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Abstract Fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) offers promise for treating ulcerative colitis (UC), though the mechanisms underlying treatment failure are unknown. This study harnessed longitudinally collected colonic biopsies (n = 38) and fecal samples (n = 179) from 19 adults with mild-to-moderate UC undergoing serial FMT in which antimicrobial pre-treatment and delivery mode (capsules versus enema) were assessed for clinical response (≥ 3 points decrease from the pre-treatment Mayo score). Colonic biopsies underwent dual RNA-Seq; fecal samples underwent parallel 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing as well as untargeted metabolomic analyses. Pre-FMT, the colonic mucosa of non-responsive (NR) patients harbored an increased burden of bacteria, including Bacteroides, that expressed more antimicrobial resistance genes compared to responsive (R) patients. NR patients also exhibited muted mucosal expression of innate immune antimicrobial response genes. Post-FMT, NR and R fecal microbiomes and metabolomes exhibited significant divergence. NR metabolomes had elevated concentrations of immunostimulatory compounds including sphingomyelins, lysophospholipids and taurine. NR fecal microbiomes were enriched for Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides salyersiae strains that encoded genes capable of taurine production. These findings suggest that both effective mucosal microbial clearance and reintroduction of bacteria that reshape luminal metabolism associate with FMT success and that persistent mucosal and fecal colonization by antimicrobial-resistant Bacteroides species may contribute to FMT failure.

Abstract Understanding the impact of diagenesis on the elastic properties of organic-rich shale reservoirs is essential for evaluating unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs and interpreting seismic data. Recent advancements in the exploration of the Permian Wujiaping Formation in the eastern Sichuan Basin indicate its potential to become a significant succession within the Sichuan Basin. However, the effect of different lithofacies in the Wujiaping Formation on shale elastic properties under varying diagenetic conditions remains unclear, hindering detailed reservoir interpretation. This study employs X-ray diffraction, thin section analysis, scanning electron microscopy, organic geochemistry, and dynamic elastic property tests to investigate the Wujiaping Formation shale. The results reveal three primary lithofacies types: argillaceous shale, mixed shale, and siliceous shale. Argillaceous shale, subjected to intense compaction, forms a dense rock framework of oriented clay minerals, characterized by low porosity (1.66%), low elastic wave velocity (4122.30 m/s), low elastic modulus (2174.59 m/s), and high Poisson's ratio (32.24 GPa). Mixed shale, dominated by carbonates and quartz, exhibits a rock framework formed through dissolution and cementation, with high elastic wave velocity (5196.54 m/s), relatively high elastic modulus (2975.86 m/s), and moderate Poisson's ratio (58.53 GPa). Siliceous shale, comprising biogenic quartz particles, shows strong resistance to compaction. During hydrocarbon generation, it develops abundant organic matter pores, resulting in the highest porosity (2.36%), high elastic wave velocity (5177.92 m/s), high elastic modulus (2975.86 m/s), and low Poisson's ratio (62.23 GPa). The significant differences in mineral composition and diagenetic processes across the lithofacies lead to distinct elastic properties. This study provides a rock physics framework for the detailed seismic prediction of "sweet spots" in the Wujiaping Formation shale reservoirs and offers new insights into characterizing the diagenesis of unconventional shale reservoirs using geophysical properties.

Abstract Background The burgeoning field of research on the dual-factor model of mental health (DFM) has highlighted its significance, yet the applicability of the DFM in military personnel and its longitudinal relationships with different dimensions of meaning in life remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the applicability of the DFM for military personnel and to investigate longitudinal relationships between the dual factors of mental health (negative factor, positive factor) and the two dimensions of meaning in life (presence of meaning, search for meaning) in military personnel. Methods In this study, data were collected in two waves (April and August 2023) from 227 Chinese military personnel. We constructed a dual-factor model with depression as the negative factor and subjective well-being as the positive factor, and we compared it with a single-factor model to determine if DFM could be applied to military personnel. We also constructed a cross-lagged model to investigate longitudinal relationships between depression, subjective well-being, presence of meaning, and search for meaning. Results According to the findings, military personnel fit better with the DFM than with the single-factor model. Cross-lagged analysis results revealed that both the presence of meaning and the search for meaning negatively predicted depression and positively predicted subjective well-being. Conclusions The DFM had good applicability among military personnel. Both the presence of meaning and the search for meaning could improve military mental health, suggesting that both dimensions of meaning in life may be potential targets for improving military mental health.

Abstract Northwest China has undergone notable alterations in climate and vegetation growth in recent decades. Nevertheless, uncertainties persist concerning the response of different vegetation types to climate change and the underlying mechanisms. This study utilized the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and three sets of meteorological data to investigate the interannual variations in the association between vegetation and climate (specifically precipitation and temperature) from 1982 to 2015. Several conclusions were drawn. (1) RNDVI-GP (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and precipitation) decreased significantly across all vegetation, while RNDVI-GT (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and temperature) showed an insignificant increase. (2) Trends of RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT exhibited great variations across various types of vegetation, with forests displaying notable downward trends in both indices. The grassland exhibited a declining trend in RNDVI-GP but an insignificant increase in RNDVI-GT, while no significant temporal changes in RNDVI-GP or RNDVI-GT were observed in the barren land. (3) The fluctuations in RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT closely aligned with variations in drought conditions. Specifically, in regions characterized by VPD (vapor pressure deficit) trends less than 0.02 hpa/yr, which are predominantly grasslands, a rise in SWV (soil water volume) tended to cause a reduction in RNDVI-GP but an increase in RNDVI-GT. However, a more negative trend in SWV was associated with a more negative trend in both RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT when the VPD trend exceeded 0.02 hPa/yr, primarily in forests. Our results underscore the variability in the relationship between climate change and vegetation across different vegetation types, as well as the role of drought in modulating these associations.

BackgroundMultimorbidity imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and society. There are relatively few studies exploring patterns of multimorbidity among middle-aged adults in China. ObjectiveTo explore the current status of multimorbidity, associated risk factors, and multimorbidity patterns among adults aged 45-64 years in China, so as to provide a scientific basis to prevent and control multimorbidity in China. MethodsA total of 5494 adults aged 45-64 years from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2018 were selected. Of these, 2494 (45.39%) were men and 3000 (54.61%) were women. The nine diseases included were hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, obesity, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), myocardial infarction, stroke, asthma, and tumor. The prevalence of each disease or multimorbidity was expressed as N (%). Comparisons of multimorbidity prevalence between different groups were performed using the χ2 test or Cochran-Armitage trend test. Association rule with the Apriori algorithm was used to explore the pattern of multimorbidity, with parameters set at a minimum conditional support of 3.00%, a minimum rule confidence of 50.00%, and a lift of >1.20. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between selected risk factors and multimorbidity. ResultsIn 2018, 37.44% of participants reported multimorbidity in 15 provinces of China. The prevalence of diseases in descending order was dyslipidaemia (39.99%), hypertension (39.48%), obesity (16.42%), MCI (14.47%), diabetes (14.16%), tumor (1.09%), stroke (1.04%), myocardial infarction (0.71%), and asthma (0.64%). A total of seven multimorbidity patterns were identified in this group. Obesity paired with hypertension, and diabetes paired with dyslipidemia were the two major patterns of multimorbidity in the general population and age or sex subgroups. The multimorbidity patterns of different populations were concentrated in the combination of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The risk of multimorbidity was lower in females than in males (OR=0.85, 95%CI: 0.75, 0.97). The multimorbidity risk was 1.56 times higher in the 55-64 years group than in the 45-54 years group (OR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.40, 1.75). Drinking in the past year increased the risk of multimorbidity by 25% (OR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.45) compared to no alcohol comsumption in the past year. High and medium levels of physical activity were associated with a decreased OR (high: OR=0.74, 95%CI: 0.65, 0.85; medium: OR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.70, 0.93) with low level of physical activity as reference. ConclusionIn 2018, there was a high prevalence rate of multimorbidity among middle-aged adults in China. The main multimorbidity patterns were obesity-hypertension and diabetes-dyslipidemia. Surveillance and interventions should be strengthened particularly for men, individuals with alcohol consumption or insufficient physical activity, and those with major multimorbidity patterns.

Abstract The ankyrin (ANK) SOCS box (ASB) family, encompassing ASB1–18, is the largest group of substrate receptors of cullin 5 Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase. Nonetheless, the mechanism of substrate recognition by ASB family proteins has remained largely elusive. Here we present the crystal structure of ASB7-Elongin B-Elongin C ternary complex bound to a conserved helical degron. ASB7 employs its ANK3-6 to form an extended groove, effectively interacting with the internal α-helix-degron through a network of side-chain-mediated electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Our structural findings, combined with biochemical and cellular analyses, identify the key residues of the degron motif and ASB7 required for their recognition. This will facilitate the identification of additional physiological substrates of ASB7 by providing a defined degron motif for screening. Furthermore, the structural insights provide a basis for the rational design of compounds that can specifically target ASB7 by disrupting its interaction with its cognate degron.

Abstract This study addresses the challenges in large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) clusters, specifically the scalability issues and limitations of using reactive routing protocols for inter-cluster routing. These traditional methods place an excessive burden on cluster heads and struggle to adapt to frequently changing topologies, leading to decreased network performance. To solve these problems, we propose an innovative inter-cluster routing protocol (ICRP), which is based on a hybrid ant colony algorithm. During the route establishment phase, ICRP uses this algorithm to identify the optimal relay node. This approach is inspired by the foraging behavior of Physarum polycephalum, combining factors such as the number of hops from the source node, the load condition of the node, and its weight in the pheromone calculation. In the route maintenance phase, ICRP uses a predictive repair and contraction mechanism to dynamically maintain routes, accommodating the high mobility of UAVs. Comparative simulations in OMNeT + + showed that this protocol surpasses ad-hoc on-demand distance vector (AODV), fuzzy-logic-assisted-AODV, and Enhanced-Ant-AODV routing protocols in packet delivery rate and end-to-end transmission delay. Furthermore, it showed superior adaptation to network environments with high-speed node mobility.

Abstract Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are tick-borne protozoan parasites with veterinary importance. In China, epidemiological and genetic investigations on many Babesia and Theileria species were still absent in many areas and many tick species. From Aug 2021 to May 2023, 645 ticks were collected from the body surface of domestic animals (camels, goats, sheep, and cattle) using tweezers in seven counties in three provinces including Xinjiang (Qitai, Mulei, Hutubi, and Shihezi counties), Chongqing (Youyang and Yunyang counties), and Qinghai (Huangzhong county). Three tick species were morphologically and molecularly identified (334 Hyalomma asiaticum from Xinjiang, 245 Rhipicephalus microplus from Chongqing, and 66 Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from Qinghai). A total of three Babesia species and two Theileria species were detected targeting the 18S gene. The COI and cytb sequences were also recovered from Babesia strains for further identification. In R. microplus from Chongqing, Babesia bigemina, the agent of bovine babesiosis, was detected. Notably, in H. asiaticum ticks from Xinjiang, a putative novel genotype of Babesia caballi was identified (0.90%, 3/334), whose COI and cytb genes have as low as 85.82% and 90.64–90.91% nucleotide identities to currently available sequences. It is noteworthy whether the sequence differences of its cytb contribute to the drug resistance of this variant due to the involvement of cytb in the drug resistance of Babesia. In addition, Theileria orientalis and Theileria annulata were detected in R. microplus from Chongqing (12.20%, 31/245) and H. asiaticum from Xinjiang (1.50%, 5/334), respectively. These results suggest that these protozoan parasites may be circulating in domestic animals in these areas. The pathogenicity of the novel genotype of B. caballi also warrants further investigation.

Abstract Background Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are becoming increasingly resistant to a wide variety of antibiotics. There are currently limited treatments for GNB, and the combination of antibiotics with complementary mechanisms has been reported to be a feasible strategy for treating GNB infection. The inability to cross the GNB outer membrane (OM) is an important reason that a broad spectrum of Gram-positive only class of antibiotics (GPOAs) is lacking. Polymyxins may help GPOAs to permeate by disrupting OM of GNB. Objective To identify what kind of GPOAs can be aided to broaden their anti-GNB spectrum by polymyxins, we systematically investigated the synergy of eight GPOAs in combination with colistin (COL) and polymyxin B (PMB) against GNB in vitro. Methods The synergistic effect of COL or PMB and GPOAs combinations against GNB reference strains and clinical isolates were determined by checkerboard tests. The killing kinetics of the combinations were assessed using time-kill assays. Results In the checkerboard tests, polymyxins-GPOAs combinations exert synergistic effects characterized by species and strain specificity. The synergistic interactions on P. aeruginosa strains are significantly lower than those on strains of A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae and E. coli. Among all the combinations, COL has shown the best synergistic effect in combination with dalbavancin (DAL) or oritavancin (ORI) versus almost all of the strains tested, with FICIs from 0.16 to 0.50 and 0.13 to

Abstract Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators of post-transcriptional gene expression regulation, cell fate determination, and disease development. However, lncRNA functions during short-term heat stress in adult worker bees are poorly understood. Here, we performed deep sequencing and bioinformatic analyses of honeybee lncRNAs. RNA interference was performed by using siRNA targeting the most highly expressed lncRNA. The silencing effect on lncRNA and the relative expression levels of seven heat shock protein (HSP) genes, were subsequently examined. Overall, 7,842 lncRNAs and 115 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified in adult worker bees following heat stress exposure. Structural analysis revealed that the overall expression abundance, length of transcripts, exon number, and open reading frames of lncRNAs were lower than those of mRNAs. GO analysis revealed that the target genes were mainly involved in “metabolism,” “protein folding,” “response to stress,” and “signal transduction” pathways. KEGG analysis indicated that the “protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum” and “longevity regulating pathway-multiple species” pathways were most enriched. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detection of the selected DELs confirmed the reliability of the sequencing data. Moreover, the siRNA experiment indicated that feeding siRNA yielded a silencing efficiency of 77.51% for lncRNA MSTRG.9645.5. Upon silencing this lncRNA, the expression levels of three HSP genes were significantly downregulated (p

Abstract Background The eukaryotic-bacterial symbiotic system plays an important role in various physiological, developmental, and evolutionary processes. However, our current understanding is largely limited to multicellular eukaryotes without adequate consideration of diverse unicellular protists, including ciliates. Results To investigate the bacterial profiles associated with unicellular organisms, we collected 246 ciliate samples spanning the entire Ciliophora phylum and conducted single-cell based metagenome sequencing. This effort has yielded the most extensive collection of bacteria linked to unicellular protists to date. From this dataset, we identified 883 bacterial species capable of cohabiting with ciliates, unveiling the genomes of 116 novel bacterial cohabitants along with 7 novel archaeal cohabitants. Highlighting the intimate relationship between ciliates and their cohabitants, our study unveiled that over 90% of ciliates coexist with bacteria, with individual hosts fostering symbiotic relationships with multiple bacteria concurrently, resulting in the observation of seven distinct symbiotic patterns among bacteria. Our exploration of symbiotic mechanisms revealed the impact of host digestion on the intracellular diversity of cohabitants. Additionally, we identified the presence of eukaryotic-like proteins in bacteria as a potential contributing factor to their resistance against host digestion, thereby expanding their potential host range. Conclusions As the first large-scale analysis of prokaryotic associations with ciliate protists, this study provides a valuable resource for future research on eukaryotic-bacterial symbioses. Video Abstract

Al/Mg laminated composites were successfully prepared by multi-pass friction stir processing(M-FSP) and rolling, and the effects of interface structure on their microstructure and properties were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Backscattering Diffraction (BSD). The results showed that there were two layers of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface of the composites after M-FSP, and the average grain size on 2024Al and AZ31B layers decreased from the initial 12.79 μm and 15.06 μm–3.59 μm and 6.36 μm, respectively. For M-FSP + Rolling(F + R) samples, after rolling process, the initially straight IMCs layers were fragmented and embedded on the two matrix layers to increase the interface bonding, while the average grain size on the 2024Al and AZ31B sides were further refined to 2.16 μm and 4.26 μm. The ultimate tensile strength of the F + R sample was increased to 20.6%, with an average value of 322 MPa, compared with the M-FSP samples. This research using M-FSP + Rolling can improve the interface bonding and refine the microstructure, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the composites.

Abstract Water body (WB) extraction is the basic work of water resources management. Tibetan Plateau is one of the largest alpine lake systems in the world. However, research on the characteristics of water bodies (WBs) is mainly focused on large and medium WBs due to spatial resolution. This research presents a dataset containing a 2-m resolution map of WBs in 2020 based on Gaofen-1 data, and morphometric and landscape indices of WBs across the Tibetan Plateau. The Swin-UNet model is well performed with overall accuracy at 98%. The total area of WBs is 56354.6 km2 across Tibetan Plateau in 2020. The abundance compared with that from size-abundance relationship indicate WBs in the Tibetan Plateau conformed to the classic power scaling law. We evaluate the influence of spatial-resolution in WB extraction, which shows the dataset could be valuable to fill the gap of existing WBs map, especially for small waters. The dataset is valuable for revealing the spatial patterns of WBs, and understanding the impacts of climate change on water resources in Plateau.

Abstract China, as the world’s biggest soybean importer and fourth-largest producer, needs accurate mapping of its planting areas for global food supply stability. The challenge lies in gathering and collating ground survey data for different crops. We proposed a spatiotemporal migration method leveraging vegetation indices’ temporal characteristics. This method uses a feature space of six integrals from the crops’ phenological curves and a concavity-convexity index to distinguish soybean and non-soybean samples in cropland. Using a limited number of actual samples and our method, we extracted features from optical time-series images throughout the soybean growing season. The cloud and rain-affected data were supplemented with SAR data. We then used the random forest algorithm for classification. Consequently, we developed the 10-meter resolution ChinaSoybean10 maps for the ten primary soybean-producing provinces from 2019 to 2022. The map showed an overall accuracy of about 93%, aligning significantly with the statistical yearbook data, confirming its reliability. This research aids soybean growth monitoring, yield estimation, strategy development, resource management, and food scarcity mitigation, and promotes sustainable agriculture.

GH3625 alloy is widely used in aviation, nuclear power and other fields of hot section components. However, the high alloying level, significant deformation resistance, and narrow hot working window of the alloy bring great challenge to the plastic deformation of the alloy. The hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of as-forged GH3625 alloy were studied by hot compression tests with deformation temperatures of 930–1180 °C, strain rates of 0.001–1 s−1 and true strain of 0.92. The results show that the flow stress of the alloy exhibits noticeable characteristics of temperature-negative sensitivity and rate-positive sensitivity. The true stress-strain curves are of two types: dynamic recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallization (DRX). The strain-compensated Arrhenius constitutive model was used to predict the alloy's flow behavior, with a linear fitting correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9872 and an average relative error (AARE) of 8.92%. The hot processing map of the alloy based on Prasad was constructed and superimposed. It was found that there were two instability regions, which were located in the low temperature and high strain rate region and the high temperature and low strain rate region respectively. The optimal processing region was 1154∼1180 °C/0.75–1 s−1 combined with the true stress-strain curves and the microstructure. Continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) at subgrains rotation and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) at grain boundaries were identified during thermal deformation. As the η value decreases, the dynamic recrystallization grain size decreases under the deformation condition of 930–1180 °C/1 s−1, and the microstructure evolution mechanism changes from DDRX→ DDRX + CDRX→ DDRX + CDRX + DRV → CDRX + DRV, and ∑3 TBs also reduces.

To study the damage and failure mechanism of rocks under the coupling effect of high ground stress static load and cyclic impact disturbance generated by mining and excavation, the multi-strain rate dynamic static superposition rock mechanics test system was used to carry out the experiments with different pre-imposed static loads (0.45/0.65/0.85σc) superimposed cyclic impact and the same pre-imposed static load superimposed with cyclic impact loads of different frequencies (0.5/1.0/2.0 Hz). The experimental results indicate that the peak strength of rocks in the dynamic static superposition test is smaller than that in the static load test, and the maximum deformation is greater than that in the static load test, indicating that the dynamic static superposition load has a significant promoting effect on rock damage. The evolution of strength, deformation, and failure under dynamic and static superimposed loads are consistent, also, peak strength, fracture duration are linearly negatively correlated with pre-loading static, and logarithmically positively correlated with cyclic impact frequency. The maximum strain, fracture fractal dimension, and fragment fractal dimension are linearly positively correlated with pre-loading static, and logarithmically negatively correlated with cyclic impact frequency. Under different dynamic and static superpositions, the evolution trend of the fractal dimension of rock surface cracks and fragment sizes are basically consistent, and the former is larger than the latter, that shows the synchronicity of the development of rock surface and internal cracks, and rock surface cracks are more prone to generation and expansion. As the pre-loading static increases or the impact frequency decreases, the rock failure gradually intensifies, and the failure mode undergoes a transition from “inclined shear failure to vertical tensile failure to overall burst failure”. The burst failure position extends from bottom to overall. To quantify the damage mechanism of pre-loading static and cyclic impact, a dynamic static superimposed damage factor evolution model was established, which comprehensively considers static load damage, different peak, frequency, and number of cyclic impact damage, and strain rate strengthening effects. Further dynamic and static superposition experiments were conducted, and the error rates of rock peak strength obtained from theoretical calculations and experimental results were 0.5%, 1.8%, 0.6%, and 1.7%, respectively, the errors were relatively small. The theoretical calculation strength based on the superposition of dynamic and static damage factors is lower than the experimental strength. Preliminary analysis shows that this is due to the microscopic hysteresis of damage development under high-frequency cyclic impact. The actual cumulative damage generated by cyclic impact is less than single impact damage multiplied by cycle number. In the later stage, the microscopic testing can be carried out to explore the evolution law of rock microscopic damage under cyclic impact and further improve the theoretical model.

Abstract The authors presents a low‐profile wideband circularly polarised (CP) millimetre‐wave (mmWave) elliptical integrated lens antenna (ILA) fabricated by dielectric 3D printing technology. The proposed lens is integrated with a dielectric polariser and an air cavity for phase compensation, which can transfer incident waves from linearly polarised (LP) to planar CP waves over a wide bandwidth. Compared to the classic bifocal ILA, the proposed lens has a low profile. The phase compensation is performed by introducing a specifically shaped air cavity, which greatly reduces the length and weight of the lens. The polariser causes the two electric field components Ex and Ey to degenerate with an orthogonal phase difference, which results in the wideband characteristics of the antenna. The polariser, air cavity and lens can be conveniently and precisely fabricated by low‐cost 3D printing technology. Measurements show that the proposed ILA has a wide axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 21.9–32.6 GHz, while the gain reaches 22.54 dBic with a 38% size reduction and a 60.7% weight reduction. Benefiting from the low profile, high gain, wide bandwidth and low cost, the proposed ILA has great potential to be the candidate antenna for 5G applications and satellite communications.

Abstract Background Hyalomma ticks are widely distributed in semi-arid zones in Northwest China. They have been reported to harbor a large number of zoonotic pathogens. Methods In this study, a total of 334 Hyalomma asiaticum ticks infesting domestic animals were collected from four locations in Xinjiang, Northwest China, and the bacterial agents in them were investigated. Results A putative novel Borrelia species was identified in ticks from all four locations, with an overall positive rate of 6.59%. Rickettsia sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae, a human pathogen frequently reported in Europe, was detected for the second time in China. Two Ehrlichia species (Ehrlichia minasensis and Ehrlichia sp.) were identified. Furthermore, two Anaplasma species were characterized in this study: Candidatus Anaplasma camelii and Anaplasma sp. closely related to Candidatus Anaplasma boleense. It is the first report of Candidatus Anaplasma camelii in China. Conclusions Six bacterial agents were reported in this study, many of which are possible or validated pathogens for humans and animals. The presence of these bacterial agents may suggest a potential risk for One Health in this area. Graphical Abstract

MgH2 is considered one of the most promising hydrogen storage materials because of its safety, high efficiency, high hydrogen storage quantity and low cost characteristics. But some shortcomings are still existed: high operating temperature and poor hydrogen absorption dynamics, which limit its application. Porous Ni3ZnC0.7/Ni loaded carbon nanotubes microspheres (NZC/Ni@CNT) is prepared by facile filtration and calcination method. Then the different amount of NZC/Ni@CNT (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 wt%) is added to the MgH2 by ball milling. Among the three samples with different amount of NZC/Ni@CNT (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 wt%), the MgH2-5 wt% NZC/Ni@CNT composite exhibits the best hydrogen storage performances. After testing, the MgH2-5 wt% NZC/Ni@CNT begins to release hydrogen at around 110 °C and hydrogen absorption capacity reaches 2.34 wt% H2 at 80 °C within 60 min. Moreover, the composite can release about 5.36 wt% H2 at 300 °C. In addition, hydrogen absorption and desorption activation energies of the MgH2-5 wt% NZC/Ni@CNT composite are reduced to 37.28 and 84.22 KJ/mol H2, respectively. The in situ generated Mg2NiH4/Mg2Ni can serve as a ''hydrogen pump'' that plays the main role in providing more activation sites and hydrogen diffusion channels which promotes H2 dissociation during hydrogen absorption process. In addition, the evenly dispersed Zn and MgZn2 in Mg and MgH2 could provide sites for Mg/MgH2 nucleation and hydrogen diffusion channel. This attempt clearly proved that the bimetallic carbide Ni3ZnC0.7 is a effective additive for the hydrogen storage performances modification of MgH2, and the facile synthesis of the Ni3ZnC0.7/Ni@CNT can provide directions of better designing high performance carbide catalysts for improving MgH2.

Abstract Background In China, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections traditionally occur during the spring and winter seasons. However, a shift in the seasonal trend was noted in 2020–2022, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods This study investigated the seasonal characteristics of RSV infection in children hospitalized with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs). The RSV epidemic season was defined as RSV positivity in > 10% of the hospitalized ALRTI cases each week. Nine RSV seasons were identified between 2013 and 2022, and nonlinear ordinary least squares regression models were used to assess the differences in year-to-year epidemic seasonality trends. Results We enrolled 49,658 hospitalized children diagnosed with ALRTIs over a 9-year period, and the RSV antigen-positive rate was 15.2% (n = 7,566/49,658). Between 2013 and 2022, the average onset and end of the RSV season occurred in week 44 (late October) and week 17 of the following year, respectively, with a typical duration of 27 weeks. However, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual spring RSV peak did not occur. Instead, the 2020 epidemic started in week 32, and RSV seasonality persisted into 2021, lasting for an unprecedented 87 weeks before concluding in March 2022. Conclusions RSV seasonality was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the season exhibited an unusually prolonged duration. These findings may provide valuable insights for clinical practice and public health considerations.

BackgroundCerebral syphilitic gumma is a rare intracranial infectious disorder. Without a clear history of syphilis and comprehensive serological examinations, it’s challenging to diagnose it accurately prior to surgery through routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Advanced neuroimaging techniques have been widely used in diagnosing brain tumors, yet there’s limited report on their application in cerebral syphilitic gumma. This report presents a case of an elderly male patient with cerebral syphilitic gumma and analyzes its characteristics of advanced neuroimaging.Case presentationA 68-year-old male patient was admitted to our institution presenting with bilateral hearing loss complicated with continuing headaches without obvious cause. Laboratory tests indicated positive treponema pallidum. Conventional MRI showed nodules closely related to the adjacent meninges in bilateral temporal lobes. The patient underwent surgical resection of the nodule in the right temporal lobe due to the mass effect and the final pathological diagnosis revealed cerebral syphilitic gumma.ConclusionsWith the return of syphilis in recent years, accurate diagnosis of cerebral syphilitic gumma is a matter of great urgency. Advanced neuro-MRI can serve as a significant complement to conventional MRI examination.

IntroductionFospropofol disodium is a novel prodrug that has improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties when compared with propofol. This trial aims to compare the efficacy and safety of fospropofol versus propofol sedation for same-day bidirectional endoscopy in elderly patients.Methods and analysisThis is a prospective, single-center, double-blind, randomized, propofol-controlled, non-inferiority trial. A total of 256 patients aged 65 years or older, who are scheduled for same-day bidirectional endoscopy under sedation, will be randomly allocated, in a 1:1 ratio, to either fospropofol group or propofol group (n = 128 in each group). All patients will receive analgesic pre-treatment with sufentanil 5 μg. Two minutes later, an initial bolus dose of fospropofol 6.5 mg/kg or 1.5 mg/kg propofol and supplemental doses of fospropofol 1.6 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg propofol will be titrated as needed to achieve target sedation levels during the procedures. The primary outcome is the success rate of same-day bidirectional endoscopy. Secondary outcomes include the time to successful induction of sedation, duration, time to being fully alert, time to patient discharge, endoscopist satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and the top-up frequency and dosage of sedative medications. The safety endpoints consist of adverse events concerning cough reflex, gag reflexes, body movement, muscular tremor, and pain on injection. Sedation-related AEs, including episodes of desaturation, severe desaturation (SpO2 < 90%), hypotension, severe hypotension (decrease in MBP ≥30% of baseline), and bradycardia, will also be recorded. Data will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis.DiscussionWe hypothesize that the efficacy and safety of fospropofol sedation for elderly patients undergoing same-visit bidirectional endoscopy will not be inferior to that of propofol. Our findings will potentially provide a new sedation regimen for same-visit bidirectional endoscopy in elderly patients.Clinical Trial Registrationclinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02875639

To enhance power generation during high summer temperatures and address the power supply and demand imbalance in gas-steam combined cycle, this study explored the exhaust gas waste heat refrigeration scheme, along with the optimal scheduling of cooling capacity between the precooling of inlet air for the gas turbines and deep cooling for condenser in steam cycle. Using the Ebsilon software, we investigate the thermal performance of the gas cycle, steam cycle, and the overall gas-steam combined cycle under various off-design operating conditions, including varying cooling capacity distributions, ambient temperatures, and generation loads. Based on our calculations, it is advisable to prioritize cooling capacity for precooling the ambient air for the gas cycle, balancing power generation and thermal efficiency. After the transformation, the power generation of the gas-steam combined cycle remains relatively stable across varying ambient temperatures, achieving a significant 10.9 % increase compared to pre-transformation levels under a 39 °C ambient temperature and 100 % generation load. Furthermore, the thermal efficiency of the gas-steam combined cycle improves by 1.11 % under a 40 % generation load condition. As ambient temperatures rise, the benefits of the inlet air cooling scheme become more apparent, validating its effectiveness in addressing the inherent summer power supply and demand challenges.

Aims: To examine the concurrent validity of the Chinese version of Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES-CHN) among urban adults in regional China. Methods: With multistage sampling approaches, 801 eligible urban adults aged 35–74 years were recruited from Nanjing municipality of China between July and September of 2019. The neighbourhood built environment features were measured subjectively with PANES-CHN and objectively with geographic information system. The concurrent validity of PANES was assessed using Spearman’s correlations (rs). Results: Among the total 801 participants, the mean age was 54.4 (standard deviation = 11.5), while 48.7 % were men. Overall, of all the five objectively-measurable built environment characteristics, the Spearman correlations were examined significant between subjective and objective measurements for commercial facilities (item 2) (rs = 0.19, 95CI%=0.12, 0.25), recreational facilities (item 6) (rs = 0.10, 95CI%=0.02, 0.16), traffic junctions (item 12) (rs = 0.15, 95CI%=0.07, 0.22), medical/education facilities (item 17) (rs = 0.22, 95CI%=0.15, 0.29), but not for public transport stops. Similar scenarios were observed for participants aged 35–60 years, with sufficient physical activity, men or women. The rs value for medical/education facilities (item 17) was significantly higher in participants aged 35–59 years (0.28 vs. 0.13; p = 0.04) than those aged 60 + years. Conclusions: PANES-CHN generally has an acceptable validity for assessing built environment characteristics among urban adults in China, which implies that PANES-CHN can be used to measure built environment attributes in health-related population studies.

Conversion of solid waste tailings into building materials is an effective way to turn waste into resources as well as resolve the problems of their accumulation and pollution. Herein, in this paper, light-weight and high strength molybdenum tailings ceramsites (LHMCs) were prepared using molybdenum tailings as the main raw material supplemented with fly ash, sludge, steel slag and other solid wastes by egg-structure (three-layer structure) design and high-temperature sintering. The effects of raw material ratio, amount of carbon powder agent, sintering temperature, and sintering time on the properties of LHMCs were investigated, and the optimal preparation process was proposed to be preheating at 400 °C for 60 min and sintering at 1150 °C for 40 min. The results of the physicochemical properties, morphology, and component analysis of LHMCs show that the LHMCs with egg-structure including porous core, reinforced middle layer, and dense outer layer can significantly increase the strength of the ceramsites under the premise of ensuring the low density of the ceramsites. Meanwhile, the doping of molybdenum tailings improves the physical properties of the ceramsites and achieves the reuse of waste tailings. Importantly, the optimized LHMCs can meet the performance requirements of 900-grade ceramsites. This paper proposes a strategy for the preparation of tailings-doped light-weight and high-strength ceramic building materials, which provides a new idea for the recycling of solid waste.

Glioma is the most common type of primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system (CNS), and is characterized by high malignancy, high recurrence rate and poor survival. Conventional imaging techniques only provide information regarding the anatomical location, morphological characteristics, and enhancement patterns. In contrast, advanced imaging techniques such as dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI or DCE CT can reflect tissue microcirculation, including tumor vascular hyperplasia and vessel permeability. Although several studies have used DCE imaging to evaluate gliomas, the results of data analysis using conventional tracer kinetic models (TKMs) such as Tofts or extended-Tofts model (ETM) have been ambiguous. More advanced models such as Brix’s conventional two-compartment model (Brix), tissue homogeneity model (TH) and distributed parameter (DP) model have been developed, but their application in clinical trials has been limited. This review attempts to appraise issues on glioma studies using conventional TKMs, such as Tofts or ETM model, highlight advancement of DCE imaging techniques and provides insights on the clinical value of glioma management using more advanced TKMs.

IntroductionA growing body of evidence suggests that alcohol use disorders coexist with depression. However, the causal relationship between alcohol consumption and depression remains a topic of controversy.MethodsWe conducted a two-sample two-way Mendelian randomization analysis using genetic variants associated with alcohol use and major depressive disorder from a genome-wide association study.ResultsOur research indicates that drinking alcohol can reduce the risk of major depression (odds ratio: 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.54~0.93, p = 0.01), while increasing the frequency of drinking can increase the risk of major depression (odds ratio: 1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.00~1.18, p = 0.04). Furthermore, our multivariate MR analysis demonstrated that even after accounting for different types of drinking, the promoting effect of drinking frequency on the likelihood of developing major depression still persists (odds ratio: 1.13, 95% confidence interval: 1.04~1.23, p = 0.005). Additionally, mediation analysis using a two-step MR approach revealed that this effect is partially mediated by the adiposity index, with a mediated proportion of 37.5% (95% confidence interval: 0.22 to 0.38).DiscussionIn this study, we found that alcohol consumption can alleviate major depression, while alcohol intake frequency can aggravate it.These findings have important implications for the development of prevention and intervention strategies targeting alcohol-related depression.

It is well-known that high specific surface area and improved pore structure is significantly desired for the application of supercapacitor based on biomass-based activated carbon. Herein, Sargassum thunbergii was selected as carbon precursor. Then, a simple and environmentally friendly method was designed to synthesize heteroatom self-doped porous carbon materials via synchronous activation and graphitization by using K2FeO4. Our results demonstrated that activation temperature plays an important role in porous structure, morphology, and degree of graphitization, thus affecting the performance of supercapacitance. Sargassum thunbergii-based graphitized porous carbons STGPC-2 sample (calcination temperature at 700 °C) has a large specific surface area (1641.98 m2 g−1), pore volume (0.91 cm3 g−1), high microporosity (Vmicro = 0.62 cm3 g−1, more than 68%), and a certain degree of graphitization. In three-electrode system, The STGPC-2 electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance of 325.5 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and displays high rate capability (248 F g−1 at 10 A g−1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte). The symmetric STGPC-2 supercapacitor exhibits energy density as high as 21.3 Wh kg−1 (at a power density of 450 W kg−1) and excellent long-term cycling stability (97% capacitance retention after 3000 cycles) in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte.

Abstract Background Current studies have shown that longer observation time can improve neoplastic detection rate. This study aimed to clarify whether endoscopists with longer observation times can detect more focal lesions. Methods Based on the mean examination time for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) without biopsy, endoscopists were divided into fast and slow groups, and the detection rate of focal lesions was compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis and restricted cubic spline were used to explore the factors of focal lesion detection rate. Results Mean examination time of EGD without biopsy was 4.5 min. The cut-off times used were 5 min. 17 endoscopists were classified into the fast (4.7 ± 3.6 min), and 16 into the slow (7.11 ± 4.6 min) groups. Compared with fast endoscopists, slow endoscopists had a higher detection rate of focal lesions (47.2% vs. 51.4%, P

Abstract SAP05, a secreted effector by the obligate parasitic bacteria phytoplasma, bridges host SPL and GATA transcription factors (TFs) to the 26 S proteasome subunit RPN10 for ubiquitination-independent degradation. Here, we report the crystal structures of SAP05 in complex with SPL5, GATA18 and RPN10, which provide detailed insights into the protein-protein interactions involving SAP05. SAP05 employs two opposing lobes with an acidic path and a hydrophobic path to contact TFs and RPN10, respectively. Our crystal structures, in conjunction with mutagenesis and degradation assays, reveal that SAP05 targets plant GATAs but not animal GATAs dependent on their direct salt-bridged electrostatic interactions. Additionally, SAP05 hijacks plant RPN10 but not animal RPN10 due to structural steric hindrance and the key hydrophobic interactions. This study provides valuable molecular-level information into the modulation of host proteins to prevent insect-borne diseases.

Abstract Aim This study aimed to verify the accuracy of intraoperative femurofibular angle combined with tibiofibular angle (FFA–TFA) measurement and compare it with traditional alignment line methods in open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO). Methods A total of 174 knees of 122 patients undergoing OWHTO and using an alignment line or FFA–TFA measurement as an index of optimal correction were included in this retrospective study. The intraoperative alignment line passed through the targeted weight-bearing line (WBL) of the tibial plateau in the alignment line group. The intraoperative FFA–TFA aligned to the preplanned FFA–TFA angle in the FFA–TFA group. WBL, FFA, TFA, and knee joint-line convergence angle of the femur and tibia were assessed as radiological results preoperatively and one year after surgery. The Knee Society Score and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities were assessed as objective clinical results. Results Postoperative WBL in the FFA–TFA group was closer to the target WBL than in the alignment line group (FFA–TFA vs alignment line group: 1.43 ± 1.20% vs 3.82 ± 3.29%; P 0.05). Conclusions The intraoperative measurement of FFA–TFA had fewer complications in terms of under-correction and over-correction compared with the alignment line measurement. No significant differences between the two methods were observed in clinical results one year after surgery.

Based on a parallel corpus of Chinese-English texts, this article utilizes corpus tools to examine the translation styles of four versions of Fu Sheng Liu Ji from three levels and nine variables. It is found that different translators have different perspectives and focuses when dealing with the same source text, thus presenting different translation styles. At vocabulary level, Sanders’ translation has the highest lexical density, Black’s translation has the richest lexical variation, and Pratt’s translation has the lowest lexical richness. At the sentence level, Lin’s translation fluctuated more obviously in the use of alternating long and short sentences, while the changes in Sanders’ translation are less obvious, and Pratt’s translation has the lowest average sentence length, which means this version tends to use more short sentences to translate the original text. At the level of discourse, Black’s translation has a more compact plot and a tighter contextual connection, making the translation more readable and narrative. The distinct styles of the four translations are mainly due to the difference in the translators’ aims and their historical backgrounds.

Abstract Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious chronic metabolic disease that can lead to many serious complications, such as cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, and kidney disease. Once diagnosed with diabetes, patients need to take oral hypoglycemic drugs or use insulin to control blood sugar and slow down the progression of the disease. This has a significant impact on the daily life of patients, requiring constant monitoring of the side effects of medication. It also imposes a heavy financial burden on individuals, their families, and even society as a whole. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have recently become an emerging therapeutic modality for DM and its complications. ADSCs can improve insulin sensitivity and enhance insulin secretion through various pathways, thereby alleviating diabetes and its complications. Additionally, ADSCs can promote tissue regeneration, inhibit inflammatory reactions, and reduce tissue damage and cell apoptosis. The potential mechanisms of ADSC therapy for DM and its complications are numerous, and its extensive regenerative and differentiation ability, as well as its role in regulating the immune system and metabolic function, make it a powerful tool in the treatment of DM. Although this technology is still in the early stages, many studies have already proven its safety and effectiveness, providing new treatment options for patients with DM or its complications. Although based on current research, ADSCs have achieved some results in animal experiments and clinical trials for the treatment of DM, further clinical trials are still needed before they can be applied in a clinical setting.

Given the ever-growing availability of remote sensing data (e.g., Gaofen in China, Sentinel in the EU, and Landsat in the USA), multimodal remote sensing techniques have been garnering increasing attention and have made extraordinary progress in various Earth observation (EO)-related tasks. The data acquired by different platforms can provide diverse and complementary information. The joint exploitation of multimodal remote sensing has been proven effective in improving the existing methods of land-use/land-cover segmentation in urban environments. To boost technical breakthroughs and accelerate the development of EO applications across cities and regions, one important task is to build novel cross-city semantic segmentation models based on modern artificial intelligence technologies and emerging multimodal remote sensing data. This leads to the development of better semantic segmentation models with high transferability among different cities and regions. The Cross-City Semantic Segmentation contest is organized in conjunction with the 13th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS).

Degradation phenomena featured with positive shift of the on-state transfer curve are reported for the amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) under negative bias illumination stress (NBIS). Such a positive shift is absent when the gate bias or the illumination is independently applied. With the assistance of TCAD simulation, the positive shift of the transfer curve is attributed to the generation of acceptor-like trap states, which is proposed to be due to oxygen interstitials produced as a consequence of electron generation by the illumination, acceleration under the effect of negative gate bias, and breaking weakly bonded oxygen. The proposed degradation mechanism is consistent with the low frequency noise characteristics and the degradation behavior under bipolar gate bias stress of the TFTs after NBIS. The whole degradation phenomena for the a-IGZO TFT under the NBIS are then consistently explained.

Abstract Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for heart failure. Disruption of mitochondrial protein homeostasis plays a key role in pathological cardiac hypertrophy; however, the mechanism of maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis in pathological cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial protein homeostasis in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Wildtype (WT) mice, knockout mice, and mice transfected with lentivirus overexpressing mouse C1q-tumor necrosis factor-related protein-3 (CTRP3) underwent transverse aortic constriction or sham surgery. After 4 weeks, cardiac function, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress injury were examined. For mechanistic studies, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were treated with small interfering RNA or overexpression plasmids for the relevant genes. CTRP3 overexpression attenuated transverse aortic constriction (TAC) induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress injury compared to that in WT mice. TAC or Ang II resulted in compensatory activation of UPRmt, but this was not sufficient to counteract pathologic cardiac hypertrophy. CTRP3 overexpression further induced activation of UPRmt during pathologic cardiac hypertrophy and thereby alleviated pathologic cardiac hypertrophy, whereas CTRP3 knockout or knockdown inhibited UPRmt. ATF5 was a key regulatory molecule of UPRmt, as ATF5 knockout prevented the cardioprotective effect of CTRP3 in TAC mice. In vitro, SIRT1 was identified as a possible downstream CTRP3 effector molecule, and SIRT1 knockout blocked the cardioprotective effects of CTRP3. Our results also suggest that ATF5 may be regulated by SIRT1. Our study demonstrates that CTRP3 activates UPRmt via the SIRT1/ATF5 axis under pathological myocardial hypertrophy, thus attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress injury.

Objectives This study focuses on the sealing performance of lifting hatches applied to nuclear power plants under accidental working conditions.MethodsAn experimental setup is built to achieve the quantitative measurement of steam micro-leakage. In this device, saturated steam at 0.66 MPa is charged into a pressurized chamber to simulate accident conditions, the leaking steam is collected through a collection chamber with an insulation layer, and no condensation occurs. The changes in temperature, humidity and pressure in the collection chamber are monitored in real time to estimate the steam leakage rate.ResultsThe experimental results show that the steam leakage rates of the lifting hatch models with 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm composite gaskets are 13.93 g/24h and 11.91 g/24h respectively, both meeting the low leakage design requirements, with the 3.0 mm gasket providing superior sealing performance. An analysis of the dry air and steam measurements with the same gasket and at the same pressure shows that the sealing coefficients nd4 obtained for both are very close, which verifies the accuracy of the experimental device for steam microleakage measurements.ConclusionsThe proposed steam microleakage measurement method can be extended to various sealing structures and pressure systems, and provides a new measurement idea for evaluating the sealability of stack chambers under accident conditions.

Abstract Asthma represents a significant global challenge that affects individuals across all age groups and imposes substantial social and economic burden. Due to heterogeneity of the disease, not all patients obtain benefit with current treatments. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of MD2 on the progression of asthma using L6H21, a novel MD2 inhibitor, to identify potential targets and drug candidates for asthma treatment. To establish an asthma-related murine model and evaluate the effects of L6H21, ovalbumin (OVA) was used to sensitize and challenge mice. Pathological changes were examined with various staining techniques, such as H&E staining, glycogen staining, and Masson staining. Inflammatory cell infiltration and excessive cytokine secretion were evaluated by analyzing BALF cell count, RT-PCR, and ELISA. The TLR4/MD2 complex formation, as well as the activation of the MAPK and NF-кB pathways, was examined using western blot and co-IP. Treatment with L6H21 demonstrated alleviation of increased airway resistance, lung tissue injury, inflammatory cell infiltration and excessive cytokine secretion triggered by OVA. In addition, it also ameliorated mucus production and collagen deposition. In the L6H21 treatment group, inhibition of MAPK and NF-кB activation was observed, along with the disruption of TLR4/MD2 complex formation, in contrast to the model group. Thus, L6H21 effectively reduced the formation of the MD2 and TLR4 complex induced by OVA in a dose-dependent manner. This reduction resulted in the attenuation of MAPKs/NF-κB activation, enhanced suppression of inflammatory factor secretion, reduced excessive recruitment of inflammatory cells, and ultimately mitigated airway damage. MD2 emerges as a crucial target for asthma treatment, and L6H21, as an MD2 inhibitor, shows promise as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of asthma.

Seismic inversion, such as velocity and impedance, is an ill-posed problem. To solve this problem, swarm intelligence (SI) algorithms have been increasingly applied as the global optimization approach, such as differential evolution (DE) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Based on the well logs, the sparse probability distribution (PD) of the reflectivity distribution is spatial stationarity. Therefore, we proposed a general SI scheme with constrained by a priori sparse distribution of the reflectivity, which helps to provide more accurate potential solutions for the seismic inversion. In the proposed scheme, as two key operations, the creating of probability density function library and probability transformation are inserted into standard SI algorithms. In particular, two targeted DE-PD and PSO-PD algorithms are implemented. Numerical example of Marmousi2 model and field example of gas hydrates show that the DE-PD and PSO-PD estimate better inversion solutions than the results of the original DE and PSO. In particular, the DE-PD is the best performer both in terms of mean error and fitness value of velocity and impendence inversion. Overall, the proposed SI with sparse distribution scheme is feasible and effective for seismic inversion.

Abstract Arbitrary‐oriented object detection is widely used in aerial image applications because of its efficient object representation. However, the use of oriented bounding box aggravates the imbalance between positive and negative samples when using one‐stage object detectors, which seriously decreases the detection accuracy. We believe that it is the anchor learning strategy (ALS) used by such detectors that needs to take the responsibility. In this study, three perspectives on ALS design were summarised and ALS—Performance Releaser with Smart Anchor Learning (PRSAL) was proposed. Performance Releaser with Smart Anchor Learning is a dynamic ALS that utilises anchor classification ability as an equivalent indicator to anchor box regression ability, this allows anchors with high detection potential to be filtered out in a more reasonable way. At the same time, PRSAL focuses more on anchor potential and it is able to automatically select a number of positive samples that far exceed that of other methods by activating anchors that previously had a low spatial overlap, thereby releasing the detection performance. We validate the PRSAL using three remote sensing datasets—HRSC2016, DOTA and UCAS‐AOD as well as one scene text dataset—ICDAR 2013. The experimental results show that the proposed method gives substantially better results than existing models.

Abstract Background Damage in the ischemic core and penumbra after stroke affects patient prognosis. Microglia immediately respond to ischemic insult and initiate immune inflammation, playing an important role in the cellular injury after stroke. However, the microglial heterogeneity and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Methods We first performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice from three time points to determine stroke-associated microglial subclusters and their spatial distributions. Furthermore, the expression of microglial subcluster-specific marker genes and the localization of different microglial subclusters were verified on MCAO mice through RNAscope and immunofluorescence. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was performed to reveal functional characteristics of microglia sub-clusters. Additionally, ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to explore upstream regulators of microglial subclusters, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, shRNA-mediated knockdown, and targeted metabolomics. Finally, the infarct size, neurological deficits, and neuronal apoptosis were evaluated in MCAO mice after manipulation of specific microglial subcluster. Results We discovered stroke-associated microglial subclusters in the brains of MCAO mice. We also identified novel marker genes of these microglial subclusters and defined these cells as ischemic core-associated (ICAM) and ischemic penumbra-associated (IPAM) microglia, according to their spatial distribution. ICAM, induced by damage-associated molecular patterns, are probably fueled by glycolysis, and exhibit increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines production. BACH1 is a key transcription factor driving ICAM generation. In contrast, glucocorticoids, which are enriched in the penumbra, likely trigger IPAM formation, which are presumably powered by the citrate cycle and oxidative phosphorylation and are characterized by moderate pro-inflammatory responses, inflammation-alleviating metabolic features, and myelinotrophic properties. Conclusions ICAM could induce excessive neuroinflammation, aggravating brain injury, whereas IPAM probably exhibit neuroprotective features, which could be essential for the homeostasis and survival of cells in the penumbra. Our findings provide a biological basis for targeting specific microglial subclusters as a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke.

Abstract Background Multiple rib fractures can lead to flail chest with up to 35% mortality rate due to severe pulmonary complications. Current treatments of flail chest remain controversial. Studies have shown that surgical treatments can improve outcomes and reduce mortality, comparing to non-operative treatments. Current surgical fixation methods focus on stabilization of ribs on the outward facing side, and they require division of intercostal muscles. Damages to surrounding nerves and vessels may lead to chronic pain. This study tests a novel interior fixation method that minimizes neurovascular injuries. Methods Twelve healthy canines were divided in two surgical operation groups for exterior and interior fixation using titanium metal plates. Osteotomy with oblique fractures was prepared under general anesthesia. Exterior fixation was performed in open surgery. Interior fixation was minimally invasive using custom made tools including a flexible shaft extension screwdriver, solid plate stand, guiding wire loop and metal plates with threaded holes. Results Respiratory and cardiovascular functions (RR, PO2, PCO2, SpO2, and HR) together with body temperature were measured before anesthesia and within 48 h after surgery. The difference in measurements was not statistically significant between the two groups before surgery with P values greater than 0.05. However, the interior group canines had better RR and PO2 values starting from the 24th hour, and better PCO2, SpO2, and HR values starting from the 48th hour. It took longer operation time to complete the minimally invasive interior fixation surgery (P value less than 0.001), but the total blood loss was less than the exterior fixation group (P value less than 0.001). Results also showed that interior group canines suffered less pain, and they had quicker recovery in gastrointestinal and physical mobility. Conclusions The investigative interior fixation method was safe and effective in rib stabilization on a canine rib fracture model, comparing to the exterior fixation method. The interior fixation was minimally invasive, with less damages to tissues and nerves surrounding the ribs, leading to better postoperative outcomes.

AbstractContext: Gout is a chronic disease that imposes a huge financial and health burden on patients, which might diminish quality of life. Qin Jiao, a perennial herb found in northwestern China and Japan, is commonly used for treating various ailments.Objective: This study investigates the effects of Qin Jiao on gout and joint inflammation and elucidates its potential mechanism for gouty arthritis.Materials and methods: Study 1, a literature review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI to assess the applications of Qin Jiao in arthritis treatment. Study 2 was performed to discover the component targets and gouty disease targets via TCMSP, OMIM, GeneCards and DRUGBANK, and network pharmacology analysis. Study 3, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into normal, model, colchicine, Qin Jiao low-dose (QJL), and Qin Jiao high-dose group (QJH), oral gavage for 40 d. Serum, synovial fluid, and synovial membrane tissue were collected to measure the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and STAT3.Results: The research also identified potential targets and pharmacological pathways of Qin Jiao for gout treatment. In vivo study demonstrated Qin Jiao can reduce IL-1β levels in serum and ankle flushing fluid. ELISA analysis confirmed that Qin Jiao significantly reduces the protein expression of IL-6 and STAT3.Discussion and conclusion: Qin Jiao exerts anti-inflammatory effects on gouty arthritis by modulating the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. This study provides a biological basis for the use of Qin Jiao in treating arthritis-related diseases and offers experimental evidence for potential future drug development.

Abstract Ligand-induced receptor dimerization or oligomerization is a widespread mechanism for ensuring communication specificity, safeguarding receptor activation, and facilitating amplification of signal transduction across the cellular membrane. However, cell-surface antigen-induced multimerization (dubbed AIM herein) has not yet been consciously leveraged in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering for enriching T cell-based therapies. We co-developed ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), whose CAR incorporates two B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted nanobodies in tandem, for treating multiple myeloma. Here we elucidated a structural and functional model in which BCMA-induced cilta-cel CAR multimerization amplifies myeloma-targeted T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Crystallographic analysis of BCMA–nanobody complexes revealed atomic details of antigen–antibody hetero-multimerization whilst analytical ultracentrifugation and small-angle X-ray scattering characterized interdependent BCMA apposition and CAR juxtaposition in solution. BCMA-induced nanobody CAR multimerization enhanced cytotoxicity, alongside elevated immune synapse formation and cytotoxicity-mediating cytokine release, towards myeloma-derived cells. Our results provide a framework for contemplating the AIM approach in designing next-generation CARs.

Background: The efficacy of immunotherapy plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) has not been reported. This study retrospectively compared the efficacy of tislelizumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by CCRT. Methods: Ninety patients with stages III–IVa NPC were identified between January 2020 and March 2021 at the Affiliate Hospital of Guangdong Medical University. Forty-three patients in the observation group (OG) received tislelizumab plus nano albumin–paclitaxel and cisplatin (nab-TP) regimen, followed by CCRT, while forty-seven patients in the control group (CG) received nab-TP regimen followed by CCRT. Results: The complete response rate after neoadjuvant therapy was significantly higher in the OG compared to the CG (37.2% vs. 12.8 %). The objective response rates were 88.4 % in the OG and 70.2 % in the CG. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates for OG and CG patients were 93.0 % and 78.7 %, respectively (P = 0.04, HR = 0.31). The overall survival (OS) rates for the OG and the CG were 95.3 % and 87.2 %, respectively (P = 0.15, HR = 0.36). Locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS) rates were 90.7 % for the OG and 72.3 % for the CG (P = 0.04, HR = 0.38), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 95.3 % for the OG, and 80.9 % for the CG (P = 0.04, HR = 0.30). For PD-L1 high-expression and low-expression rates, the 3-year PFS rates were 89.2 % and 85.7 % (P = 0.77, HR = 1.21), and the OS rates were 90.2 % and 89.2 % (P = 0.65, HR = 1.36), respectively. Conclusion: Tislelizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT showed encouraging therapeutic effects and good tolerability in patients with LA-NPC compared to the standard treatment.

Abstract The impact of external factors on the human gut microbiota and how gut microbes contribute to human health is an intriguing question. Here, the gut microbiome of 3,224 individuals (496 with serum metabolome) with 109 variables is studied. Multiple analyses reveal that geographic factors explain the greatest variance of the gut microbiome and the similarity of individuals’ gut microbiome is negatively correlated with their geographic distance. Main food components are the most important factors that mediate the impact of host habitats on the gut microbiome. Diet and gut microbes collaboratively contribute to the variation of serum metabolites, and correlate to the increase or decrease of certain clinical indexes. Specifically, systolic blood pressure is lowered by vegetable oil through increasing the abundance of Blautia and reducing the serum level of 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐palmitoleoyl‐GPC (16:0/16:1), but it is reduced by fruit intake through increasing the serum level of Blautia improved threonate. Besides, aging‐related clinical indexes are also closely correlated with the variation of gut microbes and serum metabolites. In this study, the linkages of geographic locations, diet, the gut microbiome, serum metabolites, and physiological indexes in a Chinese population are characterized. It is proved again that gut microbes and their metabolites are important media for external factors to affect human health.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) pose significant environmental threats in China's large, shallow, and turbid lakes. Current satellite remote sensing methods for monitoring CyanoHABs in turbid water are limited in accuracy and frequency. The commonly used spectral index approaches often misidentify CyanoHABs by highly turbid water, and the segmentation threshold algorithms are not robust enough. Additionally, the dynamic nature of CyanoHABs requires high temporal resolution, which commonly used remote sensing data fail to provide. This study proposed a novel monitoring method utilizing a new spectral index, Anti-Turbid Algal Bloom Index (ATBI), specifically designed to minimize the impact of highly turbid water, coupled with an iterative triangle algorithm for automated ATBI threshold determination. We applied this approach to MODIS data from both Terra and Aqua satellites, achieving a temporal resolution of 0.5 days. The validation results show that the new method has a high accuracy with an F1-score of 0.85, which is higher than the commonly used algorithms with an F1-score of approximately 0.60. Utilizing this approach, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of CyanoHABs in China's large lakes from 2000 to 2022, including Lakes Hulunhu, Chaohu and Taihu. Notably, Lake Hulunhu exhibited an increase in frequency and duration of CyanoHABs, while Lakes Chaohu and Taihu showed a rise in duration but a decline in frequency post 2018 and 2017, respectively. Air temperature and wind speed are critical factors influencing CyanoHABs variations in these lakes. Comparative analysis using data from Terra, Aqua, and both satellites combined demonstrated that the integrated data captures more accurate CyanoHABs information. These findings showed that our method can enhance CyanoHABs monitoring capabilities and offer insights for future research.