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Abstract Background The outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited by its complex molecular characteristics and changeable tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we focused on elucidating the functional consequences of Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) in the tumorigenesis, progression and metastasis of HCC, and exploring the effect of MELK on immune cell regulation in the TME, meanwhile clarifying the corresponding signaling networks. Methods Bioinformatic analysis was used to validate the prognostic value of MELK for HCC. Murine xenograft assays and HCC lung metastasis mouse model confirmed the role of MELK in tumorigenesis and metastasis in HCC. Luciferase assays, RNA sequencing, immunopurification–mass spectrometry (IP-MS) and coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) were applied to explore the upstream regulators, downstream essential molecules and corresponding mechanisms of MELK in HCC. Results We confirmed MELK to be a reliable prognostic factor of HCC and identified MELK as an effective candidate in facilitating the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of HCC; the effects of MELK depended on the targeted regulation of the upstream factor miR-505-3p and interaction with STAT3, which induced STAT3 phosphorylation and increased the expression of its target gene CCL2 in HCC. In addition, we confirmed that tumor cell-intrinsic MELK inhibition is beneficial in stimulating M1 macrophage polarization, hindering M2 macrophage polarization and inducing CD8 + T-cell recruitment, which are dependent on the alteration of CCL2 expression. Importantly, MELK inhibition amplified RT-related immune effects, thereby synergizing with RT to exert substantial antitumor effects. OTS167, an inhibitor of MELK, was also proven to effectively impair the growth and progression of HCC and exert a superior antitumor effect in combination with radiotherapy (RT). Conclusions Altogether, our findings highlight the functional role of MELK as a promising target in molecular therapy and in the combination of RT therapy to improve antitumor effect for HCC.

Abstract In order to investigate the failure modes and instability mechanism of fractured rock. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on sandstone specimens with different dip angles. Based on rock energy dissipation theory and fractal theory, the energy evolution characteristics and fragmentation fractal characteristics in the process of deformation and failure of specimens were analyzed. The results show that the peak strength and elastic modulus of fractured rock mass are lower than those of intact samples, and both show an exponential increase with the increase of fracture dip angle. The energy evolution laws of different fracture specimens are roughly similar and can be classified into four stages based on the stress–strain curve: pressure-tight, elastic, plastic, and post-destructive. The total strain energy, elastic strain energy, and dissipated strain energy of the specimen at the peak stress point increased exponentially with crack inclination, and the dissipated strain energy and compressive strength conformed to a power function growth relationship. The distribution of the fragments after the failure of the fracture sample has fractal characteristics, and the fractal dimension increases with the increase of the fracture dip angle. In addition, the higher the compressive strength of the specimen, the greater the energy dissipation, the more serious the degree of fragmentation, and the greater the fractal dimension. The data fitting further shows that there is a power function relationship between the dissipated strain energy and the fractal dimension. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the stability of rock mass engineering and structural deformation control.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are highly promising for realizing high-capacity, low-cost, and safe Li metal batteries. However, the Li dendritic growth and side reactions between Li and SPEs also plague these systems. Herein, a fluorinated lithium salt coating (FC) with organic-inorganic gradient and soft–rigid feature is introduced on Li surface as an artificial protective layer by the in-situ reaction between Li metal and fluorinated carboxylic acid. The FC layer can improve the interface stability and wettability between Li and SPEs, assist the transport of Li ions, and guide Li nucleation, contributing to a dendrite-free Li deposition and long-lifespan Li metal batteries. The symmetric cell with FC-Li anodes exhibits a high areal capacity of 1 mAh cm−2 at 0.5 mA cm−2, and an ultra-long lifespan of 2000 h at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2. Moreover, the full cell paired with the LiFePO4 cathode exhibits improved cycling stability, remaining 83.7% capacity after 500 cycles at 1 C. When matching with the S cathode, the FC layer can prevent the shuttle effect, contributing to stable and high-capacity Li–S battery. This work provided a promising way for the construction of stable all-solid-state lithium metal batteries with prolonged lifespan.

It has been a common method to improve the mechanical properties of metals by manipulating their microstructures via static recrystallization, i.e., through heat treatment. Therefore, the knowledge of recrystallization and grain growth is critical to the success of the technique. In the present work, by using in-situ high temperature EBSD, the mechanisms that control recrystallization and grain growth of an extruded pure Mg were studied. The experimental results revealed that the grains of priority for dynamic recrystallization exhibit fading competitiveness under static recrystallization. It is also found that grain boundary movement or grain growth is likely to show an inverse energy gradient effect, i.e., low energy grains tend to swallow or grow into high energy grains, and grain boundaries of close to 30° exhibit superior growth advantage to others. Another finding is that {10–12} tensile twin boundaries are sites of hardly observed for recrystallization, and are finally swallowed by adjacent recrystallized grains. The above findings may give comprehensive insights of static recrystallization and grain growth of Mg, and may guide the design of advanced materials processing in microstructural engineering.

Abstract Chiral recognition of amino acids is very important in both chemical and life sciences. Although chiral recognition with luminescence has many advantages such as being inexpensive, it is usually slow and lacks generality as the recognition module relies on structural complementarity. Here, we show that one single molecular-solid sensor, L-phenylalanine derived benzamide, can manifest the structural difference between the natural, left-handed amino acid and its right-handed counterpart via the difference of room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) irrespective of the specific chemical structure. To realize rapid and reliable sensing, the doped samples are obtained as nanocrystals from evaporation of the tetrahydrofuran solutions, which allows for efficient triplet-triplet energy transfer to the chiral analytes generated in situ from chiral amino acids. The results show that L-analytes induce strong RTP, whereas the unnatural D-analytes produce barely any afterglow. The method expands the scope of luminescence chiral sensing by lessening the requirement for specific molecular structures.

Abstract Developing highly efficient catalysts is significant for Li-CO2 batteries. However, understanding the exact structure of catalysts during battery operation remains a challenge, which hampers knowledge-driven optimization. Here we use X-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe the reconstruction of CoSx (x = 8/9, 1.097, and 2) pre-catalysts and identify the local geometric ligand environment of cobalt during cycling in the Li-CO2 batteries. We find that different oxidized states after reconstruction are decisive to battery performance. Specifically, complete oxidation on CoS1.097 and Co9S8 leads to electrochemical performance deterioration, while oxidation on CoS2 terminates with Co-S4-O2 motifs, leading to improved activity. Density functional theory calculations show that partial oxidation contributes to charge redistributions on cobalt and thus facilitates the catalytic ability. Together, the spectroscopic and electrochemical results provide valuable insight into the structural evolution during cycling and the structure-activity relationship in the electrocatalyst study of Li-CO2 batteries.

Abstract Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by cell swelling, pore formation in the plasma membrane, lysis, and releases of cytoplasmic contents. To date, the molecular mechanism of human and murine Gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis have been fully investigated. However, studies focusing on molecular mechanism of bovine Gasdermin D (bGSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis and its function against pathogenic infection were unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate that bovine caspase-1 (bCaspase-1) cleaves bGSDMD at amino acid residue D277 to produce an N-terminal fragment (bGSDMD-p30) which leads to pyroptosis. The amino acid residues T238 and F239 are critical for bGSDMD-p30-mediated pyroptosis. The loop aa 278-299, L293 and A380 are the key sites for autoinhibitory structure of the full length of bGSDMD. In addition, bCaspase-3 also cleaves bGSDMD at residue Asp86 without inducing cell death. Therefore, our study provides the first detailed elucidation of the mechanism of bovine GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis. The results will establish a significant foundation for future research on the role of pyroptosis in bovine infectious diseases.

Abstract Background Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at different stages of the pandemic. This study aims to assess the lives and disease status of PD patients during the zero-COVID policy period and after ending the zero-COVID policy. Methods This multicenter cross-sectional study included two online surveys among PD patients in China, from May 30 to June 30 in 2022 and from January 1 to February 28 in 2023, respectively. The survey questionnaires contained four sections: (1) status of COVID-19 infection; (2) impact on motor and non-motor symptoms; (3) impact on daily and social lives; and (4) impact on PD disease management. Results A total of 1764 PD patients participated in the first online survey, with 200 patients having lockdown experience and 3 being COVID-19-positive (0.17%). In addition, 537 patients participated in the second online survey, with 467 patients having COVID-19 infection (86.96%). (1) During zero-COVID, all of the COVID-19-positive patients had mild symptoms of COVID-19 and no death was reported. After zero-COVID, 83.51% of the COVID-19-positive patients had mild symptoms. The overall death rate and inpatient mortality rate of COVID-19-positive PD patients were 3.21% and 30.00%, respectively. (2) During zero-COVID, 49.43% of PD patients reported worsening of PD-related symptoms (lockdown vs. unlockdown, 60.50% vs. 48.02%, P = 0.0009). After zero-COVID, 54.93% of PD patients reported worsening of PD-related symptoms (COVID-19 positive vs. COVID-19 negative, 59.31% vs. 25.71%, P

Purpose: The intimate connection between long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and autophagy has been established in cartilage degeneration. However, their roles in meniscal degeneration remain ambiguous. This study aimed to identify the key autophagy-related lncRNA and its associated regulatory network in meniscal degeneration in the context of osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and mRNAs (DEMs), which were then conducted to enrichment analyses using the DAVID database and Metascape. Autophagy-related DEMs were identified by combining DEMs with data from the Human Autophagy Database. Three databases were used to predict miRNA, and the DIANA LncBase Predicted database was utilized to predict miRNA-lncRNA interactions. Based on these predictions, comprehensive competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network were constructed. The expression levels of the classical autophagy markers and autophagy-related ceRNA network were validated. Additionally, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed using autophagy-related DEMs. Results: 310 DELs and 320 DEMs were identified, with five upregulated and one downregulated autophagy-related DEMs. Through reverse prediction of miRNA, paired miRNA-lncRNA interactions, and verification using RT-qPCR, two lncRNAs (PCAT19, CLIP1-AS1), two miRNA (has-miR-3680-3p and has-miR-4795-3p) and two mRNAs (BAG3 and HSP90AB1) were included in the constructed ceRNA regulatory networks. GSEA indicated that the increased expression of autophagy-related mRNAs inhibited glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis in the degenerative meniscus. Conclusion: This study presented the first construction of regulatory ceRNA network involving autophagy-related lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions in OA meniscus. These findings offered valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying meniscal degeneration and provided potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Abstract The sluggish reaction kinetics has greatly hampered the development of reversible Li‐CO2 batteries. Especially during charge, high charge voltage and possible side reactions during Li2CO3 decomposition require both high activity and strong durability of catalysts. Herein, a strategy of introducing rich sulfur vacancies is proposed, which tailors the configuration of Li2CO3 and the orbital structure of CoS to realize the dual enhancement. The calculation results show that charge redistribution by sulfur vacancies on the catalyst stretches the adsorbed Li2CO3 and consequently facilitates its decomposition. Moreover, the induced vacancies lower the S 2p band center, promoting the electrochemical stability of sulfides. Therefore, Li‐CO2 batteries with sulfur vacancy‐rich CoS exhibit a low overpotential of 1.07 V after 400 h cycling, while batteries with pristine CoS have a short lifespan that the overpotential exceeds 1.75 V after cycling for 200 h. This study not only proposes a strategy to improve both catalytic activity and stability but also paves new avenues for designing advanced catalysts for Li‐CO2 batteries and beyond.

The small-scale roadway model is often used in the fine simulation of mining engineering. The determination of the structure and load conditions of the model has an important influence on the accuracy of the simulation. In this paper, a large-scale stratum model and a small-scale roadway model are established by using finite element method. The optimal loading mode of the roadway model and its applicability under different roof-sidewall stiffness ratios are studied. The simulation accuracy of the roadway model is quantitatively evaluated by comparing the distribution laws of stress field and strain field with those of the stratum models. Under the same roof-sidewall stiffness ratio, the similarity between the simulation results of the roadway model and the stratum model under displacement load is much higher than that under stress load. Under the same load mode, the stress and strain similarity between the stratum model and roadway model increases with the increase of the roof-sidewall stiffness ratio. Furtherly, the simulation application of the roadway drilling pressure relief is carried out. Compared with the large-scale stratum model with small-size elements, the small-scale roadway model under displacement load also shows obvious stress transfer after drilling pressure relief, while it has faster computational efficiency. Finally, a small-scale roadway model simulation method suitable for surrounding rock disaster occurrence mechanism and control is proposed.

ABSTRACTMost arthropod-borne viruses produce intermittent epidemics in infected plants. However, the underlying mechanisms of these epidemics are unclear. Here, we demonstrated that rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV), a viral pathogen, significantly increases the mortality of its overwintering vector, the leafhopper species Recilia dorsalis. Cold-stress assays indicated that RSMV reduces the cold tolerance of leafhoppers, a process associated with the downregulation of leafhopper cuticular protein genes. An RSMV-derived small RNA (vsiR-t00355379) was found to facilitate the downregulation of a leafhopper endocuticle gene that is mainly expressed in the abdomen (named RdABD-5) and is conserved across dipteran species. The downregulation of RdABD-5 expression in R. dorsalis resulted in fewer and thinner endocuticle lamellae, leading to decreased cold tolerance. This effect was correlated with a reduced incidence rate of RSMV in early-planted rice plants. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanism by which viral pathogens reduce cold tolerance in arthropod vectors and suggest an approach to managing the fluctuating prevalence of arboviruses.IMPORTANCEIncreasing arthropod vector dispersal rates have increased the susceptibility of crop to epidemic viral diseases. However, the incidence of some viral diseases fluctuates annually. In this study, we demonstrated that a rice virus reduces the cold tolerance of its leafhopper vector, Recilia dorsalis. This effect is linked to the virus-derived small RNA-mediated downregulation of a gene encoding a leafhopper abdominal endocuticle protein. Consequently, the altered structural composition of the abdominal endocuticle reduces the overwinter survival of leafhoppers, resulting in a lower incidence of RSMV infection in early-planted rice plants. Our findings illustrate the important roles of RNA interference in virus-vector insect-environment interactions and help explain the annual fluctuations of viral disease epidemics in rice fields.

Th2-high asthma is characterized by elevated levels of type 2 cytokines, such as interleukin 13 (IL-13), and its prevalence has been increasing worldwide. Ferroptosis, a recently discovered type of programmed cell death, is involved in the pathological process of Th2-high asthma; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA), an index of lipid peroxidation, positively correlated with IL-13 level and negatively correlated with the predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) in asthmatics. Furthermore, we showed that IL-13 facilitates ferroptosis by upregulating of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) through analyzing immortalized airway epithelial cells, human airway organoids, and the ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged asthma model. We identified that signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) promotes the transcription of SOCS1 upon IL-13 stimulation. Moreover, SOCS1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, was found to bind to solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and catalyze its ubiquitinated degradation, thereby promoting ferroptosis in airway epithelial cells. Last, we found that inhibiting SOCS1 can decrease ferroptosis in airway epithelial cells and alleviate airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in OVA-challenged wide-type mice, while SOCS1 overexpression exacerbated the above in OVA-challenged IL-13-knockout mice. Our findings reveal that the IL-13/STAT6/SOCS1/SLC7A11 pathway is a novel molecular mechanism for ferroptosis in Th2-high asthma, confirming that targeting ferroptosis in airway epithelial cells is a potential therapeutic strategy for Th2-high asthma.

ABSTRACT: Quail, as an advantageous avian model organism due to its compact size and short reproductive cycle, holds substantial potential for enhancing our understanding of skeletal muscle development. The quantity of skeletal muscle represents a vital economic trait in poultry production. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing quail skeletal muscle development is of paramount importance for optimizing meat and egg yield through selective breeding programs. However, a comprehensive characterization of the regulatory dynamics and molecular control underpinning quail skeletal muscle development remains elusive. In this study, through the application of HE staining on quail leg muscle sections, coupled with preceding fluorescence quantification PCR of markers indicative of skeletal muscle differentiation, we have delineated embryonic day 9 (E9) and embryonic day 14 (E14) as the start and ending points, respectively, of quail skeletal muscle differentiation. Then, we employed whole transcriptome sequencing to investigate the temporal expression profiles of leg muscles in quail embryos at the initiation of differentiation (E9) and upon completion of differentiation (E14). Our analysis revealed the expression patterns of 12,012 genes, 625 lncRNAs, 14,457 circRNAs, and 969 miRNAs in quail skeletal muscle samples. Differential expression analysis between the E14 and E9 groups uncovered 3,479 differentially expressed mRNAs, 124 lncRNAs, 292 circRNAs, and 154 miRNAs. Furthermore, enrichment analysis highlighted the heightened activity of signaling pathways related to skeletal muscle metabolism and intermuscular fat formation, such as the ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and PPAR signaling pathway during E14 skeletal muscle development. Conversely, the E9 stage exhibited a prevalence of pathways associated with myoblast proliferation, exemplified by cell cycle processes. Additionally, we constructed regulatory networks encompassing lncRNA‒mRNA, miRNA‒mRNA, lncRNA‒miRNA-mRNA, and circRNA-miRNA‒mRNA interactions, thus shedding light on their putative roles within quail skeletal muscle. Collectively, our findings illuminate the gene and non-coding RNA expression characteristics during quail skeletal muscle development, serving as a foundation for future investigations into the regulatory mechanisms governing non-coding RNA and quail skeletal muscle development in poultry production.

Objective The Bayan Obo deposit in Inner Mongolia is a rare superlarge REE-Nb-Fe polymetallic deposit worldwide. There are still controversies on the timing of REE mineralization in the deposit due to the complex geological evolution in the region. Methods Based on previous isotopic dating results, in combination with geological characteristics of the deposit, this paper re-evaluates potentially multiple episodes of REE mineralization. Results The Bayan Obo deposit has experienced the Precambrian tectonic evolution of the North China Craton between 2.5-1.8 Ga. The major REE mineralization was formed in the Bayan Obo rift at ~1.3 Ga during the final stage of the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent, coeval with carbonate dike in the region. Hydrothermal metasomatism or overprints occurred throughout the Bayan Obo area, which is related to the late Paleo-Asian Ocean subduction-collision orogeny in the northern margin of the North China Craton, producing the late REE veins and recrystallization of original REE minerals. Such a hydrothermal modification event has variably disturbed the isotopic system of the H8 ore-bearing dolomite, resulting in multiple periods of isotopic ages (1.0-0.2 Ga) with peaks at 440 Ma and 270 Ma. Conclusion In summary, the Bayan Obo deposit primarily formed from the ~1.3 Ga rift metallogenic event, superposed by Caledonian and Hercynian tectonothermal events.

Abstract Chromatin accessibility is a critical determinant of gene transcriptional expression and regulated by histones modification. However, the potential for manipulating chromatin accessibility to regulate radiation sensitivity remains unclear. Our findings demonstrated that the histone demethylase inhibitor, 5-carboxy-8-hydroxyquinoline (IOX1), could enhance the radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, IOX1 treatment reduced chromatin accessibility in the promoter region of DNA damage repair genes, leading to decreased DNA repair efficiency and elevated DNA damage induced by γ irradiation. Notably, IOX1 treatment significantly reduced both chromatin accessibility and the transcription of phytochrome interacting factor 1 (PIF1), a key player in telomere maintenance. Inhibition of PIF1 delayed radiation-induced DNA and telomeric DNA damage repair, as well as increased radiosensitivity of NSCLC in vitro and in vivo. Further study indicated that the above process was regulated by a reduction of transcription factor myc-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) binding to the distal intergenic region of the PIF1. Taken together, IOX1-mediated demethylase inactivation reduced chromatin accessibility, leading to elevated telomere damage which is partly due to PIF1 inhibition, thereby enhancing NSCLC radiosensitivity.

Abstract Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) provides better option concerning pathological diagnosis and curative intention of small pulmonary nodules (SPNs) that are sometimes challenging to localize. We assess the safety and feasibility of a new localization technique for SPNs, and report experience accumulated over time. A retrospective review of the new claw-suture localization cases between February 2018 and May 2023 was performed. Nodules were localized by a novel system that has an anchor claw and a tri-colored suture, guided by computed tomography (CT). Localization and operative procedure outcomes were then assessed. A total of 590 SPNs were localized from 568 patients before operation. The median nodule size was 0.70 cm (range, 0.3–2.0 cm). The claw-suture localization was successful without dislodgment or device fracture in 574 of 590 lesions (97.3%). Failures included not meeting target distance between claw and lesion (n = 13 [2.2%]), and device displacement (n = 3 [0.5%]). Complications requiring no further medical intervention included asymptomatic pneumothorax (n = 68 [11.5%]), parenchymal hemorrhage (n = 51 [8.6%]), and hemothorax (n = 1 [0.2%]) with the exception of pleural reaction observed in 2 cases (0.3%). Additionally, the depth of pulmonary nodules was significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumothorax (P = 0.036) and parenchymal hemorrhage (P = 0.000). The median duration of the localization was 12 min (range, 7–25 min). No patient complained of remarkable pain during the entire procedure. Retrieve of device after operation was 100%. The new localization technique is a safe, feasible, and well-tolerated method to localize SPNs for VATS resection.

The lattice square degree, denoted by the c/a value, is a crucial factor that influences the slip mode of α-Ti alloys and thereby affects their plasticity. However, the relationship between the c/a value and the plasticity of α-Ti alloys has not been fully clarified. In this study, the powder metallurgy method (PM) was used to prepare Ti alloys with different square degrees by introducing interstitial O and substitutional Si solutes into α-Ti crystal. Then the mechanical properties, particularly plasticity, and lattice parameters of the resulted alloys were measured. By combining first-principles calculation with experimental studying, a plastic criterion based on the square degree was established. Subsequently, the mechanism of strength and plasticity was investigated by means of the density of states and charge density difference. Finally, the composition of α-Ti alloys with both O and Si solution atoms was designed, whose c/a values were calculated by the first-principles calculation and accorded with the proposed square degree criterion, and then the reliability of this criterion was verified by the experimental results. As a result, a high strength and plasticity α-Ti alloy with tensile strength 1106 MPa and elongation 23.2 % was successfully prepared. The findings of this research offer new insights into the alloying design of α-Ti alloys with high strength and moderate plasticity.

Abstract The efficacious forecasting of single‐station atmospheric temperature profiles can provide essential support for the structural design and flight missions of spacecrafts in near space. However, empirical models and reference atmospheric models most are calculations of the average state of the atmosphere profiles. Numerical assimilation models require expensive computational costs to improve the accuracy for medium and long‐term forecasting. It has been still a challenge to refined predict short‐term temperature profiles of near space at a low‐cost. We present a temperature profile operator method for refined modeling in the stratosphere by fusing the ability of Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) networks or its variants‐ bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM) to exploit time series correlated information and deep operator networks (DeepONets) to approximate the solution operator of temperature profiles. It consists of three subnetworks. The first subnetwork is used to approximate the discrete temperature profile function, the second net is applied to represent the spatial information of pressure heights, and the third branch is utilized to encode the time domain of the temperature profile operator. We first use the hourly low latitude temperature data (20–50 km) from ERA5 for training, verification and iterative testing in the next 48 hr. The results denote that the temperature profile operator network has a stable and low error of cumulative generalization, and the BiLSTM operator significantly outperform the other models. We also apply two scenarios to testing the refined applicability of the high latitude temperature profile operator and the mid latitude wind profile operator in the stratosphere. This work provides a novel perspective for us to study the refined single‐station modeling of the upper and middle atmosphere.

There is a certain contradiction between the formability and strength of auto parts. In this work, the whole-process processing technology of hot stamping soft steel was designed, and 500 MPa grade mild steel (500HS) with uniform microstructure was prepared. To take into account the strength and formability of hot stamping soft steel, here, based on laser welding technology, 500 MPa grade soft steel, and 1500 MPa grade hard steel are benignly composited, and by adjusting the laser welding speed and heat treatment process, the loss of mechanical properties caused by the weld seam is eliminated. A soft/hard composite steel for automobiles with excellent strength, ductility and formability is obtained. To maintain excellent deformation resistance and bonding force of the weld, the heat-affected zone of 500HS retains part of bainite and pearlite, which is beneficial to the strain compatibility and stress partitioning with the microstructure of the base metal, and the hardness is low. After heat treatment, which helps to transfer the stress concentration effect to the 500HS base metal with strong energy absorption capacity, so that the clad steel has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. This process is developed based on existing industrialized equipment and has broad application prospects.

ABSTRACTFungiidae have shown increased thermal adaptability in coral reef ecosystems under global warming. This study analyzes the evolutionary divergence and microbial communities of Fungiidae in the Sanjiao Reef of the southern South China Sea and explores the impact of coral evolution radiation and microbial dynamics on the heat tolerance of Fungiidae. The results found that Cycloseris was an ancient branch of Fungiidae, dating back approximately 147.8953 Mya, and Fungiidae differentiated into two ancestral clades (clades I and II) before 107.0312 Ma. Fungiidae exhibited specific symbioses with the Cladocopium C27 sub-clade. Notably, the Cladocopium C1 sub-clade has a high relative abundance in clade I, whereas the heat-tolerant Cladocopium C40 and C3u sub-clades subdominante in clade II. Regarding bacterial communities, Cycloseris costulata, the earliest divergent species, had higher bacterial β-diversity, while the latest divergent species, Lithophyllon scabra, displayed lower bacterial α-diversity and higher community stability. Beneficial bacteria dominante Fungiidae’s bacterial community (54%). The co-occurrence network revealed that microbial networks in clade II exhibited lower complexity and greater resilience than those in clade I. Our study highlights that host evolutionary radiation and microbial communities shaped Fungiidae’s thermal tolerance. The variability in subdominant Symbiodiniaceae populations may contribute to interspecific differences in thermal tolerance along the evolutionary branches of Fungiidae. The presence of abundant beneficial bacteria may further enhance the thermal ability of the Fungiidae. Furthermore, the later divergent species of Fungiidae have stronger heat tolerance, possibly driven by the increased regulation ability of the host on the bacterial community, greater microbial community stability, and interaction network resistance.IMPORTANCECoral reefs are facing significant threats due to global warming. The heat tolerance of coral holobionts depends on both the coral host and its microbiome. However, the association between coral evolutionary radiation and interspecific differences in microbial communities remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of evolutionary radiation and microbial community dynamics in shaping the thermal acclimation potential of Fungiidae in the Sanjiao Reef of the southern South China Sea. The study’s results suggest that evolutionary radiation enhances the thermal tolerance of Fungiidae. Fungiidae species that have diverged more recently have exhibited a higher presence of heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae taxa, more stable bacterial communities, and a robust and resilient microbial interaction network, improving the thermal adaptability of Fungiidae. In summary, this study provides new insights into the thermal adaptation patterns of corals under global warming conditions.

Abstract Objective This was a single-center retrospective study that aimed to measure the vertebral bone quality (VBQ) in people of all ages and compare changes in VBQ across ages. Differences in VBQ under various MRI parameters were compared. Methods We first screened patients without underlying disease and no history of fractures who underwent lumbar MRI in our center in the past four years. Over the span of 10 years, 200 patients (100 males and 100 females) were randomly recruited into each cohort to undergo 1.5 T and 3.0 T MRI scans. Subsequently, we tabulated the number of patients admitted to our hospital with OVCF over the past four years. There were 30 healthy adults under 4 times of MRI scans in different parameters to determine the differentiation of VBQ. The 30 healthy adults were recruited to validate the differentiation of VBQ under various parameters. Results A total of 2400 patients without OVCF and 405 patients with OVCF were enrolled. The VBQ value of 1.5 T was significantly higher compared with that of 3.0 T (2.769 ± 0.494 > 2.199 ± 0.432, P

A diaphragm pump is a type of volumetric pump that has excellent sealing performance. An electromagnetic diaphragm pump is a kind of widely adopted diaphragm pump that has a simple structure, low power loss, and high cost performance. However, the calculation method of deformation for the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm is presently lacking. Herein, a calculating method of deformation for the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm is proposed. By establishing and analyzing a deformation model of the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm, a theoretical relationship between the deformation of the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm, the size of the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm and the pressure of fluid is determined. The experimental results indicate that the biggest difference between the tested axial deformation and the calculated axial deformation of the electromagnetic diaphragm pump rubber diaphragm is 0.04 mm and the calculation results show agreement with the experimental results.

Autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7) is an essential autophagy effector enzyme. Although it is well known that autophagy plays crucial roles in the infections with various viruses including influenza A virus (IAV), function and underlying mechanism of ATG7 in infection and pathogenesis of IAV remain poorly understood. Here, in vitro studies showed that ATG7 had profound effects on replication of IAV. Depletion of ATG7 markedly attenuated the replication of IAV, whereas overexpression of ATG7 facilitated the viral replication. ATG7 conditional knockout mice were further employed and exhibited significantly resistant to viral infections, as evidenced by a lower degree of tissue injury, slower body weight loss, and better survival, than the wild type animals challenged with either IAV (RNA virus) or pseudorabies virus (DNA virus). Interestingly, we found that ATG7 promoted the replication of IAV in autophagy-dependent and -independent manners, as inhibition of autophagy failed to completely block the upregulation of IAV replication by ATG7. To determine the autophagy-independent mechanism, transcriptome analysis was utilized and demonstrated that ATG7 restrained the production of interferons (IFNs). Loss of ATG7 obviously enhanced the expression of type I and III IFNs in ATG7-depleted cells and mice, whereas overexpression of ATG7 impaired the interferon response to IAV infection. Consistently, our experiments demonstrated that ATG7 significantly suppressed IRF3 activation during the IAV infection. Furthermore, we identified long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) GAPLINC as a critical regulator involved in the promotion of IAV replication by ATG7. Importantly, both inactivation of IRF3 and inhibition of IFN response caused by ATG7 were mediated through control over GAPLINC expression, suggesting that GAPLINC contributes to the suppression of antiviral immunity by ATG7. Together, these results uncover an autophagy-independent mechanism by which ATG7 suppresses host innate immunity and establish a critical role for ATG7/GAPLINC/IRF3 axis in regulating IAV infection and pathogenesis.

Abstract Hybrid free‐space optical and radio frequency (FSO/RF) systems have attracted much attention for more than a decade because of their enhanced reliability and capacity as comparison to single FSO or RF systems. Existing schemes to construct such a hybrid system are usually to use either switching or encoding/decoding strategies for combination of channels. The proposed scheme, based on packet sharing strategy of Ethernet link aggregation, provides a different way to combine FSO and RF channels. Theoretical analysis and Experimental results show that the proposed scheme does enhance the reliability and utilize both channel capacities for a multi‐channel system. Moreover, this scheme is simple and scalable because more channels can be combined based on such a packet sharing strategy without modifying the physical channel structures, therefore, this scheme may provide a good solution for constructing an efficient and cost‐effective hybrid FSO/RF system.

ABSTRACT Blue holes are unique marine sinkholes with extreme environments and biogeochemical processes. However, our understanding of community dynamics, functional profiles, and microbial interactions in blue holes remains limited. We studied the extreme environmental response pattern of the microbiome (Symbiodiniaceae, bacteria, archaea, and fungi) across 14 depths in the world’s deepest blue hole, the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole. The α-diversities of Symbiodiniaceae and archaea were stable to extreme environmental conditions, whereas those of bacteria and fungi varied. Physical and nutrient factors primarily influenced the β-diversities of these four microbes, and there were significant differences in microbial communities among water layers. Nine microbial taxa of Cladocopium sp, γ-proteobacteria, Nanoarchaeota, and Ascomycota representing the core microbiome occurred in all water layers. These four microbial groups exhibited potential interactions, with a positive correlation between Symbiodiniaceae and archaea α-diversities. The microbial biogeochemical profiles exhibited notable enrichment characteristics among distinct water layers. Archaea metabolized sulfides in the oxic and upper deep layers, while bacteria dominated sulfide decomposition in the chemocline and lower deep layers. These findings suggest the acclimation of Symbiodiniaceae to an extreme environment may rely on archaea, as a result of a partial niche overlap. The bacterial communities exhibited an environmental response pattern consistent with the Anna Karenina effects, whereas fungal communities displayed an opposite trend. The wide tolerance of the core microbiome to environmental gradients may be linked to evolution, acclimatization, and symbiosis. Bacteria, archaea, and fungi have distinct ecological niches and biogeochemical functions in the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole. IMPORTANCE This study comprehensively examined the community dynamics, functional profiles, and interactions of the microbiome in the world’s deepest blue hole. The findings revealed a positive correlation between the α-diversities of Symbiodiniaceae and archaea, indicating the potential reliance of Symbiodiniaceae on archaea in an extreme environment resulting from a partial niche overlap. The negative association between the α-diversity and β-diversity of the bacterial community suggested that the change rule of the bacterial community was consistent with the Anna Karenina effects. The core microbiome comprised nine microbial taxa, highlighting their remarkable tolerance and adaptability to sharp environmental gradient variations. Bacteria and archaea played significant roles in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, while fungi contributed to carbon metabolism. This study advanced our understanding of the community dynamics, response patterns, and resilience of microorganisms populating the world’s deepest blue hole, thereby facilitating further ecological and evolutional exploration of microbiomes in diverse extreme environments.

Laser powder bed fused (LPBFed) AlSi10Mg is recognised for its superior mechanical properties. However, its thermal stability has never been justified. Herein, we exposed as-built AlSi10Mg to different temperatures (200–500°C) for only 3 min to evaluate its thermal stability. Results showed that LPBFed AlSi10Mg had relatively low thermal stability. Only 3 min of thermal exposure at 200°C would deteriorate its tensile strength dramatically. Microstructural analysis revealed that with increasing thermal input, as-built AlSi10Mg exhibited a microstructural evolution similar to annealing of cold-worked metals, namely recovery, recrystallisation followed by grain-growth. The excessive energy stored in as-built microstructure due to fast cooling during LPBF was deduced as the driving force for this phenomenon. Therefore, such microstructural change was at the expense of dislocations stored in the as-built material, which in turn caused deterioration in tensile strength. The present findings may provide guidance for the application of LPBFed AlSi10Mg.

Abstract Fine modeling and fast prediction of regional wind field in the middle and upper atmosphere has always been a difficult problem. We designed a neural operator method to solve this problem. We combine the idea of data assimilation with deep learning method to design a regional wind field operator suitable for near space. The annual Root mean square error of the zonal wind and meridional wind of the operator model at the height of 30 km are 0.903 and 0.881, respectively, which is three times that of ConvLSTM. Moreover, we validate the sparse spatio‐temporal modeling method of regional wind field operator at 20/30/40/50 km altitude. The result shows that the model is mesh‐free, and can get high‐precision modeling of different spatio‐temporal resolutions, multiple regions and arbitrary positions at one time, which lays an foundation for fine regional modeling and rapid utilization of near space.

A quantum-hydrogen-tunneling-controlled halogen-atom and group transfer strategy has been successfully developed to generate carbon radicals by using the substituted cyclohexadiene as the abstractor under mild photochemical conditions, in which alkyl and aryl halides as well as numerous alcohol and thiol analogues can be activated. Mechanism investigation unveiled that this process is inhibited from thermodynamic and kinetic effects but is rendered successful through quantum tunneling.

【Objective】The global coral reef ecosystem is rapidly degrading due to the combined effects of climate change and human activities, which highlights the need to explore the environmental adaptation mechanisms of corals. The environmental adaptability of coral hosts is closely related to symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae, however, the ecological effects of Symbiodiniaceae driven by seasonal variation still need to be further understood.【Method】An environment-sensitive coral Acropora pruinosa from the Weizhou Island, Beibu Gulf was taken as the research object to carry out fixed-point sampling and environmental data monitoring, and analyze the density, community composition, chlorophyll a concentration and correlation with environmental variables of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae in four different quarters.【Result】The coral reef area was characterized by high temperature and strong light in summer and low temperature and weak light in winter. The density of Symbiodiniaceae and the concentration of chlorophyll a showed the characteristics of decreasing in summer and increasing in winter. The subclade C1 always occupied the dominant position (79.35%-82.97%), and the relative abundance of background subclades such as C1ca, C1p, C72, and Cspc significantly varied with seasonal variation. There were significant differences in the structure of Symbiodiniaceae communities between summer and winter. The contribution of surface seawater temperature (SST) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to the changes in Symbiodiniaceae community structure was higher than chlorophyll a, Kd490, and particulate organic carbon.【Conclusion】The environmental characteristics of high temperature and strong light in summer and low temperature and weak light in winter on Weizhou Island regulate the seasonal changes of Symbiodiniaceae density and chlorophyll a concentration by affecting the photosynthesis of Symbiodiniaceae. Moreover, the physiological characteristics of the C1 subclade ensure that A. pruinosa can adapt to the environment of Weizhou Island. In addition, the SST and PAR affect the abundance changes of the background Symbiodiniaceae, leading to significant differences in community structure.The correlation analysis showed that the SST and PAR were the main factors driving the changes of density, stable symbiosis (subclade C1), and community structure of Symbiodiniaceae. This study took A. pruinosa as an example to analyze the micro-ecological characteristics of coral-associated Symbiodiniaceae adapting to seasonal variation, providing a new understanding about the adaptation of environment-sensitive corals to environmental changes.

Abstract Background Lung cancer is currently the second most common cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer accounts for about 85% of cases. NSCLC has not been studied for pseudouridine synthase 7 (PUS), a member of the PUS family that is associated with cancer development. Here, we focused on the role and clinical significance of PUS7 in non-small cell lung cancer. Aim To explore the role of PUS7 in NSCLC and its clinical significance. Methods We downloaded datasets from the TCGA database and CPTAC database. In normal bronchial epithelial cells as well as NSCLC cell lines, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to quantify PUS7 expression. The role of PUS7 in NSCLC has been investigated by CCK8, migration assay, migration assay, and flow cytometry. PUS7 expression in tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemical staining, and we evaluated the influence of PUS7 expression on the prognosis of NSCLC patients after surgery using Cox regression analysis, both univariate and multivariate. Results NSCLC cell lines and tissues expressed high levels of PUS7, and PUS7 was found to influence the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells without affecting their apoptosis. There was a worse prognosis for NSCLC patients who have higher PUS7 expression, suggesting that PUS7 was an independent indicator of prognosis (P = .05).

ABSTRACTSelective laser melted (SLMed) AlSi10Mg alloys usually fail before necking during tensile tests, which results in inadequate ductility. To overcome this problem, here we introduced Al4C3 nanorods into the primary Al cells of SLMed AlSi10Mg via in-situ chemical reaction. Tensile tests revealed that those in-cell Al4C3 nanorods not only increased the strain-hardening ability of SLMed AlSi10Mg but also delayed the fracture beyond necking. Consequently, 15% of tensile strength increase and 78% of ductility increase were achieved simultaneously. Post-tensile TEM analysis revealed that those in-cell Al4C3 nanorods pinned and accumulated dislocations within cells and thus alleviated stress concentration along cell boundaries.

Ischemic stroke (IS) remains a serious threat to human health. Neuroinflammatory response is an important pathophysiological process after IS. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a member of the non-coding RNA family, are highly expressed in the central nervous system and widely involved in regulating physiological and pathophysiological processes. This study reviews the current evidence on neuroinflammatory responses, the role of circRNAs in IS and their potential mechanisms in regulating inflammatory cells, and inflammatory factors affecting IS damage. This review lays a foundation for future clinical application of circRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

The liver, a crucial metabolic organ in animals, is responsible for the synthesis, breakdown, and transport of lipids. However, the regulatory mechanisms involving both coding and noncoding RNAs that oversee the development of the goose liver remain elusive. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by conducting RNA-seq to profile the expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) during goose liver development. We analyzed circRNAs in liver samples from Sichuan white geese at three developmental stages: posthatching day 0, 10 weeks (fast growth stage), and 30 weeks (sexual maturation stage). Our findings revealed 11,079 circRNAs and 994 miRNAs, among which the differentially expressed circRNAs and miRNAs were significantly enriched in pathways such as fatty acid biosynthesis, degradation, and metabolism. Further analysis of the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs revealed enrichment in pathways related to fatty acid biosynthesis, metabolism, PPAR signaling, DNA replication, and the cell cycle. We also established circRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks, identifying key regulatory factors and miRNAs. In conclusion, our study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay of circRNA–miRNA–mRNA interactions during goose liver development, and illuminates the molecular pathways that regulate this vital life function.

Process parameters and powder spreading quality are important factors for aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) prepared using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). In this study, a Box–Behnken Design (BBD) was used to optimize the process parameters, and near-spherical β-SiC was selected to improve the quality of powder spreading. The rationality of parameter optimization was verified by testing the density of samples prepared using different laser power levels. Al4C3 diffraction peaks were found in XRD patterns, which indicated that interface reactions occurred to form good interface bonding between the Al matrix and the SiC particles. The tensile strength and plasticity of LPBF α-SiC/AlSi10Mg were lower than that of LPBF AlSi10Mg, which was mainly due to the poor fluidity of the powder mixtures and powder spreading quality. For LPBF β-SiC/AlSi10Mg, the tensile strength increased and elongation decreased slightly compared to LPBF α-SiC/AlSi10Mg. The data in this study were compared with the data in other studies. In this study, LPBF AlSi10Mg and LPBF β-SiC/AlSi10Mg not only showed the inherent high strength of their LPBF parts, but also had relatively high plasticity. Matching between strength and plasticity was mainly dependent on the scanning strategy. Most studies use uni-directional or bi-directional scanning strategies with a certain rotation angle between layers. A chessboard scanning strategy was used in this study to form a coarse remelted connected skeleton inside the material and significantly improve plasticity. This study lays a theoretical and experimental foundation for the controllable preparation of SiC-reinforced AMCs using LPBF.

Swine wastewater contains large amounts of organic matter, nutrients, toxic metal elements, and antibiotics. If it is directly discharged or not properly treated, it poses a significant threat to the environment and human health. Currently, the management of swine wastewater has become a focus of social attention, and it adopts a dual-track parallel model of standard discharge supplemented by resource utilization. If treated properly, it can achieve the recycling of water resources and promote the effective recovery of resources. Based on the pollution characteristics of swine wastewater, this paper analyzes its impact on the environment, society, and the economy in detail and expounds on the research progress of swine wastewater treatment technology. From the perspective of resource utilization and recycling of anaerobic digestion liquid (biogas slurry) from swine wastewater and the carrying capacity of the soil environment and cumulative ecological environmental risks, this study explores new development trends and application prospects for swine wastewater treatment technology.

Despite increasing interest in organic room temperature phosphorescence, it can still be challenging to determine mechanism and develop practical applications. Here, the authors report room temperature phosphorescent systems from chiral components, with strong phosphorescence observed only when both host and guest had the same chirality.

Abstract The pressure relief with large‐diameter boreholes is one of the effective methods to prevent coal bumps in deep coal roadway. An unreasonable pressure relief design can cause the rockbolt support failure and aggravate the deformation of the surrounding rocks. In this paper, a coupling model of roadway sidewall considering borehole pressure relief and rockbolt support was established. The influence of the destressing borehole diameter on the rockbolt located in the plastic zone and the roadway deformation was studied by theoretical calculation and numerical simulation. The results show that there is a critical zone of the borehole diameter for the influence on the rockbolt normal stress and roadway convergence. When the destressing borehole diameter exceeds the critical zone, the rockbolt normal stress decreases sharply. Considering the existence of the broken zone in the surrounding rock, the bolehole diameters in the critical zone increase with the increase of the distance between the borehole and the rockbolt, the residual strength, and decrease with the increase of initial stress. In the engineering analysis, with the increase of the destressing borehole diameter, the ultimate pullout force of rockbolt decrease, and the plastic zone of surrounding rock, the roadway deformation, the maximum axial force, and slippage of the rockbolt all increase. Therefore, to better keep the stability of the surrounding rock in coal roadway, the borehole pressure relief needs to be coordinated with the rockbolt support. The destressing borehole diameter in the pressure relief design should not be greater than the critical zone.

Purpose: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, blood flow restriction (BFR) with low-load resistance training (BFR-RT) was compared with high-load resistance training (HL-RT) on muscle strength in healthy adults. The characteristics of cuff pressure suitable for muscle strength gain were also investigated by analyzing the effects of applying different occlusion pressure prescriptions and cuff inflation patterns on muscle strength gain.Methods: Literature search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid Medline, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus databases to identify literature published until May 2023. Studies reporting the effects of BFR-RT interventions on muscle strength gain were compared with those of HL-RT. The risk of bias in the included trials was assessed using the Cochrane tool, followed by a meta-analysis to calculate the combined effect. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the beneficial variables.Results: Nineteen articles (42 outcomes), with a total of 458 healthy adults, were included in the meta-analysis. The combined effect showed higher muscle strength gain with HL-RT than with BFR-RT (p = 0.03, SMD = −0.16, 95% CI: −0.30 to −0.01). The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the BFR-RT applied with incremental and individualized pressure achieved muscle strength gain similar to the HL-RT (p = 0.8, SMD = −0.05, 95% CI: −0.44 to 0.34; p = 0.68, SMD = −0.04, 95% CI: −0.23 to 0.15), but muscle strength gain obtained via BFR-RT applied with absolute pressure was lower than that of HL-RT (p < 0.05, SMD = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.71 to −0.19). Furthermore, muscle strength gain obtained by BFR-RT applied with intermittent pressure was similar to that obtained by HL-RT (p = 0.88, SMD = −0.02, 95% CI: −0.27 to 0.23), but muscle strength gain for BFR-RT applied with continuous pressure showed a less prominent increase than that for HL-RT (p < 0.05, SMD = −0.3, 95% CI: −0.48 to −0.11).Conclusion: In general, HL-RT produces superior muscle strength gains than BFR-RT. However, the application of individualized, incremental, and intermittent pressure exercise protocols in BFR-RT elicits comparable muscle strength gains to HL-RT. Our findings indicate that cuff pressure characteristics play a significant role in establishing a BFR-RT intervention program for enhancing muscle strength in healthy adults.Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails; Identifier: PROSPERO (CRD42022364934).

Real-time testing of coal ash plays a vital role in the chemical, power generation, metallurgical, and coal separation sectors. The rapid online testing of coal ash using radiation measurement as the mainstream technology has problems such as strict coal sample requirements, poor radiation safety, low accuracy, and complicated equipment replacement. In this study, an intelligent detection technique based on feed-forward neural networks and improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO-FNN) is proposed to predict coal quality ash content in a fast, accurate, safe，and convenient manner. The data set was obtained by testing the elemental content of 198 coal samples with X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The types of input elements for machine learning (Si, Al, Fe, K, Ca, Mg, Ti, Zn, Na, P) were determined by combining the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data with the change in the physical phase of each element in the coal samples during combustion. The mean squared error and coefficient of determination were chosen as the performance measures for the model. The results show that the IPSO algorithm is useful in adjusting the optimal number of nodes in the hidden layer. The IPSO-FNN model has strong prediction ability and good accuracy in coal ash prediction. The effect of the input element content of the IPSO-FNN model on the ash content was investigated, and it was found that the potassium content was the most significant factor affecting the ash content. This study is essential for real-time online, accurate, and fast prediction of coal ash.

Lung branching requires differentiation of progenitor cells to be coordinated with morphogenetic events. Zhang et al. find that loss of mTORC1 signaling in the distal SOX9+ lung progenitors reduces mitochondrial capacity and ATP production, thus disrupting the formation of the conducting airways without affecting the development of the gas exchange unit.

The influence of sintering parameters on the microstructure, phase composition and mechanical property of the Ti _3 SiC _2 /Cu composites sintered by spark plasma sintering technique was investigated and the related sintering mechanism was clarified in detail. Results indicated that during the heating process, one part of the high energy adsorbed by the composites let Cu melt and fill the gaps inside the composites. Meanwhile, there’s different molten condition about Cu duel to different heating temperature that cause Cu fill in the most space between Ti _3 SiC _2 particles. The other part of the energy caused to the local high temperature, contributing for the chemical reaction and the formation of TiC _x and Cu _3 Si. Therefore, at the same heating rate, the composites showed better mechanical property and higher density with a longer heating time. The heating stage played an important role in the change of the mechanical property, microstructure and volume of the composites. During the holding stage, because the amount of the reactants significantly decreased, the related chemical reaction got slow and the energy needed during this stage was lower than that during the heating stage. And the particle of Ti _3 SiC _2 need more time for moving to the space of Cu. Therefore, the higher the holding temperature, the more significant was the diffusion of the phases. The more uniform the phases, the higher was the density. When heating temperature (higher than holding temperature) cause Cu complete melt and holding temperature keep the Cu in semi-melt, there will be a more effective sintering method.

Duck meat is pivotal in providing high-quality protein for human nutrition, underscoring the importance of studying duck myogenesis. The regulatory mechanisms governing duck myogenesis involve both coding and non-coding RNAs, yet their specific expression patterns and molecular mechanisms remain elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we performed expression profiling analyses of mRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs involved in duck myogenesis using whole-transcriptome RNA-seq. Our analysis identified 1733 differentially expressed (DE)-mRNAs, 1116 DE-lncRNAs, 54 DE-circRNAs, and 174 DE-miRNAs when comparing myoblasts and myotubes. A GO analysis highlighted the enrichment of DE molecules in the extracellular region, protein binding, and exocyst. A KEGG analysis pinpointed pathways related to ferroptosis, PPAR signaling, nitrogen metabolism, cell cycle, cardiac muscle contraction, glycerolipid metabolism, and actin cytoskeleton. A total of 51 trans-acting lncRNAs, including ENSAPLT00020002101 and ENSAPLT00020012069, were predicted to participate in regulating myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Based on the ceRNAs, we constructed lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks involving five miRNAs (miR-129-5p, miR-133a-5p, miR-22-3p, miR-27b-3p, and let-7b-5p) that are relevant to myogenesis. Furthermore, the GO and KEGG analyses of the DE-mRNAs within the ceRNA network underscored the significant enrichment of the glycerolipid metabolism pathway. We identified five different DE-mRNAs, specifically ENSAPLG00020001677, ENSAPLG00020002183, ENSAPLG00020005019, ENSAPLG00020010497, and ENSAPLG00020017682, as potential target genes that are crucial for myogenesis in the context of glycerolipid metabolism. These five mRNAs are integral to ceRNA networks, with miR-107_R-2 and miR-1260 emerging as key regulators. In summary, this study provides a valuable resource elucidating the intricate interplay of mRNA-lncRNA-circRNA-miRNA in duck myogenesis, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms that govern this critical biological process.

The prior observational research on the impact of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on osteoarthritis (OA) patients had yielded inclusive outcomes. This study utilized the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to explore potential causal relationships between PUFAs and OA. The MR study was performed using GWAS summary statistics for PUFAs, encompassing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and for knee OA (KOA) and hip OA (HOA). The primary inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) method and two supplementary MR approaches were used to establish robust causality. Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were assessed using Cochrane’s Q and MR-Egger intercept tests. Additionally, a range of sensitivity analyses were conducted to strengthen the precision and reliability of the results. The IVW method indicated a potential genetic association between omega-3 fatty acids and KOA risk (odd ratio (OR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89–1.00, p = 0.048). No significant correlation was found between omega-3 levels and HOA. Moreover, genetically predicted higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids were associated with a decreased risk of KOA (OR = 0. 93, 95% CI: 0.86–1.00, p = 0.041) and HOA (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82–0.96; p = 0.003). The MR-Egger intercept evaluation showed no horizontal pleiotropy affecting the MR analysis (all p > 0.05). Our findings supported the causal relationship between PUFAs and OA susceptibility and offered a novel insight that high omega-6 fatty acids may reduce the risk of KOA and HOA. These results underscore the importance of maintaining optimal levels of PUFAs, particularly omega-6 fatty acids, in individuals with a genetic predisposition to OA. Future research is necessary to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved.