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Abstract Siberian apricot (Prunus sibirica L.) is a woody tree species of ecological, economic, and social importance. To evaluate the genetic diversity, differentiation, and structure of P. sibirica, we analyzed 176 individuals from 10 natural populations using 14 microsatellite markers. These markers generated 194 alleles in total. The mean number of alleles (13.8571) was higher than the mean number of effective alleles (6.4822). The average expected heterozygosity (0.8292) was higher than the average observed heterozygosity (0.3178). Shannon information index and polymorphism information content were separately 2.0610 and 0.8093, demonstrating the rich genetic diversity of P. sibirica. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 85% of the genetic variation occurred within populations, with only 15% among them. The genetic differentiation coefficient and gene flow were separately 0.151 and 1.401, indicating a high degree of genetic differentiation. Clustering results showed that a genetic distance coefficient of 0.6 divided the 10 natural populations into two subgroups (subgroups A and B). STRUCTURE and principal coordinate analysis divided the 176 individuals into two subgroups (clusters 1 and 2). Mantel tests revealed that genetic distance was correlated with geographical distance and elevation differences. These findings can contribute to the effective conservation and management of P. sibirica resources.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of protease supplementation on the behaviour, slaughter performance, meat quality, and immune organ indices of broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four treatments, with six replicates per treatment and 10 broilers per replicate. Chickens were fed corn-soybean meal basal diets supplemented with 0, 4, 8, and 12 IU/g of protease. Compared with 0 IU/g of protease supplementation, 12 IU/g of protease increased the average and minimum time of feeding and drinking behaviour (P < 0.05); increased the average, maximum, and minimum time of preening behaviour (P < 0.05); and decreased feeding, walking, and stretching frequency (P < 0.05). pH24h of breast and thigh muscles had improved (P < 0.05). The shear force of the breast muscle and the cooking loss of the thigh muscle had decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with 0 IU/g of protease, 4 IU/g of protease increased the average and minimum time of lying behaviour (P < 0.05) and decreased stretching, scratching, and aggressive frequency (P

Abstract Background Infectious diseases pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of children and adolescents, and can even be life-threatening. Thus, our study aimed to explore the effectiveness of health education based on the social-ecological model in improving the knowledge of infectious diseases among this vulnerable population. Methods This study was a school-based intervention conducted in seven Chinese provinces in 2013, involving a total of 26,591 children and adolescents in the intervention group and 24,327 in the control group. The intervention group received a comprehensive health intervention based on the social-ecological model (SEM) over six months, which included a supportive environment, health education on infectious diseases, guidance on self-monitoring infectious disease-related behaviors, and other measures. Data on infectious disease-related knowledge and other characteristics were collected through questionnaires. The main outcome measure will be the difference in the effectiveness of health education regarding infectious diseases in children and adolescents between baseline and post-intervention. A mixed-effects regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) to assess the impact of infectious disease-related interventions on the participants. Results We utilized a socioecological model as the foundation for a six-month health education program on infectious diseases targeting children and adolescents in the intervention group. At the individual and community levels, the correct rate of health behavior related to infectious diseases in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group (P

The global expansion of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, especially in ecologically fragile regions like the Gobi Desert, highlights the suitability of such areas for large-scale PV development. The most direct impact of PV development in the Gobi Desert is temperature change that results from the land-use-induced albedo changes; however, the detailed and systemic understanding of the effects of PV expansion on land surface temperature remains limited. This study focuses on the 16 largest PV plants in the Chinese Gobi Desert, utilizing remote sensing data to assess their effects on land surface temperature. Our result showed a cooling effect during the daytime (−0.69 ± 0.10 °C), but a warming effect during the nighttime (0.23 ± 0.05 °C); the overall effect on the daily mean was a cooling effect (−0.22 ± 0.05 °C). Seasonal variations were observed, with the most significant cooling effect in autumn and the weakest in summer. The PV area was the most significant factor which influenced the temperature variation across PV plants. Our findings enrich our understanding of the environmental effects arising from the construction of PV plants and provide vital information for the design and management of increasingly renewable electricity systems globally.

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite carries an L-band microwave radiometer. This sensor can be used to observe global soil moisture (SM) and sea surface salinity (SSS) within the protected L-band spectrum (1400–1427 MHz). Owing to the complex effects of radio frequency interference (RFI), the SM and SSS data are missing or have low accuracy. In this paper, a constrained iterative adaptive algorithm for the detection, identification, and localization of RFI sources is designed, named MICA-BEID. The algorithm synthesizes antenna temperatures for the third and fourth Stokes parameters before RFI filtering, creating a new polarization parameter called WSPDA, designed to approximate the level of RFI interference on the L-band microwave radiometer. The algorithm then utilizes the WSPDA intensity and distribution density of RFI detection samples to enhance the identification and classification of RFI sources across various intensity levels. By utilizing statistical methods such as the probability density function (PDF) and the cumulative distribution function (CDF), the algorithm dynamically adjusts adaptive parameters, including the RFI detection threshold and the maximum effective radius of RFI sources. Through the application of multiple iterative clustering methods, the algorithm can adaptively detect and identify RFI sources at various satellite orbits and intensity levels. Through extensive comparative analysis with other localization results and known RFI sources, the MICA-BEID algorithm can achieve optimal localization accuracy of approximately 1.2 km. The localization of RFI sources provides important guidance for identifying and turning off illegal RFI sources. Moreover, the localization and long-time-series characteristic analysis of RFI sources that cannot be turned off is of significant value for simulating the spatial distribution characteristics of localized RFI source intensity in local areas.

In order to address the challenges of resource utilization posed by construction waste, the substitution of natural aggregate (NA) with public fill (PF) contents was investigated for load reclamation and road grassroots applications. A comprehensive assessment of road performance for the recycled mixture was conducted, focusing on parameters such as unconfined compressive strength, splitting strength, compressive resilience modulus, dry shrinkage, and frost resistance. Additionally, the impact of incorporating PF at various types and replacement ratios on the microstructure of cement-stabilized aggregate (CSA) was analyzed. The results indicated that the unconfined compressive strength of cement-stabilized recycled mixture with varying PF contents meets the base strength requirements for heavy, medium, and light traffic pavement on secondary and sub-secondary roads in China. Notably, the unconfined compressive strength and resilience modulus follow a similar pattern, reaching their peak at a 25% PF content. Microscopic examination reveals that an appropriate PF content leads to the predominant formation of C(N)-A-S-H, hydrotalcite, Ca(OH)2, and CaCO3 as paste reaction products. As the replacement of public fill increases from 0% to 25%, there is a gradual stacking of gel products, which enhances the compactness of the microstructure by cementing together unreacted particles. Consequently, this process reduces dry shrinkage strain and effectively mitigates the formation of reflection cracks. Applying large quantities of public fill to road construction can effectively deal with various waste accumulation problems and produce a novel road material with significant social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have received a lot of attention as a regenerative medicine tool with strong immunomodulatory capabilities. The excessive inflammatory response involves a variety of immune cells, cytokines, and has a considerable impact on tissue regeneration. The use of DPSCs for controlling inflammation for the purpose of treating inflammation-related diseases and autoimmune disorders such as supraspinal nerve inflammation, inflammation of the pulmonary airways, systemic lupus erythematosus, and diabetes mellitus is likely to be safer and more regenerative than traditional medicines. The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of DPSCs is relatively complex, and it may be that they themselves or some of the substances they secrete regulate a variety of immune cells through inflammatory immune-related signaling pathways. Most of the current studies are still at the laboratory cellular level and animal model level, and it is believed that through the efforts of more researchers, DPSCs/SHED are expected to be transformed into excellent drugs for the clinical treatment of related diseases.

Background: Enhancing the diagnostic efficacy of early-stage lung cancer is crucial for improving prognosis. The objective of this study was to ascertain dependable exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: Exosomal miRNA candidates were identified through miRNA sequencing and subsequently validated in various case-control sets using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The correlation between the expression of exosomal miRNAs and the clinicopathological features of lung cancer was investigated. To assess the diagnostic efficacy of exosomal miRNAs for lung cancer, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted. The optimal cutoff value of exosomal miRNAs was determined in the testing cohort and subsequently confirmed in the validation cohort. Results: The results showed that the expression of exosomal miR-1290 was significantly elevated, while that of miR-29c-3p was significantly decreased in the plasma of lung cancer patients, especially in those with early-stage lung cancer, compared to individuals with benign lung conditions (P

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has deferred global progress in energy efficiency to a decade-long low, posing a threat to the achievement of international climate goals, and also profoundly affected the development of economics. To gain insight into the research frontiers and hotspots in energy efficiency and COVID-19, a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis on economic effects are performed with the help of the bibliometric tools VOSviewer and Bibliometrix. This paper selects all the publications retrieved based on the subject terms in the Web of Science core collection. Firstly, this article performs a performance analysis of related publications to present the development and distribution of energy efficiency and COVID-19 from research areas, relevant sources, and influential articles. Afterward, a visual analysis of the literature called science mapping analysis is implemented to display the structural and dynamic organization of knowledge in energy efficiency and COVID-19 research. In the end, detailed discussions of two research hotspots and some theoretical and practical implications are concluded in the systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis findings, which may contribute to further development for researchers in the field of energy efficiency and eventually propel the progress of society and economy in an all-round way. First published online 06 October 2023

BackgroundDiabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most prevalent complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, there is still a lack of effective methods for non-invasive diagnosis of DN in clinical practice. We aimed to explore biomarkers from plasma cell-free DNA as a surrogate of renal biopsy for the differentiation of DN patients from patients with DM.Materials and methodsThe plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was sequenced from 53 healthy individuals, 53 patients with DM but without DN, and 71 patients with both DM and DN. Multidimensional features of plasma DNA were analyzed to dissect the cfDNA profile in the DM and DN patients and identify DN-specific cfDNA features. Finally, a classification model was constructed by integrating all informative cfDNA features to demonstrate the clinical utility in DN detection.ResultsIn comparison with the DM patients, the DN individuals exhibited significantly increased cfDNA concentration in plasma. The cfDNA from the DN patients showed a distinct fragmentation pattern with an altered size profile and preferred motifs that start with “CC” in the cfDNA ending sites, which were associated with deoxyribonuclease 1 like 3 (DNASE1L3) expression in the kidney. Moreover, patients with DM or DN were found to carry more alterations in whole-genome cfDNA coverage when compared with healthy individuals. We integrated DN-specific cfDNA features (cfDNA concentration, size, and motif) into a classification model, which achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.928 for the differentiation of DN patients from DM patients.ConclusionOur findings showed plasma cfDNA as a reliable non-invasive biomarker for differentiating DN patients from DM patients. The utility of cfDNA in clinical practice in large prospective cohorts is warranted.

A novel Hydrodynamic Cavitation-Assisted Oxygen Plasma (HCAOP) process, which employs a venturi tube and oxygen injection, has been developed for enhancing the production and utilization of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in the degradation of organic pollutants. This study has systematically investigated the fluid characteristics and discharge properties of the gas–liquid two-phase body in the venturi tube. The hydraulic cavitation two-phase body discharge is initiated by the bridging of the cavitation cloud between the electrodes. The discharge mode transitions from diffuse to spark to corona as the oxygen flow rate increases. The spark discharge has the highest current and discharge energy. Excessive oxygen results in the change of the flow from bubbly to annular and a subsequent decrease in discharge energy. The effects of cavitation intensity, oxygen flow rate, and power polarity on discharge characteristics and ·OH production were evaluated using terephthalic acid as a fluorescent probe. It was found that injecting 3 standard liter per minute (SLPM) of oxygen increased the ·OH yield by 6 times with only 1.2 times increase in power, whereas

Abstract Carbon release during continental rifting is thought to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels. Supercontinent dispersal‐induced extensional tectonics is similar during the Late Ediacaran and Jurassic, while they exhibit different increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration. The underlying mechanism of distinct CO2 emissions remains to be understood. Here, we conduct petrological‐thermomechanical modeling to show that metamorphic decarbonation and melting of carbonates that are derived from subducted sediments are ubiquitous during continental extension. We find that the hotter lithosphere and deeper storage of these carbonates cause more significant amounts of rift‐related CO2 release through volcanoes and faults. They may cause ∼12%–77% larger decarbonation efficiency, providing an efficient driving mechanism for a ∼31% larger increase in atmospheric CO2 levels during the Late Ediacaran than throughout the Jurassic. The rapid eruption and deposition of recycled carbonatite volcanic ash may contribute to the production of Late Ediacaran marine carbonates with the largest negative δ13C (−12‰).

Objective This survey investigated the relationship between social isolation, depression, nutritional status and quality of life among community-dwelling older adults during COVID-19.Design This was a cross-sectional survey study.Setting Communities in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China that have contracted with Renji Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.Participants From May to July 2022, 406 community-dwelling older adults were selected by convenience sampling in Shanghai, China.Primary and secondary outcome measures The Lubben Social Network Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, 36-item Short Form Health Survey Scale and risk assessment of malnutrition were used in older adults. Mediation models were constructed to determine the mediating role of depression and nutritional status on social isolation and quality of life among older adults.Results The prevalence of social isolation among older adults in the community was 44.3%. The total social isolation score in community-dwelling older adults was positively associated with the total malnutrition risk and quality of life scores, and negatively associated with depression (p

Background: Early onset of puberty could have significant impacts on childhood health, but the extent to which it was affected by phthalate esters (PAEs) and sex hormone disruption was not understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between exposure to PAEs and sex hormone disruption and early onset of puberty in children. Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in China from May 2017 to Oct 2020, involving 740 children during consecutive visits. The onset of puberty was evaluated using Tanner definition, and early puberty was defined as an onset age less than the first 25 %, with cut-offs of 10.33 and 8.97 years for boys and girls, respectively. Serum testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and urinary PAE metabolites were measured during three visits. Generalized linear models were used to explore the associations between PAE and sex hormones with the age of puberty onset, while log-binomial regressions were applied to assess the associations of persistent exposure to PAEs and sex hormones with early pubertal onset. Results: Approximately 86.0 % of boys and 90.2 % of girls completed puberty onset from pre-puberty, and more than 95 % of participants had PAE concentrations higher than the limit of detection. Boys showed higher exposure to PAE pollutants and higher TT levels. Persistent exposure to PAEs was positively associated with early pubertal onset in girls (ARR = 1.97, 95 %CI = 1.12, 3.46). Moreover, persistent exposure to PAEs and E2 had synergistic associations with early pubertal onset in both boys (ARR = 4.77, 95 %CI = 1.06, 21.54) and girls (ARR = 7.07, 95 %CI = 1.51, 33.10). However, PAEs and TT had antagonistic associations only in boys (ARR = 0.44, 95 %CI = 0.07, 2.58). Conclusion: Long-term exposure to PAEs might increase the risk of early pubertal onset, and it appears to work in synergy with E2, while in antagonism with TT in boys’ early pubertal onset. Reducing PAEs exposure might promote pubertal health.

Customizable stress plateau of lattice structure is sought-after for various engineering applications. In this study, we present a new design strategy to achieve customizable plateau, by introducing the concept of embedding self-similar structure in a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, which thereby constitutes a novel FCC hierarchical lattice (FCCH). These FCCH specimens were experimentally validated through quasi-static compression tests, on samples 3D-printed through selective laser melting using SS316L. These deformation characteristics were clarified by finite element analysis. The experimental and numerical results consistently show the serrated, dual, and upward plateaus were experienced for the 0th-order FCC, 1st-order FCCH, and 2nd-order FCCH structures, respectively. The mechanical reinforcements are based on the stronger interactions between unit cells induced by the embedded sub-structures. The deformation mechanisms dominated by hierarchical order are determined by horizontal layer-by-layer interaction as well as longitudinal buckling and collapse. The effect of geometric configuration show that stress plateau can be customized via optimizing different slave-cell sizes, connecting face-centers of lattice components, and arranging row layered gradient strategies.

Objective: To improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC), more effective therapeutic targets are urgently needed. Increasing evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in the progression of various tumors, and RAS-associated protein in the brain 31 (RAB31) is upregulated and promotes the progression of multiple malignant tumors. Here, we focused on identifying RAB31-targeted miRNAs and elucidating their potential mechanism in the progression of GC. Methods: RAB31 and miR-378a-3p expression levels were detected in paired fresh GC tissues and GC cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the miRNAs targeting RAB31 and the relationships between RAB31 and other genes. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were applied to verify the targeted interaction relationship. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed to assess the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Tumorsphere formation assays were performed to assess the stemness of gastric cancer stem cells. Related proteins were detected by Western blot. Xenograft assays in nude mice were performed to explore the effect of miR-378a-3p in vivo. Results: We report the first evidence that miR-378a-3p is downregulated in GC, whereas its overexpression inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration as well as promotes apoptosis in GC cells. Mechanistically, miR-378a-3p inhibits the progression of GC by directly targeting RAB31. Restoring RAB31 expression partially offsets the inhibitory effect of miR-378a-3p. Further research revealed that miR-378a-3p inhibits GLI1/2 in the Hedgehog signaling pathway and attenuates the stemness of gastric cancer stem cells. Finally, xenograft assays showed that miR-378a-3p inhibits GC tumorigenesis in vivo. Conclusions: MiR-378a-3p inhibits GC progression by directly targeting RAB31 and inhibiting the Hedgehog signaling pathway proteins GLI1/2.

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Compelling evidence indicates that circular RNA (circRNA) played critical roles in multiple cancers. However, the role and mechanisms of circRNAs in GC remains unclear. Here we first identified a notably overexpressed circular RNA hsa_circ_0025506 in GC by human circRNA microarray, designated as circGPRC5A(e2). Next, we found circGPRC5A(e2) was overexpressed in GC cell lines and clinical samples as well. Then, we confirmed that circGPRC5A(e2) was primarily located in the cytoplasm of GC cells and colocation phenomenon was observed with miR‐665 via fluorescence in situ hybridization. Functionally, Cell Counting Kit‐8, 5‐Ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine, clone formation assay, Transwell invasion assay, wound‐healing assay, and animal experiments showed that circGPRC5A(e2) promoted GC proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, we showed that circGPRC5A(e2) could serve as miR‐665 sponges and facilitate GC growth and metastasis via modulating miR‐665/LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) axis and activating phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/AKT pathway. Taken together, this study revealed that circGPRC5A(e2) functioned as an oncogene in GC. The circGPRC5A(e2)/miR‐665/LASP1 axis revealed by current research might provide novel biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets for GC.

Eucalyptus plantations promote the economic development of forestry in southern China, but many studies have reported their negative environmental impacts, such as high water resource usage of certain species of Eucalyptus plants and losses in biodiversity. To date, annual maps of Eucalyptus plantations at large scales with high spatial resolutions are not yet available. Here, we investigated the spectral properties of Eucalyptus plantations and developed a knowledge-based Eucalyptus plantation mapping algorithm. We produced annual maps of Eucalyptus plantation at 10-m spatial resolution in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi), China, using our proposed algorithm and images of ALOS PALSAR-2, Sentinel-2, and Landsat (ETM+/OLI) in a single year. First, we generated annual evergreen forest maps using PALSAR-2 and Landsat/Sentinel-2-based vegetation index time series data. Second, we distinguished Eucalyptus plantations from the evergreen forest layer using the unique biophysical features of Eucalyptus plantations, the Sentinel-2 red edge bands, and Landsat/Sentinel-2-based enhanced vegetation index (EVI). Our resultant 2020 Eucalyptus plantation map had high producer's, user's, and overall accuracies of 0.85, 0.89, and 0.96, respectively. There were 3.10 × 106 ha of Eucalyptus plantation in Guangxi in 2020. Among the 14 administrative units, Wuzhou City had the largest Eucalyptus plantation area in Guangxi, followed by Nanning, Baise, and Chongzuo cities. We demonstrated the potential of knowledge-based mapping approaches for identifying evergreen forest and Eucalyptus plantations in complex and fragmented landscapes where cloud cover is frequent. Our 10-m Eucalyptus plantation map is the most current dataset available and can be used to assist the sustainable production of Eucalyptus, ecological assessments, and conservation.

As an exogenous pollutant, the microplastics accumulated in soil could alter microbial activity. The use of plastic mulch in greenhouse vegetable planting not only enhances vegetable yield and quality, but also leads to the formation and accumulation of microplastics in the soil over time. It is essential to determine the characteristics of microplastics and microorganisms in soils with varying years of planting is crucial for ensuring vegetable quality and quantity. Therefore, this study investigated the abundance and particle size of microplastics, the concentration of phthalates (PAEs), and the dynamics of soil microbial activity in greenhouse soils with different planting years (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years). Results showed that microplastics increased in abundance, particle size, and PAEs concentration as planting years progressed. Specifically, the abundance of microplastics rose from 70.0 ± 8.7 to 224.0 ± 10.4 items/kg, with the proportion of microplastics sized 0–2 mm increasing from 14.02 to 69.11 %, and the total PAEs concentration in the soil escalating from 0.31 to 1.89 mg/kg. Additionally, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria levels increased, correlating with organic matter degradation. Metabolic pathway linked to degradation were enriched according to KEGG analysis. Correlation analysis revealed that microplastics notably decreased soil pH, creating an acidic environment that boosted urease activity and the relative abundance of Nitrospirae. This study sheds light on the accumulation characteristics of microplastics and their impact on soil microbial activity following prolonged planting.

ABSTRACTEnhancing energy absorption in mechanical metamaterials has been a focal point in structural design. Traditional methods often include introducing heterogeneity across unit cells. Herein, we propose a straightforward ribbed strategy to achieve exceptional energy absorption. We demonstrate our concept through modified body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) ribbed truss-lattice metamaterials (BCCR and FCCR). Using stainless-steel 316L samples, compression tests indicate a 111% and 91% increase in specific energy absorption (SEA) for BCCR and FCCR, respectively, along with an enhancement in compression strength by 61.8% and 40.7%. Deformation mechanisms are comprehensively elucidated through both finite element analysis and theoretical calculations. The mitigation of stress concentration at nodes, redistribution of load transfer pathways within struts, and introduction of multiple plastic hinges collectively contribute to increased energy absorption and higher compression strength. Using rein-based polymer samples, the ribbed truss-lattice metamaterials also exhibit exceptional damage tolerance, experiencing only a 15% loss in maximum strength after cyclic compression at 20% strain, while maintaining a 73% higher SEA compared to their non-ribbed counterpart. This strategy extends beyond the discussed structures, presenting itself as a generic approach to enhance plateau strength and SEA.

Abstract Background Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019, the global economy, culture, politics, and people's lives and health have been severely damaged and threatened. Although western modern medical treatment has made great efforts, the treatment of COVID-19 has not achieved ideal clinical efficacy with severe sequelae. Qingfei Paidu (QFPD), an important herbal prescription for COVID-19 treatment, has shown remarkable therapeutic effects in China's fight against the epidemic. Materials and methods We searched seven databases up to 7 September 2022, including PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, World Scientific and SpringerLink. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool to assess the quality of randomized controlled trials. All analysis results were conducted by RevMan 5.4.1 to carry out a meta-analysis. Results Fifteen studies with 10390 patients were included. QFPD could not only significantly improve the cure rate and lung CT of COVID-19, reduce the number of patients turning to critical condition and death, shorten the time for nucleic acid conversion and the length of hospital stay, but change laboratory indexes and relieve body symptoms quickly without adverse effects. Conclusions Compared with patients only treated by conventional western treatment (CWM), QFPD combined with CWM could be more effective for patients. It is worth spreading to other countries in the global battle against COVID-19.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) contributes to the key causative elements of neurological deficits. However, no effective therapeutics have been developed yet. In our previous work, extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) offered new insights as potential strategies for functional recovery of TBI. The current study aims to elucidate the mechanism of action, providing novel therapeutic targets for future clinical interventions. With the miRNA array performed and Real-time PCR validated, we revealed the crucial function of miR-330-5p transferred by SHED-derived EVs (SHED-EVs) in regulating microglia, the critical immune modulator in central nervous system. MiR-330-5p targeted Ehmt2 and mediated the transcription of CXCL14 to promote M2 microglia polarization and inhibit M1 polarization. Identified in our in vivo data, SHED-EVs and their effector miR-330-5p alleviated the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and resumed the motor functional recovery of TBI rats. In summary, by transferring miR-330-5p, SHED-EVs favored anti-inflammatory microglia polarization through Ehmt2 mediated CXCL14 transcription in treating traumatic brain injury.

IntroductionWe aimed to investigate the association between greenness around schools, long-term gaseous air pollution exposure (SO2 and CO), and blood pressure in children and adolescents.MethodsFrom 2006 to 2018, a total of 219,956 Chinese children and adolescents aged 7–17 years in Beijing and Zhongshan were included in this longitudinal study. Annual average concentrations of SO2 and CO and the mean values of normalized difference vegetation index around schools were calculated. We used the generalized estimation equation model, restricted cubic spline model, and Cox model to analyze the health effects.ResultsAmong all the subjects, 52,515 had the first onset of HBP. During the follow-up, HBP's cumulative incidence and incidence density were 23.88% and 7.72 per 100 person-year respectively. Exposures to SO2 and CO were significantly associated with SBP [β = 1.30, 95% CI: (1.26, 1.34) and 0.78 (0.75, 0.81)], DBP [β = 0.81 (0.79, 0.84) and 0.46 (0.44, 0.48)] and HBP [HR = 1.58 (1.57, 1.60) and 1.42 (1.41, 1.43)]. The risks of HBP attributed to SO2 and CO pollution would be higher in school-aged children in the low greenness group: the attributable fractions (AFs) were 26.31% and 20.04%, but only 13.90% and 17.81% in the higher greenness group. The AFs were also higher for normal-BMI children and adolescents in the low greenness group (AFs = 30.90% and 22.64%, but 14.41% and 18.65% in the high greenness group), while the AFs were not as high as expected for obese children in the low greenness group (AFs = 10.64% and 8.61%), nor was it significantly lower in the high greenness group (AFs = 9.60% and 10.72%).DiscussionGreenness could alleviate the damage effects of SO2/CO exposure on the risks of HBP among children and adolescents, and the benefit is BMI sensitivity. It might offer insights for policymakers in making effective official interventions to prevent and control the prevalence of childhood HBP and the future disease burden caused by air pollution.

Maternal sepsis is a life-threatening condition and ranks among the top five causes of maternal death in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Herein, we conducted a retrospective study on sepsis cases to explain the related risk factors by comparing them with bloodstream infection (BSI) and control maternities. In total, 76 sepsis cases were enrolled, and 31 BSI and 57 maternal cases of the same age but with neither sepsis nor BSI were set as controls. Genital tract infection (GTI) and pneumonia were the two most common infection sources in both sepsis (22 cases, 29% and 29 cases, 38%) and BSI cases (18 cases, 58% and 8 cases, 26%). Urinary tract infection (UTI)/pyelonephritis (9 cases, 12%) and digestive infection cases (11 cases, 14%) only existed in the sepsis group. Significantly different infection sources were discovered between the sepsis-death and sepsis-cure groups. A higher proportion of pneumonia and a lower proportion of GTI cases were present in the sepsis-death group (17 cases, 45% pneumonia and 9 cases, 24% GTI) than in the sepsis-cure group (12 cases, 32% pneumonia and 13 cases, 34% GTI). In addition, although gram-negative bacteria were the dominant infectious microorganisms as previously reported, lower proportion of gram-negative bacteria infectious cases in sepsis (30 cases, 50%) and even lower in sepsis-death group (14 cases, 41%) was shown in this study than previous studies. As expected, significantly greater adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, such as higher maternal mortality (26.3% vs. 0% vs. 0%), higher fetal mortality (42.2% vs. 20.8% vs. 0%), earlier gestational age at delivery (26.4 ± 9.5 vs. 32.3 ± 8.1 vs. 37.7 ± 4.0) and lower newborn weight (1,590 ± 1287.8 vs. 2859.2 ± 966.0 vs. 3214.2 ± 506.4), were observed in the sepsis group. This study offered some potential pathogenesis and mortality risk factors for sepsis, which may inspire the treatment of sepsis in the future.

As an important step in image processing, image segmentation can be used to determine the accuracy of object counts, and area and contour data. In addition, image segmentation is indispensable in seed testing research. Due to the uneven grey level of the original image, traditional watershed algorithms generate many incorrect edges, resulting in oversegmentation and undersegmentation, which affects the accuracy of obtaining seed phenotype information. The DMR-watershed algorithm, an improved watershed algorithm based on distance map reconstruction, is proposed in this paper. According to the grey distribution characteristics of the image, the grey reduction amplitude h was selected to generate the mask image with the same grey distribution trend as that of the original image. The original greyscale map was reconstructed with corresponding thresholds selected according to the false minima of different regions that are to be segmented, which generates an accurate distance map that eliminates the wrong edges. An adzuki bean (Vigna angularis L.) image was selected as the experimental material and the residual rate of the segmentation counting results of each algorithm was investigated in two cases of two-particle adhesion and multiparticle adhesion. The results of the proposed algorithm were compared with those of the traditional watershed algorithm, edge detection algorithm and concave point analysis algorithm which are commonly used for seed segmentation. In the case of two-particle adhesion, the residual rates of the watershed algorithm and edge detection algorithm were 0.233 and 0.275, respectively, while the residual rate of the concave point analysis algorithm was 0 which proved to be suitable for two-particle adhesion. In the case of multiparticle adhesion, the concave point analysis algorithm was not applicable because it would destroy the seed image. The residual rates of the watershed algorithm and edge detection algorithm were 0.063 and 0.188, respectively, while the residual rate of the proposed algorithm in the two-particle adhesion cases was 0 and the counting accuracy reached 100%, which proved the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The algorithm in this paper significantly improves the accuracy of image segmentation of adherent seeds, and provides a new reference for image segmentation processing in seed testing.

BackgroundInflammatory response markers are prognostic factors for several cancers, but their role in postoperative colorectal cancer (CRC) is unclear. The purpose was to evaluate the role of preoperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte-ratio (PLR), and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte ratio (LMR) in the prognosis of postoperative CRC patients.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 448 CRC patients who had undergone surgical resection from December 2015 to December 2017 in our hospital. The plasma NLR, PLR, LMR, CEA, and CA19-9 were collected within 2 weeks before the operation. We recorded the clinical characteristics and survival data by reviewing medical records and phone calls. We analyzed preoperative inflammatory markers and clinical features using Pearson chi-squared tests or Fisher’s tests. Uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, and overall survival (OS) was estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method.ResultsHigh NLR and PLR were associated with worse overall survival in postoperative CRC (HR = 2.140, 95%CI = (1.488-3.078), P < 0.001; HR =1.820, 95%CI = (1.271-2.605), P = 0.001). High LMR was associated with improved overall survival in postoperative CRC (HR = 0.341, 95%CI = (0.188-0.618), P < 0.001). In the multivariate regression analysis, the increase of NLR resulted in an increase in the risk of death (HR = 1.678, 95%CI = (1.114-2.527), P = 0.013), and for the LMR, a reduction of the risk of death (HR = 0.480, 95%CI = (0.256 - 0.902), P = 0.023). Moreover, TNM stage, CA-199, CEA, nerve or vascular invasion (NVI) and adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery also were associated with worse overall survival in postoperative CRC.ConclusionCurrent evidence indicates that preoperative inflammatory markers NLR, LMR, and PLR are associated with overall survival in postoperative patients with colorectal cancer. NLR is an independent risk factor, and LMR is an independent protective factor in CRC patients after surgery.

The development of liver fibrosis primarily determines quality of life as well as prognosis. Animal models are often used to model and understand the underlying mechanisms of human disease. Although organoids can be used to simulate organ development and disease, the technology still faces significant challenges. Therefore animal models are still irreplaceable at this stage. Currently, in vivo models of liver fibrosis can be classified into five categories based on etiology: chemical, dietary, surgical, transgenic, and immune. There is a wide variety of animal models of liver fibrosis with varying efficacy, which have different implications for proper understanding of the disease and effective screening of therapeutic agents. There is no high-quality literature recommending the most appropriate animal models. In this paper, we will describe the progress of commonly used animal models of liver fibrosis in terms of their development mechanisms, applications, advantages and disadvantages, and recommend appropriate animal models for different research purposes.

IntroductionElectron shuttles (ESs) play a key role in extracellular electron transfer (EET) in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. However, the quantification relationship between ES concentration, biofilm formation, and biocurrent generation has not been clarified.MethodsIn this study, 9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid (AQS)-mediated EET and biofilm formation were evaluated at different AQS concentrations in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) with S. oneidensis MR-1.Results and discussionBoth the biofilm biomass (9- to 17-fold) and biocurrent (21- to 80-fold) were substantially enhanced by exogenous AQS, suggesting the dual ability of AQS to promote both biofilm formation and electron shuttling. Nevertheless, biofilms barely grew without the addition of exogenous AQS, revealing that biofilm formation by S. oneidensis MR-1 is highly dependent on electron shuttling. The biofilm growth was delayed in a BES of 2,000 μM AQS, which is probably because the redundant AQS in the bulk solution acted as a soluble electron acceptor and delayed biofilm formation. In addition, the maximum biocurrent density in BESs with different concentrations of AQS was fitted to the Michaelis–Menten equation (R2 = 0.97), demonstrating that microbial-catalyzed ES bio-reduction is the key limiting factor of the maximum biocurrent density in BESs. This study provided a fundamental understanding of ES-mediated EET, which could be beneficial for the enrichment of electroactive biofilms, the rapid start-up of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and the design of BESs for wastewater treatment.

Biological invasions are considerably altering ecosystem structure and functions, especially in coastal ecosystems that are subject to intensive anthropogenic disturbances. Spartina alterniflora has been recognized as the most serious invasive species in coastal China, which has received considerable attention from the government and the public. There is urgent need to control this invasive species at regional and national scales, but such efforts were impeded by lack of time-series data of Spartina spread. Here, we assessed the pixel- and phenology-based algorithm for mapping Spartina saltmarshes, and applied this algorithm to generate annual Spartina saltmarsh maps (30-m spatial resolution) from 1985 to 2020 by using time series Landsat 5/7/8 images. The resulting maps suggest that Spartina has been expanding since 1990 in coastal China, with three noticeable phases (rapid, moderate, and rapid). Along the latitudinal gradient, Spartina exhibited a longer invasion history and more frequent changes at low latitudes. Although human interventions caused the decline of Spartina in certain areas, rapid natural spread was primarily responsible for its extensive and continual invasion. These results provide insights for efficiently managing this invasive species, enhancing the conservation of coastal wetlands, and promoting the sustainability of coastal wetlands.

Previous studies show that moderate thermal mass in school building elements can positively impact the winter indoor thermal environment in a temperate climate with mild, humid winters. Based on a field study, this research contributes new physical data of the summer indoor thermal environment of Auckland school buildings with different designs of moderate thermal mass in their building elements to add to the previous winter field-study data and demonstrates that a school building with moderate thermal mass is adequate in a temperate climate with mild, humid winters and warm, dry summers. This field study compared and evaluated the summer indoor thermal environment of classrooms with different moderate thermal mass in their building elements during the summer school term and the summer school holidays. This study found that a classroom with thermal mass in its building elements has 19% to 21% more time in summer than a classroom without any thermal mass in its building elements when indoor air temperatures are within the thermal comfort zone, which was solely impacted by the building’s thermal performance. This study established a suitable research method to analyse the field-study data and identify the differences in the indoor thermal environments of the school buildings with different designs of moderate thermal mass in their building elements.

Plant-specific YABBY transcription factors play an important role in lateral organ development and abiotic stress responses. However, the functions of the YABBY genes in quinoa remain elusive. In this study, twelve YABBY (CqYAB) genes were identified in the quinoa genome, and they were distributed on nine chromosomes. They were classified into FIL/YAB3, YAB2, YAB5, INO, and CRC clades. All CqYAB genes consist of six or seven exons, and their proteins contain both N-terminal C2C2 zinc finger motifs and C-terminal YABBY domains. Ninety-three cis-regulatory elements were revealed in CqYAB gene promoters, and they were divided into six groups, such as cis-elements involved in light response, hormone response, development, and stress response. Six CqYAB genes were significantly upregulated by salt stress, while one was downregulated. Nine CqYAB genes were upregulated under drought stress, whereas six CqYAB genes were downregulated under cadmium treatment. Tissue expression profiles showed that nine CqYAB genes were expressed in seedlings, leaves, and flowers, seven in seeds, and two specifically in flowers, but no CqYAB expression was detected in roots. Furthermore, CqYAB4 could rescue the ino mutant phenotype in Arabidopsis but not CqYAB10, a paralog of CqYAB4, indicative of functional conservation and divergence among these YABBY genes. Taken together, these results lay a foundation for further functional analysis of CqYAB genes in quinoa growth, development, and abiotic stress responses.

Abstract Background To date, Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (ST-II AEG) can be removed radically utilizing either the abdominal-transhiatal (TH) or the right thoracoabdominal (RTA) approaches. Because of a paucity of high-quality direct evidence, the appropriate surgical approach for ST-II AEG remains debatable. In the present, only several retrospective studies are available, representing ambiguous results. Thus, prospective randomized clinical trials are demanded to compare the survival, oncological outcomes, safety and efficiency and life quality between the TH and RTA approach in patients with resectable AEG of Siewert type II. Methods A prospective, multicenter, open, randomized, and parallel controlled study named S2AEG will be conducted. Three hundred and twelve patients who match the inclusion criteria but not the exclusion criteria will be participating in the trial and randomly divided into the TH (156) and RTA (156) cohorts. The primary efficacy endpoint is the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) following the operation. The rate of R0-resection, the number and site of lymph nodes infiltrated and dissected, postoperative complications, hospital days and life quality are the second endpoints. Discussion This study is the first prospectively randomized controlled trial aiming to compare the surgical outcomes between TH and RTA approaches in patients with resectable ST-II AEG. It is hypothesized that patients in the TH cohort would harvest equivalent oncological results and survival while maintaining acceptable life quality when compared to patients in the RTA cohort. Our findings will provide high-level clinical evidence for clinical decision-making on the appropriate surgical approach for patients with ST-II AEG. Embarked in November 2019, this research will be completed 3 years after the final participant’s enrolment date. Trial registration Clinical Trial.gov ID: NCT04910789 May 29, 2021. Name: S2AEG.

The nanosecond pulsed discharge in a gas–liquid mixture of a Venturi tube with the injection of oxygen was numerically and experimentally investigated. It was found that the density of the gas–liquid mixture close to the electrode at the water inlet is significantly lower than that at the water outlet. The lowest void fraction close to the water outlet is higher than 50%. When the oxygen flow rises from 0.5 SLPM to 3 SLPM, the flow mode changes from the bubble flow to the annular flow. If the applied voltage is kept at 45 kV in amplitude, the probability of the breakdown increases with the water flow and it reaches 100% as the water flow rises to 9.5 L/min. Since the pulsed breakdown voltage changes from shot to shot under the same experimental conditions, the distribution of 200 breakdown voltages was measured and the median in the distribution of the probability density, defined as U50, was determined. The curve of the U50 as a function of the oxygen flow takes the shape of “V,” similar to that of the Paschen curve obtained from the gas breakdown. An abnormal polarity effect in the breakdown voltage was observed, and the reason was given. By combining the results from the experiment with the numerical simulation, the spatial distribution of the reduced field at the time of breakdown was determined. The oxygen flows not higher than 0.5 SLPM are the better choice for getting a reduced field higher than 500 Td.

Abstract A solid‐state sodium metal battery has cut a striking figure in next‐generation large‐scale energy storage technology on account of high safety, high energy density, and low cost. Nevertheless, the large interfacial resistance and sodium dendrite growth originating from the poor interface contact seriously hinder its practical application. Herein, a modified ultrasound welding was proposed to atomically bond Na anodes and Au‐metalized Na3Zr2Si2PO12 electrolytes associated with the in situ formation of Na–Au alloy interlayers. Thereupon, intimate Na3Zr2Si2PO12–Au/Na interfaces with a low interfacial resistance (~23 Ω cm2) and a strong dendrite inhibition ability were constructed. The optimized Na symmetric battery can cycle steadily for more than 900 h at 0.3 mA cm−2 under a low overpotential (

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many buildings in northeast China have had clusters of infected cases in the vertical layout. There is speculation that vertical aerosol transmission occurs. The houses in northeast China are airtight, and range hoods may be used for a long period of time when cooking. The pathway and factors influencing vertical aerosol transmission are worth studying. To elucidate a viral aerosol transmission pathway, we selected a multistory apartment and a high-rise building in Changchun city, Jilin province, China, to conduct an in-depth investigation and on-site simulation experiments. According to epidemiological investigation information on infected cases, building structures, drainage, ventilation, etc., we used fluorescent microspheres to simulate the behaviors of infected people, such as breathing and flushing the toilet after defecation, to discharge simulated viruses and track and monitor them. The field simulation experiment confirmed the transmission of fluorescent microsphere aerosols to other rooms in two types of buildings using a vertical aerosol transmission pathway of toilet flush-sewage pipe-floor drain without a water seal. Our study showed that, in the absence of a U-shaped trap or floor drain water seal whether in a multistory apartment or high-rise residential building, there is a transmission pathway of “excretion of virus through feces-toilet flushing-sewage pipe-floor drain without water seal,” which will cause the vertical transmission of viral aerosol across floors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the negative pressure generated by turning on the range hood when closing doors and windows increase aerosol transmission. Based on this negative pressure, prevention and control measures for residential buildings in northeast China during the COVID-19 pandemic were proposed.

BackgroundCardiovascular health (CVH) in children and adolescents, which might be largely influenced by parental behaviors, may affect the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the associations between parental behaviors and CVH status of offspring in China.MethodsData were obtained from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Chinese children and adolescents aged 7–18 years old, with a total of 10,043 parent–offspring pairs included. Parental behaviors included moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), dietary behaviors, and weight status. The CVH status of offspring was consulted by The American Heart Association, including seven factors. The associations between parental behaviors and CVH status of offspring were evaluated by multilevel logistic regression. Stratified analyses were conducted to explore the potential modifying influence of sociodemographic factors.ResultsMost of the offspring had five ideal CVH factors; only 21.04% had six to seven ideal CVH factors. Parental unhealthy behaviors were associated with high odds of nonideal CVH status of offspring. Parental overweight/obesity, insufficient MVPA, and unhealthy dietary behaviors could increase the odds of owning one to three ideal CVH factors in offspring, with corresponding odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval) of 1.61 (1.32–1.96), 1.31 (1.10–1.56), and 2.05 (1.43–2.94), respectively. There was a dose–response relationship between parental single unhealthy behavior and the odds of nonideal CVH status in offspring (P-trend

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe placenta-related pregnancy disease that has been associated with maternal systemic inflammation and immune system disorders. However, the distribution and functional changes in immune cells of the maternal–placental interface have not been well characterized. Herein, cytometry by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CyTOF) was used to investigate the immune atlas at the decidua, which was obtained from four PE patients and four healthy controls. Six superclusters were identified, namely, T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes, granulocytes, and others. B cells were significantly decreased in the PE group, among which the reduction in CD27+CD38+ regulatory B cell (Breg)-like cells may stimulate immune activation in PE. The significantly increased migration of B cells could be linked to the significantly overexpressed chemokine C-X-C receptor 5 (CXCR5) in the PE group, which may result in the production of excessive autoantibodies and the pathogenesis of PE. A subset of T cells, CD11c+CD8+ T cells, was significantly decreased in PE and might lead to sustained immune activation in PE patients. NK cells were ultimately separated into four subsets. The significant reduction in a novel subset of NK cells (CD56-CD49a-CD38+) in PE might have led to the failure to suppress inflammation at the maternal–fetal interface during PE progression. Moreover, the expression levels of functional markers were significantly altered in the PE group, which also inferred that shifts in the decidual immune state contributed to the development of PE and might serve as potential treatment targets. This is a worthy attempt to elaborate the differences in the phenotype and function of CD45+ immune cells in the decidua between PE and healthy pregnancies by CyTOF, which contributes to understand the pathogenesis of PE, and the altered cell subsets and markers may inspire the immune modulatory therapy for PE.

Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) has been employed in the treatment of allergic diseases for many years. However, the effectiveness of AIT requires improvement. Substance P (SP) can interact with immune cells, modulate immune cell activity, and regulate immune reaction. The purpose of this study is to use SP as an immune regulator to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of AIT. Methods: An established mouse model of the airway allergy disorder (AAD) was employed with ovalbumin as a specific antigen. The AAD response was evaluated through established procedures. AAD mice were treated with AIT employing SP as an immune regulator. Dendritic cells were isolated from the airway tissues by magnetic cell sorting, and were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNAseq). Results: We observed that after sensitization with ovalbumin, mice exhibited AAD-like symptoms, serum specific IgE, and Th2 polarization. The presence of SP in the course of sensitization prevented the development of AAD. Treating mice with SP by nasal instillations induced IL-10, but not TGF-β, in dendritic cells of the airway tissues. The most differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the dendritic cells were those related to the IL-10 expression, including Il10, Tac1r, and Mtor. The gene ontology analysis showed that these DEGs mainly mapped to the tachykinin-PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. The addition of SP substantially enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of AIT for AAD by inducing antigen specific type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1 cells). Conclusion: Acting as an immune regulator, SP promotes the therapeutic efficacy for AAD by inducing antigen specific Tr1 cells in the airway tissues.

Governance in family firms can profoundly influence corporate behavior and performance. Recently, family firm governance (FFG) has attracted extensive attention as increasing empirical research has been published. However, few studies have attempted to map the global research on this growing field. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review and bibliometric analysis are conducted to provide an overview of the FFG. A total of 626 relevant studies from the Web of Sciences Core Collection database between 1998 and 2020 are analyzed. First, based on a literature review by identifying the classification of FFG and topics related to family governance, an overall conceptual structure is proposed. Second, the performance and influence of journals, authors and papers are analyzed by descriptive bibliometric analysis. Finally, with assistance from the CiteSpace and VoS viewer tools, the co-authorship, co-occurrence and co-citation network are presented to display the social and intellectual structure and find the hotspots. The findings of this study help to objectively understand the evolution of FFG and to capture potential research directions.

Cell membranes are flexible and often undergo large-scale morphological changes during processes like mitosis, protrusion and retraction, or vesicle fusion. Mathematical modeling of cell membranes depends on a representation of the free-form surface by discrete meshes. During morphological changes, these meshes must be adjusted under the minimization of the total free energy. Current methodology for meshing is limited in one of two ways: 1) Free energy-dependent methods have no restriction on the mesh geometry. The resulting irregular meshes cause artifacts in follow-up models of morphodynamics. 2) Geometry-dependent methods maintain mesh quality but violate the physics of free energy minimization. To fill this gap, we regulate mesh geometries via a free-energy-determined remeshing process: adding and removing mesh elements upon morphological changes based on barrier crossings in a double-barrier potential between neighboring vertices in the meshes. We test the method's robustness by reproducing the morphodynamics of red blood cells and vesicle fusions; and we demonstrate the method's adaptability by simulating the formation of filopodia, lamellipodia and invaginations. Finally, we use the method to study a mechanical decoupling effect of two connected membrane tethers that has been recently observed experimentally, but has not been mechanistically explained in the context of a complete membrane surface. We propose a biophysical model that strengthens the decoupling effect and broadens the original interpretation of the experiment. The method is developed in C/Matlab and distributed via https://github.com/DanuserLab/biophysicsModels.

A Minisci-type reaction catalyzed by iodobenzene is disclosed here for the first time. The heteroarylation of unprotected aliphatic alcohols proceeds via alkoxy radical-induced homolytic cleavage of C–H and C–C bonds under photochemical conditions. The use of m-CPBA as the oxidant allows the oxidation of iodobenzene to a hypervalent iodine species, driving the catalytic cycle. The method features mild reaction conditions, broad scope of heteroarenes and alcohols, and scaled up preparations. This approach provides a notable supplement to iodobenzene-catalyzed ionic reactions, and opens up a new avenue for its application in radical chemistry.

Abstract Aimed to investigate the associations between different growth patterns with high blood pressure, and further examine the mediation effect of BMI between growth patterns and high blood pressure among children and adolescents. A total of 31581 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years were selected based on the stratified cluster sampling method. Logistics regression models were used to calculate the odds rations (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of the association between different growth patterns and high blood pressure. Mediation effect analyses were applied to estimate the effect of BMI on the increase of blood pressure levels in different growth patterns. In different sex and ages, compared to reference group of normal growth, blood pressure levels and prevalence of high blood pressure of the catch‐up growth were higher, but that of the catch‐down growth were lower. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 11.69%, 16.06%, and 9.68% in normal growth, catch‐up growth, and catch‐down growth, respectively. In total, compared with the normal growth pattern, the ORs (95%CI) of high blood pressure, high systolic blood pressure and high diastolic blood pressure in the catch‐up growth were 1.171(1.073,1.280), 1.110(1.001,1.230) and 1.141(1.025,1.270) (p

The practical application of solid-state rechargeable alkali metal batteries is hindered by the poor contact between the metal electrode and the solid electrolyte. Here, the authors report an ultrasound solid welding strategy to favor the contact between these cells components.

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a binding receptor to enter cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). However, receptors involved in other steps of SARS-CoV-2 infection remain largely unknown. Here, we found that metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2 (mGluR2) is an internalization factor for SARS-CoV-2. Our results show that mGluR2 directly interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and that knockdown of mGluR2 decreases internalization of SARS-CoV-2 but not cell binding. Further, mGluR2 is uncovered to cooperate with ACE2 to facilitate SARS-CoV-2 internalization through CME and mGluR2 knockout in mice abolished SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nasal turbinates and significantly reduced viral infection in the lungs. Notably, mGluR2 is also important for SARS-CoV spike protein- and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein-mediated internalization. Thus, our study identifies a novel internalization factor used by SARS-CoV-2 and opens a new door for antiviral development against coronavirus infection.

Evidence shows that neighborhood parks play an important role in serving nearby residents, such as promoting physical activity and relieving stress, but thus far, little attention has been given to the impact of time on park use. This study explored users’ behavioral patterns at different time periods and their perception of attributes during the nighttime in three neighborhood parks in Nanjing, China. A total of 7482 park users were documented using the method of behavior mapping, and the results revealed that the spatial clusters of hotspots for the locations of the observed users differed significantly between late afternoon and evening, and the nighttime park users were more in number and were more active in physical activity. This study also found that improvements in site diversity and incorporations of night markets and shows were emphasized by park users based on their nighttime experience. The findings can be used to improve the future design and management of neighborhood parks, especially for promoting nighttime use.

The long queuing time for electric vehicles to charge under intelligent network connection leads to low distribution efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes a strategy to predict the probability of queues forming for electric vehicles arriving at charging stations under intelligent network connection. Both the dynamic demand of customers and the characteristics of the alternating influence of charging vehicles should be considered when studying such problems. Based on the above problem characteristics, a real-time dynamic charging selection strategy is developed by predicting the probability of other vehicles in the region going to the charging station. A distribution path optimization model based on intelligent network connection and queuing theory is proposed for electric logistics vehicles in charging mode, taking into account the time window constraint and the influence of charging vehicles when using intelligent network connection for path planning. The objective is to minimize the total cost, and the route for electric logistics vehicles is adjusted in real time. This is solved by an improved hybrid genetic-annealing algorithm. The experimental results show that this paper obtains real-time dynamic road information and charging information with the help of intelligent network connection. It predicts the queuing probability of electric vehicles by combining with queuing theory, which can help select a more suitable charging location and timing for electric logistics vehicles. This can effectively avoid peak periods and reduce waiting times. By comparing with other models, this paper’s model can save the distribution cost of electric vehicles.

Hunting behavior typically contains a sequential motor program, including search, chase, attack, and consumption. Here, the authors show that periaqueductal gray neuronal ensembles encode the sequential hunting motor program, which might provide a framework for decoding complex instinctive behaviors.

Abstract Background Preoperative identification of rectal cancer lymph node status is crucial for patient prognosis and treatment decisions. Rectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an essential role in the preoperative staging of rectal cancer, but its ability to predict lymph node metastasis (LNM) is insufficient. This study explored the value of histogram features of primary lesions on multi-parametric MRI for predicting LNM of stage T3 rectal carcinoma. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 175 patients with stage T3 rectal cancer who underwent preoperative MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) before surgery. 62 patients were included in the LNM group, and 113 patients were included in the non-LNM group. Texture features were calculated from histograms derived from T2 weighted imaging (T2WI), DWI, ADC, and T2 maps. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent predictors of LNM from clinical features, imaging features, and histogram features. Predictive performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Finally, a nomogram was established for predicting the risk of LNM. Results The clinical, imaging and histogram features were analyzed by stepwise logistic regression. Preoperative carbohydrate antigen 199 level (p = 0.009), MRN stage (p

This work explores the relationship between financial cycles in the economy and in economic research. To this aim, we take China as an empirical example, and an intuitive bibliometric analysis of selected terms concerning financial cycles in economic research is performed first. Both in the economy and in economic research, we then conduct singular spectrum analysis to further isolate and describe the specific length and amplitude of financial cycles for China based on quarterly time-series data. Finally, according to the estimated cycles that detrended by Hodrick-Prescott filter for financial and bibliometric variables, the Granger causality test scrutinizes the results of the first two steps. Moreover, a time-varying parameter vector autoregression model is estimated to quantitatively investigate the time-varying interaction between financial and bibliometric variables. Our study shows that financial cycles have a strong effect on the developments in the financial-related literature. In particular, the 2008 global financial crisis’s impulse intensity is significantly higher than in other periods. Surprisingly, discussions on financial cycles in the literature also have an impact on financial activities in real life. These findings contribute to nascent work on the patterns in financial cycles, thus providing a new and effective insight on the interpretation of financial activities.