Search

Abstract Background Although research shows that point-of-care ultrasound is helpful in primary care, there is little research on point-of-care ultrasound use and the barriers to its use in Asia. This study estimated the prevalence of primary care physicians using point-of-care ultrasound in Hong Kong and assessed their perceived knowledge, attitude, practices, and barriers to using point-of-care ultrasound. Study design This was a mixed-method study: cross-sectional survey, followed by semi-structured interviews. Primary care physicians who were members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians and/or were clinical teachers affiliated with the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care at the University of Hong Kong were invited to participate. Results A total of 330 and 14 completed the survey and interviews, respectively. The prevalence of respondents using point-of-care ultrasound was 22.5%. Perceived knowledge was fair (mean score: 1.9 out of 4; SD: 0.6). The attitudes were mostly positive (mean score: 3.0 out of 4; SD: 0.5). Majority stated that barriers to using point-of-care ultrasound were related to training (90.9%), the competence of point-of-care ultrasound skills (90.2%), and clinical support (89.5%). Qualitative data identified that most participants found point-of-care ultrasound useful; however, participants felt that its use was limited by their competence of point-of-care ultrasound and by factors related to their clinical practice. Conclusions Almost a quarter of respondents are using point-of-care ultrasound with a majority having positive attitudes. They lack confidence in their skills as knowledge is poor but simultaneously find training and clinic support limited.

Abstract Topological crystalline insulators are known to support multiple Majorana zero modes (MZMs) at a single vortex, their hybridization is forbidden by a magnetic mirror symmetry M T $M_{T}$ . Due to the limited energy resolution of scanning tunneling microscopes and the very small energy spacing of trivial bound states, it remains challenging to directly probe and demonstrate the existence of multiple MZMs. In this work, we propose to demonstrate the existence of MZMs by studying the hybridization of multiple MZMs in a symmetry breaking field. The different responses of trivial bound states and MZMs can be inferred from their spatial distribution in a vortex. However, the theoretical simulations are very demanding since it requires an extremely large system in real space. By utilizing the kernel polynomial method, we can efficiently simulate large lattices with over 108 orbitals to compute the local density of states which bridges the gap between theoretical studies based on minimal models and experimental measurements. We show that the spatial distribution of MZMs and trivial vortex bound states differs drastically in tilted magnetic fields. The zero-bias peak elongates when the magnetic field preserves M T $M_{T}$ , while it splits when M T $M_{T}$ is broken, giving rise to an anisotropic magnetic response. Since the bulk of SnTe are metallic, we also study the robustness of MZMs against the bulk states, and clarify when can the MZMs produce a pronounced anisotropic magnetic response.

Lead is an indispensable non-ferrous metal for industrial development. As primary galena(PbS) resources are being exhausted, the utilization of lead oxide ore resources have become increasingly important. Compared with the conventional lead oxide surface sulfidation flotation method by NaHS dosing in the pulp, the roasting sulfidation pre-treatment method has the characteristics of high efficiency and suitable for various types of ores. In this paper, we firstly demonstrate that pyrite(FeS2) can provide a sulfurous atmosphere to convert cerussite(PbCO3) into galena(PbS) through thermodynamic calculations. Then, the reaction conditions were optimized through the roasting sulfidation conditions such as the contact mode, time and temperature of the reaction, and the sulfidation mechanism of cerussite at high temperature roasting was studied by using XRF, XRD, SEM and XPS. It was clarified that the sulfidation of cerussite was progressed by reacting with sulfur-based atmosphere from the surface layer to form PbS, and then gradually penetrating into the inner layer until PbS was completely generated, and the recovery rate was increased from 14.95 % to >80 % after optimization.

To accurately and quantitatively reveal the physical mechanism underlying the formation of microstructure during coaxial powder-fed laser cladding, a three-dimensional comprehensive model, coupling laser-powder interaction, temperature field, and flow field, is developed to identify the effects of multiphysics on microstructure characteristics. The high-speed camera and numerical simulation are employed to characterize the powder distribution, which is converted into the corresponding cladding layer growth rate and applied to solve the temperature rise and flow behavior of the molten pool. The energy conservation equation and the Navier-Stokes equation are applied to describe the physical field government, and the free surface motion of metallic liquid is tracked utilizing the Level Set method. The comprehensive model accurately visualizes the molten pool hydrodynamic behavior and temperature field distribution during laser cladding. In addition, the experimental results are combined to analyze the formation mechanism of microstructure. The direction and magnitude of forces acting on the metallic liquid in the flow field (such as surface tension, Marangoni force, recoil pressure) intuitively explain the formation of circulation in the molten pool, ultimately reflected in the grain growth direction. The evolution of cooling rates in the molten pool indicates that the specific location and varied temperature field dominates the grain type and size of the cladding layer, which contributes to the planar crystal, cellular crystal, columnar dendrite, equiaxed dendrite and equiaxed crystal from bottom to top.

Abstract Background Homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are plant-specific and play important roles in plant defense against environmental stresses. Identification and functional studies have been carried out in model plants such as rice, Arabidopsis thaliana, and poplar, but comprehensive analysis on the HD-Zip family of Salix suchowensis have not been reported. Results A total of 55 HD-Zip genes were identified in the willow genome, unevenly distributed on 18 chromosomes except for chromosome 19. And segmental duplication events containing SsHD-Zip were detected on all chromosomes except chromosomes 13 and 19. The SsHD-Zip were classified into 4 subfamilies subfamilies (I-IV) according to the evolutionary analysis, and members of each subfamily shared similar domain structure and gene structure. The combination of GO annotation and promoter analysis showed that SsHD-Zip genes responded to multiple abiotic stresses. Furthermore, the results of qPCR analysis showed that the SsHD-Zip I gene exhibited different degrees of expression under salt stress, PEG treatment and heat treatment. Moreover, there was a synergistic effect between SsHD-Zip I genes under stress conditions based on coregulatory networks analysis. Conclusions In this study, HD-Zip transcription factors were systematically identified and analyzed at the whole genome level. These results preliminarily clarified the structural characteristics and related functions of willow HD-Zip family members, and it was found that SsHox34, SsHox36 and SsHox51 genes were significantly involved in the response to various stresses. Together, these findings laid the foundation for further research on the resistance functions of willow HD-Zip genes.

IntroductionThis study aims to evaluate the qualifications and identify skill enhancement areas for epidemiological investigators in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) in Guizhou’s, informing future training and policy initiatives to strengthen public health responses.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in August 2022, and an online, self-designed questionnaire on the Epidemiological Dynamic Data Collection platform was administered to evaluate the professional staff in CDCs. The responses were scored and presented using descriptive statistical methods, and the factors influencing the total score were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and linear regression.Results and discussionA total of 1321 questionnaires were collected, yielding an average score of 14.86±3.49 and a qualification rate of 29.9%. The scoring rate of ability of individual protection and coordination in epidemic control was high (87.25%). Meanwhile, improvements in further training were needed in areas such as data analysis ability (23.67%), knowledge of site disinfection (40.40%), and epidemiological investigation skills (42.50%). No significant difference was observed between the scores of city and county CDCs, (t = 1.071, p =0.284). The effects of gender and age could be disregarded, and the experience in epidemiological work and training (including investigation on COVID-19 cases and contacts), educational background, and professional title partially explained the survey outcome (R Square of the linear regression model was 0.351). The survey indicated the need for additional well-trained epidemiologic investigators in Guizhou. Specified training was effective in improving epidemiologic investigation, and enhancement in data analysis ability and knowledge of field disinfection are recommended in professional staff cultivation.

Abstract ‘Fingerprint’ identification is the key to turquoise provenance studies, but previous studies have met with limited success in China. Turquoises in China mainly occur in altered sedimentary rocks and are formed by weathering, leaching and sedimentation. This paper evaluates the potential for sedimentary environment sensitive elements to be used to distinguish between turquoise deposits in China. In this paper, the ratios of V/Mo, Ce/Ce*, Ni/Co, Sr/Ba, Tl/Ga, Li/Ba and V/Cr were calculated for turquoise of different origins. Our results show that these parameters when used alongside Ga concentration permit effective discrimination between turquoise sources in China. This approach brings to light a new means of analyzing trace element databases and an untapped wealth of information that can be used for future turquoise provenance studies.

Abstract Background MicroRNA (miRNA) which can act as post-transcriptional regulators of mRNAs via base-pairing with complementary sequences within mRNAs is involved in processes of the complex interaction between immune system and tumors. In this research, we elucidated the profiles of miRNAs and target mRNAs expression and their associations with the phenotypic hallmarks of colorectal cancers (CRC) by integrating transcriptomic, immunophenotype, methylation, mutation and survival data. Results We conducted the analysis of differential miRNA/mRNA expression profile by GEO, TCGA and GTEx databases and the correlation between miRNA and targeted mRNA by miRTarBase and TarBase. Then we detected using qRT-PCR and validated the diagnostic value of miRNA-mRNA regulator pairs by the ROC, calibration curve and DCA. Phenotypic hallmarks of regulatory pairs including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tumor microenvironment, tumor mutation burden, global methylation and gene mutation were also described. The expression levels of miRNAs and target mRNAs were detected in 80 paired colon tissue samples. Ultimately, we picked up two pivotal regulatory pairs (miR-139-5p/ STC1 and miR-20a-5p/ FGL2) and verified the diagnostic value of the complex model which is the combination of 4 signatures above-mentioned in 3 testing GEO datasets and an external validation cohort. Conclusions We found that 2 miRNAs by targeting 2 metastasis-related mRNAs were correlated with tumor-infiltrating macrophages, HRAS, and BRAF gene mutation status. Our results established the diagnostic model containing 2 miRNAs and their respective targeted mRNAs to distinguish CRCs and normal controls and displayed their complex roles in CRC pathogenesis especially tumor immunity.

Pavement maintenance and rehabilitation decision-making needs to weigh multiple strategic goals to achieve sustainable development through the pavement maintenance management system. Making decisions regarding pavement preventive maintenance is both intricate and costly. This study introduces a multi-criteria decision-making framework aimed at enhancing the scientific basis of such decisions. The framework first establishes an evaluation system for preventive maintenance strategies by considering three primary evaluation criteria—service functionality, pavement performance, and economic benefits, and then identifies nine specific evaluation indicators to influence these criteria, with a comparison matrix constructed to determine the weight of each indicator in relation to the maintenance decision hierarchy. Following this, the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is employed to prioritize four commonly utilized preventive maintenance strategies. The results reveal that pavement condition and maintenance costs are the most influential factors in determining the appropriate preventive maintenance strategies for national highways. The priority rankings for the four strategies—slurry seal, micro-surfacing, chip seal, and ultra-thin overlays—are found to be 56.12%, 63.86%, 12.12%, and 83.52%, respectively, with ultra-thin overlays identified as the optimal choice for second-class highways. The decision-making model utilized in this study enables a multi-dimensional analysis, reducing the subjectivity inherent in expert evaluations and facilitating the prompt identification of the most suitable maintenance strategy.

Vacuum hot-compression bonding (VHCB) is a promising solid-phase bonding technology, but its feasibility and applicability in high entropy alloy (HEA) are still unclear. Herein, the VHCB process of CoCrFeMnNi HEA was investigated, and the interfacial bonding quality was comprehensively evaluated via microstructure characterization and tensile test. Results exhibit that the VHCB enables to obtain the high-quality CoCrFeMnNi HEA joints, and the excellent bonding performance is attributed to the dissolution of interfacial oxide particles (IOPs) (MnCr2O4) and the migration of interfacial grain boundaries (IGBs). The bonding quality results suggest that the sluggish diffusion of the dissolved elements resulted in partial nanoscale IOPs remaining at the original bonding interface, and the mechanical properties of the joints were not compromised when the IOPs were smaller than 35 nm in size and less than 15/100 μm in amount. Crystallographic analysis indicates that the migration behavior of IGBs is closely associated with the evolution of recrystallized grains and twin boundaries in the interfacial region, and the migration mechanism transformed with the rising bonding temperature. Furthermore, a new interfacial bonding mechanism, i.e., twin-induced interfacial boundary migration, was revealed and its beneficial effect on interfacial bonding quality was demonstrated.

In-situ thermal management (ISTM) is one of the most prospective approaches to alleviating heat accumulation and achieving progressive forming for arc-based additive manufacturing. The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of thermal history, i.e., the cooling rate and the intrinsic heat treatment (IHT), of ISTM on as-built property heterogeneity of plasma arc additively manufactured Inconel 625 thin-wall deposit. The thermal history is obtained from numerical simulation. Results show that the variation of the thermal history of ISTM results in the bottom-up varied cooling rate and IHT, which together lead to the location-heterogeneous primary dendrite arm spacing, interdendritic phases and grain size. IHT of each layer is quantified by temperature-time integration (TTI), and Gaussian distributed TTI (above 600 °C) indicates the middle region of the deposit with ISTM is subjected to the most intense IHT. Compared with the counterpart of the conventional interlayer cooling strategy, the intensified high-temperature IHT of ISTM contributes to significant mitigation of micro-segregation, i.e., the brittle-hard interdendritic phases reduce 61.9%. Furthermore, a weighted value of cooling rate and TTI is innovatively introduced to depict the heterogeneity of mechanical property, which presents an exponential growth of ultimate tensile strength with the weighted value. Moreover, the layer-by-layer decreased heat input and the high-temperature preheating between layers of ISTM contribute to a certain residual stress release effect along the building direction.

Hyperactivation of ribosome biosynthesis (RiBi) is a hallmark of cancer, and targeting ribosome biogenesis has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy. The depletion of TAF1B, a major component of selectivity factor 1 (SL1), disrupts the pre-initiation complex, preventing RNA polymerase I from binding ribosomal DNA and inhibiting the hyperactivation of RiBi. Here, we investigate the role of TAF1B, in regulating RiBi and proliferation in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). We disclosed that the overexpression of TAF1B correlates with poor prognosis in STAD, and found that knocking down TAF1B effectively inhibits STAD cell proliferation and survival in vitro and in vivo. TAF1B knockdown may also induce nucleolar stress, and promote c-MYC degradation in STAD cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TAF1B depletion impairs rRNA gene transcription and processing, leading to reduced ribosome biogenesis. Collectively, our findings suggest that TAF1B may serve as a potential therapeutic target for STAD and highlight the importance of RiBi in cancer progression.

Abstract Background Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins are non-specific plant proteins that have a highly conserved motif: FxxhVQxhTG. These proteins are involved in the development of various plant organs such as seeds, hypocotyls, flowers, leaves and also play a role in response to salt, drought and cold stresses. Despite their importance, there is limited information available on the evolutionary and structural characteristics of VQ family genes in Coix lacryma-jobi. Results In this study, a total of 31 VQ genes were identified from the coix genome and classified into seven subgroups (I–VII) based on phylogenetic analysis. These genes were found to be unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes. Gene structure analysis revealed that these genes had a similar type of structure within each subfamily. Moreover, 27 of ClVQ genes were found to have no introns. Conserved domain and multiple sequence alignment analysis revealed the presence of a highly conserved sequences in the ClVQ protein. This research utilized quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and promoter analysis to investigate the expression of ClVQ genes under different stress conditions. Results showed that most ClVQ genes responded to polyethylene glycol, heat treatment, salt, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate treatment with varying degrees of expression. Furthermore, some ClVQ genes exhibited significant correlation in expression changes under abiotic stress, indicating that these genes may act synergistically in response to adversarial stress. Additionally, yeast dihybrid verification revealed an interaction between ClVQ4, ClVQ12, and ClVQ26. Conclusions This study conducted a genome-wide analysis of the VQ gene family in coix, including an examination of phylogenetic relationships, conserved domains, cis-elements and expression patterns. The goal of the study was to identify potential drought resistance candidate genes, providing a theoretical foundation for molecular resistance breeding.

Summary: Background: HIV-1-associated immune activation drives CD4+ T cell depletion and the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We aimed to determine the role of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the direct precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) co-enzyme, in CD4+ T cell modulation during HIV-1 infection. Methods: We examined HIV-1 integrated DNA or transcribed RNA, intracellular p24 protein, and T cell activation markers in CD4+ T cells including in vitro HIV-1-infected cells, reactivated patient-derived cells, and in HIV-1-infected humanized mice, under NMN treatment. RNA-seq and CyTOF analyses were used for investigating the effect of NMN on CD4+ T cells. Findings: We found that NMN increased the intracellular NAD amount, resulting in suppressed HIV-1 p24 production and proliferation in infected CD4+ T cells, especially in activated CD25+CD4+ T cells. NMN also inhibited CD25 expression on reactivated resting CD4+ T cells derived from cART-treated people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). In HIV-1-infected humanized mice, the frequency of CD4+ T cells was reconstituted significantly by combined cART and NMN treatment as compared with cART or NMN alone, which correlated with suppressed hyperactivation of CD4+ T cells. Interpretation: Our results highlight the suppressive role of NMN in CD4+ T cell activation during HIV-1 infection. It warrants future clinical investigation of NMN as a potential treatment in combination with cART in PLWH. Funding: This work was supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council Theme-Based Research Scheme (T11-706/18-N), University Research Committee of The University of Hong Kong, the Collaborative Research with GeneHarbor (Hong Kong) Biotechnologies Limited and National Key R&D Program of China (Grant2021YFC2301900).

BackgroundNeurotransmitter secretion disorder induced by chronic manganese poisoning has always been one of the important causes of body injury, but the mechanism of neurotransmitter secretion disorder caused by manganese is not clear at present. ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of presynaptic membrane intracellular protein 13-1 (Munc13-1) and synapse fusion protein binding protein 18-1 (Munc18-1) on dopamine secretion dysfunction induced by manganese chloride (MnCl2) in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. MethodsA SH-SY5Y cell model induced by MnCl2 was established. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Four experimental groups were set up: control group and low-, medium-, and high-dose manganese groups (0, 100, 200, and 400 μmol·L−1 MnCl2). They were treated with corresponding doses of MnCl2 for 24 h. The secretion of dopamine was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA expression of Syntaxin-1 was detected by real-time quantitaive PCR. Total cell proteins were extracted, and the protein expression levels of Munc13-1, Munc18-1, and Syntaxin-1 were detected by Western blotting. The correlations of MnCl2 exposure and dopamine secretion with the protein expressions of Munc13-1 and Munc18-1 were also analyzed by Pearson correlation. ResultsCompared with the control group, the cell viability rate decreased gradually with the increase of manganese exposure concentration, and the difference between the medium- and the high-dose manganese groups was statistically significant (P0.05). Compared with the control group, the protein expression of Munc13-1 decreased and that of Munc18-1 increased with the increase of manganese concentration (P

Abstract Background Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy disorder that is related to an enhanced immune response. Immune cell characteristics such as neutrophil or monocyte to lymphocyte ratios (NLR, MLR) are known to be related to kidney and liver dysfunction in hypertensive patients. Here, we aimed to analyze the correlations between NLR, MLR and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and liver, renal and coagulation functional parameters and the impacts of these immune cell profiles to the prognostic significance in PE patients. Methods Pre-delivery hematological and biochemical parameters of 320 first-time pregnant women registered at the Obstetrics Department of Yanbian University Hospital from 2016 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into normal pregnancy (normal, n = 161), mild PE (mPE, n = 28) and severe PE (sPE, n = 131) groups according to diagnostic criteria. Pearson correlation analysis were performed and area under the curve (AUC) were conducted for the diagnostic values of NLR, MLR and PLR. Results were validated with data from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). Results Kidney functional indexes were adversative in mPE and sPE and liver and coagulation indexes were worse in sPE compared to normal groups. Among immune cells, lymphocytes were increased in mPE and sPE patients, resulted in reduced NLR, MLR and PLR in PE groups, more significant difference were shown in sPE. NLR and PLR were associated with CREA and/or BUN negatively and positive associations were observed with total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) in sPE. Only NLR showed positive associations with coagulation indexes (PT and APTT) in sPE. AUC analysis for NLR, MLR and PLR were 0.700, 0.656, 0.643, respectively, and NLR

IntroductionBrucellosis was made statutorily notifiable in 1955, in China, while in Guizhou Province, the pathogen of human brucellosis was isolated for the first time in 2011. However, currently, the brucellosis epidemic is becoming more and more severe in Guizhou Province. The type distribution and genetic characteristics of Brucella in Guizhou Province, as well as its evolutionary relationship with domestic and foreign strains, are still unclear.MethodsMLST, MLVA, and rpoB typing techniques were used for the molecular epidemiological study of the 83 Brucella isolates in Guizhou province.ResultsAmong the 83 Brucella strains, MLST identified three ST genotypes, of which ST39 is a newly reported type in China. MLVA-16 generated 49 genotypes, and MLVA-11 generated 5 known genotypes and 2 unreported genotypes. Six genotypes were identified by rpoB technology.DiscussionMLVA has a high resolution, but differences at the Bruce 04 and 16 loci cannot exclude associations between epidemics, and combining MLST and rpoB typing methods for epidemiologic tracing can avoid erroneous judgments. Moreover, through the combined analysis of the three typing techniques, the possible origin of the new Brucella can be reasonably inferred, which is also conducive to promoting the subsequent research of the novel Brucella.

Background: Combining the use of an AR headset and a smartphone can provide wider display and precise touch input simultaneously; it can redefine the way we use applications today. Unfortunately, users are deprived of such benefit because of the independence of two devices. There lacks a kind of intuitive and direct interactions across them. In this paper, we conduct a formative study to understand the window management requirements and interaction preferences of using an AR headset and a smartphone simultaneously and report the insights we gained. Also, we introduce an example vocabulary of window management operations in AR headset + smartphone interface. It allows users to manipulate windows in virtual space and shift windows between devices efficiently and seamlessly.

In the context of ongoing densification of cities and aging urban populations, public spaces are a crucial infrastructure to support the physical and mental wellbeing of urban residents. The design of public space furniture elements is often standardised, and not considered in relation to environmental conditions and mechanisms of social interaction. This article presents a digital workflow to generate site-specific designs for shaded public seating, considering the relationships of local public places to their surroundings. A strategy for customised and site-specific design is developed through the use of multiple software tools, employing evolutionary algorithms and multi-objective optimisation. The method is applied to a small public space canopy prototype installed within a public housing estate in Hong Kong, incorporating additional criteria to achieve a low-cost and light-weight structure. Through multiple stages of refinement and optimisation, a material, structural and social performance-driven outcome was achieved that creates a shaded space for public seating, people watching and social interaction. As part of a larger research agenda exploring architectural form-finding and environmental psychology, the project represents potential new applications in the emerging field of socially driven computational design.

Thermodynamically induced length fluctuations of high-reflectivity mirror coatings put a fundamental limit on sensitivity and stability of precision optical interferometers like gravitational-wave detectors and ultrastable lasers. The main contribution—Brownian thermal noise—is related to the mechanical loss of the coating material. Al_{0.92}Ga_{0.08}As/GaAs crystalline mirror coatings are expected to reduce this limit. The first measurements of cryogenic silicon cavities revealed the existence of additional noise contributions exceeding the expected Brownian thermal noise. We describe a novel, nonthermal, photoinduced effect in birefringence that is most likely related to the recently discovered birefringence noise. Our studies of the dynamics and power dependence are an important step toward uncovering the underlying mechanisms. Averaging the anticorrelated birefringent noise results in a residual noise that is shown to be substantially different from Brownian thermal noise. To this end, we develop a new method for analyzing the coating noise in higher-order transverse-cavity modes, which makes it possible for the first time to determine the contribution of Brownian thermal noise to the total cavity noise. The new noise contributions must be considered carefully in precision interferometry experiments using similar coatings based on semiconductor materials.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to develop a screening score system of non-contrast transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 218 consecutive patients with a recent ESUS from 2015 to 2018, who received TTE and transcranial Doppler (TCD) as routine examinations. PFO was diagnosed by the bubble test of TCD. Significant differences of the non-contrast TTE findings and patient characteristics between PFO group and non-PFO group were selected into a score. Results PFO was diagnosed in 35.8% (78/218) of the patients. Compared with non-PFO group, a larger median aortic root diameter (ARd) (34 mm vs. 32 mm, p = 0.005), a lower median peak E wave velocity (Em) (61.5 cm/s vs. 68 cm/s, p = 0.005) and a lower incidence rate of mitral regurgitation (34.6% vs. 50.7%, p = 0.022) were seen in PFO group. ARd>33 mm and Em 33 mm, Em

Articular cartilage may regenerate poorly after injury or during aging. In vitro, farnesol can modulate extracellular matrix synthesis and restore chondrocyte phenotypes by increasing type II collagen (COL II) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production. Here, we evaluated farnesol's preventive and reparative effects against osteoarthritis (OA) in vivo. We induced OA in rabbits through resection of the lateral collateral ligament and meniscus. After 2 weeks, the affected limb was treated with 0.5 ml of 0.4 mM farnesol, hyaluronan (HA) nanoparticle-encapsulated 0.8 mM farnesol (Farn/HA), or HA nanoparticles intra-articularly. After 2 and 6 treatment weeks, synovial inflammatory cytokine levels were analyzed. We also removed the entire joint cartilage from lateral femoral condyles for histological investigation. The half-maximum inhibitory concentration of farnesol was 0.5 mM. Farn/HA had relatively low cytotoxicity showing cells remained viable after being treated with 1 mM a concentration Farn/HA. Untreated lateral condyle exhibited extensive wear. By contrast, 0.4 mM farnesol or 0.8 mM Farn/HA led to a relatively transparent and bright appearance. After 2 and 6 treatment weeks, farnesol, particularly 0.8 mM Farn/HA, reduced matrix metalloproteinase 1 and 13 levels considerably. Therefore, 0.8 mM Farn/HA, which enabled slow drug release, demonstrated the highest anti-inflammatory and OA preventive effects. After 6 treatment weeks, farnesol also promoted COL II and GAG synthesis and, thus, aided healing.

Abstract Background Epidemiological and clinical studies have suggested comorbidity between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and autoimmune disorders. However, little is known about their shared genetic architecture. Methods To examine the relation between ALS and 10 autoimmune diseases, including asthma, celiac disease (CeD), Crohn’s disease (CD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), type 1 diabetes (T1D), and ulcerative colitis (UC), and identify shared risk loci, we first estimated the genetic correlation using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies, and then analyzed the genetic enrichment leveraging the conditional false discovery rate statistical method. Results We identified a significant positive genetic correlation between ALS and CeD, MS, RA, and SLE, as well as a significant negative genetic correlation between ALS and IBD, UC, and CD. Robust genetic enrichment was observed between ALS and CeD and MS, and moderate enrichment was found between ALS and UC and T1D. Thirteen shared genetic loci were identified, among which five were suggestively significant in another ALS GWAS, namely rs3828599 (GPX3), rs3849943 (C9orf72), rs7154847 (G2E3), rs6571361 (SCFD1), and rs9903355 (GGNBP2). By integrating cis-expression quantitative trait loci analyses in Braineac and GTEx, we further identified GGNBP2, ATXN3, and SLC9A8 as novel ALS risk genes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the shared risk genes were involved in four pathways including membrane trafficking, vesicle-mediated transport, ER to Golgi anterograde transport, and transport to the Golgi and subsequent modification. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a specific genetic correlation between ALS and autoimmune diseases and identify shared risk loci, including three novel ALS risk genes. These results provide a better understanding for the pleiotropy of ALS and have implications for future therapeutic trials.

Arm fatigue is an important factor affecting user experience in Virtual Reality (VR). In this work, we have proposed ProxyHand and StickHand, virtual hand techniques to address this issue. Using ProxyHand or StickHand, users can flexibly adjust the 3D-spatial offset between the physical hand and its virtual representation. This will allow users to keep their arms in a comfortable posture (vertically down) even when they have to manipulate objects in locations that require lifting of arms using the default interaction method. Proposed ProxyHand and StickHand have a similar Underlying concept that is to introduce a 3D-spatial offset between the physical hand and its virtual representation in VR. However, they respond differently to the user’s hand movements because of different working mechanisms. Question arises whether the 3D-spatial offset will negatively impact the hand control ability as the directness of interaction is being violated. To investigate this, we conducted user studies where users were asked to perform object translation, rotation and hybrid tasks. ProxyHand and StickHand are used in combination in some scenarios to maximize positive impact on the user experience in VR. This raises the question to find the best possible combination of these virtual hands to reduce arm fatigue. Firstly, for this purpose, we combined both virtual hands by manually allowing users to switch between ProxyHand and StickHand. Secondly, we used machine learning to automatically switch between both the virtual hands. Results showed that introduction of a 3D-spatial offset largely reduced the arm fatigue while offering equal performance to the default interaction method for all these tasks; translation, rotation and hybrid task. Users preferred using ProxyHand and StickHand to interact in the VR environment for longer periods of time.

Long-term manganese exposure causes a neurodegenerative disorder referred to as manganese poisoning, but the mechanism remains unclear and no specific treatment is available. Oxidative stress is widely recognised as one of the main causes of manganese-induced neurotoxicity. In recent years, the role of histone acetylation in neurodegenerative diseases has been widely concerned. curcumin is a natural polyphenol compound extracted from the rhizome of turmeric and exhibits both antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether and how curcumin protects against manganese-induced neurotoxicity from the perspective of histone acetylation, based on the reversibility of histone acetylation modification. In this study, rats were treated with or without curcumin and subjected to long-term manganese exposure. Results that treatment of manganese decreased the protein expression of H3K18 acetylation and H3K27 acetylation at the promoters of oxidative stress-related genes and inhibited the expression of these genes. Nevertheless, curcumin increased the H3K27 acetylation level at the manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) gene promoter and promoted the expression of SOD2 gene. Oxidative damage in the rat striatum as well as learning and memory dysfunction were ameliorated after curcumin treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that the regulation of oxidative stress by histone acetylation may be a key mechanism of manganese-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, curcumin ameliorates Mn-induced neurotoxicity may be due to alleviation of oxidative damage mediated by increased activation of H3K27 acetylation at the SOD2 gene promoter.

Octadecylamine is an effective film-forming amine that protects carbon steel from corrosion. In the present study, the effect of octadecylamine concentration on adsorption on a carbon steel surface was investigated in anaerobic alkaline solution by using SEM/EDS, TEM and the Materials Studio simulation techniques. TEM morphology observation and EDS elemental detection determine the thicknesses of octadecylamine film on a carbon steel surface, which are confirmed by the in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement and resistance calculation. The Materials Studio simulation reveals the number of octadecylamine film layers at different concentrations. Results obtained in this study indicate that adsorption of octadecylamine film on carbon steel proceeds with the multi-layer adsorption mechanism.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in rapid T lymphocytopenia and functional impairment of T cells. The underlying mechanism, however, remains incompletely understood. In this study, we focused on characterizing the phenotype and kinetics of T-cell subsets with mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) by multicolor flow cytometry and investigating the association between MD and T-cell functionality. While 73.9% of study subjects displayed clinical lymphocytopenia upon hospital admission, a significant reduction of CD4 or CD8 T-cell frequency was found in all asymptomatic, symptomatic, and convalescent cases. CD4 and CD8 T cells with increased MD were found in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients within the first week of symptom onset. Lower proportion of memory CD8 T cell with MD was found in severe patients than in mild ones at the stage of disease progression. Critically, the frequency of T cells with MD in symptomatic patients was preferentially associated with CD4 T-cell loss and CD8 T-cell hyperactivation, respectively. Patients bearing effector memory CD4 and CD8 T cells with the phenotype of high MD exhibited poorer T-cell responses upon either phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin or SARS-CoV-2 peptide stimulation than those with low MD. Our findings demonstrated an MD-associated mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2-induced T lymphocytopenia and functional impairment during the acute phase of infection.

After several years of research and development, it has been reported that magnesium alloys can be used as degradable metals in some medical device applications. Over the years, fluoride coatings have received increasing research attention for improving the corrosion resistance of magnesium. In this paper, different methods for preparing fluoride coatings and the characteristics of these coatings are reported for the first time. The influence of the preparation conditions of fluoride coatings, including the magnesium substrate, voltage, and electrolyte, on the coatings is discussed. Various properties of magnesium fluoride coatings are also summarized, with an emphasis on corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. We screened experiments and papers that planned the application of magnesium fluoride coatings in living organisms. We have selected the literature with the aim of enhancing the performance of in vivo implants for reading and further detailed classification. The authors searched PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and other databases for 688 relevant papers published between 2005 and 2021, citing 105 of them. The selected time range is the last 16 years. Furthermore, this paper systematically discusses future prospects and challenges related to the application of magnesium fluoride coatings to medical products.

The strong effects of Zn addition on the reaction in Sn/Cu systems are widely known. Nevertheless, the micro-mechanism for Zn accumulation behavior, phase evolution and void formation in Sn-xZn/Cu systems remain unclear. In this work, the effect of Zn addition on the interface behavior is investigated. Structures of Sn-xZn/Cu are prepared by the reaction between Sn-xZn solders (x = 0, 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 wt.%) and the electroplated Cu (EP Cu) joints. During the thermal aging of Sn/EP Cu joints, many voids formed inside the Cu3Sn phase, especially close to the Cu3Sn/EP Cu interface. Whereas the voids were greatly suppressed with Zn addition. During the thermal aging, Zn gradually accumulated near the interface of IMCs/EP Cu. As thermal aging time to168 h and Zn content to 0.8 wt.%, Zn participated in the interface reaction, three layers with different contrasts, (Cu, Zn)6Sn5, Cu6(Sn, Zn)5 and (Cu,Sn)3Zn were formed. Theoretical analysis shows that Zn atom accumulated near the interface of IMCs/EP Cu due to lower diffusion energy barriers (Edf) of Zn than Cu atom. The preferential occupation of Zn atoms in Cu6(Zn,Sn)5 and (Cu,Zn)6Sn5 are Sn3 (4e) and Cu3 (4a) site because of the lowest lattice strain. The diffusion path interstice size for Cu atom via the IMCs layer gradually shrink with the increment of charge transfer in Zn-rich layers, corresponding the Edf of Cu atom gradually rise. As a result, the fluxes of Cu and Sn via the IMCs layer were balanced out, which reduced the Kirkendall voids formation. Keywords: Sn/Cu solder joint, Zinc, Accumulation behavior, Phase evolution, Kirkendall void

Background: Currently, most arsenic (As) studies in populations are concerned with water-borne arsenicosis. However, residents in Xingren County of Guizhou Province, Southwest of China, represent a unique case of arsenicosis which is related to indoor combustion of high As-containing coal. This study aimed to assess the alterations of As levels and its risk factors in coal-borne arsenicosis residents during the past 20 years. Methods: Four follow-up investigations in Xingren County were selected from the year 1998 to 2017, a total of 245, 272, 584, and 309 residents were involved in the four investigations, respectively. Local external environmental medium (coal, soil, water, air, rice, corn and chili peppers) and biological samples (urine, hair) were collected at each time of investigation for total As analysis. Sociodemographics and lifestyles variables were extracted from the questionnaire investigation. Both univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression models were performed to analyze the variation of risk factors for coal-borne arsenicosis. Results: A substantial reduction of total As levels was observed both in external environmental medium and biological samples in the unique coal-borne arsenicosis region, especially since the year 2006. In addition, age, duration of consuming high As-containing coal and smoking status were found to be the most significant risk factors for coal-borne arsenicosis during the past 20 years by both two different logistic regression models. Room ventilation and grain drying modes were no longer to be risk factors since 1998 survey. Annual household income had always been an important protective factor for coal-borne arsenicosis in recent 20 years by both two different logistic regression models. Grain storage modes had become significant protective factor in 2014 and 2017 survey. A certain correlation between sex, education and coal-borne arsenicosis was observed by univariate logistic regression model but no clear links were found by multivariate logistic regression model. Conclusions: Considerable efforts to blocking As exposure from burning coal and As contaminated foods in this region are observed over the study period. Further practical health education programs may need to target individuals with long-term of As exposure, lower socioeconomic status and smoking in order to better prevent and control the occurrence and development of coal-borne arsenicosis. Keywords: Coal, Guizhou, Arsenic, Arsenicosis, Risk factors

Background Gesture is a basic interaction channel that is frequently used by humans to communicate in daily life. In this paper, we explore to use gesture-based approaches for target acquisition in virtual and augmented reality. A typical process of gesture-based target acquisition is: when a user intends to acquire a target, she performs a gesture with her hands, head or other parts of the body, the computer senses and recognizes the gesture and infers the most possible target. Methods We build mental model and behavior model of the user to study two key parts of the interaction process. Mental model describes how user thinks up a gesture for acquiring a target, and can be the intuitive mapping between gestures and targets. Behavior model describes how user moves the body parts to perform the gestures, and the relationship between the gesture that user intends to perform and signals that computer senses. Results In this paper, we present and discuss three pieces of research that focus on the mental model and behavior model of gesture-based target acquisition in VR and AR. Conclusions We show that leveraging these two models, interaction experience and performance can be improved in VR and AR environments. Keywords: Gesture-based interaction, Mental model, Behavior model, Virtual reality, Augmented reality

Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) is a widely used tool for measuring gene expression; however, its accuracy relies on normalizing the data to one or more stable reference genes. Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) is a polyphagous predatory natural enemy insect that preferentially feeds on more than 40 types of agricultural and forestry pests, such as those belonging to the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. However, to our knowledge, the selection of stable reference genes has not been reported in detail thus far. In this study, nine E. furcellata candidate reference genes (β-1-TUB, RPL4, RPL32, RPS17, RPS25, SDHA, GAPDH2, EF2, and UBQ) were selected based on transcriptome sequencing results. The expression of these genes in various samples was examined at different developmental stages, in the tissues of male and female adults, and after temperature and starvation treatments. Five algorithms were used, including ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder, to evaluate reference gene expression stability. The results revealed that the most stable reference genes were RPL32 and RPS25 at different developmental stages; RPS17, RPL4, and EF2 for female adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for male adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for various temperature treatments of nymphs; RPS17 and RPS25 for nymph samples under starvation stress; and RPS17 and RPL32 for all samples. Overall, we obtained a stable expression of reference genes under different conditions in E. furcellata, which provides a basis for future molecular studies on this organism.

An understanding of physiological damage and population development caused by uncomfortable temperature plays an important role in pest control. In order to clarify the adaptability of different temperatures and physiological response mechanism of B. dorsalis, we focused on the adaptation ability of this pest to environmental stress from physiological and ecological viewpoints. In this study, we explored the relationship between population parameters and glucose, glycogen, trehalose, and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase responses to high and low temperatures. Compared with the control group, temperature stress delayed the development duration of all stages, and the survival rates and longevity decreased gradually as temperature decreased to 0 °C and increased to 36 °C. Furthermore, with low temperature decrease from 10 °C to 0 °C, the average fecundity per female increased at 10 °C but decreased later. Reproduction of the species was negatively affected during high-temperature stresses, reaching the lowest value at 36 °C. In addition to significantly affecting biological characteristics, temperature stress influenced physiological changes of B. dorsalis in cold and heat tolerance. When temperature deviated significantly from the norm, the levels of substances associated with temperature resistance were altered: glucose, trehalose, and TPS levels increased, but glycogen levels decreased. These results suggest that temperature stresses exert a detrimental effect on the populations’ survival, but the metabolism of trehalose and glycogen may enhance the pest’s temperature resistance.

A greater variety of technologies are being applied in sports and health with the advancement of technology, but most optoelectronic systems have strict environmental restrictions and are usually costly. To visualize and perform quantitative analysis on the football kick, we introduce a 3D motion analysis system based on a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) to reconstruct the motion trajectory, in the meantime analyzing the velocity and the highest point of the foot during the backswing. We build a signal processing system in MATLAB and standardize the experimental process, allowing users to reconstruct the foot trajectory and obtain information about the motion within a short time. This paper presents a system that directly analyzes the instep kicking motion rather than recognizing different motions or obtaining biomechanical parameters. For the instep kicking motion of path length around 3.63 m, the root mean square error (RMSE) is about 0.07 m. The RMSE of the foot velocity is 0.034 m/s, which is around 0.45% of the maximum velocity. For the maximum velocity of the foot and the highest point of the backswing, the error is approximately 4% and 2.8%, respectively. With less complex hardware, our experimental results achieve excellent velocity accuracy.

Abstract Development of next‐generation thermal interface materials (TIMs) with high thermal conductivity is important for thermal management and packaging of electronic devices. The synthesis and thermal conductivity measurements of noncuring thermal paste, i.e., grease, based on mineral oil with a mixture of graphene and few‐layer graphene flakes as the fillers, is reported. The graphene thermal paste exhibits a distinctive thermal percolation threshold with the thermal conductivity revealing a sublinear dependence on the filler loading. This behavior contrasts with the thermal conductivity of curing graphene TIMs, based on epoxy, where superlinear dependence on the filler loading is observed. The performance of the thermal paste is benchmarked against top‐of‐the‐line commercial thermal pastes. The obtained results show that noncuring graphene TIMs outperforms the best commercial pastes in terms of thermal conductivity, at substantially lower filler concentration of φ = 27 vol%. The obtained results shed light on thermal percolation mechanism in noncuring polymeric matrices laden with quasi‐two‐dimensional fillers. Considering recent progress in graphene production via liquid phase exfoliation and oxide reduction, the results open a pathway for large‐scale industrial application of graphene in thermal management of electronics.