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Abstract Fintech has gained immense importance as a catalyst for economic growth, trade enhancement, and global prosperity. This study aims to comprehensively assess the influence and potential of Fintech in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. The research objective is to evaluate the levels of development in financial activities, technology infrastructure, and Fintech-enabling regulations across the region. A robust decision-making framework combining numerical and linguistic assessments is applied, utilizing the Distance-based CRiteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation (DCRITIC) method and the Fuzzy extension of Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (F-EDAS approach). The findings reveal varying levels of development among ASEAN countries about Fintech. Governments and policymakers are urged to prioritize the creation of a supportive environment for Fintech innovation to spur economic growth, attract investments, and foster digital transformation. The study is limited because the weights of the key regulations have not been investigated.

The purpose of this study and meta-analysis was to evaluate the perioperative and oncologic results of robotic NOSE versus laparoscopic surgery for colorectal tumors. We plan to perform an extensive electronic search on PubMed, CNKI, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to find research articles published from the beginning of the databases until July 2024 that examine the comparison between robotic natural orifice specimen extraction and laparoscopic surgery in patients with colorectal cancer. Both English and Chinese literature will be included. Literature screening will strictly follow predetermined criteria for inclusion and exclusion, specifically targeting randomized controlled trials and cohort studies. The evaluation of quality will be conducted with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Review Manager 5.4.1 will be utilized to perform a meta-analysis of data gathered from the studies that are included. The ultimate evaluation included seven past cohort studies with a total of 1117 participants (545 who had robotic NOSE and 572 who had laparoscopic surgery). Patients who had robotic NOSE experienced notable enhancements in LOHS, time to first flatus, time to start the liquid diet, EBL, and postoperative ileus when compared to patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. There were no notable discrepancies noted in terms of surgical duration, total complications, lymph node collection, and anastomotic leakage between the two methods. In conclusion, the use of robotic technology for extracting specimens through natural body openings in colorectal surgery is considered to be safe and achievable. It offers notable advantages over laparoscopic surgery, including reduced hospital stay, earlier time to first flatus and liquid intake, decreased EBL, and lower incidence of postoperative ileus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, high copper (Cu) and low organic matter often occur in some citrus orchard soils. However, the underlying mechanisms by which humic acid (HA) stimulates growth and mitigates Cu toxicity of citrus seedlings are unclear. After being treated with 0, 0.1, or 0.5 mM sodium humate and 0.5 or 400 μM CuCl2 (Cu excess) for 24 weeks, sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv. Xuegan] seedlings were used to examine the impacts of HA-Cu interactions on seedling growth, nutrient uptake, leaf pigments, and photosynthetic performance that was revealed by chlorophyll a fluorescence transient. Copper excess reduced root, stem, and leaf dry weight (DW) by 42.4%, 65.4%, and 61.6%, respectively at 0 mM HA, and by 17.3%, 25.4%, and 31.4%, respectively at 0.5 mM HA; and that the levels of Cu in leaves, stems, and roots declined with elevating HA supply. Copper excess caused some rotten and dead fibrous roots at 0 mM HA, but not at 0.5 mM HA. Adding HA lowered Cu uptake per root DW (UPR), the levels of Cu in leaves, stems, and roots, and the competition of Cu2+ with Mg2+ and Fe2+, and therefore mitigated root impairment caused by Cu excess. The HA-mediated alleviation of root damage caused by Cu excess increased the uptake per plant and UPR of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, boron, and manganese, and therefore alleviated Cu excess-induced decline in seedling growth, impairment to leaf photosynthetic electron transport chains, and decrease in leaf pigments. For 0.5 μM Cu-treated seedlings, adding HA promoted seedling growth by improving root nutrient uptake and leaf photosynthetic performance. Cu excess aggravated the impacts of HA supplementation on seedling growth, leaf photosynthetic performance, and root nutrient uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition and extraction of elements from house plans present significant challenges in the construction, decoration and interior design industries. To address this issue, this paper proposes a wall segmentation system for house plans that integrates deep learning and traditional methods. The system comprises several components, such as image preprocessing, main region extraction, wall segmentation and optimisation of wall smoothing. The study combined the rapidity of the traditional method with the robustness of deep learning to enable the extraction of walls from varied image styles and perform smoothing optimisation. The paper demonstrates that the proposed segmentation technique delivers an 89% mean intersection over union, a 94% detection rate and a 96% recognition accuracy. The research surpasses current findings in the same field. Additionally, when combined with the current house map dataset, the system presents a semantic categorisation dataset featuring 6000 images depicting a range of styles, in addition to a recognition dataset including 4000 images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementary-label learning (CLL) aims at finding a classifier via samples with complementary labels. Such data is considered to contain less information than ordinary-label samples. The transition matrix between the true label and the complementary label, and some loss functions have been developed to handle this problem. In this paper, we show that CLL can be transformed into ordinary classification under some mild conditions, which indicates that the complementary labels can supply enough information in most cases. As an example, an extensive misclassification error analysis was performed for the Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR) method applied to multiple complementary-label learning (MCLL), which demonstrates its superior performance compared to existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qingshankou shale (Gulong area, China) exhibits strong acoustic anisotropy characteristics, posing significant challenges to its exploration and development. In this study, the five full elastic constants and multipole response law of the Qingshankou shale were studied using experimental measurements. Analyses show that the anisotropy parameters ϵ and γ in the study region are greater than 0.4, whereas the anisotropy parameter δ is smaller, generally 0.1. Numerical simulations show that the longitudinal and transverse wave velocities of these strong anisotropic rocks vary significantly with inclination angle, and significant differences in group velocity and phase velocity are also present. Acoustic logging measures the group velocity in dipped boreholes; this differs from the phase velocity to some extent. As the dip angle increases, the longitudinal and SH wave velocities increase accordingly, while the qSV-wave velocity initially increases and then decreases, reaching its maximum value at a dip of approximately 40°. These results provide an effective guide for the correction and modeling of acoustic logging time differences in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emulation of tactile sensory nerves to achieve advanced sensory functions in robotics with artificial intelligence is of great interest. However, such devices remain bulky and lack reliable competence to functionalize further synaptic devices with proprioceptive feedback. Here, we report an artificial organic afferent nerve with low operating bias (−0.6 V) achieved by integrating a pressure-activated organic electrochemical synaptic transistor and artificial mechanoreceptors. The dendritic integration function for neurorobotics is achieved to perceive directional movement of object, further reducing the control complexity by exploiting the distributed and parallel networks. An intelligent robot assembled with artificial afferent nerve, coupled with a closed-loop feedback program is demonstrated to rapidly implement slip recognition and prevention actions upon occurrence of object slippage. The spatiotemporal features of tactile patterns are well differentiated with a high recognition accuracy after processing spike-encoded signals with deep learning model. This work represents a breakthrough in mimicking synaptic behaviors, which is essential for next-generation intelligent neurorobotics and low-power biomimetic electronics. Intelligent artificial tactile system for neurorobotics remains challenging. Here, Chen et al. developed an artificial organic afferent nerve to implement slip recognition and prevention actions by learning the real-time spatial information of directional touch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alpine meadows of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau have significant potential for storing soil carbon, which is important to global carbon sequestration. Grazing is a major threat to its potential for carbon sequestration. However, grazing poses a major threat to this potential by speeding up the breakdown of organic matter in the soil and releasing carbon, which may further lead to positive carbon-climate change feedback and threaten ecological security. Therefore, in order to accurately explore the driving mechanism and regulatory factors of soil organic matter decomposition in grazing alpine meadows on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we took the grazing sample plots of typical alpine meadows as the research object and set up grazing intensities of different life cycles, aiming to explore the relationship and main regulatory factors of grazing on soil organic matter decomposition and soil microorganisms. The results show the following: (1) soil microorganisms, especially Acidobacteria and Acidobacteria, drove the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, thereby accelerating the release of soil carbon, which was not conducive to soil carbon sequestration in grassland; (2) the grazing triggering effect formed a positive feedback with soil microbial carbon release, accelerating the decomposition of organic matter and soil carbon loss; and (3) the grazing ban and light grazing were more conducive to slowing down soil organic matter decomposition and increasing soil carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The choice between simultaneous and staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) remains controversial. Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI) is a promising tool for risk-stratification. We aimed to compare the outcomes between patients who underwent simultaneous and staged BTKA, stratified by age-adjusted CCI scores. Materials and methods: We conducted this retrospective, single-surgeon case series from 2010 to 2020. This study consisted of 1558 simultaneous BTKA and 786 staged BTKA procedures. The outcome domains included 30-day and 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation events. We performed multivariate regression analysis to compare the risk of readmission and reoperation following simultaneous and staged BTKA. Other factors included age, sex, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, smoking, receiving thromboprophylaxis and blood transfusion. Results: The rates of 30-day, 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation following simultaneous BTKA was 1.99%, 2.70% and 0.71%, respectively. The rates of 30-day, 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation following staged BTKA was 0.89%, 1.78% and 0.89%, respectively. For patients with age-adjusted CCI ≥ 4 points, simultaneous BTKA was associated with a higher risk of 30-day (aOR:3.369, 95% CI:0.990-11.466) and 90-day readmission (aOR:2.310, 95% CI:0.942–5.668). In patients with age-adjusted CCI ≤ 3 points, the risk of readmission and reoperation was not different between simultaneous or staged BTKA. Conclusion: Simultaneous BTKA was associated with an increased risk of short-term readmissions in patients with age-adjusted CCI ≥ 4 points but not in those with age-adjusted CCI ≤ 3 points. Age-adjusted CCI can be an effective index for the choice between simultaneous and staged BTKA procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long chain branching (LCB) polyglycolide (PGA) was successfully prepared by the successive reactions of the terminal hydroxyl groups of PGA with triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). The influence of LCB produced by functional group reaction on rheological and crystallization behavior was studied and discussed through linear rheology, uniaxial elongation and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry). The much higher viscosity and the more notable strain hardening behavior of modified PGA indicates the LCB with high degree of entanglements are created. The melt strength of PGA is finally improved greatly and can make sure that the supercritical CO2 foaming can be carried out successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) has been proposed as a viable treatment option for selected methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) patients. However, there are still controversies regarding the therapeutic value of LT for MMA. The systematic assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL)-targeted MMA children before and after LT is also undetermined. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the long-term impact of LT on MMA, including multiorgan sequelae and HRQoL in children and families. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 15 isolated MMA patients undergoing LT at our institution between June 2013 and March 2022. Pre- and post-transplant data were compared, including metabolic profiles, neurologic consequences, growth parameters, and HRQoL. To further assess the characteristics of the HRQoL outcomes in MMA, we compared the results with those of children with biliary atresia (BA). Results: All patients had early onset MMA, and underwent LT at a mean age of 4.3 years. During 1.3–8.2 years of follow-up, the patient and graft survival rates were 100%. Metabolic stability was achieved in all patients with liberalized dietary protein intake. There was a significant overall improvement in height Z scores (P = 0.0047), and some preexisting neurological complications remained stable or even improved after LT. On the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) generic core scales, the mean total, physical health, and psychosocial health scores improved significantly posttransplant (P < 0.05). In the family impact module, higher mean scores were noted for all subscales post-LT, especially family function and daily activities (P < 0.01). However, the total scores on the generic core scales and transplant module were significantly lower (Cohen's d = 0.57–1.17) when compared with BA recipients. In particular, social and school functioning (Cohen's d = 0.86–1.76), treatment anxiety, and communication (Cohen's d = 0.99–1.81) were far behind, with a large effect size. Conclusions: This large single-center study of the mainland of China showed an overall favorable impact of LT on isolated MMA in terms of long-term survival, metabolic control, and HRQoL in children and families. The potential for persistent neurocognitive impairment and inherent metabolic fragility requires long-term special care. F92j7K3vL8yMEEzsip9Zc8 Video Abstract (MP4 153780 KB) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innate immune response is the first line of defense for the host against virus invasion. One important response is the synthesis and secretion of type I interferon (IFN-I) in the virus-infected host cells. Here, we found that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection induced high expression of TRIM25, which belongs to the tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family of proteins. TRIM25 bound and activated retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) by K63-linked ubiquitination. Accordingly, RIG-I mediated the production of IFN-I mainly through the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in respiratory epithelial cells. Interestingly, IFN-I, in turn, promoted a high expression of TRIM38 which downregulated the expression of IFN-I by reducing the protein level of RIG-I by K48-linked ubiquitination. More importantly, the binding site of TRIM25 to RIG-I was found in the narrow 25th-43rd amino acid (aa) region of RIG-I N-terminus. In contrast, the binding sites of TRIM38 to RIG-I were found in a much wider amino acid region, which included the binding site of TRIM25 on RIG-I. As a result, TRIM38 inhibits the production of IFN-I by competing with TRIM25 for RIG-I binding. Thus, TRIM38 negatively regulates RIG-I activation to, in turn, downregulate IFN-I expression, thus interfering with host immune response. A negative feedback loop effectively "puts the brakes" on the reaction once host immune response is overactivated and homeostasis is unbalanced. We also discovered that TRIM25 bound RIG-I by a new K63-linked ubiquitination located at K-45 of the first caspase recruitment domain (CARD). Collectively, these results confirm an antagonism between TRIM38 and TRIM25 in regulating IFN-I production by affecting RIG-I activity following RNA virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing demand for bio-interfaced human-machine interfaces propels the development of organic neuromorphic electronics with small form factors leveraging both ionic and electronic processes. Ion-based organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) showing anti-ambipolarity (OFF-ON-OFF states) reduce the complexity and size of bio-realistic Hodgkin-Huxley(HH) spiking circuits and logic circuits. However, limited stable anti-ambipolar organic materials prevent the design of integrated, tunable, and multifunctional neuromorphic and logic-based systems. In this work, a general approach for tuning anti-ambipolar characteristics is presented through assembly of a p-n bilayer in a vertical OECT (vOECT) architecture. The vertical OECT design reduces device footprint, while the bilayer material tuning controls the anti-ambipolarity characteristics, allowing control of the device's on and off threshold voltages, and peak position, while reducing size thereby enabling tunable threshold spiking neurons and logic gates. Combining these components, a mimic of the retinal pathway reproducing the wavelength and light intensity encoding of horizontal cells to spiking retinal ganglion cells is demonstrated. This work enables further incorporation of conformable and adaptive OECT electronics into biointegrated devices featuring sensory coding through parallel processing for diverse artificial intelligence and computing applications. Stable anti-ambipolar organic materials are limited, thus preventing the design of integrated, tunable, and multifunctional neuromorphic systems. Here, the authors report a small form factor neuromorphic circuit based on organic anti-ambipolar materials, mimicking the pre-processing functions of the retina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular death is the main cause of death in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left atrial diameter (LAD) enlargement are frequent cardiac alterations in patients with ESKD and are major risk factors for cardiovascular events. However, it remains unclear whether there is an association between combined LAD or LVH and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in this population. Methods: A single-centre, retrospective cohort study including 576 haemodialysis (HD) patients was conducted. Patients were evaluated by cardiac ultrasound, and the study cohort was divided into four groups according to LAD and LVH status: low LAD and non-LVH; low LAD and LVH; high LAD and non-LVH; and high LAD and LVH. We used Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression to analyse all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after multivariate adjustment. Results: LAD was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 2.371, 1.602–3.509; p < 0.001). No significant differences were found between LVH and the risk of all-cause mortality. Patients with high LAD and LVH had significantly greater all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than did those with low LAD and non-LVH after adjustments for numerous potential confounders (HR 3.080, 1.608–5.899; p = 0.001) (HR 4.059, 1.753–9.397; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Among maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients, LAD was more strongly associated with mortality than was LVH. A high LAD and LVH are associated with a greater risk of mortality. Our results emphasize that the occurrence of LAD and LVH in combination provides information that may be helpful in stratifying the risk of MHD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on indigenous health and health disparities primarily focuses on Western countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Nonetheless, an emerging but dispersed corpus of research exists on the determinants of health and health disparities among indigenous populations in Taiwan, a developed nation with sizable indigenous communities. Despite these developments, an understanding of current scholarship on the determinants of indigenous health and health disparities remains lacking. To bridge this gap, we systematically searched PubMed/Medline, Web of Science databases, and the Airiti Library, the most comprehensive Chinese database in Taiwan. By December 31, 2022, we identified 54 relevant studies, including 48 peer-reviewed articles in English and 6 in Chinese. These studies reveal significant disparities in mortality rates and the burden of infectious and chronic diseases between indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Factors contributing to the comparatively poorer health of indigenous communities include genetic predispositions, sociodemographic marginalization, and lifestyle choices. The studies employ diverse methodologies, ranging from small convenience samples to nationally representative data. Our analysis identified four paradigms (biomedical, epidemiological, anthropological, and historical/critical), with most focusing on biomedical and epidemiological perspectives. This review also underscores the scarcity of social-behavioral health research dedicated to indigenous health in Taiwan, highlighting the need for future studies to develop robust conceptual models, collect longitudinal data, and focus more on mental health and psychological well-being. These efforts are crucial for gaining a clearer understanding of indigenous health complexities in Taiwan and informing effective policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhenium (Re) and uranium (U) are essential proxies in reconstructing past oceanic oxygenation evolution. However, their removal in continental shelf sediments, hotspots of early diagenesis, were previously treated as quantitatively unimportant sinks in the ocean. Here we examine the sedimentary reductive removal of Re and U and their coupling with organic carbon decomposition, utilizing the 224Ra/228Th disequilibria within the East China Sea shelf. We identified positive correlations between their removal fluxes and the rates of sediment oxygen consumption or organic carbon decomposition. These correlations enable an evaluation of global shelf reductive sinks that are comparable to (for Re) or higher than (~4-fold for U) previously established suboxic/anoxic sinks. These findings suggest potential imbalances in the modern budgets of Re and U, or perhaps a substantial underestimation of their sources. Our study thus highlights shelf sedimentary reductive removal as critical yet overlooked sinks for Re and U in the modern ocean. The sources and sinks of Re and U in the modern ocean may be imbalanced, according to sedimentary porewater analysis and assessment of reductive Re and U removal on the continental shelf [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In this paper, the optimum coverage of 4.44% and the optimum adsorption sites were determined for the Be3N2 adsorption system of O atoms at different coverages based on density functional theory. The electronic and optical properties of the model were investigated by applying bending deformation to the model at these coverage and adsorption sites. Adsorption of O atoms disrupts the geometrical symmetry of Be3N2, resulting in orbital rehybridization and lowering its band gap. Bending deformation causes the band gap of the adsorbed O atom structure of Be3N2 to first increase and then decrease, resulting in the modulation of its band gap. With increasing bending deformation, the adsorbed system is redshifts, and the degree of redshift increases with increasing bending deformation. Methods: All calculations in this paper were performed using the first-principles-based CASTEP module of Materials Studio (MS). The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) plane-wave pseudopotential method and the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) Perdew et al. Phys Rev Lett 77:3865, 1996 generalized functional were used in the geometry optimization and calculation process to calculate the exchange–correlation potential between electrons. The effect of coverage on the electronic and optical properties of the Be3N2-adsorbed O atom system was investigated by adsorbing different numbers of O atoms on a monolayer of Be3N2. The Be3N2 protocell contains two N atoms and three Be atoms with a space community of P6/MMM (No.191). The original cell was expanded 3 times along the direction of the base vectors a and b in the Be3N2 plane to create a 3 × 3 × 1 monolayer Be3N2 supercell system. A vacuum layer of 15 Å is set in the direction of the crystal plane of the vertical monolayer Be3N2 supercell to eliminate interactions between adjacent layers. In the overall energy convergence test of the Be3N2 supercell, the plane wave truncation energy was set to 500 eV, and the energy difference between the calculations given in the literature Reyes-Serrato et al. J Phys Chem Solids 59:743-6, 1998 using 550 eV was less than 0.01 eV, verifying the reliability of the data at a truncation energy of 500 eV. The Monkhorst–Pack special k-point sampling method Monkhorst et al. Phys Rev B 13:5188, 1976 was used in the structural calculations, and the grid was set to 3 × 3 × 1. The geometric optimization parameters are set as follows: the self-consistent field iteration convergence criterion is 2.0 × 10−6 eV, and the iterative accuracy convergence value is not less than 1.0 × 10−5 eV/atom for the total force of each atom and less than 0.03 eV/Å for all atomic forces. In addition the high-symmetry k-point path is taken as Γ(0,0,0) → M(0,0.5,0) → K(− 1/3,2/3,0) → Γ(0,0,0) Chen et al, AIP Adv 8:105105, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pycnoporus sanguineus is a fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota that has many applications in traditional medicine, modern pharmaceuticals, and agricultural industries. Light plays an essential role in the metabolism, growth, and development of fungi. This study evaluated the mycelial growth and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in P. sanguineus fermentation broth (PFB) cultured under different wavelengths of LED irradiation or in the dark. Compared to the dark cultures, the dry weight of mycelia in red- and yellow-light cultures decreased by 37 and 35% and the yields of pigments increased by 30.92 ± 2.18 mg and 31.75 ± 3.06 mg, respectively. Compared with the dark culture, the DPPH free radical scavenging ability, ABTS+ free radical scavenging capacity, and reducing power of yellow-light cultures increased significantly, and their total phenolic content peaked at 180.0 ± 8.34 μg/mL. However, the reducing power in blue-light cultures was significantly reduced, though the total phenol content did not vary with that of dark cultures. In LPS- and IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, nitrite release was significantly reduced in the red and yellow light-irradiated PFB compared with the dark culture. In the dark, yellow-, and green-light cultures, TNF-α production in the inflamed RAW 264.7 cells was inhibited by 62, 46, and 14%, respectively. With red-, blue-, and white-light irradiation, TNF-α production was significantly enhanced. Based on these results, we propose that by adjusting the wavelength of the light source during culture, one can effectively modulate the growth, development, and metabolism of P. sanguineus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and background: Visual auras in migraine have been extensively studied, but less is known about multisensory hallucinations or other unusual sensory experiences, including whether these should be diagnostically considered as part of aura symptoms. The current study aimed to conduct a systematic review and synthesis to bring together existing empirical evidence on these non-visual perceptual experiences, focusing on their phenomenological descriptions and clinical correlates. Methods: Forty-eight relevant studies were included based on a systematic search across PsycINFO APA and Web of Science, for peer-reviewed publications in the English language, from 1980 to the present. These comprised a mix of case reports/series (n = 19) and group design studies (n = 29). Results: Reports of complex multisensory hallucinations, beyond typical established aura symptoms, were numerous and varied in nature. Yet there were limited data on how this related to patient distress and functional interference. Other sensory distortions or hypersensitivities across non-visual domains were also evident, and generally more common in those with established aura symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings provide preliminary evidence that multisensory hallucinations and other unusual perceptual experiences in migraine are likely more common than previously believed. Further investigations are needed to appropriately account for these symptoms within current nosological systems. Increased clinician–patient awareness is important for managing distress (where necessary), and potentially for offering a holistic therapeutic approach to migraine management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallium (Ga) is an emerging chemical pollutant chiefly associated with high-tech industries. Boron (B) alleviates the negative effects of toxic elements on plant growth. Thereby, the effects of B fertilization on Ga toxicity in rice seedlings was studied to clarify the role of iron plaque in the distribution of Ga, Fe, and B in Ga-treated rice seedlings in the presence or absence of B. Gallium exposure significantly reduced the biomass of rice seedlings. Boron deficiency induced a significant change in the distribution of B in Ga-treated rice seedlings compared with "Ga+B" treatments. Accumulation of Ga in roots, dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) extracts, and shoots showed a dose-dependent manner from both +B and –B rice seedlings. Boron nutrition levels affect the distribution of Fe in roots, DCB extracts, and shoots, in which DCB-extractable Fe was significantly decreased from "Ga-B" treatments compared with "Ga+B" treatments. Root activity was significantly decreased in both Ga-exposed rice seedlings; however, B-deficient seedlings showed a severe reduction than +B rice seedlings. These results reveal that Fe plaque might be a temporary sink for B accumulation when plants are grown with proper B, wherein the re-utilization of DCB-extractable B stored in Fe plaque is mandatory for plant growth under B deficiency. Correlation analysis revealed that B deficiency decreased the root activity of Ga-exposed rice seedlings by reducing DCB-extractable Fe and increasing DCB-extractable Ga in Fe plaque. This study enhances our understanding of how B nutritional levels affect Ga toxicity in rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The incorporation of functionalized carbon nanotubes can enhance the mechanical properties of cement-based materials. However, the types of functional groups and their roles in composite materials are not yet clear. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods were employed to investigate the mechanical performance of hybridized calcium silicate hydrate gel reinforced with pure carbon nanotubes, epoxy-coated carbon nanotubes, carboxylated carbon nanotubes, and hydroxylated carbon nanotubes. The results indicate that the addition of all four types of nanotubes can enhance the mechanical properties of hydrated calcium silicate gel compared to pure C–S–H. Tensile loading results show that carbon nanotubes can act as bridges for microcracks in the composite material, and functionalized nanotubes exhibit a better reinforcing effect than pure carbon nanotubes. Under tensile stress, hydroxylated nanotubes are more effective in increasing the toughness of the composite material, while carboxylated nanotubes tend to enhance the strength of the composite material. The compressive loading results indicate that the compressive strength of cement-based materials is higher than their tensile strength. Overall, carboxylated nanotubes show particularly remarkable performance in enhancing the mechanical properties of cement-based materials. Compared to pure C–S–H gel, the tensile and compressive elastic moduli of carboxylated nanotube/C–S–H composite material increased by 18.13% and 34.78%, respectively. Its tensile and compressive strengths also increased by 30.40% and 40.23%, respectively. Method: All molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the classical computational simulation platform LAMMPS. In this paper, the parameters in the ClayFF force field are chosen to simulate calcium hydrated silicate (/C–S–H), and the ClayFF-CVFF combined force field is used to simulate the mechanical properties of the CNT/C–S–H molecular model structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature suggests that humiliation experiences, coupled with a negative family context, significantly predicts persecutory ideation in non-clinical participants. Whether this may also be linked to attenuated psychotic experiences is unknown. The current study aimed to assess whether familial adversity and humiliation may be related to hallucination-like experiences (HLEs) and other psychotic symptoms, and if state anxiety significantly contributed to these relationships. This cross-sectional study recruited a community sample of 93 adults (38% male; mean age = 27.3 years, standard deviation = 10.8 years), who completed measures of maladaptive familial environments, past and anticipated humiliation experiences, state anxiety and attenuated psychotic symptoms. Correlations and hierarchical regressions tested for direct and indirect relationships amongst study variables. A maladaptive family context, and humiliation (past and anticipated) were positively correlated with HLEs, and facets of attenuated psychotic symptoms. Anxiety uniquely predicted audio-visual and multisensory HLEs. Past humiliation and anxiety jointly predicted cognitive-perceptual disturbance and disorganisation, whereas fear of humiliation and anxiety jointly predicted interpersonal difficulty. Elevated state anxiety, coupled with humiliation, may increase attenuated psychotic symptoms in adulthood. Future research is needed to ascertain if these relationships hold true in clinical cohorts to examine the clinical significance of these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fintech has gained immense importance as a catalyst for economic growth, trade enhancement, and global prosperity. This study aims to comprehensively assess the influence and potential of Fintech in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. The research objective is to evaluate the levels of development in financial activities, technology infrastructure, and Fintech-enabling regulations across the region. A robust decision-making framework combining numerical and linguistic assessments is applied, utilizing the Distance-based CRiteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation (DCRITIC) method and the Fuzzy extension of Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (F-EDAS approach). The findings reveal varying levels of development among ASEAN countries about Fintech. Governments and policymakers are urged to prioritize the creation of a supportive environment for Fintech innovation to spur economic growth, attract investments, and foster digital transformation. The study is limited because the weights of the key regulations have not been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The quasi-metallic properties of stanene limit its prospects in optoelectronic devices. Based on first-principles calculations, a systematic study is conducted on the tuning effects of surface hydrogenation and Al atom doping on the electronic and optical properties of stanene. Surface hydrogenation serves as an ideal way to open the forbidden band of stanene, and Al atom doping further increases hydrogenated stanene (stanane) band gap to 0.460 eV. Deformation has a minor impact on the stability of the stanane-Al structure, while shear strain can effectively modulate the band gap engineering of the doped system, reducing the band gap value from 0.460 to 0.170 eV. Deformation induces a redshift in the absorption peak and reflectance, also slowing down the rate of decrease in the absorption coefficient, and enhancing the peak value of light reflectance, which is positively correlated with the degree of shear strain. These findings hold promise for expanding the potential application of monolayer stanane in semiconductor devices. Methods: All calculations are performed using CASTEP module in Materials Studio based on the density functional theory (DFT). The Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is employed to describe the exchange–correlation energy (Perdew et al., Phys Rev Lett 77(18), 1996). We construct models for both stanene and stanane. The original unit cell of stanene has two Sn atoms, while stanane consists of two Sn atoms and two H atoms, and expand them to a 3 × 3 × 1 supercell with a vacuum layer of 20 Å in height to prevent interlayer coupling. After convergence testing, the plane-wave cutoff energy is set to 450 eV, and the energy convergence threshold is set to 1 × 10−5 eV. The maximum residual stress for each atom is set to 0.01 eV/Å. Brillouin zone sampling is performed using a 6 × 6 × 1 k-point mesh based on the Monkhorst–Pack method (Monkhorst and Pack, Phys Rev B 13(12), 1976). The k-point accuracy of the density of states and optical properties is 9 × 9 × 1. All calculations are performed using the more advanced OTFG ultrasoft pseudopotential, and structural relaxations are performed using supercells to ensure that the model is fully relaxed. We use the HSE06 functional to calculate the energy band structures of stanane-Al deformed to 0%, 4%, and 8%, resulting in band gap values of 1.465 eV, 1.368 eV, and 1.016 eV, respectively. These values are significantly higher than those obtained using the PBE functional (0.460 eV, 0.397 eV, and 0.170 eV). However, the shapes and trends of the band structures obtained from both PBE and HSE06 calculations are similar. Additionally, the calculation time needed by HSE06 is greatly longer than PBE, which exceeds the capabilities of our computer hardware, and cannot support all subsequent calculations. To investigate the influence of deformations on the variation of band gap values and to conserve computational resources, the subsequent calculations in this study use the PBE functional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in single-cell technology have enabled the exploration of cellular heterogeneity at an unprecedented level, providing invaluable insights into various fields, including medicine and disease research. Cell type annotation is an essential step in its omics research. The mainstream approach is to utilize well-annotated single-cell data to supervised learning for cell type annotation of new singlecell data. However, existing methods lack good generalization and robustness in cell annotation tasks, partially due to difficulties in dealing with technical differences between datasets, as well as not considering the heterogeneous associations of genes in regulatory mechanism levels. Here, we propose the scPML model, which utilizes various gene signaling pathway data to partition the genetic features of cells, thus characterizing different interaction maps between cells. Extensive experiments demonstrate that scPML performs better in cell type annotation and detection of unknown cell types from different species, platforms, and tissues. scPML is a pathway-based multi-view learning model that outperforms alternative approaches in cell type annotation and detecting unknown cell types across diverse species, platforms, and tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In this paper, first-principle calculations reveal that the shear strength of the graphene-cementitious interface (G/C-S–H) (12 MPa) is lower than that of the epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl graphene-cementitious interfaces (G-O/C-S–H, G-OH/C-S–H and G-COOH/C-S–H) (21 MPa, 29 MPa and 14 MPa). This indicates that the introduction of functional groups helps to improve the mechanical properties of the graphene-cementitious contact interface. Electrical analysis of the interface reveals that functional groups adsorbed on graphene change the electron distribution on the graphene surface. The formation of a contact interface between graphene and cementitious not only promotes the interaction between the two, but also serves as a bridge connecting the graphene and the cementitious, exacerbating the charge transfer between the two and promoting the generation of solid chemical bonds. Method: All calculations were performed by the CASTEP module in Materials Studio software, using the GGA-PBE functional for structural optimization. The convergence criteria for the geometry optimization are set to a self-consistent field iteration convergence criterion of 2.0 × 10−6 eV and a structural optimization convergence criterion of 0.02 eV/Å. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a sudden contraction plug conduit, the near-wall area experiences a significant shearing effect of water flow, however, the extent to which this shearing effect occurs in bubble-water flow and the related variation mechanisms of air bubble size and number remain unclear. This study employs a model test method to investigate the diffusion process of bubble-water flow in a sudden contraction plug conduit. The size and number of bubbles, as well as their distribution along the shearing section under varying initial air volume conditions, are studied in detail using a high-speed image acquisition system. The experimental findings reveal a self-similar relationship between the number and size of bubbles and their cross-sectional distribution over time. The bubble number and size vary in three stages, i.e., quasi-suspension, shearing, and shearing completion stages. The direction perpendicular to the conduit exhibits peak values in bubble number distribution over the three stages, with peak value location varying with the near-wall area. As time progresses, the peak value increases, and a larger initial air volume corresponds to a smaller distance of the peak value location from the wall. The size of air bubbles near the wall is consistent with the minimum diameter of air bubbles in shear flow and is hardly affected by the initial air volume. These results aid in comprehending the change law of two-phase water and air flow under a strong shearing effect in the plug conduit, and provide useful insights for hydraulic design in fluid engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on first-principle calculations using density functional theory, the effects of alternate substituting of Fe, Ru, Os, Co, and Ni on the magnetic properties of the silicone system were investigated, and the stability, charge density, electronic structure, and optical properties of the system were analyzed. The results show that all the substituting systems show subferromagnetic properties except for the Ru atom–substituting silicone system which shows magnetic quenching and exhibits paramagnetism. Within the current study, the substituting of Fe, Ru, Os, Co, and Ni atoms does not change the metallic properties of silicone. Comparing the four substituting atoms of Fe, Os, Co, and Ni, it is revealed that the magnetic moment of the Fe-, Os-, and Co-substituting silicone system is mainly provided by the dopant atoms, and the magnetic moment of the Ni-substituting system is not contributed by the Ni atoms, but by the Si atoms in the silicone that are not covalently bonded to the Ni atoms induced by the dopants. The possible reason for the paramagnetic properties of Ru atom–substituting silicone systems is the strong hybridization and resonance between the dopant Ru atom and Si atom orbitals, which leads to the formation of stable covalent bonds between Ru–Si and quenching of the orbital magnetic moment. The magnetic properties induced by the transition metal can enhance the light absorption intensity and have an effect on the photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tinea capitis is a widespread superficial fungal infection that affects children predominately. Microscopic examination and fungal culture are the conventional gold standards for diagnosis, but they are insensitive and time-consuming. In recent years, new diagnostic methods have been developed to facilitate the diagnosis and identification of causative pathogens. Trichoscopy examination showed high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing tinea capitis with the characteristic signs of comma hairs, corkscrew hairs, bar code-like hairs and zigzag hairs. Reflectance confocal microscopy has also been used in the rapid diagnosis of tinea capitis in several studies. Molecular assays such as polymerase chain reaction and matrix-assisted desorption/ionization time to flight mass spectrometry are extensively utilized for rapid and accurate identification of the pathogens. Early diagnosis and treatment can aid in disease control and scarring reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission from electronic manufacturing industries poses severe air pollution and damage to human health; a cost-effective control strategy is urgently needed. Herein, biotrickling filters (BTF) packed with the polyhedron hollow polypropylene balls were employed to remove VOCs emitted from an electronic manufacturing industry. Response surface methodology with Box-Behnken design (RSM-BBD) and backpropagation artificial neural network coupled genetic algorithm model (GA-BPANN) was proposed to simulate and predict BTF performance on VOCs removal at different inlet VOCs concentrations, empty bed retention times (EBRT), and trickling liquid velocity (TLV). The results revealed that the fast start-up time of about 10 days for VOCs removal was achieved in a BTF by using microbial intensive culture and synchronous acclimation. Moreover, under steady-state conditions, the removal efficiency (RE) of VOCs reached above 90.0% at the inlet VOC concentration of 150 mg/m3, EBRT of 45 s, and TLV of 1.5 m/h, corresponding to the elimination capacity (EC) of around 11.0 g m−3 h−1. Furthermore, both RSM-BBD and GA-BPANN models have the good ability to accurately simulate and predict the RE of VOCs under different experimental conditions. In addition, the kinetic behavior of VOCs biodegradation in BTFs conformed to zero-order model with diffusion limitation. The findings herein provide an efficient route for optimizing the parameters design of BFT, which facilitates the application of BTF in VOCs control for electronic manufactory industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Wabash National Study on Liberal Arts Education and a latent class analysis of 28 outside-the-classroom activities and behaviors, we developed a typology of outside-the-classroom student engagement during the first year of college. We find ten classes of student involvement: academic artist, party athlete, serious athlete, conventional non-worker, disengaged, maximizer, moderate worker, detached partier, involved partier, and religious. Next, we examine the relationship between latent classes and students' characteristics through a multinomial logistic regression analysis. Students reporting as first-generation or racially minoritized are overrepresented in the disengaged and involved partier classes. We found an overrepresentation of White students across all party classes. Students reporting as female were likelier to be members of the religious, moderate worker, and disengaged classes and not to be members of the party classes. Federal grant recipients were likelier to be in the academic artist and moderate worker classes. We discuss other sociocultural, economic, and academic relationships in the paper. Next, we explore the relationship of latent class to academic and developmental outcomes. We find academic artists as the only class with a significant positive relationship across the seven dependent measures. Involved partier, moderate worker, and religious classes have positive relationships with at least five dependent measures. The detached partier and party athlete classes have the lowest first-year GPAs of all latent classes. Finally, we discuss the relationships of latent classes, related institutional policy implications, and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the feasibility of using texture radiomics features extracted from mammography images to distinguish between benign and malignant breast lesions and to classify benign lesions into different categories and determine the best machine learning (ML) model to perform the tasks. Six hundred and twenty-two breast lesions from 200 retrospective patient data were segmented and analysed. Three hundred fifty radiomics features were extracted using the Standardized Environment for Radiomics Analysis (SERA) library, one of the radiomics implementations endorsed by the Image Biomarker Standardisation Initiative (IBSI). The radiomics features and selected patient characteristics were used to train selected machine learning models to classify the breast lesions. A fivefold cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of the ML models and the top 10 most important features were identified. The random forest (RF) ensemble gave the highest accuracy (89.3%) and positive predictive value (66%) and likelihood ratio of 13.5 in categorising benign and malignant lesions. For the classification of benign lesions, the RF model again gave the highest likelihood ratio of 3.4 compared to the other models. Morphological and textural radiomics features were identified as the top 10 most important features from the random forest models. Patient age was also identified as one of the significant features in the RF model. We concluded that machine learning models trained against texture-based radiomics features and patient features give reasonable performance in differentiating benign versus malignant breast lesions. Our study also demonstrated that the radiomics-based machine learning models were able to emulate the visual assessment of mammography lesions, typically used by radiologists, leading to a better understanding of how the machine learning model arrive at their decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria possess elaborate systems to manage reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS) arising from exposure to the mammalian immune system and environmental stresses. Here we report the discovery of an ROS-sensing RNA-modifying enzyme that regulates translation of stress-response proteins in the gut commensal and opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. We analyze the tRNA epitranscriptome of E. faecalis in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) or sublethal doses of ROS-inducing antibiotics and identify large decreases in N2-methyladenosine (m2A) in both 23 S ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA. This we determine to be due to ROS-mediated inactivation of the Fe-S cluster-containing methyltransferase, RlmN. Genetic knockout of RlmN gives rise to a proteome that mimics the oxidative stress response, with an increase in levels of superoxide dismutase and decrease in virulence proteins. While tRNA modifications were established to be dynamic for fine-tuning translation, here we report the discovery of a dynamically regulated, environmentally responsive rRNA modification. These studies lead to a model in which RlmN serves as a redox-sensitive molecular switch, directly relaying oxidative stress to modulating translation through the rRNA and the tRNA epitranscriptome, adding a different paradigm in which RNA modifications can directly regulate the proteome. Here the authors found an RNA modifying enzyme that serves as a molecular switch, directly relaying the sensing of reactive oxygen species to chemical modifications in rRNA and tRNA for increasing stress response proteins in the proteome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies about the band gap characteristics and nonreciprocal propagation of nonlinear elastic wave metamaterials which are composed of the curved particle chain with diatomic lattice. The incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method is applied to derive the nonlinear wave equation with fractional terms. Different curved angles and amplitude ratios are considered to show band gaps of nonlinear elastic waves. Both numerical calculations by the Runge-Kutta method and experiments are performed to support band gaps and diode behaviors. This study provides a new application of nonlinear phononic crystals and mechanical metamaterials with different curved directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease (PD) can be prevalent and distressing. Most existing research has however, focused on visual hallucinations as well as related risk factors. The current study thus conducted a systematic review to collate existing evidence on non-visual hallucinations in PD, focusing on their prevalence, phenomenology, and clinical-cognitive correlates. Methods: Ninety-one relevant studies were included from a systematic search across PsycINFO APA, PubMed, and Web of Science, for peer-reviewed publications in the English language, from 1970 to the present. These comprised a mix of case (30 studies; n = 56) and group design (62 studies; n = 7346) studies, divided into three somewhat overlapping collections to address our three research foci. Results: Prevalence estimates for hallucinations were: auditory 1.5–72.0%, olfactory 1.6–21.0%, somatic-tactile 0.4–22.5%, gustatory 1.0–15.0%, and sensed presence 0.9–73.3%. Phenomenological inquiries revealed descriptions of vivid, consuming events replete with elaborate detail, adversely affecting PD patients in different ways. Overt experiences of multisensory hallucinations were also highly variable (0.4–80%) but exceedingly common, reported by almost half of the 45 included prevalence studies. There was some evidence for modality-specific hallucination predictors, but this was largely tentative, pending robust replication. Conclusions: Marked prevalence figures coupled with phenomenological descriptions implicating distress denote that non-visual and multisensory hallucinations in PD are of clinical significance. More direct research and clinical attention need to be devoted to the study and management of such hallucinatory experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate division of bile duct during laparoscopic donor hepatectomy in living donor liver transplantation is essential. We here present a novel approach to achieve cholangiography via the bile duct stump of segment IV (B4 stump) during laparoscopic donor hepatectomy in adult-to-pediatric living donor liver transplantation. Patients and methods: Donors who underwent laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (LLLS) from January 2022 to April 2022 in our liver transplant center were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 32 donors were eventually enrolled into this study. Cholangiography via the B4 stump was performed in 11 donors (B4 group) while indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence guiding was performed in 21 donors (ICG group). Perioperative data were collected and compared between groups. Results: Cholangiography by catheterizing the B4 stump was successfully performed in all 11 donors in the B4 group. The mean time of this procedure was 12.82 ± 9.11 min. Compared to the ICG group, it was more likely to acquire single bile duct orifice on graft in the B4 group (B4: 10/11, 90.91% vs ICG: 9/21, 42.86%) and it was significantly different (p = 0.030). The donors' complications (Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV) were not significantly different. There was one donor developed intraperitoneal effusion in B4 group, while two donors (one bile leakage and one biliary stricture) developed biliary tract related complications in the ICG group. A Roux-en-Y was performed to solve the biliary stricture in the ICG group. The recipients' outcomes were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: Cholangiography via the B4 stump catheterization is feasible and safe in identifying the bifurcation of bile duct during LLLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This review sought to summarize the current emerging soluble guanylate cyclase activators and stimulators in patients with heart failure, both heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction, to provide a reference for soluble guanylate cyclase activators and stimulators discovery. Recent Findings: Heart failure is a common disease with considerable morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality Soluble guanylate cyclase is a key enzyme in the nitric oxide signaling pathway and has attracted rapidly growing interest as a therapeutic target in heart failure. Currently, several soluble guanylate cyclase agonists are in clinical development. Cinaciguat and praliciguat have shown no clear clinical benefit in patients with heart failure in clinical trials. Riociguat increased the 6-min walk distance, cardiac index, and stroke volume index as well as decreased N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Although these populations cover nearly every range of ejection fractions, these were not clinical trials directly in patients with heart failure but were designed in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Vericiguat is recommended in the latest American guideline for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; however, it gets mixed results in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Summary: To date, only vericiguat reduces the composite of death from cardiovascular causes or first hospitalization for heart failure in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and riociguat might improve clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with heart failure, both heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. We need more exploration about soluble guanylate cyclase activators and stimulators in patients with heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrytis cinerea is a non-host-specific phytopathogenic fungus capable of infecting numerous cash crops. Here, we analyzed the functions of the Bcb1 gene in B. cinerea, which encodes a membrane protein belonging to the acyl-coenzyme A synthase family. Compared to the wild type, Bcb1-deletion mutants exhibited obvious morphological abnormalities, including slower vegetative growth and reduced melanin production. The absence of Bcb1 causes B. cinerea to form only small and incompletely developed infection cushions and fail to produce spores. The Bcb1 mutants displayed hypersensitivity to the membrane stressor SDS, the cell wall stressor Congo red, and the oxidative stressor H2O2 and increased resistance to intracellular osmotic stress caused by KCl compared to the wild-type strain. However, there were no differences in tolerance to extracellular osmotic stress caused by NaCl. The deletion of Bcb1 also caused a reduction in pathogenicity. The qRT‒PCR results showed that the genes Bcpks12 and Bcpks13, which are related to melanin biosynthesis, and Bcpg2, BcBOT2, and cutA, which are related to virulence, were downregulated in ∆Bcb1. These data suggest that BCB1 is important for conidial morphogenesis, and pathogenesis in B. cinerea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) might be associated with higher postoperative morbidity and mortality rates compared with staged bilateral TKA. However, risk factors for surgical complications and reoperations following simultaneous bilateral TKA remain elusive. We conducted this retrospective, single-surgeon case series from 2010 through 2019. A total of 1561 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral TKA procedures were included. The outcome domains included 30-day and 90-day readmission events for medical or surgical complications and 1-year reoperation events. We performed logistic regression analysis and backward stepwise selection to identify possible risk factors, including age, sex, body mass index, diabetes mellitus (DM), rheumatoid arthritis, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) classification, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), receiving venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis, or blood transfusion. The overall 30-day, 90-day readmission, and 1-year reoperation rates were 2.11%, 2.88%, and 1.41%, respectively. Higher CCI score (CCI = 4+) was a risk factor for 90-day readmission (aOR: 2.783; 95% CI 0.621–12.465), 90 day readmission for surgical complications (aOR: 10.779; 95% CI 1.444–80.458), and 1 year reoperation (aOR: 4.890; 95% CI 0.846–28.260). Other risk factors included older age, higher ASA level, DM, and receiving VTE prophylaxis. In conclusion, high CCI scores were associated with increased risks of surgical complications and reoperations following simultaneous bilateral TKA procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a river channel is narrow, bifurcated, or intersected, or when extreme weather or geological disasters cause shed rock masses to occupy a river flood channel, local hydraulic jumps may develop in the channel. Natural disasters such as landslides, floods, and debris flows occur upstream, will result in large transport rate of large-sized gravel particles. Those particles may be blocked in hydraulic jump areas, causing river channel water depth to rise. In this study, the effect of local hydraulic jumps on the sediment deposition rate was investigated in flume experiments. The ratio of upstream and downstream Froude numbers, particle size, Sediment supply intensity, and flow discharge all affected the sediment deposition rate. With increases in the ratio of upstream and downstream Froude numbers, particle size, and sediment supply intensity, the sediment deposition rate increased. The sediment deposition rate decreased with an increase in flow discharge. Approach hydraulic conditions and particle properties jointly determined the sediment deposition rate in a hydraulic jump section, and an empirical formula was developed using those parameters to calculate the sediment deposition rate. Thus, to identify risks and prevent disasters in mountain rivers, local changes in hydraulic conditions and particle properties need to be jointly evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world's food safety and environmental safety problems become increasingly severe, the agricultural sectors of various countries are also paying closer attention to the use of biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. Rhizosphere bacteria are a significant source of commonly used biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. This study aims to describe the genome and genomic traits of a biocontrol agent in the genus Bacillus. In this paper, a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens IBFCBF-5 was isolated and identified to have an inhibitory effect on several common oomycete and fungal pathogens Phytophthora capsica, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum. The genome of strain IBFCB-5 was sequenced, and the assembled genome was 4,338,658 bp, with a G + C content of 46.05%. The IBFCBF-5 genome contains abundant GH, GT, CE, PL, AA, and CBM gene families, potentially degrading cellulose and hemicellulose, chitin, starch, xylan, peptidoglycan, etc. In addition, 14 lipopeptide and polypeptide antibiotic gene clusters were found in IBFCBF-5, including those coding for the synthesis of several known antifungal and antibacterial compounds Fengycin, Bacilysin, Bacillibactin, and Plantazolicin. Our results show that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens IBFCBF-5 has a broad-spectrum antifungal ability and that its genome contains many genes coding for enzymes involved in the synthesis of antimicrobial metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of acute kidney injury (AKI) substages has been recommended to better phenotype AKI and identify high-risk patient groups and therefore improve the diagnostic accuracy of AKI. However, there remains a gap between the recommendation and the clinical application. The study aimed to explore the incidence of AKI substages based on a sensitive AKI biomarker of urinary cystatin C (uCysC), and to determine whether AKI substages were relevant with respect to outcome in critically ill children. Results: The multicenter cohort study enrolled 793 children in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of four tertiary hospitals in China. Children were classified as non-AKI, sub-AKI and AKI substages A and B according to uCysC level at PICU admission. Sub-AKI was defined by admission uCysC level ≥ 1.26 mg/g uCr in children not meeting the KDIGO criteria of AKI. In children who fulfilled KDIGO criteria, those with uCysC < 1.26 was defined as AKI substage A, and with ≥ 1.26 defined as AKI substage B. The associations of AKI substages with 30-day PICU mortality were assessed. 15.6% (124/793) of patients met the definition of sub-AKI. Of 180 (22.7%) patients with AKI, 90 (50%) had uCysC-positive AKI substage B and were more likely to have classical AKI stage 3, compared to substage A. Compared to non-AKI, sub-AKI and AKI substages A and B were risk factors significantly associated with mortality, and the association of sub-AKI (adjusted hazard ratio HR = 2.42) and AKI substage B (adjusted HR = 2.83) with mortality remained significant after adjustment for confounders. Moreover, AKI substage B had increased risks of death as compared with sub-AKI (HR = 3.10) and AKI substage A (HR = 3.19). Conclusions: Sub-AKI defined/based on uCysC occurred in 20.2% of patients without AKI and was associated with a risk of death close to patients with AKI substage A. Urinary CysC-positive AKI substage B occurred in 50% of AKI patients and was more likely to have classical AKI stage 3 and was associated with the highest risk of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite extensive research documenting associations between adverse early-life experiences and negative outcomes in later life, little is known about how adverse experiences in late adolescence relate to young adulthood disadvantages. This study examines the role of adverse experiences during late adolescence on young adults' education and work trajectories in Taiwan. Drawing theories and research from human development and sociology, the study links indicators of disadvantages in young adulthood to measures of adverse experiences in late adolescence using data from the Taiwan Youth Project data (n = 1221; median ages 18, 20, and 22; 49.4% female). The analysis found that running away from home was associated with instability in education or employment and that having cumulative adverse experiences was associated with graduating with debt and instability in education or employment. Some associations were explained by financial pressure, however, taken together, the findings suggest that certain adverse experiences in late adolescence have a significant impact on disadvantaged education and work trajectories in young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]