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ABSTRACT: The cage-rearing model of the modern poultry industry makes the bones of birds, especially egg-laying birds, more vulnerable to fracture, which poses serious damage to the health of birds. Research confirms that genetic material plays an important role in regulating bone growth, development, and remodeling. However, the genetic architecture underlying bone traits is not well understood. The objectives of this study are to identify valuable genes and genetic markers through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for breeding to improve the duck bone quality. First, we quantified the tibia and femur quality traits of 260 laying ducks. Based on GWAS, a total of 75 SNP loci significantly associated with bone quality traits were identified, and 67 potential candidate genes were annotated. According to gene function analysis, genes P4HA2, WNT3A, and BST1 et al may influence bone quality by regulating bone cell activity, calcium and phosphate metabolism, or bone collagen maturation and cross-linking. Meanwhile, combined with the transcriptome results, we found that HOXB cluster genes are also important in bone growth and development. Therefore, our findings were helpful in further understanding the genetic architecture of the duck bone quality and provided a worthy theoretical basis and technological support to improve duck bone quality by breeding.

Understanding the full propagation process of drought, from meteorological drought (MD) to vegetation drought (VD), could promote drought monitoring and early warning in the ecosystems. This study characterized MD, soil moisture drought (SD), and VD and their propagations using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), the Soil Moisture Anomaly Percentage Index (SMAPI), and the Vegetation Health Index (VHI) to enhance understanding of the drought hazard in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), China. Drought events, duration, magnitude, intensity, and interval were identified from these time series via the run theory and percentile thresholds. The relationships between MD, SD, and VD were examined by cross-correlating the SPEI, SMAPI, and VHI. Finally, the effects of climate and grid properties on drought characteristics and propagations were investigated. The results showed that the upland had a low risk for all droughts, while the midland had a low risk for MD and a high risk for SD, and the lowland had a high risk for MD in the YRB. For the full-time data, the lowland had the strongest correlations and shortest time lags, while the upland had the weakest correlations and longest time lags for full propagation from MD to SD to VD. However, seasonality and multi-threshold characteristics in extreme drought dominated the propagation process of VD. For monthly data, midland showed the strongest correlations and shortest time lags in summer, while lowland showed the strongest correlations and shortest time lags in other seasons for full propagation of VD. For multi-threshold data, the 0–30th percentile had stronger correlations and shorter time lags for full propagation of VD. Meteorology showed a stronger correlation with all drought characteristics and drought propagation than soil properties and land use. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing the vegetation aspects of drought monitoring and early warning in the YRB.

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in China. Early detection and diagnosis of TB cases are crucial to interrupt disease transmission and prevent its progression. This study aims to describe the delay in seeking care and diagnosis among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and identify the influencing factors in two counties in Beijing.MethodsA retrospective analysis was carried out to investigate care-seeking and diagnosis delay in two counties in Beijing. Basic information of PTB patients from January 1 to December 31, 2021, was extracted from the Tuberculosis Information Management System of China (TBIMS), and all enrolled patients were interviewed via telephone using a standard questionnaire. Statistical description was performed using the median and interquartile range (IQR). Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyze the influencing factors.Results537 patients were enrolled. The median duration of care-seeking and diagnosis delay was 11 (IQR: 5–26) days and 8 (IQR: 0–18) days, with 41.71 and 35.20% of patients experiencing delays (>14 days). The study found that being asymptomatic (OR = 2.791, 95%CI: 1.710–4.555) before seeking medical care and not attending work during treatment (OR = 2.990, 95%CI: 1.419–6.298) were identified as risk factors for care-seeking delay. Patients who were tracked (OR = 2.632, 95%CI: 1.062–6.521) and diagnosed at tuberculosis control and prevention institutions (OR = 1.843, 95%CI: 1.061–3.202) had higher odds of diagnostic delays. 44.69% of patients presented a total delay (>28 days), with a median duration of 25 (IQR: 13–39) days. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that healthy examination (OR = 0.136, 95%CI: 0.043–0.425) was a protective factor for total delay.ConclusionPublic interventions are necessary to improve the efficiency of PTB patients detection and treatment in Beijing. Medical services should focus on the target population and improve access to medical care to further reduce delays for PTB patients.

BackgroundMechanical thrombectomy (MT) is one of the effective treatment methods for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which requires a period of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after endovascular treatment. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of 3-month DAPT and 1-month DAPT in AIS patients receiving MT through a retrospective study.MethodsAIS patients who received MT from May 2018 to March 2023 were grouped into a 1-month group (1-M group) and a 3-month group (3-M group) according to the duration of DAPT after MT. The primary outcome was the mRS score at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included a good prognosis (mRS score of 0–2) at 90 days post-surgery, 6-month mortality, recurrence of cerebral infarction, Barthel's index, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score, and incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) during hospitalization.ResultA total of 147 patients with AIS were included in the final analysis, with 78 patients in the 1-M group and 69 patients in the 3-M group. The baseline and neurological characteristics were comparable between both groups. At 3-month follow-up, a total of 61 patients had an mRS of 0–2 at 90 days, with an average mRS of 3.3 ± 0.9 for all patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the mRS between the two groups of patients at 90 days (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the mortality rate and incidence of sICH between the two groups of patients during the 6-month follow-up period (P > 0.05), but the recurrence rate of AIS in the 3-M group was lower than that in the 1-M group (P < 0.05). The improvement of Barthel index and MoCA in patients in the 3-M group was higher than those in the 1-M group at 6 months but not statistically different (P > 0.05).ConclusionFor AIS patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy, compared to 1-month DAPT, 3-month DAPT can reduce the recurrence rate of IS during a 6-month follow-up period, without increasing the mortality and risk of cerebral hemorrhage.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prominent malignancies that originate in the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa and is one of the main causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. New circulating biomarkers of exosomal RNA might have great potential for non-invasive early prognosis of GC. Sijunzi Decoction (SJZD) is a typical representative formula of the method of benefiting Qi and strengthening the spleen in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). However, the effects and mechanism of SJZD in treating GC remain unclear. This study looked for biomarkers of exosomal RNA for early prognosis of GC, and explored the mechanism of SJZD in treating GC. A gastric cancer model with spleen deficiency syndrome was established in nude mice, and the curative effects of SJZD were investigated. Differentially expressed miRNAs in plasma and saliva exosomes were sequenced and analyzed. Potential target genes of these miRNAs were predicted and applied for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment annotation. Overlapping miRNAs in saliva and plasma samples were analyzed, and qRT-PCR was performed for verification. miR-151a-3p was selected, and qRT-PCR further determined that miR-151a-3p was downregulated in saliva and plasma exosomes from the SJZD group. The intersected miR-151a-3p target genes were predicted and enriched in the extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways. SJZD significantly ameliorates gastric cancer with spleen deficiency syndrome in mouse models, and exosomal miRNAs, particularly miR-151-3p, might be modulated by SJZD in plasma and saliva. The exosomal miR-151-3p in saliva may serve as a non-invasive potential marker for gastric cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Abstract Detection of vector magnetic fields at nanoscale dimensions is critical in applications ranging from basic material science and fundamental physics to information storage and medical diagnostics. So far, nanoscale vector magnetic field sensing is achieved solely by exploiting a single nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) center in a diamond, by evaluating the Zeeman splitting of NV spin qubits by using the technique of an optically‐detected magnetic resonance. This protocol requires a complex optical setup and expensive detection systems to detect the photoluminescence light, which may limit miniaturization and scalability. Here, a simple approach with all‐electric operation to sensing a vector magnetic field at 200 × 200 nm2 dimensions is experimentally demonstrated, by monitoring a stochastic nanomagnet's transition probability from a metastable state, excited by a driving current due to spin‐orbit torque, to a settled state.

ABSTRACT: Artificial insemination (AI) technology has greatly promoted the development of the chicken industry. Recently, AI technology has also begun to be used in the duck industry, but there are some problems. Numerous researchers have shown that microbes colonizing in semen can degrade semen quality, and AI can increase the harmful microbial load in hen's reproductive tract. Different from the degraded external genitalia of roosters, drakes have well-developed external genitalia, which may cause drake semen to be more susceptible to microbial contamination. However, information on the compositions, sources, and effects of semen microbes on semen quality remains unknown in drakes. In the current study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect microbial communities in drake semen, environmental swabs, cloacal swabs, and the spermaduct after quantifying the semen quality of drakes to investigate the effects of microbes in the environment, cloaca, and spermaduct on semen microbiota and the relationships between semen microbes and semen quality. Taxonomic analysis showed that the microbes in the semen, environment, cloaca, and spermaduct samples were all classified into 4 phyla and 25 genera. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla. Phyllobacterium only existed in the environment, while Marinococcus did not exist in the cloaca. Of the 24 genera present in semen: Brachybacterium, Brochothrix, Chryseobacterium, Kocuria, Marinococcus, Micrococcus, Rothia, Salinicoccus, and Staphylococcus originated from the environment; Achromobacter, Aerococcus, Corynebacterium, Desemzia, Enterococcus, Jeotgalicoccus, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, and Turicibacter originated from the cloaca; and Agrobacterium, Carnobacterium, Chelativorans, Devosia, Halomonas, and Oceanicaulis originated from the spermaduct. In addition, K-means clustering analysis showed that semen samples could be divided into 2 clusters based on microbial compositions, and compared with cluster 1, the counts of Chelativorans (P < 0.05), Devosia (P < 0.01), Halomonas (P < 0.05), and Oceanicaulis (P < 0.05) were higher in cluster 2, while the sperm viability (P < 0.05), total sperm number (P < 0.01), and semen quality factor (SQF) (P < 0.01) were lower in cluster 2. Furthermore, functional prediction analysis of microbes showed that the activities of starch and sucrose metabolism, phosphotransferase system, ABC transporters, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and quorum sensing pathways between cluster 1 and cluster 2 were significantly different (P < 0.05). Overall, environmental/cloacal microbes resulted in semen contamination, and microbes from the Chelativorans, Devosia, Halomonas, and Oceanicaulis genera may have negative effects on semen quality in drakes by affecting the activities of starch and sucrose metabolism, phosphotransferase system, ABC transporters, and quorum sensing pathways that are associated with carbohydrate metabolism. These data will provide a basis for developing strategies to prevent microbial contamination of drake semen.

ABSTRACT: The skeleton is a vital organ providing structural support in poultry. Weakness in bone structure can lead to deformities, osteoporosis, cage fatigue, and fractures, resulting in economic losses. Research has substantiated that genetic factors play a significant role in influencing bone quality. The discovery of genetic markers associated with bone quality holds paramount importance for enhancing genetic traits related to the skeletal system in poultry. This study analyzed nine phenotypic indicators of tibia quality in 120-day-old ducks. The phenotypic correlation revealed a high correlation among diameter, Perimeter, and weight (0.69–0.78), and a strong correlation was observed between toughness and breaking strength (0.62). Then, we conducted a genome-wide association analysis of the phenotypic indicators to elucidate the genetic basis of tibial quality in Nonghua ducks. Among the 11 candidate genes that were annotated, TAPT1, BST1, and STIM2 were related to the diameter indicator, ZNF652, IGF2BP1, CASK, and GREB1L were associated with the weight and toughness indicators. RFX8, GLP1R, and DNAAF5 were identified for ash, calcium, and phosphorus content, respectively. Finally, KEGG and GO analysis for annotated genes were performed. STIM2 and BST1 were enriched into the Calcium signalling pathway and Niacin and nicotinamide metabolic pathway, which may be key candidate genes affecting bone quality phenotypes. Gene expression analysis of the candidate genes, such as STIM2, BST1, TAPT1, and CASK showed higher expression levels in bones compared to other tissues. The obtained results can contribute to new insights into tibial quality and provide new genetic biomarkers that can be employed in duck breeding.

Study region: The Yellow River Basin in China Study focus: Agricultural drought (AD) poses a serious threat to national food security, however, responses to AD to meteorological drought (MD), factoring in influences of climate change and human activity, are not well understood. This study employed the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index and the Standardized Soil Moisture Index to characterize the evolution of MD and AD. The drought propagation time (PT) was calculated with maximum correlation coefficients under full-crop-cycle, seasonal, and multi-threshold modes for spring and winter wheat in the Yellow River Basin (YRB; China). New hydrological insights for the region: Both spring and winter wheat faced increasing magnitude agricultural drought events (ADEM), with winter wheat being affected more severely from 1950–2021. Increasing temperature enhanced ADEM, while human activities had a more uncertain. The PT was generally prolonged for all propagation modes, with spring wheat having a longer PT except for in multi-threshold mode. The full-crop-cycle mode showed the entire period of crop growth propagation characteristics, the seasonal mode showed different propagation characteristics by month, and the multi-threshold mode showed the propagation characteristics at different degrees of AD. Sunspot Index had the highest influence on PT among all teleconnection factors, and human activities had increasing impact. The results of this study provide a basis for better understanding the agricultural drought propagation.

Tillage practices have been widely acknowledged to play a critical role in optimizing water use efficiency (WUE) for winter wheat production in the Northern China Plain (NCP) where drought is a critical limiting factor. Therefore, the WUE of wheat as influenced by annual rotational tillage under the corn–wheat cropping system during 2016–2018 has determined. The tillage regimes in the corn season were either N: no–tillage or SR: sub–soiling with rotary tillage). One of three regimes, sTR: strip rotary tillage; R: rotary tillage; and SR: sub–soiling with rotary tillage) were the tillage practices in the wheat seasons. Thus, making a total of 6 treatments. N–SR markedly decreased the penetration resistance, while the soil water storage was enhanced in the 60-100 cm layer during the wheat season, over both years. On the other hand, the use of SR during the wheat-growing season increased evapotranspiration. Compared with other tillage practices, the photosynthesis rate enhanced under the N–SR. As a result, the highest yield and WUE of wheat were recorded in the N–SR regime. Our findings suggest that no–tillage in the corn season and sub–soiling with rotary tillage in the succeeding wheat season can improve wheat yield by promoting deep soil water, enhancing the leaves photosynthesis rate and increasing WUE.

A coal mine pipe grabbing robot is designed, and its system composition, core parameters and main functions are introduced. Based on the structural characteristics and working mode of the pipe grabbing robot and its hydraulic arm in coal mine, the inverse kinematics solving algorithm of the robot arm based on the fixed angle method and search method is studied, the inverse kinematics solving principle of the redundant robot arm is analyzed, and the detailed flow of the algorithm is given. The simulation results show that the joint angle sequence obtained by inverse kinematics can drive the end of the manipulator to the target pose, and the solving process is reliable, which verifies the effectiveness of the algorithm. Compared with other existing inverse kinematics solving algorithms, this algorithm has explicit mathematical expression, so the algorithm deployment cost is low.

Abstract DNA methylation at the fifth position of cytosine (5-methylcytosine, 5mC) is a crucial epigenetic modification for regulating gene expression, but little is known about how it regulates gene expression in insects. Here, we pursue the detailed molecular mechanism by which DNMT1-mediated 5mC maintenance regulates female reproduction in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. Our results show that Dnmt1 knockdown decreases the level of 5mC in the ovary, upregulating numerous genes during choriogenesis, especially the transcription factor ftz-f1. The hypomethylation at the ftz-f1 promoter region increases and prolongs ftz-f1 expression in ovarian follicle cells during choriogenesis, which consequently causes aberrantly high levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone and excessively upregulates the extracellular matrix remodeling gene Mmp1. These changes further impair choriogenesis and disrupt fertilization by causing anoikis of the follicle cells, a shortage of chorion proteins, and malformation of the sponge-like bodies. This study significantly advances our understanding of how DNA 5mC modification regulates female reproduction in insects.

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is widely prevalent worldwide, and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) have become the primary cause of death for T2DM patients who develop concurrent infections. Among these, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection has been found to exhibit a high mortality rate and poor prognosis and is frequently observed in bacterial infections that are concurrent with COVID-19. Studies have suggested that acarbose can be used to treat T2DM and reduce inflammation. Our objective was to explore the effect of acarbose on P. aeruginosa RTI in T2DM individuals and elucidate its underlying mechanism. Methods High-fat diet (HFD) induction and P. aeruginosa inhalation were used to establish a RTI model in T2DM mice. The effect and mechanism of acarbose administered by gavage on P. aeruginosa RTI were investigated in T2DM and nondiabetic mice using survival curves, pathological examination, and transcriptomics. Results We found that P. aeruginosa RTI was more severe in T2DM mice than in nondiabetic individuals, which could be attributed to the activation of the NF-κB and TREM-1 signaling pathways. When acarbose alleviated P. aeruginosa RTI in T2DM mice, both HIF-1α and NF-κB signaling pathways were inhibited. Furthermore, inhibition of the calcium ion signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway contributed to the attenuation of P. aeruginosa RTI by acarbose in nondiabetic mice. Conclusions This study confirmed the attenuating effect of acarbose on P. aeruginosa RTIs in T2DM and nondiabetic mice and investigated its mechanism, providing novel support for its clinical application in related diseases.

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Therefore, we intend to explore novel strategies against PDAC. The exosomes-based biomimetic nanoparticle is an appealing candidate served as a drug carrier in cancer treatment, due to its inherit abilities. In the present study, we designed dasatinib-loaded hybrid exosomes by fusing human pancreatic cancer cells derived exosomes with dasatinib-loaded liposomes, followed by characterization for particle size (119.9 ± 6.10 nm) and zeta potential (−11.45 ± 2.24 mV). Major protein analysis from western blot techniques reveal the presence of exosome marker proteins CD9 and CD81. PEGylated hybrid exosomes showed pH-sensitive drug release in acidic condition, benefiting drug delivery to acidic cancer environment. Dasatinib-loaded hybrid exosomes exhibited significantly higher uptake rates and cytotoxicity to parent PDAC cells by two-sample t-test or by one-way ANOVA analysis of variance, as compared to free drug or liposomal formulations. The results from our computational analysis demonstrated that the drug-likeness, ADMET, and protein-ligand binding affinity of dasatinib are verified successfully. Cancer derived hybrid exosomes may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment.

ABSTRACTGenetically modified (GM) soybeans provide a huge amount of food for human consumption and animal feed. However, the possibility of unexpected effects of transgenesis has increased food safety concerns. High-throughput sequencing profiling provides a potential approach to directly evaluate unintended effects caused by foreign genes. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analyses to evaluate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in individual soybean tissues, including cotyledon (C), germ (G), hypocotyl (H), and radicle (R), instead of using the whole seed, from four GM and three non-GM soybean lines. A total of 3,351 DEGs were identified among the three non-GM soybean lines. When the GM lines were compared with their non-GM parents, 1,836 to 4,551 DEGs were identified. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the DEGs showed more abundant categories of GO items (199) among non-GM lines than between GM lines and the non-GM natural varieties (166). Results of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that most KEGG pathways were the same for the two types of comparisons. The study successfully employed RNA sequencing to assess the differences in gene expression among four tissues of seven soybean varieties, and the results suggest that transgenes do not induce massive transcriptomic alterations in transgenic soybeans compared with those that exist among natural varieties. This work offers empirical evidence to investigate the genomic-level disparities induced by genetic modification in soybeans, specifically focusing on seed tissues.

Abstract Evaluating therapy efficacy is crucial for patients with tuberculosis (TB), especially those with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). The World Health Organization currently recommends sputum smear and culture as the standard methods for evaluating pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) therapy efficacy. However, these approaches have limitations including low sensitivity, lengthy culture periods, and susceptibility to contamination. There is an urgent need for dependable biomarkers to evaluate therapy efficacy in patients with PTB. Numerous new biomarkers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the host have been used in recent studies to evaluate PTB therapy efficacy. A systematic review and update of these biomarkers can facilitate the discovery of novel biomarkers and assessment models, as well as provide a solid scientific basis for alternative indicators of evaluating therapy efficacy. In this review we summarize the recent advancements and limitations of biomarkers used to monitor therapy efficacy, highlighting the importance of utilizing a combination of biomarkers. Although some biomarkers have potential in evaluating the efficacy of therapy in patients with PTB, they also have some limitations. Further research, validation, and optimization are required to identify the most reliable and effective alternative biomarkers and apply them to clinical practice.

Abstract Woven architectures are prepared by physical entanglement of fibrous components to expand one-dimensional material into two-dimensional sheets with enhanced strength and resilience to wear. Here, we capitalize on the elastic properties of long organic crystals with a high aspect ratio to prepare an array of centimeter-size woven network structures. While being robust to mechanical impact, the woven patches are also elastic due to effective stress dissipation by the elasticity of the individual warp and weft crystals. The thermal stability of component crystals translates into favorable thermoelastic properties of the porous woven structures, where the network remains elastic over a range of 300 K. By providing means for physical entanglement of organic crystals, the weaving circumvents the natural limitation of the small size of slender organic crystals that is determined by their natural growth, thereby expanding the prospects for applications of organic crystals from one-dimensional entities to expandable, two-dimensional robust structures.

Abstract As a major neuron type in the brain, the excitatory neuron (EN) regulates the lifespan in C. elegans. How the EN acquires senescence, however, is unknown. Here, we show that growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is predominantly expressed in the EN in the adult mouse, marmoset and human brain. In mice, selective knock-out of GDF11 in the post-mitotic EN shapes the brain ageing-related transcriptional profile, induces EN senescence and hyperexcitability, prunes their dendrites, impedes their synaptic input, impairs object recognition memory and shortens the lifespan, establishing a functional link between GDF11, brain ageing and cognition. In vitro GDF11 deletion causes cellular senescence in Neuro-2a cells. Mechanistically, GDF11 deletion induces neuronal senescence via Smad2-induced transcription of the pro-senescence factor p21. This work indicates that endogenous GDF11 acts as a brake on EN senescence and brain ageing.

Abstract Background Parenting styles and the associated proximal psychological factors are suggested to increase suicidal risks in adolescents. However, how the two factors interact and confer risks on the emergence of adolescent suicidal thoughts remains unclear. Herein, we used a network approach to investigate their interrelationship and explore whether the network properties predict adolescent suicidal thoughts. Methods Self-report questionnaires were completed by 1171 students aged 12–16. Network analyses were performed by Gaussian graphical models estimating the adolescent psychosocial network structure of parenting styles and psychological variables including depression, anxiety, affective lability, rumination, and resilience. Furthermore, we re-examined the network by adding a variable measuring active suicidal thoughts. Moreover, we conducted linear regressions to examine the predictive utility of bridge symptoms for adolescent suicidal thoughts. Results Resilience, Afraid, Rumination, Concentration, and affective lability (Anger) had the highest bridge strengths in the adolescent psychosocial network. Among the identified bridge symptoms, Resilience was negatively correlated with active suicidal thoughts (regularized edge weights = -0.181, bootstrapped 95% CIs: [-0.043, -0.155]), whereas affective lability (from Anxiety to Depression, Anger), Rumination, and Afraid were positively correlated with active suicidal thoughts, with edge weights (bootstrapped 95% CIs) ranging from 0.057 (0.001, 0.112) to 0.081(0.026, 0.136). Regression analysis showed that bridge strength was significantly correlated with active suicidal thoughts (R2 = 0.432, P = 0.001). Conclusion Negative parenting styles may drive and maintain suicidal thoughts by modifying the key proximal psychological variables. Our findings highlight the important role of bridge symptoms, which may serve as vital targets for triggering adolescent suicide.

Abstract Background Artificial induction of polyploidy is the most common and effective way to improve the biological properties of Populus and develop new varieties of this tree. In this study, in order to confirm and expand earlier findings, we established a protocol using colchicine and based on an efficient shoot regeneration system of leaf blades to induce tetraploidy in vitro in three genotypes from diploid Populus hopeiensis. The stomatal characteristics, leaf blade size, and growth were evaluated for diploids and tetraploids of three genotypes. Results We found that genotype, preculture duration, colchicine concentration, and colchicine exposure time had highly significant effects on the tetraploid induction rate. The optimal protocol for inducing tetraploidy in P. hopeiensis was to preculture leaf blades for 7 days and then treat them for 4 days with 40 mg/L colchicine. The tetraploid induction rates of genotypes BT1, BT3, and BT8 were 21.2, 11.4 and 16.7%, respectively. A total of 136 tetraploids were identified by flow cytometry analysis and somatic chromosome counting. The stomatal length, width, and density of leaf blades significantly differed between diploid and tetraploid plants. Compared with their diploid counterparts, the tetraploids produced larger leaf blades and had a slower growth rate. Our findings further document the modified morphological characteristics of P. hopeiensis following whole-genome duplication (e.g., induced tetraploidy). Conclusions We established a protocol for in vitro induction of tetraploidy from diploid leaf blades treated with colchicine, which can be applied to different genotypes of P. hopeiensis.

In recent years, spark plasma sintering (SPS) has emerged as a widespread method to produce high-quality intermetallic-based materials. This paper prepared the Nb–16Si–10Mo alloy and Nb–16Si–10Mo–10Ti alloy using SPS at 1400 °C, 1450 °C, and 1500 °C at a pressure of 30 MPa and a time of 15 min. The influence of temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the two alloys at room temperature was investigated. The corresponding results showed that the relative density of the two alloys exceeded 99.4 %. Besides, adding Ti decreased the relative density and made the microstructure evolve from Nbss + Nb3Si + Nb5Si3 phases to Nbss + Nb5Si3+Tiss phases, and the fracture type varied from brittle fracture to the coexistence of brittle fracture and ductile fracture. As the temperature increased, the flexural strength and the fracture toughness decreased, and the maximum hardness and compressive strength existed at 1450 °C. Furthermore, the appropriate sintering temperature was 1450 °C for a connected mechanical property and microstructure. The flexural strength, fracture toughness, hardness, and compressive strength of Nb–16Si–10Mo alloy and Nb–16Si–10Mo–10Ti alloy sintered at 1450 °C were 462.6 MPa and 565.3 MPa, 6.76 MPa m1/2 and 8.81 MPa m1/2, 757.6 HV and 626.5 HV, 2359 MPa and 2143 MPa, respectively.

Abstract Monitoring of tissue O2 is essential for cancer development and treatment, as hypoxic tumour regions develop resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. We describe a minimally invasive technique for the monitoring of tissue oxygenation in developing grafted tumours, which uses the new phosphorescence lifetime based Tpx3Cam imager. CT26 cells stained with a near-infrared emitting nanoparticulate O2 probe NanO2-IR were injected into mice to produce grafted tumours with characteristic phosphorescence. The tumours were allowed to develop for 3, 7, 10 and 17 days, with O2 imaging experiments performed on live and euthanised animals at different time points. Despite a marked trend towards decreased O2 in dead animals, their tumour areas produced phosphorescence lifetime values between 44 and 47 µs, which corresponded to hypoxic tissue with 5–20 μM O2. After the O2 imaging in animals, confocal Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy was conducted to examine the distribution of NanO2-IR probe in the tumours, which were excised, fixed and sliced for the purpose. The probe remained visible as bright and discrete ‘islands’ embedded in the tumour tissue until day 17 of tumour growth. Overall, this O2 macro-imaging method using NanO2-IR holds promise for long-term studies with grafted tumours in live animal models, providing quantitative 2D mapping of tissue O2.

ObjectiveThis study analyzes different high-skew propeller blade parameters to obtain the laws of their influence on blade vibration modes. MethodsA certain high-skew propeller is taken as the research object, a series of variable parameter schemes is designed and the finite element calculations for the vibration modes are conducted. The numerical method is validated effectively by adopting model tests. Through an analysis of the calculation results, the influence laws of the different design parameters on the blade natural frequency, attenuation coefficient and mode shapes are obtained. ResultsThe calculation results show that the blade natural frequency increases with its sectional thickness, area ratio and hub ratio, and decreases with its skew angle. Furthermore, the sectional thickness and skew have the greatest influence among the research parameters. The fluid-structure interaction effect has the greatest influence on the first order attenuation coefficient. The increase of the sectional thickness overall or at the outside radius is beneficial for reducing the first order attenuation coefficient. On the contrary, the increase of the area ratio, inward movement of skew balance point and large rake angle design is negative for first order attenuation coefficient reduction. The first order mode shape is almost the same for the series design scheme, which means that changes of the design parameters such as sectional thickness and skew angle mainly influence the blade's high order mode shapes. ConclusionThe results of this study can provide guidance and references for vibration mode optimization control in the design process of high-skew propellers.

Abstract To generate arbitrary shape magnetic field waveforms for advanced scientific research, a reconfigurable pulsed high magnetic field facility (PHMFF) was developed at Wuhan National Pulsed High Magnetic Field Centre (WHMFC). First, the basic elements of PHMFF are introduced, and a ternary physical model composed of energy storage unit, magnet, transmission circuits and other auxiliary units is summarised to describe various magnetic field systems. Second, in order to realise the reconfiguration of magnetic field systems based on detailed elements, the control system with the ability of dynamic construction and control sequence reconfiguration is designed. On this basis, the PHMFF has been realised and various magnetic field systems are constructed to produce arbitrary shape magnetic field waveforms, such as half‐sine, ultra‐high, flat‐top and repetitive field pulses, which not only enhances the capability and efficiency of PHMFF, but also makes more scientific research possible in pulsed magnetic fields. So far, a peak magnetic field of 94.8 T, a flat‐top magnetic field of 64 T/10 ms and a repetitive magnetic field waveform of 20 T/60 Hz have been achieved, and some experiments and studies on the physical properties of materials have been carried out at WHMFC.

Protein from peony seed meal was extracted by alkali dissolution and acid precipitation. The extraction process was optimized by single factor and orthogonal experiments, and the physical and chemical properties and functional properties including isoelectric point, molecular weight, secondary structure, foaming property and foaming stability of the protein were determined. The results showed that the influencing factors on protein yield were: pH>extraction time>extraction temperature>solid-liquid ratio. The optimal extraction conditions were under the optimum conditions of material liquid ratio 1:20 g/mL, extraction temperature 70 ℃, pH9 and extraction time 45 min, the yield of protein from peony seed meal was 79.83%±1.22%. SDS-PAGE showed that there were five kinds of protein with molecular weight, two of which were between 15~25 kDa, two of which were between 35~40 kDa, and one of which was between 55~70 kDa. Fourier infrared spectroscopy showed that the protein in peony seed meal was mainly α-helix and β-folding, containing intermolecular hydrogen bonds and a small amount of carbohydrate. The scanning electron microscope showed that the protein in peony seed meal was mainly composed of β-folding composition. Compared with soybean protein, peanut protein and pea protein, peony seed meal protein had a good oil holding capacity of 4.5 g/g, which was similar to soybean protein in foaming and emulsification. This study can provide a reference for the application of peony seed meal protein in the food industry.

Abstract Objective To compare the overall efficacy of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration(LCBDE) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP ) after cholecystectomy. Methods From January 2017 to July 2021, Seventy patients with Choledocholithiasis after cholecystectomy who were admitted to our hospital were selected and divided into ERCP and LCBDE groups. comparison of baseline characteristics, clinical efficacy and postoperative complications between the ERCP and LCBDE. Results ①The overall efficacy rate of LCBDE was 97.1%, while the overall efficacy rate in the ERCP group was 76.6%. The LCBDE group demonstrated a significantly higher overall effective rate compared to the ERCP group, with a statistically significant difference (p

The recently introduced Euro 7 emissions standard regulation foresees the addition of abrasion limits for tyres sold in the European Union. The measurement procedures for tyre abrasion are described in the newly introduced Annex 10 of the United Nations (UN) Regulation 117. However, the limits are not yet defined as there is no data available regarding the new procedure. For this reason, a market assessment campaign is ongoing under the auspices of the UN Task Force on Tyre Abrasion (TFTA). Recent reviews on the topic also concluded that there is a lack of studies measuring the abrasion rates of tyres. In this study, we measured the abrasion rate of one tyre model at two different locations (Spain and China) with the aim of deep diving into possible influencing factors. Additionally, wear rates were studied separately for urban, rural, and motorway routes to get more insight into the impact of the route characteristics. The abrasion rates varied from 22 mg/km to 123 mg/km per vehicle, depending on the route (urban, rural, motorway) and ambient temperature. The overall average trip abrasion rates were 75 mg/km and 45 mg/km per vehicle at the two locations, respectively. However, when corrected for the different ambient temperatures, the rates were 63 mg/km and 60 mg/km per vehicle, respectively. The impacts of other parameters, such as driving dynamics and road surface, on the final results are also discussed. The average tread depth reduction was estimated to be 0.8–1.4 mm every 10,000 km.

Wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) is a characteristic tropical fruit with great potential value, but the cold sensitivity and male sterility limit its cultivation and breeding. Despite the important role in JA-mediated cold-stress resistance and flower development, jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins have not been identified in wax apple. This study employed sequence blast, phylogenetic analysis, and RT-PCR to identify SsJAZs in wax apple systematically. First, 14 SsJAZs family members with TIFY and Jas domains were identified and named according to the distribution on ten chromosomes. Low-temperature responsiveness elements and TGACG-motif (response to MeJA) were abundant in the promoters of most SsJAZs. The transcription factors ERF and MYB were predicted to be involved in the regulation of SsJAZs. RT-PCR analyses showed that SsJAZs were mainly expressed in mature leaves and flowers. Further analysis revealed differences in the expression patterns of SsJAZs under cold treatment, as well as in different anther stages. SsJAZ proteins were predicted to interact with the N terminus of SsMYC2 protein via the Jas motif at the C-terminal domain. This study characterized the SsJAZs family members and examined the expression patterns in different samples. The results will advance our understanding of the role of SsJAZs in wax apple.

Soil consolidation, particularly in fine-grained soils like clay, is crucial in predicting settlement and ensuring the stability of structures. Additionally, the compressibility of fine-grained soils is of critical importance not only in civil engineering but also in various other fields of study. The compression index (Cc), derived from soil properties such as the liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL), plasticity index (PI), water content (w), initial void ratio (e0), and specific gravity (Gs), plays a vital role in understanding soil behavior. This study employs machine learning algorithms—the random forest regressor (RFR), gradient boosting regressor (GBR), and AdaBoost regressor (ABR)—to predict the Cc values based on a dataset comprising 915 samples. The dataset includes LL, PL, W, PI, Gs, and e0 as the inputs, with Cc as the output parameter. The algorithms are trained and evaluated using metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), and root mean squared error (RMSE). Hyperparameter optimization is performed to enhance the model performance. The best-performing model, the GBR model, achieves a training R2 of 0.925 and a testing R2 of 0.930 with the input combination [w, PL, LL, PI, e0, Gs]. The RFR model follows closely, with a training R2 of 0.970 and a testing R2 of 0.926 using the same input combination. The ABR model records a training R2 of 0.847 and a testing R2 of 0.921 under similar conditions. These results indicate superior predictive accuracy compared to previous studies using traditional statistical and machine learning methods. Machine learning algorithms, specifically the gradient boosting regressor and random forest regressor, demonstrate substantial potential in predicting the Cc value for fine-grained soils based on multiple soil parameters. This study involves leveraging the efficiency and effectiveness of these algorithms in geotechnical engineering applications, offering a promising alternative to traditional oedometer testing methods. Accurately predicting the compression index can significantly aid in the assessment of soil settlement and the design of stable foundations, thereby reducing the time and costs associated with laboratory testing.

Our review paper evaluates the impact of plant-based products, primarily derived from plants from Serbia, on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity and their potential in modulating drug resistance in cancer therapy. We focus on the role and regulation of P-gp in cellular physiology and its significance in addressing multidrug resistance in cancer therapy. Additionally, we discuss the modulation of P-gp activity by 55 natural product drugs, including derivatives for some of them, based on our team’s research findings since 2011. Specifically, we prospect into sesquiterpenoids from the genera Artemisia, Curcuma, Ferula, Inula, Petasites, and Celastrus; diterpenoids from the genera Salvia and Euphorbia; chalcones from the genera Piper, Glycyrrhiza, Cullen, Artemisia, and Humulus; riccardins from the genera Lunularia, Monoclea, Dumortiera, Plagiochila, and Primula; and diarylheptanoids from the genera Alnus and Curcuma. Through comprehensive analysis, we aim to highlight the potential of natural products mainly identified in plants from Serbia in influencing P-gp activity and overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy, while also providing insights into future perspectives in this field.

The restoration of fine motor function in the hand is crucial for stroke survivors with hemiplegia to reintegrate into daily life and presents a significant challenge in post-stroke rehabilitation. Current mirror rehabilitation systems based on wearable devices require medical professionals or caregivers to assist patients in donning sensor gloves on the healthy side, thus hindering autonomous training, increasing labor costs, and imposing psychological burdens on patients. This study developed a low-load wearable hand function mirror rehabilitation robotic system based on visual gesture recognition. The system incorporates an active visual apparatus capable of adjusting its position and viewpoint autonomously, enabling the subtle monitoring of the healthy side’s gesture throughout the rehabilitation process. Consequently, patients only need to wear the device on their impaired hand to complete the mirror training, facilitating independent rehabilitation exercises. An algorithm based on hand key point gesture recognition was developed, which is capable of automatically identifying eight distinct gestures. Additionally, the system supports remote audio–video interaction during training sessions, addressing the lack of professional guidance in independent rehabilitation. A prototype of the system was constructed, a dataset for hand gesture recognition was collected, and the system’s performance as well as functionality were rigorously tested. The results indicate that the gesture recognition accuracy exceeds 90% under ten-fold cross-validation. The system enables operators to independently complete hand rehabilitation training, while the active visual system accommodates a patient’s rehabilitation needs across different postures. This study explores methods for autonomous hand function rehabilitation training, thereby offering valuable insights for future research on hand function recovery.

Aiming at the problems of the incomplete recommendation and sparsity of session data in session recommendation, a new multi-granularity and multi-interest contrast-enhanced hypergraph convolutional network (MGMI-CEHCN) model for session recommendation is proposed. The session data are modeled as a heterogeneous hypergraph, the information is embedded by the hypergraph using two granularities of item price and category, and then the information between different granularities is fused, while the final item embedding is obtained through multi-layer convolution. Finally, an interest perceptron is used to detect multiple potential interests for each item, and a decentralized interest extraction network based on a gated recurrent unit (GRU) is used to integrate the user’s final interests and obtain a global session representation through a soft attention mechanism; a local session representation is generated with the help of a weighted line graph convolutional network. A further joint contrast enhancement strategy is used to maximize the mutual information between the global session representation and local session representation, to improve the recommendation performance. Experiments on several real datasets showed that the recommendation performance of the MGMI-CEHCN model outperformed the current mainstream models. On Cosmetics, the P@20 reached up to 55.25% and M@20 reached up to 38.26%, improvements of 3.06% and 3.09%, respectively; on Diginetica-buy, the P@20 reached up to 65.60% and M@20 reached up to 27.47%, improvements of 2.47% and 6.64%, respectively, which proved the validity of the model.

Anthracyclines represent a highly efficacious class of chemotherapeutic agents employed extensively in antitumor therapy. They are universally recognized for their potency in treating diverse malignancies, encompassing breast cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, and lymphomas. Nevertheless, the accumulation of anthracyclines within the body can lead to significant cardiac toxicity, adversely impacting both the survival rates and quality of life for tumor patients. This limitation somewhat restricts their clinical utilization. Determining how to monitor and mitigate their cardiotoxicity at an early stage has become an urgent clinical problem to be solved. Therefore, this paper reviews the mechanism of action, early monitoring, and strategies for the prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity for clinical reference.

The vehicle load on a bridge is a critical and dynamic variable. It adversely affects bridges, especially when overloading occurs. Bridges are prone to fatigue damage or collapse. Therefore, identifying the size and type of dynamic vehicle loads on bridges is critical for theoretical studies and practical applications, such as health monitoring, daily maintenance, safety assessment, and traffic planning. The paper proposes a method for identifying the dynamic load parameters based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) and dynamic strain data. The model is implemented in MATLAB. An initial finite-element model of a three-span precast beam bridge is established in the software ABAQUS and modified by combining the modal and experimental data derived from a segmental girder bridge. The dynamic strain response of the bridge under a moving vehicle load is simulated under different working conditions. The results are used as the training data of the CNN to identify the vehicle’s position, speed, and load on the bridge. The high prediction accuracy indicates the proposed model’s suitability for identifying the dynamic load parameters.

In this paper, the generation of inorganic carbon (mainly HCO3−) in a karst system (soil-limestone system) under karst soil and non-karst soil conditions was investigated using two Zn2+ concentrations and water flow rates. The results showed that (1) the dynamic equilibrium state of the chemical weathering of limestone is altered by Zn2+, which is the primary cause of the change in HCO3− in soil-limestone systems; (2) ion exchange and adsorption are the primary characteristics of Zn2+ depletion under 1 mg/L ZnCl2 settings, whereas Zn2+ under 50 mg/L ZnCl2 conditions created two new solid phases (Zn5(OH)6(CO3)2, ZnCO3) in the soil-limestone system; (3) the dissolution rate of limestone increases with the water flow rate, which facilitates the dissolution process; (4) the notable difference in ion release between non-karst and karst soil conditions could potentially be attributed to variations in the mineral composition, specific surface area, and particle size of the two soil types; (5) the combination of SEM, XPS, FT-IR, and XRD microstructure observation methods reveals that when limestone is exposed to a high flow rate (1.23 mL/min) and a high concentration (50 mg/L) of ZnCl2, it experiences obvious dissolution and surface precipitation phenomena, as well as a significant change in HCO3− content.

Eu/Tb metal–organic frameworks (Eu/Tb-MOFs), exhibiting Eu3+ and Tb3+ emissions, stand out as some of the most fascinating luminescent thermometers. As the relative thermal sensitivity model is limited to its lack of precision for fitting ratio of Eu3+ and Tb3+ emissions, accurately predicting the sensing performance of Eu/Tb-MOFs remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report a series of luminescent Eu/Tb-MOF thermometers, EuxTb1−xL, with excellent thermal sensitivity around physiological levels, achieved through the tuning energy transfer from ligands to Eu3+ and Tb3+ and between the Ln ions. It was found that the singlet lowest-energy excited state (S1) of the ligand and the higher triplet energy level (Tn) are crucial in the energy transfer processes of ligand→Tb3+ and ligand→Eu3+. This enables EuxTb1−xL to serve as an effective platform for exploring the impact of these energy transfer processes on the temperature-sensing properties of luminescent Eu/Tb-MOF thermometers. The relative thermal sensitivity is comparable to that of dual-center MOF-based luminescent thermometers operating at physiological levels. This study provides valuable insights into the design of new Eu/Tb thermometers and the accurate prediction of their sensing performance.

The Gannan yak, a superior livestock breed found on the Tibetan Plateau, exhibits significantly enhanced body size, weight, and growth performance in comparison to the Tianzhu white yak. MiRNAs play a pivotal role in regulating muscle growth by negatively modulating target genes. In this study, we found the average diameter, area, and length of myofibers in Gannan yaks were significantly higher than those of Tianzhu white yaks. Further, we focused on analyzing the longissimus dorsi muscle from both Gannan yaks and Tianzhu white yaks through transcriptome sequencing to identify differentially expressed (DE)miRNAs that influence skeletal muscle development. A total of 254 DE miRNAs were identified, of which 126 miRNAs were up-regulated and 128 miRNAs were down-regulated. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of these DE miRNAs were significantly enriched in signaling pathways associated with muscle growth and development. By constructing a DE miRNA- DE mRNA interaction network, we screened 18 key miRNAs, and notably, four of the candidates (novel-m0143-3p, novel-m0024-3p, novel-m0128-5p, and novel-m0026-3p) targeted six genes associated with muscle growth and development (DDIT4, ADAMTS1, CRY2, AKIRIN2, SIX1, and FOXO1). These findings may provide theoretical references for further studies on the role of miRNAs in muscle growth and development in Gannan yaks.

Xuanwei ham is a traditional fermented meat product in China with a unique production process and excellent-quality reputation at home and abroad. To reveal the microbial community succession of Xuanwei ham at different post-ripening times (W1-4) and its relationship with flavour formation, the microbial community, free amino acids, and volatile flavour compounds (VOCs) were analysed by high-throughput sequencing, liquid chromatography (LC), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. A total of 25 free amino acids were detected, among which W3 contained the fewest, and most were generally lower than in hams in the other three years. Fifty-nine VOCs were detected, among which 17 were esters, and the highest ester content was found in W4. Analysis of the bacterial community composition revealed that the bacterial community composition of ham samples from W3 and other years differed greatly, and at the gate level, the dominant bacterial group of Xuanwei ham from different years was Pseudomonadota. At the genus level, the most abundant genera in W1, W2, and W4 were all dominated by Sarocladium, Klebsiella, and Vibrio, with Klebsiella being the most abundant in W1. The most abundant genus in W3 was Vibrio, and the second most dominant genera were Sarocladium and Gammaretrovirus. In short, this study provides a theoretical basis for the storage, quality, and improvement of Xuanwei ham.

The digital documentation and analysis of cultural heritage increasingly rely on high-precision three-dimensional point cloud data, which often suffers from missing regions due to limitations in acquisition conditions, hindering subsequent analyses and applications. Point cloud completion techniques, by predicting and filling these missing regions, are vital for restoring the integrity of cultural heritage structures, enhancing restoration accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, for challenges in processing large-scale cultural heritage point clouds, particularly the slow processing speed and visualization impairments from uneven point density during completion, we propose a point cloud completion employing centroid-based voxel feature extraction, which significantly accelerates feature extraction for massive point clouds. Coupled with an efficient upsampling module, it achieves a uniform point distribution. Experimental results show that the proposed method matches SOTA performance in completion accuracy while surpassing in point density uniformity, demonstrating capability in handling larger-scale point cloud data, and accelerating the processing of voluminous point clouds. In general, the proposed method markedly enhances the efficiency and quality of large-scale point cloud completion, holding significant value for the digital preservation and restoration of cultural heritage.

To determine the influence of pig type (Landrace, Wujin, or Tibetan fragrant) on the quality of Xuanwei ham, we measured the ham pH, color, fat content, and moisture content; used an E-nose (a device intended to detect odors or flavors); and analyzed flavoring substances using headspace solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography, free amino acids using high-performance liquid chromatography, and microbial diversity using high-throughput sequencing. The ham types differed from each other in these attributes. The moisture and fat contents of Landrace pig ham were significantly lower than those of the other pig types, the brightness values of the Tibetan fragrant pig ham were significantly lower than those of the other pig types, and the redness values of the Landrace and Wujin pig hams were significantly higher than those of the Tibetan fragrant pig ham. The essential amino acid contents, e-wind odor response values, and volatile flavor substances of Wujin pig hams were significantly higher than those of the Tibetan fragrant pig ham, and the relative aldehyde contents of Wujin pig ham were significantly higher than those of the other pig types. The dominant microbial phyla in each ham type were assessed based on the species commonness, composition, and diversity and included taxa such as Actinobacteria and Ascomycetes and thick-walled bacteria such as Orphanomyces, Grass Spirochaetes, and Pseudoalteromonas. The microbial diversity and richness were the greatest in the Wujin pig ham. Of the three pigs, we conclude that the Wujin pig produces the best Xuanwei ham.

Haze weather deteriorates image quality, causing images to become blurry with reduced contrast. This makes object edges and features unclear, leading to lower detection accuracy and reliability. To enhance haze removal effectiveness, we propose an image dehazing and fusion network based on the encoder–decoder paradigm (UIDF-Net). This network leverages the Image Fusion Module (MDL-IFM) to fuse the features of dehazed images, producing clearer results. Additionally, to better extract haze information, we introduce a haze encoder (Mist-Encode) that effectively processes different frequency features of images, improving the model’s performance in image dehazing tasks. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves superior dehazing performance compared to existing algorithms on outdoor datasets.

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), a Gram-positive bacterium, produces a variety of toxins and extracellular enzymes that can lead to disease in both humans and animals. Common symptoms include abdominal swelling, diarrhea, and intestinal inflammation. Severe cases can result in complications like intestinal hemorrhage, edema, and even death. The primary toxins contributing to morbidity in C. perfringens-infected intestines are CPA, CPB, CPB2, CPE, and PFO. Amongst these, CPB, CPB2, and CPE are implicated in apoptosis development, while CPA is associated with cell death, increased intracellular ROS levels, and the release of the inflammatory factor IL-18. However, the exact mechanism by which PFO toxins exert their effects in the infected gut is still unidentified. This study demonstrates that a C. perfringens PFO toxin infection disrupts the intestinal epithelial barrier function through in vitro and in vivo models. This study emphasizes the notable influence of PFO toxins on intestinal barrier integrity in the context of C. perfringens infections. It reveals that PFO toxins increase ROS production by causing mitochondrial damage, triggering pyroptosis in IPEC-J2 cells, and consequently resulting in compromised intestinal barrier function. These results offer a scientific foundation for developing preventive and therapeutic approaches against C. perfringens infections.

Ecological monitoring is an important part of environmental protection. To monitor the movement and abundance of animals in the airspace, an Aerial Ecological Monitoring System (AEMS) is developed by CMA Meteorological Observation Center for China's next-generation weather radar (CINRAD) network. Characteristics of weather radar clear air echo data and airborne biological scattering data are studied to identify biological echoes through fuzzy logic algorithm, and the system can monitor real-time ecological activities of insects such as biological density, migration path and space-time distribution.Weather Radar Airborne Ecological Monitoring System has been put into trial operation since May 2022. During the real-time monitoring period, it's found that the insect activity shows obvious spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. From August to September, pests are of large quantity and wide range, indicating urgent need of insect disaster prevention and control. In May, June, September, and October, insect activity gradually increases from 2000 BT every day, reaches its peak from 2200 BT to 2300 BT, gradually decreases thereafter, and disappears mostly by 0600 BT. In July and August, insect activity gradually increases from 2000 BT every day, with a peak from 2100 BT to 2200 BT. Insect activity begins during the daytime, increases at 0600 BT, becomes more frequent at 1300 BT, and gradually decreases thereafter. From May to July, there is a significant shift from south to north (i.e., northward migration process), and in late August, it quickly changes into a to southward migration. The southward migration process of insects is larger and more numerous than the northward migration process. It's verified that the system can effectively monitor real-time aerial ecology, providing technology and data support for precise pest control.However, characteristics of pests need further research and clear distribution of pests is an urgent need. Therefore, in-depth research will be carried out on aerial ecological classification technology, combined with other direct observation means such as real-time monitoring by drones to explore the relationship between radar detection and different pests, and improve the ability to identify different kinds of insects.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with a high content of polar groups were prepared via the oxidation process by controlling the amount of mixed acid, incorporating additional additive of citric acid and vitamin C as active agents, and applying ultrasonic crosslinking. Subsequently, cellulose nanocrystal–silver (CNC–Ag) nanohybrid materials were synthesized via an oxidation hydrolysis reaction, which displayed good dispersibility and high interaction, leading to the hydrogen bonding between polar groups (-OH and -COOH) on the surface of CAC–Ag nanohybrids. The positive effects of hydrogen bonding on the surface of CAC–Ag nanohybrids were confirmed by the high carboxyl group content (2.69 mmol/g) and low contact angle (53.7°) tested. In addition, CAC–Ag nanohybrids showed significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus. These results showed that the high-performance CNC–Ag nanohybrids prepared in this study may be highly suitable as nano-fillers for polyester materials used in antibacterial food packaging.

Abstract Background Little is known about long‐term treatment‐related symptoms in older breast cancer survivors. We characterized long‐term patient‐reported symptoms and examined factors associated with the presence and severity of symptoms, and symptom interference with daily activities. Methods Texas Cancer Registry (TCR) Medicare linkage data was used to identify breast cancer patients age 65 and older with local/regional stage disease diagnosed between 2012–2013. Symptom burden was assessed using breast‐specific items from the Patient‐Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO‐CTCAE™). Demographic and clinical data also were collected. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between symptom burden and respondent sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results Of 4448 eligible patients, 1594 (response‐rate 35.8%) completed questionnaires. Of these, 1245 eligible respondents were included in the analysis based on self‐reported data. Median time from diagnosis to survey completion was 68 months (IQR: 62–73). Most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue/lack of energy (76.8%), aching muscles (72.1%) and aching joints (72.5%). Receipt of chemotherapy was associated with higher symptom burden. Patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy had higher risk of numbness/tingling (OR: 3.16; 95% CI: 2.36–4.24), hair loss (OR: 2.72; 95% CI: 2.05–3.60), and fatigue/lack of energy (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.29–2.52). Similarly, patients who received chemotherapy were more likely to report the majority of symptoms as moderate to severe and as interfering with daily activities. Conclusion Receipt of chemotherapy is associated with significant symptom burden more than 5 years after breast cancer treatment. Long‐term chemotherapy impact should be discussed with patients in a shared‐decision making process and approaches to symptom management during survivorship care are needed.

Abstract The rhizosheath, or the layer of soil closely adhering to roots, can help plants to tolerate drought under moderate soil drying conditions. Rhizosheath formation is the result of poorly understood interactions between root exudates, microbes, and soil conditions. Here, we study the roles played by the soil microbiota in rhizosheath formation in barley (a dry crop). We show that barley rhizosheath formation is greater in acid soil than in alkaline soil, and inoculation with microbiota from acid soil enhances rhizosheath formation in alkaline soil. The rhizosheath-promoting activity is associated with the presence of Flavobacteriaceae and Paenibacillaceae bacteria that express genes for biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, a common auxin), as determined by metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. Two bacterial strains isolated from rhizosheath (Chryseobacterium culicis and Paenibacillus polymyxa) produce IAA and enhance barley rhizosheath formation, while their IAA-defective mutants are unable to promote rhizosheath formation. Co-inoculation with the IAA-producing strains enhances barley grain yield in field experiments through an increase in spike number. Our findings contribute to our understanding of barley rhizosheath formation, and suggest potential strategies for crop improvement.

Abstract During cold exposure, activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) takes up a large amount of circulating glucose to fuel non-shivering thermogenesis and defend against hypothermia. However, little is known about the endocrine function of BAT controlling glucose homoeostasis under this thermoregulatory challenge. Here, we show that in male mice, activated BAT-derived extracellular vesicles (BDEVs) reprogram systemic glucose metabolism by promoting hepatic gluconeogenesis during cold stress. Cold exposure facilitates the selective packaging of miR-378a-3p—one of the BAT-enriched miRNAs—into EVs and delivery into the liver. BAT-derived miR-378a-3p enhances gluconeogenesis by targeting p110α. miR-378 KO mice display reduced hepatic gluconeogenesis during cold exposure, while restoration of miR-378a-3p in iBAT induces the expression of gluconeogenic genes in the liver. These findings provide a mechanistic understanding of BDEV-miRNA as stress-induced batokine to coordinate systemic glucose homoeostasis. This miR-378a-3p-mediated interorgan communication highlights a novel endocrine function of BAT in preventing hypoglycemia during cold stress.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been linked with various acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. We previously found that optic nerve (ON) injury and diseases induce neuronal ER stress in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We further demonstrated that germline deletion of CHOP preserves the structure and function of both RGC somata and axons in mouse glaucoma models. Here we report that RGC-specific deletion of CHOP and/or its upstream regulator ATF4 synergistically promotes RGC and ON survival and preserves visual function in mouse ON crush and silicone oil-induced ocular hypertension (SOHU) glaucoma models. Consistently, topical application of the ATF4/CHOP chemical inhibitor ISRIB or RGC-specific CRISPR-mediated knockdown of the ATF4 downstream effector Gadd45a also delivers significant neuroprotection in the SOHU glaucoma model. These studies suggest that blocking the neuronal intrinsic ATF4/CHOP axis of ER stress is a promising neuroprotection strategy for neurodegeneration.

In the engineering practice of gob side entry retaining by roof cutting, the height and angle of roof cutting are the direct influencing factors, and the reasonable roof cutting parameters allowed by the hard roof with a wide range of roof thickness change have their particularity. Taking the practice of gob side entry retaining by roof cutting in the third panel of the north wing of coal seam No.2 in Tongxin Coal Mine as the engineering background. Based on the fact that difficulty of the thick main roof to collapse and form a large area of suspended roof, resulting in poor roadway retention effect, the reasonable roof cutting parameters varying with the thickness of the hard roof are studied through the combination of field investigation, theoretical modeling research, numerical simulation analysis and industrial test. Detailed field investigation and research found that the fixed cutting height could not adapt to the change of roof thickness. Under the condition of small main roof thickness, the effect of gob side entry retaining was better, and under the condition of large main roof thickness, the deformation of roadway surrounding rock was larger. The mechanical model of gob side entry retaining by roof cutting is established, and the relationship between the tensile stress of uncut part with the cutting height, angle and roof thickness is derived. It is concluded that within the relatively small range of cutting angle, the tensile stress on the uncut roof surface increases with the decrease of cutting angle, and the tensile stress increases more significantly with the increase of cutting height; with the increase of main roof height, the reasonable range of cutting angle allowed by the tensile stress at the uncut roof greater than the ultimate tensile strength of the main roof decrease. From the perspective of engineering practice, the purpose of reducing the length of suspended roof can be achieved; under certain main roof thickness, with the increase of cutting height, the range of cutting angle allowed by the tensile stress at the uncut roof greater than the ultimate tensile strength of the main roof increases, that is, the higher cutting height is, the smaller limit on the cutting angle is; the greater the thickness of main roof, the greater cutting height required for the tensile stress of uncut roof face to reach the same value. When the thickness of main roof is smaller, the change of cutting angle has little effect on the tensile stress of uncut roof face. With the increase of main roof thickness, the influence of cutting angle increases. The numerical simulation analysis is carried out from the four indicators of concave convex degree of roof fracture surface, the development characteristics of roadway roof fissures, the roadway roof subsidence and the completion time steps. It is concluded that the purpose of engineering practice can be achieved by scientifically implementing the partial cutting roof scheme and making the rock stratum of non cutting roof collapse under the action of mine pressure. Based on the above research, the industrial test is carried out in the field, and the on-site monitoring analysis was carried out on the reserved roadway with the roof deformation and the working resistance of support on the roof cutting side as indicators, and the results show that the effect of gob side entry retaining is good.