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Abstract This study aims to investigate the interplay between tumor-associated endothelial cells (TECs) and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and its impact on tumor prognosis. We conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of tumor, normal, and lymph node tissues obtained from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients to reveal the role of TECs in tumor angiogenesis and their significant heterogeneity. Meanwhile, we identified genes highly expressed in TECs and constructed TEC signatures (TEC.Sig). Next, we calculated TEC scores of samples based on TEC.Sig. Patients with higher TEC scores exhibited a higher frequency of KRAS mutations, which was associated with increased infiltration of neutrophils and immature dendritic cells (iDCs), and decreased numbers of natural killer (NK), CD4 + T, and CD8 + T effector memory (Tem) cells, indicating an inflammation-dominated immunosuppressive phenotype. In contrast, BAP1 mutations and CXCL12 overexpression showed a contrasting trend. Spatial transcriptomics analysis and histological experiments further confirmed that TECs interacted with various tumor-killing immune cells through the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis. Multiple tumor immunotherapy datasets confirmed that the TEC.Sig could predict patient responses to immunotherapy. The TEC score is a promising and reliable biomarker for predicting genetic mutations and prognosis in ICC patients. Enhancing the regulation of the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway may represent a potential novel therapeutic target for ICC treatment.

Abstract Background Inflammation plays a critical role in tumor development. Inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory mediator synthesis cause changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in several cancers, especially in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC). However, methods to ascertain the inflammatory state of patients using reliable biomarkers are still being explored. Method We retrieved the RNA sequencing and somatic mutation analyses results and the clinical characteristics of 244 patients with ICC from published studies. We performed consensus clustering to identify the molecular subtypes associated with inflammation. We compared the prognostic patterns, clinical characteristics, somatic mutation profiles, and immune cell infiltration patterns across inflammatory subtypes. We performed quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to confirm gene expression. We performed logistic regression analyses to construct a nomogram predicting the inflammatory status of patients with ICC. Results Our results confirmed that ICC can be categorized into an inflammation-high subtype (IHS) and an inflammation-low subtype (ILS). Patients from each group had distinct prognosis, clinical characteristics, and TME composition. Patients with ICC in the IHS group showed poorer prognosis owing to the immunosuppressive microenvironment and high frequency of KRAS and TP53 mutations. Cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-derived COLEC11 reduced myeloid inflammatory cell infiltration and attenuated inflammatory responses. The results of qRT-PCR and IHC experiments confirmed that COLEC11 expression levels were significantly reduced in tumor tissues compared to those in paracancerous tissues. Patients with ICC in the IHS group were more likely to respond to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) owing to their higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) scores, tumor neoantigen burden (TNB) scores, neoantigen counts, and immune checkpoint expression levels. Finally, we developed a nomogram to effectively predict the inflammatory status of patients with ICC based on their clinical characteristics and inflammatory gene expression levels. We evaluated the calibration, discrimination potential, and clinical utility of the nomogram. Conclusion The inflammatory response in IHS is primarily induced by myeloid cells. COLEC11 can reduce the infiltration level of this group of cells, and myeloid inflammatory cells may be a novel target for ICC treatment. We developed a novel nomogram that could effectively predict the inflammatory state of patients with ICC, which will be useful for guiding individualized treatment plans.

Abstract To analyze the differential expression genes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), clarify their functions and pathways, as well as the protein–protein interaction network, identify HUB genes, and explore the pathological mechanism. PCOS microarray datasets were screened from the GEO database. Common differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) were obtained using GEO2R and Venn analysis. Enrichment and pathway analyses were conducted using the DAVID online tool, with results presented in bubble charts. Protein–protein interaction analysis was performed using the STRING tool. HUB genes were identified using Cytoscape software and further interpreted with the assistance of the GeneCards database. A total of two sets of co-DEGs (108 and 102), key proteins (15 and 55), and hub genes (10 and 10) were obtained. The co-DEGs: (1) regulated inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix, TNF, and IL-17 signaling pathways; (2) regulated ribosomes and protein translation, ribosome and immune pathways. The key proteins: (1) regulated inflammation, immunity, transcription, matrix metabolism, proliferation/differentiation, energy, and repair; (2) regulated ubiquitination, enzymes, companion proteins, respiratory chain components, and fusion proteins. The Hub genes: (1) encoded transcription factors and cytokines, playing vital roles in development and proliferation; (2) encoded ribosomes and protein synthesis, influencing hormone and protein synthesis, associated with development and infertility. The dysregulated expression of inflammation and protein synthesis genes in PCOS may be the key mechanism underlying its onset and progression.

The development of HSR (HSR) promotes the flow of economy and population, which can, to some extent, impact the innovation level of cities connected by it. This paper, based on city data from 276 prefecture-level cities and above from 2003 to 2016, employs the DID method and a mediation effect model to empirically analyze the relationship between the opening of HSR, economic agglomeration, and the level of urban innovation. The study finds that the introduction of HSR not only elevates the innovation level of connected cities but also manifests a mediation effect of economic agglomeration. Further research reveals that this mediation effect varies regionally and by city hierarchy. Specifically, in eastern regions, the mediation effect of HSR promoting urban innovation through economic agglomeration is less pronounced than in western regions. For central cities, the mediation effect is represented through economic density, while for non-central cities, it manifests through economic density, population density, and industrial density. Robustness checks further validate these findings, reaffirming the conclusions of this paper. Thus, the study’s findings offer policy insights, suggesting that local governments can leverage the economic agglomeration advantages brought by HSR and adopt differentiated and rational policy measures to promote high-quality urban development.

With the rise of the experience economy, visitor experiences and feedback have become central to improving museum services. To enhance their appeal, understanding visitors' real experiences is key. This study, based on online reviews of museums in Jiangxi Province from April 2020 to May 2023 on platforms like Dianping and Ctrip, employs high-frequency keyword analysis, topic analysis, semantic networks, and sentiment analysis to deeply explore visitors' offline experiences. While most visitors provided positive feedback, criticisms were also raised concerning exhibit content, service attitude, and interactive programs. These online feedbacks offer valuable insights, aiding us in understanding and enhancing the offline service experience in museums. This research provides a unique perspective for other museums and cultural institutions, aiming to optimize offline visitor experiences through online social media trends.

Background: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis and early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the crucial pathological hallmark of immunotherapy. While microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) currently lacks a detailed single-cell analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME), it holds significant promise for immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on 3 MVI positive (MVIP) and 14 MVI-negative (MVIN) tumor tissues, as well as their paired adjacent non-tumoral tissues. Results: We identified SPP1+ macrophages and CD4+ proliferative T cells as intertumoral populations critical for the formation of cold tumors and immunosuppressive environments in MVI-positive patients and verified their prognostic value in correlation with MVIP HCC patients. Additionally, we identified SPP1+ dominated interactions between SPP1+ macrophages and the immunosuppressive T population as contributors to MVI destruction and tumorigenesis. Conclusions: We provide a comprehensive single-cell atlas of HCC patients with MVI, shedding light on the immunosuppressive ecosystem and upregulated signaling associated with MVI. These findings demonstrate that intercellular mechanisms drive MVI and provide a potential immunotherapeutic target for HCC patients with HCC and underlying MVI.

Objective: To explore the research progress and trends on mineral elements and depression. Methods: After querying the MeSH database and referring to the search rules, the search terms were selected and optimized to obtain the target literature collection. We analyzed the general characteristics of the literature, conducted network clustering and co-occurrence analysis, and carried out a narrative review of crucial literature. Results: Bipolar disorder was a dominant topic in the retrieved literature, which saw a significant increase in 2010 and 2019–2020. Most studies focused on mineral elements, including lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper. The majority of journals and disciplines were in the fields of psychiatry, neuropsychology, neuropharmacology, nutrition, medical informatics, chemistry, and public health. The United States had the highest proportion in terms of paper sources, most-cited articles, high-frequency citations, frontier citations, and high centrality citation. Regarding the influence of academic institutions, the top five were King's College London, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Barcelona, INSERM, and Heidelberg University. Frontier keywords included bipolar disorder, drinking water, (neuro)inflammation, gut microbiota, and systematic analysis. Research on lithium response, magnesium supplementation, and treatment-resistant unipolar depression increased significantly after 2013. Conclusion: Global adverse events may have indirectly driven the progress in related research. Although the literature from the United States represents an absolute majority, its influence on academic institutions is relatively weaker. Multiple pieces of evidence support the efficacy of lithium in treating bipolar disorder (BD). A series of key discoveries have led to a paradigm shift in research, leading to increasingly detailed studies on the role of magnesium, calcium, zinc, and copper in the treatment of depression. Most studies on mineral elements remain diverse and inconclusive. The potential toxicity and side effects of some elements warrant careful attention.

Abstract Smart mobile learning (SML), an online learning system built on artificial intelligence technology, signifies a key development trajectory for mobile learning. However, the current literature reveals a research deficit in introducing specific constructs that represent the categorical level of gratification towards SML, and a new gratification for the intelligent dimension of SML has yet to be identified. Utilising the uses and gratifications (U&G) framework, this study identifies five categories of user gratification. These are derived from five theoretical perspectives, including the incentive theory of motivation, learning theory, diffusion of innovation theory, self-determination theory, and flow theory. Hence, this research integrates aspects of technology, content, social, utilitarian, and hedonic gratification to examine their influence on users’ continuance intention towards SML. This study focuses on Liulishuo, an SML app, as a typical research object and incorporates data from 495 valid samples. The analysis via partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) indicates the hierarchical significance of various gratifications influencing continuance intention. The empirical findings suggest that in the realm of SML, users’ expectations surpass basic intrinsic needs in importance. For the first time, this study introduces the intelligence construct to investigate users’ technology gratification concerning SML, thereby empirically establishing the validity of this construct. This study reveals that technology gratification, embodied in the notion of intelligence, is the most critical determinant of continuance intention towards SML, a relationship that has previously remained unexplored.

Bassia dasyphylla is a prevalent herbaceous plant that exhibits enhanced resilience to dryness and elevated temperatures. It is frequently found in dispersed or grouped formation on sandy soil within steppe, semi-desert, and desert regions. Herein, we conducted experiments to examine the growth and physiological traits of B. dasyphylla seeds originated from various regions in response to water scarcity. The study seeks to investigate the ability of these seeds to germinate under drought conditions and offer valuable insights for the development and breeding of high-quality germplasm resources in Inner Mongolia. The results demonstrated that B. dasyphylla originating from desert steppe (DS) exhibited a greater capacity to endure drought conditions in comparison to its counterparts from sandy land (SL). At a water potential of -0.30 MPa, the Seed germination rate from DS was 33.3%, while from SL it was 22.7%. With the increase in drought duration and intensity, germination rate, plumule length, both single-seed weight (SSW) and seed water content (SWC) of B. dasyphylla declined. The protective enzyme activity exhibited an initial increase, followed by a subsequent decline as the duration of the drought increased. Notably, we found that the protective enzyme activity from DS was higher than that from SL. During the initial and intermediate stages of dryness, the soluble sugar and protein of the plant from DS effectively inhibited the peroxidation of membrane lipids, whereas the osmoregulatory properties from SL did not have a significant impact. The findings suggest that the ability of B. dasyphylla to withstand drought conditions in DS can be attributed to its elevated amounts of protective enzymes and osmoregulatory factors, which serve to safeguard the cell membrane during periods of drought.

Five new species of the genus Hermonassa Walker, 1865 (H. nigricans sp. nov., H. conusa sp. nov., H. brunneocuprina sp. nov., H. albimacula sp. nov., and H. linzhiensis, sp. nov. are described from Autonomic Region Xizang, China (Tibet). Hermonassa nigricans sp. nov. is distributed in Nepal and China, and the Himalayan species H. kalamantra Kovács, G. Ronkay & L. Ronkay, 2018 is reсorded for China for the first time. The occurrences of H. anthracina Boursin, 1967 in Nepal is questionable taking in the account the presence of two externally hardly distinguishable species, H. kalamantra and H. nigricans sp. nov. New collecting data for H. yixincheni Han & Li, 2007 and H. oleographa Hampson, 1911 in China are presented. Five species groups are reviewed, and three species groups are designated.

Abstract Aging is an inevitable consequence of life, characterized by a progressive decline in tissue and organ function and an increased risk of death. There is growing evidence that aging is closely related to tumor development and immune regulation. However, in hepatocellular carcinoma, the relationship between cellular senescence and immune infiltration, energy metabolism, chemokines, and immunotherapeutic response is unclear and needs further study. We first analyzed 274 cellular senescence-associated genes by the NMF algorithm and identified two cellular senescence-associated clusters. Subsequently, we compared the differences between the two clusters, in terms of immune infiltration, energy metabolism, chemokines, and immunotherapeutic response to treatment. We further constructed risk models using cellular senescence-associated signature genes that could effectively identify the two subpopulations. Finally, we validated the validity and robustness of the risk model using an external dataset. We found significant differences in survival prognosis between two cellular senescence-associated clusters. In addition, we found significant differences in immune cell infiltration, expression of energy metabolism-related genes, expression of chemokine-related genes, expression of immune checkpoint-related genes, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion between the two clusters. Also, a scoring system associated with cellular senescence was developed and validated as an independent prognostic indicator. It was validated as an independent prognostic factor and immunotherapeutic predictor for HCC. It was validated as an independent prognostic factor and immunotherapeutic predictor for HCC. The cellular senescence-related scoring system was validated as an independent prognostic factor and immunotherapy predictor for HCC, and patients with low CSS were characterized by prolonged survival time. Our study confirmed the relationship between cellular senescence and immune cell infiltration, energy metabolism, chemokines, expression of immune checkpoint-related genes, and response to immunotherapy. This enhances our understanding of cellular senescence and tumor immune microenvironment, energy metabolism, chemokines, and provides new insights to improve immunotherapy outcomes in HCC patients. It provides new insights to improve the outcome of immunotherapy in HCC patients.

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the advertising industry is at a crossroads of new opportunities and challenges. This pioneering study provides an in-depth review of AI’s application in advertising, focusing especially on four key elements: Targeting, Personalization, Content Creation, and Ad Optimization. By delving deep into these areas, we uncover the potential of AI in revolutionizing the advertising sector. At the same time, we discuss the pressing ethical issues arising from the current applications of AI in advertising-related fields. Using the VOSviewer software, this study conducts an in-depth analysis of the literature, revealing the intrinsic connections of these four key elements in AI advertising based on computational advertising: Targeting and Personalization are closely linked, jointly determining who gets shown which advertisements. Content Creation generates appealing advertising content through AI during the Personalization process, while Ad Optimization relies on the outcomes of the first three elements, adjusting ad displays to achieve the highest return on investment. This research offers a fresh perspective on understanding AI’s application in advertising, aiding in the responsible and effective use of AI technology for superior ad delivery.

Vegetation productivity is controlled by multiple climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, and radiation, while the driving mechanism remains unclear in Inner Mongolia grasslands. Since climatic factors change geographically and seasonally, we need to know their spatiotemporal patterns and how they impact plant growth. Here, we investigated vegetation responses to climatic changes by analyzing both climatic data and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) for 34 years (1982 to 2015). Our results indicate that water availability dominated the variability of vegetation productivity, regardless of grassland types. The vegetation productivity was more sensitive to variations in water conditions than to variations in temperature, especially in the northern region. The results are of great significance for formulating adaptation and mitigation strategies against climate impacts on grassland productivity in Inner Mongolia and provide an invaluable comparison for grassland studies in other regions.

This study aims to link two related social psychology concepts, self-awareness and politeness, with human helping behavior and demonstrate it from the perspective of psychological game theory. By establishing a game theory model, and adding politeness and self-awareness as influencing factors, the Bayesian Nash equilibrium clarified people's help-seeking and help-giving behavior. As a result, we explained the relationship between politeness, self-awareness, and the willingness of the help seekers, as well as the helpers, and we can thus understand why some people do not seek help or give help. Specifically, on the one hand, from the perspective of help seekers, we found that people with a high level of self-awareness and politeness tend not to ask others for help. On the other hand, from the perspective of helpers, we found that people with a high level of self-awareness and politeness tend to help others. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of Bayesian Nash equilibrium based on psychological game theory in studying human help-seeking and help-giving behavior.

Smart education is a combination of AI and education, and its benefits are delayed. Existing research lacks an understanding of smart education continuance intention in the context of this delayed benefit. Thus, this study aimed to examine users' continuance intention in a delayed benefit context by integrating sensory stimulus, the extended UTAUT, and flow theory. The study focused on a mobile-based smart education (MBSE) system (Liulishuo) and collected data on 494 MBSE users. The PLS-SEM analysis suggested that the model is largely supported. Identifying MBSE's technical attributes as sensory stimuli, the extended UTAUT as primary information processing, flow as secondary information processing, and continuance intention as a decision, this study verifies the relationships between various constructs and their influence on MBSE continuance intention. The results also indicate that a user's flow state plays a crucial role in strengthening continuance intention and realizing the delayed benefits of smart education. Thus, this study provides a deeper understanding of continuous usage mechanisms as they relate to smart education.

Implants made of Ti and its alloys are widely utilized in orthopaedic surgeries. However, insufficient osseointegration of the implants often causes complications such as aseptic loosening. Our previous research discovered that disordered titanium dioxide nanorods (TNrs) had satisfactory antibacterial properties and biocompatibility, but TNrs harmed angiogenic differentiation, which might retarded the osseointegration process of the implants. Magnetic nanomaterials have a certain potential in promoting osseointegration, electromagnetic fields within a specific frequency and intensity range can facilitate angiogenic and osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, this study used Fe3O4 to endow magnetism to TNrs and explored the regulation effects of Ti, TNrs, and Fe3O4-TNrs under 1 ​mT 15 ​Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic field (SEMF) on osteoblastogenesis, osseointegration, angiogenesis, and its mechanism.We discovered that after the addition of SEMF treatment to VR-EPCs cultured on Fe3O4-TNrs, the calcineurin/NFAT signaling pathway was activated, which then reversed the inhibitory effect of Fe3O4-TNrs on angiogenesis. Besides, Fe3O4-TNrs with SEMF enhanced osteogenic differentiation and osseointegration. Therefore, the implant modification mode of Fe3O4-TNrs with the addition of SEMF could more comprehensively promote osseointegration and provided a new idea for the modification of implants.

BackgroundImmunotherapy has been the first-line treatment option in advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC); but now, there are no established molecular markers that can predict immunotherapy response. Estrogen has a crucial role in the development of a variety of liver illnesses, including liver fibrosis, Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and HCC. Nonetheless, the significance of estrogen-related genes in HCC immunotherapy and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood.MethodIn this study, we constructed a novel estrogen-related gene prognostic signature (ERGPS) by analyzing bulk RNA sequencing data from 365 HCC patients. Based on the median risk score, we divided 365 HCC patients into low- and high-risk groups. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), Microsatellite instability (MSI), T cell receptor (TCR) richness, B cell receptor (BCR) richness, single-nucleotide variants (SNV) Neoantigens, Cancer Testicular Antigens (CTA) scores, and Tumour Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores were used to evaluate the magnitude of immunotherapy response. Multiple external datasets validate the validity and robustness of the prognostic signature. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate estrogen-related gene overexpression in HCC tissue samples.ResultsERGPS is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of HCC patients and is superior to other clinical variables in predicting patient survival and immunotherapy response. Multiple independent external datasets confirmed the superior predictive efficacy of the prognostic signature. The prognostic signature was positively correlated with TMB score, MSI score, TCR richness, BCR richness, SNV Neoantigens score, CTA score, expression levels of immune checkpoint-related genes, and TIDE score. Patients with HCC in the high-risk group identified by the prognostic signature were likely to be more responsive to immunotherapy and more suitable for immunotherapy. qRT-PCR confirmed that estrogen-related genes of the construct signature were highly expressed in HCC tumor tissues.ConclusionEstrogen-related genes are overexpressed in HCC tissues. Our novel prognostic signature can accurately predict not only the prognosis but also the immunotherapy response of HCC patients. In the future, prognostic signatures will be a useful tool for clinicians to screen patients with HCC who are suitable for immunotherapy.

Purpose: Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a damaging impact on patients, amid being a worldwide problem with no effective treatment. Herein, we reported a method for functional therapy of SCI in rats, wherein we combined thermo-sensitive hydrogel with Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) expressed in rat bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (RMSCs).Methods: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) female rats. The SHH was optimized and transferred into RMSCs via cationic liposomes, while thermo-sensitive hydrogel was reformed with hyaluronate (HA) and Pluronic F127. Then, a rat model with SCI was established accordingly by male SD rats and randomized into sham, model, RMSCs with hydrogel and SHH-RMSCs with hydrogel. The evaluation of SCI repair based on Basso, Beattie Bresnahanlocomotor rating scale (BBB scale) and inclined plate score. Immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin-eosin were utilized to explore the expression of protein (GFAP, GAP43, NF200 and MBP) and histopathology.Results: It was demonstrated that transfection of SHH with cationic liposomes exhibited more effect in RMSCs than lipofectamine 2000. As shown in SEM, 3.5% HA-F127 demonstrated porous structure. In the MTT and dead/live assay, 3.5% HA-F127 showed good biocompatibility for RMSCs. Both RMSCs and SHH-RMSCs groups could significantly promote BBB and inclined plate scores (p < 0.01) compared with the model. Furthermore, the SHH-RMSC group was significantly improved than RMSC with the expression of related proteins, where NF200, MBP, and GAP43 were principally enhanced with the GFAP expression being virtually down-regulated.Conclusion: All in all, the results suggested that transplantation of RMSCs with SHH could improve the function of SCI and promote nerve regeneration.

Smart media usage is influenced by certain critical factors and can be further affected by the degree of diffusion in the market. However, existing research lacks sufficient understanding of the factors affecting smart media usage and their influential mechanisms. Taking AI-enabled smart TV in China as the research object, this study (1) develops a base model that includes users' three key gratifications (bi-directional communication, personalization, and co-creation); and (2) takes two sub-dimensions of market development (geographic segment and income segment) as moderators. Using data from 407 valid samples of current users, the partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis suggests that these three key smart gratifications can impact continuance intention with the moderating effect of market development. This study thus contributes to the literature by (1) clarifying the smart media gratification opportunities (smart media users' motivations or needs) for using smart media itself; (2) exploring the impact of the degree of market development on the uses and gratifications of the smart media itself; and (3) combining the uses and gratifications theory, and the diffusion of innovations theory, to complement each other in a model that provides a more complete picture of smart media usage.

The tourism industry is contributing to the rise in the national economy because of its outstanding advantages in increasing employment and winning regional economic vitality. But, there is no study to systematically evaluate the performance of China’s tourism economy. Therefore, this paper adopts a multilevel gray model and scientifically constructs a tourism economic performance evaluation index system. It is found that China’s tourism economic performance has the advantages of excellent development infrastructure conditions and abundant tourism resources but still has deficiencies in the aspects of social environment support, international market demand, and tourism environment support. The sustainable development potential of China’s tourism industry needs to be strengthened in three aspects in the future, namely, strengthening the government’s macroguidance, expanding the tourism high-quality talent pool, and enhancing the construction of tourism infrastructure and service facilities.

Melanoma is the deadliest skin tumor and is prone to distant metastases. The incidence of melanoma has increased rapidly in the past few decades, and current trends indicate that this growth is continuing. This study was aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of melanoma pathogenesis and discover underlying pathways and genes associated with melanoma. We used high-throughput expression data to study differential expression profiles of related genes in melanoma. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of melanoma in GSE15605, GSE46517, GSE7553, and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets were analyzed. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by paired t-test. Then the DEGs were performed cluster and principal component analyses and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction. After that, we analyzed the differential genes through bioinformatics and got hub genes. Finally, the expression of hub genes was confirmed in the TCGA databases and collected patient tissue samples. Total 144 up-regulated DEGs and 16 down-regulated DEGs were identified. A total of 17 gene ontology analysis (GO) terms and 11 pathways were closely related to melanoma. Pathway of pathways in cancer was enriched in 8 DEGs, such as junction plakoglobin (JUP) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In the PPI networks, 9 hub genes were obtained, such as loricrin (LOR), filaggrin (FLG), keratin 5 (KRT5), corneodesmosin (CDSN), desmoglein 1 (DSG1), desmoglein 3 (DSG3), keratin 1 (KRT1), involucrin (IVL), and EGFR. The pathway of pathways in cancer and its enriched DEGs may play important roles in the process of melanoma. The hub genes of DEGs may become promising melanoma candidate genes. Five key genes FLG, DSG1, DSG3, IVL, and EGFR were identified in the TCGA database and melanoma tissues. The results suggested that FLG, DSG1, DSG3, IVL, and EGFR might play important roles and potentially be valuable in the prognosis and treatment of melanoma. These hub genes might well have clinical significance as diagnostic markers.

Silicon is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries but experiences large volume changes during cycling. Here the authors report a scalable method to synthesize porous ant-nest-like silicons. The unique structure of this anode solves the swelling problem and enables impressive performance.

Development of efficient electrocatalysts combining the features of low cost and high performance for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) still remains a critical challenge. Here, we proposed a facile strategy to construct in situ a novel hierarchical heterostructure composed of 0D−2D CoSe2/MoSe2 by the selenization of CoMoO4 nanosheets grafted on a carbon cloth (CC). In such integrated structure, CoSe2 nanoparticles dispersed well and tightly bonded with MoSe2 nanosheets, which can not only enhance kinetics due to the synergetic effects, thus promoting the electrocatalytic activity, but also effectively improve the structural stability. Benefiting from its unique architecture, the designed CoSe2/MoSe2 catalyst exhibits superior OER and HER performance. Specifically, a small overpotential of 280 mV is acquired at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 for OER with a small Tafel slope of 86.8 mV·dec−1, and the overpotential is 90 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 for HER with a Tafel slope of 84.8 mV·dec−1 in 1 M KOH. Furthermore, the symmetrical electrolyzer assembled with the CoSe2/MoSe2 catalysts depicts a small cell voltage of 1.63 V at 10 mA·cm−2 toward overall water splitting.

Abstract The loosening of implants is an important clinical issue, particularly for patients with osteoporosis. In these patients, an implant should preferably both promote osteoblast differentiation and repress osteoclastic resorption. In the present study, we fabricated coatings containing TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) incorporated with strontium (Sr) on titanium (Ti) surfaces through hydrothermal treatment. The amount of loaded Sr was controlled by hydrothermally treating the samples in a Sr(OH)2 solution for 1 and 3 h (samples NT-Sr1h and NT-Sr3h, respectively) and found that both types of NT-Sr samples inhibited osteoclast differentiation by reducing the expression of osteoclast marker genes. Additionally, this inhibitory effect was mainly attributed to suppression of RANKL-induced activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Moreover, NT-Sr also inhibited the Akt and nuclear factor of activated T-cell cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) signalling pathways. Interestingly, we also found that NT-Sr promoted RANKL-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. Using ovariectomised rats as a model, we observed that NT-Sr prevented bone loss in vivo. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that NT-Sr might effectively inhibit osteoclast differentiation by repressing the NF-κB and Akt/NFATc1 pathways and by negatively regulating the ERK pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Smart media combines media and artificial intelligence (AI) and can also be a user-centered content service market. However, existing research lacks an understanding of user's perceptions concerning smart services generated by different user experience types across different payment groups. Taking AI-powered Smart TV (AI TV) as a typical research object, this study (1) develops a theoretical model by integrating the technology acceptance model with users' smart service belief factors and (2) employs the user experience type as an original moderator. Using data from 585 AI TV users, the structural equation modeling analysis suggests that perceived two-way communication, perceived personalization, and perceived co-creation as three belief factors, are important antecedent constructs in the extended technology acceptance model. The analysis also suggests that the user experience type exerts positive moderating effects on two-way communication and personalization to attitude toward behavior and purchase intention. This study thus contributes to the literature on smart service by identifying and studying smart service belief factors. The addition of smart service belief factors as antecedents, as well as user experience type as a moderator, are crucial to expand the generalizability of TAM to the smart media service context. From a customer experience management perspective, this study shows how to convert ad-supported users into new paid subscribers, while keeping existing subscribers by fulfilling their smart service requirements.

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is one of the most common soft-tissue neoplasms of infancy. Although clinical diagnosis for IH is well-established, the haematological parameters associated with IH are not well explored. In this short study, we observed significantly higher eosinophil (EO) numbers in IH patient blood compared to healthy controls. This contributed to the observed higher EO % in the peripheral blood of IH patients and was irrespective of age. This new haematological finding could carry a potential diagnostic/prognostic relevance for IH.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) causes huge economic losses to the poultry industry. Probiotics are used as potential alternatives to antibiotics to prevent NE. It is known that Clostridium butyricum can act as a probiotic that can prevent infection. However, whether or not it exerts a beneficial effect on NE in chickens remains elusive. Therefore, we investigated the impact of C. butyricum on immune response and intestinal microbiota during the development of NE in chickens, including experimental stages with basal diets, high-fishmeal-supplementation diets, and Clostridium perfringens challenge. Chickens were divided into two groups from day 1 to day 20: one group had its diet supplemented with C. butyricum supplementation and one did not. At day 20, the chickens were divided into four groups: C. perfringens challenged and unchallenged chickens with and without C. butyricum supplementation. All groups were fed a basal diet for 13 days and thereafter a basal diet with 50% fishmeal from day 14 to 24. Chickens were infected with C. perfringens from day 21 to 23. At days 13, 20 and 24, samples were collected for analysis of the relative expression of immune response and intestinal mucosa barrier-related genes and intestinal microbes. The results show that C. butyricum can inhibit the increase in IL-17A gene expression and the reduction in Claudin-1 gene induced-expression caused by C. perfringens challenge. Moreover, C. butyricum was found to increase the expression of anti-inflammatory IL-10 in infected chickens. Although C. butyricum was found to have a significant beneficial effect on the structure of intestinal bacteria in the basal diet groups and decrease the abundance of C. perfringens in the gut, it did not significantly affect the occurrence of intestinal lesions and did not significantly correct the shift in gut bacterial composition post C. perfringens infection. In conclusion, although C. butyricum promotes the expression of anti-inflammatory and tight junction protein genes and inhibits pro-inflammatory genes in C. perfringens-challenged chickens, it is not adequate to improve the structure of intestinal microbiota in NE chickens. Therefore, more effective schemes of C. butyricum supplementation to prevent and treat NE in chickens need to be identified.

Structural design is often investigated to decrease the electron transfer depletion in/on the pseudocapacitive electrode for excellent capacitance performance. However, a simple way to improve the internal and external electron transfer efficiency is still challenging. In this work, we prepared a novel structure composed of cobalt (Co) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded MnO nanowires (NWs) with an N-doped carbon (NC) coating on carbon cloth (CC) by in situ thermal treatment of polydopamine (PDA) coated MnCo2O4.5 NWs in an inert atmosphere. The PDA coating was carbonized into the NC shell and simultaneously reduced the MnCo2O4.5 to Co NPs and MnO NWs, which greatly improve the surface and internal electron transfer ability on/in MnO boding well supercapacitive properties. The hybrid electrode shows a high specific capacitance of 747 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and good cycling stability with 93% capacitance retention after 5,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. By coupling with vanadium nitride with an N-doped carbon coating (VN@NC) negative electrode, the asymmetric supercapacitor delivers a high energy density of 48.15 Wh kg−1 for a power density of 0.96 kW kg−1 as well as outstanding cycling performance with 82% retention after 2000 cycles at 10 A g−1. The electrode design and synthesis suggests large potential in the production of high-performance energy storage devices.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens is responsible for huge financial losses in the poultry industry annually. A diet highly supplemented with fishmeal is one factor predisposing chickens to the development of clinical NE. However, the effects of fishmeal-rich diets on the gut microbiota and immune response in chickens with C. perfringens challenge over the long-term are not well-understood. Here, a chicken NE model was established in which chickens were fed high fishmeal diet and subsequently infected with C. perfringens (FM/CP). Two control groups of chickens, one that was not infected and had a high fishmeal feeding (FM) and another group only infected with C. perfringens with basic diets (CP), were used as comparators. We analyzed the gut microbiota and immune response of the three groups at the age of 20, 24 [1 day post-infection (dpi)] and 30 days (7 dpi) using 16S rDNA sequencing and real-time PCR, respectively. We found that the composition of the gut microbiota had significant shifted in both the CP and FM/CP groups, although the CP group did not have intestinal lesions. The structure of the gut microbiota in C. perfringens-challenged chickens, independent of a high fishmeal diet, had the tendency to return to their non-infection state if the chickens no longer received C. perfringens challenge. Gut microbiota variation with time in challenged chickens with high fishmeal diet feeding was superimposed upon that of non-infected chickens with high fishmeal feeding. For the immune response, the relative expression of IL-8 in the ileum was significantly higher in infected chickens independent of high fishmeal feeding than in non-infected chickens. However, the expression of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) genes in chicken liver were significantly increased in FM/CP compared to the other groups. In conclusion, high fishmeal feeding induced significant changes to the structure of chicken gut microbiota over time and such changes provided an opening for C. perfringens infection to progress to NE. The relative expression of AGP and SAA in liver tissue may be used as diagnostic biomarkers for poultry NE but such an indication requires further investigation.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs), with large specific capacity (1,675 mAh g−1), are regarded as the most likely alternative to the traditional Lithium-ion batteries. However, the intrinsical insulation and dramatic volume change of sulfur, as well as serious shuttle effect of polysulfides hinder their practical implementation. Herein, we develop three-dimensional micron flowers assembled by nitrogen doped carbon (NC) nanosheets with sulfur encapsulated (S@NC-NSs) as a promising cathode for Li-S to overcome the forementioned obstacles. The in situ generated S layer adheres to the inner surface of the hollow and micro-porous NC shell with fruitful O/N containing groups endowing both efficient physical trapping and chemical anchoring of polysulfides. Meanwhile, such a novel carbon shell helps to bear dramatic volume change and provides a fast way for electron transfer during cycling. Consequently, the S@NC-NSs demonstrate a high capacity (1,238 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C; 1.0 C = 1,675 mA g−1), superior rate performance with a capacity retention of 57.8% when the current density increases 25 times from 0.2 to 5.0 C, as well as outstanding cycling performance with an ultralow capacity fading of only 0.064% after 200 cycles at a high current density of 5.0 C.

The title compound, C30H23IO2P2S2, was synthesized by the reaction of 2-iodobenzene-1,3-diol, chlorodiphenylphosphine, Et3N and sulfur. The P=S bonds project to opposite sides of the central aromatic ring. The O—P—S and C—P—S bond angles are significantly larger than the O—P—C and C—P—C bond angles, indicating significant distortion of the tetrahedral geometries of the P atoms. The P=S bond lengths of 1.9311 (13) and 1.9302 (12) Å in the title compound are shorter than that found in Ph3P=S [1.950 (3) Å] because the replacement of one C atom attached the P atom by an O atom increases the effective electronegativity of the P atom.