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Aiming at the YOLO (You Only Look Once) algorithm’s low detection accuracy caused by the complex background environment and large target scale difference in the detection of optical remote sensing images, the Deformable Convolutional Fusion Attention mechanism based DCH-YOLOv7 (Deformable Convolutional Hybrid-YOLOv7) target detection algorithm is proposed in this paper. In this algorithm, deformable convolution is introduced in order to meet the detection of optical remote sensing images with different scale, and at the same time, two modules, PELAN and PMP, are added to effectively improve the network’s ability to accurately localize the target features; secondly, a hybrid attention module (ACmix) is used, which effectively enhances the network’s sensitivity to the small targets and improves the detection accuracy; lastly, the CIoU loss function is replaced by the WIoU loss function, which, through the adjustment of the weights, improves the detection accuracy of the high-quality anchor frames, and reduces the probability of missed and false detection. Finally, experiments were conducted on publicly available datasets, namely DIOR. Experimental results indicate that the DCH-YOLOv7 algorithm achieved an impressive detection accuracy of 90.6% in mAP@0.5, demonstrating a remarkable improvement of 3.1% over YOLOv7. These results demonstrate that DCH-YOLOv7 algorithm has a certain improvement in the effectiveness of target detection in optical remote sensing imagery, and can better cope with the problems of the dense distribution of small targets, the large differences in target scales, and the complex background.

Point cloud completion is able to estimate the complete point cloud starting from the missing point cloud, which obtains higher quality point cloud data for widely used in remote sensing 3-D modeling, medical imaging, robot vision, etc. The challenge of point clouds mainly lies in the disordered and unstructured nature, which makes point cloud completion difficult. Point cloud completion research can be broadly categorized into traditional approaches and deep learning-based methods. Recently, intensive research has primarily focused on deep learning-based methods, given robustness and efficiency in processing the substantial missing data encountered in complex real world scenes. In addition, deep learning-based methods have higher generalization performance. To stimulate future research, this survey presents a comprehensive review of existing traditional and deep learning-based 3-D point cloud completion methods. This review conducts extensive examinations of each stage of the process, providing a compilation of famous datasets, metrics, and their respective characteristics. In addition, the impacts of subsequent downstream application tasks with or without completion are discussed, followed by some potential future issues in point cloud completion.

Abstract Background The cochlear sympathetic system plays a key role in auditory function and susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a well-documented process in NIHL. In this study, we aimed at investigating the effects of a superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) on NIHL in Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods We explored the effects of unilateral and bilateral Superior Cervical Ganglion (SCG) ablation in the eight-ten weeks old Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes on NIHL. Auditory function was evaluated by auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing and Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Outer hair cells (OHCs) counts and the expression of α2A-adrenergic receptor (AR) in the rat cochlea using immunofluorescence analysis. Cells culture and treatment, CCK-8 assay, Flow cytometry staining and analysis, and western blotting were to explore the mechanisms of SCG fibers may have a protective role in NIHL. Results We found that neither bilateral nor unilateral SCGx protected the cochlea against noise exposure. In HEI-OC1 cells, H2O2-induced oxidative damage and cell death were inhibited by the application of norepinephrine (NE). NE may prevent ROS-induced oxidative stress in OHCs and NIHL through the α2A-AR. Conclusion These results demonstrated that sympathetic innervation mildly affected cochlear susceptibility to acoustic trauma by reducing oxidative damage in OHCs through the α2A-AR. NE may be a potential therapeutic strategy for NIHL prevention.

Abstract According to gauge/gravity correspondence, we study the holographic Schwinger effect within an anisotropic background. Firstly, the separate length of the particle–antiparticle pairs is computed within the context of an anisotropic background which is parameterized by dynamical exponent $$\nu $$ ν . It is found that the maximum separate length x increases with the increase of dynamical exponent $$\nu $$ ν . By analyzing the potential energy, we find that the potential barrier increases with the dynamical exponent $$\nu $$ ν at a small separate distance. This observation implies that the Schwinger effect within an anisotropic background is comparatively weaker when contrasted with its manifestation in an isotropic background. Finally, we also find that the Schwinger effect in the transverse direction is weakened compared to the parallel direction in the anisotropic background, which is consistent with the top-down model.

Background and objective Transcription factor (TF) can bind specific sequences that either promotes or represses the transcription of target genes, and exerts important effects on tumorigenesis, migration, invasion. Staphylococcal nuclease-containing structural domain 1 (SND1), which is a transcriptional co-activator, is considered as a promising target for tumor therapy. However, its role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the role of SND1 in LUAD. Methods Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database was obtained to explore the association between SND1 and the prognosis, as well as the immune cell infiltration, and subcellular localization in LUAD tissues. Furthermore, the functional role of SND1 in LUAD was verified in vitro. EdU assay, CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, scratch assay, Transwell assay and Western blot were performed. Results SND1 was found to be upregulated and high expression of SND1 is correlated with poor prognosis of LUAD patients. In addition, SND1 was predominantly present in the cytoplasm of LUAD cells. Enrichment analysis showed that SND1 was closely associated with the cell cycle, as well as DNA replication, and chromosome segregation. Immune infiltration analysis showed that SND1 was closely associated with various immune cell populations, including T cells, B cells, cytotoxic cells and dendritic cells. In vitro studies demonstrated that silencing of SND1 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and migration of LUAD cells. Besides, cell cycle was blocked at G1 phase by down-regulating SND1. Conclusion SND1 might be an important prognostic biomarker of LUAD and may promote LUAD cells proliferation and migration.

As a soft computing method, applying fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) to time series prediction has become a timely issue pursued by numerous researchers. Although many FCM construction methods have emerged, most of them exhibit obvious limitations in weight learning especially for long-term or complex time series. Either the weight calculation is computationally expensive, or it cannot achieve gratifying accuracy. In this paper, a new method for constructing FCM is proposed which extracts concepts from data by exploiting triangular membership function, and the weights of high-order FCM are subtly obtained by transforming the learning problem of FCM into a convex optimization problem with constraints. Since then, FCM with optimized weights is used to represent fuzzy logical relationships of time series and implement prediction further. Fifteen benchmark time series,such as Soybean Price time series, Yahoo stock time series, Condition monitoring of hydraulic systems time series etc. are applied to verify prediction performance of the proposed method. Accordingly, experiment results show that the proposed numerical prediction method of time series is effective and can acquire better prediction accuracy with lower computation time than other recent advanced methods. In addition, the influence of parameters of the method is analyzed individually.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide, but its cause remains unclear. Oestrogen protects against OA, but its clinical use is limited. G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is a receptor that binds oestrogen, and GPR30 treatment has benefitted patients with some degenerative diseases. However, its effects on OA prevention and treatment remain unclear. Moreover, several studies have found that activation of estrogen receptors exerting anti-ferroptosis effects, which plays an important role in chondrocyte survival. Therefore, this study explored the general and ferroptosis-related effects and mechanisms of GPR30 in OA. Methods: Genome-wide RNA sequencing, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate GPR30 expression and ferroptosis-related indicators in cartilage tissues from clinical patients. Next, we investigated the effects of G1 (a GPR30 receptor agonist) on the function and pathology of OA in an animal model. We also treated chondrocytes with erastin (ferroptosis agonist) plus G1, G15 (GPR30 receptor antagonist), GPR30 short hairpin RNA, or ferrostatin-1 (ferroptosis inhibitor), then measured cell viability and ferroptosis-related indices and performed proteomics analyses. Finally, western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to assess the effects of G1 on yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) expression. Results: GPR30 expression was lower in the OA cartilage tissues than in the normal tissues, and G1 treatment significantly improved the locomotor ability of mice. Moreover, chondrocyte cell viability significantly decreased after erastin treatment, but G1 treatment concentration-dependently mitigated this effect. Furthermore, G1 treatment decreased phosphorylated YAP1 expression, increased activated YAP1 expression, and increased FTH1 transcription and protein expression, protecting against ferroptosis. Conclusion: GPR30 activation inhibited ferroptosis in chondrocytes by suppressing YAP1 phosphorylation, which regulates FTH1 expression.The Translational Potential of this Article: These results provide a novel potential target for therapeutic OA interventions.

Semantic segmentation of remote sensing images plays a critical role in areas such as urban change detection, environmental protection, and geohazard identification. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have been excessively employed for semantic segmentation over the past few years; however, a limitation of the CNN is that there exists a challenge in extracting the global context of remote sensing images, which is vital for semantic segmentation, due to the locality of the convolution operation. It is informed that the recently developed Transformer is equipped with powerful global modeling capabilities. A network called TCNet is proposed in this article, and a parallel-in-branch architecture of the Transformer and the CNN is adopted in the TCNet. As such, the TCNet takes advantage of both Transformer and CNN, and both global context and low-level spatial details could be captured in a much shallower manner. In addition, a novel fusion technique called Interactive Self-attention is advanced to fuse the multilevel features extracted from both branches. To bridge the semantic gap between regions, a skip connection module called Windowed Self-attention Gating is further developed and added to the progressive upsampling network. Experiments on three public datasets (i.e., Bijie Landslide Dataset, WHU Building Dataset, and Massachusetts Buildings Dataset) depict that TCNet yields superior performance over state-of-the-art models. The IoU values obtained by TCNet for these three datasets are 75.34% (ranked first among 10 models compared), 91.16% (ranked first among 13 models compared), and 76.21% (ranked first among 13 models compared), respectively.

Abstract Background Oxidative stress and inflammation can lead to apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), resulting in ovulation disorders and infertility. Baicalin (BAI) promotes cell proliferation and reduces inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms by which BAI treatment affects oxidative stress and inflammation in GCs remain incompletely understood. Methods KGN cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to analyze the effect of oxidative stress on GCs in vitro. Subsequently, H2O2-stimulated KGN cells were treated with BAI. The levels of GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD were measured using an activity assay kit. The levels of MDA, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Proliferation, apoptosis, and mRNA and protein levels were measured using the CCK8, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and western blotting. Results H2O2 treatment inhibited KGN cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, accompanied by increased oxidative stress and inflammation. BAI promoted proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in H2O2-stimulated KGN cells. BAI treatment promoted USP48 protein expression, and USP48 knockdown abrogated the protective effects of BAI, indicating that USP48 is a downstream mediator of BAI. Conclusion BAI treatment enhanced cell proliferation and ameliorated oxidative stress and inflammation by enhancing USP48 protein expression. BAI, which is used clinically and as a dietary supplement, may alleviate oxidative stress-induced GC injury and ovarian disorders.

Abstract Background Immunological nonresponders (INRs) living with HIV are at increased risk of co-infection and multiple tumors, with no effective strategy currently available to restore their T-cell immune response. This study aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of thymosin α1 in reconstituting the immune response in INRs. Methods INRs with CD4 + T cell counts between 100 and 350 cells/μL were enrolled and received two-staged 1.6 mg thymosin α1 subcutaneous injections for 24 weeks (daily in the first 2 weeks and biweekly in the subsequent 22 weeks) while continuing antiretroviral therapy. T cell counts and subsets, the expression of PD-1 and TIM-3 on T cells, and signal joint T cell receptor excision circles (sjTREC) at week 24 were evaluated as endpoints. Results Twenty three INRs were screened for eligibility, and 20 received treatment. The majority were male (19/20), with a median age of 48.1 years (interquartile range: 40.5–57.0) and had received antiretroviral therapy for 5.0 (3.0, 7.3) years. Multiple comparisons indicated that CD4 + T cell count and sjTREC increased after initiation of treatment, although no significant differences were observed at week 24 compared to baseline. Greatly, levels of CD4 + T cell proportion (17.2% vs. 29.1%, P

Abstract Objective Early identification of cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial. Neurofilament, a potential biomarker for neurological disorders, has gained attention. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between serum neurofilament light (sNfL) levels and cognitive function in elderly individuals in the United States. Methods This cross‐sectional study analyzed data from participants aged 60 and above in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2014). We collected sNfL levels, cognitive function tests, sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and other variables. Weighted multiple linear regression models examined the relationship between ln(sNfL) and cognitive scores. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) visualization explored nonlinear relationships. The stratified analysis examined subgroups' ln(sNfL) and cognitive function association. Results The study included 446 participants (47.73% male). Participants with ln(sNfL) levels between 2.58 and 2.81 pg/mL (second quintile) performed relatively well in cognitive tests. After adjusting for multiple factors, ln(sNfL) levels were negatively correlated with cognitive function, with adjusted β (95% CI) as follows: immediate recall test (IRT): −0.763 (−1.301 to −0.224), delayed recall test (DRT): −0.308 (−0.576 to −0.04), animal fluency test (AFT): −1.616 (−2.639 to −0.594), and digit symbol substitution test (DSST): −2.790 (−4.369 to −1.21). RCS curves showed nonlinear relationships between ln(sNfL) and DRT, AFT, with inflection points around 2.7 pg/mL. The stratified analysis revealed a negative correlation between ln(sNfL) and cognition in specific subgroups with distinct features, with an interaction between diabetes and ln(sNfL). Interpretation Higher sNfL levels are associated with poorer cognitive function in the elderly population of the United States. sNfL shows promise as a potential biomarker for early identification of cognitive decline.

Abstract Extant cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) includes widely distributed Cicadidae and relictual Tettigarctidae, with fossils ascribed to these two groups based on several distinct, minimally varying morphological differences that define their extant counterparts. However, directly assigning Mesozoic fossils to modern taxa may overlook the role of unique and transitional features provided by fossils in tracking their early evolutionary paths. Here, based on adult and nymphal fossils from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of Myanmar, we explore the phylogenetic relationships and morphological disparities of fossil and extant cicadoids. Our results suggest that Cicadidae and Tettigarctidae might have diverged at or by the Middle Jurassic, with morphological evolution possibly shaped by host plant changes. The discovery of tymbal structures and anatomical analysis of adult fossils indicate that mid-Cretaceous cicadas were silent as modern Tettigarctidae or could have produced faint tymbal-related sounds. The discovery of final-instar nymphal and exuviae cicadoid fossils with fossorial forelegs and piercing-sucking mouthparts indicates that they had most likely adopted a subterranean lifestyle by the mid-Cretaceous, occupying the ecological niche of underground feeding on root. Our study traces the morphological, behavioral, and ecological evolution of Cicadoidea from the Mesozoic, emphasizing their adaptive traits and interactions with their living environments.

Abstract Background Metastasis has emerged as the major reason of treatment failure and mortality in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Growing evidence links abnormal DNA methylation to the initiation and progression of NPC. However, the precise regulatory mechanism behind these processes remains poorly understood. Methods Bisulfite pyrosequencing, RT-qPCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to test the methylation and expression level of NEURL3 and its clinical significance. The biological function of NEURL3 was examined both in vitro and in vivo. Mass spectrometry, co-immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, and ubiquitin assays were performed to explore the regulatory mechanism of NEURL3. Results The promoter region of NEURL3, encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase, was obviously hypermethylated, leading to its downregulated expression in NPC. Clinically, NPC patients with a low NEURL3 expression indicated an unfavorable prognosis and were prone to develop distant metastasis. Overexpression of NEURL3 could suppress the epithelial mesenchymal transition and metastasis of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NEURL3 promoted Vimentin degradation by increasing its K48-linked polyubiquitination at lysine 97. Specifically, the restoration of Vimentin expression could fully reverse the tumor suppressive effect of NEURL3 overexpression in NPC cells. Conclusions Collectively, our study uncovers a novel mechanism by which NEURL3 inhibits NPC metastasis, thereby providing a promising therapeutic target for NPC treatment.

Introduction: Primitive trigeminal artery (PTA) is a rare intracranial vascular malformation, and mechanical thrombectomy and revascularization via PTA are rarely reported. Case Presentation: We reported a case of mechanical thrombectomy through PTA in a patient who presented with sudden slurred speech and had a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 12. Digital subtraction angiography of the cerebral vasculature showed PTA formation in the right internal carotid artery cavernous segment, with acute occlusion of the distal basilar artery at the PTA junction, and bilateral vertebral arteries and proximal basilar artery were underdeveloped. Therefore, we chose mechanical thrombectomy via PTA, but unfortunately, the vessel failed to recanalize. Follow-up at 1-month post-procedure indicated that the patient had passed away. We present the endovascular process and analyze and summarize the reasons for the failure to provide a reference for subsequent mechanical thrombectomy via PTA. Conclusions: PTA increases the risk of ischemic stroke and adds to the complexity of mechanical thrombectomy post-stroke. However, in certain situations, PTA can be used as a thrombectomy channel to increase the first-line possibility of timely endovascular treatment to save ischemic brain tissue.

Micro-laser beam powder-bed-fusion (µL-PBF) technique offers the capability to fabricate metallic components with enhanced surface quality and geometrical accuracy through refinement of processing parameters. Here, we elucidate the interrelated nature governing the scale-down of processing parameters and the evolution of solidification microstructures in a µL-PBF fabricated 316L stainless steel. We reveal the formation of two distinct cellular structures displaying different chemical segregations and dislocation arrangements within molten pools. Our findings underline the importance of chemical heterogeneity in modulating the evolution of dislocation structures, a phenomenon attributed to the intrinsic thermal gradients and unique thermal histories associated with the µL-PBF technique.

AbstractPurpose To compare the clinical and radiological results of the anterior approach versus the posterior approach versus the anterior–posterior approach for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures.Methods The network meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the PRISMA Statement. Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted up to June 22, 2023, for relevant randomized controlled trials. STATA13.0 was used to perform network meta-analysis. p

Abstract Neuropathic pain can occur during the prediabetic stage, even in the absence of hyperglycemia. The presence of prediabetic neuropathic pain (PDNP) poses challenges to the management of individuals with prediabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying this pain remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanism and identify potential therapeutic targets of PDNP. A prediabetic animal model induced by a high‐energy diet exhibits both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Furthermore, hyperexcitability and decreased potassium currents are observed in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of these rats. TREK1 and TREK2 channels, which belong to the two‐pore‐domain K+ channel (K2P) family and play an important role in controlling cellular excitability, are downregulated in DRG neurons. Moreover, this alteration is modulated by Sortilin, a molecular partner that modulates the expression of TREK1. The overexpression of Sortilin negatively affects the expression of TREK1 and TREK2, leading to increased neuronal excitability in the DRG and enhanced peripheral pain sensitivity in rats. Moreover, the downregulation of Sortilin or activation of TREK1 and TREK2 channels by genetic or pharmacological approaches can alleviate PDNP. Therefore, targeting the Sortilin‐mediated TREK1/2 pathway may provide a therapeutic approach for ameliorating PDNP.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is the early stage of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in patients with hypertension. It is worth identifying the potential hub genes of endothelial dysfunction to elucidate pathological mechanism in the progression of the disease. Method: We obtained gene expression profiles of GSE43292 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Hub genes associated with CAS were identified through weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to explore potential biological mechanisms and signaling pathways. Finally, in vitro experiments on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were conducted to validate these hub genes. Results: The microarray dataset GSE43292 included 32 CAS plaques samples and corresponding macroscopically intact tissues from patients with hypertension. A total of 161 differentially expressed genes were discovered. Through WGCNA analysis, the gray60 module emerged as the most significant module associated with clinical features. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of genes in the gray60 module highlighted the substantial involvement of immune response–related signaling pathways. Two key hub genes (CCR1 and NCKAP1L) were pinpointed via LASSO regression. We found a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of the hub genes in oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) treated HUVECs. Conclusions: Our study indicated that the hub genes related to immune responses are involved in the development of CAS. Two hub genes (CCR1 and NCKAP1L) of endothelial dysfunction were identified. These genes may provide a valuable therapeutic target of CAS in patients with hypertension.

Objective Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious intestinal inflammatory disease. We investigated intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), I-FABP mRNA, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as potential diagnostic biomarkers in NEC. Methods Forty mice were subjected to hypoxic-ischemic intestinal injury, and then serum I-FABP protein and mRNA levels were quantified. Ileal tissue pathological scores were determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. I-FABP expression levels and translocation in these tissues were detected using western blotting and immunofluorescence, respectively. Samples from 30 human neonates with NEC and 30 healthy neonates had serum I-FABP protein/mRNA and IL-6 levels measured. Results The mouse ileal tissue pathological score and I-FABP levels, as well as serum I-FABP and I-FABP mRNA levels, were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group. Serum I-FABP, I-FABP mRNA, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in human neonates with NEC than in the healthy group. Logistic regression and receiver operating curve analyses revealed that I-FABP protein/mRNA and IL-6 levels could be diagnostic biomarkers for NEC. Conclusions I-FABP protein/mRNA and IL-6 levels are useful biomarkers of intestinal ischemic injury in neonates with NEC. The combined detection of I-FABP protein/mRNA and IL-6 is recommended rather than using a single biomarker.

Introduction: Functional electrical stimulation is important for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic heart failure. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials compared the efficacy of functional electrical stimulation versus conventional exercise training or placebo in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods: Studies were searched through PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases up to 1 November 2023. The outcomes were cardiopulmonary function index (6-minute walking distance), peak oxygen consumption, and Minnesota Heart Failure Life Questionnaire quality of life scores. A subgroup analysis was conducted according to the ejection fraction. The 95% confidence interval and mean difference represented the outcome of the effect size. Results: Seventeen studies involving 732 participants were included. Compared with the control, functional electrical stimulation significantly improved peak oxygen consumption (MD = 2.84 ml/kg/min, 95% Cl: 1.99–3.68 ml/kg/min), increased 6-minute walking distance (MD = 49.52 m, 95% Cl: 22.61–76.43 m), and improved the life quality scores (MD = −12.86, 95% Cl: −17.48 to −7.88). Compared with functional electrical stimulation, exercise training also improved peak oxygen consumption (MD = −0.94 ml/kg/min −1 , 95% Cl: −1.36 to −0.52 ml/kg/min), and the quality of life (QoL, MD = 0.66, 95% Cl: 0.34–0.98, p

The interaction between water and graphene is important for understanding the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of water on hydrophobic surfaces. In this study, we constructed a high-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the water-graphene system using the many-body expansion scheme and neural network fitting. By analyzing the landscape of the PES, we found that the water molecule exhibits a weak physisorption behavior with a binding energy of about − 1000 cm−1 and a very low diffusion barrier. Furthermore, extensive molecular dynamics were performed to investigate the adsorption and diffusion dynamics of a single water on a graphene surface at temperatures ranging from 50 to 300 K. Potential-of-mean-forces were computed from the trajectories, providing a comprehensive and accurate description of the water-graphene interaction kinetics.

Abstract Preeclampsia (PE) is considered as a disease of placental origin. However, the specific mechanism of placental abnormalities remains elusive. This study identified thrombospondin‐1 (THBS1) is downregulated in preeclamptic placentae and negatively correlated with blood pressure. Functional studies show that THBS1 knockdown inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion and increases the cycle arrest and apoptosis rate of HTR8/SVneo cells. Importantly, THBS1 silencing induces necroptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells, accompanied by the release of damage‐associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Necroptosis inhibitors necrostatin‐1 and GSK′872 restore the trophoblast survival while pan‐caspase inhibitor Z‐VAD‐FMK has no effect. Mechanistically, the results show that THBS1 interacts with transforming growth factor B‐activated kinase 1 (TAK1), which is a central modulator of necroptosis quiescence and affects its stability. Moreover, THBS1 silencing up‐regulates the expression of neuronal precursor cell‐expressed developmentally down‐regulated 4 (NEDD4), which acts as an E3 ligase of TAK1 and catalyzes K48‐linked ubiquitination of TAK1 in HTR8/SVneo cells. Besides, THBS1 attenuates PE phenotypes and improves the placental necroptosis in vivo. Taken together, the down‐regulation of THBS1 destabilizes TAK1 by activating NEDD4‐mediated, K48‐linked TAK1 ubiquitination and promotes necroptosis and DAMPs release in trophoblast cells, thus participating in the pathogenesis of PE.

Psoriasis, characterized by erythematous plaques, desquamation, persistent pruritus, and discomfort, significantly compromises the quality of life for afflicted individuals. The intricate interplay of immunological, genetic, and environmental factors has left the molecular intricacies of psoriasis only partially elucidated, underscoring the imperative to unravel these intricate mechanisms. In contradistinction to conventional techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the burgeoning laser desorption/ionization (LDI) metabolic paradigm holds substantial promise in elucidating the molecular mechanism of psoriasis. Nonetheless, achieving heightened sensitivity and high-throughput metabolite detection within intricate clinical biosamples mandates stringent requisites, encompassing favourable ionization efficiency and high surface area. Henceforth, we proffered a dual-strategy entailing the utilization of transition metal carbides (MXene) with unique morphology and the integration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to ameliorate these challenges for psoriasis. We have corroborated the morphological architecture, elemental composition, and efficacy of LDI when applied to MWCNTs-doped MXene. Egregiously, through the employment of both animal models and clinical specimens, we attained diagnostic efficiencies of 0.959 and 0.924 via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, respectively, for discrimination psoriasis from control individuals. Doped MXene evinced exceptional signal amplification and imperviousness to salt and protein interference. Furthermore, enrichment pathway analysis unveiled a significant escalation in leukotriene E4 and arachidonic acid levels within the psoriasis cohort. Harnessing LDI metabolic fingerprints, concomitant with MWCNTs-doped MXene, expedited the recognition of the distinct metabolic characteristics inherent to psoriasis, thereby laying bare the dysregulation in leukotriene metabolism. This epochal breakthrough holds immense potential to usher in new vistas for exploring the underlying mechanisms governing the onset and progression of psoriasis-related disorders, thereby significantly contributing to the refinement of psoriasis health management strategies.

Objectives: To determine whether contrast-enhanced CT radiomics features can preoperatively predict lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion (PNI) in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: A total of 148 patients were included in the LVI group, and 143 patients were included in the PNI group. Three predictive models were constructed, including clinical, radiomics, and combined models. A nomogram was developed with clinical risk factors to predict LVI and PNI status. The predictive performance of the three models was mainly evaluated using the mean area under the curve (AUC). The performance of three predictive models was assessed concerning calibration and clinical usefulness. Results: In the LVI group, the predictive power of the combined model (AUC=0.871, 0.822) outperformed the clinical model (AUC=0.792, 0.728) and the radiomics model (AUC=0.792, 0.728) in both the training and testing cohorts. In the PNI group, the combined model (AUC=0.834, 0.828) also had better predictive power than the clinical model (AUC=0.764, 0.632) and the radiomics model (AUC=0.764, 0.632) in both the training and testing cohorts. The combined models also showed good calibration and clinical usefulness for LVI and PNI prediction. Conclusion: CECT-based radiomics analysis might serve as a non-invasive method to predict LVI and PNI status in GC.

IntroductionNeutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) provide key innate immune mechanisms, and studies have shown innate immunity and adaptive immunity are directly linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology. However, limited research has been conducted on NETs in the context of PD.MethodsA differential analysis was implemented to acquire differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PD and control as well as between high- and low-score groups determined by a gene set variation analysis (GSVA). Then, the genes within the critical module, obtained through a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), were intersected with the DEGs to identify the overlapping genes. Then, five kinds of algorithms in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) were performed to identify potential biomarkers. Subsequently, a nomogram for forecasting PD probability was created. An enrichment analysis and an immune infiltration analysis were performed on the identified biomarkers. qRT-PCR was performed to validate the expression trends of three biomarkers.ResultsWe revealed 798 DEGs between PD and control groups as well as 168 DEGs between high- and low-score groups obtained by differential analyses. The pink module containing 926 genes was identified as the critical module. According to the intersection of these gene sets, a total of 43 overlapping genes were screened out. Furthermore, GPR78, CADM3, and CACNA1E were confirmed as biomarkers. Moreover, we found that biomarkers mainly participated in pathways, such as the ‘hydrogen peroxide catabolic process’, and ‘cell cycle’; five kinds of differential immune cells between PD and control groups were identified. Finally, the qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated the up-regulation of GPR78, CADM3, and CACNA1E in the PD group.DiscussionOur study authenticated GPR78, CADM3, and CACNA1E as the biomarkers associated with PD. These findings provide an original reference for the diagnosis and treatment of PD.

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA), which can effectively improve quality of life, is a promising therapy for repair and reconstruction after face or body trauma. However, intractable issues are associated with VCA, such as the inevitable multiple immunogenicities of different tissues that cause severe rejection, the limited protocols available for clinical application, and the shortage of donor sources. The existing regimens used to extend the survival of patients receiving VCAs and suppress rejection are generally the lifelong application of immunosuppressive drugs, which have side effects. Consequently, studies aiming at tissue engineering methods for VCA have become a topic. In this review, we summarize the emerging therapeutic strategies for tissue engineering aimed to prolong the survival time of VCA grafts, delay the rejection and promote prevascularization and tissue regeneration to provide new ideas for future research on VCA treatment.

FAT1, a substantial transmembrane protein, plays a pivotal role in cellular adhesion and cell signaling. Numerous studies have documented frequent alterations in FAT1 across various cancer types, with its aberrant expression being linked to unfavorable survival rates and tumor progression. In the present investigation, we employed bioinformatic analyses, as well as in vitro and in vivo experiments to elucidate the functional significance of FAT1 in pan-cancer, with a primary focus on lung cancer. Our findings unveiled FAT1 overexpression in diverse cancer types, including lung cancer, concomitant with its association with an unfavorable prognosis. Furthermore, FAT1 is intricately involved in immune-related pathways and demonstrates a strong correlation with the expression of immune checkpoint genes. The suppression of FAT1 in lung cancer cells results in reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. These collective findings suggest that FAT1 has potential utility both as a biomarker and as a therapeutic target for lung cancer.

Abstract Micro‐Doppler effect is a vital feature of a target that reflects its oscillatory motions apart from bulk motion and provides an important evidence for target recognition with radars. However, establishing the micro‐Doppler database poses a great challenge, since plenty of experiments are required to get the micro‐Doppler signatures of different targets for the purpose of analyses and interpretations with radars, which are dramatically limited by high cost and time‐consuming. Aiming to overcome these limits, a low‐cost and powerful simulation platform of the micro‐Doppler effects is proposed based on time‐domain digital coding metasurface (TDCM). Owing to the outstanding capabilities of TDCM in generating and manipulating nonlinear harmonics during wave‐matter interactions, it enables to supply rich and high‐precision electromagnetic signals with multiple micro‐Doppler frequencies to describe the micro‐motions of different objects, which are especially favored for the training of artificial intelligence algorithms in automatic target recognition and benefit a host of applications like imaging and biosensing.

The impact of the built environment and weather conditions on travel behavior has been widely studied. However, limited studies have focused on better understanding such effects in medium-sized cities with bus-oriented transit systems, particularly from a separate perspective of travelers’ origins and destinations. We took Weinan, China, as a representative of second-tier cities in developing countries that concentrate on bus-oriented development strategies. New evidence of feature importance and nonlinear effects of crucial factors were revealed by an interpretable machine learning-based approach combining XGBoost and Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) with multi-source data. Most key factors were critical at both origins and destinations, such as the density of residential and commercial facilities. However, several important factors, such as road density and boarding time, had strong imbalanced effects on travel behavior. These findings provide novel insights and empirical implications to support urban planning strategies in medium-sized cities.

The number of online self-learning users has been increasing due to the promotion of various lifelong learning programs. Unstructured commentary text related to their real learning experience regarding the learning process is generally published by users to show their opinions and complaints. The article aims to utilize the dataset of real text comments of 10 high school mathematics courses participated by high school students in the Bilibili platform and construct a hybrid algorithm called the Artificial Intelligence-Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) + Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to crunch data and extract their sentiments. A series of tests regarding algorithm comparison were conducted on the educational review datasets. Comparative analysis found that the proposed algorithm achieves higher precision and lower loss rates than other alternative algorithms. Meanwhile, the loss ratio of the proposed algorithm was kept at a low level. At the topic mining level, the topic clustering of negative comments found that the barrage content was very messy and the complexity of the course content was generally reported by the students. Some problems related to videos were also mentioned. The outcomes are promising that the fundamental issues underlined by the students can be effectively resolved to improve curriculum and teaching quality.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common pathologic type of primary liver cancer. Liver transplantation (LT) is a radical strategy for treating patients with early-stage HCC, which may lead to a better prognosis compared to hepatectomy and ablation. However, survival of patients who develop HCC recurrence after LT is short, and early recurrence is the most common cause of death. Thus, efficient biomarkers are also needed in LT to guide precision therapy to improve patient prognosis and 5-year survival. Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) is an abnormal prothrombin that cannot activate coagulation, and it is significantly increased in patients with HCC, obstructive jaundice, and those taking vitamin K antagonists. Over the past decades, substantial progress has been made in the study of PIVKA-II in diagnosing, surveilling, and treating HCC, but its role in LT still needs to be elaborated. In this review, we focused on the role of PIVKA-II as a biomarker in LT for HCC, especially its relationship with clinicopathologic features, early recurrence, long-term survival, and donor-recipient selection.

Abstract Gut microbiota is linked to human metabolic diseases. The previous work showed that leucine deprivation improved metabolic dysfunction, but whether leucine deprivation alters certain specific species of bacterium that brings these benefits remains unclear. Here, this work finds that leucine deprivation alters gut microbiota composition, which is sufficient and necessary for the metabolic improvements induced by leucine deprivation. Among all the affected bacteria, B. coccoides is markedly increased in the feces of leucine‐deprived mice. Moreover, gavage with B. coccoides improves insulin sensitivity and reduces body fat in high‐fat diet (HFD) mice, and singly colonization of B. coccoides increases insulin sensitivity in gnotobiotic mice. The effects of B. coccoides are mediated by metabolizing tryptophan into indole‐3‐acetic acid (I3AA) that activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the liver. Finally, this work reveals that reduced fecal B. coccoides and I3AA levels are associated with the clinical metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that B. coccoides is a newly identified bacterium increased by leucine deprivation, which improves metabolic disorders via metabolizing tryptophan into I3AA.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignant tumor of the biliary system with the worst prognosis. Even after radical surgery, the majority of patients with GBC have difficulty achieving a clinical cure. The risk of tumor recurrence remains more than 65%, and the overall 5-year survival rate is less than 5%. The gut microbiota refers to a variety of microorganisms living in the human intestine, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, which profoundly affect the host state of general health, disease and even cancer. Over the past few decades, substantial evidence has supported that gut microbiota plays a critical role in promoting the progression of GBC. In this review, we summarize the functions, molecular mechanisms and recent advances of the intestinal microbiota in GBC. We focus on the driving role of bacteria in pivotal pathways, such as virulence factors, metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria, chronic inflammatory responses and ecological niche remodeling. Additionally, we emphasize the high level of correlation between viruses and fungi, especially EBV and Candida spp., with GBC. In general, this review not only provides a solid theoretical basis for the close relationship between gut microbiota and GBC but also highlights more potential research directions for further research in the future.

Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1) has been reported to play important roles in many tumors. However, FOXO1 has not been studied in pan-cancer. The purpose of this study was to reveal the roles of FOXO1 in pan-cancer (33 cancers in this study). Through multiple public platforms, a pan-cancer analysis of FOXO1 was conducted to obtained FOXO1 expression profiles in various tumors to explore the relationship between FOXO1 expression and prognosis of these tumors and to disclose the potential mechanism of FOXO1 in these tumors. FOXO1 was associated with the prognosis of multiple tumors, especially LGG (low grade glioma), OV (ovarian carcinoma), and KIRC (kidney renal clear cell carcinoma). FOXO1 might play the role of an oncogenic gene in LGG and OV, while playing the role of a cancer suppressor gene in KIRC. FOXO1 expression had a significant correlation with the infiltration of some immune cells in LGG, OV, and KIRC. By combining FOXO1 expression and immune cell infiltration, we found that FOXO1 might influence the overall survival of LGG through the infiltration of myeloid dendritic cells or CD4+ T cells. Functional enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis showed that FOXO1 might play roles in tumors through immunoregulatory interactions between a lymphoid and a non-lymphoid cell, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer. FOXO1 was associated with the prognosis of multiple tumors, especially LGG, OV, and KIRC. In these tumors, FOXO1 might play its role via the regulation of the immune microenvironment.

BackgroundAcute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are severe respiratory conditions with complex pathogenesis, in which endothelial cells (ECs) play a key role. Despite numerous studies on ALI/ARDS and ECs, a bibliometric analysis focusing on the field is lacking. This study aims to fill this gap by employing bibliometric techniques, offering an overarching perspective on the current research landscape, major contributors, and emerging trends within the field of ALI/ARDS and ECs.MethodsLeveraging the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database, we conducted a comprehensive search for literature relevant to ALI/ARDS and ECs. Utilizing Python, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace, we performed a bibliometric analysis on the corpus of publications within this field.ResultsThis study analyzed 972 articles from 978 research institutions across 40 countries or regions, with a total of 5,277 authors contributing. These papers have been published in 323 different journals, spanning 62 distinct research areas. The first articles in this field were published in 2011, and there has been a general upward trend in annual publications since. The United States, Germany, and China are the principal contributors, with Joe G. N. Garcia from the University of Arizona identified as the leading authority in this field. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology has the highest publication count, while Frontiers in Immunology has been increasingly focusing on this field in recent years. “Cell Biology” stands as the most prolific research area within the field. Finally, this study identifies endothelial glycocalyx, oxidative stress, pyroptosis, TLRs, NF-κB, and NLRP3 as key terms representing research hotspots and emerging frontiers in this field.ConclusionThis bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape surrounding ALI/ARDS and ECs. It reveals an increasing academic focus on ALI/ARDS and ECs, particularly in the United States, Germany, and China. Our analysis also identifies several emerging trends and research hotspots, such as endothelial glycocalyx, oxidative stress, and pyroptosis, indicating directions for future research. The findings can guide scholars, clinicians, and policymakers in targeting research gaps and setting priorities to advance the field.

AimThis study was aimed to summarize the complications and their management associated with XEN gel stent implantation.MethodsA systematic review of literature was conducted using Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Library databases, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, from their inception to February 1, 2024.ResultsA total of 48 studies published between 2017 and 2024 were identified and included in the systematic review, including 16 original studies (retrospective or prospective clinical studies), 28 case reports, and 4 case series, which followed patients for up to 5 years. Early postoperative complications of XEN gel stent implantation include hypotony maculopathy (1.9–4.6%), occlusion (3.9–8.8%), suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SCH), choroidal detachment (0–15%), conjunctival erosion, and exposure of the XEN gel stent (1.1–2.3%), wound and bleb leaks (2.1%) and malignant glaucoma (MG) (2.2%). Mid-postoperative complications of XEN gel stent implantation included migration of XEN (1.5%), ptosis (1.2%), endophthalmitis (0.4–3%), macular edema (1.5–4.3%), hypertrophic bleb (8.8%) and subconjunctival XEN gel stent fragmentation (reported in 2 cases). Late postoperative complications reported in cases included spontaneous dislocation and intraocular degradation.ConclusionXEN gel stent implantation is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedure for glaucoma, known for its potential to minimize tissue damage and reduce surgical duration. However, it is crucial to note that despite these advantages, there remains a risk of severe complications, including endophthalmitis, SCH, and MG. Therefore, postoperative follow-up and early recognition of severe complications are essential for surgical management.

Background: Accumulating small unruptured intracranial aneurysms are detected due to the improved quality and higher frequency of cranial imaging, but treatment remains controversial. While surgery or endovascular treatment is effective for small aneurysms with a high risk of rupture, such interventions are unnecessary for aneurysms with a low risk of rupture. Consequently, it is imperative to accurately identify small aneurysms with a low risk of rupture. The purpose of this study was to develop a clinically practical model to predict small aneurysm ruptures based on a radiomics signature and clinical risk factors. Methods: A total of 293 patients having an aneurysm with a diameter of less than 5 mm, including 199 patients (67.9 %) with a ruptured aneurysm and 94 patients (32.1 %) without a ruptured aneurysm, were included in this study. Digital subtraction angiography or surgical treatment was required in all cases. Data on the clinical risk factors and the features on computed tomography angiography images associated with the aneurysm rupture status were collected simultaneously. We developed a clinical–radiomics model to predict aneurysm rupture status using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The combined clinical–radiomics model was constructed by nomogram analysis. The diagnostic performance, clinical utility, and model calibration were evaluated by operating characteristic curve analysis, decision curve analysis, and calibration analysis. Results: A combined clinical–radiomics model (Area Under Curve [AUC], 0.85; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.757–0.947) showed effective performance in the operating characteristic curve analysis. In the validation cohort, the performance of the combined model was better than that of the radiomics model (AUC, 0.75; 95 % CI, 0.645–0.865; Delong's test p-value = 0.01) and the clinical model (AUC, 0.74; 95 % CI, 0.625–0.851; Delong's test p-value

Cloud detection plays a crucial role in the preprocessing of optical remote sensing images. While extensive deep learning-based methods have shown strong performance in detecting thick clouds, their ability to identify thin and broken clouds is often inadequate due to their sparse distribution, semi-transparency, and similarity to background regions. To address this limitation, we introduce a multilevel cloud detection network (MCDNet) capable of simultaneously detecting thick and thin clouds. This network effectively enhances the accuracy of identifying thin and broken clouds by integrating a dual-perspective change-guided mechanism (DPCG) and a multi-scale feature fusion module (MSFF). The DPCG creates a dual-input stream by combining the original image with the thin cloud removal image, and then utilizes a dual-perspective feature fusion module (DPFF) to perform feature fusion and extract change features, thereby improving the model's ability to perceive thin cloud regions and mitigate inter-class similarity in multilevel cloud detection. The MSFF enhances the model's sensitivity to broken clouds by utilizing multiple non-adjacent low-level features to remedy the missing spatial information in the high-level features during multiple downsampling. Experimental results on the L8-Biome and WHUS2-CD datasets demonstrate that MCDNet significantly enhances the detection performance of both thin and broken clouds, and outperforms state-of-the-art methods in accuracy and efficiency. The code of MCDNet is available in https://github.com/djw-easy/MCDNet.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the main type of diabetes, is a common chronic metabolic disease and a serious health concern worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-diabetic effects and underlying mechanisms of pungent substances in Zanthoxylum armatum DC (ZA) fruit (PAZ), which are both edible and medicinal. We firstly investigated the possible molecular mechanisms of the PAZ on T2DM using network pharmacology and online databases. Furthermore, the predicted results were explored by Glucosamine induced AML12 experiments in vitro. After PAZ intervention, ROS levels decreased, MDA levels of oxidative stress indicators decreased, and SOD, GSH, and CAT levels increased compared to the model group. Thus, the pungent agents from the fruits of Z. armatum are beneficial for ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus via regulation of AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling and reducing oxidative stress levels and exerting an anti-insulin resistance effect.

Remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) is an essential parameter in ocean color remote sensing and a fundamental input for the estimation of ocean color elements. Predicting Rrs has the potential to enable simultaneous prediction of multiple marine environmental parameters, facilitating multi-perspective analysis of marine environmental changes. This paper proposes a spatiotemporal attention-augmented ConvLSTM-based model for ocean Rrs prediction. The developed model can predict Rrs for up to seven days by simultaneously learning spatiotemporal features from time series Rrs and auxiliary environmental variables. According to the experiments, the proposed model achieves optimal performances on Rrs predictions at 443, 488, and 555 nm, with Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) for the first four prediction days less than 5.6*10-4 sr-1 and 8.6 %, respectively, which are better than the performance of the convolutional neural network (CNN), the LSTM, CNN-LSTM, and the ConvLSTM. The spatial and temporal variations of Rrs are also compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the model, presenting a consistent spatiotemporal pattern between predicted and observed Rrs. We also found that integrating sea surface temperature (SST), photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), and aerosol optical thickness at 869 nm (AOT869) into the model can improve the prediction accuracy in various degrees. This work suggests the proposed deep learning model can predict Rrs for 7 days with a convincing performance, providing critical data and technical support for ocean-related applications, such as algae bloom monitoring.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was originally identified as an important metabolic regulator which plays a crucial physiological role in regulating a variety of metabolic parameters through the metabolic network. As a novel multifunctional endocrine growth factor, the role of FGF21 in the metabolic network warrants extensive exploration. This insight was obtained from the observation that the FGF21-dependent mechanism that regulates lipid metabolism, glycogen transformation, and biological effectiveness occurs through the coordinated participation of the liver, adipose tissue, central nervous system, and sympathetic nerves. This review focuses on the role of FGF21-uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) signaling in lipid metabolism and how FGF21 alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Additionally, this review reveals the mechanism by which FGF21 governs glucolipid metabolism. Recent research on the role of FGF21 in the metabolic network has mostly focused on the crucial pathway of glucolipid metabolism. FGF21 has been shown to have multiple regulatory roles in the metabolic network. Since an adequate understanding of the concrete regulatory pathways of FGF21 in the metabolic network has not been attained, this review sheds new light on the metabolic mechanisms of FGF21, explores how FGF21 engages different tissues and organs, and lays a theoretical foundation for future in-depth research on FGF21-targeted treatment of metabolic diseases.

Abstract Asian dust delivers highly reactive iron (FeHR) to the Pacific Ocean, affecting marine biogeochemical cycles and Earth's climate. Tracing the source of dust deposited in the Pacific is vital for assessing global nutrient cycles but poses challenges. This work applies the (234U/238U) activity ratio to determine the pre‐deposition time and provenance of dust in North Pacific Ocean sediments (Ocean Drilling Program site 1209B). Results indicate a consistent dust pre‐deposition time (134 ± 10 ka) over the past 300,000 years, except during Marine Isotope Stage 7 when volcanic ash input shortened it to 31 ± 19 ka. Comparing the dust pre‐deposition times to those of the potential source deserts, we identify the dust transported to the North Pacific Ocean was primarily from the Taklamakan Desert, which contains higher FeHR content than other deserts. This finding enhances our understanding of soluble Fe supplied to the oceans, especially in dust circulation models.

Cobalt pollution is harmful to both the aquatic ecosystem and human health. As the primary producer of aquatic ecosystems in hypersaline environments, unicellular planktonic Dunaliella microalgae is considered to be a low-energy and eco-friendly biosorbent that removes excess cobalt and enhances the vitality of coastal and marine ecosystems. In this study, we found that the halotolerant microalga named Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 could grow under a salinity condition with 0.5–4.5 M NaCl. A phylogenetic analysis based on the rbcL gene revealed that Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 is a close relative of Dunaliella primolecta TS-3. At lab-scale culture, Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 exhibited high tolerance to heavy metal stresses, including cobalt, nickel, and cadmium. Treatment with 60 μM cobalt delayed its stationary phase but ultimately led to a higher population density. Furthermore, Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 has the ability to adsorb the cobalt ions in the aquatic environment, which was evidenced by the decreased amount of cobalt in the culture medium. In addition, the tolerance of Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 to cobalt stress was correlated with enhanced nitric oxide content and peroxidase activity. The autophagy inhibitor 3-MA enhanced nitric oxide burst, increased peroxidase activity, and accelerated the bioremoval of cobalt, suggesting that the autophagy pathway played a negative role in response to cobalt stress in Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558. In summary, our study identified a novel microalga possessing high cobalt tolerance and provided a promising natural biosorbent for the research and application of heavy metal bioremediation technology.

The increase in UV-B radiation at the Earth’s surface due to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer is a notable facet of contemporary climate change patterns. The macroalgae inhabiting the intertidal zone exhibit a diverse array of adaptive strategies to cope with dramatic environmental changes. In this study, we integrated physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic data from energy metabolism perspective to elucidate the responses and recovery mechanism of N. haitanensis to UV-B radiation exposure. UV-B radiation has a harmful impact on the photosynthetic performance of N. haitanensis. However, an increase in photosynthetic performance and upregulated expression of genes related to photosynthesis were observed during recovery, suggesting that the effect of UV-B on N. haitanensis was dynamic photoinhibition. Recovery experiments revealed that most genes and metabolites related to glycolysis were significantly upregulated, suggesting that glycolysis was activated to promote energy production. In addition, the TCA cycle was also activated, as evidenced by the increase in key substances and the upregulated expression of key enzyme-encoding genes during recovery. Correspondingly, ATP was also abundantly accumulated. These results suggested that the TCA cycle provided ATP for N. haitanensis to repair UV-B damage. Meanwhile, amino acid metabolism was enhanced during recovery as a source of intermediates for the TCA cycle. Therefore, photosynthesis, glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and amino acid metabolism synergistically cooperate to provide material and energy for recovery after UV-B radiation. This study is important for understanding the adaptive strategies of intertidal macroalgae in response to UV-B radiation.

Setaria italica (foxtail millet) plays an important role in human nutrition, animal feed, and agriculture. However, the difficulty in realizing precision seeding introduces challenges to the planting and industrialization of foxtail millet. To address the challenge of suboptimal seeding effects for foxtail millet seeds, we engineered an air-assisted mechanical foxtail millet hole seeder equipped with a duckbill hole-forming device. Through bench testing, we investigated the influence of the wire diameter of the return spring on the seeding effect, as well as the interactive effects of the vacuum pressure of the seed-metering device and the rotational speed of the dibber wheel on seeding performance. The results show the following. (1) With the return spring having a major diameter of 44 mm, minor diameter of 2 mm, and length of 70 mm, wire diameters of 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8 mm were evaluated for conformity with standard requirements for the quality index. Given the reduced tearing extent with a smaller wire diameter, a wire diameter of 1.4 mm was selected. (2) The vacuum pressure of the seed-metering device and the rotational speed of the dibber wheel had a significant impact on the quality index. Using the response surface methodology (RSM) for parameter optimization, we aimed to maximize the qualification rate and minimize the missing and double seeding rates. Optimal parameters were found with an inlet vacuum pressure of −7.8 kPa, a dibber wheel speed of 75 r/min, and a seeder forward speed of 1.69 m/s (6.08 km/h). These settings achieved a quality index of 89.88%, a multiples index of 1.56%, and a miss index of 8.56%, in accordance with model predictions. Field tests were conducted with the determined parameters, revealing that at a seeder forward speed of 1.67 m/s (6 km/h) and a metering device vacuum pressure of −7.8 kPa, the average seed spacing was 16.51 mm, the hole spacing coefficient of variation was 2.55%, the mean seeding quality index was 88.46%, and the seedling pass rate was 97.77%. Thus, the designed air-suction-assisted mechanical foxtail millet hole seeder complies with the standard requirements and represents an advancement in agricultural machinery for small grain crops.