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Abstract In recent observational studies, a potential link between prostatitis and prostate cancer (PCa) has been hinted at, yet the causality remains ambiguous. In our endeavor to scrutinize the conceivable causal nexus between prostatitis and PCa, we embarked upon a Mendelian randomization (MR) study. MR circumvents arbitrary groupings by employing genetic variations that have a strong association with the exposure as instrumental variables to infer causal relationships between exposures and outcomes. The etiology of PCa remains elusive. Given that prostatitis and prostate cancer occupy the same anatomical region, MR can more effectively delineate their relationship by mitigating confounding variables. This method can indirectly elucidate disease correlations, thereby contributing to cancer prevention strategies. FinnGen Consortium data were used for the prostatitis genome-wide association study (GWAS), including 74,658 participants. UK biobank baseline data (ncase = 3436, ncontrol = 459574), European Bioinformatics Institute Database (ncase = 79148, ncontrol = 61106), and IEU openGWAS database (ncase = 79148, ncontrol = 61106) were used for PCa outcomes, mostly for European population samples. Data from the GWSAs for prostatitis were compared with data from the three GWASs for PCa, respectively, in an analysis of an MR. Utilizing the inverse variance weighting (IVW) methodology as our primary analytical framework, we delved into a meticulous exploration of the conceivable causal association between prostatitis and PCa. Furthermore, we deployed supplementary methodologies, including Maximum Likelihood, MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO, to thoroughly assess and scrutinize the causality aspect comprehensively. Cochran’s Q statistic is employed as a metric to quantify the heterogeneity inherent in instrumental variables. The inverse variance weighted analysis revealed no discernible effect of prostatitis on PCa in the three PCa GWAS databases (odds ratio [OR]: 1.001, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.999–1.002, p = 0.28), (OR: 1.015, 95% CI: 0.981–1.050, p = 0.40), (OR: 1.015, 95% CI: 0.981–1.050, p = 0.40). Similarly, employing MR-Egger did not yield substantial evidence (OR: 0.999, 95% CI: 0.999–1.002, p = 0.89), (OR: 1.103, 95% CI: 1.006–1.209, p = 0.07), (OR: 1.103, 95% CI: 1.006–1.209, p = 0.07). The weighted median analysis also failed to provide convincing support for the impact of prostatitis on the incidence of PCa (OR: 1.001, 95% CI: 1.000-1.002, p = 0.064), (OR: 0.989, 95% CI: 0.946–1.034, p = 0.64), (OR: 0.989, 95% CI: 0.945–1.036, p = 0.65). The results of the MR showed no causality from prostatitis to PCa.

BackgroundPeripartum respiratory complications are a major reason for pregnant women’s admission to the ICU, even endangers the maternal life. This bibliometric analysis was designed to elucidate the spectrum of diseases and risk factors for various respiratory complications during the peripartum period, as well as the future research directions in this field.MethodsRelevant publications were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection on November 1, 2023. CiteSpace was utilized for conducting the scientometric study.ResultsA total of 2,331 articles and reviews on respiratory complications during pregnancy published between 2004 and 2023 were retrieved, comprising 87,244 co-cited references, originating from 568 institutions across 104 countries/regions. The United States emerged as the leading country in this domain, with Harvard University standing out as the most actively engaged institution. Bibliometric analysis reveals that the current research hotspots include “COVID-19 pandemic,” “venous thromboembolism,” “respiratory distress syndrome” and “cardiovascular diseases.” Meanwhile, “venous thromboembolism,” cytokine storm” and supportive management such as “extracorporeal membrane oxygenation” might represent potential future research directions.ConclusionOver the past two decades, research on respiratory system complications in pregnancy has continually evolved. This study contributes to enabling researchers in the related field to understand future research hotspots and trends, providing information on potential collaborators, institutions, countries, and citation references.

Wind energy is critical in the global shift towards renewable energy sources, necessitating accurate potential assessments for informed decision-making and strategic development in this transition. Despite the widespread use of wind speed data with varying time resolutions for estimating wind energy, the influence of this variability on the accuracy of wind energy assessment remains uncertain. In this study, we investigate the impact of wind speed data’s time resolution on wind power density (WPD) assessment, utilizing high-frequency, in-situ observations collected from eight anemometer towers in China. Through analysis of wind speed data at nine resolutions, ranging from 10-minute to monthly intervals, we uncover significant errors introduced by coarser time resolutions in WPD calculations. Specifically, it reveals a systematic underestimation of WPD with decreasing time resolution, highlighting the importance of time resolution in wind energy evaluation. While hourly wind speed data yield acceptable WPD errors, daily and monthly resolutions lead to substantial underestimation due to the smoothing effect of fluctuations. We also delve into the underlying mechanisms contributing to these errors, including variations in the power law exponent and changes in the Weibull distribution shape factor with time resolution. Furthermore, we propose a novel method to mitigate WPD calculation errors using coarse time resolution data by regressing Weibull distribution factors. The findings offer valuable insights into wind speed data selection and accurate wind energy assessment, with implications for renewable energy planning and policy-making in the context of the global energy transition.

Abstract Lymphangiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of various vascular disorders, including ocular vascular diseases and cancers. Deregulation of N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been identified as a key contributor to human diseases. However, the specific involvement of m6A modification in lymphatic remodeling remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that inflammatory stimulation and corneal sutures induce elevated levels of methyltransferase‐like 3 (METTL3)‐mediated m6A modification. METTL3 knockdown inhibits lymphatic endothelial viability, proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. METTL3 knockdown attenuates corneal sutures‐induced lymphangiogenesis and intratumoral lymphangiogenesis initiated by subcutaneous grafts, consequently restraining corneal neovascularization, tumor growth, and tumor neovascularization in vivo. Mechanistically, METTL3 knockdown upregulates prostaglandin–endoperoxide synthase 2 expression through an m6A–YTHDF2‐dependent pathway, enhancing the synthesis of cyclopentenone prostaglandins (CyPGs). Aberrant CyPG production in lymphatic endothelial cells impairs mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, contributing to pathological lymphangiogenesis. Moreover, selective inhibition of METTL3 with STM2457 reduces m6A levels in lymphatic endothelial cells, effectively suppressing pathological lymphangiogenesis. This study provides compelling evidence that lymphatic‐specific METTL3 plays a critical role in vascular patterning through prostaglandin metabolism reprogramming. Thus, METTL3 emerges as a promising target for treating lymphangiogenesis‐related diseases.

Abstract Background In Eukaryotes, inositol polyphosphates (InsPs) represent a large family of secondary messengers and play crucial roes in various cellular processes. InsPs are synthesized through a series of pohophorylation reactions catalyzed by various InsP kinases in a sequential manner. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase (IP3 3-kinase/IP3K), one member of InsP kinase, plays important regulation roles in InsPs metabolism by specifically phosphorylating inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (IP4) in animal cells. IP3Ks were widespread in fungi, plants and animals. However, its evolutionary history and patterns have not been examined systematically. Results A total of 104 and 31 IP3K orthologues were identified across 57 plant genomes and 13 animal genomes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that IP3K originated in the common ancestor before the divergence of fungi, plants and animals. In most plants and animals, IP3K maintained low-copy numbers suggesting functional conservation during plant and animal evolution. In Brassicaceae and vertebrate, IP3K underwent one and two duplication events, respectively, resulting in multiple gene copies. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) was the main mechanism for IP3K duplications, and the IP3K duplicates have experienced functional divergence. Finally, a hypothetical evolutionary model for the IP3K proteins is proposed based on phylogenetic theory. Conclusion Our study reveals the evolutionary history of IP3K proteins and guides the future functions of animal, plant, and fungal IP3K proteins.

Postoperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) are the most common neurological disorders following surgery and anaesthesia before and within 12 months after surgery, with a high prevalence in the geriatric population. PND can severely deteriorate the quality of life of patients, especially among the elderly, mainly manifested as memory loss, attention, decline and language comprehension disorders, mostly in elderly patients, with an incidence as high as 31%. Previous studies have also raised the possibility of accelerated cognitive decline and underlying neuropathological processes associated with diseases that affect cognitive performance (e.g. Alzheimer’s dementia) for reasons related to anaesthesia and surgery. Currently, most research on PND has focused on various molecular pathways, especially in the geriatric population. The various hypotheses that have been proposed regarding the mechanisms imply peripheral neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial homeostasis, synaptic function, autophagy disorder, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, the microbiota-gut-brain axis and lack of neurotrophic support. However, the underlying pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of PND have not yet been uncovered. Recent research has focused on mitochondrial homeostasis. In this paper, we present a review of various studies to better understand and characterize the mechanisms of associated cognitive dysfunction. As the biochemical basis of PND becomes more clearly defined, future treatments based on mitochondrial homeostasis modulation can prove to be very promising.

Abstract Objective To present our experience using the supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIF) for head and neck reconstruction. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review to identify patients who underwent head and neck reconstruction with SCAIF at our institution. The following data were collected: age, sex, surgical indications, flap harvest time, flap dimensions, length of hospital stay, complications, and clinical outcomes. Results Thirty‐three patients underwent SCAIF reconstruction, of whom four underwent pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction simultaneously. Twenty flaps were used to repair pharyngeal or esophageal defects following resection for tonsillar, hypopharyngeal, laryngeal, and cervical esophageal cancers. Five flaps were used for tracheal reconstruction following resection for tracheal or thyroid gland cancer. Seven flaps were used for reconstruction of cervical skin defects or fistulas related to a previous treatment. One flap for tracheal stenosis following tracheotomy. The mean age of the patients was 60.69 ± 11.47 years. The mean flap harvest time was 32.00 ± 4.44 min. The mean flap size was 10.16 ± 3.91 × 5.78 ± 0.68 cm. The mean length of hospital stay is 24.84 ± 13.78 days. Three patients had partial necrosis of the distal portion of the flap, which resolved with anti‐infection therapy and local wound care. One patient developed a fistula that was resolved with wound care and further surgical intervention. Complete flap loss or major complications were not observed. No donor site complication or compromised shoulder function was observed. Conclusion The SCAIF can be successfully used to reconstruct head and neck defects with good outcomes and limited morbidity. Level of Evidence 4.

BackgroundHearing loss (HL) is increasingly recognized as a significant global public health issue, and research on its relationship with vitamin D levels has gained wider attention. However, the association between serum biomarkers 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 (25(OH)D2) and D3 (25(OH)D3) with different types of HL remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential association of serum 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 with HL in US adults.MethodsA sample of 3,684 individuals aged 20–69 years from the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) was analyzed in this study. HL was defined as a pure tone average > 25 dB in either ear at low frequencies (500, 1,000, 2000 Hz), speech frequencies (500, 1,000, 2000, 4,000 Hz), and high frequencies (3,000, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000 Hz). Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between serum 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 and HL. The study population was then stratified by age, gender, race, and education level to analyze potential differences between adults in different subgroups.ResultsIn the multivariate analysis, it was found that serum 25(OH)D2 was independently associated with low-frequency hearing loss (LFHL) (OR: 1.012 [95% CI, 1.005–1.020]) and speech-frequency hearing loss (SFHL) (OR: 1.011 [95% CI, 1.003–1.018]). Restrictive cubic spline analysis demonstrated a linear dose–response relationship between serum 25(OH)D2 levels and LFHL (p for linearity

Low-dielectric polymers face prominent development challenges at high frequency. Particularly, the relationship between the high-frequency dielectric loss and polymer structures remains not clear enough. Besides, the strategies for achieving low dielectric loss usually have to scarify other important materials properties, e.g., heat resistance or dimensional stability. Herein, fluorine-containing aromatic polyimides were systematically investigated. Among them, simple fluorine atom (-F) substituted polyimides exhibit remarkable low dielectric loss at high frequency (10 GHz) as well as comprehensive advantages, including near-zero thermal expansion coefficient, extremely high thermal decomposition stability, high optical transmittance and excellent mechanical properties. The fundamental mechanisms of low dielectric loss are fully discussed. Benefiting from the unique electric effect and compact size of -F group, -F substituted polyimides display low dipolar density and strongly restricted dipolar motion, contributing to a reduced permanent dipolar polarization loss. Moreover, the concept of induced dipolar polarization was introduced to illustrate the nontrivial impact of F-substituted effect on conjugated electron cloud polarization loss in aromatic polymer system. This work not only provides valuable insights for understanding the mechanism of dielectric loss at high frequency for aromatic polymers, but also opens up broader application possibilities of polyimides in microelectronic and wireless communications industries.

Abstract 24/7 continuous recording of in-home daily trajectories is informative for health status assessment (e.g., monitoring Alzheimer’s, dementia based on behavior patterns). Indoor device-free localization/tracking are ideal because no user efforts on wearing devices are needed. However, prior work mainly focused on improving the localization accuracy. They relied on well-calibrated sensor placements, which require hours of intensive manual setup and respective expertise, feasible only at small scale and by mostly researchers themselves. Scaling the deployments to tens or hundreds of real homes, however, would incur prohibitive manual efforts, and become infeasible for layman users. We present SCALING, a plug-and-play indoor trajectory monitoring system that layman users can easily set up by walking a one-minute loop trajectory after placing radar nodes on walls. It uses a self calibrating algorithm that estimates sensor locations through their distance measurements to the person walking the trajectory, a trivial effort without taxing layman users physically or cognitively. We evaluate SCALING via simulations and two testbeds (in lab and home configurations of sizes 3 $$\times$$ × 6 sq m and 4.5 $$\times$$ × 8.5 sq m). Experimental results demonstrate that SCALING outperformed the baseline using the approximate multidimensional scaling (MDS, the most relevant method in the context of self calibration) by 3.5 m/1.6 m in 80-percentile error of self calibration and tracking, respectively. Notably, only 1% degradation in performance has been observed with SCALING compared to the classical multilateration with known sensor locations (anchors), which costs hours of intensive calibrating effort. In addition, we conduct Monte Carlo experiments to numerically analyze the impact of sensor placements and develop practical guidelines for deployment in real life scenarios.

Abstract In 2022, a global outbreak of Mpox (formerly monkeypox) occurred in various countries across Europe and America and rapidly spread to more than 100 countries and regions. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern due to the rapid spread of the Mpox virus. Consequently, nations intensified their efforts to explore treatment strategies aimed at combating the infection and its dissemination. Nevertheless, the available therapeutic options for Mpox virus infection remain limited. So far, only a few numbers of antiviral compounds have been approved by regulatory authorities. Given the high mutability of the Mpox virus, certain mutant strains have shown resistance to existing pharmaceutical interventions. This highlights the urgent need to develop novel antiviral drugs that can combat both drug resistance and the potential threat of bioterrorism. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive literature on the pathophysiology and treatment of Mpox. To address this issue, we conducted a review covering the physiological and pathological processes of Mpox infection, summarizing the latest progress of anti-Mpox drugs. Our analysis encompasses approved drugs currently employed in clinical settings, as well as newly identified small-molecule compounds and antibody drugs displaying potential antiviral efficacy against Mpox. Furthermore, we have gained valuable insights from the process of Mpox drug development, including strategies for repurposing drugs, the discovery of drug targets driven by artificial intelligence, and preclinical drug development. The purpose of this review is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on Mpox.

With the increasing application of functional nanomaterials in numerous fields, considerable effort has been devoted to exploring simple and efficient methods for their synthesis. Pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) is one such novel technique for producing colloidal nanomaterials. It is simple to setup, easy to operate, and can be carried out at room temperature and under atmosphere. This method employs a pulsed laser beam to ablate bulk targets or powders within different liquids, thereby creating colloidal nanomaterials. As a result, it holds significant promise for scalable processing. However, most prior research on PLAL has focused on the synthesis of larger spherical nanoparticles, even though low-dimensional nanomaterials, including zero-dimensional quantum dots, one-dimensional nanowires and nanotubes, and two-dimensional nanosheets and nanobelts, find more usage in various applications, such as optoelectronic devices, catalysis, and biomedicine. In the PLAL process, the high-intensity laser pulses not only fragment the illuminated solids to produce nanomaterials but also interact with liquid molecules, generating multiple reactive ions for chemical reactions. Consequently, various low-dimensional nanomaterials can also be generated. This study provides a comprehensive review of low-dimensional nanomaterials synthesized via PLAL, including their formation mechanisms and applications.

Abstract Background Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy(NSRH)has the advantage of reducing postoperative complications and improving postoperative quality of life. The separation and protection of the pelvic plexus in NSRH is extremely important and challenging. Methods 24 female cadaveric hemipelves were dissected. Morphologic patterns and compositions of pelvic plexus as well as relationship of pelvic plexus to the surrounding structures were observed and documented. Results Two patterns of superior hypogastric plexus were observed, including fenestrated and cord-like shape. The origin of bilateral hypogastric nerves were inferiorly to upper margin of promontory about 1.6 ± 0.1 cm and parallel to the ureter in front of the sacrum. Pelvic splanchnic nerves(PSN)from the second sacral nerve, the third sacral nerve and the forth sacral nerve were observed combing with the hypogastric nerves within the lateral rectal ligament. The sacral sympathetic trunk can be identified anteriorly or medially to the anterior sacral foramen. We identified the boundaries of pelvic plexus as following: the upper margin is formed by the PSNs from the third sacral nerve, posterior margin by inferior rectal artery, and anteriorly by vesical venous plexus. The uterine branches from pelvic plexus were observed accompanying with uterine artery, while other branches were inferiorly to the artery. The PSNs were located beneath the deep uterine veins within the cardinal ligament. The upper margin of pelvic plexus was observed directly approach to urinary bladder within the vesico-vaginal ligament as a single trunk accompanying with ureter, between the middle and inferior vesical veins. Conclusions Our study clarified the intricate arrangement, distribution and relationship of female pelvic plexus and the related structures to provide reference index for NSRH application. The innervation patterns of bladder and uterine were clarified, and by tracing these visceral branches of pelvic plexus, we suggest several new important land markers for NSRH.

The identification of functional midgut receptors for pesticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is critical for deciphering the molecular mechanism of Bt resistance in insects. Reduced expression of the PxABCB1 gene was previously found to be associated with Cry1Ac resistance in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). To directly validate the potential receptor role of PxABCB1 and its contribution to Bt Cry1Ac toxicity in P. xylostella, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a homozygous knockout ABCB1KO strain with a 5-bp deletion in exon 3 of its gene. The ABCB1KO strain exhibited a 63-fold resistance to Cry1Ac toxin compared to the parental DBM1Ac-S strain. Intriguingly, the ABCB1KO strain also exhibited significant increases in susceptibility to abamectin and emamectin benzoate. No changes in susceptibility to various other Bt Cry proteins or synthetic insecticides were observed. The knockout strain exhibited no significant fitness costs. Overall, our study indicates that PxABCB1 can protect the insect against avermectin insecticides on one hand, while on the other hand it facilitates the toxic effect of the Bt Cry1Ac toxin. The results of this study will help to inform integrated pest management approaches against this destructive pest.

Abstract Mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels provide efficient molecular mechanism for transducing mechanical forces into intracellular ion fluxes in all kingdoms of life. The mechanosensitive channel of small conductance (MscS) was one of the best-studied MS channels and its homologs (MSL, MscS-like) were widely distributed in cell-walled organisms. However, the origin, evolution and expansion of MSL proteins in plants are still not clear. Here, we identified more than 2100 MSL proteins from 176 plants and conducted a broad-scale phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that plant MSL proteins were divided into three groups (I, II and III) prior to the emergence of chlorophytae algae, consistent with their specific subcellular localization. MSL proteins were distributed unevenly into each of plant species, and four parallel expansion was identified in angiosperms. In Brassicaceae, most MSL duplicates were derived by whole-genome duplication (WGD)/segmental duplications. Finally, a hypothetical evolutionary model of MSL proteins in plants was proposed based on phylogeny. Our studies illustrate the evolutionary history of the MSL proteins and provide a guide for future functional diversity analyses of these proteins in plants.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a fatal disease with progressive severity and no cure; the heart’s inability to adequately pump blood leads to fluid accumulation and frequent hospital readmissions after initial treatments. Therefore, it is imperative to continuously monitor CHF patients during its early stages to slow its progression and enable timely medical interventions for optimal treatment. An increase in interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) is indicative of acute CHF exacerbation, making IFP a viable biomarker for predicting upcoming CHF if continuously monitored. In this paper, we present an inductor-capacitor (LC) sensor for subcutaneous wireless and continuous IFP monitoring. The sensor is composed of inexpensive planar copper coils defined by a simple craft cutter, which serves as both the inductor and capacitor. Because of its sensing mechanism, the sensor does not require batteries and can wirelessly transmit pressure information. The sensor has a low-profile form factor for subcutaneous implantation and can communicate with a readout device through 4 layers of skin (12.7 mm thick in total). With a soft silicone rubber as the dielectric material between the copper coils, the sensor demonstrates an average sensitivity as high as –8.03 MHz/mmHg during in vitro simulations.

Over the last few decades, policy changes have resulted in changes in family structure and cyclical changes within families. The structure of multi-child families will have a significant influence on housing demand and supply, necessitating a thorough demand study. This study examines the requirements of 739 multi-child families in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region at different stages and graphically displays the variables influencing their level of housing satisfaction, offering a scientific reference for the design and optimization of housing. Firstly, the residential elements that impact families with multiple children were categorized into 3 categories, 14 subcategories, and 65 influencing elements based on expert consultation and word frequency data. Secondly, 739 families in the YRD region were chosen for investigation, and importance–performance analysis (IPA) was employed to study and assess the residential elements of multi-child families. The IPA study findings were compared to those obtained from on-site surveys and network data crawling. Finally, the residential elements to be optimized were quantitatively determined, and the relevant optimization techniques were provided in conjunction with door-to-door interviewing. This study examines the needs of multi-child families at various phases, as well as the factors that impact their residential satisfaction, and provides optimization solutions for the long-term use and renewal of residential structures.

Abstract Non-polar m-plane GaN terahertz quantum cascade laser (THz-QCL) structures have been studied. One is traditional three-well resonant-phonon (RP) design scheme. The other is two-well phonon scattering injection (PSI) design scheme. The peak gains of 41.8 and 44.2 cm−1 have been obtained at 8.2 and 7.7 THz respectively at 300 K according to the self-consistent non-equilibrium Green’s function calculation. Different from the usual GaAs two-well design, the upper and lower lasing levels are both ground states in the GaN quantum wells for the PSI scheme, mitigating the severe broadening effect for the excited states in GaN. To guide the fabrication of such devices, the doping effect on the peak gain has been analyzed. The two designs have demonstrated distinct doping density dependence and it is mainly attributed to the very different doping dependent broadening behaviors. The results reveal the possibility of GaN based THz-QCL lasing at room temperature.

Abstract When dentists see pediatric patients with more complex tooth development than adults during tooth replacement, they need to manually determine the patient’s disease with the help of preoperative dental panoramic radiographs. To the best of our knowledge, there is no international public dataset for children’s teeth and only a few datasets for adults’ teeth, which limits the development of deep learning algorithms for segmenting teeth and automatically analyzing diseases. Therefore, we collected dental panoramic radiographs and cases from 106 pediatric patients aged 2 to 13 years old, and with the help of the efficient and intelligent interactive segmentation annotation software EISeg (Efficient Interactive Segmentation) and the image annotation software LabelMe. We propose the world’s first dataset of children’s dental panoramic radiographs for caries segmentation and dental disease detection by segmenting and detecting annotations. In addition, another 93 dental panoramic radiographs of pediatric patients, together with our three internationally published adult dental datasets with a total of 2,692 images, were collected and made into a segmentation dataset suitable for deep learning.

Discogenic low back pain (DLBP) is a multifactorial disease and associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. Calcitonin gene-related protein (CGRP) plays a critical role in pain processing, while the role in DLBP remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the anti-nociceptive role and related mechanisms of CGRP in DLBP. Here we established the DLBP rat and validated the model using histology and radiography. Minocycline, a microglial inhibitor, and CGRP were intrathecally injected and the behavioral test was performed to determine hyperalgesia. Further, BV2 microglial cells and microglial activation agent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were employed for the in vitro experiment. We observed obvious lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and hyperalgesia at 12 weeks postoperation in DLBP group, with significantly activated microglia in the spinal cord. CGRP treatment significantly inhibited the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and NLRP3/caspase-1 expression induced by LPS in BV2 cells, whereas treatment with CGRP alone had little effect on BV2 cells. The intrathecal injection of CGRP into DLBP rats relieved mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, reverted the microglial activation and decreased the expression of NLRP3/caspase-1, similar to the effects produced by minocycline. Our results provide evidence that microglial activation in the spinal cord play a key role in hyperalgesia in DLBP rats. CGRP alleviates DLBP induced hyperalgesia and inhibits microglial activation in the spinal cord. Regulation of CGRP and microglial activation may provide a new strategy for ameliorating DLBP.

Recommender system has made great strides in two major research fields, rating prediction and Top-k recommendation. In essence, rating prediction is a regression task, which aims to predict users scores on other items, while Top-k is a classification task selecting the items that users have the most potential to interact with. Both characterize users and items, but the optimization of parameters varies widely for their respective tasks. Inspired by the idea of transfer learning, we consider extracting the information learned from rating prediction models for serving for Top-k tasks. To this end, we propose a universal transfer model for recommender systems. The transfer model consists of two sub-components: quadruple-based Bayesian Converter (BC) and Prediction-based Multi-Layer Perceptron (PMLP). As the main part, BC is responsible for transforming the feature vectors extracted from the rating prediction model. Meanwhile, PMLP extracts the prediction ratings, constructs the prediction rating matrix, and uses multi-layer perceptron to enhance the final performance. On four benchmark datasets, we use the information extracted from the singular value decomposition plus plus (SVD++) model to demonstrate the effectiveness of BC-PMLP, comparing to classical and state-of-the-art baselines. We also conduct extra experiments to verify the utility of BC, and performance within different parameter values.

Natural materials exhibit nano- to macro-scale structural hierarchy, whose novel properties are partially driven by their underlying nanostructural anisotropy. Here we expand on our mechanically-directed assembly technique, studying its ability to synthesize porous biopolymers with engineered 3-dimensional hierarchy and material properties. 3D-printing is used to create complex silicone molds into which cellulose or alginate prepolymer solutions are infiltrated and allowed to gel. By exposing these molded polymers to controlled treatments of polar solvent, tunable contractions can be induced. This applies precision mechanical strain on polymers as they further cross-link, leading to tunable nanoscale anisotropy within materials. A final critical-point drying step produces anisotropic, nanofibrillar aerogels exhibiting vibrant patterns of birefringence. Such materials present enhanced mechanical modulus and toughness. This approach appears generalizable across physically crosslinked polymers and can additionally be used to permanently align functional nanowires within materials. Taken together, mechanically-directed assembly is a straightforward, low-cost process to synthesize hierarchical materials with engineered chemical, electromagnetic, and mechanical properties

Climate change is considered to be a serious threat to crop production around the globe. In the northern Shanxi Province of China (SXN), foxtail millet (or millet) is the main crop and generally grows under rainfed conditions. Existing literature has confirmed the millet yield reductions due to climate change in the past. However, little is known about the impacts of future climate change on millet production in the SXN. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the future climate change impacts under two emission scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) and the potentials of shifting sowing date combined with supplemental irrigation as an adaptation strategy to climate change for millet production in the SXN using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Two supplemental irrigation strategies were tested: one presowing irrigation only (PSI), and two supplementary irrigations (PSGI) adopting one presowing irrigation and one irrigation during the growing season. We found that the air temperature, solar radiation and precipitation during the millet growing season in the future (2021–2060) are higher than those in the baseline (1981–2020). The rainfed millet yield will decrease by 8.6 % (SSP245) and 16.5 % (SSP585) in the future without an adaptation strategy, compared to the baseline yield (2.43 t ha−1) in 1981–2020 under the conventional sowing date. The reduction in rainfed millet yield caused by climate change cannot be reversed by shifting sowing date, but can be slightly mitigated by a suitable advancement of the sowing date. Adopting supplemental irrigation in the future can achieve higher millet yield than the baseline yield, especially PSGI. Compared to PSI, PSGI consumes more irrigation water but has higher irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). There is a synergy between shifting sowing date and supplemental irrigation in coping with climate change, and a later sowing date than the conventional one (30 April) is recommended under supplemental irrigation in the future. In 2021–2060, the best adaptation strategy to climate change for maximizing grain yield, IWUE and economic benefit in the millet production of the SXN is that supplementary irrigation is applied before sowing and on 20 July–30 July combined with the sowing dates of 10 May–20 May.

Assessing the regional mass balance of European glaciers presents significant challenges due to limited measurements. While various albedo methods have been explored for individual glaciers, a comprehensive analysis of aggregated albedo methods is lacking. Addressing this gap, in our study, we examined five MODIS aggregated albedos (raw average, minimum average, average minimum, interpolated average, and cumulative) versus the annual mass balance for 12 Austrian and Norwegian glaciers from 2001 to 2020 to establish connections between them. We find that the raw average albedo is strongly correlated with the annual mass balance of Austrian glaciers (r = 0.91), while the interpolated average albedo is significantly correlated with the annual mass balance of Norwegian glaciers (r = 0.90). Moreover, we observe that high-elevation glaciers experience fewer cloud cover days, allowing the raw average albedo to reliably estimate the annual mass balance, whereas low-elevation glaciers are often obscured by clouds, potentially masking the true minimum albedo. Additionally, traditional indicators, such as the equilibrium-line altitude and accumulation area ratio, exhibit significant correlations with the annual mass balance of Norwegian and Austrian glaciers (r = 0.90 and 0.87, respectively), yet albedo demonstrates higher robustness. These findings provide a reference for selecting appropriate aggregation methods to reconstruct glacier mass balance from albedo observations.

In the field of robotic automation, achieving high position accuracy in robotic vision systems (RVSs) is a pivotal challenge that directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of industrial applications. This study introduces a comprehensive modeling approach that integrates kinematic and joint compliance factors to significantly enhance the position accuracy of a system. In the first place, we develop a unified kinematic model that effectively reduces the complexity and error accumulation associated with the calibration of robotic systems. At the heart of our approach is the formulation of a joint compliance model that meticulously accounts for the intricacies of the joint connector, the external load, and the self-weight of robotic links. By employing a novel 3D rotary laser sensor for precise error measurement and model calibration, our method offers a streamlined and efficient solution for the accurate integration of vision systems into robotic operations. The efficacy of our proposed models is validated through experiments conducted on a FANUC LR Mate 200iD robot, showcasing notable improvements in the position accuracy of robotic vision system. Our findings contribute a framework for the calibration and error compensation of RVS, holding significant potential for advancements in automated tasks requiring high precision.

Medium- to high-resolution imagery is indispensable for various applications. Combining images from Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 can improve the accuracy of observing dynamic changes on the Earth’s surface. Many researchers use Sentinel-2 10 m resolution data in conjunction with Landsat 8 30 m resolution data to generate 10 m resolution data series. However, current fusion techniques have some algorithmic weaknesses, such as simple processing of coarse or fine images, which fail to extract image features to the fullest extent, especially in rapidly changing land cover areas. Facing the aforementioned limitations, we proposed a multiscale and attention mechanism-based residual spatiotemporal fusion network (MARSTFN) that utilizes Sentinel-2 10 m resolution data and Landsat 8 15 m resolution data as auxiliary data to upgrade Landsat 8 30 m resolution data to 10 m resolution. In this network, we utilized multiscale and attention mechanisms to extract features from coarse and fine images separately. Subsequently, the features outputted from all input branches are combined and further feature information is extracted through residual networks and skip connections. Finally, the features obtained from the residual network are merged with the feature information of the coarsely processed images from the multiscale mechanism to generate accurate prediction images. To assess the efficacy of our model, we compared it with existing models on two datasets. Results demonstrated that our fusion model outperformed baseline methods across various evaluation indicators, highlighting its ability to integrate Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 data to produce 10 m resolution data.

Snow and ice albedo is a critical geographical indicator that reflects climate change on Earth. Quantifying the albedo in Greenland ice sheet, which is extensively covered with snow and ice, is key to studying changes in the energy budget in the Northern Hemisphere. Earth observation satellites have been regularly providing surface albedo products. However, optical satellite-derived albedo products have many voids due to the persistent cloud cover over the Greenland ice sheet. Consequently, seamless reconstruction of albedo on the spatial and temporal scales is essential. Surface albedo, as a geographical element, is spatially and temporally correlated. In addition, the broadband albedo of snow and ice is significantly modified by changes in the spectral distribution of solar irradiance caused by clouds. On the basis of such facts, this study proposes a reconstruction method for snow and ice albedo that combines spatiotemporal information with a physics-informed model. This method uses spatiotemporal nonlocal filtering to generate the initial reference albedo for missing pixels. Then, the hypothetical clear-sky albedo is reconstructed using the Whittaker iterator. Finally, cloudy albedo is obtained on the basis of the empirical relationship between clear-sky and cloudy-sky albedos. We reconstruct albedo based on MOD10A1 for the whole Greenland region from 2001 to 2020. A comparison between the reconstruction results and ground measurements exhibits satisfactory accuracy with an R-value of 0.8162, a root-mean-square error of 0.0669, a mean absolute error of 0.0486, and a bias of 0.00001. Moreover, the proposed method demonstrates the advantages of being more accurate and robust than other classical methods. Therefore, this study will be valuable for generating 500 m daily remotely sensed albedo of snow and ice in large regions.

BackgroundAccurate localization of multi-focal ground-glass opacities (GGOs) is crucial for successful video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) provides a minimally invasive and dependable approach for precise localization. This study assessed the accuracy and safety of ENB-guided localization in cases involving multi-focal GGOs.MethodsThis retrospective study presents a single-center investigation into ENB-guided localization, utilizing methylene blue, for multi-focal GGOs assisting VATS. Clinical, surgical, and pathological data were collected from patients who underwent ENB-guided localization between 23 December 2019 and 31 August 2022.ResultsThe study examined 57 patients with multi-focal GGOs who underwent ENB-guided localization and VATS. A total of 150 GGOs were treated, with ENB-guided localization taking a median time of 65 min. Following localization, all patients proceeded to VATS, with a median duration of 170 min. The median lesion size measured 7.8 mm, with a 5-mm distance between GGO and pleura or fissure. When the distance between GGO and pleura/fissure exceeded 1 cm, an additional location point was introduced below the pleura or fissure based on GGO location. No complications related to localization were observed. The overall malignancy rate stood at 66%. Location precision was confirmed by measuring the marker-to-GGO lesion distance, resulting in a 94% (141/150) accuracy rate for GGO localization.ConclusionENB-guided methylene blue injection is a safe and precise method to treat multi-focal GGOs, potentially minimizing operation time and simplifying lesion detection.

Abstract Cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer is commonly used in Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells. However, the toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and perilous waste, which is generated during the deposition process (chemical bath deposition), and the narrow bandgap (≈2.4 eV) of CdS restrict its large‐scale future application. Herein, the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method is proposed to deposit zinc–tin‐oxide (ZTO) as a buffer layer in Ag‐doped CZTSSe solar cells. It is found that the ZTO buffer layer improves the band alignment at the Ag‐CZTSSe/ZTO heterojunction interface. The smaller contact potential difference of the ZTO facilitates the extraction of charge carriers and promotes carrier transport. The better p–n junction quality helps to improve the open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). Meanwhile, the wider bandgap of ZTO assists to transfer more photons to the CZTSSe absorber, and more photocarriers are generated thus improving short‐circuit current density (Jsc). Ultimately, Ag‐CZTSSe/ZTO device with 10 nm thick ZTO layer and 5:1 (Zn:Sn) ratio, Sn/(Sn + Zn): 0.28 deliver a superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.8%. As far as it is known that 11.8% is the highest efficiency among Cd‐free kesterite thin film solar cells.

Monitoring ice/snow surface temperature (IST) variations with high spatial and temporal resolution data from satellites are essential for research on the mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS). However, the tradeoff between satellite sensors' bandwidth and re-entry cycle, coupled with the influence of cloudy weather, limits their ability to fine-monitor IST. Spatiotemporal data fusion is a way of producing high spatiotemporal datasets. This article uses four spatiotemporal fusion algorithms to fuse the Landsat 8 IST data and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer IST to generate fine spatial-temporal IST in the GrIS regions. The quantitative evaluation of the different fusion data shows that the R2 are all above 0.9. The spatial and temporal nonlocal filter based fusion model (STNLFFM) dual-temporal algorithm provided the highest accuracy with a root mean square error of 2.427 K, followed by the STNLFFM mono-temporal algorithm, the spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (STARFM), the flexible spatiotemporal data fusion model, and enhanced STARFM. From the results, the fusion data are accurate and detailed in different regions. That is, the spatiotemporal fusion technique has the potential to generate IST datasets that possess high spatial and temporal resolutions for Greenland.

Effective path planning (PP) is the basis of autonomous navigation for mobile robots. Since the PP is an NP-hard problem, intelligent optimization algorithms have become a popular option to solve this problem. As a classic evolutionary algorithm, the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm has been applied to solve numerous realistic optimization problems. In this study, we propose an improved artificial bee colony algorithm (IMO-ABC) to deal with the multi-objective PP problem for a mobile robot. Path length and path safety were optimized as two objectives. Considering the complexity of the multi-objective PP problem, a well-environment model and a path encoding method are designed to make solutions feasible. In addition, a hybrid initialization strategy is applied to generate efficient feasible solutions. Subsequently, path-shortening and path-crossing operators are developed and embedded in the IMO-ABC algorithm. Meanwhile, a variable neighborhood local search strategy and a global search strategy, which could enhance exploitation and exploration, respectively, are proposed. Finally, representative maps including a real environment map are employed for simulation tests. The effectiveness of the proposed strategies is verified through numerous comparisons and statistical analyses. Simulation results show that the proposed IMO-ABC yields better solutions with respect to hypervolume and set coverage metrics for the later decision-maker.

A novel treatment process that involves solution treatment, cryogenic pre-stretching, and artificial aging was applied to strengthen Al-Cu-Li alloy without ductility sacrificing in this work. The influence of pre-stretching deformation at ambient (RT, 25 °C) and cryogenic (CT, −196 °C) temperatures on dislocation configuration, precipitation behaviour, and after-aging mechanical properties of AA2195 was systematically investigated. Compared with conventional RT-stretched sample, the after-aging yield strength (YS) of CT-stretched sample was increased from 618 MPa to 655 MPa with ductility of 11.6%. The increased strength resulted from the combination of strain hardening and precipitation strengthening. The activated immovable dislocations on {100}Al during CT-stretching obstructed the subsequent slip of following dislocations to grain boundaries, prevented the dislocations piling-up at grain boundaries, and facilitated the dislocation accumulation at grain interior. The increased dislocations density within grains not only provided higher strain hardening to the alloy but also promoted the nucleation of T1 phase in the matrix, which significantly increased the yield strength. Additionally, the reduction of grain boundary dislocations suppressed the precipitation of T1 at grain boundaries, which prevented the formation of precipitate-free zones (PFZs) and the stress concentration at grain boundary during deformation, enhancing the alloy ductility.

Abstract To achieve the fault‐tolerant operation of motor drives, many control algorithms have been proposed. Among them, it is more flexible and intuitive to find solutions to phase current at phase coordinate. Then it is necessary to track the given phase current. Up to now, several current controllers have been proposed. A hysteresis controller suffers from the drawback of the variable switching frequency. Proportional–integral control cannot track ac signals with zero error. As to the proportional resonant controller, its performance is highly dependent on the accuracy of motor speed detection. Considering this, a current controller is based on the adaptive filter. The adaptive filer is worked as the current controller by adjusting its structure, in which the motor model is extra introduced. The controller updates the tap weight in each control cycle until it outputs the optimal voltage to track the given phase current. Besides, the adaptive algorithm is improved by adding a feedforward term to gain a higher dynamic response. Moreover, to ensure the stability of the controller, the control parameter selection principles are analysed and acquired accordingly. Finally, several groups of experiments are conducted. The experiment results coincide with the analysis.

Plutella xylostella endures Bt toxins with no performance costs. This study reveals how, depending on the presence of the toxin, this insect modifies MAPK phosphorylation to modulate the transcription factor FTZ-F1 binding, to up- or down- regulate Bt receptors or non-receptor (resistant) paralogs.

Abstract This paper proposes a background calibration scheme for the pipelined‐Successive Approximation Register (SAR) Analog‐to‐Digital Converter (ADC) based on the neural network. Due to the non‐linear function fitting capability of the neural network, the linearity of the ADC is improved effectively. However, the hardware complexity of the neural network limits its application and promotion in ADC calibration. Hence, this paper also presents the optimization schemes, including the neuron‐based sharing neural network and the partially binarized with fixed neural network, in terms of calibration architecture and algorithm. A 60 MS/s 14‐bit pipelined‐SAR ADC prototyped in 28‐nm technology is utilized to verify the feasibility of the proposed calibration method. The measurement results show that the proposed calibration greatly enhances the Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) and Signal‐to‐Noise‐and‐Distortion Ratio (SNDR) from low frequency to Nyquist frequency. Meanwhile, the original calibrator and improved calibrator are synthesized in Synopsys Design Compiler to compare their hardware complexity. Compared with the unoptimized version, the optimized schemes can decrease the logic area and the network weights up to 76% and 52%, with negligible loss in calibration performance.

IntroductionWith the introduction of the concept of mesopancreas defining the perineural structures that includes neurovascular bundle and lymph nodes extending from the posterior surface of the pancreatic head to behind the mesenteric vessels,Total Mesopancreas Excision (TMpE) based on this theory has facilitated the development of pancreatic cancer surgery in clinical practice in recent years. However, the existence of so called mesopancreas in the human body is still in debate and the comparative study of mesopancreas of rhesus monkey and human have not been well investigated.PurposeThe aim of our study is to compare the pancreatic vessels and fascia of human and rhesus monkeys in anatomical and embryological perspectives and to support the utilization of rhesus monkey as animal model.MethodsIn this study, 20 rhesus monkey cadavers were dissected and their mesopancreas location, relationships and arterial distribution were analyzed. We compared the location and developmental patterns of mesopancreas in macaques and humans.ResultsThe results showed that the distribution of pancreatic arteries in rhesus monkeys was the same as that in humans, which is consistent with phylogenetic similarities. However, the morphological features of the mesopancreas and greater omentum is anatomically different from that of humans, including (1) the greater omentum is not connected to the transverse colon in monkeys. (2) The presence of the dorsal mesopancreas of the rhesus monkey suggests that it be an intraperitoneal organ. Comparative anatomical studies of mesopancreas and arteries in macaques and humans showed characteristic patterns of mesopancreas and similarities in pancreatic artery development in nonhuman primates, consistent with phylogenetic differentiation.

Abstract The development of multi‐pixel receivers on the millimetre‐wave and terahertz bands demands on the integration of key waveguide devices. In this paper, two waveguide bandpass filters operating at the W‐band are developed based on the layered integration architecture. First, the traditional fourth‐order waveguide filter is perpendicularly folded to realise dual‐layered arrangement, meanwhile a cross‐coupling between layers is introduced to obtain the standard quasi‐elliptical response. Then, two layered approaches including 5‐layer and 3‐layer are proposed to fabricate filter prototypes integrating with 90° curved waveguides based on the computer numerical control (CNC) technology. Finally, the measurement exhibits that both filters have achieved the 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 14.8% from 85 to 98.5 GHz, low insertion loss of 0.6 dB (5‐layer) and 0.4 dB (3‐layer), the return loss with better than 20 dB, as well as two obvious transmission zeros in the out‐of‐band. Besides, the layering error analysis and performance comparison of both filters are discussed, which verify the feasibility of the layered integration for CNC‐machined W‐band waveguide filters.

The mechanism of cold-activated TRPM8 channel activation remains unclear. Here, authors have determined structures of mouse TRPM8 in apo or ligand-bound states, providing insights into the activation of TRPM8 structures in different states.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is used to treat cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Because the high risk of the surgery prevents novice doctors from practicing it on real patients, VR-based surgical simulation has been developed to simulate surgical procedures to train surgeons without patients, cadavers, or animals. In this study, we propose a real-time system designed to provide plausible visual and tactile simulation of the main surgical procedures. To achieve this, the physical properties of organs are modeled by particles, and cluster-based shape matching is used to simulate soft deformation. The haptic interaction between tools and soft tissue is modeled as a collision between a capsule and particles. Constraint-based haptic rendering is used to generate feedback force and the non-penetrating position of the virtual tool. The proposed system can simulate the major steps of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, such as the anatomy of Calot’s triangle, clipping of the cystic duct and biliary artery, disjunction of the cystic duct and biliary artery, and separation of the gallbladder bed. The experimental results show that haptic rendering can be performed at a high frequency (> 900 Hz), whereas mesh skinning and graphics rendering can be performed at 60 frames per second (fps).

This paper reports some important properties of a dynamic hohlraum radiation source intended to study the high-temperature opacity of medium-Z atoms. The time-resolved axial radiation power in two x-ray diodes gives the time-evolution of an equivalent black-body temperature that peaks at ∼260 eV at stagnation. Time-gated framing pinhole images show that the source comprises an intense high-temperature core that lasts for ∼2 ns preceded by a 10-ns-long lower-temperature implosion phase that emits mostly softer x rays. Combining pinhole images with soft x-ray power gives a time-resolved brightness radiation temperature that reaches 130 eV. Thus, the lower-temperature source could ionize an opacity sample, then the intense high-temperature radiation pulse could measure its opacity. Likewise, the time-integrated spectrum measured with a spherically bent crystal spectrometer is compatible with multiple blackbodies with different temperatures, from 176 to 185 eV. These characterizations suggest that this dynamic hohlraum can be used for high-temperature opacity measurements.

Abstract Lead‐free all‐inorganic Cs3Cu2Cl5 perovskites, a member of the metal‐metal halide material family, have attracted pronounced attention owing to their low toxicity, facile fabrication strategies, considerable ambient stability, and intriguing photoelectric properties. However, the application of environmentally friendly copper‐based Cs3Cu2Cl5 in memristors has been rarely reported to the authors’ knowledge. Herein, multifunctional memristors with the coexistence of non‐volatile memory (MS) and volatile threshold switching (TS) behaviors are introduced based on an innovative Ag–In–Zn–S/Cs3Cu2Cl5 heterostructure. The inserted Ag–In–Zn–S quantum dots layer may provide an effective method for guiding the formation of the dominant metallic Ag filaments, resulting in considerably stable and controllable multiple switching behaviors. Additionally, the heterostructure memristor is capable of imitating some essential biological synaptic functions, including long‐term potentiation (LTP), long‐term depression (LTD), and the short‐term memory (STM) to long‐term memory (LTM) transition. Furthermore, the famous conditioning Pavlov's dog experiment corresponding to associative learning is electronically simulated by the studied device. Moreover, utilizing the devices’ LTP and LTD properties, relatively high recognition accuracies for small and large digits datasets are achieved through a three‐layer artificial neural network, revealing the feasibility of implementing neuromorphic computation using heterostructure memristors.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder, with a global prevalence of 25%. Currently, there remains no approved therapy. Ramulus mori (Sangzhi) alkaloids (SZ-As), a novel natural medicine, have achieved comprehensive benefits in the treatment of type 2 diabetes; however, few studies have focused on its role in ameliorating hepatic lipid metabolic disturbance. Herein, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of SZ-As on a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced NAFLD mice were investigated via incorporating transcriptomics and lipidomics. SZ-As reduced body weight and hepatic lipid levels, restored pathological alternation and converted the blood biochemistry perturbations. SZ-A treatment also remarkedly inhibited lipogenesis and enhanced lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis. Transcriptomics analysis confirmed that SZ-As mainly altered fatty acid oxidative metabolism and the TNF signaling pathway. SZ-As were further demonstrated to downregulate inflammatory factors and effectively ameliorate hepatic inflammation. Lipidomics analysis also suggested that SZ-As affected differential lipids including triglyceride (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) expression, and the main metabolic pathways included glycerophospholipid, sphingomyelins and choline metabolism. Collectively, combined with transcriptomics and metabolomics data, it is suggested that SZ-As exert their therapeutic effect on NAFLD possibly through regulating lipid metabolism pathways (glycerophospholipid metabolism and choline metabolism) and increasing levels of PC and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) metabolites. This study provides the basis for more widespread clinical applications of SZ-As.

Applications of nanophotonic tweezers have been limited by the low trapping force. Here, the authors present enhanced force generation in a nanophotonic standing-wave array trap by integrating a critically-coupled resonator design and demonstrate common single-molecule experiments.

Background: Liver resection involves surgical removal of a portion of the liver. It is used to treat liver tumors and liver injuries. The complexity and high-risk nature of this surgery prevents novice doctors from practicing it on real patients. Virtual surgery simulation was developed to simulate surgical procedures to enable medical professionals to be trained without requiring a patient, a cadaver, or an animal. Therefore, there is a strong need for the development of a liver resection surgery simulation system. We propose a real-time simulation system that provides realistic visual and tactile feedback for hepatic parenchymal transection. Methods: The tetrahedron structure and cluster-based shape matching are used for physical model construction, topology update of a three-dimensional liver model soft deformation simulation, and haptic rendering acceleration. During the liver parenchyma separation simulation, a tetrahedral mesh is used for surface triangle subdivision and surface generation of the surgical wound. The shape-matching cluster is separated via component detection on an undirected graph constructed using the tetrahedral mesh. Results: In our system, cluster-based shape matching is implemented on a GPU, whereas haptic rendering and topology updates are implemented on a CPU. Experimental results show that haptic rendering can be performed at a high frequency (> 900 Hz), whereas mesh skinning and graphics rendering can be performed at 45 fps. The topology update can be executed at an interactive rate (> 10 Hz) on a single CPU thread. Conclusion: We propose an interactive hepatic parenchymal transection simulation method based on a tetrahedral structure. The tetrahedral mesh simultaneously supports physical model construction, topology update, and haptic rendering acceleration.

It is of great significance for disaster prevention and mitigation to carry out disaster simulations for dam failure accidents in advance, but at present, there are few professional systems for disaster simulations of tailings dams. In this paper, we focused on the construction of a virtual geographic environment (VGE) system that provides an effective tool for visualizing the dam-break process of a tailings pond. The dam-break numerical model of the tailings dam based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was integrated into the VGE system. The infrastructure of the VGE was supported by a 3-D geographic information system (GIS) with a user-friendly interface for the initiation, visualization, and analysis of the dynamic process of tailings dam failure. Key technologies, including the integration of numerical models, rendering of large-scale scenes, and optimizations of disaster simulation and visualization, were discussed in detail. In the prototype system, information on the run-out path, travel distance, etc. can be obtained to visually describe the flow motion released by two dam failure cases. The simulation results showed that the VGE can be used for the multidimensional, dynamic and interactive visualization of dam-break disasters, and can also be useful for assessing the risk associated with tailings dams.

Collective behavior observed in nature has been actively employed in swarm robotics. In order to better respond to external cues, the agents in such systems organize themselves in an ordered structure based on simple local rules. The central assumption, in swarm robotics, is that all agents in the system collaborate to fulfill a common goal. In nature, however, many multi-agent systems exhibit a more complex collective behavior involving a certain level of competition. One representative example of complex collective behavior is a multi-ball Bernoulli-ball system. In this paper, by extracting local force among the Bernoulli balls, we approximated the state-transfer model mapping interaction forces to observed behaviors. The results show that the collective Bernoulli-ball system spent 41% of its time on competitive behaviors, in which up to 84% of the interaction state is unorganized. The rest 59% of the time is spent on collaborative behavior. We believe that the novel proposed model opens new avenues in swarm robotics research.

BackgroundPostoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a debilitating neurological complication in surgical patients. Current research has focused mainly on microglial activation, but less is known about the resultant neuronal synaptic changes. Recent studies have suggested that Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) plays a critical role in several different neurological disorders via its involvement in microglial activation. In this study, we evaluate the effects of SIRT1 activation in a POCD mouse model.Materials and methodsExploratory laparotomy was performed in mice aged 12–14 months under sevoflurane anesthesia to establish our animal POCD model. Transcriptional changes in the hippocampus after anesthesia and surgery were evaluated by RNA sequencing. SIRT1 expression was verified by Western Blot. Mice were treated with SIRT1 agonist SRT1720 or vehicle after surgery. Changes in microglia morphology, microglial phagocytosis, presence of dystrophic neurites, and dendritic spine density were evaluated. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Y maze and Morris water maze (MWM).ResultsSirtuin-1 expression levels were downregulated in POCD. Exposure to anesthesia and surgery lead to alteration in microglia morphology, increased synaptic engulfment, dendritic spine loss, and cognitive deficits. These effects were alleviated by SRT1720 administration.ConclusionThis study suggests an important neuroprotective role for SIRT1 in POCD pathogenesis. Increasing SIRT1 function represents a promising therapeutic strategy for prevention and treatment of POCD.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is a prevalent and heterogeneous malignancy with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. There is significant evidence of alternative splicing (AS) contributing to tumor development, suggesting its potential in predicting prognosis and therapeutic efficacy. This study aims to establish an AS-based prognostic signature in HNSC patients.Methods: The expression profiles and clinical information of 486 HNSC patients were downloaded from the TCGA database, and the AS data were downloaded from the TCGA SpliceSeq database. The survival-associated AS events were identified by conducting a Cox regression analysis and utilized to develop a prognostic signature by fitting into a LASSO-regularized Cox regression model. Survival analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to evaluate the signature and an independent cohort was used for validation. The immune cell function and infiltration were analyzed by CIBERSORT and the ssGSEA algorithm.Results: Univariate Cox regression analysis identified 2726 survival-associated AS events from 1714 genes. The correlation network reported DDX39B, PRPF39, and ARGLU1 as key splicing factors (SF) regulating these AS events. Eight survival-associated AS events were selected and validated by LASSO regression to develop a prognostic signature. It was confirmed that this signature could predict HNSC outcomes independent of other variables via multivariate Cox regression analysis. The risk score AUC was more than 0.75 for 3 years, highlighting the signature’s prediction capability. Immune infiltration analysis reported different immune cell distributions between the two risk groups. The immune cell content was higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. The correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between risk score, immune cell subsets, and immune checkpoint expression.Conclusion: The prognostic signature developed from survival-associated AS events could predict the prognosis of HNSC patients and their clinical response to immunotherapy. However, this signature requires further research and validation in larger cohort studies.