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Abstract Objective To assess the infiltration characteristics of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) in buccal mucosa carcinoma (BMC) and the correlation of these features with clinicopathological factors. Materials and methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of TAM-related markers (CD68, CD163, CD206), CD8+ T cell markers, PD-L1, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in 46 patients with mucosal cancer after radical surgery. In addition, the correlation between TAM infiltration and clinical characteristics, PD-L1 expression, and EGFR expression was analysed. Results A high infiltration level of M2-polarized (CD206+) TAMs and M2-polarized (CD163+) TAMs was more common in stage T3–T4, N+, III–IV patients than in other patient groups (P

Abstract Millimeter-Wave (MMW) imaging is a promising technique for contactless security inspection. However, the high cost of requisite large-scale antenna arrays hinders its widespread application in high-throughput scenarios. Here, we report a large-scale single-shot MMW imaging framework, achieving low-cost high-fidelity security inspection. We first analyzed the statistical ranking of each array element through 1934 full-sampled MMW echoes. The highest-ranked elements are preferentially selected based on the ranking, building the experimentally optimal sparse sampling strategy that reduces antenna array cost by one order of magnitude. Additionally, we derived an untrained interpretable learning scheme, realizing robust and accurate MMW image reconstruction from sparsely sampled echoes. Last, we developed a neural network for automatic object detection, and experimentally demonstrated successful detection of concealed centimeter-sized targets using 10% sparse array, whereas all the other contemporary approaches failed at such a low sampling ratio. With the strong detection ability and order-of-magnitude cost reduction, we anticipate that this technique provides a practical way for large-scale single-shot MMW imaging.

Abstract Having an accurate understanding of the scale effect of surface morphology characteristics is crucial to examining the mechanical behavior of rock structural plane. At present, the quantification and sampling methods of surface morphology show diversity, which is the potential reason for the inconsistent research conclusions on scale effect. Firstly, based on mathematical statistics and correlation analysis, the most representative parameter is proposed from hundreds of morphological parameters. Then, the previous scale effect sampling methods are analyzed. In order to ensure that the selected samples are representative, a novel sampling method, considering all morphological information, is proposed. By means of the novel quantification and sampling methods, the size effect characteristics are systematically analyzed. Under the conditions of different rock types, shear directions and sampling locations, etc., discontinuity roughness does not change significantly with sampling scale. As sampling scale increases, the distribution range of representative samples is gradually concentrated, the total amount decreases, and the proportion increases. However, the distribution of representative samples on the initial structural plane does not show obvious regularity. These findings would provide theoretical support for the deformation control and stability analysis of rock mass in engineering.

Abstract Background Pepper Phytophthora blight is a devastating disease during the growth process of peppers, significantly affecting their yield and quality. Accurate, rapid, and non-destructive early detection of pepper Phytophthora blight is of great importance for pepper production management. This study investigated the possibility of using multispectral imaging combined with machine learning to detect Phytophthora blight in peppers. Peppers were divided into two groups: one group was inoculated with Phytophthora blight, and the other was left untreated as a control. Multispectral images were collected at 0-h samples before inoculation and at 48, 60, 72, and 84 h after inoculation. The supporting software of the multispectral imaging system was used to extract spectral features from 19 wavelengths, and textural features were extracted using a gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and a local binary pattern (LBP). The principal component analysis (PCA), successive projection algorithm (SPA), and genetic algorithm (GA) were used for feature selection from the extracted spectral and textural features. Two classification models were established based on effective single spectral features and significant spectral textural fusion features: a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS_DA) and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN). A two-dimensional convolutional neural network (2D-CNN) was constructed based on five principal component (PC) coefficients extracted from the spectral data using PCA, weighted, and summed with 19-channel multispectral images to create new PC images. Results The results indicated that the models using PCA for feature selection exhibit relatively stable classification performance. The accuracy of PLS-DA and 1D-CNN based on single spectral features is 82.6% and 83.3%, respectively, at the 48h mark. In contrast, the accuracy of PLS-DA and 1D-CNN based on spectral texture fusion reached 85.9% and 91.3%, respectively, at the same 48h mark. The accuracy of the 2D-CNN based on 5 PC images is 82%. Conclusions The research indicates that Phytophthora blight infection can be detected 48 h after inoculation (36 h before visible symptoms). This study provides an effective method for the early detection of Phytophthora blight in peppers.

Abstract Although hydrophobic interactions provide the main driving force for initial peptide aggregation, their role in regulating suprastructure handedness of higher-order architectures remains largely unknown. We here interrogate the effects of hydrophobic amino acids on handedness at various assembly stages of peptide amphiphiles. Our studies reveal that relative to aliphatic side chains, aromatic side chains set the twisting directions of single β-strands due to their strong steric repulsion to the backbone, and upon packing into multi-stranded β-sheets, the side-chain aromatic interactions between strands form the aromatic ladders with a directional preference. This ordering not only leads to parallel β-sheet arrangements but also induces the chiral flipping over of single β-strands within a β-sheet. In contrast, the lack of orientational hydrophobic interactions in the assembly of aliphatic peptides implies no chiral inversion upon packing into β-sheets. This study opens an avenue to harness peptide aggregates with targeted handedness via aromatic side-chain interactions.

Abstract Developing high-performance multicomponent ceramics, which are promising in solving challenges posed by emerging technologies, shows grand difficulties because of the immense compositional space and complex local distortions. In this work, an accurate machine learning (ML) model built upon an ab initio database is developed to predict the mechanical properties and structural distortions of multicomponent transition metal carbides (MTMCs). The compositional space of MTMCs is thoroughly explored by the well-trained model. Combined with electronic and geometrical analysis, we show that the elemental adaptability to the rock-salt structure elegantly elucidates the mechanical characteristics of MTMCs, and such adaptability can be quantified by local lattice distortions. We further establish new design principles for high-strength MTMCs, and V–Nb–Ta-based MTMCs are recommended, which are validated by the present experiments. The proposed model and design philosophy pave a broad avenue for the rational design of MTMCs with exceptional properties.

Protoplast-based transient gene expression system has been widely used in plant genome editing because of its simple operation and less time-consuming. In order to establish a universal protoplast-based transient transfection system for verifying activities of genome editing vectors containing targets in Brassica, we systematically optimized factors affecting protoplast isolation and transient gene expression. We established an efficient protoplast-based transient gene expression system (PTGE) in Chinese cabbage, achieving high protoplast yield of 4.9 × 105 · g−1 FW, viability over 95%, and transfection efficiency of 76%. We showed for the first time that pretreatment of protoplasts with a hypotonic MMG could significantly enhance the transfection efficiency. Furthermore, protoplasts incubated at 37 °C for 6 min improved the transfection efficiency to 86%. We also demonstrated that PTGE worked well (more than 50% transfection efficiency) in multiple Brassica species including cabbage, Pak Choi, Chinese kale, and turnip. Finally, PTGE was used for validating the activities of CRISPR/Cas9 vectors containing targets in Chinese cabbage, cabbage, and pak choi, demonstrating the broad applicability of the established PTGE for genome editing in Brassica crops.

AlCoCrFeMo0.05Ni2 high-entropy alloy (HEA) has great potential for high-temperature applications. However, its FCC matrix will decompose during annealing, which seriously limits its high-temperature applications. Here, the lattice distortion, Gibbs free energy change, phonon spectra, density of states, and bond length distribution of the FCC matrix were calculated by first-principles calculations. The findings indicate that the primary barrier to the formation of a single homogeneous solid solution in the alloy is more closely associated with Gibbs free energy rather than the degree of lattice distortion. The vibration frequency of Al is not in sync with the overall structure, making it prone to desolvation at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, an analysis of bond lengths reveals that the Al–Ni bond length is significantly shorter than the theoretical value, facilitating the formation of a (Ni, Al)-rich phase. In contrast, the longer bond lengths of Al–Cr and Al–Mo facilitate the detachment of Cr and Mo from the (Ni, Al)-rich phase, resulting in the formation of (Cr, Mo)-rich phase. This in-depth investigation sheds light on the phase decomposition mechanism of high-entropy alloys, offering valuable insights for future research in this field.

Abstract Teachers at Higher Education (HE) institutions are expected to do research. However, the level of motivation to engage in research varies with various institutional factors affecting teachers’ research motivation. Previous research has shown the need to better understand these factors to facilitate teachers’ research motivation. This mixed methods study with 536 English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher participants from Chinese universities investigates the relationship between mentorship, working environment and teachers’ research motivation. Our analysis of the questionnaire data using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) shows the significant influence of working environments on teachers’ research motivation. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and diaries were thematically analysed to reveal that the examined factors have different impacts on teachers’ research motivation on the basis of different university types. Both mentorship and working environments had an influence on teachers’ research motivation. Teachers from “Project 985” and “Project 211” universities had a more supportive working environment than those teachers at ordinary/regular universities who appeared to have insufficient mentorship, poor working environments, inadequate time support, and deficient opportunities to attend academic conferences that affected these teachers’ research motivation negatively. The implications of our study are that university administrators and policymakers could develop practical mentorship programmes with effective assessment measurements of the mentoring process and stipulate relevant policies to provide conducive working environments, especially for teachers from ordinary/regular universities, to enhance teachers’ research motivation and improve their research productivity.

Abstract Background Leiomyosarcoma is a tumor that can develop in any organ that contains smooth muscles. Although leiomyosarcoma is common, its epididymal localization is quite rare. Case presentation A 79-year-old male Chinese Han patient presented with mild pain in the right groin and scrotum for 3 years concomitant with right scrotal swelling. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum showed a irregular and heterogeneous mass that was extratesticular. Right high orchiectomy was performed, and pathological examination of the resected specimen confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma of the epididymis with surgical margins clear of tumor. Conclusion Epididymal leiomyosarcoma is rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively. The final diagnosis of epididymal leiomyosarcoma requires histologic examination. Resection must be extensive and complete. The effect of chemotherapy and radiation on the epididymal leiomyosarcoma remains unclear. Recurrence is common, so follow-up is necessary.

Abstract Study design A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA). Objective To compare the effectiveness and safety of different posterior decompression techniques for LSS. Summary of background data Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is one of the most common degenerative spinal diseases that result in claudication, back and leg pain, and disability. Currently, posterior decompression techniques are widely used as an effective treatment for LSS. Methods An electronic literature search was performed using the EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. Two authors independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. A Bayesian random effects model was constructed to incorporate the estimates of direct and indirect treatment comparisons and rank the interventions in order. Results In all, 14 eligible studies comprising 1,260 patients with LSS were included. Five interventions were identified, namely, spinal processes osteotomy (SPO), conventional laminotomy/laminectomy (CL), unilateral laminotomy/laminectomy (UL), bilateral laminotomy/ laminectomy (BL), and spinous process-splitting laminotomy/laminectomy (SPSL). Among these, SPO was the most promising surgical option for decreasing back and leg pain and for lowering the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). SSPL had the shortest operation time, while SPSL was associated with maximum blood loss. SPO and UL were superior to other posterior decompression techniques concerning lesser blood loss and shorter length of hospital stay, respectively. Patients who underwent BL had the lowest postoperative complication rates. Conclusion Overall, SPO was found to be a good surgical choice for patients with LSS.

Abstract Background Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is closely linked to inflammation, which has been demonstrated to be associated with pyroptosis. Emerging evidence has implicated TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) in various inflammatory diseases. However, it remains unknown whether activated TBK1 causes hyperalgesia via pyroptosis. Methods PDN mice model of type 1 or type 2 diabetic was induced by C57BL/6J or BKS-DB mice with Lepr gene mutation. For type 2 diabetes PDN model, TBK1-siRNA, Caspase-1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-cmk or TBK1 inhibitor amlexanox (AMX) were delivered by intrathecal injection or intragastric administration. The pain threshold and plantar skin blood perfusion were evaluated through animal experiments. The assessments of spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, sciatic nerve, plantar skin and serum included western blotting, immunofluorescence, ELISA, and transmission electron microscopy. Results In the PDN mouse model, we found that TBK1 was significantly activated in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) and mainly located in microglia, and intrathecal injection of chemically modified TBK1-siRNA could improve hyperalgesia. Herein, we described the mechanism that TBK1 could activate the noncanonical nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway, mediate the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, trigger microglia pyroptosis, and ultimately induce PDN, which could be reversed following TBK1-siRNA injection. We also found that systemic administration of AMX, a TBK1 inhibitor, could effectively improve peripheral nerve injury. These results revealed the key role of TBK1 in PDN and that TBK1 inhibitor AMX could be a potential strategy for treating PDN. Conclusions Our findings revealed a novel causal role of TBK1 in pathogenesis of PDN, which raises the possibility of applying amlexanox to selectively target TBK1 as a potential therapeutic strategy for PDN.

Abstract Background Diabetic nephropathy is a major secondary cause of end-stage renal disease. Apelin plays an important role in the development of DN. Understanding the exact mechanism of Apelin can help expand the means of treating DN. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice was used and STZ treatment was implemented for DN model establishment. Lentivirus systems including Lv-sh-RUNX3 and Lv-Apelin were obtained to knockdown RUNX3 and overexpress Apelin, respectively. A total of 36 mice were divided into 6 groups (n = 6 in each group): control, DN, DN + LV-Vector, DN + Lv-Apelin, DN + LV-Apelin + LV-sh-NC and DN + Lv-Apelin + Lv-sh-RUNX3 group. In vitro studies were performed using mesangial cells. Cell viability and proliferation was assessed through CCK8 and EDU analysis. Hematoxylin and eosin staining as well as Masson staining was implemented for histological evaluation. RT-qPCR was conducted for measuring relative mRNA levels, and protein expression was detected by western blotting. The interaction between SIRT1 and FOXO were verified by co-immunoprecipitations, and relations between RUNX3 and Apelin were demonstrated by dual luciferase report and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Results The DN group exhibited significantly lower Apelin expression compared to control (p

Abstract Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an enclosed three-dimensional eukaryotic membrane network composed of flattened sacs. Fusion of homologous membranes to the ER membrane is essential for the maintenance of this network structure. In yeast, ER membrane fusion is mediated by Sey1p, whose paralogues function distinctly in different species. In this study, we investigated the biological functions of MoSEY1 in the devastating rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae by functional genomic approach. Compared to wild type, deletion of MoSEY1 considerably decreased the growth and conidia production of M. oryzae. Additionally, the absence of MoSEY1 delayed appressorium formation and invasive hyphae growth. The appressorium function was also impaired in ΔMosey1 mutant. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that MoSey1 is localized at the ER. The ΔMosey1 mutant showed augmented sensitivity to ER stress. Additionally, we found that MoSey1 regulated the unfolded protein response, autophagy, and protein secretion in M. oryzae. In conclusion, our study unveiled the involvement of MoSey1 in the development, pathogenesis, and ER functions in M. oryzae.

Abstract Rapid urbanization has led to increasingly prominent urban heat island phenomena and social inequality. It is urgent to quantify the threshold area of urban parks from multiple perspectives to maximize the cooling effect and improve the equity of park cooling services. Using 33 urban parks in Harbin City as research objects, four indices, i.e., park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling distance (PCD), park cooling area (PCA), and park cooling efficiency (PCE), were used to explore the park cooling effect and the threshold value of efficiency (TVoE) of the size. The OD (origin–destination) matrix model was constructed to assess the spatial accessibility from the community to the cooling range. The Gini coefficient was used to assess the equity of cooling range accessibility. The relative contribution of each influencing factor to the cooling indicator was quantified through regression modeling. The results showed that the average PCI was 3.27 ℃, the average PCD was 277 m, the average PCA was 115.35 ha, and the average PCE was 5.74. Gray space area was the dominant factor for PCI, PCD, and PCA (relative contributions of 100%, 31%, and 19%, respectively). Park area was the dominant factor for PCE (relative contribution of 28%). The TVoE of park sizes based on PCA and PCE were calculated as 82.37 ha and 2.56 ha, respectively. 39.2% and 94.01% of communities can reach cooling ranges within 15 min in walk mode and transit mode, respectively. Approximately 18% of neighborhood residents are experiencing severe inequities in cooling range accessibility. This study can guide park design that maximizes cooling effects, as well as inform city planners on more equitable allocation of urban park resources.

Abstract Introduction Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is one of the causes of female infertility. Unexplained POI is increasingly affecting women in their reproductive years. However, the etiology of POI is diverse and remains elusive. We and others have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in adult ovarian function. Here, we report on a novel role of BDNF in the Developmental Origins of POI. Methods Placental BDNF knockout mice were created using CRISPR/CAS9. Homozygous knockout (cKO(HO)) mice didn’t survive, while heterozygous knockout (cKO(HE)) mice did. BDNF reduction in cKO(HE) mice was confirmed via immunohistochemistry and Western blots. Ovaries were collected from cKO(HE) mice at various ages, analyzing ovarian metrics, FSH expression, and litter sizes. In one-month-old mice, oocyte numbers were assessed using super-ovulation, and oocyte gene expression was analyzed with smart RNAseq. Ovaries of P7 mice were studied with SEM, and gene expression was confirmed with RT-qPCR. Alkaline phosphatase staining at E11.5 and immunofluorescence for cyclinD1 assessed germ cell number and cell proliferation. Results cKO(HE) mice had decreased ovarian function and litter size in adulthood. They were insensitive to ovulation induction drugs manifested by lower oocyte release after superovulation in one-month-old cKO(HE) mice. The transcriptome and SEM results indicate that mitochondria-mediated cell death or aging might occur in cKO(HE) ovaries. Decreased placental BDNF led to diminished primordial germ cell proliferation at E11.5 and ovarian reserve which may underlie POI in adulthood. Conclusion The current results showed decreased placental BDNF diminished primordial germ cell proliferation in female fetuses during pregnancy and POI in adulthood. Our findings can provide insights into understanding the underlying mechanisms of POI.

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest fatality rate among all gynecological malignancies, necessitating the exploration of novel, efficient, and low-toxicity therapeutic strategies. Ferroptosis is a type of programmed cell death induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and can potentially activate antitumor immunity. Developing highly effective ferroptosis inducers may improve OC prognosis. Results In this study, we developed an ultrasonically controllable two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric nanoagonist (Bi2MoO6-MXene) to induce ferroptosis. A Schottky heterojunction between Bi2MoO6 (BMO) and MXene reduced the bandgap width by 0.44 eV, increased the carrier-separation efficiency, and decreased the recombination rate of electron–hole pairs under ultrasound stimulation. Therefore, the reactive oxygen species yield was enhanced. Under spatiotemporal ultrasound excitation, BMO-MXene effectively inhibited OC proliferation by more than 90%, induced lipid peroxidation, decreased mitochondrial-membrane potential, and inactivated the glutathione peroxidase and cystathionine transporter protein system, thereby causing ferroptosis in tumor cells. Ferroptosis in OC cells further activated immunogenic cell death, facilitating dendritic cell maturation and stimulating antitumor immunity. Conclusion We have succeeded in developing a highly potent ferroptosis inducer (BMO-MXene), capable of inhibiting OC progression through the sonodynamic-ferroptosis-immunogenic cell death pathway. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the indications for three minimally invasive approaches—T-tube external drainage, double J-tube internal drainage, and primary closure—in laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with common bile duct exploration. Methods Three hundred eighty-nine patients with common bile duct stones who were treated at the Second People's Hospital of Hefei between February 2018 and January 2023 were retrospectively included. Patients were divided into three groups based on the surgical approach used: the T-tube drainage group, the double J-tube internal drainage group, and the primary closure group. General data, including sex, age, and BMI, were compared among the three groups preoperatively. Surgical time, length of hospital stay, pain scores, and other aspects were compared among the three groups. Differences in liver function, inflammatory factors, and postoperative complications were also compared among the three groups. Results There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of sex, age, BMI, or other general data preoperatively (P > 0.05). There were significant differences between the primary closure group and the T-tube drainage group in terms of surgical time and pain scores (P < 0.05). The primary closure group and double J-tube drainage group differed from the T-tube drainage group in terms of length of hospital stay, hospitalization expenses, and time to passage of gas (P 0.05). However, on the third day after surgery, liver function in all three groups was significantly lower than that before surgery (P

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors of the digestive system worldwide. KRAS mutations limit the use of anti-EGFR antibodies in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of CRC. Therefore, novel targeted therapies are needed to overcome the KRAS-induced oncogenesis. Recent evidence suggests that inhibition of PI3K led to ferroptosis, a nonapoptotic cell death closely related to KRAS-mutant cells. Here, we showed that a selective PI3Kδ inhibitor TYM-3–98 can suppress the AKT/mTOR signaling and activate the ferroptosis pathway in KRAS-mutant CRC cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This was evidenced by the lipid peroxidation, iron accumulation, and depletion of GSH. Moreover, the overexpression of the sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), a downstream transcription factor regulating lipid metabolism, conferred CRC cells greater resistance to ferroptosis induced by TYM-3–98. In addition, the effect of TYM-3–98 was confirmed in a xenograft mouse model, which demonstrated significant tumor suppression without obvious hepatoxicity or renal toxicity. Taken together, our work demonstrated that the induction of ferroptosis contributed to the PI3Kδ inhibitor-induced cell death via the suppression of AKT/mTOR/SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis, thus displaying a promising therapeutic effect of TYM-3–98 in CRC treatment.

Background: Hepatic immune tolerance might contribute to the development of therapeutic resistance to immunotherapy. However, addressing this issue is challenging since the efficacy of immunotherapy in the context of liver metastasis (LM) remains poorly studied. Here, we aimed to establish an LM common immune feature (LMCIF) score to quantify the characteristics of LM immunotolerance across cancer types for assisting clinical disease management. Methods: Large-scale clinical data were collected to identify the prognosis of LM. Multi-omics datasets of metastatic cancers with LM special immune-related pathways (LMSIPs) from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) were used to obtain an LMCIF cluster. Based on differential expression genes (DEGs), a novel LMCIF score for the LMCIF cluster was constructed. In addition, multi-omics, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) data from the public and in-house cohorts were used to explore the features of LM, and LMCIF score. Results: Patients with LM had a worse prognosis and significantly lower infiltration of immune cells than patients with metastasis to other organs when analyzed with combined clinical and RNA sequencing data. After extracting the LMCIF cluster from 373 samples by utilizing 29 LMSIPs and validating them in a microarray cohort, an LMCIF score was established to confirm the role of the immunosuppressive environment as a contributor to the poor prognosis of LM across cancer types. Moreover, this LMCIF score could be used to predict the immune response of cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy. Finally, we identified that the majority of the 31 LMCIF genes exhibited a negative correlation with TME cells in LM patients, one of them, KRT19, which possessed the strongest positive correlation with LMCIF score, was confirmed to have an immunosuppressive effect through IHC analysis. Conclusions: Our results suggest that LM across cancer types share similar immunological profiles that induce immunotolerance and escape from immune monitoring. The novel LMCIF score represents a common liver metastasis immune cluster for predicting immunotherapy response, the results of which might benefit clinical disease management.

There are many classic highly complex optimization problems in the world, therefore, it is still necessary to find an applicable and effective algorithm to solve these problems. In this paper, self-adaptive hybrid cross mutation slime mold algorithm is proposed, which is AHCSMA, to solve these problems efficiently. Specifically, there are three innovations in this paper: (i) new self-adaptive Cauchy mutation operator is developed to improve the mutation ability of the population; (ii) the crossover rate balance mechanism is proposed to make up for the neglected relationship between individuals and crossover rates. Then the differential vector information between the dominant individual and other individuals in the population is highly utilized to increase the evolution speed of the algorithm; (iii) self-adaptive restart hybrid opposition learning is designed to alleviate the situation where the algorithm falls into local optimality. To verify the competitive of AHCSMA, UAV path planning problems, engineering problems, nonlinear parameter extraction of photovoltaic model problems and parameter identification problems of highly nonlinear infinite impulse response are used to test the ability of the AHCSMA, accumulation more than 50 algorithms are used as comparison algorithms, and results report that AHCSMA is extremely competitive and performs better when optimizing these real-life problems.

Considering that the existing fractional order grey prediction models are difficult to directly handle the shortcomings of seasonal time series, a novel generalized nonlinear fractional grey Bernoulli model capable of handling both seasonal and conventional time series is constructed. The structure of the new model adopts a more flexible nonlinear Bernoulli equation and a novel adaptive fractional accumulation operation, which endows it with stronger nonlinear fitting capabilities. Furthermore, the introduction of a dynamic parameter endows it with the capability to handle both seasonal and conventional time series simultaneously. Specifically, the structural parameters of the model are no longer obtained through traditional least squares method but instead through a moving average trend removal method and intelligent optimization algorithms, which greatly improves the computational efficiency of the model. Therefore, the practicality of the novel model surpasses that of all existing fractional grey prediction models. Experimental results on two types of datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing machine learning models, fractional grey prediction models and statistical prediction model in terms of generalization ability, validating its effectiveness.

Daidzein (Da), an isoflavone, resembles natural oestrogen in structure and activity. We investigated the effects of dietary Da on the reproductive performance, egg quality, and bone mineralisation of hens in the pre-peak laying period. A total of 432 laying hens (110 days) were randomly allocated to control (CON) or Da-supplemented diet (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg). Each treatment had six replicates of 18 birds/replicate, and the feeding trial lasted 8 weeks. Supplementation of dietary Da significantly improved laying rate, egg weight, egg mass, and feed-to-egg ratio (p

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant promise in transforming medical imaging, enhancing diagnostics, and refining treatment strategies. However, the reliance on extensive multicenter datasets for training AI models poses challenges due to privacy concerns. Federated learning provides a solution by facilitating collaborative model training across multiple centers without sharing raw data. This study introduces a federated attention-consistent learning (FACL) framework to address challenges associated with large-scale pathological images and data heterogeneity. FACL enhances model generalization by maximizing attention consistency between local clients and the server model. To ensure privacy and validate robustness, we incorporated differential privacy by introducing noise during parameter transfer. We assessed the effectiveness of FACL in cancer diagnosis and Gleason grading tasks using 19,461 whole-slide images of prostate cancer from multiple centers. In the diagnosis task, FACL achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9718, outperforming seven centers with an average AUC of 0.9499 when categories are relatively balanced. For the Gleason grading task, FACL attained a Kappa score of 0.8463, surpassing the average Kappa score of 0.7379 from six centers. In conclusion, FACL offers a robust, accurate, and cost-effective AI training model for prostate cancer pathology while maintaining effective data safeguards.

Microtwinning is observed as an important mechanism in γ′ precipitate-strengthened Ni-based superalloys during service at intermediate temperatures. Here, the effect of crystal orientation and stress direction on microtwinning was investigated. The result indicates that the formation of microtwins exhibits orientation dependence and tension-compression asymmetry. Based on the analysis of slip and twinning competition behavior under different conditions, it is deemed that the a/2〈110〉 matrix dislocations would dissociate into a/6〈112〉 Shockley partials in the γ matrix and then a Shockley partial sheared γ’ phase and formed microtwins.