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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the mold and mycotoxin contamination status of cooked nuts and seeds in China in 2021 and to understand the correlation and risk of mold and mycotoxin contamination in such foods.MethodsSamples of commercially available cooked nuts and seeds were tested for mold contamination. Internal transcribed spacer （ITS） sequencing was used to identify the genus of the contaminating mold in the samples.ResultsOut of the cooked nut and seed samples analyzed， 19.32% （560/2 912） had mold counts > 25 colony-forming units （CFU）/g. The proportion of mold counts > 25 CFU/g was lower in single nuts and seeds （14.74%， 321/2 178） than in mixed nuts and seeds （32.56%， 239/734， P < 0.05）. Among the single nut and seed samples， walnuts （24.10%， 47/195） had the highest proportion of mold counts > 25 CFU/g， followed by almonds， spartan wood， and peanuts at 17.44% （15/86）， 16.81% （20/119）， and 16.22% （73/450）， respectively. All other nuts and seeds had proportions below 15%. Mycotoxin analysis was performed on 26 samples with mold counts > 25 CFU/g， and beauvericin was detected at 16.37 μg/kg in one peanut sample collected from Yunnan Province. ITS amplicon sequencing revealed that the main contaminating genera in cooked nuts and seeds were Aspergillus， Alternaria， and Candida. The detected molds had a certain correlation with mycotoxins.ConclusionHigh levels of mold contamination were detected in cooked nuts and seeds， resulting in a risk of mycotoxin production in the detected foods. Thus， it is necessary to strengthen the genus and species identification and mycotoxin analysis in these types of food to understand the contamination route and the regularity of toxin production and to provide a scientific basis for risk assessment and effective prevention and control measures.

Abstract Background Studies comparing the survival of hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are controversial. This study evaluated the impact of initial dialysis modality on the survival of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a matched-pair cohort. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on ESRD patients who initiated renal replacement treatment between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018. Propensity score matching was applied to balance the baseline conditions, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to compare mortality between HD and PD patients and evaluate correlations between mortality and various baseline characteristics. Subgroup analysis was performed with respect to diabetes status. Results There were 739 patients in our center in the Chinese National Renal Data System (CNRDS) between 2010 and 2018. Of these, 125 PD patients were matched with 125 HD patients. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 96.5%, 90.7%, and 82.5%, respectively, in the HD group and 99.5%, 97.8%, and 92.5%, respectively, in the PD group (log-rank P

Abstract Background The clinical value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in assessing relapsing polychondritis (RP) with airway involvement remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate PET/CT features of RP with airway involvement and explore its clinical value in predicting disease pattern, severity and prognosis. Methods RP patients with airway involvement who underwent PET/CT from January 2010 to July 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. PET/CT features were analyzed both visually and semiquantitatively with the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Patterns of airway involvement on PET were summarized. Correlations of SUVmax and TLG of the airway were made with spirometric indicators and serological inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR). In addition, long-term follow-up was conducted through questionnaires in regard to symptom control, subjective feeling, pulmonary function, and quality of life. Results Fifty-two cases were finally included. 18F-FDG PET showed FDG-avid lesions with increased FDG uptake in the airway among 94.2% of the patients. Three patterns (focal, multifocal and diffuse patterns) were identified. TLG of the whole airway was lower in patients with previous therapy (p = 0.046). Bronchoscopy was more sensitive in detecting tracheal abnormalities (90.7% vs.53.5%, p = 0.039) but less sensitive for peripheral airway lesions (65.1% vs. 79.1%, p = 0.046) compared with PET. SUVmax and TLG of the airway positively correlated with spirometry indicators (FEV1%pred, FEV1/FVC, MEF 50%pred, etc.) and serological inflammatory markers. Five patients died during the follow-up, with two deaths related to airway problems. Higher FDG uptake predicted worse subjective feeling, but not with symptom control or pulmonary function. Conclusion PET/CT is a valuable tool for RP with airway involvement, particularly in assessing peripheral airway lesions, and PET/CT related parameters are significantly associated with disease patterns, severity, and long-term outcomes.

Abstract Background Two studies were designed to determine standard ileal crude protein (CP) and amino acid (AA) digestibility of soybean meal (SBM) from different origins fed to non-pregnant and pregnant sows. Seven solvent-extracted SBMs from soybeans produced in the USA, Brazil, and China were selected. In Exp. 1, eight different diets were created: a nitrogen (N)-free diet and 7 experimental diets containing SBM from different origins as the only N source. Eight non-pregnant, multiparous sows were arranged in an 8 × 8 Latin square design (8 periods and 8 diets). In Exp. 2, the diet formula was the same as in Exp. 1. Eight gestating sows (parity 3) were assigned to 4 different diets in a replicated 4 × 3 Youden square design (three periods and four diets) in mid-gestation and again in late-gestation stages. Results When fed to non-pregnant and late-gestating sows, the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP and most AAs from different SBM were not significantly different (P > 0.05). When fed to mid-gestating sows, the SID values for Arg, His, Lys, Phe, Cys, Gly, Ser, and Tyr in SBM 1 were lower than in SBM 4 and 5 (P

Aim: An innovative method of digestive tract reconstruction following proximal gastrectomy, the uncut interposed jejunum pouch, esophagus and residual stomach double anastomosis(Uncut-D), was established in recent years. In order to fully clarify the superiority of the procedure, this study has conducted a systematic analysis and thorough discussion. Methods: 118 patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction who underwent proximal gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. According to the methods of digestive tract reconstruction, these patients were divided into three groups: Uncut-D(n = 43), esophagogastrostomy (EG, n = 36), jejunal interposition (JI, n = 39).The preoperative indicators, surgical complications and related indicators of postoperative quality of life were analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences in preoperative data among all groups (P > 0.05); The digestive tract reconstruction time in Uncut-D group was more than that in EG group, and less than that in JI group (P

ABSTRACTThe microstructure and mechanical properties of polycrystalline spinel ceramics (MgAl2O4) with high translucency were investigated. Several kinds of polycrystalline spinel ceramics were prepared under various sintering conditions, and single-crystal spinel and sapphire were used for comparison. The bending strength of polycrystalline spinel with smaller grain size fabricated without sintering aids exceeded that of single-crystal spinel. The bending strength at 1000°C tended to be lower than that at room temperature. The fracture toughness of polycrystalline spinel prepared without sintering aids measured by SEVNB was higher than that of spinel with sintering aids. By estimation of fracture strength considering different fracture origins, the polycrystalline spinel prepared without sintering aids might be fractured mainly from defects around residual spherical voids. If the size of voids can be minimized in polycrystalline spinel fabricated without sintering aids, both high transmission and good mechanical properties could be achieved.

Abstract Purpose The KEYNOTE‐062 trial demonstrated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab for advanced gastric cancer (GC). The current study evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of pembrolizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy for advanced GC from the perspective of the United States and China. And the results will provide evidence and data support for more drug selection‐related decisions and research in the future. Methods A partitioned survival approach with three states was created for treatment of advanced GC. The survival data were derived from KEYNOTE‐062 trial and the individual patient data were generated by a specific algorithm. We fitted 21 survival functions to each treatment arm and selected the most suitable distribution type for each one. Direct costs and utility values were collected from the published, available database. Cost, quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), and incremental cost‐utility ratios (ICURs) were considered as the primary measure outcomes. One‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the analyses. Results In the base‐case analysis of combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 patients, the ICUR of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in American and Chinese setting is $345,209/QALY and $186,802.6/QALY, respectively. And the ICUR of pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy is $473,650/QALY and $377,753/QALY in the context of the US and China, respectively. For CPS≥10 patients, the ICUR of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in American and Chinese setting is $483,742/QALY and $262,965/QALY, respectively. And that of pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy is $96,550/QALY and $67,896/QALY in the context of the US and China. Conclusion Compared with chemotherapy, either pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy or pembrolizumab monotherapy is not regarded as a cost‐effective strategy for patients with CPS≥1, advanced gastric cancer in the current American and Chinese setting. But pembrolizumab monotherapy for CPS≥10 patients would become a cost‐effective option in the American setting.

In the telecom industry, predicting customer churn is crucial for improving customer retention. In literature, the use of single classifiers is predominantly focused. Customer data is complex data due to class imbalance and contain multiple factors that exhibit nonlinear dependencies. In these complex scenarios, single classifiers may be unable to fully utilize the available information to capture the underlying interactions effectively. In contrast, ensemble learning that combines various base classifiers empowers a more thorough data analysis, leading to improved prediction performance. In this paper, a heterogeneous ensemble model is proposed for churn prediction in the telecom industry. The model involves exploratory data analysis, data pre-processing and data resampling to handle class imbalance. In this proposed model, multiple trained base classifiers with different characteristics are integrated through a stacking ensemble technique. Specifically, convolutional-based neural network, logistic regression, decision tree and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are considered as the base classifiers in this work. The proposed stacking ensemble model utilizes the unique strengths of each base classifier and leverages collective knowledge to improve prediction performance with a meta-learner. The efficacy of the proposed model is assessed on a real-world dataset, i.e., Cell2Cell. The empirical results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model in churn prediction with 62.4% f1-score and 60.62% recall.

Abstract Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most destructive rice diseases. Developing blast-resistant rice cultivars represents the most economical and environmentally friend strategy for managing the disease. In our previous study, an isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based comparative protein quantification was carried out to investigate the resistance gene Piz-t gene-mediated resistance response to infection in two contrasting rice genotypes of the Piz-t transgenic Nipponbare line (NPB-Piz-t) and its wild-type Nipponbare (NPB). Here, from the comparisons of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of NPB-Piz-t to the avirulent isolate KJ201 (KJ201-Piz-t)and the virulent isolate RB22 (RB22-Piz-t) with mock-treated NPB-Piz-t (Mock-Piz-t), NPB to the virulent isolate KJ201(KJ201-NPB) and RB22 (RB22-NPB) with mock-treated NPB (Mock-NPB), 1, 1, and 6 common DEPs were, respectively, identified at 24, 48 and 72 h post-inoculation (hpi) in the susceptible comparisons of RB22-Pizt/Mock-Piz-t, KJ201-NPB/Mock-NPB, and RB22-NPB/Mock-NPB, involving in gi|54,290,836 and gi|59,800,021 were identified in the resistance comparison KJ201-Piz-t/Mock-Piz-t at 48 and 72 hpi respectively. Moreover, four genes of Os01g0138900 (gi|54,290,836), Os04g0659300 (gi|59,800,021), Os09g0315700 (gi|125,563,186) or Os04g0394200 (gi|21,740,743) were knocked out or overexpressed in NPB using gene over-expression and CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and results verified that the Os01g0138900 obviously affected the rice blast resistance. Further, expression and targeted metabolomics analysis illuminated the resistance response of cysteine-containing substances as gi|59,800,021 under blast infection. These results provide new targets for basal resistance gene identification and open avenues for developing novel rice blast resistant materials.

The creation of amorphous/crystalline (A/C) laminated structures offers a promising approach towards the production of damage-tolerant A/C metallic materials. However, constraints in fabrication techniques have resulted in limited explorations into the toughening behavior of bulk A/C laminates. This study scrutinizes the impact toughness of macroscale A/C Ni–P/Ni laminates through instrumented Charpy impact testing. The findings reveal that the thickness of the amorphous Ni–P layer significantly influences the impact toughness of A/C Ni–P/Ni laminates. A/C Ni–P/Ni laminates possessing thin Ni–P layers (1 or 4 μm) demonstrated high impact energy, which was comparable to the monolithic coarse-grained (CG) structure; however, the impact energy decreased with the increasing Ni–P layers thickness. Microstructural characterization of the crack-path profile disclosed that the desired impact toughness in the A/C Ni–P/Ni laminate with a thin Ni–P layer is primarily due to intrinsic toughening induced by plastic deformation ahead of the crack tip, and extrinsic toughening afforded by interface delamination. As the Ni–P layer thickens, brittle interface delamination emerges as the dominant extrinsic toughening source to resist fracture, thereby rendering the A/C Ni–P/Ni laminate vulnerable to impact loading. This work not only elucidates the dependence of toughening mechanism on the Ni–P layer thickness in A/C Ni–P/Ni laminates but also proposes an effective strategy for designing damage-tolerant metallic materials subject to impact loading by incorporating thin, brittle amorphous and thick, ductile crystalline materials to create laminated structures.

In this paper, the elastic properties, chemical bonds, electronic properties, magnetic properties, and phonon spectra of CuNFe3 and CuNCo3 synthesized in the experiment are calculated by first principles. The results show they are ferromagnetic metal compounds with covalent and ionic bonds. CuNFe3 and CuNCo3 have large bulk modulus B, Young's modulus Y, and shear modulus G, which are 191.01 GPa, 202.33 GPa, 159.65 GPa, 247.01 GPa, 58.67 GPa and 95.26 GPa, respectively, which indicates that they have compressive solid resistance. The total magnetic moment of CuNFe3 is 6.96 μB, and that of CuNCo3 is 4.17 μB, which suggests that they have broad application prospects in magnetic storage, computer core, magnetic recording materials and other fields.

Cellular metabolism-induced epigenetic regulation is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is emerging as a key point of intersection between cellular metabolism and epigenetic regulation and has a central role in various physiological and pathological processes. NNMT catalyzes the methylation of nicotinamide (NAM) using the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) to yield S-adeno-syl-L-homocysteine (SAH) and N1-methylnicotinamide (MNAM), directly linking methylation balance with nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD+) contents. NNMT acts on either the SAM-methylation balance or both NAD+ metabolism, depending on the tissue involved or pathological settings where metabolic demand is increased. Under physiological conditions, the liver act as an essential metabolic organ with abundant NNMT expression, while NNMT hepatic function is not mediated by its methyltransferase activity due to other major methyltransferases such as glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) in the liver. However, hepatic NNMT, as well as its metabolite is improperly regulated and linked to the worse pathological states in liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), suggesting a potential role in the process of liver diseases. In this review, we summarize how NNMT regulates cell methylation balance and NAD metabolism, and extensively outline the current knowledge concerning the functions of NNMT in hepatic metabolism including glucose, lipid and energy, with a specific focus on the contribution of NNMT to the pathophysiology of liver-related diseases. NNMT is involved in the development and progression of liver diseases. Understanding the complex NNMT regulatory network and its effects on pathogenesis could provide new therapeutic strategies in the context of liver diseases.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastrointestinal tumors and premalignant lesions needs submucosal fluid cushion (SFC) for mucosal uplift before dissection, and wound care including wound closure and rapid healing postoperatively. Current SFC materials as well as materials and/or methods for post-ESD wound care have single treatment effect and hold corresponding drawbacks, such as easy dispersion, short duration, weak hemostasis and insufficient repair function. Thus, designing materials that can serve as both SFC materials and wound care is highly desired, and remains a challenge. Herein, we report a two-component in-situ hydrogel prepared from maleimide-based oxidized sodium alginate and sulfhydryl carboxymethyl-chitosan, which gelated mainly based on ''click'' chemistry and Schiff base reaction. The hydrogels showed short gelation time, outstanding tissue adhesion, favorable hemostatic properties, and good biocompatibility. A rat subcutaneous ultrasound model confirmed the ability of suitable mucosal uplift height and durable maintenance time of AM solution. The in vivo/in vitro rabbit liver hemorrhage model demonstrated the effects of hydrogel in rapid hemostasis and prevention of delayed bleeding. The canine esophageal ESD model corroborated that the in-situ hydrogel provided good mucosal uplift and wound closure effects, and significantly accelerated wound healing with accelerating re-epithelization and ECM remodeling post-ESD. The two-component in-situ hydrogels exhibited great potential in gastrointestinal tract ESD.

Abstract Objective Analysis of the risk factors affecting hip function and complications after femoral neck system (FNS) surgery for femoral neck fractures is of great significance for improving the procedure’s efficacy. Methods The data of patients with femoral neck fractures who underwent FNS surgery in our hospital between October 2019 and October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Age, gender, time from injury to operation, fracture classification, operation time, fracture reduction, and postoperative weight-bearing time information were set as potential factors that may affect the results. Hip Harris scores were performed at 12 months postoperatively, and postoperative complication data (e.g., femoral head necrosis, nonunion, and femoral neck shortness) were collected. The risk factors affecting hip function and complications after FNS surgery were predicted using linear and logistic regression analyses. Results A total of 69 cases of femoral neck fracture were included, with an average age of 56.09 ± 11.50 years. The linear analysis demonstrated that the age and fracture type of the patients were the risk factors affecting the Harris score of the hip joint after FNS surgery. Older patients with displaced femoral neck fractures had an inferior postoperative hip function. In addition, fracture type, reduction of the femoral neck, and postoperative weight-bearing significantly impacted postoperative complications. Displaced fractures, negative fixation, and premature weight-bearing (

Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) circularized by back-splicing of pre-mRNA are widely expressed and affected the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of bladder cancer (BCa). However, the mechanism underlying circRNA biogenesis in mediating the distant metastasis of BCa still unexplored. Methods RNA sequencing data between BCa and normal adjacent tissues was applied to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs. The functions of circNIPBL in BCa were investigated via a series of biochemical experiments. The Clinical significance of circNIPBL was examined in a cohort of larger BCa tissues. Results In the present study, we identified a novel circRNA (hsa_circ_0001472), circNIPBL, which was significantly upregulated and had great influence on the poor prognosis of patients with BCa. Functionally, circNIPBL promotes BCa metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circNIPBL upregulate the expression of Wnt5a and activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via directly sponged miR-16-2-3p, leading to the upregulation of ZEB1, which triggers the EMT of BCa. Moreover, we revealed that ZEB1 interacted with the flanking introns of exons 2–9 on NIPBL pre-mRNA to trigger circNIPBL biogenesis, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Importantly, circNIPBL overexpression significantly facilitated the distant metastasis of BCa in the orthotopic bladder cancer model, while silencing ZEB1 remarkably blocked the effects of metastasis induced by circNIPBL overexpression. Conclusions Our study highlights that circNIPBL-induced Wnt signaling pathway activation triggers ZEB1-mediated circNIPBL biogenesis, which forms a positive feedback loop via the circNIPBL/miR-16-2-3p/Wnt5a/ZEB1 axis, supporting circNIPBL as a novel therapeutic target and potential biomarker for BCa patients. Graphical Abstract

To achieve a hierarchical and quantitative evaluation of grid-wide power quality in the distribution network, reflecting the overall power quality level of the distribution network, a comprehensive evaluation method for power quality in a grid-wide system based on complex network theory is proposed. Firstly, based on the propagation characteristics of power quality disturbances, a power quality evaluation index system is constructed. Secondly, to reflect the constraint effect of the local power quality level of nodes on the overall power quality level of the distribution system, corresponding indices such as improved node degree, improved node electrical betweenness, and node self-healing capability are proposed based on complex network theory, and the power quality influence degree of nodes is calculated. Then, the GRA-ANP (Grey Relational Analysis–Analytic Network Process) subjective weight calculation method is improved by introducing grey relational analysis to address the impact of differences in different decision-making results. Based on power quality monitoring data, the entropy weight method is used for objective weighting. To avoid the partiality of a single weight evaluation result, the game equilibrium algorithm is employed to calculate the comprehensive weight of each power quality index. Subsequently, considering the correlation and dependency among indices, the VIKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) method is used to obtain the power quality grade of each node. Combining this with the calculation of the power quality influence degree of nodes, the overall power quality grade of the distribution network is determined, achieving a hierarchical and quantitative evaluation of power quality in the entire distribution system. Finally, through a case study analysis of an improved 13-node distribution network, it is verified that the proposed method can fully extract data information and produce comprehensive and accurate power quality assessment results by comparing it with other methods. This provides strong support for the safe and stable operation of the distribution system and the subsequent optimization and management of power quality.

Stylo (Stylosanthes spp.) is an important pasture legume with strong aluminum (Al) resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its Al tolerance remain fragmentary. Due to the incomplete genome sequence information of stylo, we first conducted full-length transcriptome sequencing for stylo root tips treated with and without Al and identified three Snakin/GASA genes, namely, SgSnakin1, SgSnakin2, and SgSnakin3. Through quantitative RT-PCR, we found that only SgSnakin1 was significantly upregulated by Al treatments in stylo root tips. Histochemical localization assays further verified the Al-enhanced expression of SgSnakin1 in stylo root tips. Subcellular localization in both tobacco and onion epidermis cells showed that SgSnakin1 localized to the cell wall. Overexpression of SgSnakin1 conferred Al tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis, as reflected by higher relative root growth and cell vitality, as well as lower Al concentration in the roots of transgenic plants. Additionally, overexpression of SgSnakin1 increased the activities of SOD and POD and decreased the levels of O2·− and H2O2 in transgenic Arabidopsis in response to Al stress. These findings indicate that SgSnakin1 may function in Al resistance by enhancing the scavenging of reactive oxygen species through the regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities.

Atherosclerosis continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The precise evaluation of the extent of an atherosclerotic plaque is essential for forecasting its likelihood of causing health concerns and tracking treatment outcomes. When compared to conventional methods used, nanoparticles offer clear benefits and excellent development opportunities for the detection and characterisation of susceptible atherosclerotic plaques. In this review, we analyse the recent advancements of nanoparticles as theranostics in the management of atherosclerosis, with an emphasis on applications in drug delivery. Furthermore, the main issues that must be resolved in order to advance clinical utility and future developments of NP research are discussed. It is anticipated that medical NPs will develop into complex and advanced next-generation nanobotics that can carry out a variety of functions in the bloodstream.

The objective of this study was to assess tobacco use (TU) behaviors among newly diagnosed pulmonary TB (PTB) patients and identify associated factors in Benin and Burkina Faso. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 randomly selected TB clinics. To ensure a representative study cohort, clinics were stratified during the sampling process. PTB patients were consecutively sampled in 20 of the clinics between 1 December 2021 and 30 September 2022. The study population comprised individuals aged 15 years and above who were newly diagnosed with PTB. Among the 1399 registered PTB patients, 564 (40.3%) reported a history of TU, including 392 (28.0%) current tobacco users and 172 ex-tobacco users. Cigarettes emerged as the predominant form of TU (86.2%), followed by smokeless tobacco (6.4%), and chicha smoking (2.6%). Factors independently associated with tobacco use were male gender (p < 0.001), being in Burkina Faso (p < 0.001), and an age of 25–59 years (p = 0.002). Our multicentric study reveals a substantial prevalence of tobacco use among TB patients, with cigarette smoking emerging as the predominant form. These findings underscore the imperative for implementing targeted cessation interventions within TB control programs. Special emphasis is warranted for male patients aged 25–59 years.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the dietary fiber pectin on the gut microbiota and health of parturient sows. A total of 30 parity 5–7, multiparous gestation sows (Large White × Landrace) were randomly assigned to two treatment groups after mating: Con (control, basic diet) and Pec (pectin, 3%). The sows received the two diets during gestation, and all sows were fed the same standard basic diet during lactation. The results of β-diversity showed that the composition of the gut microbiota was different in the Con and Pec groups. Compared with the sows in the Con group, the Pec sows showed a higher abundance of the gut bacteria Clostridium and Romboutsia and a lower abundance of harmful bacteria (Micrococcaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Dorea, Actinomyces). On the other hand, the SCFA plasma concentration was increased in the Pec group, while pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) concentrations were decreased. In conclusion, the soluble dietary fiber pectin could improve the reproductive performance and health of sows by increasing the abundance of some commensal bacteria enhancing the metabolite SCFA levels and reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokine plasma levels.

Accurate identification and evolutionary analysis of core technology topics within patent texts play a crucial role in enabling enterprises to discern the development trajectory of core technologies, optimize research and development (R&D) strategies, and foster technological innovation. Based on the perspective of time series dynamic analysis, this study uses the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling and TF-IDF text vectorization methods to comprehensively mine and identify patent technology topics in the field of unmanned ships. This study deeply analyzes the dynamic evolution of unmanned ship technology topics from two aspects: the evolution of technology theme intensity and the evolution of technology theme content. We refine the development characteristics and future development directions of unmanned ship technology. The findings reveal two hot technologies, six growth technologies, and six declining technologies in unmanned ship technology. Furthermore, the analysis of technical topic evolution illustrates a pattern of fragmentation, inheritance, and integration. This study advances the methodologies used for identifying and analyzing patent technology topics and helps to grasp the development rules and evolutionary trends of core technologies. In addition, this paper has reference value for the research and practice of core technology topic identification and evolution analysis methods based on patent text mining.

Traditional fossil energy sources still dominate the world energy structure. And fully utilizing biomass is a viable approach for energy transition. A bubbling fluidized bed has better heat and mass transfer, while particle agglomeration limits the development of its industrial application. In this paper, two-phase flow characteristics of a bubbling fluidized bed are investigated by combining numerical simulations and fluidized bed gasification experiments. Numerical simulations found that the bed fluidization height reached twice the initial fluidization height at the 0.054 m initial fluidization height with uniform particle distribution. Fluidized bed gasification experiments found that syngas yield increased with increasing temperature. The carbon conversion efficiency reached 79.3% and the effective gas production was 0.64 m3/kg at 850 °C. In addition, when the water vapor concentration reached 15%, the carbon conversion efficiency and effective gas production reached the maximum values of 86.01% and 0.81 m3/kg, respectively.