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Background: Body mass index(BMI) in children appears to be associated with Otitis media with effusion(OME) in observational studies, but the causal relationship is not clear. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was used to explore the causal relationship between childhood BMI and OME in people of European ancestry. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of childhood BMI were used as exposures (n = 61,111), while GWAS of OME were used as outcomes (n = 429,290). The weighted inverse variance method (IVW) was used as a baseline method to test for causality. In addition, MR-Egger, simple mode analysis, weighted median, and weighted mode were used as complementary methods.MR-PRESSO analysis, MR-Egger intercept analysis, and Cochran's Q statistical analysis were also used to detect possible directional heterogeneity and polymorphism. To assess this association, we used ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (ci). All statistical analyses were performed in R. Results: We selected 22 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from GWAS as instrumental variables (IVW). the IVW approach showed evidence supporting a causal relationship between BMI and OME in children (β = 0.265, SE = 0.113, P = 0.018). MR-Egger regression showed that targeted polymorphisms were unlikely to bias the results bias (intercept=-0.022; P = 0.488), but there was no causal relationship between BMI and OME (β = 0.584, SE = 0.465, P = 0.224). Although the results of the IVW and MR Egger analyses were not consistent, the IVW analysis maintained higher precision, and the Cochran Q test, heterogeneity and polymorphism tests showed no heterogeneity, no directionality and no polymorphism. Conclusions: MR studies suggest that genetically predicted body mass index in childhood is associated with an increased risk of OME. Notably, given the limitations of this study, the mechanism of association between body mass index and OME in childhood needs further investigation. These results support the importance of effective management of obesity, which may reduce OME occurrence and decrease OME recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease globally. Current research suggests a possible association between anaemia and the development of CSOM. The objective of this trial was to investigate the relationship between iron metabolism and chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in adults aged 20–60 years. A consecutive sampling case-control study was used. The study participants were divided into a case group (42 children diagnosed with CSOM) and a control group (42 children with normal ears). Haemoglobin (Hb), Hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes (MCV), serum iron level (SI), unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin (TF), ferritin (Fer) were tested in all the participants, and the results were compared with the normal ranges of the World Health Organization (WHO). The comparative analysis of cases and controls was performed using the Fisher extract test, independence t-test, or Mann–Whitney U test. p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant for correlation. There were 61 patients with CSOM and 61 controls included in the study. In the case group, 16 out of 61 patients (26.2%) had low ferritin levels and in the control group, 1 out of 61 patients (1.6%) had low ferritin levels (p <.001). In the case group, 6 (9.8%) of 61 patients had IDA, and in the control group, there were no patients with IDA among 61 patients (p =.027). There were significant differences in SI, UIBC, and Fer parameters between the groups. In adult patients, the incidence of iron deficiency was higher in CSOM patients than in controls. Iron deficiency may be considered a potential risk factor for chronic suppurative otitis media, and serum iron parameters should be evaluated in these CSOM patients and further studies should be conducted to better understand the potential link between iron deficiency and CSOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptual models are built to depict and analyze complex systems. They are made of concepts and relationships among these concepts. In a particular domain, conceptual models are helpful for different stakeholders to reach a clear and unified view of domain problems. However, the process of building conceptual models is time-consuming, tedious, and expertise required. To improve the efficiency of the building process, this paper proposes a configurable semantic-based (semi-) automatic conceptual model transformation methodology (SbACMT) that tries to reuse existing conceptual models to generate new models. SbACMT contains three parts: (i) a configurable semantic relatedness computing method building on the structured linguistic knowledge base "ConceptNet" (SRCM-CNet), (ii) a specific meta-model, which follows the Ecore standard, defines the rules of applying SRCM-CNet to different conceptual models to automatically detect transformation mappings, and (iii) a multistep matching and transformation process that employs SRCM-CNet. A case study is carried out to detail the working mechanism of SbACMT. Furthermore, through a systematically analysis of this case study, we validate the performance of SbACMT. We prove that SbACMT can support the automatic transformation process of conceptual models (e.g., class diagrams). The scalability of SbACMT can be improved by adapting the meta-model and predefined syntax transformation rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on ergodicity and transience of the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross interest rate model driven by stable processes with random switching. Under some assumptions, we prove that the interest rate process and switching process has a unique stationary distribution. In addition, some sufficient conditions for transience of such interest rate model are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public spaces are social places that enhance social life and foster social interactions. However, there is a lack of analysis of the patterns of use by people in various types of social relationships. Observational data on four public spaces in Suzhou, China, and Sheffield, UK, assessed users' personal characteristics, activities and spatial occupancies in public spaces. Site factors were not related to personal characteristics, but age and group size were culturally different. Activities and spatial occupancies differed between unaccompanied and accompanied users. Compared to single users, users in groups tended to participate in multiple activities at once, and their activities included more interactions. Single users' spatial distributions conformed to the edge effect, but users in groups were evenly distributed in the spaces. Three types of social relationships were defined: Intimate Pair, Intimate Group and Social Group. Intimate Pairs were most likely to use mobile phones and use private spaces, Intimate Groups were most likely to be talking and sitting and to use park amenities, and Social Groups were most likely to be playing games and relaxing in spacious open areas. Regarding spatial occupancy, Intimate Pairs and Social Groups were most likely to use the middle and peripheral regions, and the Intimate Groups tended to be evenly distributed in the spaces. The results of this study stress the importance of designing public spaces for the types of users expected to use the spaces and to consider various types of social relationship groups. • Single and accompanied users' types of activities and spatial occupancies differed. • Personal characteristics were not statistically different across the four public spaces. • Activities varied by accompanied users' relationship type • Spatial occupancy varied by accompanied users' relationship type [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics cause varying degrees of damage to aquatic organisms. Exposure to microplastics contaminated water, the gills are among the first tissues, after the skin, to be affected by microplastics. As an essential immune organ, prolonged stimulation by microplastics disrupts immune function not only in the gills but throughout the body, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. A model of gill injury from exposure to polyethylene (PE) microplastics was developed in this study. H&E staining revealed that polyethylene microplastics caused gill inflammation, vascular remodeling, and mucous cell proliferation. An increase in collagen indicates severe tissue damage. Additional analysis showed that polyethylene microplastics profoundly exacerbated oxidative stress in the gills. TUNEL assay demonstrated cell apoptosis induced by polyethylene microplastic. The mRNA levels were subsequently quantified using RT-PCR. The results showed that polyethylene microplastics increased the expression of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway (NF-κB p65, IKKα, IKKβ) and apoptosis biomarkers (p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bax). Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, which is an influential component of innate immunity, were overactive. What's more, the pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β) that induce immune disorder also increased significantly, while the anti-inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-10) decreased significantly. These results suggested that oxidative stress acted as an activation signal of apoptosis triggered by the NF-κB pathway and activating the NLRP3 inflammasome to promote inflammatory immune responses. The present study provided a different target for the prevention of toxin-induced gill injury under polyethylene microplastics. [Display omitted] • Polyethylene microplastics caused gill injury by inducing oxidative stress. • PE-MPS induced intense inflammation and apoptosis in gills. • The toxicity of PE-MPS in gills mainly arises from the activation of NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays a crucial role in controlling cell growth and homeostasis. Deregulation of mTOR signaling is frequently observed in some cancers, making it an attractive drug target for cancer therapy. Although mTORC1 inhibitor rapalog-based therapy has shown positive results in various pre-clinical animal cancer studies, tumors rebound upon treatment discontinuation. Moreover, several recent clinical trials showed that the mTORC1 inhibitors rapamycin and rapalog only reduce the capacity for cell proliferation without promoting cell death, consistent with the concept that rapamycin is cytostatic and reduces disease progression but is not cytotoxic. It is imperative that rapamycin-regulated events and additional targets for more effective drug combinations be identified. Here, we report that rapamycin treatment promotes a compensatory increase in transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) levels in mTORC1-driven tumors. TGM2 inhibition potently sensitizes mTORC1-hyperactive cancer cells to rapamycin treatment, and a rapamycin-induced autophagy blockade inhibits the compensatory TGM2 upregulation. More importantly, tumor regression was observed in MCF-7-xenograft tumor-bearing mice treated with both mTORC1 and TGM2 inhibitors compared with those treated with either a single inhibitor or the vehicle control. These results demonstrate a critical role for the compensatory increase in transglutaminase 2 levels in promoting mTORC1 inhibitor resistance and suggest that rational combination therapy may potentially suppress cancer therapy resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Paper mulberry (PM) is an unconventional protein feed material, and silage is its main processing method. The present study aimed to investigate the health benefits and meat quality of supplementing Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage. Results indicated that paper mulberry silage supplementation had a promotional effect on the growth of Yangzhou geese, the sensory quality of the breast muscles improved, and the nutritional quality enhanced. Untargeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that PM treatment enhanced guanidinoacetic acid levels in breast muscles and facilitated the metabolism of amino acids and the role of substances in lipid antioxidant pathways. Consequently, paper mulberry could be considered to be a novel protein feed option capable for geese. There have been few investigations into the health benefits and meat quality of supplementing Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage. One hundred and twenty 28-day-old Yangzhou geese were selected for the experiment and randomly divided into two groups: a control group (CON) and a paper mulberry silage group (PM), with six replicates in each group. The experiment lasted for a total of 6 weeks. The experiment found that compared with CON, PM had a promoting effect on the average daily weight gain of Yangzhou geese (p = 0.056). Sensory and nutritional analysis of breast muscles revealed a decrease in a* value (p < 0.05) and an increase in protein content (p < 0.05) following PM treatment. Through untargeted metabolomics analysis of breast muscle samples, it was found that 11 different metabolites, including guanidinoacetic acid and other substances, had a positive effect on amino acid metabolism and lipid antioxidant pathways of PM treatment. Overall, the strategy of feeding Yangzhou geese with paper mulberry silage is feasible, which can improve the sensory quality and nutritional value of goose meat. The experiment provides basic data for the application form of goose breeding, so exploring the impact of substances within paper mulberry on goose meat should be focused on in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Superstructured α-Fe 2 O 3 nanorods grown on the CNTF as binder-free negative electrode. • Array of 3D nanoplates architectures formed the superstructured α-Fe 2 O 3 nanorods. • Superstructures with empty place and channels reduced ion transport distance. • The FESD exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance and excellent weavability. Fiber-shaped energy storage devices are indispensable parts of wearable and portable electronics. Aqueous rechargeable Ni/Fe battery is a very appropriate energy storage device due to their good safety without organic electrolytes, high ionic conductivity, and low cost. Unfortunately, the low energy density, poor power density and cycling performance hinder its further practical applications. In this study, in order to obtain high performance negative iron-based material, we first synthesized α-iron oxide (α-Fe 2 O 3) nanorods (NRs) with superstructures on the surface of highly conductive carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs), then electrically conductive polypyrrole (PPy) was coated to enhance the electron, ion diffusion and cycle stability. The as-prepared α-Fe 2 O 3 @PPy NRs/CNTF electrode shows a high specific capacity of 0.62 Ah cm−3 at the current density of 1 A cm−3. Furthermore, the Ni/Fe battery that was assembled by the above negative electrode shows a maximum volumetric energy density of 15.47 mWh cm−3 with 228.2 mW cm−3 at a current density of 1 A cm−3. The cycling durability and mechanical flexibility of the Ni/Fe battery were tested, which show good prospect for practical application. In summary, these merits make it possible for our Ni/Fe battery to have practical applications in next generation flexible energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology application to concrete presents an innovative approach to improve concrete properties based on the ability to manipulate the cementitious material at an atomic scale. This paper presents a review of the nano-materials that have been used in concrete. The literature survey revealed that four nano-materials are most often used to modify concrete properties; these include nano-silica (nano-SiO2), nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2), carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) and carbon nano-fibres (CNFs). All of these four nano-materials have shown improvement in many concrete properties. Both nano-TiO2and nano-SiO2reduce bleeding and segregation, and improve mechanical and transport properties. CNFs and CNTs tend to adversely affect the fresh properties due to agglomerations, which are overcome when a surfactant or ultrasonic mixer is used. However, both CNFs and CNTs significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete. This paper also discusses how concrete durability is improved when nano-materials are added to concrete. In addition, this paper identifies several research needs based on the gaps in the current state of knowledge on using nano-materials in concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microplastics activate the NF-κB signaling pathway in the intestinal tissue of carp. • This study identifies, for the first time, microplastics induce ferroptosis in carp. • Intestinal inflammatory injury induced by microplastics in carp. Microplastics (MPs), a new class of pollutant that threatens aquatic biodiversity, are becoming increasingly prevalent around the world. Fish growth may be severely inhibited by microplastics, resulting in severe mortality. Exposure to microplastics increases the likelihood of intestinal injuries, but the underlying mechanisms remain equivocal. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential toxic mechanisms underlying microplastic-induced intestinal injury in fish and to assist researchers in identifying novel therapeutic targets. In this study, a model of carp exposed to microplastics was established successfully. Histological observation showed that exposure to polyethylene microplastics caused damage to the intestinal mucosal surface and a significant increase in goblet cells, which aggregated on the surface of the mucosa. The mucosal layer was observed to fall off. Lymphocytes in the intestinal wall proliferated and aggregated. TUNEL staining showed that apoptosis occurred in the group exposed to microplastics. The qPCR results showed that the expression of Ferroptosis apoptotic factors COX-2 and ACSL4 was upregulated, while the expression of TFRC, FIH1, SLC7A11, and GPX4 was downregulated. The NF-κB pathway (p-p65, IκBα), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6) and apoptosis genes (Bax, Caspase3) were upregulated. Semi-quantitative detection of related proteins by Western blotting was consistent with the gene expression results. In addition, the ELISA assay showed that lipid peroxidation and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) were increased in the microplastic exposed group. To conclude, lipid peroxidation induced by microplastics activates the NF-κB pathway and causes ferroptosis, ultimately resulting in intestinal damage and cellular apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]