementary for clinical RA disease activity measures with clinical efficiency, and technical guidelines were in need for clinical routine practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater intrusion and soil salinization, the most common environmental problems along coastal plains, both result in high levels of pH, Na+ and low level of Ca2+, which favors sediment fluoride-leaching. But interestingly, groundwater in soil salinization area has lower fluorine levels than that in seawater intrusion area although it is more intruded. A seawater intrusion area (Buzhuang Town) and a soil salinization area (Kenli District) were selected along Laizhou Bay, Shandong Province. The sediment fluoride levels and FTIR characteristics were determined to reveal the differences of fluoride evolution in the two areas. The sediment fluoride levels in the two areas are within the safe limit. However, fluoride levels in aquifer sediments in Buzhuang Town (130–272 mg/kg) are extraordinarily lower than those in Kenli District (554–609.8 mg/kg), although Buzhuang Town is characterized by drinking-water fluorosis and Kenli District is not. This indicates Buzhang Town has stronger fluoride leaching-ability in the aquifer sediments than Kenli District, which is the important cause for the high-fluorine groundwater in Buzhuang Town. The sediments in Kenli District have higher intensities of OM (organic matter), OH– and CaCO3 bands than those in Buzhuang Town. The stronger adsorption of OM to F– lowers sediment fluoride-leaching in Kenli District. The more mixture of seawater in Kenli District causes the higher sediment OH–, and the F-O exchange contributes more to fluoride-leaching than OH–F exchange. Moreover, the higher Ca2+ in Kenli District restricts fluoride-leaching and causes higher sediment CaCO3 bands, which is the important factor influencing sediment fluoride-leaching. While the extraordinarily increasing Na+ levels in Kenli District contribute less to fluoride-leaching when the fluoride-leaching is restricted by Ca2+ levels. A model of FTIR evolution in aquifer sediments with the effect of seawater intrusion is forwarded, which is significant for fluorosis along coastal plains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry granular flow induced by rock collapses and landslides is a typical disaster in mountainous areas. Rock sheds are widely used as protective structures to shield traffic lines against the impacts of rockfall, collapse, and dry granular flow in mountainous areas. However, there are few studies on the buffering mechanism of the rock shed cushion and the damage to the rock shed structure. In this paper, the buffering effect of different rock shed cushions and the damage of a rock shed due to the impact of a granular flow were further explored through numerical simulations. Three kinds of cushion conditions, i.e., an EPS cushion, a sand cushion, and an EPS-sand mixed cushion, were designed to investigate the buffering effect of the cushion layer with three impact distances. The variations in the impact force, bending moment, shear force, axial force, and energy absorbed by the rock shed were quantitatively analyzed. The cushion layers effectively absorbed the energy of the dry granular flow impact and reduced the internal force of the rock shed, thereby improving the safety of the rock shed structure. From the perspective of the comprehensive protection effect, the EPS cushion was the best among the three cushions, which may shed light on the structural design of the rock shed. Furthermore, the variation in the yield area of the rock shed was studied, and the acceleration of the rock shed structure was monitored during the impact of granular flow. The acceleration was integrated to obtain the displacement. A damage analysis method was proposed based on the relationship between the yield area ratio and the displacement of the rock shed structure. This method can be used for the rapid assessment of structural safety and provide a new approach for the safety monitoring of rock shed structures in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfoxaflor is a new systemic insecticide developed as a replacement for older neonicotinoids which are known to be toxic to pollinators. However, its metabolism in nectar and effect on nectar biosynthesis have not been investigated. After soil and foliar application, sulfoxaflor and its main metabolites in soil, leaf and Salvia splendens nectar, were measured by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). The chemical composition between the clean and sulfoxaflor spiked nectar were also compared. The activities of two possible sulfoxaflor detoxifying enzymes in S. splendens nectar, nitrile hydratase and glutathione-s-transferase, were measured by LC-MS and spectrophotometry. S. splendens nectar proteome was investigated by high-resolution orbitrap-based MS/MS to screen for sulfoxaflor detoxifying relevant proteins. S. splendens could absorb sulfoxaflor through root or leaf surface and secrete a proportion of sulfoxaflor along with its metabolites into the nectar. After soil application, sulfoxaflor's low toxic metabolite X11719474 was dominant in the nectar and reached an average concentration of 8905 ppb. However, after foliar application, sulfoxaflor was dominant over its metabolites in the nectar. S. splendens nectar has no nitrile hydratase and glutathione-s-transferase activity and none of the 106 proteins identified in the nectar were predicted to function in detoxifying sulfoxaflor. Soil and foliar sulfoxaflor application can result in different profiles of sulfoxaflor and its metabolites presented in the nectar. However, sulfoxaflor had no effects on S. splendens nectar secretion and chemical composition and cannot be directly detoxified by components in the nectar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of isolating clopyralid-degrading bacterial species for potential bioremediation, a pale-yellow, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and non-motile designated as Clo-40T was isolated from soil which was about 10 years use of clopyralid in Zaozhuang city, Shandong province. Growth occurred within the ranges from 10 to 40 °C and 0–2.5% (w/v) NaCl. Strain could completely degrade 50 mg/L clopyralid within 2 days after induction and formed 3, 6-hydroxypicolinic acid, a major clopyralid metabolite, hydrolyze esculin, and reduce nitrates to nitrites, but could not hydrolyze gelatin. Based on phylogenetic analysis, strain clustered within the genus Xinfangfangia clade and branched with Xinfangfangia humi IMT-291T (97.6%) and Xinfangfangia soli ZQBWT (96.9%). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 4.41 Mbp and G + C content of 67.3%. The average nucleotide ANI values of strain with respect to X. humi IMT-291T and X. soli ZQBWT were 77.5% and 76.9%, respectively. The DDH estimated values between strain Clo-40T and X. humi IMT-291T and X. soli ZQBWT were 20.5% and 20.0%, respectively. The predominant fatty acids (> 5% of the total fatty acids) were C18:1w7c (42.9%), C16:0 (28.8%), C17:0 cyclo (13.0%), and C14:0 (7.0%). The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified phospholipid, unidentified glycolipid, and unidentified lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was Q-10. Based on data from phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic analyses in this study, strain Clo-40T represent a novel species in the genus of Xinfangfangia, for which the name Xinfangfangia pollutisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Clo-40T (= KCTC 92089T = GDMCC 1.2845T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of nanomedicines for cancer therapy is generally hampered by their compromised tumor accumulation and transmembrane potency. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been widely used to enhance the drug delivery efficiency in tumor cells. However, conventional CPPs are vulnerable towards proteases and are generally lack of therapeutic effects. To maximize the efficacy of nanomedicines, new classes of cell penetrating therapeutic modalities are highly desirable. Stapled peptides have drawn wide attention as one of the cell-permeable peptidomimetics for intracellular targets. Herein, we reported a novel approach for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemo-photothermal therapy by taking advantage of the robust cell permeability and therapeutic effects of stapled peptides. The designed pH-activatable lactam-stapled peptide-polymer conjugate formed supramolecular nanoassemblies to encapsulate the chemodrug doxorubicin (DOX). Once reaching the tumor site, the lactam-stapled proapoptotic peptide could be efficiently activated under acidic tumor microenvironment, thereby promoting the drug delivery to the tumor cells and specific targeting mitochondria to interfere with the energy metabolism of tumor cells, which works in synergy with the DOX and local hyperthermia upon near infrared ray (NIR) light irradiation. This work may benefit future design of stapled peptides-based stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms for enhanced cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The external-cavity diode laser is advantageous in terms of low noise, high side-mode suppression ratio, high temperature stability, simple structure, and low cost, which has been the preferred scheme to realize wide-tuning and narrow-linewidth characteristics. Thus, it has been widely used in optical communication, lidar, environmental monitoring, spectral analysis, optical coherence tomography, and other frontier fields. Herein, we introduce the technical scheme and review the development status of wide-tuning and narrow-linewidth external-cavity diode lasers in detail. Primarily, the structure, working principles, and performance characteristics of external-cavity diode lasers are deeply analyzed according to different structures. The structural characteristics, key technologies, optical performance and application fields of state-of-the-art studies in recent years are discussed. Finally, the challenges and potential development prospects of wide-tuning and narrow-linewidth external-cavity diode lasers are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is the most lethal type of skin cancer. Despite the breakthroughs in the clinical treatment of melanoma using tumor immunotherapy, many patients do not benefit from these immunotherapies because of multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms. Therefore, there is an urgent need to determine the mechanisms of tumor-immune system interactions and their molecular determinants to improve cancer immunotherapy. In this study, combined analysis of microarray data and single-cell RNA sequencing data revealed the key interactions between immune cells in the melanoma microenvironment. First, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and malignant tissues were obtained using GEO2R. The DEGs were then subjected to downstream analyses, including enrichment analysis and protein–protein interaction analysis, indicating that these genes were associated with the immune response of melanoma. Then, the GEPIA and TIMER databases were used to verify the differential expression and prognostic significance of hub genes, and the relationship between the hub genes and immune infiltration. In addition, we combined single cell analysis from GSE123139 to identify immune cell types, and validated the expression of the hub genes in these immune cells. Finally, cell-to-cell communication analysis of the proteins encoded by the hub genes and their interactions was performed using CellChat. We found that the CCL5-CCR1, SELPLG-SELL, CXCL10-CXCR3, and CXCL9-CXCR3 pathways might play important roles in the communication between the immune cells in tumor microenvironment. This discovery may reveal the communication basis of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and provide a new idea for melanoma immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NPHS2 is the causative gene of nephrotic syndrome type 2 (MIM 600995) which often clinically manifests as steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). The NPHS2 gene encodes a slit diaphragm (SD) associated protein podocin. Objective: This study reported a novel disease-causing mutation of NPHS2 in a Chinese family with SRNS. We also investigated the pathogenic mechanism of the variants in this family. Method: A Chinese family with SRNS was recruited. Whole exome sequencing was performed to screen for disease-causing mutation. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the results. In vitro functional experiments including immunoblotting, co‐immunoprecipitation and double immunofluorescence staining were performed to explore the pathogenic mechanisms of mutations. Results: In this family, compound heterozygous mutations of NPHS2 (c.467dupT and c.865A > G) were identified and segregated with the disease. The maternal c.865A > G was a novel variant, leading to amino acid substitution (p.K289E). In vitro functional assays indicated that c.467dupT (p.L156FfsX11) mutant lost interaction with nephrin. Both K289E and L156FfsX11 mutants showed sharply diminished plasma membrane localization. Furthermore, abnormal distribution of podocin mutants also altered the cell membrane localization of nephrin. Conclusion: We reported a family with SRNS caused by compound heterozygous mutations of NPHS2 (c.467dupT and c.865A > G). c.865A > G (p.K289E) in NPHS2 was a novel causative variant associated with SRNS. Both variants in this family not only affected the normal cell membrane localization of podocin, but also altered the cell membrane localization of nephrin which is the major architectural protein of SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled 1D–2D hydrodynamic models are widely utilized in flood hazard mapping. Previous studies adopted conceptual hydrological models or 1D hydrodynamic models to evaluate the impact of drainage density on river flow. However, the drainage density affects not only river flow, but also the flooded area and location. Therefore, this work adopts the 1D–2D model SOBEK to investigate the impact of drainage density on river flow. The uncertainty of drainage density in flood hazard mapping is assessed by a designed case and a real case, Yanshuixi Drainage in Tainan, Taiwan. Analytical results indicate that under the same return period rainfall, reduction in tributary drainages in a model (indicating a lower drainage density) results in an underestimate of the flooded area in tributary drainages. This underestimate causes higher peak discharges and total volume of discharges in the drainages, leading to flooding in certain downstream reaches, thereby overestimating the flooded area. The uncertainty of drainage density decreases with increased rainfall. We suggest that modeling flood hazard mapping with low return period rainfalls requires tributary drainages. For extreme rainfall events, a lower drainage density could be selected, but the drainage density of local key areas should be raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy clustering algorithm (FCM) can be directly used to segment images, it takes no account of the neighborhood information of the current pixel and does not have a robust segmentation noise suppression. Fuzzy Local Information C-means Clustering (FLICM) is a widely used robust segmentation algorithm, which combines spatial information with the membership degree of adjacent pixels. In order to further improve the robustness of FLICM algorithm, non-local information is embedded into FLICM algorithm and a fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm has local and non-local information (FLICMLNLI) is obtained. When calculating distance from pixel to cluster center, FLICMLNLI algorithm considers two distances from current pixel and its neighborhood pixels to cluster center. However, the algorithm gives the same weight to two different distances, which incorrectly magnifies the importance of neighborhood information in calculating the distance, resulting in unsatisfactory image segmentation effects and loss of image details. In order to solve this problem, we raise an improved self-learning weighted fuzzy algorithm, which directly obtains different weights in distance calculation through continuous iterative self-learning, then the distance metric with the weights obtained from self-learning is embedded in the objective function of the fuzzy clustering algorithm in order to improve the segmentation performance and robustness of the algorithm. A large number of experiments on different types of images show that the algorithm can not only suppress the noise but also retain the details in the image, the effect of segmenting complex noise images is better, and it provides better image segmentation results than the existing latest fuzzy clustering algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of the experiment was to explore the localization and seasonal expression of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) in the colonic tissue of wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus). Methods and results: Hematoxylin–eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used in this experiment. The histological results showed that the diameter of the colon lumen enlarged and the number of glandular cells increased in the non-breeding season. It was found in the immunochemical results that both ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 were expressed in the cytoplasm of goblet cells and intestinal epithelial cells, while pERK1/2 was also expressed in the nucleus of them. The immune localization of both was more obvious in the non-breeding season, especially in intestinal epithelial cells. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting showed that ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 were seasonally highly expressed in the non-breeding season. Conclusions: The expression of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 was seasonal changes and had significant increases in the non-breeding season. This study revealed that ERK1/2 had potential roles in the colon to the adaptation of seasonal changes in wild ground squirrels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-infrared light (NIR) triggered transdermal drug delivery systems are of great interest due to their on-demand drug release, which enable to enhance drug treatment efficiency as well as reduce side effect. Herein, a NIR-triggered microneedle (MN) patch array has been fabricated through depositing the photothermal conversion agent and anti-diabetic drug-loaded polymer vesicles with upper critical solution temperature (UCST) into dissolvable polymer matrix. The UCST-type polymer has a clearing point temperature of 41 °C and the drug-loaded polymer vesicles present excellent NIR-triggered and temperature responsive drug release behavior in vitro due to the disassociation of polymer vesicles upon NIR irradiation. After applying MNs to diabetic rats, significant hypoglycemic effect is achieved upon interval NIR irradiation and the blood glucose concentration can decrease to normal state for several hours, which enables to achieve the goal of on-demand drug release. This work suggests that the NIR-triggered MN drug release device has a potential application in the treatment of diabetes, especially for those requiring an active drug release manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne LiDAR bathymetry offers low cost and high mobility, making it an ideal option for shallow-water measurements. However, due to differences in the measurement environment and the laser emission channel, the received waveform is difficult to extract using a single algorithm. The choice of a suitable waveform processing method is thus of extreme importance to guarantee the accuracy of the bathymetric retrieval. In this study, we use a wavelet-denoising method to denoise the received waveform and subsequently test four algorithms for denoised-waveform processing, namely, the Richardson–Lucy deconvolution (RLD), blind deconvolution (BD), Wiener filter deconvolution (WFD), and constrained least-squares filter deconvolution (RFD). The simulation and measured multichannel databases are used to evaluate the algorithms, with focus on improving their performance after data-denoising and their capability of extracting water depth. Results show that applying wavelet denoising before deconvolution improves the extraction accuracy. The four algorithms perform better for the shallow-water orthogonal polarization channel (PMT2) than for the shallow horizontal row polarization channel (PMT1). Of the four algorithms, RLD provides the best signal-detection rate, and RFD is the most robust; BD has low computational efficiency, and WFD performs poorly in deep water (< 25 m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the real-time water quality prediction model based on fine-grained image classification and home aerobic exercise rehabilitation for the elderly. Fine-grained image classification refers to the classification of sub-categories under image classification. In the past, image classification mainly classified images into large categories. In contrast, the most important feature of fine-grained image classification is the large differences within the class and the small differences between the classes, which are very difficult. And because it has a wide range of application requirements in human production and life, it has attracted a large number of scholars to conduct in-depth research on it. Based on the above research, the performance of the proposed model is analyzed and verified for specific water quality parameter prediction scenarios. The water quality model is an important part of the study of water environment simulation and water environment planning and management. Starting from the research review of water quality models, this paper introduces the development history of water quality models and several major non-mechanical water quality models and application research progress. It recognizes the objective facts of uncertainty in the water environment system and the limitations of organic water quality model in the application of water environment system in China. Finally, based on the above conclusions, elastic band resistance training combined with cardiac rehabilitation education improved the physical function of patients with coronary heart disease in the community, especially muscle health and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation training, as well as the quality of life of patients. The Heart Rehabilitation Training Program at Home can improve the awareness of cardiac rehabilitation of patients with coronary heart disease in the region, strengthen exercise compliance, popularize and apply to the home care of patients with coronary heart disease in the region, and also provide theoretical reference materials for regional medical personnel helping patients at home with training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are prevalent in the antennal transcriptomes of different orders of insects. Studies on OBPs have focused on their role in the insect chemosensory system, but knowledge of their functions in the insect testis is limited. We sequenced the transcriptomes of the Athetis dissimilis reproductive organs and analyzed the expression of AdisOBP genes in different tissues. We identified 23 OBPs in the testis and ovaries and 31 OBPs in antennal transcriptomes. The results of real-time quantitative PCR revealed that 23 of the 54 OBP genes were highly expressed in both female and male antennae, including three that exhibited male-biased expression and 15 that exhibited female-biased expression. A total of 24 OBPs were highly expressed in the testis of A. dissimilis, while expression of OBPs in the ovaries was very low. These findings highlight the functional diversity of OBPs in insects and can facilitate further studies on the OBPs in A. dissimilis and lepidopteran species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain CZZ-1T was isolated from long-term TBBPA-contaminated soil Zaozhuang city, Shandong province, People's Republic of China. CZZ-1T was pink-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and aerobic. The 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that strain CZZ-1T shows high similarities to Fluviicola taffensis DSM 16823T (92.6%) and Fluviicola hefeinensis KACC 16597T (92.5%) and less than 91% sequence similarities to other genus or species in the family Crocinitomicaceae. It was able to grow at 10–37 °C, with 0–6% (w/v) NaCl. It could hydrolyze gelatin, but could not reduce nitrates to nitrites. The predominant fatty acids of strain CZZ-1T were iso-C15:0 (51.3%), C15:0 2-OH (11.0%), iso-C17:0 3-OH (8.0%), C14: 0 (7.0%), iso-C15:1 G (6.8%) and Summed Feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c, 4.4%). The polar lipid profile was composed of five unidentified lipids, two unidentified phospholipids, one phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified glycolipid. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-6. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain CZZ-1T was 41.5 mol%. Based on data from phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analysis in this study, strain CZZ-1T represents a novel species in a new genus in the family Crocinitomicaceae, for which the name Taishania pollutisoli gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CZZ-1T (= KCTC 52343T = GDMCC 1.2270T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, 15 types of rare earth (Re) ions, including Y3+, La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Ho3+, Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+ and Lu3+ doped perovskite SrTiO3 powders were synthesized by sol–gel method. The influence of Re ions doping on the crystal structure, morphology and optical property as well as the photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) was investigated in detail when the synthesized Re ions doped SrTiO3 powders were served as catalysts. The presented results revealed that the crystal structure is invariable, whereas the morphology and the optical bandgap are variable for the resultant SrTiO3 powders when different Re ions were incorporated into the SrTiO3 lattice. The relatedness between the morphology, optical property and photocatalytic activity of the synthesized SrTiO3 catalysts doped with variable Re ions were analyzed deeply, providing an insight into the influence factors on the photocatalytic activity of catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maximum impact force of granular flow and its action point on a rigid barrier are the key indices of the anti-slip and the anti-overturning calculation, respectively. On the basis of the present impact force models and the observation in model experiments, this paper proposes a new semi-empirical impact force model focusing on the normal impact force and its point of action. By comparing the analytical solution and the experimental results, the new semi-empirical analytical model can estimate the normal impact force composed of both dynamic and static components with an error margin within ± 20% compared with the experimental results and so is for the corresponding point of action and tangential force. To calculate the residual force generated only by the static dead zone, the static friction angle between the dead zone and the chute base should be less than what was measured under kinetic conditions. Based on a large number of tests, it was found that assuming that the reaction force generated by the chute base operates at 2/3 of the deposition length makes the estimated normal impact force best suited to the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemosensory receptors in the dendritic membrane of olfactory cells are critical for the molecular recognition and discrimination of odorants. Tropidothorax elegans is a major pest of agricultural, ornamental, and medicinal plants. However, very little is known about olfactory genes in T. elegans. The purpose of this study was to obtain chemosensory receptor genes by sequencing the antennal transcriptome of T. elegans using Illumina sequencing technology. We identified 153 candidate chemosensory receptors, including 121 olfactory receptors (including one olfactory receptor co-receptor), 10 ionotropic receptors (including one IR8a and one IR25a), and 22 gustatory receptors (GRs). TeleOR76, 104 and 112 displayed more highly expression level than TeleOrco. Other TeleGR genes were expressed at very low levels except TeleGR1 and 20. TeleIR76b was the most highly expressed among TeleIR genes. Our results provide valuable biological information for studies of the olfactory communication system of T. elegans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]