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Background: Rapid On-Site Evaluation (ROSE) has been widely used in clinical applications. However, in the field of lung transplantation, there have been no comparative experiments to confirm and quantify its effectiveness. To this end, ROSE was used to detect donor lung infection or colonization and analyze its influence on the prognosis of lung transplantation. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 15 patients who received our center from March 2023 to May 2023. Fibrobronchoscopy and ROSE of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were performed. Postoperative survival rate index was collected for prognostic analysis. The coincidence rate of ROSE and traditional test culture was compared. Results: ① The 15 BALF samples were divided into infection group and colonization group according to the presence of infection and phagocytosis.② The average time of ROSE report was 10.40 min, and the average time of Sputum culture test report was 4663 min, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p

Abstract Altitude training has been widely adopted. This study aimed to establish a mice model to determine the time point for achieving the best endurance at the lowland. C57BL/6 and BALB/c male mice were used to establish a mice model of hypoxic training with normoxic training mice, hypoxic mice, and normoxic mice as controls. All hypoxic mice were placed in a chamber filled with 16% O2 and N2, and hypoxic training mice were trained for two weeks. Then mice were removed from the chamber and tested at normoxic conditions weekly at the beginning of the experiment and the second, third, fourth, and sixth weeks. The tests for endurance ability include maximal aerobic speed (MAS), Rota-rod, and grip strength. In addition, the open field, visual cliff, and Y maze were used to test cognitive abilities. Body composition and lactic acid tolerance level were also measured. For BALB/c but not C57BL/6 mice were evaluated for effectively training. Based on the average MAS of all mice, mice successfully passed the training according to the procedure: the first week (32%MAS/10min, 48%MAS/10min, and 64%MAS/10min) and second week (40%MAS/10min, 56%MAS/10min, and 72%MAS/10min). Hypoxic training mice reached peak rotarod performance on the 7th day post-training (Test 3), with significant improvements compared to Test 1, 2, 4, and 5. At Test 3, their rotarod scores significantly differed from both H and N groups, and showing a trend towards difference from NT group. Meanwhile, hypoxic mice showed significant cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, muscle loss, and fat gain compared with hypoxic training mice after hypoxia intervation. Two consecutive weeks of 16% O2 training followed by one week of reoxygenation may be the best for endurance competition. Thus, we think a mouse model for hypoxic training was built, with Rota-rod testing as a detection indicator. Moreover, hypoxic training may alleviate the damage of hypoxia to the body.

Abstract Acinetobacter baumannii, an opportunistic bacterium prevalent in various environment, is a significant cause of nosocomial infections in ICUs. As the causative agent of pneumonia, septicemia, and meningitis, A. baumannii typically exhibits multidrug resistance and is associated with poor prognosis, thus led to a challenge for researchers in developing new treatment and prevention methods. This study involved the development of a novel multi-epitope mRNA vaccine for A. baumannii and validation of in silico approaches was conducted. We screened 11 immunodominant epitopes for cytotoxic T cells, 5 for helper T cells, and 10 for Linear B-cell based on promising candidate proteins omp33-36, ompA and ompW, the selection of these three proteins is based on reverse vaccinology screening and previous work by other researchers. All predicted epitopes demonstrated strong antigenicity, immunogenicity without posing any potential harm to humans. Additionally, high conservancy is required to cover different strains. All epitopes, as well as adjuvants, were constructed into a final vaccine, which was further assessed by calculating its physicochemical properties. Next, we docked the vaccine protein with immune receptors and analyzed the complexes with dynamic simulations to evaluate its affinity to receptors. At last, the constructed sequence is translated to an mRNA sequence. The results indicated the constructed vaccine is capability of eliciting robust humoral and cellular immune responses, making it a promising candidate for protection against the targeted pathogen.

Intelligent mining represents a critical path for the safe and efficient extraction of challenging coal resources, particularly those with steep and extreme inclinations, in China. Large-scale physical simulations leveraging digital twin technology are pivotal in addressing the intricate mechanical behaviors of coal and rock, as well as the intelligent control challenges posed by gravity and inclination effects. This study comprehensively delineates the design framework, structural features, and testing/detection methodologies of a large-scale coal mining face physical simulation system empowered by digital twin technology. This system facilitates data visualization, robust human-machine interaction, and process self-optimization during mining operations. Addressing the challenges traditional hydraulic supports encounter in areas such as real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, design optimization, and physical modeling, a posture perception and simulation system was developed. This system, grounded in hydraulic support and digital twin technology, employs software like SolidWorks, Maya, and Unity3D to create digital twin models of hydraulic supports. Through the integration of various posture perception sensors, it gathers posture and load data from the physical hydraulic supports. This setup enables precise posture alignment and immediate feedback between the digital twins and their physical counterparts. The system's mapping between virtual and real domains is achieved through detailed analysis and processing of the gathered data. Ultimately, the feasibility and efficacy of this system are corroborated through a multi-functional, variable-angle large-scale "support-surrounding rock" system physical simulation platform. This platform conducts reliability and stability tests under various inclination conditions, validating the system's operational capabilities.

Abstract Background Hispolon, one of bioactive phenolic compounds from a medicinal mushroom of sang-huang (Phellinus linteus) has been reported to exhibit anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. The Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is ranked one of the top ten leading causes of death worldwide. Little is known about the effects of hispolon on delaying AD progression. Results The hispolon (No.1) and its six structural analogs (No.2 to No.7) were assayed by antioxidant, anti-acetylcholinesterase activities and anti-amyloid-β1-42-peptide aggregations. The No.1, No.6, and No.7 were selected for further molecular docking with acetylcholinesterase and core fragments of amyloid-β-peptide, and also showed capacities to recover cell viabilities in methylglyoxal-treated SH-SY5Y cells and also to enhance neurite outgrowths in PC12 cells. The daily pre-treatments of No.1, No.6, and No.7 for 10-days (40 mg/kg/day) showed to improve learning dysfunctions in scopolamine-induced ICR mice by passive avoidance tests. Conclusion The hispolon in the fungus sang-huang might be beneficial to develop functional foods or as lead compounds for treating degenerative disorders.

Abstract Ammonia volatilized from penguin excreta is a significant nitrogen source in Antarctic ecosystems, influencing climate through new particle formation (NPF). Freeze-thaw events can trigger ammonia emissions, but their impact on penguin-derived ammonia is understudied and overlooked in models. Here we investigate the contribution of penguins to ammonia and their climatic impacts using cruise observations and GEOS-Chem-APM simulations. High ammonia concentrations, with a maximum exceeding 7000 ng/m3, were observed over the Southern Ocean and Prydz Bay, driven by air masses from penguin colonies. Simulations showed that incorporating freeze-thaw impact improves model performance, with penguin-derived ammonia emissions enhanced by up to 20-fold and reaching a total of 49 Gg across Antarctica in November. Elevated ammonia increased simulated secondary particle number concentrations by 30−300% through NPF, enhancing simulated cloud droplet number concentrations by 10−20% and altering cloud properties. This study underscores the importance of incorporating penguin emissions into models, particularly during freeze-thaw events.

The preparation of large-scale magnesium (Mg) alloy parts by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has broad application prospects, including automotive and aerospace industries. The chemical composition of Mg alloy wires plays a critical role in determining mechanical properties of WAAM Mg alloys. However, types of Mg alloy wires for WAAM need to be extended, in order to improve mechanical properties. Therefore, in the present work, a novel ATZM31 Mg alloy wire has been prepared and applied to the cold metal transfer (CMT)-WAAM process. This study focuses on understanding the forming quality, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties of the ATZM31 alloy thin-wall component fabricated by WAAM. The results show that the Mg alloy thin-wall component possesses satisfactory formability, with minor sidewall roughness. The ATZM31 thin-wall component is mainly composed of columnar dendrites and equiaxed dendrites of the α-Mg phase, with the η-Al8Mn5 phase distributes dispersedly at grain boundaries. The area fraction of the η-Al8Mn5 phase is estimated to be ∼0.21% based on the statistical analysis of SEM images. Due to different cooling behaviors, the distribution of grain size along the build direction of the thin-walled component is uneven. The average grain size is ∼46 µm, ∼74 µm and ∼61 µm at the bottom, middle and top of the ATZM31 alloy thin-wall component, respectively. From the substrate to the top of the ATZM31 alloy thin-wall component, the hardness decreases gradually. The ultimate tensile strength along the deposition direction and build direction are ∼225 MPa and ∼214 MPa, respectively, without pronounced anisotropy. The ATZM31 alloy thin-wall component fabricated by WAAM exhibits a comparable ultimate tensile strength to forged AZ31 Mg alloys and weaker anisotropy than wrought Mg alloys.

Abstract Any technological innovation will be accompanied by new challenges and risks, and the connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are no exception. Among them, the argument that cooperating platoons may fall victim to cyberattacks through wireless communication has emerged as a significant issue. Therefore, this paper designs a communication topology anomaly response system (CTARS) to ensure platoon safety, which consists of a trigger module and a control module. The primary objective of the trigger module is to distinguish abnormal vehicle behavior based on time to collision (TTC) indicators, and the control module combines the model predictive control (MPC) and bidirectional long short‐term memory (Bi‐LSTM) to achieve accurate trajectory prediction of and optimal control, working in tandem with the trigger module. Subsequently, the real dataset HISTORIC is used to calibrate the multiple vehicle intelligent driver model (IDM) and train the trajectory prediction model. Furthermore, comparative simulations are conducted, encompassing various forms of cyberattacks, in order to examine the evolution characteristics of CAVs platoons (CAVP) and evaluate the performance of CTARS. The results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of CTARS in safeguarding the security of CAVP during cyberattacks, thus confirming its exceptional performance.

Built-up land has increased rapidly in recent decades, thus aggravating the competition for land between multiple uses. The increase in urban land can be decomposed into changes in population and changes in built-up land per person. Yet, it is unclear how this decomposition differs by country and how this decomposition changes over time. Moreover, we don’t know whether these changes affect the inequality in built-up land per capita. Here, we analyze the global distribution of built-up land per capita in the year 2020, as well as the changes therein between 1985 and 2020. We find that built-up land per capita in 2020 differs by an order of magnitude between countries, ranging from 15 m2 per person in Ethiopia to 734 m2 per person in Australia. Moreover, we find a wide range of different change trajectories, including both increases and decreases in built-up land per capita and in total population. As the total area of urban land increased in all countries, decreases in urban land consumption reflect a situation where the population increases faster than the total amount of urban land. We also find a large inequality in urban land consumption across countries, as indicated by a Gini index of 0.47 in 1985, decreasing only slightly to 0.45 in 2020. These findings suggest the need for a regionally differentiated approach to reduce urban land take, focusing first on mitigating further increases in those countries that already have a high urban land consumption.

Abstract Background Engineering the seed microenvironment with embedded bacteriophages and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) shows promise for enhancing germination, mitigating biotic and abiotic stressors, and improving resilience under challenging environmental conditions. This study aimed to enhance potato seed germination and control bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and salinity by using novel technology to encapsulate, preserve, and deliver phage therapy and rhizobacteria. Results Silk fibroin and trehalose biomaterial combined with the phage P-PSG11 and Pseudomonas lalkuanensis were applied to potato seeds. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate pathogen suppression, salt tolerance, and plant growth enhancement. The combination of silk and trehalose effectively preserved both phage and bacteria for ≥ 8 weeks, maintaining both phage titers and bacterial colony counts. Seeds coated with the P-PSG11 and P. lalkuanensis mixture exhibited the highest germination rate at 93.5%, followed by P. lalkuanensis at 86.3%. In vivo evaluations showed significant increases in root length (72.7%, 61.0%, and 22.5%), plant height (71.5%, 65.1%, and 8.2%), and dry matter (129.1%, 125.7%, and 13.1%) for the P-PSG11 and P. lalkuanensis mixture, P. lalkuanensis, and P-PSG11, respectively. The incidence of wilt was significantly reduced by 88.2% and 81.2%, and salinity was mitigated by 83.3% and 79.2% for the P-PSG11 and P. lalkuanensis mixture and P. lalkuanensis treatment, respectively, compared to the control (p

Abstract Background The spatial layout of large-scale functional brain networks exhibits considerable inter-individual variability, especially in the association cortex. Research has demonstrated a link between early socioeconomic status (SES) and variations in both brain structure and function, which are further associated with cognitive and mental health outcomes. However, the extent to which SES is associated with individual differences in personalized functional network topography during childhood remains largely unexplored. Methods We used a machine learning approach—spatially regularized non-negative matrix factorization (NMF)—to delineate 17 personalized functional networks in children aged 9–10 years, utilizing high-quality functional MRI data from 6001 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Partial least square regression approach with repeated random twofold cross-validation was used to evaluate the association between the multivariate pattern of functional network topography and three SES factors, including family income-to-needs ratio, parental education, and neighborhood disadvantage. Results We found that individual variations in personalized functional network topography aligned with the hierarchical sensorimotor-association axis across the cortex. Furthermore, we observed that functional network topography significantly predicted the three SES factors from unseen individuals. The associations between functional topography and SES factors were also hierarchically organized along the sensorimotor-association cortical axis, exhibiting stronger positive associations in the higher-order association cortex. Additionally, we have made the personalized functional networks publicly accessible. Conclusions These results offer insights into how SES influences neurodevelopment through personalized functional neuroanatomy in childhood, highlighting the cortex-wide, hierarchically organized plasticity of the functional networks in response to diverse SES backgrounds.

Abstract Background Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF1) is a transcription factor that plays a significant role in various biological processes, including inflammatory injury, viral infection, cell death, and immune responses, and it has been extensively studied in the context of different lung diseases. However, the mechanism underlying its involvement in lung fibrosis remains largely unknown. Methods Wild type (WT) mice, IRF1 global-null mice (Irf1 −/−) were subjected to a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model to enable examination of the role of IRF1 in lung fibrosis. Proteomic analysis of lung tissue from WT and Irf1 −/− mice treated with saline or bleomycin was performed to explore the mechanism of IRF1 in regulating lung fibrosis. Results In the bleomycin-induced fibrosis mouse model, increased expression of IRF1 was observed. Irf1 knockout mice displayed decreased lung fibrosis relative to WT mice following treatment with bleomycin. The protein expression of fibronectin, as assessed by the Western blot analysis of lung tissues, was downregulated in Irf1 −/− mice. We observed a similar reduction in collagen content using hydroxyproline detection. Histologically, there was less collagen deposition in the lungs of Irf1 −/− mice compared with WT mice. Proteomics data revealed that IRF1 may be involved in lung fibrosis via the regulation of ferroptosis. We determined that paraoxonase 1(PON1), a poorly characterized protein in lung fibrosis, was upregulated in Irf1 −/− mice following exposure to bleomycin. In vitro experiments revealed that IRF1 could regulate the level of GSH and MDA through PON1. We also determined that PON1 levels were lower in the plasma of IPF patients compared with healthy controls. Conclusion Our data highlight the importance of IRF1 in the fibrotic process, and PON1 may be a potential mediator of IRF1 in the progression of lung fibrosis.

Abstract Sleep disorders significantly impact the quality of life for many individuals, which remain largely unrecognized. It is widely believed that dietary nutrient intake plays a crucial role in promoting healthy sleep patterns. However, there is lack of research focusing on cancer survivors. This study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database to investigate the correlation between dietary nutrient intake and sleep disorders in cancer survivors. Analyzing data from 2882 cancer survivors in NHANES spanning from 2005 to 2018. Dietary nutrient intake was evaluated through two 24-h dietary recalls. Weighted multivariable logistic regression model was employed to further applied to explore the association between dietary fiber intake and sleep disorders while controlling for relevant confounding factors. Additionally, the nonlinear and dose–response relationships were explored using restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression along with smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis. Stratified analysis and interaction analysis were conducted to assess the consistency of the results. Univariable and multivariable analysis demonstrated that dietary fiber intake showed negative correlation with sleep disorders (P 0.05). Notably, no statistically significant interactions were observed in all subgroup analyses except poverty income ratio (PIR) (P for interaction

Abstract A series of fourth‐order bandpass filters (BPFs) with compact footprints, broad bandwidth, high selectivity, linear phase and notched response are proposed. The sketch of these BPFs is in accordance with the combination of the eighth‐mode substrate integrated waveguide (EMSIW) and dual‐mode microstrip line (DMML) resonators. The DMML resonator is constructed by means of metallic via‐holes and pad in the double‐layered structures. Among them, the DMML resonator can provide two transmission poles. Besides, the cross coupling is introduced through the vertical slot or fan‐shaped aperture in the dual‐layered substrates. The coupling schemes of the proposed BPFs can introduce two transmission zeros in the vicinity of operating passband, and the coupled scheme also exhibits a relatively flat in‐band group delay. Notched frequency responses have been obtained by exploiting the U‐shaped resonator and folded‐ring resonator embedded with the mixed EMSIW and DMML BPFs. To validate the conceptual design, the proposed BPFs are simulated, fabricated and measured. Both the simulation and measurement have reached to a satisfactory agreement.

The use of robots in education has the potential to engage students in learning activities and aims to form lasting relationships with them. To encourage sustainable, long-term human-robot interactions, a promising approach is to cultivate a pet-like, interdependent relationship. However, the potential of such relationships in education remains unclear, and the limited availability of robots in classrooms necessitates flexible and scalable designs. To address these challenges, this study leverages digital twin technology to facilitate ubiquitous engagement with pet robots, thereby prolonging interdependent relationships through a SeamlessPet robot learning approach. Here, students engaged with both virtual and physical pet robots, enabling realistic and continuous interactions akin to communicating directly with a physical robot. This integration ensured consistent availability and authentic interactions, enhancing educational outcomes demonstrated in situational presentations. An experiment with 70 university students in a Japanese Hospitality Management Program in Taiwan demonstrated that this approach resulted in better learning achievements and fostered a positive learning experience. The pet-like features embedded within the digital twin robots played a vital role in fostering prolonged learning participation, empowering students to take ownership of their learning, stay motivated, and feel supported at any time and from anywhere in the learning process. Educators and curriculum developers are encouraged to consider this approach, particularly in courses with a final project presentation that uses a robot to demonstrate study results.

IntroductionHuruan1212 (HR1212) is well-regarded for its superior eating and cooking quality in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. Still, its high susceptibility to rice panicle blast and lack of fragrance have limited its further spread and utilization. Pigm and Pi-ta are two dominant genes known for their stable broad-spectrum resistance against rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, while badh2 is the crucial gene that regulates rice aroma.MethodsIn this study, we utilized a molecular marker-assisted selection backcrossing strategy to introduce Pigm, Pi-ta, and badh2 into introgressed lines employing re-sequencing for precise genetic background selection.ResultsFinally, we selected three introgressed lines, including two that carry Pigm with the highest background recovery rates, showing eating and cooking qualities similar to those of HR1212, and one line that pyramids Pigm, Pi-ta, and badh2, which features a strong aroma. They all displayed significantly enhanced resistance to panicle blast and improved yield compared to HR1212.DiscussionIn conclusion, this study expanded the germplasm resources of japonica, providing a material foundation for enhancing breeding programs aimed at developing rice blast-resistant and high-quality fragrant japonica varieties. Additionally, the study demonstrated that integrating molecular markers and re-sequencing can inform breeders’ decision-making more precisely and efficiently.

Background A clinical challenge in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains the lack of applicable plasma biomarkers for screening and diagnosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) hold great potential as biomarkers for cancer. The study aims to explore a circRNA as a potential plasma biomarker for screening strategies and diagnostic approaches to ESCC. Methods Upregulated circRNAs were identified through RNA sequencing, with circCYP24A1 being identified as the target circRNA. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was employed to detect the expression of circCYP24A1 in ESCC tissue microarrays, aiming to assess the expression of circCYP24A1 in a large population and its correlation with clinical indicators. Subsequently, qRT-PCR analysis was performed on plasma samples from both ESCC patients and healthy controls to evaluate the expression levels of circCYP24A1, exploring its potential as a biomarker. Finally, the functions of circCYP24A1 were validated through CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, trans-well assays and western blot assays. Results CircCYP24A1 demonstrated upregulation in both plasma and tissues, exhibiting correlations with lymph node metastasis, TNM staging, and prognosis in ESCC. The circCYP24A1 achieved a perfect area under the curve of 0.94 for the diagnosis of ESCC, and an area under the curve of 0.76 for the prediction of lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, functional loss assays revealed that circCYP24A1 effectively promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis in vitro. Conclusions CircCYP24A1 emerges as a potential plasma diagnostic biomarker and a predictive factor for LNM for ESCC.

ABSTRACTHuman metapneumovirus (HMPV) is one of the main pathogens causing severe respiratory infections in children, as a common cause of immunodeficiency-related deaths in children and elderly individuals, the prevalence of HMPV has been showing an increasing trend during the last years. However, no vaccines or effective treatment plans are available currently. In this present, based on candidate proteins highly associated with viral virulence and has promising protective potential, we screened for immunodominant cytotoxic T cells, helper T cells, and Linear B-cell epitopes from the most promising candidate Fusion protein, together with G, SH, M, and M2. All epitopes were predicted to have strong antigenicity by Vaxijen and pose no potential toxicity, allergenicity, or hormonology to human proteins by Toxinpred, Allerpred, and Blast analysis, meanwhile, high conservancy is demanded to cover different subtypes. adjuvants β-defensin II and Pam2Cys was attached with EAAAK linkers to improve vaccine’s efficiency. Then, calculation of physicochemical properties proved the protein vaccine as a product can stably exist in the human body. Besides, we assessed the docking between the vaccine and immune receptors to evaluate its ability to stimulate immune responses, and the dynamic simulation further confirmed that the vaccine can tightly bind with immune receptors, which approved that the construction has the potential to induce strong humoral and cellular immune response. Finally, the vaccine was constructed into a multi-epitope mRNA vaccine, the immune simulations suggest that this is a vaccine candidate for controlling HMPV infection.

Abstract The surge in interest regarding the next generation of optical fiber transmission has stimulated the development of digital signal processing (DSP) schemes that are highly cost-effective with both high performance and low complexity. As benchmarks for nonlinear compensation methods, however, traditional DSP designed with block-by-block modules for linear compensations, could exhibit residual linear effects after compensation, limiting the nonlinear compensation performance. Here we propose a high-efficient design thought for DSP based on the learnable perspectivity, called learnable DSP (LDSP). LDSP reuses the traditional DSP modules, regarding the whole DSP as a deep learning framework and optimizing the DSP parameters adaptively based on backpropagation algorithm from a global scale. This method not only establishes new standards in linear DSP performance but also serves as a critical benchmark for nonlinear DSP designs. In comparison to traditional DSP with hyperparameter optimization, a notable enhancement of approximately 1.21 dB in the Q factor for 400 Gb/s signal after 1600 km fiber transmission is experimentally demonstrated by combining LDSP and perturbation-based nonlinear compensation algorithm. Benefiting from the learnable model, LDSP can learn the best configuration adaptively with low complexity, reducing dependence on initial parameters. The proposed approach implements a symbol-rate DSP with a small bit error rate (BER) cost in exchange for a 48% complexity reduction compared to the conventional 2 samples/symbol processing. We believe that LDSP represents a new and highly efficient paradigm for DSP design, which is poised to attract considerable attention across various domains of optical communications.

Abstract Background Patients with airway stenosis (AS) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation (LTx). This study aims to develop and validate machine learning (ML) models to predict AS requiring clinical intervention in patients after LTx. Methods Patients who underwent LTx between January 2017 and December 2019 were reviewed. The conventional logistic regression (LR) model was fitted by the independent risk factors which were determined by multivariate LR. The optimal ML model was determined based on 7 feature selection methods and 8 ML algorithms. Model performance was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) and brier score, which were internally validated by the bootstrap method. Results A total of 381 LTx patients were included, and 40 (10.5%) patients developed AS. Multivariate analysis indicated that male, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and postoperative 6-min walking test were significantly associated with AS (all P

Nuclear isotopes, distinct atoms characterized by varying neutron counts, have profoundly influenced a myriad of sectors, spanning from medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions to energy production and defense strategies. Their multifaceted applications have been celebrated for catalyzing revolutionary breakthroughs, yet these advancements simultaneously introduce intricate challenges that warrant thorough investigation. These challenges encompass safety protocols, potential environmental detriments, and the complex geopolitical landscape surrounding nuclear proliferation and disarmament. This comprehensive review embarks on a deep exploration of nuclear isotopes, elucidating their nuanced classifications, wide-ranging applications, intricate governing policies, and the multifaceted impacts of their unintended emissions or leaks. Furthermore, the study meticulously examines the cutting-edge remediation techniques currently employed to counteract nuclear contamination while projecting future innovations in this domain. By weaving together historical context, current applications, and forward-looking perspectives, this review offers a panoramic view of the nuclear isotope landscape. In conclusion, the significance of nuclear isotopes cannot be understated. As we stand at the crossroads of technological advancement and ethical responsibility, this review underscores the paramount importance of harnessing nuclear isotopes' potential in a manner that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and the greater good of humanity.

Abstract A large concentration gradient originating from sluggish ion transport on the surface of Zn metal anodes will result in uneven Zn2+ flux, giving rise to severe dendrite growth, especially at high current density. Herein, an ion acceleration layer is introduced by a facile separator engineering strategy to realize modulated Zn2+ flux and dendrite‐free deposition. Zinc hexacyanoferrate as the modifying agent featuring strong zincophilicity and rapid diffusion tunnel can enable fast trap for Zn2+ near the electrode surface and immediate transport onto deposition sites, respectively. The ion acceleration effect is substantiated by improved ion conductivity, decreased activated energy, and promoted Zn2+ transference number, which can moderate concentration gradient to guide homogenous Zn2+ flux distribution. As a result, the separator engineering guarantees Zn||Zn symmetrical cells with long‐term stability of 2700 h at 2 mA cm−2, and 1770 h at a large current density of 10 mA cm−2. Moreover, cycling stability and rate capability for full cells with different cathodes can be substantially promoted by the modified separator, validating its superior practical feasibility. This study supplies a new scalable approach to tailoring ion flux near the electrode surface to enable robust Zn metal anodes at a high current density.

Phage-derived peptidoglycan hydrolases (i.e. lysins) are considered promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics due to their direct peptidoglycan degradation activity and low risk of resistance development. The discovery of these enzymes is often hampered by the limited availability of phage genomes. Herein, we report a new strategy to mine active peptidoglycan hydrolases from bacterial proteomes by lysin-derived antimicrobial peptide-primed screening. As a proof-of-concept, five peptidoglycan hydrolases from the Acinetobacter baumannii proteome (PHAb7-PHAb11) were identified using PlyF307 lysin-derived peptide as a template. Among them, PHAb10 and PHAb11 showed potent bactericidal activity against multiple pathogens even after treatment at 100°C for 1 hr, while the other three were thermosensitive. We solved the crystal structures of PHAb8, PHAb10, and PHAb11 and unveiled that hyper-thermostable PHAb10 underwent a unique folding-refolding thermodynamic scheme mediated by a dimer-monomer transition, while thermosensitive PHAb8 formed a monomer. Two mouse models of bacterial infection further demonstrated the safety and efficacy of PHAb10. In conclusion, our antimicrobial peptide-primed strategy provides new clues for the discovery of promising antimicrobial drugs.

Abstract Lattice materials are an emerging family of advanced engineering materials with unique advantages for lightweight applications. However, the mechanical behaviors of lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities are still not well understood, and this severely limits their lightweighting potential. Here, a high‐precision micro‐laser powder bed fusion technique is dveloped that enables the fabrication of metallic lattices with a relative density range much wider than existing studies. This technique allows to confirm that cubic lattices in compression undergo a yielding‐to‐buckling failure mode transition at low relative densities, and this transition fundamentally changes the usual strength ranking from plate > shell > truss at high relative densities to shell > plate > truss or shell > truss > plate at low relative densities. More importantly, it is shown that increasing bending energy ratio in the lattice through imperfections such as slightly‐corrugated geometries can significantly enhance the stability and strength of lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities. This counterintuitive result suggests a new way for designing ultra‐lightweight lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities.

BackgroundSepsis is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates, alongside limited therapeutic efficacy. Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia, has been closely linked to sepsis in prior research. However, the specific mechanisms through which sepsis leads to new-onset AF remain poorly understood. This study focuses on identifying critical genes that are dysregulated in the development of new-onset AF within the context of sepsis, with the goal of uncovering new potential targets for its diagnosis and prevention.Material and methodsOur study began by applying Mendelian Randomization (MR) to assess the causal link between sepsis and AF. We then sourced sepsis and AF datasets from the Gene expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), we pinpointed key modules and genes associated with both sepsis and AF conditions. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The Transcriptional Regulatory Relationships Unravelled by Sentence-based Text-mining (TRRUST) database helped build the transcription factor (TF) interaction network. Key genes were scrutinized through Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) to delve into their roles in new-onset AF's pathophysiology during sepsis. We employed the CIBERSORT algorithm to evaluate immune infiltration and the association between key genes and immune cells. The Connectivity Map (CMap) database facilitated the prediction of potential small molecule compounds targeting key genes. To culminate, an acute sepsis mouse model was developed to validate the implicated mechanisms of key genes involved in new-onset AF during sepsis, and to assess the prophylactic effectiveness of identified drug candidates.ResultsMR revealed potential independent risk factors for new-onset AF in sepsis. S100A12 was identified as a core interaction gene with elevated levels in sepsis and AF, underscoring its diagnostic and predictive significance. S100A12, along with associated genes, was mainly linked to immune and inflammatory response signaling pathways, correlating with immune cell levels. Targeting S100A12 identifies five potential small molecule therapeutics: amlexanox, balsalazide, methandriol, olopatadine, and tiboloe. In animal studies, acute sepsis increased S100A12 expression in serum and atrial tissues, correlating positively with inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and negatively with heart rate, indicating a predisposition to AF. Early amlexanox administration can reduced S100A12 expression, dampened inflammation, and lessened new-onset AF risk in sepsis.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that sepsis may independently increase the risk of new-onset AF. We identified S100A12 as a key gene influencing the new-onset AF in sepsis through immune regulation, presenting considerable diagnostic and predictive value. Notably, amlexanox, by targeting S100A12 emerges as the most clinical relevant intervention for managing new-onset AF in sepsis patients.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by multi-organ involvement and the presence of autoantibodies, pathogenic factors that can serve as diagnostic biomarkers. The current research has been focusing on exploring specific autoantigens with clinical relevance for SLE subtypes. In line with this objective, this study investigated potential antigenic targets associated with specific phenotypes in SLE by leveraging an omics-based approach combined with immunoassay techniques. Methods: A transcriptomic analysis was conducted in a cohort of 70 SLE patients to identify genes significantly correlated to the relevant phenotype. Epitope mapping and sequence analysis techniques were used to predict autoantigens, and the corresponding antibodies were subsequently quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and validated by Western blot. Results: Transcriptomic data analysis revealed a group of hub genes exhibiting a significant correlation with the neuropsychiatric phenotype and a positive relationship with platelets. Subsequent epitope prediction for the corresponding proteins highlighted vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) as a potential autoantigen. Moreover, ELISA and immunoblotting confirmed that the anti-VASP antibody present in the serum was significantly elevated in SLE patients with neuropsychiatric involvement and positively associated with demyelination. Conclusion: VASP harbors autoantigenic epitopes associated with neuropsychiatric phenotype, especially the demyelination symptom in SLE, and its antibodies may serve as promising biomarkers in this disease.

Abstract Background To evaluate the hemodynamic characteristics of normal upper extremity arteries from the brachial artery to the fingertip arterioles. Methods We analyzed the characteristics and changes in the regularities of ultrasonic parameters in the upper extremity arteries of 104 healthy volunteers using color Doppler flow imaging and Angio Planewave UltraSensitive™ imaging. The measured ultrasonic parameters included the vessel diameter, blood-flow spectrum waveform, peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistance index, pulsatility index, ratio of PSV to EDV, blood-flow volume, along with systolic acceleration of each BA, radial artery, superficial palmar arch artery, palmar proper digital artery, and third-grade artery arch of the fingernail bed. Results From BA to FN3AA, the diameter, PSV, RI, S/D, VFlow, and slope of the artery significantly decreased (P

Abstract Background The outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) produced by Gram-negative bacteria can modulate the immune system and have great potentials for bacterial vaccine development. Results A highly active Acinetobacter baumannii phage lysin, LysP53, can stimulate the production of OMVs after interacting with A. baumannii, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella. The OMVs prepared by the lysin (LOMVs) from A. baumannii showed better homogeneity, higher protein yield, lower endotoxin content, and lower cytotoxicity compared to the naturally produced OMVs (nOMVs). The LOMVs contain a significantly higher number of cytoplasmic and cytoplasmic membrane proteins but a smaller number of periplasmic and extracellular proteins compared to nOMVs. Intramuscular immunization with either LOMVs or nOMVs three times provided robust protection against A. baumannii infections in both pneumonia and bacteremia mouse models. Intranasal immunization offered good protection in the pneumonia model but weaker protection (20–40%) in the bacteremia model. However, with a single immunization, LOMVs demonstrated better protection than the nOMVs in the pneumonia mouse model. Conclusions The novel lysin approach provides a superior choice compared to current methods for OMV production, especially for vaccine development. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Despite the higher sensitivity of melanoma towards ferroptosis and photodynamic therapy (PDT), the lack of efficient ferroptosis inducers and the poor solubility of photosensitizers restrict their synergistic strategies. With unique advantages, carbon dots (CDs) are expected to serve as innovative building blocks for combination therapy of cancers. Results Herein, an ferroptosis/PDT integrated nanoplatform for melanoma therapy is constructed based on chlorin e6-modified Fe ions-doped carbon dots (Fe-CDs@Ce6). As a novel type of iron-carbon hybrid nanoparticles, the as-prepared Fe-CDs can selectively activate ferroptosis, prevent angiogenesis and inhibit the migration of mouse skin melanoma cells (B16), but have no toxicity to normal cells. The nano-conjugated structures facilitate not only the aqueous dispersibility of Ce6, but also the self-accumulation ability of Fe-CDs@Ce6 within melanoma area without requiring extra targets. Moreover, the therapeutic effects of Fe-CDs@Ce6 are synergistically enhanced due to the increased GSH depletion by PDT and the elevated singlet oxygen (1O2) production efficiency by Fe-CDs. When combined with laser irradiation, the tumor growth can be significantly suppressed by Fe-CDs@Ce6 through cyclic administration. The T 2 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) capability of Fe-CDs@Ce6 also reveals their potentials for cancer diagnosis and navigation therapy. Conclusions Our findings indicate the multifunctionality of Fe-CDs@Ce6 in effectively combining ferroptosis/PDT therapy, tumor targeting and MRI imaging, which enables Fe-CDs@Ce6 to become promising biocompatible nanoplatform for the treatment of melanoma. Graphic Abstract

Abstract Cardioneuroablation (CNA) is currently considered as a promising treatment option for patients with symptomatic bradycardia caused by vagotonia. This study aims to further investigate its safety and efficacy in patients suffering from vagal bradycardia. A total of 60 patients with vagal bradycardia who underwent CNA in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from November 2019 to June 2022. Preoperative atropine tests revealed abnormal vagal tone elevation in all patients. First, the electroanatomic structures of the left atrium was mapped out by using the Carto 3 system, according to the protocol of purely anatomy-guided and local fractionated intracardiac electrogram-guided CNA methods. The upper limit of ablation power of superior left ganglion (SLGP) and right anterior ganglion (RAGP) was not more than 45W with an ablation index of 450.Postoperative transesophageal cardiac electrophysiological examination was performed 1 to 3 months after surgery. The atropine test was conducted when appropriate. Twelve-lead electrocardiogram, Holter electrocardiogram, and skin sympathetic nerve activity were reviewed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation. Adverse events such as pacemaker implantation and other complications were also recorded to analyze the safety and efficacy of CNA in the treatment of vagus bradycardia. Sixty patients were enrolled in the study (38 males, mean age 36.67 ± 9.44, ranging from 18 to 50 years old). None of the patients had a vascular injury, thromboembolism, pericardial effusion, or other surgical complications. The mean heart rate, minimum heart rate, low frequency, low/high frequency, acceleration capacity of rate, and skin sympathetic nerve activity increased significantly after CNA. Conversely, SDNN, PNN50, rMSSD, high frequency, and deceleration capacity of rate values decreased after CNA (all P 0.05). The remaining 81.67% (49/60) of the patients had good clinical results, with no episodes of arrhythmia during follow-up. CNA may be a safe and effective treatment for vagal-induced bradycardia, subject to confirmation by larger multicenter trials.

Abstract The surfaces of lotus leaves with micro- and nano-waxy cuticle structures are superhydrophobic and possess a self-healing ability to regain hydrophobicity after damage. Inspired by this phenomenon, the problem of water-repellent coatings used in natural environments failing to perform after damage can be solved if these coatings are endowed with rapid self-repair and self-growth functions. However, there has been almost no exploration into the hydrophobicity self-repair process in lotus leaves. The changes in surface morphology during the hydrophobicity recovery process are not understood. There is a lack of research on the hydrophobicity recovery in lotus leaves. In this study, the damage and recovery experiments on lotus leaf surfaces were carried out in an artificial climate chamber, and the water repellency recovery process and typical water repellency roughness parameters regained time were obtained. Upon analyzing the differences in the recovery process of different damage types, the recovery mechanism after lotus leaf surface damage was obtained. Finally, it was found that the microscopic roughness determined the static contact angle (WCA) of the lotus leaf surface, and the nanoscopic roughness determined the rolling angle (SA). The dual factors of the recovery of the extruded epidermal tissue and the regeneration of the epidermal wax crystals determined the hydrophobicity recovery process in damaged lotus leaves.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are closely associated with the maturity and variety of strawberries. However, the complexity of VOCs hinders their potential application in strawberry classification. This study developed a novel classification workflow using strawberry VOC profiles and machine learning (ML) models for precise fruit classification. A comprehensive VOC dataset was rapidly collected using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) from five strawberry varieties at four maturity stages (n = 300) and visualized through principal component analysis (PCA). Five ML models were developed, including partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), Xgboost and neural networks (NN). The accuracy of all models ranged from 90.00% to 98.33%, with the NN model demonstrating the best performance. Specifically, it achieved 96.67% accuracy for single-maturity classification, 98.33% for single-variety classification, and 96.67% for dual maturity and variety classification, along with 98.09% precision, 97.92% recall, and 97.91% F1 score. Feature importance analysis indicated that the NN model exhibited the most balanced reliance on various VOCs, contributing to its optimal performance with the broad-spectrum VOC detection method, GC-IMS. Overall, these findings underscore the potential of NN modeling for accurate and efficient fruit classification based on integrated VOC profiles.

To investigate the dietary effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on the growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, and non-specific immunity of Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus) during the domestication stage, a 28-day feeding experiment was conducted to supplement with CGA at levels of 0 (Cont.), 250 (CGA 0.50%), 500 (CGA 1.00%), and 750 (CGA 1.50%) mg/kg·bw by feeding with yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). Compared with the control group, the addition of 250–750 mg/kg of CGA significantly increased the weight-gain rate (WG) of M. albus, and the CGA 1.0% group displayed the highest value. The content of hemoglobin and high-density lipoprotein in all CGA groups was markedly elevated (p < 0.05), while the triglyceride, glucose, low-density lipoprotein, and glycosylated serum protein levels were lowered (p < 0.05). Among the antioxidant enzymes, the glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity was significantly higher in all experimental groups than that of the control group, whereas the malondialdehyde activity was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). For a non-specific immune enzyme system, the lysozyme and alkaline phosphatase activity in all treatments and the superoxide dismutase and acid phosphatase activity in the CGA 0.5% group was markedly increased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation with CGA can enhance the growth performance and improve the lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity, and non-specific immunity of M. albus during the domestication stage, and the optimal CGA supplementation for T. molitor as biocarrier bait is 500 mg/kg, corresponding to 405 mg/kg.

An online dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) monitoring system was produced to achieve high spatial and temporal resolution in DIC data from the western Taiwan Strait (WTS) during the summer. Surface seawater DIC, salinity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Chl-a, and NO3− samples were collected, as well as the vertical profiles of DIC, to understand DIC variations in the WTS. The results showed that the range of DIC levels in the surface seawater from the WTS was from 1.68 to 2.21 mmol/L (Mmol), with an average of 1.93 ± 0.19 Mmol, which was consistent with the sampling results using titration determination, with an average of 1.98 ± 0.12 Mmol. A high correlation (R2 = 0.96) was presented between the online monitoring and sampling detection of DIC, indicating that DIC could be measured with high accuracy using the online monitoring system. The spatial distribution of DIC was similar to that of salinity, but it was different from that of DOC and Chl-a. The DIC concentration positively correlated with salinity (R2 = 0.51) and presented a negative correlation (R2 = 0.92) with seawater temperature. However, the surface seawater DIC was almost independent from DOC and Chl-a in the observation sea areas. The DIC levels first increased and then decreased with the depth, with the highest DIC concentration occurring in the subsurface water at about 10 m, which was similar to the profiles of salinity and Chl-a in the northern and southern areas of the WTS. The profiles of DIC, salinity, NO3−, and Chl-a were almost independent from the water depth in the central WST. This indicated that seawater DIC in the WTS was mainly affected by seawater temperature, salinity, and the vertical mixing of sea water, but it was less impacted by TOC and Chl-a.

By integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing with advanced deep object detection techniques, it can achieve large-scale and high-throughput detection and counting of maize tassels. However, challenges arise from high sunlight, which can obscure features in reflective areas, and low sunlight, which hinders feature identification. Existing methods struggle to balance real-time performance and accuracy. In response to these challenges, we propose DLMNet, a lightweight network based on the YOLOv8 framework. DLMNet features: (1) an efficient channel and spatial attention mechanism (ECSA) that suppresses high sunlight reflection noise and enhances details under low sunlight conditions, and (2) a dynamic feature fusion module (DFFM) that improves tassel recognition through dynamic fusion of shallow and deep features. In addition, we built a maize tassel detection and counting dataset (MTDC-VS) with various sunlight conditions (low, normal, and high sunlight), containing 22,997 real maize tassel targets. Experimental results show that on the MTDC-VS dataset, DLMNet achieves a detection accuracy AP50 of 88.4%, which is 1.6% higher than the baseline YOLOv8 model, with a 31.3% reduction in the number of parameters. The counting metric R2 for DLMNet is 93.66%, which is 0.9% higher than YOLOv8. On the publicly available maize tassel detection and counting dataset (MTDC), DLMNet achieves an AP50 of 83.3%, which is 0.7% higher than YOLOv8, further demonstrating DLMNet’s excellent generalization ability. This study enhances the model’s adaptability to sunlight, enabling high performance under suboptimal conditions and offering insights for real-time intelligent agriculture monitoring with UAV technology.