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Ferroelectrics are essential in memory devices for multi-bit storage and high-density integration. Ferroelectricity mainly exists in compounds but rare in single-element materials due to their lack of spontaneous polarization in the latter. However, we report a room-temperature ferroelectricity in quasi-one-dimensional Te nanowires. Piezoelectric characteristics, ferroelectric loops and domain reversals are clearly observed. We attribute the ferroelectricity to the ion displacement created by the interlayer interaction between lone-pair electrons. Ferroelectric polarization can induce a strong field effect on the transport along the Te chain, giving rise to a self-gated ferroelectric field-effect transistor. By utilizing ferroelectric Te nanowire as channel, the device exhibits high mobility (~220 cm2·V−1·s−1), continuous-variable resistive states can be observed with long-term retention (>105 s), fast speed (<20 ns) and high-density storage (>1.92 TB/cm2). Our work provides opportunities for single-element ferroelectrics and advances practical applications such as ultrahigh-density data storage and computing-in-memory devices. Authors find room-temperature ferroelectricity in single element Te nanowires, highlighting that reducing dimensions to 1D in low-dimensional piezoelectric materials with chain structures is an effective strategy to induce ferroelectricity absent in their 2D form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic practice, determining the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) and cause-of-death of cadavers in aquatic ecosystems has always been challenging task. Traditional approaches are not yet able to address these issues effectively and adequately. Our previous study proposed novel models to predict the PMSI and cause-of-death based on metabolites of blood from rats immersed in freshwater. However, with the advance of putrefaction, it is hardly to obtain blood samples beyond 3 days postmortem. To further assess the feasibility of PMSI estimation and drowning diagnosis in the later postmortem phase, gastrocnemius, the more degradation-resistant tissue, was collected from drowned rats and postmortem submersion model in freshwater immediately after death, and at 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, and 10 days postmortem respectively. Then the samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to investigate the dynamic changes of the metabolites. A total of 924 metabolites were identified. Similar chronological changes of gastrocnemius metabolites were observed in the drowning and postmortem submersion groups. The difference in metabolic profiles between drowning and postmortem submersion groups was only evident in the initial 1 day postmortem, which was faded as the PMSI extension. Nineteen metabolites representing temporally-dynamic patterns were selected as biomarkers for PMSI estimation. A regression model was built based on these biomarkers with random forest algorithm, which yielded a mean absolute error (± SE) of 5.856 (± 1.296) h on validation samples from an independent experiment. These findings added to our knowledge of chronological changes in muscle metabolites from submerged vertebrate remains during decomposition, which provided a new perspective for PMSI estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel graphene-modified molecularly imprinted polymer-based electrochemical sensor (MIP/RGO-GCE) was developed for the sensitive and selective detection of sibutramine in sports doping control. The sensor was fabricated by electropolymerizing o-phenylenediamine on a reduced graphene oxide-modified glassy carbon electrode in the presence of sibutramine as the template molecule. Under optimized conditions, the MIP/RGO-GCE sensor exhibited a wide linear range (0.05 to 20 μM), low detection limit (0.02 μM), high sensitivity (1.27 μA/μM), good precision (RSD < 2.7%), and long-term stability (93.5% retention after two weeks). The sensor's applicability was successfully demonstrated by analyzing spiked human urine and serum samples, with recoveries ranging from 95.8 to 103.2% and good agreement with the reference HPLC method. Furthermore, the sensor showed a rapid response time of 5 s and excellent reproducibility with an RSD of 1.5% for repeated measurements. The proposed sensor offers a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable alternative to traditional chromatographic methods for sibutramine detection in sports doping control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small renal masses (SRMs) have been shown to have low malignant potential. Active surveillance (AS), typically characterized by regular follow-up and delayed nephrectomy if necessary, is recommended as an option for frail patients with SRMs. Nevertheless, the impact of tumor size on survival in T1a RCC patients undergoing delayed nephrectomy for SRMs remains unclear. Methods: Patients diagnosed with non-metastatic T1a RCC who underwent nephrectomy were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and divided into immediate (< 6 months) and delayed nephrectomy (≥ 6 months) groups based on the duration from diagnosis to nephrectomy. After propensity score matching (PSM), overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were estimated by K-M curves and compared with log-rank test. Results: A total of 27,502 patients were enrolled, of whom 26,915 (97.9%) received immediate nephrectomy and 587 (2.1%) received delayed nephrectomy. After PSM, 1174 patients who underwent immediate nephrectomy and 587 patients who underwent delayed nephrectomy were included. With a median delay of 7 months, delayed nephrectomy resulted in non-inferior OS for RCC tumors sized 0.1–2.0 cm (HR = 1.12, p = 0.636). However, for RCC tumors sized 2.1–3.0 cm (HR = 1.60, p = 0.008) and 3.1–4.0 cm (HR = 1.89, p < 0.001), delayed nephrectomy showed inferior OS compared to immediate nephrectomy. Delayed nephrectomy did not result in significantly worse CSS than immediate nephrectomy in all tumor size subgroups (all p > 0.05), however this may be due to sample size limiting statistical power. Conclusion: Based on the SEER database, we found that with a median delay of 7 months, 2 cm may be an appropriate cut-off point of delayed nephrectomy for patients diagnosed with non-metastatic T1a RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between cells are of fundamental importance in affecting cell function. In vivo, endothelial cells and islet cells are close to each other, which makes endothelial cells essential for islet cell development and maintenance of islet cell function. We used endothelial cells to construct 3D pseudo-islets, which demonstrated better glucose regulation and greater insulin secretion compared to conventional pseudo-islets in both in vivo and in vitro trials. However, the underlying mechanism of how endothelial cells promote beta cell function localized within islets is still unknown. We performed transcriptomic sequencing, differential gene analysis, and enrichment analysis on two types of pseudo-islets to show that endothelial cells can promote the function of internal beta cells in pseudo-islets through the BTC-EGFR-JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Min6 cells secreted additional BTC after co-culture of endothelial cells with MIN6 cells outside the body. After BTC knockout in vitro, we found that beta cells functioned differently: insulin secretion levels decreased significantly, while the expression of key proteins in the EGFR-mediated JAK/STAT signaling pathway simultaneously decreased, further confirming our results. Through our experiments, we elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which endothelial cells maintain islet function in vitro, which provides a theoretical basis for the construction of pseudo-islets and islet cell transplants for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment combined aramid fiber-reinforced polymer (AFRP) and stainless steel (SS) into a laminated structure, which was an AFRP/SS/AFRP co-cured material. The milling cutter and drill bit were used in the experiment to study the hole machining effect of the co-cured material. The effects of machining parameters on the hole processing quality were compared, and the cutting mechanism of the co-cured material was revealed. The research results show that the processing effect of milling is better than that of drilling, and the cutting force during the hole machining process is small, only 53.619% of that of drilling. In the milling method, the tool wear is minor, and the material is primarily shear-fractured, while there are partial tensile fractures under drilling conditions. The damage form and mechanism of the co-cured material laminated interface were experimentally studied, the chip shapes of AFRP and stainless steel under different process methods were summarized, and the mechanism analysis was conducted based on cutting force and tool wear. Additionally, the experiment discovered a type of AFRP chip, which was resin chips. The morphology and forming mechanism of resin chips were analyzed, which provided a theoretical basis and auxiliary support for revealing the cutting mechanism of the co-cured material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) is an incurable low-grade lymphoma with no standard therapy. Nine asymptomatic patients treated with a first-in-human, neoantigen DNA vaccine experienced no dose limiting toxicities (primary endpoint, NCT01209871). All patients achieve stable disease or better, with one minor response, and median time to progression of 72+ months. Post-vaccine single-cell transcriptomics reveal dichotomous antitumor responses, with reduced tumor B-cells (tracked by unique B cell receptor) and their survival pathways, but no change in clonal plasma cells. Downregulation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules and paradoxical upregulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) by the latter suggest resistance mechanisms. Vaccine therapy activates and expands bone marrow T-cell clonotypes, and functional neoantigen-specific responses (secondary endpoint), but not co-inhibitory pathways or Treg, and reduces protumoral signaling by myeloid cells, suggesting favorable perturbation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Future strategies may require combinations of vaccines with agents targeting plasma cell subpopulations, or blockade of IGF-1 signaling or myeloid cell checkpoints. Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a B-cell low-grade lymphoma with no approved standard therapy. Here the authors report a non-randomized phase 1 clinical trial performing early intervention with personalized neoantigen vaccines in asymptomatic patients and associating clinical efficacy with successful perturbation of the tumor immune microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the interaction between the human coronavirus HKU1 spike receptor binding domain (RBD) and its receptor TMPRSS2. The researchers used cryo-EM structures to determine the complex between the HKU1 RBD and TMPRSS2, identifying key regions involved in their interaction. The study found that the binding primarily relies on hydrophobic packing and shape complementarity, with no significant conformational changes. The researchers also discovered that specific residues in the HKU1 spike protein are responsible for binding to TMPRSS2, and variations in certain amino acids can impact the binding affinity. This research provides valuable insights into the entry mechanism of HKU1 and could potentially contribute to the development of vaccines and antiviral treatments. [Extracted from the article]

Unraveling the regulatory mechanisms that govern complex traits is pivotal for advancing crop improvement. Here we present a comprehensive regulome atlas for rice (Oryza sativa), charting the chromatin accessibility across 23 distinct tissues from three representative varieties. Our study uncovers 117,176 unique open chromatin regions (OCRs), accounting for ~15% of the rice genome, a notably higher proportion compared to previous reports in plants. Integrating RNA-seq data from matched tissues, we confidently predict 59,075 OCR-to-gene links, with enhancers constituting 69.54% of these associations, including many known enhancer-to-gene links. Leveraging this resource, we re-evaluate genome-wide association study results and discover a previously unknown function of OsbZIP06 in seed germination, which we subsequently confirm through experimental validation. We optimize deep learning models to decode regulatory grammar, achieving robust modeling of tissue-specific chromatin accessibility. This approach allows to predict cross-variety regulatory dynamics from genomic sequences, shedding light on the genetic underpinnings of cis-regulatory divergence and morphological disparities between varieties. Overall, our study establishes a foundational resource for rice functional genomics and precision molecular breeding, providing valuable insights into regulatory mechanisms governing complex traits. The authors present a comprehensive regulome atlas for rice by mapping chromatin accessibility across 23 tissues from three rice varieties. By integrating matched RNA-seq data, they accurately predict numerous associations between non-coding regulatory elements and target genes. This study provides a foundational resource for gene editing and breeding strategies targeting non-coding regions in rice, potentially advancing crop improvement efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella is a notoriously important pathogen that can cause human latent, acute, and chronic foodborne diseases. This work excavated a silver nanomaterial AgDAMP with a thiolate ligand as a novel composite bacteriostat to understand the inhibitory effects on Salmonella and to explore its antimicrobial mechanisms from the aspects of membrane structure damage, biofilm inhibition, and protein expression. The characterization results of its morphology, particle size, chemical bonds, elements, and crystal structure showed that AgDAMP were small-sized spherical nanoparticles with a certain crystallinity. AgDAMP could combat effectively the planktonic Salmonella, manifested as loss of membrane integrity, enhanced permeability, cytoplasmic leakage, and changes of cell morphology. Our study also suggested that AgDAMP not only significantly interfered with biofilm formation but also destroyed mature biofilm. Proteomic profiling indicated that the exposure to an inhibitory concentration of AgDAMP altered conspicuously more protein expression in Salmonella than a subinhibitory concentration. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis revealed that differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were primarily enriched in the ribosome, ABC transporters, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolite pathways. Furthermore, we found that AgDAMP significantly altered the expression of regulators associated with cellular DNA replication, protein synthesis, membrane transport, cell motility, and oxidative stress, which affected cell growth. These data provide new prospects for the responses of Salmonella to AgDAMP exposure, indicating that AgDAMP could be used as a novel nanotechnology for the treatment of foodborne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silty soil is a transitional soil between clay and sand and is widely distributed around the world. With the rapid urban development and associated infrastructure need, silty soil has become more widely used as the bearing soil for foundations and roads. The liquefaction of silty soil under the earthquake can cause serious damage to buildings and infrastructure resting on such soil. Correctly analyzing the dynamic characteristics of silty soil in earthquake areas plays a major role in the success or failure of infrastructure construction. Therefore, it is particularly important to study the various factors affecting the dynamic characteristics of silty soil and to analyze the changing trend and associated mechanism on the dynamic characteristics of silty soil. In this paper, a set of cycle triaxial tests were carried out using the orthogonal design method to study the effects of four factors, namely initial void ratio, load frequency, clay content and silt content, on the dynamic characteristics of saturated silty soil at different levels. The orthogonal design method is used to study the order of influence of four factors on the dynamic strength and excess pore water pressure of silty soil, and the significance level of each factor was also assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD27 as a marker of memory B cells is belong to the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, CD27 is ligated by CD70, they can co-stimulate T-cell growth and differentiation through their interaction. Uncertainty surrounds CD27's function in esophageal cancer (EC). This study investigated the role of CD27 in the prognosis of EC using the TCGA, cbioportal, linkedomics and GEPIA databases as well as the proliferation assay was applied. CD27 differential expression may be a key factor in the development of EC. different level of CD27 expression in EC has profound impacts on TOR complex, and many kinds of kinase (KIT proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase, transforming growth factor beta receptor 1, and G protein-coupled receptor kinase 3.), as well as the cell membrane, and survival analysis revealed that it had a significant impact on both the overall survival and disease-free survival of EC. CD27 overexpression will suppress the viability of the KYSE150 and TE3 cells. Our findings suggested that the degree of CD27 expression could serve as an esophageal cancer prognosis biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Identifying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related encephalitis without clear etiological evidence is clinically challenging. The distinctions between this condition and other prevalent encephalitis types remain unknown. Therefore, we aimed to explore the similarities and differences in the clinical characteristics of COVID-19-related encephalitis and other encephalitis types. Methods: Adult patients with encephalitis admitted to the neurology department at Xuanwu Hospital were enrolled and categorized into the following six groups based on the results of metagenomic next-generation sequencing and autoimmune antibody detection in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): COVID-19-related encephalitis (n = 36), herpes simplex virus type 1 encephalitis (HSV-1 encephalitis; n = 28), human herpesvirus 3 encephalitis (HHV-3 encephalitis; n = 10), NMDAR-antibody encephalitis (n = 18), LGI1-antibody encephalitis (n = 12), and GABAB-antibody encephalitis (n = 8). Results: The predominant characteristics of COVID-19-related encephalitis include a low incidence of seizures (38.9%), cognitive defects (30.6%), and meningeal irritation signs (8.3%). Compared with HSV-1 and HHV-3 encephalitis, COVID-19-related encephalitis exhibited lower white blood cell count (2.5 count/mm3), protein (32.2 mg/dL), and immunoglobulin M, G, and A levels (0.09, 3.2, and 0.46 mg/dL, respectively) in the CSF tests. Abnormal imaging findings were present in only 36.1% of COVID-19-related encephalitis cases, mostly showing diffuse inflammation scattered in various parts, which differed from HSV-1 encephalitis. Additionally, COVID-19-related encephalitis exhibited significant differences in clinical symptoms and CSF white blood cell counts compared with NMDAR-antibody encephalitis; however, it showed limited differences compared with LGI1-antibody and GABAB-antibody encephalitis. Discussion: COVID-19-related encephalitis and herpes virus or autoimmune encephalitis differ clinically. Symptoms and auxiliary examinations can be used as distinguishing tools. [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 Advances in Atmospheric Sciences 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.)

Studies have demonstrated that prior to puberty, girls have a lower incidence and severity of asthma symptoms compared to boys. This study aimed to explore the role of progesterone (P4), a sex hormone, in reducing inflammation and altering the immune microenvironment in a mouse model of allergic asthma induced by OVA. Female BALB/c mice with or without ovariectomy to remove the influence of sex hormones were used for the investigations. Serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue samples were collected for analysis. The results indicated that P4 treatment was effective in decreasing inflammation and mucus secretion in the lungs of OVA-induced allergic asthma mice. P4 treatment also reduced the influx of inflammatory cells into the BALF and increased the levels of Th1 and Th17 cytokines while decreasing the levels of Th2 and Treg cytokines in both BALF and lung microenvironment CD45+ T cells. Furthermore, P4 inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lungs, suppressed NETosis, and reduced the number of pulmonary CD4+ T cells while increasing the number of regulatory T cells. The neutrophil elastase inhibitor GW311616A also suppressed airway inflammation and mucus production and modified the secretion of immune Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cytokines in lung CD45+ immune cells. These changes led to an alteration of the immunological milieu with increased Th1 and Th17 cells, accompanied by decreased Th2, Treg, and CD44+ T cells, similar to the effects of P4 treatment. Treatment with P4 inhibited NETosis by suppressing the p38 pathway activation, leading to reduced reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, P4 treatment hindered the release of double-stranded DNA during NETosis, thereby influencing the immune microenvironment in the lungs. These findings suggest that P4 treatment may be beneficial in reducing inflammation associated with allergic asthma by modulating the immune microenvironment. In conclusion, this research indicates the potential of P4 as a therapeutic agent for ameliorating inflammation in OVA-induced allergic asthma mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC), the most abundant oxidative derivative of DNA methylation, is typically enriched at enhancers and gene bodies of transcriptionally active and tissue-specific genes. Although aberrant genomic 5hmC has been implicated in age-related diseases, its functional role in aging remains unknown. Here, using mouse liver and cerebellum as model organs, we show that 5hmC accumulates in gene bodies associated with tissue-specific function and restricts the magnitude of gene expression changes with age. Mechanistically, 5hmC decreases the binding of splicing associated factors and correlates with age-related alternative splicing events. We found that various age-related contexts, such as prolonged quiescence and senescence, drive the accumulation of 5hmC with age. We provide evidence that this age-related transcriptionally restrictive function is conserved in mouse and human tissues. Our findings reveal that 5hmC regulates tissue-specific function and may play a role in longevity.DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC) is typically altered in age-related diseases. Here, the authors show that 5hmC accumulates in gene bodies, partially due to prolonged quiescence, and restricts the magnitude of transcriptional changes with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of ambient temperature, sliding speed and normal load on friction coefficient and wear mechanism were investigated through end-face testing to simulate the influence of process parameters during hot forming–quenching integrated process. With the increasing ambient temperature, the wear mechanism changes from abrasive wear to adhesive wear and oxidation wear. When the ambient temperature reaches 400 °C, the delamination wear characteristics occur due to the crack propagation caused by thermal stress. The friction coefficient and wear rate increase with the increase in the normal load. When the normal load is 1.8 and 3 kN, because of the generation of a large amount of heat and the increase in the contact area, the peeling morphology appears, and the adhesive wear and oxidation wear are further enhanced with the increase in the temperature. The enhancement of work hardening weakened the adhesion effect due to the high sliding speed. The friction coefficient decreases with the increase in the sliding speed. In addition, the wear rate at 10 r/min and 50 r/min sliding speed are 29.6 and 29.2 mm3/m, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of various parameters of wafer-level strained SOI on the stress of the top Si layer, strained-SOI wafers were successfully fabricated by depositing highly stressed SiN films. Raman tests were performed on the top layer of strained Si to measure the strain. ANSYS software was applied to simulate the effects of parameter changes of highly stressed SiN films, the variation of the material parameters of each layer, and the effect of scaling effect under the thickness variation on the top layer strained Si. The simulation results show that the existence of the scale effect of the thin film material affects the stress of the top Si layer, the thicker the highly stressed SiN film is and the larger the stress values are, the larger the strain of the top Si layer is; and the thicker the SOI wafer substrate Si is, the smaller the strain of top Si layer is, so that the effect of substrate Si should also be considered in the wafer-level SOI strain model. Finally, the strain model is optimized using experimental measurements, and the model calculation error is approximately reduced by 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy-induced drug resistance remains a major cause of cancer recurrence and patient mortality. ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1) transporter overexpression in tumors contributes to resistance, yet current ABCB1 inhibitors have been unsuccessful in clinical trials. To address this challenge, we propose a new strategy using tryptophan as a lead molecule for developing ABCB1 inhibitors. Our idea stems from our studies on bat cells, as bats have low cancer incidences and high ABCB1 expression. We hypothesized that potential ABCB1 substrates in bats could act as competitive inhibitors in humans. By molecular simulations of ABCB1-substrate interactions, we generated a benzylated Cyclo-tryptophan (C3N-Dbn-Trp2) that inhibits ABCB1 activity with efficacy comparable to or better than the classical inhibitor, verapamil. C3N-Dbn-Trp2 restored chemotherapy sensitivity in drug-resistant human cancer cells with no adverse effect on cell proliferation. Our unique approach presents a promising lead toward developing effective ABCB1 inhibitors to treat drug-resistant cancers. ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB1 is known to be involved in drug resistance in cancer treatment, however, current ABCB1 inhibitors have not been successful in clinical trials due to their potential cytotoxicity. Here, the authors hypothesize that potential ABCB1 substrates in bats could act as competitive inhibitors against ABCB1 in humans, and identify the tryptophan structure as a promising lead structure for the development of non-toxic ABCB1 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitation-dependent emission properties of carbon dots (Cdots) are extensively reported, but their red emission is often weak, limiting their wider application. Here we introduce ethidium bromide, as a functional precursor with red emission, to enhance the red emission for Cdots, with comparable intensity at a broad wavelength range to multi-emission Cdots (M-Cdots). We found that Cdots prepared with ethidium bromide/ethylenediamine exhibited strong blue and red emission at 440 and 615 nm, with optimal excitation at 360 and 470 nm as M-Cdots, respectively, but the Cdots from single ethidium bromide (EB-Cdots) possessed weak red emission. M-Cdots exhibited a broad absorption band at 478 nm, but a band blue-shifted to 425 nm was observed for EB-Cdots, while no absorption was observed at 478–425 nm for the Cdots prepared with citric acid and ethylenediamine. Thus, we proposed that C=O and C=N formed a π-conjugation structure as the absorption band at 478 nm for the red emission of M-Cdots, as also confirmed with the excitation at 470 nm. Moreover, the π-conjugation structure is fragile and sensitive to harsh conditions, so red emission was difficult to observe for the Cdots prepared with citric acid/ethylenediamine or single ethidium bromide. M-Cdots possess two centers for blue and red emission with different structures. The dual emission was therefore used for ratiometric sensing with dichromate (Cr2O72−) and formaldehyde (HCHO) as the targets using the intensity ratio of the emissions at 615 and 440 nm. Due to the comparable intensity at a broad wavelength range, we designed encryption codes with five excitations at 360, 400, 420, 450, and 470 nm as the inputs, and the emission colors were used for information decoding. Thus, we determined why red emission was difficult to realize for Cdots, and our results could motivate the design of red-emission Cdots for extensive applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthropod-borne viruses represent a crucial public health threat. Current arboviral serology assays are either labor intensive or incapable of distinguishing closely related viruses, and many zoonotic arboviruses that may transition to humans lack any serologic assays. In this study, we present a programmable phage display platform, ArboScan, that evaluates antibody binding to overlapping peptides that represent the proteomes of 691 human and zoonotic arboviruses. We confirm that ArboScan provides detailed antibody binding information from animal sera, human sera, and an arthropod blood meal. ArboScan identifies distinguishing features of antibody responses based on exposure history in a Colombian cohort of Zika patients. Finally, ArboScan details epitope level information that rapidly identifies candidate epitopes with potential protective significance. ArboScan thus represents a resource for characterizing human and animal arbovirus antibody responses at cohort scale. Arboviruses are transmitted by arthropods and include a number of critical human and zoonotic pathogens. Here the authors report a phage display library, ArboScan, for evaluating antibody binding to the peptidome of 691 human and zoonotic arthropod borne viruses, and use it to profile anti-arbovirus antibodies from diverse samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonia is a serious disease that can be fatal, particularly among children and the elderly. The accuracy of pneumonia diagnosis can be improved by combining artificial-intelligence technology with X-ray imaging. This study proposes X-ODFCANet, which addresses the issues of low accuracy and excessive parameters in existing deep-learning-based pneumonia-classification methods. This network incorporates a feature coordination attention module and an omni-dimensional dynamic convolution (ODConv) module, leveraging the residual module for feature extraction from X-ray images. The feature coordination attention module utilizes two one-dimensional feature encoding processes to aggregate feature information from different spatial directions. Additionally, the ODConv module extracts and fuses feature information in four dimensions: the spatial dimension of the convolution kernel, input and output channel quantities, and convolution kernel quantity. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of pneumonia classification, which is 3.77% higher than that of ResNet18. The model parameters are 4.45M, which was reduced by approximately 2.5 times. The code is available at https://github.com/limuni/X-ODFCANET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, Southwest China (SWC) has suffered from frequent super droughts, leading to severe economic losses and ecological degradation. This study investigates the characteristics of super droughts in SWC during 1961–2022, reveals the compounding effect of multiscalar anomalies, and explores the plausible atmospheric circulation mechanisms responsible. The nature of super drought is a compound drought caused by the superposition of extreme drought events across multiple time scales. By contrasting the typical drought cases in 2006 and 2022, the decisive role of multiscalar drought compounding is confirmed. Based on the Comprehensive Multiscalar Index (CMI), multiple super drought events in SWC were identified to be temporally clustered during 2006–2014. Among them, the decadal background of enhanced evaporation and precipitation deficit at long time scales is a necessary condition for shaping the overall pattern of super droughts, while the precipitation and evaporation anomalies at short time scales trigger the outbreak of super droughts, determining the exact timing of occurrence. These events include August–September 2006, November 2009 to May 2010, July–October 2011, April–May 2012, January–April 2013, etc. Statistical results suggest that the contribution of superposed precipitation anomalies to super drought is 2.4 times that of evaporation. As regards the circulation mechanisms affecting multiscalar precipitation, the anomalous spatial patterns at short-term and long-term scales are similar, featuring the cyclonic circulation over the South China Sea and the northeasterly wind anomalies together with the subsidence center over SWC. During 2006–2014, the possible causes for the cross-seasonal persistent precipitation reduction in SWC are the extreme negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) in the North Pacific as well as the pronounced warming of the warm pool in the western Pacific. The key dynamic processes are outlined as follows. On the one hand, the negative PDO phase generates anomalous anticyclonic circulation in the North Pacific, with the northeasterly winds on its southwest flank extending to Southeast Asia, hindering moisture transport into SWC. On the other hand, the warming of the warm pool excites anomalous cyclonic circulation to its northwest, also giving rise to northeasterly wind anomalies over SWC. Meanwhile, the ascending motion over the warm pool region diverges at upper levels with outflows converging aloft over SWC, which further induces compensating downward motion there. The combined effect of the above two remote forcings establishes a climatic background state unfavorable for precipitation over SWC at long time scales, thus constituting a crucial prerequisite for the superimposition of short-term precipitation anomalies to develop into super droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors related to rainfall variabilities in southern and southeastern Ethiopia have not yet been addressed. The extreme wet and dry events caused by atmospheric circulation patterns during the March-April-May periods were studied using 1991–2022 data from Climate Hazard Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) and atmospheric circulation anomalies datasets. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF), precipitation concentration index (PCI), and coefficient of variation (CV) are used to determine the interannual variation. The study revealed that both PCI and CV exhibit rainfall variability with increasing magnitude from west to east of the region, while the first mode of EOF showed a dominantly uniform pattern and accounted for 48.8% of the observed variance. Eight extreme dry and four extreme wet years were also observed. Composite analyses suggested that the study area during wet years were characterized by convergence or divergence of velocity potential, and decrease or increase of vertical velocity at lower or upper troposphere which favorable conditions to vertical motion, while opposite phenomena observed during dry periods. Westerly winds from the southern Atlantic Ocean were associating with wet, while easterly winds from the Indian Ocean with dry. The study found a negative correlation between rainfall and Azores SLP, a positive correlation with Indian Ocean SST, and 62.5% of the driest periods coexisted with La Niña events. In summary, Indian Ocean SST, Nino Index 3.4, Azores SLP, South Atlantic 850-hPa westerly winds, and vertical velocity are predictive factors that should be considered in the rainfall forecasting process in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have emerged as highly promising candidates for the next generation of photonics and optoelectronic devices, owing to their prominent optical and excitonic properties, as well as the convenience of fabrication. Particularly, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) MHPs, which are generally prepared by exfoliation, solution growth, and chemical vapor deposition method, have attracted dramatically increasing attentions owing to their combined features of ultrathin 2D morphology and superior performance of MHPs. Despite the growing interest in ultrathin 2D MHPs, there is currently a lack of a comprehensive and systematic overview of the distinct advantages offered by each growth method for producing these materials. This review critically assesses the preliminary studies on the materials design and preparation of ultrathin MHPs. Furthermore, it explores heterostructures based on ultrathin MHPs and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this enticing class of 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and detection of various types of explosives are essential for human health and environmental monitoring. Array-based sensing approach offers significant advantages in detecting multi-analytes simultaneously, thereby holding great potential in identifying multiple explosives. Here, we report a tri-channel fluorescence array composed of three distinct fluorescence probes based on gold nanoclusters and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide with well-separated emission colors. Through the specific interactions of explosives with different fluorescent probes and the yielded response patterns, seven explosives can be successfully distinguished with 100% accuracy. In particular, the sensor array exhibits excellent performance in the quantitative analysis of individual explosive and the differentiation of multiple explosive mixtures. To facilitate the field detection towards practical application, the tri-channel fluorescence array was further integrated with polymer hydrogels. The fabricated portable hydrogel-based array sensors can not only visually identify seven different explosives by their distinct fluorescence color change, but also enable quantitative detection based on linear discriminant analysis (LDA) together with a smartphone. This study illustrates the great potential of hydrogel-based fluorescence sensor array as robust sensors for explosives, which also holds significant promise for the development of portable explosive devices towards practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study assessed the performance of early contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (ECE-MR) in the detecting of complete tumor response (ypT0) in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma following neoadjuvant therapy. Patients and Methods: Preoperative MR images of consecutive patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection were reviewed retrospectively. The accuracy of ECE-MR and T2WI+DWI was evaluated by comparing the findings with pathological results. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance, and DeLong method was applied to compare the areas under the curves (AUC). Chi-squared analysis was conducted to explore the difference in pathological changes. Results: A total of 198 patients (mean age 62.6 ± 7.8 years, 166 men) with 201 lesions were included. The AUC of ECE-MR was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79–0.90) for diagnosing ypT1–4, which was significantly higher than that of T2WI+DWI (AUC 0.69, 95% CI 0.63–0.76, p < 0.001). The diagnostic performance of both T2WI+DWI and ECE-MR improved with increasing tumor stage. The AUCs of ECE-MRI were higher in ypT1 and ypT2 tumors than T2WI+DWI. Degree 2–3 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and neutrophils were commonly seen in ypT0 tumors misdiagnosed by ECE-MR. Conclusions: Visual evaluation of ECE-MR is a promising diagnostic protocol for the detection of complete tumor response, especially for differentiation with early stage tumors. The accurate diagnosis of complete tumor response after neoadjuvant therapy using imaging modalities is of important significance for clinical decision-making for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. It is hoped that early contrast-enhanced MR will provide supportive advice for the development of individualized treatment options for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: To investigate the influence of different concentrations of surfactants on the adsorption of anthracite, the nonionic surfactant alkyl polyglucoside (APG) was selected. The study examined the adsorption characteristics of different concentrations of APG on the surface of anthracite. The results revealed the existence of two modes of APG adsorption on anthracite. Under the action of 0.06 wt% APG, APG was found to adsorb in a monolayer state on the anthracite surface, with a saturation adsorption capacity of 20.06 mg/g. When the solution concentration exceeded 0.14 wt%, APG exhibited a double-layer saturation adsorption state on anthracite, with a saturation adsorption capacity of 71.71 mg/g. Molecular dynamics simulations complemented these findings, demonstrating that low concentrations of APG could reduce the mobility of water molecules and enhance the hydrophilicity of anthracite. With an increase in the number of APG molecules, multi-layer adsorption occurred on the anthracite surface, making it more hydrophobic. Therefore, the differences in wettability of anthracite induced by different concentrations of APG were primarily attributed to the spatial distribution of the surfactant at the water/coal interface. Methods: This study analyzed the adsorption capacity of the surfactant through adsorption experiments and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to construct six concentration levels of water/APG/anthracite systems. Various aspects, including APG adsorption configurations, interaction energies, relative concentrations of each component, and the diffusion coefficient of water molecules, were discussed to elucidate the reasons for the differential wettability of anthracite induced by different concentrations of APG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurring in retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) is a crucial mechanism that contributes to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a pivotal factor leading to permanent vision impairment. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators orchestrating EMT in RPE cells. In this study, we explored the function of the lncRNA CYTOR (cytoskeleton regulator RNA) in EMT of RPE cells and its underlying mechanisms. Through weighted correlation network analysis, we identified CYTOR as an EMT-related lncRNA associated with AMD. Experimental validation revealed that CYTOR orchestrates TGF-β1-induced EMT, as well as proliferation and migration of ARPE-19 cells. Further investigation demonstrated the involvement of CYTOR in regulating the WNT5A/NFAT1 pathway and NFAT1 intranuclear translocation in the ARPE-19 cell EMT model. Mechanistically, CHIP, EMSA and dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed NFAT1's direct binding to CYTOR's promoter, promoting transcription. Reciprocally, CYTOR overexpression promoted NFAT1 expression, while NFAT1 overexpression increased CYTOR transcription. These findings highlight a mutual promotion between CYTOR and NFAT1, forming a positive feedback loop that triggers the EMT phenotype in ARPE-19 cells. These discoveries provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of EMT and its association with AMD, offering potential avenues for targeted therapies in EMT-related conditions, including AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Collateral circulation in MMD has emerged as a research focus. Our aims were to assess the impact of anastomoses between the anterior and posterior circulations on the prognosis of MMD patients. Methods: We reviewed the preoperative digital subtraction angiography images of patients with MMD who underwent revascularization surgery at our hospital between March 2014 and May 2020 and divided the patients into two groups: those with anastomoses (PtoA group) and those without anastomoses (non-PtoA group). The differences in follow-up (more than 6 months) collateral vessel establishment (Matsushima grade) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were compared between the two groups as well as between the patients with different degrees of anastomoses. The early complications following revascularization were also compared between the two groups. Results: This study included 104 patients with MMD, of which 38 were non-PtoA and 66 were PtoA. There were no significant differences in Matsushima score (P = 0.252) and mRS score (P = 0.066) between the two groups. In addition, Matsushima score (P = 0.243) and mRS score (P = 0.360) did not differ significantly between patients with different degrees of anastomoses. However, the non-PtoA group had a significantly higher rate of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) than the PtoA group (34.2% vs 16.7%, P = 0.041). Conclusion: MMD patients without anastomoses between anterior and posterior circulations preoperatively should be vigilant of the occurrence of CHS in the early stages after revascularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of cholinergic pathways damage caused by white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on cognitive function in moyamoya disease (MMD). Methods: We included 62 patients with MMD from a prospectively enrolled cohort. We evaluated the burden of cholinergic pathways damage caused by WMHs using the Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale (CHIPS). Cognitive function was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Cognitive impairment was determined according to the cut-off of MMSE and education. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze whether CHIPS was independently associated with cognition. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to identify the ability of CHIPS in discriminating cognitive impairment and normal cognition. Results: CHIPS was associated with both MMSE and MoCA (β = − 0.601 and β = − 0.672, both p < 0.001). After correcting age, sex, education, volumes of limbic areas, and other factors, CHIPS remained to be independently associated with both MMSE and MoCA (β = − 0.388 and β = − 0.334, both p < 0.001). In the logistic regression, only CHIPS was associated with cognitive impairment (odds ratio = 1.431, 95% confidence interval = 1.103 to 1.856, p = 0.007). The optimal cut-off of CHIPS score was 10, yielding a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 78.3% in identifying MMD patients with cognitive impairment. Conclusions: The damage of cholinergic pathways caused by WMHs plays an independent effect on cognition and CHIPS could be a useful method in identifying MMD patients likely to be cognitive impairment. Clinical relevance statement: This study shows that Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale (CHIPS) could be a simple and reliable method in identifying cognitive impairment for patients with moyamoya disease. CHIPS could be helpful in clinical practice, such as guiding treatment decisions and predicting outcome. Key Points: • Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale was significantly associated with cognitive screening tests in patients with moyamoya disease. • Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale plays an independent effect on cognitive impairment in patients with moyamoya disease. • Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale shows higher accuracy than education, volumes of limbic areas, and sex in identifying cognitive impairment in moyamoya disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Oral mucoceles are most frequently encountered on the lower lip. A variety of treatment options are currently employed, including surgical excision, pharmacological injections, and laser therapy. However, each of these approaches may introduce risks and potential complications. Clinical practice has demonstrated a potential for self-healing in lower lip mucoceles, making a conservative observational approach more appealing. This research is a prospective study aimed at evaluating the self-healing capacity of lower lip mucoceles. Methods: In this prospective study, patients with mucoceles were encouraged to intentionally delay medical intervention and to wait for self-healing. Disappearance of the mucocele for at least 3 months was defined as self-healing. Results: Thirty patients with lower lip mucoceles were included. With no intervention, 24 patients (80%) reported self-healing of lower lip mucoceles. The mean natural duration of the mucoceles was 3.63 (± 4.7; 1–24) months. After self-healing of the mucocele, the patients were followed up for 17.21 (± 9.45; 2–30) months and there were no reported recurrences. Conclusions: Lower lip mucoceles have a high potential for self-healing and patients may be routinely encouraged to wait for self-healing. Clinical relevance: The high self-healing rate observed in this study suggests that a conservative, non-interventional approach might be considered as the first-line management for lower lip mucoceles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buziwannan granodiorite and monzogranite associated with gold–polymetallic mineralization are located in the West Kunlun Orogen Belt in northwest China. Granodiorite was emplaced earlier than monzogranite. To determine the genesis of plagioclase from two intrusions and their relation with mineralization, the major, trace elemental, and Sr isotopic compositions of plagioclase were determined through LA-ICP-MS and LA-MC-ICP-MS respectively. The results indicated that the plagioclase from granodiorite had a high-An (around 40%) core and low-An (around 33%) rim, while the plagioclase from monzogranite was uniform with an An value around 18%. The (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of plagioclase decreased with decreasing An value, which may be caused by small-scale crustal contamination and/or magma mixing. The crystallization process of plagioclase is mainly accompanied by the exsolution of magmatic H2O, and the pressure changes caused by the loss of magma H2O. These magmatic fluids are rich in ore-forming elements, such as Au–Ag–Cu–Zn, and form skarn mineralization near the wall rocks. Because of the co-crystallization of plagioclase, hornblende, and biotite, as well as the addition of minor felsic magma with lower Sr isotopic composition, the plagioclase from monzogranite exhibits low and uniform An values. In addition, a large amount of magmatic H2O carrying ore-forming elements was released during the emplacement of granodiorite, which caused the monzogranite to lose its metallogenic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-coding RNA LINC00894 modulates tumor proliferation and drug resistance. However, its role in brain is still unclear. Using RNA-pull down combined with mass spectrometry and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation, EIF5 was identified to interact with LINC00894. Furthermore, LINC00894 knockdown decreased EIF5 protein expression, whereas LINC00894 overexpression increased EIF5 protein expression in SH-SY5Y and BE(2)-M17 (M17) neuroblastoma cells. Additionally, LINC00894 affected the ubiquitination modification of EIF5. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated LINC00894 overexpression in the brain inhibited the expression of activated Caspase-3, while increased EIF5 protein level in rats and mice subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion (MCAO/R). Meanwhile, LINC00894 knockdown increased the number of apoptotic cells and expression of activated Caspase-3, and its overexpression decreased them in the oxygen–glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) in vitro models. Further, LINC00894 was revealed to regulated ATF4 protein expression in condition of OGD/R and normoxia. LINC00894 knockdown also decreased the expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and ATF4, downregulated glutathione (GSH), and the ratio of GSH to oxidized GSH (GSH: GSSG) in vitro. By using RNA-seq combined with qRT-PCR and immunoblot, we identified that fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1), as the ATF4 target genes were regulated by LINC00894 in the MCAO/R model. Finally, we revealed that ATF4 transcriptionally regulated FGF21 and ACOD1 expression; ectopic overexpression of FGF21 or ACOD1 in LINC00894 knockdown cells decreased activated Caspase-3 expression in the OGD/R model. Our results demonstrated that LINC00894 regulated cerebral ischemia injury by stabilizing EIF5 and facilitating EIF5-ATF4-dependent induction of FGF21 and ACOD1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of a hole-making experiment for AFRP was carried out using two cutting methods, drilling, and milling, respectively, to analyze the surface morphology, cutting force, hole wall morphology, and tool wear, as well as to conduct the test under MQL conditions, and to compare the situation with that in dry cutting. It was found that the drilling of holes had more burrs on the inlet surface, surface roughness and poor roundness, and fewer burrs on the outlet surface and better quality, and the opposite was true for milling, with fewer burrs on the inlet surface, good surface quality and roundness, and more burrs on the outlet surface and poor roundness. After the use of MQL, the cutting surface edge bulge expansion, free resin block, and resin smearing phenomenon significantly reduced or even disappeared, but the surface burr inhibition effect is limited. At the same time, the observation of the hole wall found that the MQL conditions of the shear effect are apparent, the fiber fracture surface is neat, and we can see the orthogonal weaving intersection of the upper and lower layers of fibers. By establishing the response surface model of cutting force, the drilling cutting force achieves the minimum value in the interval, and the milling cutting force achieves the maximum value in the interval. The study shows that the cutting force of AFRP hole-making shows a laminar solid nature, and its laminated structure has a strong reflection, especially the axial force signal; the cutting surface morphology has a great relationship with the cutting mode and the system stiffness/strength; the increase of the feed speed makes the single cutting fiber volume increase, and the extrusion of the cutting surface is enhanced, which inhibits the surface burr to a certain degree. After the weighting analysis, it was found that the interaction between cutting speed and feed rate was reduced, and the individual effect of each influencing factor was enhanced, which was conducive to exerting the cutting efficiency of the tool itself. In addition, the study also found that the contact point between the tool and workpiece is also one of the influencing factors of the cutting surface morphology and makes the surface burr problem more complicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the prognostic value of three novel biomarkers, DNA ploidy, stroma-tumor fraction, and nucleotyping, seeking for more accurate stratification in stage II colon cancer. Methods: A total of 417 patients with complete follow up information were enrolled in this study and divided into three clinical risk groups. IHC was performed to examine MSI status. DNA ploidy, stroma and nucleotyping were estimated using automated digital imaging system. Kaplan–Meier survival curves, Cox proportional hazards regression models, and correlation analyses were carried out to process our data. Results: In the whole cohort of stage II colon cancer, nucleotyping and DNA ploidy were significant prognostic factors on OS in univariate analyses. The combination of nucleotyping and DNA ploidy signified superior OS and DFS. Difference was not significant between low-stroma and high-stroma patients. In multivariable analyses, nucleotyping and the combination of nucleotyping and DNA ploidy were proven the dominant contributory factors for OS. In the low-risk group, we found the combination of nucleotyping and DNA ploidy as the independent prognostic factor statistically significant in both univariate and multivariable, while in the high-risk group, the nucleotyping. Conclusions: Our study has proven nucleotyping and the combination of DNA ploidy and nucleotyping as independent prognostic indicators, thus expanding the application of nucleotyping as a predictor from high risk stage II colon cancer to whole risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe–Mn oxide modified biochar (FMBC) was produced to explore its potential for remediation of Hg–Cd contaminated paddy soils. The results showed that the application of FMBC decreased the contents of bioavailable Hg and Cd by 41.49–81.85% and 19.47–33.02% in contrast to CK, while the amount of labile organic carbon (C) fractions and C-pool management index (CPMI) was increased under BC and FMBC treated soils, indicating the enhancement of soil C storage and nutrient cycling function. Dry weight of different parts of Oryza sativa L. was enhanced after the addition of BC and FMBC, and the contents of Fe and Mn in root iron–manganese plaques (IMP) were 1.46–2.06 and 6.72–19.35 times higher than those of the control groups. Hg and Cd contents in brown rice under the FMBC treatments were significantly reduced by 18.32–71.16% and 59.52–72.11% compared with the control. FMBC addition altered the composition and metabolism function of soil bacterial communities, especially increasing the abundance of keystone phyla, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Partial least squares path modelling (PLSPM) revealed that the contents of Na2S2O3–Hg, DTPA–Cd and IMP were the key indicators affecting Hg and Cd accumulation in rice grains. These results demonstrate the simultaneous value of FMBC in remediation of Hg and Cd combined pollution and restoring soil fertility and biological productivity. Highlights: FMBC effectively remediated Hg and Cd co-contaminated paddy soils. FMBC increased soil labile C fractions and C sequestration. FMBC improved the relative abundance of specific phyla and metabolism potential. PLSPM exhibited the main ways of reducing Hg and Cd accumulation in rice grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a novel structure comprising a geocomposite drainage layer and a thin sand layer (GDL + sand) in mitigating the rapid dumping of excavated clay and its associated issues, such as landslides. Two sets of direct shear tests were conducted to investigate the influence of sand layer thickness and compaction degree on the interface shear behavior of the GDL + sand structure. As the sand layer thickness increased, both the interface shear strength and friction angle gradually increased, first more sharply and then at a slower rate toward stability, while the interface cohesion decreased gradually. The optimal sand layer thickness for achieving the most effective reinforcement in stabilizing the clay was identified as 10 mm. A higher sand layer compaction degree was found to result in increased interface shear strength, interface friction angle, and interface cohesion. Building on these findings, the reinforcing efficiency of the GDL + sand structure was investigated through mechanism analysis in comparison to that of a geogrid + sand structure and GDL structure as per the interface friction coefficient. The ranking of interface friction coefficients among the three structures emerged as: geogrid + sand > GDL + sand > GDL. These results suggests that the GDL + sand structure exhibits superior reinforcement efficiency compared to the GDL structure and offers better drainage efficiency than the geogrid + sand structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Invasive candidiasis poses a life-threatening risk, and early prognosis assessment is vital for timely interventions to reduce mortality. Serum C5a levels have recently been linked to prognosis, but confirmation in cancer patients is pending. Methods: We detected the concentrations of serum C5a in hospitalized cancer patients with invasive candidiasis from 2020 to 2023, and retrospectively analyzed the clinical data. Results: 372 cases were included in this study, with a 90-day mortality rate of 21.8%. Candida albicans (48.7%) remained the predominant pathogen, followed by Candida glabrata (25.5%), Candida tropicalis (12.4%), and Candida parapsilosis (8.3%). Gastrointestinal cancer was the most diagnosed pathology type (37.6%). Serum C5a demonstrated a noteworthy correlation with 90-day mortality, and employing a cutoff value of 36.7 ng/ml revealed significantly higher 90-day mortality in low-C5a patients (41.2%) compared to high-C5a patients (6.3%) (p < 0.001). We also identified no source control, no surgery, metastasis, or chronic renal failure independently correlated with the 90-day mortality. Based on this, a prognostic model combining C5a and clinical parameters was constructed, which performed better than models built solely on C5a or clinical parameters. Furthermore, we weighted scores to each parameter in the model and presented diagnostic sensitivity and specificity corresponding to different score points calculated by the model. Conclusion: We constructed a prognostic scoring model including serum C5a and clinical parameters, which would contribute to precise prognosis assessment and benefit the outcome among cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nano-levodopa-liposomes (L-dopa-Lip) suspension was prepared by rotary-evaporated film-ultrasonic method, and freeze-drying powders of L-dopa-Lip were also obtained to improve the stability. The products were characterized by TEM, DLS, and TG-DSC, and the phase-transition temperature (Tm) and encapsulation efficiency were calculated. The brain-targeting and in vitro release of the drug was also studied. The results showed that L-dopa-Lip were well-formed spherical vesicles, and the sizes were about 100 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency was higher than 90%. The drug release temperature of L-dopa-Lip was 68 °C, and the in vitro release property and mathematical model were also studied. The brain targeting of L-dopa-Lip in vivo was explored by injecting the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) labeled L-dopa-Lip (AuNPs-L-dopa-Lip) through the tail vein. ICP-MS and TEM showed that L-dopa-Lip had brain targeting, suggesting the potential treatment of L-dopa-Lip on brain dysfunction. The results of this work might be helpful for designing drug-loaded liposomes for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases and monitoring their distributions in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purple corn is nutritious and contains biologically active ingredients such as anthocyanins and dietary fiber. As a natural green food raw material, it has great potential for development. The existing anthocyanins can improve starch properties through the action of other exogenous anthocyanins. The current study explored the effects of anthocyanins of different doses to prepare bread, and explored the effect of purple corn endogenous anthocyanins on the quality, physical and chemical properties, and antioxidant properties of bread prepared by different amounts of purple corn. The addition of purple corn gives bread a unique color and purple corn aroma, and improves the physical and chemical properties of starch, leading to the increased bread hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness, and the decreased elasticity and cohesion. After storage for 24, 48, and 72 h, the changes in the content were smaller than those of control bread. Purple corn reduced the activation energy, disintegration value, and recovery value of bread. Additionally, purple corn inhibits the aging of bread, reduces digestion rate, and improves antioxidant capacity. These experimental results to develop high value products of endogenous purple corn anthocyanins, thereby improving the utilization rate of purple corn and promoting the application of endogenous anthocyanins and starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-embedded periodic Ag grids were combined with FTO/glass substrates based on laser direct writing to prepare transparent electrodes (TEs). The laser etching parameters (scanning velocity and energy density), grid shape, and unit-grid circumcircle radius were systematically optimized. The optimal scanning velocity and energy density for obtaining ideal laser-etched grooves were determined to be 10 mm/s and 1.6 J/cm2, respectively. The hexagonal Ag grid/FTO TE using the 1.00-mm unit-grid circumcircle radius prepared from the optimal laser etching parameters showed significantly decreased sheet resistance and slightly lowered light transmittance as compared to the FTO/glass substrate. This TE was employed for fabricating a transparent heater (TH), which could reach a steady-state temperature of 137.7 °C within 60 s at a voltage of 4.0 V and maintain good heating and cycling stability in 10 continuous switch heating/cooling cycles under different voltages (0.8–4.0 V). The application prospect of the TH was demonstrated by a de-icing experiment. Introducing semi-embedded periodic Ag grids with a suitable grid shape and unit-grid circumcircle radius can contribute to a great improvement in electrical conductivity of the substrate and, thus, its comprehensive performance, providing a great inspiration for optimized preparation of high-performance TEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, seawater desalination technology, one of the important alternatives to address water shortage, has been applied more widely in coastal areas. However, the sustainability and environmental performance of the seawater desalination system are unclear. Scientific evaluation of resource input, environmental performance and sustainability of seawater desalination system can provide a reference for rational development and utilization of seawater desalination water. In this paper, emergy analysis, an effective ecological and economic evaluation method, was used to systematically evaluate the sustainability of a desalination plant in Qingdao of China. The results showed that the unit emergy value of the desalinated water was 4.13E + 12 sej/m3; the environmental loading ratio of the studied system was 5.46; the emergy sustainability index was 0.18. Compared to surface water and underground water treatment processes, the seawater desalination system has higher stress on the environment. Electricity for the operation of the seawater desalination system is the major emergy input. The optimization of the process and the research and development of energy-saving equipment are the keys to the application of seawater desalination. This study also illustrates that seawater desalination technology still faces many challenges. Therefore, it is important and necessary to strengthen the core technology and establish a sound law system in the application of desalination technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While high accuracy is of paramount importance for deep learning (DL) inference, serving inference requests on time is equally critical but has not been carefully studied especially when the request has to be served over a dynamic wireless network at the edge. In this paper, we propose Jellyfish—a novel edge DL inference serving system that achieves soft guarantees for end-to-end inference latency service-level objectives (SLO). Jellyfish handles the network variability by utilizing both data and deep neural network (DNN) adaptation to conduct tradeoffs between accuracy and latency. Jellyfish features a new design that enables collective adaptation policies where the decisions for data and DNN adaptations are aligned and coordinated among multiple users with varying network conditions. We propose efficient algorithms to continuously map users and adapt DNNs at runtime, so that we fulfill latency SLOs while maximizing the overall inference accuracy. We further investigate dynamic DNNs, i.e., DNNs that encompass multiple architecture variants, and demonstrate their potential benefit through preliminary experiments. Our experiments based on a prototype implementation and real-world WiFi and LTE network traces show that Jellyfish can meet latency SLOs at around the 99th percentile while maintaining high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between tooth colour and individual satisfaction in oral aesthetics has long been a topic of interest. In this study, we utilized the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) to investigate the impacts of sex and age on tooth colour preference. The findings of this study should provide a scientific basis for oral aesthetic practice. Methods: In the current study, a random selection method was employed, and a survey was completed by 120 patients. To obtain tooth colour data, standard tooth colour charts were used. Smile photos were taken as template images using a single-lens reflex camera. The FAHP was utilized to conduct a weight analysis of tooth colour preferences among patients of different sexes and age groups. Results: There were significant differences in tooth colour preference based on sex and age. Men tend to prefer the B1 colour, while women may prioritize the aesthetic effects of other colours. Additionally, as patients age, their preferences for tooth colour become more diverse. These findings offer valuable insights for oral aesthetics practitioners, enabling them to better address the aesthetic needs of patients across different sexes and ages. This knowledge can aid in the development of more personalized treatment plans that align with patients' expectations. Conclusion: In this study, we utilized scientific analysis methods to quantify the popularity of different tooth colours among various groups of people. By doing so, we established a scientific foundation for clinical practice. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for oral aesthetic research, enhancing our understanding of tooth colour. Additionally, these findings have practical applications in the field of oral medicine, potentially improving patients' quality of life and overall oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]