Search

Particle damping technology is a typical passive vibration damping technology. In order to further explore the energy dissipation characteristics of particle dampers under different excitation, the relationship between internal vibration state and energy dissipation is analyzed. Based on the analysis of the motion state of granular assembly inside three-dimensional cylindrical particles, the steady-state energy flow method is used to study the loss characteristics of the granular assembly with different vibration laws. The research is carried out under the condition of excitation reduced acceleration of 0–8 and excitation frequency of 0–300 Hz. The results show that the loss capacity of the particles is enhanced when the vibration state of the particles changes from solid-like to other motion states. At frequencies above 250 Hz, the particle microvibrational and intermediate-vibrational loss effects are more significant. The loss capacity of the granular assembly shows frequency-dependent characteristics and is affected by frequency and reduced acceleration. With the increase of the reduced acceleration, the loss capacity of particles is enhanced and shows a local peak effect as the frequency increases. The increase of the particle size enhances the loss ability in the microvibrational state and the intermediate-vibrational state. By changing the vibrational state, the energy dissipation capacity of particle damper can be enhanced, which may provide a new idea for designing optimal granular dampers.

Lithium titanate exhibits effective suppression of lithium metal plating and lithium dendrite formation, attributed to its high lithium ion diffusion coefficient and a relatively high discharge plateau of 1.55 V (vs. Li+/Li). It is considered a zero-strain material, displaying minimal lattice size changes during lithium intercalation and deintercalation processes. The focus of this study was to obtain titanium dioxide through the calcination of selected MXene (Ti2C), and then mix it with lithium carbonate in a specific lithium-titanium ratio to generate lithium titanate. Spinel lithium titanate synthesized via solid-state method retained the sheet-like structure and excellent conductivity characteristics of MXene. Because its sheet structure provides a larger specific surface area for the electrode and enhances ion migration, it shows excellent electrochemical performance. The reaction mechanism was studied by in-situ Raman and variable speed CV. It was found that the reaction mechanism was pseudocapacitance plus lithium ion deintercalation. The obtained structure exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, making it suitable for applications in lithium-ion batteries.

LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 has been thoroughly investigated as one of the most promising high-voltage positive materials for Li-ion batteries, owing to its low cost, high energy density and good stability. Nonetheless, the limited reversible capacity and poor cycle efficiency limit its use to the high-end digital domain. Herein, the SmF3 cathode electrolyte interphase modified strategy has been first explored for LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, which demonstrated outstanding electrochemical performance. The surface regulated sample demonstrates a preferred initial discharge-specific capacity of 137.85 mAh g−1 at a 1 C rate and sustains a discharge capacity of 110.21 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. More importantly, SmF3 can successfully reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions while producing a thin and homogenous CEI layer. The basic understanding of cathode electrolyte interphase alteration on surface morphology, crystal structure, and chemical components of the modified samples are revealed through means of various testing methods. The surface modification with SmF3 can effectively mitigate the formation of generated by-products and enhance the transport of Li+. This technique of modifying the cathode electrolyte interphase with SmF3 serves as a starting point for further research into the performance degradation process and opens up a new avenue for improving the electrochemical performance of the spinel positive materials.

Abstract Fitness landscape analysis devotes to characterizing different properties of optimization problems, such as evolvability, sharpness, and neutrality. Although several landscape features have been proposed, only a few of them can be used in practice as predictors of algorithm performance. In this study, the keenness ( $$\textrm{KEE}_{s}$$ KEE s ) is proposed to characterize the sharpness of the fitness landscape for continuous optimization problems and predict the performance of the differential evolution algorithm. Specifically, a mirror simple random walk algorithm is designed to construct the relevance between the front and back search points in the sampling. The fitness value of each point is replaced by the specific integer. The values in the set of integers with the same circumstance are computed as the feature scalar using the cumulative calculation mechanism. The results of experimental studies in various functions demonstrate the superiority of $$\textrm{KEE}_{s}$$ KEE s in terms of accuracy, reliability, and coverage of samples. Moreover, $$\textrm{KEE}_{s}$$ KEE s has shown excellent practicability in the application of differential evolution algorithm performance prediction for continuous optimization problems. Thus, $$\textrm{KEE}_{s}$$ KEE s is a new landscape feature for fitness landscape analysis of continuous optimization problems and algorithm performance prediction within limited prior knowledge of the unknown problem.

With the accelerated pace of market-oriented reform, Internet finance has gained a broad and healthy development environment. Existing studies lack consideration of time trends in financial risk, and treating all features equally may lead to inaccurate predictions. To address the above problems, we propose an LSTM model based on sliding window and attention mechanism. The model uses sliding windows to enable the model to effectively exploit the contextual relevance of loan data. And we introduce the attention mechanism into the model, which enables the model to focus on important information. The result on the Lending Club public desensitization dataset shows that our model outperforms ARIMA, SVM, ANN, LSTM, and GRU models.

[Introduction] The research aims to establish a new forecasting methodology to study the future electricity consumption features in Shenzhen based on the correction of traditional power demand forecasting methods. The new methodology could reflect the influence of the recently issued policies, such as the "carbon peak and neutrality" and "construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics." [Method] For electricity consumption forecast, a "top-down" forecasting method guided by carbon intensity control and considering social electrification level was proposed, and "bottom-up" forecasting was made using the improved multi-sectoral method and new load correction method to validate the forecasting results. For load characteristics forecasting, the impact of demand side management and peak shaving means was fully considered. [Result] Through quantitative analysis of the energy supply and consumption mix adjustment under key impact factors, including "carbon peak and neutrality," new infrastructure, industrial structure adjustment and transfer under "construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics," the total electricity consumption in Shenzhen during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period and in the middle to long term, as well the development trend of the future peak load and load characteristics in Shenzhen were forecasted. [Conclusion] The proposed forecasting methodology provides new idea for other regions in power demand forecast under new policies, and the results provide an important reference for guiding Shenzhen's subsequent power source and grid planning, dispatch and operation, etc.

PurposeTo compare the differences between involved-field irradiation (IFI) and elective nodal irradiation (ENI) in selecting the optimal target area for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC).Materials and methodsWe retrospectively analyzed 267 patients with LA-ESCC, of whom 165 underwent ENI and 102 underwent IFI. Dosimetry, treatment-related complications, pathological responses, recurrence/metastasis patterns, and survival were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe median follow-up duration was 27.9 months. The R0 resection rates in the IFI and ENI groups were 95.1% and 92.7%, respectively (p=0.441), while the pathological complete response (pCR) rates were 42.2% and 34.5%, respectively (p=0.12). The ENI group received higher radiation doses to the heart (HV30:23.9% vs. 18%, p=0.033) and lungs (LV30:7.7% vs. 4.9%, p

The early colonized gut microbiota during the newborn period has been reported to play important roles in the health and immunity of animals; however, whether they can affect the growth performance of suckling lambs is still unclear. In this study, a total of 84 newborn lambs were assigned into LF-1 (top 15%), LF-2 (medium 70%), and LF-3 (bottom 15%) groups according to their average body weight gain at 30 days of age. Fecal samples of lambs (LF) as well as feces (MF), vagina (VAG), colostrum (COL), teat skin (TEAT) samples of ewes, and the air sediment (AIR) in the delivery room were collected 72 h after birth, and then the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The results showed that the early colonized gut microbiota had a significant effect on the growth performance of suckling lambs with alpha and beta diversity (p

Prolactin has multifaceted roles in lactation, growth, metabolism, osmoregulation, behavior, and the reproduction of animals. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of prolactin in testicular function in cashmere goats. Twenty cashmere goats were randomly assigned to either the control group (CON) or the bromocriptine treatment group (BCR, bromocriptine, prolactin inhibitor). Blood and testis samples collected for analysis after 30 days of treatment. The results indicated that, compared with the CON group, BCR significantly decreased (p 0.05) by the treatment. The mean seminiferous tubule diameter and spermatogenic epithelium thickness were increased (p

Premature ovarian insufficiency（POI）is a female reproductive aging illness. Yiwei decoction（YWD） is a traditional treatment for Yangming nourishment. YWD can treat premature ovarian insufficiency, but the exact molecular mechanism is unknown. As a result, the differential expression of Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) and Circular RNAs(CircRNAs) in the ovary of POI rats after YWD treatment was investigated in this paper, and the CeRNA regulatory network was built.The model was created using cyclophosphamide. The model group + YWD was in Group A, the model control group was in Group B, and the regular control group was in Group C. In this study, 177 differential expression Long noncoding RNAs(DELncRNAs) and 190 differential expression Circular RNAs (DECircRNAs) were discovered between A and B (P＜0.05,|LogFC|＞1). Following the analysis, 27 DELncRNAs and 96 DECircRNAs (P-adjusted＜0.05,|LogFC|＞1) were discovered. At the same time, we built the CeRNA network using differentially expressed mRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) expression between groups A and B. The DELncRNAs were used to construct a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network with 27 LncRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 19 mRNAs. The DECircRNAs were utilized to establish a CircRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network that was made up of 15 CircRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 20 mRNA. The highly correlated regulatory networks were the LncMSTRG.22691.3/miR-3102/ANGPT4 and Circ10_34698898_34699378/miR-33-5p/TTC22. Circ20_12035276_12036793、Circ20_30693935_30696337、Circ4_157723097_157723378 and Circ4_157923266_157923904 occurred concurrently in AvsB, BvsC, and AvsC. MiRDB predicted eight target miRNAs for these CircRNAs. The miRanda(score = 140，energy = −1) binding energy calculation revealed that seven miRNAs were well combined with three CircRNA base complementary pairs. This implies that 3 DECircRNAs could serve as spongy bodies for these miRNAs. Network pharmacological analysis showed that ten active components in YWD may regulate the expression of LncRNAs and CircRNAs, such as Stigmasterol, Uridine, Ophiopogonanone A, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, and others.In conclusion, this study combined transcriptomics and network pharmacological analysis to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs as well as CircRNAs in ovaries of YWD-treated POI rats, thereby constructing ceRNA networks implicated in POI. This would contribute to clarifying the pathways by which Chinese herbal compounds regulate gene expression in POI.

Infertility and menstrual abnormalities in endometriosis patients are frequently caused by aberrant follicular growth or a reduced ovarian reserve. Endometriosis typically does not directly harm the oocyte, but rather inhibits the function of granulosa cells, resulting in a decrease in oocyte quality. Granulosa cells, as oocyte nanny cells, can regulate meiosis, provide the most basic resources required for oocyte development, and influence ovulation. Endometriosis affects oocyte development and quality by causing granulosa cells apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, steroid synthesis obstacle, and aberrant mitochondrial energy metabolism. These aberrant states frequently interact with one another, however there is currently relatively little research in this field to understand the mechanism of linkage between abnormal states.

Transport stress can cause damage to animals. In this experiment, 60 four-month-old lambs were randomly divided into three groups: CG (basal diet), EG (basal diet + 375 mg/d/lamb electrolytic multivitamin), and NG (basal diet + 200 mg/d/lamb neomycin). The results were as follows: during road transport, in all groups, the levels of SOD, T-AOC, and GSP-Px, and mRNA expressions of CAT, SOD, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 in the jejunum and colon decreased (p < 0.01). However, mRNA expressions of Keap1, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-12, Bax, and Caspase3 in the jejunum and colon and the level of MDA increased (p < 0.01). The concentrations of IgA, IgG, and sIgA in the jejunum and colon also decreased (p < 0.01). In the EG and NG, the levels of SOD (p < 0.05) and T-AOC (p < 0.01) increased, and the level of MDA decreased (p < 0.01). However, in the jejunum, the levels of SOD and T-AOC, the concentrations of IgA and IgG, and mRNA expression of Bcl-2 increased (p < 0.05). mRNA expressions of IL-1, IL-2, and Caspase 3 (p < 0.05), and mRNA expression of IL-12 (p < 0.01) decreased. In the colon, SOD activity and the concentration of sIgA increased (p < 0.01). The level of MDA and mRNA expressions of IL-2 and Caspase 3 also decreased (p < 0.05). In the jejunum and colon, mRNA expression of SOD (p < 0.05) and mRNA expression of Nrf2 increased (p < 0.01). mRNA expression of Keap1 (p < 0.05) and Bax (p < 0.01) decreased. In summary, road transport can cause a decrease in antioxidant activity and immunity of lambs and an increase in oxidative damage. Electrolytic multivitamins and neomycin can improve immune function and potentially reduce oxidative damage to the jejunum and colon.

In this study, we established a new methodology for preparing 5′−nucleotidase (5′−NT) with the aim of enhancing our understanding of its enzyme activity and laying a basis for regulating the content of umami−enhancing nucleotides in pork. 5′−NT was prepared with Sephadex gel filtration and reverse−phase high−performance liquid chromatography, and its enzymatic properties and catalytic activity were evaluated. The results show that the molecular weight of the prepared 5′−NT was 57 kDa, the optimal catalytic temperature was 40 °C, and the optimal pH was 8. Zn2+, and sucrose showed inhibitory effects on the activity of 5′−NT, while K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, glucose, fructose, and trehalose promoted the activity of the studied compound. The prepared 5′−NT exhibited higher catalytic activity and selectivity against IMP compared with its commercial counterpart, while its catalytic activity against XMP was not significant (p > 0.05). In brief, we established a new methodology for preparing 5′−NT, enhancing our understanding of its enzyme activity and providing a solid basis for regulating the content of umami−enhancing nucleotides in pork through the control of endogenous 5′−NT activity.

In order to study the spontaneous dynamic fracture behavior of transparent laminated glass under explosion loading, peridynamics(PD) was introduced to simulate the dynamic responses of crack initiation, propagation, bifurcation, coalescence, and arrest. The 3D discontinuous Galerkin algorithm was used for glass parts, and the finite element algorithm was used for adhesive layer PVB part and frame part. The contact algorithm was used to realize the coupling of the two parts. Finally, the crack propagation law of laminated glass was studied systematically by greatly changing TNT equivalent, blast distance, the thickness of PVB adhesive layer, and the thickness of inner and outer glass. The simulation results show that: 1) Compared with the explosion experiment, PD can simulate the fracture failure behaviour and crack propagation of laminated glass greatly; 2) Under the same conditions, different explosion distance, explosive equivalent, and thickness of PVB adhesive layer have significant effects on the dynamic response of laminated glass structure; 3) By comparing the maximum deflections of outer glass under different charge levels, it is found that the PD method has a good agreement with the experimental method and the element deletion method, and the error range of PD method is lower than that of the element deletion method; 4) In PD method, the energy absorption rate of outer glass is much higher than that of inner glass and PVB layer, and the thickness distribution of inner and outer glass also has a great influence on energy absorption rate. The results of PD method and element deletion method are in good agreement.

Background Prolactin (PRL) has been reported to be associated with oxidative stress, which is an important contributor leading to cell apoptosis. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the effects of PRL on cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in ovine ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). Methods Ovine ovarian GCs were treated with 0, 4, 20, 100 and 500 ng/mL of PRL. Then, the cytotoxicity, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of GCs were detected. Additionally, 500 ng/mL PRL was chosen as the high PRL concentration (HPC) due to its high cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Proteomic and metabonomic were performed to examine the overall difference in proteins and metabolic pathways between C (control: 0 ng/mL PRL) and P groups (500 ng/mL PRL). Results The results indicated that GCs treated with 4 ng/mL PRL significantly decreased (P

IntroductionTo confirm the efficacy of magnetic resonance-diffusion weighted imaging (MR-DWI) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) early pathological response prediction and assessment to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs)MethodsPDX-bearing mice were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group receiving cisplatin combined with radiotherapy, whereas the control group receiving normal saline. MRI scans were performed in treatment groups in the before, middle, and end of treatment. The correlations between tumor volumes, ADC values and tumor pathological response at different time nodes were explored. Then, expression of proliferation marker and apoptotic marker were detected using immunohistochemistry, and apoptosis rate was detected by TUNEL assay to further verify the results observed in the PDX models.ResultsThe ADC values of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group in the both middle and end stage of treatment (all P< 0.001), however, significant difference was only observed in tumor volume at the end stage of treatment (P< 0.001). Furthermore, the △ADCmid-pre in our study may able to identify tumors with or without pCR to nCRT at an early stage, due to these changes were prior to the changes of tumor volume after treatment. Finally, TUNEL results also showed that the apoptosis rate of the experiment groups increased the most in the middle stage of treatment, especially the groups with pCR, but the highest apoptosis rate occurred in the end of the treatment. Further, the two PDX models with pCR exhibited the highest levels of apoptotic marker (Bax), and lowest levels of proliferation marker (PCNA and Ki-67) in the both middle and end stage of the treatment.ConclusionsADC values could be used to determine the tumor’s response to nCRT, especially in the middle stages of treatment and before the tumor tissue morphology changes, and further, the ADC values were consistent with the potential biomarkers reflecting histopathological changes. Therefore, we suggest that radiation oncologists could refer to the ADC values in the middle stages of treatment when predicting the tumor histopathological response to n CRT in patients with ESCC.

ObjectiveTo explore the value of the FT4/TSH ratio in the etiological diagnosis of newly diagnosed patients with thyrotoxicosis.MethodsThe retrospective study was conducted on 287 patients with thyrotoxicosis (122 patients with subacute thyroiditis and 165 patients with Graves’ disease) and 415 healthy people on their first visit to our hospital. All patients underwent thyroid function tests including the measurement of T3, T4, FT3, FT4, TSH, T3/TSH, and T4/TSH. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to evaluate the value of FT4/TSH in the differential diagnosis of Graves’ disease and subacute thyroiditis, and compared with other related indicators.ResultsThe area under the curve of FT4/TSH for diagnosing Graves’ disease and thyroiditis was 0.846, which was significantly larger than the area under the curve of T3/T4 ratio (P< 0.05) and FT3/FT4 ratio (P< 0.05). When the cut-off value of the FT4/TSH ratio was 5731.286 pmol/mIU, the sensitivity was 71.52%, the specificity was 90.16%, the positive predictive value was 90.77% and the negative predictive value was 70.06%. The diagnostic accuracy was 79.44%.ConclusionFT4/TSH ratio can be used as a new reference index for the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis.

Background: Post-infarction chronic heart failure is the most common type of heart failure. Patients with chronic heart failure show elevated morbidity and mortality with limited evidence-based therapies. Phosphoproteomic and proteomic analysis can provide insights regarding molecular mechanisms underlying post-infarction chronic heart failure and explore new therapeutic approaches.Methods and results: Global quantitative phosphoproteomic and proteomic analysis of left ventricular tissues from post-infarction chronic heart failure rats were performed. A total of 33 differentially expressed phosphorylated proteins (DPPs) and 129 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that DPPs were enriched mostly in nucleocytoplasmic transport and mRNA surveillance pathway. Bclaf1 Ser658 was identified after construction of Protein-Protein Interaction Network and intersection with Thanatos Apoptosis Database. Predicted Upstream Kinases of DPPs based on kinase-substrate enrichment analysis (KSEA) app showed 13 kinases enhanced in heart failure. Proteomic analysis showed marked changes in protein expression related to cardiac contractility and metabolism.Conclusion: The present study marked phosphoproteomics and proteomics changes in post-infarction chronic heart failure. Bclaf1 Ser658 might play a critical role in apoptosis in heart failure. PRKAA1, PRKACA, and PAK1 might serve as potential therapeutic targets for post-infarction chronic heart failure.

An acute diffuse pustular eruption occurred in a patient after secukinumab injection and then the clinical presentation has been related to streptococcus infection after it has been isolated from throat swabs. Pustulosisacuta generalisata was definitively diagnosed. Antibiotic treatment had a poor effect, but the response to glucocorticoids was better.

Airborne forward-looking radar (AFLR) has been more and more impoatant due to its wide application in the military and civilian fields, such as automatic driving, sea surveillance, airport surveillance and guidance. Recently, sparse deconvolution technique has been paid much attention in AFLR. However, the azimuth resolution performance gradually decreases with the complexity of the imaging scene. In this paper, a data-driven airborne Bayesian forward-looking superresolution imaging algorithm based on generalized gaussian distribution (GGD- Bayesian) for complex imaging scene is proposed. The generalized gaussian distribution is utilized to describe the sparsity information of the imaging scene, which is quite essential to adaptively fit different imaging scenes. Moreover, the mathematical model for forward-looking imaging was established under the maximum a posteriori (MAP) criterion based on the Bayesian framework. To solve the above optimization problem, quasi-Newton algorithm is derived and used. The main contribution of the paper is the automatic selection for the sparsity parameter in the process of forward-looking imaging. The performance assessment with simulated data has demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed GGD- Bayesian algorithm under complex scenarios.

The mechanism underlying the development of fruit bodies in edible mushroom is a widely studied topic. In this study, the role of milRNAs in the development of fruit bodies of Pleurotus cornucopiae was studied by comparative analyses of the mRNAs and milRNAs at different stages of development. The genes that play a crucial role in the expression and function of milRNAs were identified and subsequently expressed and silenced at different stages of development. The total number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed milRNAs (DEMs) at different stages of development was determined to be 7,934 and 20, respectively. Comparison of the DEGs and DEMs across the different development stages revealed that DEMs and its target DEGs involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, endocytosis, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, RNA transport, and other metabolism pathways, which may play important roles in the development of the fruit bodies of P. cornucopiae. The function of milR20, which targeted pheromone A receptor g8971 and was involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, was further verified by overexpression and silencing in P. cornucopiae. The results demonstrated that the overexpression of milR20 reduced the growth rate of mycelia and prolonged the development of the fruit bodies, while milR20 silencing had an opposite effect. These findings indicated that milR20 plays a negative role in the development of P. cornucopiae. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the development of fruit bodies in P. cornucopiae.

This paper presents a new methodology for the identification of the control parameters of converters of Direct-drive Permanent Magnetic Synchronous Generator (DPMSG) using least square method. Firstly, the novel methodology for the control parameter identification was thoroughly introduced; after that, a complete model of DPMSG was built in DIgSILENT PowerFactory platform for generating testing signals; finally, the algorithm was tested through signals obtained using dynamic simulations of the complete model of DPMSG. The accurate estimation was obtained by this methodology, i.e. the maximum error of the identification results was less than 3.1%. This method was able to accurately identified the converter control parameters of DPMSG without setting initial values for the identification program.

Abstract Background Targeting AKT suppresses tumor growth through inducing apoptosis, however, during which whether other forms of cell death occurring is poorly understood. Methods The effects of increasing PARP1 dependent cell death (parthanatos) induced by inhibiting AKT on cell proliferation were determined by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, Hoechst 33,258 staining and analysis of apoptotic cells by flow cytometry. For the detailed mechanisms during this process, Western blot analysis, qRT-PCR analysis, immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation were performed. Moreover, the inhibition of tumor growth by inducing p53/SIRT6/PARP1-dependent parthanatos was further verified in the xenograft mouse model. Results For the first time, we identified that inhibiting AKT triggered parthanatos, a new form of regulated cell death, leading to colon cancer growth suppression. For the mechanism investigation, we found that after pharmacological or genetic AKT inhibition, p53 interacted with SIRT6 and PARP1 directly to activate it, and promoted the formation of PAR polymer. Subsequently, PAR polymer transported to outer membrane of mitochondria and resulted in AIF releasing and translocating to nucleus thus promoting cell death. While, blocking PARP1 activity significantly rescued colon cancer from death. Furthermore, p53 deletion or mutation eliminated PAR polymer formation, AIF translocation, and PARP1 dependent cell death, which was promoted by overexpression of SIRT6. Meanwhile, reactive oxygen species production was elevated after inhibition of AKT, which might also play a role in the occurrence of parthanatos. In addition, inhibiting AKT initiated protective autophagy simultaneously, which advanced tumor survival and growth. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that AKT inhibition induced p53-SIRT6-PARP1 complex formation and the activation of parthanatos, which can be recognized as a novel potential therapeutic strategy for cancer. Video Abstract

Animals experience stress when they are transported. In this experiment, sixty 4-month-old lambs were randomly divided into three groups: CG (basal diet), EG (basal diet + 375 mg/d/lamb electrolytic multivitamin) and NG (basal diet + 200 mg/d/lamb neomycin). The transportation day was recorded as the 0th day. Blood, liver, spleen, jejunum and colon were collected on the 0th, 7th and 14th day. The results were as follows: In EG and NG groups, the lamb weights (p < 0.01), IgA and IgG (p < 0.05) increased significantly. The concentrations of ACTH, E, COR, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ decreased significantly (p < 0.01). The content of colonic propionate increased significantly (p < 0.05). The villus height and V/C increased, and crypt depth decreased significantly (p < 0.01). The mRNA expressions of Occludin and MUC1, and the protein expression of Occludin in the jejunal mucosa, the mRNA expressions of ZO-1 and Occludin, and the protein expression in the colonic mucosa increased significantly (p < 0.01). The mRNA expression of TRAF6 and the protein expression of TLR4 in the jejunum decreased significantly (p < 0.05), as well as the mRNA expressions of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-kB, and the protein expression of NF-kB p65 and the mRNA expressions of TRAF6, TLR4 and NF-kB in the colon (p < 0.01). In conclusion, an electrolytic multivitamin could potentially improve the immunity and intestinal barrier function, and when it was added with 375 mg/d in the basal diet for each lamb from 2 d before transportation to 7 d after transportation, it had a better effect than neomycin.

Pleurotus cornucopiae cap color is an important commercial trait. The roles of non-coding RNA molecules (ncRNAs) in fungal fruiting body color formation are unclear. Whole-transcriptome analyses were performed, identifying messenger RNA (mRNA) and ncRNA (including long stranded non-coding RNA (lncRNA), micro RNA-like (milRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA)) molecules in three P. cornucopiae strains with different cap colors (grayish-black, grayish-white, and white), to investigate their roles in cap color formation. Differentially expressed mRNAs (n = 3604), lncRNAs (n = 520), milRNAs (n = 56), and circRNAs (n = 20) were identified among the three different color strains. Differentially expressed mRNAs and ncRNAs target genes were mainly involved in tyrosine, arachidonic acid, and histidine metabolism, plus other pathways potentially important in color formation. A competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and three mRNA and ncRNA co-expression networks were constructed, revealing relationships contributing to cap color formation, involving genes with roles in protein phosphorylation, and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that mRNA and ncRNA levels were related to P. cornucopiae color. These regulatory networks may be crucial in P. cornucopiae color formation. Our data provide a new perspective to support further study of the mechanisms underlying P. cornucopiae color formation.

Water pollution has becoming an increasingly serious issue, and it has attracted a significant amount of attention from scholars. Here, in order remove heavy metal hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) from wastewater, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was modified with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) at different mass ratios via an ultrasonic method to synthesize g-C3N4/MoS2 (CNM) nanocomposites as photocatalysts. The nanocomposites displayed efficient photocatalytic removal of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) from water under UV, solar, and visible light irradiation. The CNM composite with a 1:2 g-C3N4 to MoS2 ratio achieved optimal 91% Cr (VI) removal efficiency at an initial 20 mg/L Cr (VI) concentration and pH 3 after 120 min visible light irradiation. The results showed a high pH range and good recycling stability. The g-C3N4/MoS2 nanocomposites exhibited higher performance compared to pure g-C3N4 due to the narrowed band gap of the Z-scheme heterojunction structure and effective separation of photo-generated electron–hole pairs, as evidenced by structural and optical characterization. Overall, the ultrasonic synthesis of g-C3N4/MoS2 photocatalysts shows promise as an efficient technique for enhancing heavy metal wastewater remediation under solar and visible light.

Photocatalysis has emerged as a highly promising, green, and efficient technology for degrading pollutants in wastewater. Among the various photocatalysts, Bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) has gained significant attention in the research community due to its potential in environmental remediation and photocatalytic energy conversion. However, the limited light absorption ability and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers hinder the further improvement of Bi2WO6’s photocatalytic performance. This review aims to present recent advancements in the development of Bi2WO6-based photocatalysts. It delves into the photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2WO6 and summarizes the achieved photocatalytic characteristics by controlling its morphology, employing metal and non-metal doping, constructing semiconductor heterojunctions, and implementing defective engineering. Additionally, this review explores the practical applications of these modified Bi2WO6 photocatalysts in wastewater purification. Furthermore, this review addresses existing challenges and suggests prospects for the development of efficient Bi2WO6 photocatalysts. It is hoped that this comprehensive review will serve as a valuable reference and guide for researchers seeking to advance the field of Bi2WO6 photocatalysis.

Atmospheric heavy metal pollution presents a severe threat to public health and environmental stability. Transition metal catalysts have emerged as a potent solution for the selective capture and removal of these pollutants. This review provides a comprehensive summary of current advancements in the field, emphasizing the efficiency and specificity of nanostructured transition metals, including manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc. Looking forward, we delve into the prospective trajectory of catalyst development, underscoring the need for materials with enhanced stability, regenerability, and environmental compatibility. We project that advancements in computational materials science, nanotechnology, and green chemistry will be pivotal in discovering innovative catalysts that are economically and environmentally sustainable. The integration of smart technologies for real-time monitoring and adaptive control is anticipated to revolutionize heavy metal remediation, ensuring efficient and responsive pollution abatement strategies in the face of evolving industrial scenarios and regulatory landscapes.

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is one of the primary sequelae affecting the quality of life of patients with Japanese encephalitis (JE). The clinical treatment is mainly focused on life support, lacking of targeted treatment strategy. Methods A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomic profiling study was performed including 26 patients with JE in Gansu province of China from June 2017 to October 2018 and 33 other concurrent hospitalized patients who were excluded central nervous system (CNS) organic or CNS infection diseases. The clinical and proteomics data of patients with JE were undergoing combined analysis for the first time. Results Two subtypes of JE associated with significantly different prognoses were identified. Compared to JE1, the JE2 subtype is associated with lower overall survival rate and a higher risk of cognitive impairment. The percentages of neutrophils (N%), lymphocyte (L%), and monocytes (M%) decreased in JE2 significantly. Conclusions The differences in proteomic landscape between JE subgroups have specificity for the prognosis of cognitive impairment. The data also provided some potential target proteins for treatment of cognitive impairments caused by JE. Trial registration ChiCTR, ChiCTR2000030499. Registered 1st June 2017, http://www.medresman.org.cn/pub/cn/proj/projectshow.aspx?proj=6333

Abstract Background Little is known about whether age at initial diagnosis influences the prognosis of recurrent metastatic breast cancer (rMBC). Here, we analyzed the association between age at initial diagnosis and rMBC mortality in China. Methods A total of 1636 women diagnosed with rMBC between 1989 and 2020 at West China Hospital, Sichuan University were included in this study. The age at initial diagnosis was categorized as young (≤ 40 years), middle-aged (41–64 years) and elderly (≥ 65 years). Post-metastasis mortality was the primary outcome and its associated factors were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models. Results During a median follow-up of 5.2 years after initial diagnosis of breast cancer, 620 deaths were identified. Compared with middle-aged patients, elderly patients had a 70% increased risk of post-metastasis mortality (95%CI, 1.24–2.33) after adjusting for demographics, tumor characteristics and treatment modes. Similarly, elderly patients were associated with a 75% increased risk of post-metastasis mortality (95%CI, 1.19–2.59) compared with young patients. Subgroup analyses also showed similar trends. Conclusion Our findings suggest that in breast cancer, elderly patients at initial diagnosis face a higher risk of post-metastasis mortality.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising cell-based therapy for acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the optimal route of MSC transplantation remains controversial, and there have been no comparisons of the therapeutic benefits of MSC administration through different delivery routes. Methods In this study, we encapsulated MSCs into a collagen matrix to help achieve local MSC retention in the kidney and assessed the survival of MSCs in vitro and in vivo. After transplanting collagen matrix-encapsulated-MSCs (Col-MSCs) under the renal capsule or into the parenchyma using the same cell dose and suspension volume in an ischemia/reperfusion injury model, we evaluated the treatment efficacy of two local transplantation routes at different stages of AKI. Results We found that Col-MSCs could be retained in the kidney for at least 14 days. Both local MSC therapies could reduce tubular injury, promote the proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells on Day 3 and alleviate renal fibrosis on Day 14 and 28. MSC transplantation via the subcapsular route exerts better therapeutic effects for renal functional and structural recovery after AKI than MSC administration via the parenchymal route. Conclusions Subcapsular MSC transplantation may be an ideal route of MSC delivery for AKI treatment, and collagen I can provide a superior microenvironment for cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions to stabilize the retention rate of MSCs in the kidney.

Cadmium has been classified as a kind of human carcinogens, and has a strong mobility in the water environment and this can result in serious harm to human health and environmental safety. Here, a new selective and efficient extraction-recovery strategy for Cd purification is provided by using C6MimT/[C6Mim]PF6 as the green extractant. Due to the high compatibility between C6MimT and [C6Mim]PF6, C6MimT-Cd was efficiently separated from the aqueous phase. When the concentration of Cd(II) was 1000 mg/L, the extraction rate could reached 99.9 %. By comparing [C6MIm]BF4 with [C6MIm]PF6, the hydrophobicity restrained the ion exchange between cation and Cd and significantly reduced the loss of extractant. The extracted Cd(II) was separated in the form of precipitation after stripping. The extraction system of C6MimT/[C6Mim]PF6 was stable after several extraction-stripping cycles. The extraction of Cd(II) by C6MimT/[C6Mim]PF6 system mainly realized by forming a neutral and extractable cadmium complexes between Cd(II) and thione. Based on the natural complexation mechanism between metal and C6MImT, Cd exists as obvious competitive advantage in coordination with C6MimT compare to Pb, Zn, Mg, Cr, Fe. This work overcomes the problems of extractant loss and organic pollution caused by volatile or ion exchange, which can only reduce environmental hazards, but also promote the recovery of cadmium and other valuable resources.

PurposeThis study investigated the functional outcomes of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) after physiological ischemic training (PIT), identified the optimal PIT protocol, evaluated its cardioprotective effects and explored the underlying neural mechanisms.MethodsPatients with CHF were randomly divided into experimental group (n = 25, PIT intervention + regular treatment) and control group (n = 25, regular treatment). The outcomes included the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiopulmonary parameters. LVEF and cardiac biomarkers in CHF rats after various PIT treatments (different in intensity, frequency, and course of treatment) were measured to identify the optimal PIT protocol. The effect of PIT on cardiomyocyte programmed cell death was investigated by western blot, flow cytometry and fluorescent staining. The neural mechanism involved in PIT-induced cardioprotective effect was assessed by stimulation of the vagus nerve and muscarinic M2 receptor in CHF rats.ResultsLVEF and VO2max increased while BNP decreased in patients subjected to PIT. The optimal PIT protocol in CHF rats was composed of five cycles of 5 min ischemia followed by 5 min reperfusion on remote limbs for 8 weeks. LVEF and cardiac biomarker levels were significantly improved, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis was inhibited. However, these cardioprotective effects disappeared after subjecting CHF rats to vagotomy or muscarinic M2 receptor inhibition.ConclusionPIT improved functional outcomes in CHF patients. The optimal PIT protocol required appropriate intensity, reasonable frequency, and adequate treatment course. Under these conditions, improvement of cardiac function in CHF was confirmed through cardiomyocyte apoptosis reduction and vagus nerve activation.

ObjectivesPost-stroke depression (PSD) is a common and serious psychiatric complication which hinders functional recovery and social participation of stroke patients. Stroke is characterized by dynamic changes in metabolism and hemodynamics, however, there is still a lack of metabolism-associated effective and reliable diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for PSD. Our study was dedicated to the discovery of metabolism related diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for PSD.MethodsExpression profiles of GSE140275, GSE122709, and GSE180470 were obtained from GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in GSE140275 and GSE122709. Functional enrichment analysis was performed for DEGs in GSE140275. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was constructed in GSE122709 to identify key module genes. Moreover, correlation analysis was performed to obtain metabolism related genes. Interaction analysis of key module genes, metabolism related genes, and DEGs in GSE122709 was performed to obtain candidate hub genes. Two machine learning algorithms, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and random forest, were used to identify signature genes. Expression of signature genes was validated in GSE140275, GSE122709, and GSE180470. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied on signature genes. Based on signature genes, a nomogram model was constructed in our PSD cohort (27 PSD patients vs. 54 controls). ROC curves were performed for the estimation of its diagnostic value. Finally, correlation analysis between expression of signature genes and several clinical traits was performed.ResultsFunctional enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in GSE140275 enriched in metabolism pathway. A total of 8,188 metabolism associated genes were identified by correlation analysis. WGCNA analysis was constructed to obtain 3,471 key module genes. A total of 557 candidate hub genes were identified by interaction analysis. Furthermore, two signature genes (SDHD and FERMT3) were selected using LASSO and random forest analysis. GSEA analysis found that two signature genes had major roles in depression. Subsequently, PSD cohort was collected for constructing a PSD diagnosis. Nomogram model showed good reliability and validity. AUC values of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of SDHD and FERMT3 were 0.896 and 0.964. ROC curves showed that two signature genes played a significant role in diagnosis of PSD. Correlation analysis found that SDHD (r = 0.653, P < 0.001) and FERM3 (r = 0.728, P < 0.001) were positively related to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item (HAMD) score.ConclusionA total of 557 metabolism associated candidate hub genes were obtained by interaction with DEGs in GSE122709, key modules genes, and metabolism related genes. Based on machine learning algorithms, two signature genes (SDHD and FERMT3) were identified, they were proved to be valuable therapeutic and diagnostic biomarkers for PSD. Early diagnosis and prevention of PSD were made possible by our findings.

Extreme high temperature at the meiosis stage causes a severe decrease in spikelet fertility and grain yield in rice. The rice variety grain size on chromosome 2 (GS2) contains sequence variations of OsGRF4 (Oryza sativa growth-regulating factor 4; OsGRF4AA), escaping the microRNA miR396-mediated degradation of this gene at the mRNA level. Accumulation of OsGRF4 enhances nitrogen usage and metabolism, and increases grain size and grain yield. In this study, we found that pollen viability and seed-setting rate under heat stress (HS) decreased more seriously in GS2 than in its comparator, Zhonghua 11 (ZH11). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that, following HS, genes related to carbohydrate metabolic processes were expressed and regulated differentially in the anthers of GS2 and ZH11. Moreover, the expression of genes involved in chloroplast development and photosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and key transcription factors, including eight male sterile genes, were inhibited by HS to a greater extent in GS2 than in ZH11. Interestingly, pre-mRNAs of OsGRF4, and a group of essential genes involved in development and fertilization, were differentially spliced in the anthers of GS2 and ZH11. Taken together, our results suggest that variation in OsGRF4 affects proper transcriptional and splicing regulation of genes under HS, and that this can be mediated by, and also feed back to, carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, resulting in a reduction in the heat tolerance of rice anthers.

Object detection based on deep learning is a popular trend, and it includes object recognition and positioning. This paper proposes a method that can accurately obtain object type and accurate three-dimensional position. The method is divided into three parts: object recognition and coarse positioning based on deep learning, precise positioning based on deep learning combined with B-spline level set in color images, and precise three-dimensional positioning with depth information of RGB-D camera. The precise positioning of the object provides accurate end pose information for the autonomous grasping of the robotic arm, and it has great significance to the gripping of the robotic arm. Performance metrics include mAP (mean average precision) and IOU (intersection of a union). Experimental results show that the mAP value of Yolo-v3 in this paper can reach 87.62%, the average IOU of Yolo-v3 in this paper can reach 66.74%, the average IOU of Yolo-v3 and B-spline level set can reach 100%, and can get accurate 3D location in the real scene. In addition, the experiments comparisons between VOC dataset and our own dataset validate that our dataset can take higher mAP and average IOU values.

Abstract In recent years, many studies have shown that autophagy plays a vital role in the resistance of tumor chemotherapy. However, the interaction between autophagy and cell death has not yet been clarified. In this study, a new specific ERK inhibitor CC90003 was found to suppress colorectal cancer growth by inducing cell death both in vitro and in vivo. Studies have confirmed that higher concentrations of ROS leads to autophagy or cell death. In this research, the role of CC90003-induced ROS was verified. But after inhibiting ROS by two kinds of ROS inhibitors NAC and SFN, the autophagy induced by CC90003 decreased, while cell death strengthened. In parallel, protective autophagy was also induced, while in a p53-dependent manner. After silencing p53 or using the p53 inhibitor PFTα, the autophagy induced by CC90003 was weakened and the rate of cell death increases. Therefore, we confirmed that CC90003 could induce autophagy by activating ROS/p53. Furthermore, in the xenograft mouse model, the effect was obtained remarkably in the combinational treatment group of CC90003 plus CQ, comparing with that of the single treatment groups. In a word, our results demonstrated that targeting ERK leads to cell death and p53/ROS-dependent protective autophagy simultaneously in colorectal cancer, which offers new potential targets for clinical therapy.

Abstract The stability of lithium metal anodes essentially dictates the lifespan of high‐energy‐density lithium metal batteries. Lithium nitrate (LiNO3) is widely recognized as an effective additive to stabilize lithium metal anodes by forming LiNxOy‐containing solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). However, its poor solubility in electrolytes, especially ester electrolytes, hinders its applications in lithium metal batteries. Herein, an organic nitrate, isosorbide nitrate (ISDN), is proposed to replace LiNO3. ISDN has a high solubility of 3.3 M in ester electrolytes due to the introduction of organic segments in the molecule. The decomposition of ISDN generates LiNxOy‐rich SEI, enabling uniform lithium deposition. The lifespan of lithium metal batteries with ISDN significantly increases from 80 to 155 cycles under demanding conditions. Furthermore, a lithium metal pouch cell of 439 Wh kg−1 delivers 50 cycles. This work opens a new avenue to develop additives by molecular modifications for practical lithium metal batteries.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become a research hotspot in recent years because they act as messengers between cells in the physiological and pathological processes of the human body. It can be produced by the follicle, prostate, embryo, uterus, and oviduct in the reproductive field and exists in the extracellular environment as follicular fluid, semen, uterine cavity fluid, and oviduct fluid. Because extracellular vesicles are more stable at transmitting information, it allows all cells involved in the physiological processes of embryo formation, development, and implantation to communicate with one another. Extracellular vesicles carried miRNAs and proteins as mail, and when the messenger delivers the mail to the recipient cell, the recipient cell undergoes a series of changes. Current research begins with intercepting and decoding the information carried by extracellular vesicles. This information may help us gain a better understanding of the secrets of reproduction, as well as assist reproductive technology as an emerging marker and treatment.

BackgroundInternet Addiction is positively associated with a range of psychological risk factors such as childhood trauma and sleep disorders. However, it remains unclear if sleep duration mediates the association between childhood trauma and Internet addiction.MethodsWe enrolled 14,263 students from Shenzhen Polytechnic College, China. Sleep duration, Internet addiction and childhood maltreatment were assessed in these students by self-report measures, Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), respectively. With bootstrap approach and path analysis, the mediating role of sleep duration in the association between childhood trauma and Internet addiction was analysed.ResultsThe Internet-addicted group exhibited a higher level of the emotional abuse (EA) score, physical abuse (PA) score, sexual abuse (SA) score, a lower level of emotional neglect (EN) score and sleep duration compared with the control group (all p < 0.001). The CTQ total score and subscores showed a positive correlation with IAT scores both for males (r = 0.199, p < 0.001 for the total score, r = 0.356, p < 0.001 for EA, r = 0.270, p < 0.001 for PA, r = 0.249, p < 0.001 for SA, and r = 0.132, p < 0.001 for PN) and females (r = 0.127, p < 0.001 for the total score, r = 0.335, p < 0.001 for EA, r = 0.187, p < 0.001 for PA, r = 0.189, p < 0.001 for SA, and r = 0.065, p < 0.001 for PN). The CTQ subcores were negatively related to sleep duration both for males (r = −0.177, p < 0.001 for EA, r = −0.180, p < 0.001 for PA and r = 0.182, p < 0.001 for SA) and females (r = −0.137, p < 0.001 for EA, r = −0.105, p < 0.001 for PA, and r = −0.182, p < 0.001 for SA) and sleep duration was negatively correlated with IAT scores both in males (r = −0.120, p < 0.001) and females (r = −0.108, p < 0.001). Further, the path analysis suggested that EA and SA mediated significantly to the Internet addiction when all types of childhood trauma were examined in one model (both p < 0.001).ConclusionIn the current study, a great proportion of students met criteria for Internet addiction. Sleep duration mediated a significant proportion of the indirect effect between EA/SA and Internet addiction. The findings may help with prevention and intervention of Internet addiction in the future. The limitation of this study was that it was a cross-sectional study and not controlling for other mental disorders. Future large-scale longitudinal studies will be needed to further clarify the relationship between childhood abuse and Internet addiction and the mediation role of sleep duration.

ObjectivesWe aimed to determine trends in incidence and survival in patients with gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs) from 1977 to 2016, and then analyze the potential risk factors including sex, age, race, grade, Socioeconomic status (SES), site, and stage.MethodsData were obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, relative survival rates (RSRs), and Cox proportional risk regression model were used to evaluate the relationship between these factors and prognosis.ResultsCompared with other sites, the small intestine and rectum have the highest incidence, and the appendix and rectum had the highest survival rate. The incidence was higher in males than in females, and the survival rate in males was close to females. Blacks had a higher incidence rate than whites, but similar survival rates. Incidence and survival rates were lower for G3&4 than for G1 and G2. Age, stage, and grade are risk factors.ConclusionsThis study described changes in the incidence and survival rates of GI-NETs from 1977 to 2016 and performed risk factor analyses related to GI-NETs.

Meat and meat products are important foods in the human diet, but there are concerns about their quality and safety. The discovery of carcinogenic and genotoxic N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) in processed meat products has had serious negative impacts on the meat industry. In order to clarify the relationship between the use of nitrite or nitrate and the safety of meat or meat products, we reviewed NOCs in meat and meat products, the origin and safety implications of NOCs, effects of nitrite and nitrate on meat quality, national regulations, recent publications concerning the using of nitrite and nitrate in meat or meat products, and reduction methods. By comparing and analyzing references, (1) we found antioxidant, flavor improvement and shelf-life extension effects were recently proposed functions of nitrite and nitrate on meat quality, (2) the multiple functions of nitrite and nitrate in meat and meat products couldn't be fully replaced by other food additives at present, (3) we observed that the residual nitrite in raw meat and fried meat products was not well monitored, (4) alternative additives seem to be the most successful methods of replacing nitrite in meat processing, currently. The health risks of consuming processed meat products should be further evaluated, and more effective methods or additives for replacing nitrite or nitrate are needed.

In gas turbine and aeroengine, the rim seal is set between the turbine stator and rotor to prevent ingestion of the high-temperature mainstream into the rotating cavity. This study examined the sealing efficiency, flow mechanisms, and heat-transfer characteristics of three types of radial rim seal structures, which seriously affect the turbine aerodynamic efficiency and thermal safety. The flows and thermal fields were simulated using steady and unsteady numerical simulations, and dynamic modal decomposition was carried out to extract the unsteady characteristics. The results show that the seal cavity shape affects the seal efficiency. It was found that dolphin-nose with a hook and large cavity results in a higher sealing efficiency. The nose configuration of the cavity upper part also affects the outflow form of the purge flow. The purge flow from a shark-nose seal will inhibit the strength of the mainstream passage vortex, while that from a dolphin-nose seal will result in Kelvin-Helmholtz instability under certain flow rates and induce unsteady vortices. The purge flow will increase the thermal load of the blade and the hub at low flow rates. In particular, the overall thermal load with a dolphin-nose seal is 50% higher than that with a shark-nose structure. It is necessary to balance the sealing efficiency, flow instability characteristics, and heat-transfer characteristics to select an appropriate rim seal configuration.

IntroductionWith the increasing demand for human-machine collaboration systems, more and more attention has been paid to the influence of human factors on the performance and security of the entire system. Especially in high-risk, high-precision, and difficult special tasks (such as space station maintenance tasks, anti-terrorist EOD tasks, surgical robot teleoperation tasks, etc.), there are higher requirements for the operator’s perception and cognitive level. However, as the human brain is a complex and open giant system, the perception ability and cognitive level of the human are dynamically variable, so that it will seriously affect the performance and security of the whole system.MethodsThe method proposed in this paper innovatively explained this phenomenon from two dimensions of brain space and time and attributed the dynamic changes of perception, cognitive level, and operational skills to the mental state diversity and the brain neuroplasticity. In terms of the mental state diversity, the mental states evoked paradigm and the functional brain network analysis method during work were proposed. In terms of neuroplasticity, the cognitive training intervention paradigm and the functional brain network analysis method were proposed. Twenty-six subjects participated in the mental state evoked experiment and the cognitive training intervention experiment.ResultsThe results showed that (1) the mental state of the subjects during work had the characteristics of dynamic change, and due to the influence of stimulus conditions and task patterns, the mental state showed diversity. There were significant differences between functional brain networks in different mental states, the information processing efficiency and the mechanism of brain area response had changed significantly. (2) The small-world attributes of the functional brain network of the subjects before and after the cognitive training experiment were significantly different. The brain had adjusted the distribution of information flow and resources, reducing costs and increasing efficiency as a whole. It was demonstrated that the global topology of the cortical connectivity network was reconfigured and neuroplasticity was altered through cognitive training intervention.DiscussionIn summary, this paper revealed that mental state and neuroplasticity could change the information processing efficiency and the response mechanism of brain area, thus causing the change of perception, cognitive level and operational skills, which provided a theoretical basis for studying the relationship between neural information processing and behavior.

Objective Robust biomarker predicting efficacy of immunotherapy is limited. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sought to effectively monitor therapeutic response as well as disease progression. This study aims to investigate predictive role of ctDNA short-term dynamic change (6 weeks postimmunotherapy) in a single-arm, phase 2 trial of sintilimab plus docetaxel for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.Methods A total of 33 patients with advanced NSCLC with disease progression during or after any first-line treatment were prospectively enrolled between 2019 and 2020. Patients received sintilimab (200 mg, day 1, every 3 weeks) plus docetaxel (75 mg/m2, day 3, every 3 weeks) for 4–6 cycles, followed by maintenance therapy with sintilimab (200 mg, day 1, every 3 weeks) until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects. Blood samples were prospectively collected at baseline, and after 2 cycles of treatment (6 weeks post-treatment). All samples were subjected to targeted next-generation sequencing with a panel of 448 cancer-related genes. The landscape of high-frequency genomic profile of baseline and 6th week was described. Major molecular characteristics in preselected genes of interest associated with response to second-line chemoimmunotherapy were analyzed. The curative effects and prognosis of patients were evaluated.Results Patients with ctDNA clearance at 6th week had decreased tumor volume, while most patients with positive ctDNA at 6th-week experienced an increase in tumor volume. Positive 6th-week ctDNA was associated with significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (91 vs NR days; p

Automatic identification of mouse behavior plays an important role in the study of disease or treatment, especially regarding the short-term action of mice. Existing three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and two-dimensional (2D) CNNs have different limitations when addressing the task of mouse behavior recognition. For instance, 3D CNNs require a large calculation cost, while 2D CNNs cannot capture motion information. To solve these problems, a low-computational and efficient multi-cue gate-shift network (MGSN) was developed. First, to capture motion information, a multi-cue feature switching module (MFSM) was designed to utilize RGB and motion information. Second, an adaptive feature fusion module (AFFM) was designed to adaptively fuse the features. Third, we used a 2D network to reduce the amount of computation. Finally, we performed an extensive evaluation of the proposed module to study its effectiveness in mouse behavior recognition, achieving state-of-the-art accuracy results using the Jiang database, and comparable results using the Jhuang database. An absolute improvement of +5.41% over the benchmark gate-shift module was achieved using the Jiang database.

The heavy metal contamination of water systems has become a major environmental concern worldwide. Photocatalysis using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has emerged as a promising approach for heavy metal remediation, owing to the ability of MOFs to fully degrade contaminants through redox reactions that are driven by photogenerated charge carriers. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent developments in MOF-based photocatalysts for removing and decontaminating heavy metals from water. The tunable nature of MOFs allows the rational design of composition and features to enhance light harvesting, charge separation, pollutant absorptivity, and photocatalytic activities. Key strategies employed include metal coordination tuning, organic ligand functionalization, heteroatom doping, plasmonic nanoparticle incorporation, defect engineering, and morphology control. The mechanisms involved in the interactions between MOF photocatalysts and heavy metal contaminants are discussed, including light absorption, charge carrier separation, metal ion adsorption, and photocatalytic redox reactions. The review highlights diverse applications of MOF photocatalysts in treating heavy metals such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, silver, arsenic, nickel, etc. in water remediation. Kinetic modeling provides vital insights into the complex interplay between coupled processes such as adsorption and photocatalytic degradation that influence treatment efficiency. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is also crucial for evaluating the sustainability of MOF-based technologies. By elucidating the latest advances, current challenges, and future opportunities, this review provides insights into the potential of MOF-based photocatalysts as a sustainable technology for addressing the critical issue of heavy metal pollution in water systems. Ongoing efforts are needed to address the issues of stability, recyclability, scalable synthesis, and practical reactor engineering.

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the effect of abdominal compression on tumour motion and target volume and to determine suitable planning target volume (PTV) margins for patients treated with lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) based on four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT). Methods Twenty-three patients diagnosed to have a peripheral pulmonary tumour were selected and divided into an all lesions group (group A), an upper middle lobe lesions group (group B), and a lower lobe lesions group (group C). Two 4DCT scans were performed in each patient, one with and one without abdominal compression. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed before starting treatment. The gross target volumes (GTVs) were delineated and internal gross target volumes (IGTVs) were defined. IGTVs were generated using two methods: (1) the maximum intensity projections (MIPs) based on the 4DCT were reconstructed to form a single volume and defined as the IGTVMIP and (2) GTVs from all 10 phases were combined to form a single volume and defined as the IGTV10. A 5-mm, 4-mm, and 3-mm margin was added in all directions on the IGTVMIP and the volume was constructed as PTVMIP5mm, PTVMIP4mm, and PTVMIP3mm. Results There was no significant difference in the amplitude of tumour motion in the left–right, anterior–posterior, or superior-inferior direction according to whether or not abdominal compression was applied (group A, p = 0.43, 0.27, and 0.29, respectively; group B, p = 0.46, 0.15, and 0.45; group C, p = 0.79, 0.86, and 0.37; Wilcoxon test). However, the median IGTVMIP without abdominal compression was 33.67% higher than that with compression (p = 0.00), and the median IGTV10 without compression was 16.08% higher than that with compression (p = 0.00). The median proportion of the degree of inclusion of the IGTVCBCT in PTVMIP5mm, PTVMIP4mm, and PTVMIP3mm ≥ 95% was 100%, 100%, and 83.33%, respectively. Conclusions Abdominal compression was useful for reducing the size of the IGTVMIP and IGTV10 and for decreasing the PTV margins based on 4DCT. In IGTVMIP with abdominal compression, adding a 4-mm margin to account for respiration is feasible in SBRT based on 4DCT.