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Abstract Background The increasing prevalence of multimorbidity has created a serious global public health problem in aging populations. Certain multimorbidity patterns across different age ranges and their association with health status remain unclear. The main aim of this study is to identify multimorbidity patterns discrepancies and associated health status between younger-old and oldest-old. Methods The Ethics Committee of Nanjing Medical University approved the study protocol (No.2019–473). Convenience sampling method was used to recruit older adults aged ≥ 60 years with multimorbidity from July to December 2021 from 38 Landsea long-term care facilities in China. The multimorbidity patterns were analyzed using network analysis and two-step cluster analysis. One-Way ANOVA was utilized to explore their association with health status including body function, activity of daily living, and social participation. A Sankey diagram visualized the flow of health status within different multimorbidity patterns. This study is reported following the STROBE guidelines. Results A total of 214 younger-old (60–84 years) and 173 oldest-old (≥ 85 years) were included. Leading coexisting diseases were cardiovascular disease (CD), metabolic and endocrine disease (MED), neurological disease (ND), and orthopedic disease (OD). Cluster 1 (53, 24.8%) of CD-ND (50, 94.3%; 31, 58.8%), cluster 2 (39, 18.2%) of MED-ND-CD (39, 100%; 39, 100%; 37, 94.9%), cluster 3 (37, 17.3%) of OD-CD-MED-ND (37, 100%; 33, 89.2%; 27, 73.0%; 16, 43.2%), and cluster 4 (34, 15.9%) of CD-MED (34, 100%; 34, 100%) were identified in the younger-old. In the oldest-old, the primary multimorbidity patterns were: cluster 1 (33, 19.1%) of CD-respiratory disease-digestive disease-urogenital disease (CD-RD-DSD-UD) (32, 97.0%; 9, 27.3%; 8, 24.2%; 7, 21.2%), cluster 2 (42, 24.3%) of ND-CD-MED (42, 100%; 35, 83.3%; 14, 33.3%), cluster 3 (28, 16.2%) of OD-CD-MED (28, 100%; 25, 89.3%; 18, 64.3%), and cluster 4 (35, 20.2%) of CD-MED (35, 100%; 35, 100%). Younger-old with CD-ND or MED-ND-CD, and oldest-old with ND-CD-MED have worse health status compared with other multimorbidity patterns (e.g., CD-MED and OD-CD-MED). Conclusion Discrepancies in common patterns of multimorbidity across age groups suggest that caregivers in long-term care facilities should consider changes in multimorbidity patterns with ageing when developing prevention plans for individualized management. Neurological disease concurrent with other diseases was the major determinant of health status, especially for the oldest-old. Interventions targeting multimorbidity need to be focused, yet generic. It is essential to assess complex needs and health outcomes that arise from different multimorbidity patterns and manage them through an interdisciplinary approach and consider their priorities to gain high-quality primary care for older adults living in long-term care facilities.

Ticks are primary vectors for many tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and pose a serious threat to veterinary and public health. Information on the presence of TBPs in Chinese Milu deer (Elaphurus davidianus) is limited. In this study, a total of 102 Chinese Milu deer blood samples were examined for Anaplasma spp., Theileria spp., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia spp., and three TBPs were identified: Anaplasma phagocytophilum (48; 47.1 %), Candidatus Anaplasma boleense (47; 46.1%), and Theileria capreoli (8; 7.8 %). Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA confirmed their identity with corresponding TBPs. To our knowledge, this is the first report on Candidatus A. boleense and T. capreoli detection in Chinese Milu deer. A high prevalence of A. phagocytophilum with veterinary and medical significance was identified in endangered Chinese Milu deer, which could act as potential zoonotic reservoirs. The identification of the TBPs in Chinese Milu deer provides useful information for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.

A highly graphitized carbon on a silicon monoxide (SiO) surface coating at low temperature, based on polymer precursor π⁻π stacking, was developed. A novel conductive and electrochemically stable carbon coating was rationally designed to modify the SiO anode materials by controlling the sintering of a conductive polymer, a pyrene-based homopolymer poly (1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate; PPy), which achieved high graphitization of the carbon layers at a low temperature and avoided silicon carbide formation and possible SiO material transformation. When evaluated as the anode of a lithium-ion battery (LIB), the carbon-coated SiO composite delivered a high discharge capacity of 2058.6 mAh/g at 0.05 C of the first formation cycle with an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 62.2%. After 50 cycles at 0.1 C, this electrode capacity was 1090.2 mAh/g (~82% capacity retention, relative to the capacity of the second cycle at 0.1 °C rate), and a specific capacity of 514.7 mAh/g was attained at 0.3 C after 500 cycles. Furthermore, the coin-type full cell composed of the carbon coated SiO composite anode and the Li[Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O₂] cathode attained excellent cycling performance. The results show the potential applications for using a π⁻π stacking polymer precursor to generate a highly graphitize coating for next-generation high-energy-density LIBs.

A highly graphitized carbon on a silicon monoxide (SiO) surface coating at low temperature, based on polymer precursor π⁻π stacking, was developed. A novel conductive and electrochemically stable carbon coating was rationally designed to modify the SiO anode materials by controlling the sintering of a conductive polymer, a pyrene-based homopolymer poly (1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate; PPy), which achieved high graphitization of the carbon layers at a low temperature and avoided silicon carbide formation and possible SiO material transformation. When evaluated as the anode of a lithium-ion battery (LIB), the carbon-coated SiO composite delivered a high discharge capacity of 2058.6 mAh/g at 0.05 C of the first formation cycle with an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 62.2%. After 50 cycles at 0.1 C, this electrode capacity was 1090.2 mAh/g (~82% capacity retention, relative to the capacity of the second cycle at 0.1 °C rate), and a specific capacity of 514.7 mAh/g was attained at 0.3 C after 500 cycles. Furthermore, the coin-type full cell composed of the carbon coated SiO composite anode and the Li[Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O₂] cathode attained excellent cycling performance. The results show the potential applications for using a π⁻π stacking polymer precursor to generate a highly graphitize coating for next-generation high-energy-density LIBs.

Abstract Premature ovarian failure (POF) is one of the common disorders found in women leading to 1% female infertility. Clinical features of POF are hypoestrogenism or estrogen deficiency, increased gonadotropin level, and, most importantly, amenorrhea. With the development of regenerative medicine, human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) therapy brings new prospects for POF. This study aimed to describe the types of MSCs currently available for POF therapy, their biological characteristics, and their mechanism of action. It reviewed the latest findings on POF to provide the theoretical basis for further investigation and clinical therapy.

Medicago ruthenica is an important perennial forage with multiple characteristics of resistance. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of M. ruthenica ‘Taihang’, which is 124, 254 bp in length. A total of 108 genes were identified, including 74 protein-coding, 30 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 27 chloroplast genomes showed that M. ruthenica ‘Taihang’ has a close relationship with M. ruthenica from Qinghai Province, China. The data are useful in better understanding the genetic diversity and stress resistance of Medicago and contribute to the phylogenetic study of Trifolieae.

Deploying the dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) equipment at intersections can improve the transportation efficiency and decrease the energy consumption. It can easily turn the disadvantages of waiting time for red phase into the advantages of charging benefits for electric vehicles (EVs). This study develops a multiobjective speed planning model with differentiated charging strategy to optimize the EV's trajectory at signalized intersections with DWPT. To mitigate the negative impact of DWPT, the proposed model is divided into charging priority driving (C-eco-driving) mode and time priority driving (T-eco-driving) mode for connected and automated electric vehicles (CAEVs) to apply different scenarios. Meanwhile, a widely applied car-following model, i.e., the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), has been calibrated with the ground-truth dataset to meet the intersection characteristic for EVs in mixed traffic. The efficiency and robustness of two eco-driving modes were validated in single-vehicle and mixed traffic based on MATLAB simulation. For single vehicle, the electricity benefits of the C-eco-driving mode and T-eco-driving mode increase about 0.0867kWh and 0.0532kWh, respectively. T-eco-driving mode reduces 2.5s of travel time. For mixed traffic, the C-eco-driving mode provides more charging benefits about 51~73% than no-control strategy. In contrast, the T-eco-driving mode provides significant time benefits of 2.6s and slight electricity benefits of 12~30% than no-control strategy. The increment of market penetration rate and wireless charging length can significantly improve the charging benefits. When charging length has the same value, the closer the DWPT facilities to the intersection, the more obvious the charging benefits., Author(s): Lan Yang [1]; Mengjie Han (corresponding author) [1]; Shan Fang [1]; Guoyuan Wu [2]; He Sheng [1]; Heng Wei [3]; Xiangmo Zhao [1] 1. Introduction EVs have been recognized [...]

Bothriochloa ischaemum (Linn.) 1936 is a high-quality perennial forage in Loess Plateau of China. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of B. ischaemum, which was a circular DNA of 138,316 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 80,226 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 12,526 bp, and the circular DNA was separated by a pair of identical inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 22,782 bp each. A total of 134 genes were identified, including 87 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic tree showed that B. ischaemum was closer to B. decipiens and B. alta, genus Bothriochloa was closely related to genus Pseudanthistiria. Our findings will be helpful for better understanding of genetic diversity of Bothriochloa plants.

Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether and to what extent visceral obesity-related indices were associated with coronary collateralization (CC) in chronic total occlusion (CTO) patients.Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 1,008 consecutive patients with CTO who underwent CTO-percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI). CC was graded according to the Rentrop scoring system. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics were collected by cardiovascular doctors. Logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to assess the predictive value of visceral obesity-related indices for CC.Results: Overall, 1,008 inpatients were assigned to the poor CC group (n = 592) and good CC group (n = 416). In multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses, all visceral obesity-related indices (P-value < 0.001) were significantly associated with CC. After ROC analysis and the Delong test, the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) had the largest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.741 (0.711–0.771). Further analysis revealed that CVAI quartile remained a risk factor for poor CC in all groups, CVAI was associated with a 1.018-fold higher risk of poor CC (OR = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.014–1.021, P < 0.001). Individuals in the top CVAI quartile group had the highest risk of poor CC (OR = 10.657, 95% CI: 6.492–17.493, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed similar results, and CVAI quartile remained a risk factor for poor CC. Moreover, increased CVAI predicted poor prognosis in CTO patients.Conclusion: In summary, this study indicated that all the increased visceral obesity-related indices were significantly associated with increased poor CC risk. After adjusting for potential risks, CVAI had the best performance for estimating CC and predicting prognosis in CTO patients.

Many studies have simulated traffic behavior at signalized intersections using various Car-Following (CF) models. However, the performance of which CF Model is superior at signalized intersections has not been thoroughly analyzed and evaluated. In this study, two novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) CF models, the Convolutional Neural Network--Long Short-term Memory (CNN-LSTM) and the Convolution-LSTM (Conv-LSTM)--are first applied to predict CF behaviors at signalized intersections. Both models can extract spatial and temporal information to address the long-term dependency problem more effectively. Based on the filtered NGSIM dataset, we conduct a comparative empirical study of three conventional CF models and five ANN CF models. The dataset is divided into two categories based on the characteristics of CF behavior at signalized intersections: continuous and discontinuous. The experiments demonstrated that ANN CF models outperformed conventional CF models when the output was the velocity in two categories of traffic flow but only failed to do so when the output was acceleration in discontinuous traffic flow. The proposed models were capable of accurately predicting acceleration, but the traffic fluctuations also existed as time passed. Additionally, it was discovered that while the ANN CF model is preferable for traffic flow simulation, the conventional CF model still cannot be ignored for discontinuous traffic flow simulation, particularly when acceleration is required., Author(s): Lan Yang [1]; Shan Fang (corresponding author) [1]; Guoyuan Wu [2]; He Sheng [1]; Zhigang Xu [1]; Mengxiao Zhang [1]; Xiangmo Zhao [1] 1. Introduction With the development of [...]

In order to track the research progress of AEB-related technologies, this paper makes a systematic analysis and research on the impact factors, key technologies, and effect evaluation of AEB. First, the paper deeply analyzes the three levels of factors affecting the performance of AEB, which are vehicle factors, driver factors, and environmental factors. Second, the paper deeply studies the technical status of the three subsystems of environment perception, decision-making, and control execution. Particularly, the performance of Mazda, Honda, NHTSA, Berkeley, and Seungwuk Moon are compared and analyzed based on MATLAB. Third, the paper summarizes the current AEB virtual test methods, closed field test methods, and its test sites. Three classic evaluation methods in the world, including the AEB test evaluation standards of ENCAP, IIHS, and i-Vista are analyzed. Finally, the paper prospects the specific research directions, including the protection of vulnerable road users, target detection method, collision avoidance strategy, complex scenarios application, and application of emerging technologies., Author(s): Lan Yang [1]; Yipeng Yang (corresponding author) [1]; Guoyuan Wu (corresponding author) [2]; Xiangmo Zhao [1]; Shan Fang [1]; Xishun Liao [2]; Runmin Wang [1]; Mengxiao Zhang [1] 1. [...]

ObjectivesA combined equation based on white cell count (WCC) and total bilirubin (TB) was assessed for its ability to predict adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).DesignA single-centre, prospective cohort study.SettingThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University.MethodA total of 615 patients with STEMI postprimary PCI were enrolled. WCC and TB were collected at admission. Logistic regression was used to determine the combined equation. The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which composed of cardiac death, cardiac shock, malignant arrhythmia (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation), severe cardiac insufficiency, non-fatal myocardial infarction, angina pectoris readmission, severe cardiac insufficiency (cardiac III–IV level), stent restenosis and target vessels revascularisation during the hospitalisation and 36 months follow-up period.Result77 patients occurred in MACE during the hospitalisation (17 in-hospital mortality). WCC and TB were taken as an independent variables to make a category of logistic regression analysis of in-hospital MACE, the logistic regression model was: logit (P)=−8.00+0.265 WCC+0.077 TB, the combination of WCC and TB was more valuable on evaluating the in-hospital mortality (area under the curve 0.804, 95% CI 0.678 to 0.929, p

Accumulated genetic evidences indicate that the contactin associated protein-like (CNTNAP) family is implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In this study, we identified genetic mutations in the CNTNAP3 gene from Chinese Han ASD cohorts and Simons Simplex Collections. We found that CNTNAP3 interacted with synaptic adhesion proteins Neuroligin1 and Neuroligin2, as well as scaffolding proteins PSD95 and Gephyrin. Significantly, we found that CNTNAP3 played an opposite role in controlling the development of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in vitro and in vivo, in which ASD mutants exhibited loss-of-function effects. In this study, we showed that the male Cntnap3-null mice exhibited deficits in social interaction， spatial learning and prominent repetitive behaviors. These evidences elucidate the pivotal role of CNTNAP3 in synapse development and social behaviors, providing mechanistic insights into ASD.

Traffic lights force vehicles to stop frequently at signalized intersections, which leads to excessive fuel consumption, higher emissions, and travel delays. To address these issues, this study develops a trajectory planning method for mixed vehicles at signalized intersections. First, we use the intelligent driver car-following model to analyze the string stability of traffic flow upstream of the intersection. Second, we propose a mixed-vehicle trajectory planning method based on a trigonometric model that considers prefixed traffic signals. The proposed method employs the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) model controller to simulate the trajectory when connected vehicles (equipped with internet access) follow the optimal advisory speed. Essentially, only connected vehicle trajectories need to be controlled because normal vehicles simply follow the connected vehicles according to the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM). The IDM model aims to minimize traffic oscillation and ensure that all vehicles pass the signalized intersection without stopping. The results of a MATLAB simulation indicate that the proposed method can reduce fuel consumption and N[O.sub.x], HC, C[O.sub.2], and CO concentrations by 17%, 22.8%, 17.8%, 17%, and 16.9% respectively when the connected vehicle market penetration is 50 percent., 1. Introduction Urban traffic flow is frequently interrupted by sharp acceleration and deceleration of vehicles at signalized intersections. Such stop-and-go traffic caused by unsafe driving behaviours not only influences the [...]

Ethnic differences in non-invasive measurements of carotid atherosclerosis are being increasingly reported, but the association between carotid atherosclerosis and different subtypes of hypertension in adult populations is not fully understood in different ethnicities. We aimed to investigate the association of carotid atherosclerosis with different subtypes of hypertension in different ethnicities in Xinjiang, a northwestern province in China.A total of 14,618 participants (5,757 Hans, 4,767 Uygurs, and 4,094 Kazakhs) from 26 villages of seven cities in Xinjiang were randomly selected from the Cardiovascular Risk Survey conducted during 2007 and 2010. A standard questionnaire, a physical examination and biochemical tests were employed.The mean common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) for the 14,618 participants was 0.86±0.003 mm. The CIMT gradually increased with age. Men (0.92±0.005 mm) had a higher CIMT than women (0.81±0.004 mm). The Uygur participants (0.82±0.006 mm) had a lower CIMT than the Han (0.88±0.005 mm) and Kazakh participants (0.88±0.005 mm). The overall prevalences of carotid intimal thickening and carotid plaques were 12.4% and 9.7%, respectively. The prevalence of CIMT varied for the different subtypes of hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed different risk factors for abnormal CIMT in different ethnicities. The associations between abnormal CIMT and the different subtypes of hypertension within different ethnic backgrounds were also different. The risk factors for abnormal CIMT included systolic-diastolic hypertension (SDH) in Han participants (OR: 1.323, 95% CI: 1.100-1.590), SDH (OR: 1.426, 95% CI: 1.160-1.753) and isolated-systolic hypertension (ISH) (OR: 1.844, 95% CI: 1.470-2.313) in Uygur participants, and isolated-diastolic hypertension (IDH) (OR: 1.536, 95% CI: 1.170-2.016) in Kazakh participants.There was an ethnic difference in the prevalence of abnormal CIMT in Xinjiang, a northwestern province in China. The associations between abnormal CIMT and the subtypes of hypertension varied among the different ethnic groups. Among the studied populations, Han participants with SDH, Uygur participants with SDH and ISH, and Kazakh with IDH were more likely to suffer carotid atherosclerosis than those with other subtypes of hypertension. Participants with different ethnic backgrounds had different sets of risk factors for abnormal CIMT.

Introduction: Gouty arthritis (GA) is induced by a purine metabolism disorder and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-related inflammation. Berberine (BBR), extracted from Coptis chinensis, ameliorates MSU-induced GA. However, the mechanisms of BBR against GA remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to identify the key targets and pathways mediating the effects of BBR against GA using network pharmacology. Methods: BBR and GA targets were obtained from several databases, and the network of BBR-GA common targets was visualized using Cytoscape software. Protein–protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed using the STRING and Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery databases, respectively. Animal experiments were performed to determine the outcomes of the BBB intervention. The serum levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-6 were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Thirty-three common targets (including NF-κB, RelA, MAPK1, IL-6, and IL-1β) of BBR and GA were identified, and a network of common targets between BBR and GA was constructed. PPI analysis demonstrated that IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, MAPK, and RelA are key targets with high degree values. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed the involvement of inflammation-related biological processes and signaling pathways, such as the NF-κB, MAPK, and TNF signaling pathways. Animal experiments demonstrated that the uric acid, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 serum levels were significantly lower in the BBR group compared with those in hyperuricemic rats. Conclusions: Using systematic network analysis, potential targets mediating the effects of BBR on GA were detected. The pathways and inflammatory factors involved were identified using in vivo experiments, thus providing a reference for further basic research and clinical applications of BBR in the treatment of GA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On basis of analysis of detection methods of voltage sag such as voltage peak detection method,Fourier transform method,wavelet transform method,d-q transformation method and pqr instantaneous power method,the paper proposed a detection algorithm of dynamic voltage restorer(DVR) based on instantaneous reactive power theory.For the problem of poor real-time of a traditional ButterWorth low pass filter,it designed a new type of filter which is consisted of a band-stop filter in series with a low pass filter.The simulation results in Matlab/Simulink showed that the new type of filter can reduce the detection time to one third of fundamental cycle without reducing precise,and improve the real time of voltage sag detection.