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Abstract The exploration of traumatic spinal fractures (TSFs) within the senior demographic has not been thoroughly scrutinized, particularly with respect to variations across genders, age groups, seasonal periods, and causative factors. This retrospective analysis aimed to dissect differences in the prevalence and characteristics of TSFs among the elderly, factoring in gender, age, seasonal timing, and causation. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical and imaging records of 1,415 patients, all aged 60 years or older, who were diagnosed with TSFs from 2013 to 2019. This study categorized the data by gender, age groups (60–70, 70–80, and 80 years or older), seasons, and the cause of injuries, including road traffic crashes (RTCs), falls from low heights (LHF), falls from high heights (HHF), and injuries incurred during everyday activities and agricultural labor (DFI). Male patients exhibited notably higher incidences of RTCs, high-height falls (HHFs), outdoor incidents, comas post-injury, fractures of the lower limbs (LLFs), pelvic fractures (PFs), rib fractures (RFs), intra-thoracic injuries (ITIs), intra-abdominal injuries (IAIs), cervical fractures, and spinal cord injuries (SCIs). With advancing age, there was a marked decline in occurrences of RTCs, HHFs, outdoor incidents, RFs, craniocerebral injuries (CCIs), ITIs, cervical fractures, and SCIs, while the incidences of DFIs, indoor incidents, and thoracic and lumbar (T + L) fractures notably increased. During autumn, LLF occurrences were significantly reduced, whereas the winter season saw an increase in thoracic fractures. Spring time was associated with a higher frequency of lumbar fractures and noncontiguous spinal fractures (NSFs). Significant distinctions were observed in the age distribution, injury circumstances, associated injuries, and SCIs between high-energy impacts (RTCs and HHFs) and low-energy traumas (LHFs and DFIs). In the elderly demographic, TSFs exhibited discernible distinctions based on gender, age, seasonal variations, and etiological factors, impacting the nature and circumstances of injuries, associated traumas, complications, fracture sites, and the occurrence of SCIs.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of anterior column reconstruction using single or double titanium mesh cage (TMC) after total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) of thoracic and lumbar spinal tumors. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed involving 39 patients with thoracic or lumbar spinal tumors. All patients underwent TES, followed by anterior reconstruction and screw-rod instrumentation via a posterior-only procedure. Twenty-two patients in group A were treated with a single TMC to reconstruct the anterior column, whereas 17 patients in group B were reconstructed with double TMCs. Results The overall follow-up is 20.5 ± 4.6 months. There is no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding age, sex, body mass index, tumor location, operative time, and intraoperative blood loss. The time for TMC placement was significantly shortened in the double TMCs group (5.2 ± 1.3 minutes vs. 15.6 ± 3.3 minutes, p = 0.004). Additionally, postoperative neural complications were significantly reduced with double TMCs (5/22 vs. 0/17, p = 0.046). The kyphotic Cobb angle and mean intervertebral height were significantly corrected in both groups (p ≤ 0.001), without obvious loss of correction at the last follow-up in either group. The bone fusion rates for single TMC and double TMCs were 77.3% and 76.5%, respectively. Conclusion Using 2 smaller TMCs instead of a single large one eases the placement of TMC by shortening the time and avoiding nerve impingement. Anterior column reconstruction with double TMC is a clinically feasible, and safe alternative following TES for thoracic and lumbar tumors.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to develop and apply a nomogram with good accuracy to predict the risk of CRAB infections in neuro-critically ill patients. In addition, the difficulties and expectations of application such a tool in clinical practice was investigated. Methods A mixed methods sequential explanatory study design was utilized. We first conducted a retrospective study to identify the risk factors for the development of CRAB infections in neuro-critically ill patients; and further develop and validate a nomogram predictive model. Then, based on the developed predictive tool, medical staff in the neuro-ICU were received an in-depth interview to investigate their opinions and barriers in using the prediction tool during clinical practice. The model development and validation is carried out by R. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed by Maxqda. Results In our cohort, the occurrence of CRAB infections was 8.63% (47/544). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the length of neuro-ICU stay, male, diabetes, low red blood cell (RBC) count, high levels of procalcitonin (PCT), and number of antibiotics ≥ 2 were independent risk factors for CRAB infections in neuro-ICU patients. Our nomogram model demonstrated a good calibration and discrimination in both training and validation sets, with AUC values of 0.816 and 0.875. Additionally, the model demonstrated good clinical utility. The significant barriers identified in the interview include “skepticism about the accuracy of the model”, “delay in early prediction by the indicator of length of neuro-ICU stay”, and “lack of a proper protocol for clinical application”. Conclusions We established and validated a nomogram incorporating six easily accessed indicators during clinical practice (the length of neuro-ICU stay, male, diabetes, RBC, PCT level, and the number of antibiotics used) to predict the risk of CRAB infections in neuro-ICU patients. Medical staff are generally interested in using the tool to predict the risk of CRAB, however delivering clinical prediction tools in routine clinical practice remains challenging.

Increasing numbers of public and private locations now have surveillance cameras installed to make those areas more secure. Even though many organizations still hire someone to monitor the cameras, the person hired is more likely to miss some unexpected events in the video feeds because of human error. Several researchers have worked on surveillance data and have presented a number of approaches for automatically detecting aberrant events. To keep track of all the video data that accumulate, a supervisor is often required. To analyze the video data automatically, we recommend using neural networks to identify the crimes happening in the real world. Through our approach, it will be easier for police agencies to discover and assess criminal activity more quickly using our method, which will reduce the burden on their staff. In this paper, we aim to provide anomaly detection using surveillance videos as input specifically for the crimes of arson, burglary, stealing, and vandalism. It will provide an efficient and adaptable crime-detection system if integrated across the smart city infrastructure. In our project, we trained multiple accurate deep learning models for object detection and crime classification for arson, burglary and vandalism. For arson, the videos were trained using YOLOv5. Similarly for burglary and vandalism, we trained using YOLOv7 and YOLOv6, respectively. When the models were compared, YOLOv7 performed better with the highest mAP of 87. In this, we could not compare the model’s performance based on crime type because all the datasets for each crime type varied. So, for arson YOLOv5 performed well with 80% mAP and for vandalism, YOLOv6 performed well with 86% mAP. This paper designed an automatic identification of crime types based on camera or surveillance video in the absence of a monitoring person, and alerts registered users about crimes such as arson, burglary, and vandalism through an SMS service. To detect the object of the crime in the video, we trained five different machine learning models: Improved YOLOv5 for arson, Faster RCNN and YOLOv7 for burglary, and SSD MobileNet and YOLOv6 for vandalism. Other than improved models, we innovated by building ensemble models of all three crime types. The main aim of the project is to provide security to the society without human involvement and make affordable surveillance cameras to detect and classify crimes. In addition, we implemented the Web system design using the built package in Python, which is Gradio. This helps the registered user of the Twilio communication tool to receive alert messages when any suspicious activity happens around their communities.

This paper introduces the flexible control and trajectory planning medical two-arm surgical robots, and employs effective collision detection methods to ensure the safety and precision during tasks. Firstly, the DH method is employed to establish relative rotation matrices between coordinate systems, determining the relative relationships of each joint link. A neural network based on a multilayer perceptron is proposed to solve FKP problem in real time. Secondly, a universal interpolator based on Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) is developed, capable of handling any geometric shape to ensure smooth and flexible motion trajectories. Finally, we developed a generalized momentum observer to detect external collisions, eliminating the need for external sensors and thereby reducing mechanical complexity and cost. The experiments verify the effectiveness of the kinematics solution and trajectory planning, demonstrating that the improved momentum torque observer can significantly reduce system overshoot, enabling the two-arm surgical robot to perform precise and safe surgical tasks under algorithmic guidance.

Abstract Dual-parameter pressure-temperature sensors are widely employed in personal health monitoring and robots to detect external signals. Herein, we develop a flexible composite dual-parameter pressure-temperature sensor based on three-dimensional (3D) spiral thermoelectric Bi2Te3 films. The film has a (000l) texture and good flexibility, exhibiting a maximum Seebeck coefficient of −181 μV K–1 and piezoresistance gauge factor of approximately −9.2. The device demonstrates a record-high temperature-sensing performance with a high sensing sensitivity (−426.4 μV K−1) and rapid response time (~0.95 s), which are better than those observed in most previous studies. In addition, owing to the piezoresistive effect in the Bi2Te3 film, the 3D-spiral deviceexhibits significant pressure-response properties with a pressure-sensing sensitivity of 120 Pa–1. This innovative approach achieves high-performance dual-parameter sensing using one kind of material with high flexibility, providing insight into the design and fabrication of many applications, such as e-skin.

Abstract Consumer participation is critical to achieving successful food safety governance. However, in the field of food safety governance, consumer participation faces the dilemma of collective action. Based on social capital theory, this study introduces a total of 1229 questionnaires from online food consumers in China were collected by randomly distributing electronic questionnaires to online shoppers, and tests the effect and mechanism of social capital on consumer participation in food safety governance. By using ordered regression and multinomial logit models, the empirical results show that social capital can reduce the adverse effects of free-riding on consumers’ participation in food safety governance and in fact will ultimately encourage consumers to participate in food safety governance. Furthermore, social capital will enhance people’s participation in food safety governance through two paths: promoting consumers’ sharing of food safety information and promoting consumers’ direct supply of safe food. The conclusion of this paper provides inspiration for the promotion of consumer participation in the public affairs related to food safety governance in developing countries.

Objective Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is currently the primary minimally invasive surgical approach for treating vertebral compression fractures caused by senile osteoporosis. The current existing problem is the lack of research on the application of a specific set of intraoperative C‐arm fluoroscopy terminologies in PVP. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of a specific set of intraoperative C‐arm fluoroscopic terminologies in PVP in order to increase fluoroscopy accuracy, decrease fluoroscopy frequencies and ray protection, and minimize operation times through rapid preoperative training of surgeons and radiographers. Methods Spine surgeons and radiographers with at least 5 years of experience from nine different hospitals were randomly selected for a series of specialized intraoperative C‐arm fluoroscopy terminology training between October 2018 and December 2021. Before and after the training, they were surveyed using a five‐point Likert scale to statistically compare their knowledge of the terminology. Simultaneously, 190 PVP cases completed by these surgeons and radiographers before and after the training were chosen for comparison and analysis of fluoroscopy times, effective fluoroscopy rate, fluoroscopy time, repeated puncture rate, and other indicators before and after receiving specialized terminology training. Two‐sample tests were mainly used to investigate differences in answers between surgeons and radiographers. Results After the training, there was a notable improvement in the fluency of intraoperative communication between professional spine surgeons and radiographers. By comparing the indicators of pre‐training with post‐training, the effective anteroposterior fluoroscopy rate increased from 46.5% to 75.7%; the effective lateral fluoroscopy rate increased from 59.8% to 76.9%. Moreover, a notable decrease in communication barriers, fluoroscopy frequencies, fluoroscopy time, and the rate of repeated punctures, and a notable increase in the effective fluoroscopy rate was observed. Conclusion Smooth intraoperative communication between professional spine surgeons and radiographers can significantly lower the communication barrier, reduce the fluoroscopy frequencies and time, the rate of repeated puncture, and increase the effective fluoroscopy rate, all of which are important in improving the fluoroscopy in PVP.

Abstract The efficacy of Mesh optimized versus standard percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. Grid optimization (102 cases; 38 men, 64 women aged 67.3 ± 8.5) and traditional PVP groups (94 cases) were identified from 196 PVP patients treated from May 2016 to 2019. The optimal puncture site and angle forced bone cement into both groups before surgery. The main indexes were operation time, X-ray fluoroscopy times, bone cement injection volume, leakage, VAS, and injured vertebrae height. Preoperative general data were equivalent between groups (P > 0.05). All patients survived surgery without spinal cord injury, incision infection, pulmonary embolism, or death. The mesh optimization group had improved operation time (34.8 ± 6.5 min), fluoroscopy times (29.5 ± 5.5), bone cement injection volume (5.3 ± 2.1 ml), and bone cement permeability greater (3.9 percent; 4/98) than the standard PVP group (P 0.05). However, in the mesh optimization group, measurements improved to 1.8 ± 0.4 mm and (1.8 ± 0.3) mm by month three and to 1.7 ± 0.3 mm at last follow-up (P

Objectives Anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACF) has become a widely accepted surgical treatment for degenerative cervical diseases, but occasionally, significant intraoperative blood loss (SIBL), which is defined as IBL of 500 mL or more, will occur. We aimed to investigate the independent risk factors for SIBL during ACF for degenerative cervical diseases. Methods We enrolled 1150 patients who underwent ACF for degenerative cervical diseases at our hospital between 2013 and 2019. The patients were divided into two groups: the SIBL group (n = 38) and the non‐SIBL group (n = 1112). Demographic, surgical and radiographic data were recorded prospectively to investigate the independent risk factors for SIBL. For counting data, the chi‐square test or Fisher's exact probability test was used. Student's t‐test or the Mann–Whitney rank sum test was used for comparisons between groups of measurement data. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were further used to analyze the significance of potential risk factors. Results The incidence of SIBL during ACF was 3.3% (38/1150). A multivariate analysis revealed that female sex (odds ratio [OR], 6.285; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.707–14.595; p

Capsicum annuum L. is extensively cultivated in subtropical and temperate regions globally, respectively, when grown in a medium with 8 holding significant economic importance. Despite the availability of genome sequences and editing tools, gene editing in peppers is limited by the lack of a stable regeneration and transformation method. This study assessed regeneration and transformation protocols in seven chili pepper varieties, including CM334, Zunla-1, Zhongjiao6 (ZJ6), 0818, 0819, 297, and 348, in order to enhance genetic improvement efforts. Several explants, media compositions, and hormonal combinations were systematically evaluated to optimize the in vitro regeneration process across different chili pepper varieties. The optimal concentrations for shoot formation, shoot elongation, and rooting in regeneration experiments were determined as 5 mg/L of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) with 5 mg/L of silver nitrate (AgNO3), 0.5 mg/L of Gibberellic acid (GA3), and 1 mg/L of Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), respectively. The highest regeneration rate of 41% was observed from CM334 cotyledon explants. Transformation optimization established 300 mg/L of cefotaxime for bacterial control, with a 72-h co-cultivation period at OD600 = 0.1. This study optimizes the protocols for chili pepper regeneration and transformation, thereby contributing to genetic improvement efforts.

Fruit weight is an important agronomic trait in pepper production and is closely related to yield. At present, many quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to fruit weight have been found in pepper; however, the genes affecting fruit weight remain unknown. We analyzed the fruit weight-related quantitative traits in an intraspecific Capsicum annuum cross between the cultivated species blocky-type pepper, cv. Qiemen, and the bird pepper accession, “129−1” (Capsicum annuum var. glatriusculum), which was the wild progenitor of C. annuum. Using the QTL-seq combined with the linkage-based QTL mapping approach, QTL detection was performed; and two major effects of QTL related to fruit weight, qFW2.1 and qFW3.1, were identified on chromosomes 2 and 3. The qFW2.1 maximum explained 12.28% of the phenotypic variance observed in two F2 generations, with the maximum LOD value of 11.02, respectively; meanwhile, the qFW3.1 maximum explained 15.50% of the observed phenotypic variance in the two F2 generations, with the maximum LOD value of 11.36, respectively. qFW2.1 was narrowed down to the 1.22 Mb region using homozygous recombinant screening from BC2S2 and BC2S3 populations, while qFW3.1 was narrowed down to the 4.61Mb region. According to the transcriptome results, a total of 47 and 86 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the candidate regions of qFW2.1 and qFW3.1 were identified. Further, 19 genes were selected for a qRT-PCR analysis based on sequence difference combined with the gene annotation. Finally, Capana02g002938 and Capana02g003021 are the most likely candidate genes for qFW2.1, and Capana03g000903 may be a candidate gene for qFW3.1. Taken together, our results identified and fine-mapped two major QTL for fruit weight in pepper that will facilitate marker-assistant breeding for the manipulation of yield in pepper.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop and validate a simple-to-use nomogram model to assess the risk of infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in neurocritically ill patients. The clinical data of 544 patients with CRKP infection admitted to a neurointensive care unit (neuro-ICU) were retrospectively analyzed. The demographic data, laboratory test results, and clinical characteristics of patients in the neuro-ICU were collected. Subsequently, multivariate regression analysis was used to construct a nomogram to predict the risk of CRKP infection in these patients. The calibration ability, clinical effectiveness, and discriminative ability of the nomogram were evaluated. The incidence of CRKP infection was estimated to be 6.43%, and a majority of bacterial isolates causing the infection were found in sputum (74.3%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the number of antibiotics of ≥2 [odds ratio (OR): 9.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.78–29.71], undergoing surgery (OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.09–13.54), and long neuro-ICU stay (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01–1.14) were associated with CRKP infection in neurocritically ill patients. The nomogram model demonstrated good calibration and discrimination in both the training and validation sets, with area under the curve values of 0.860 and 0.907, respectively. This study developed and validated a nomogram that combines three easily accessed variables during clinical practice to predict the risk of nosocomial CRKP infection in neuro-ICU patients. The tool demonstrated a good predictive performance and discrimination, which might serve as a useful tool to facilitate early detection and reduction of the CRKP infection risk in neurocritically ill patients. IMPORTANCE Patients in neuro-ICU are at a high risk of developing nosocomial CRKP infection owing to complex conditions, critical illness, and frequent invasive procedures. However, studies focused on constructing prediction models for assessing the risk of CRKP infection in neurocritically ill patients are lacking at present. Therefore, this study aims to establish a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting the risk of CRKP infection in patients admitted to the neuro-ICU. Three easily accessed variables were included in the model, including the number of antibiotics used, surgery, and the length of neuro-ICU stay. This nomogram might serve as a useful tool to facilitate early detection and reduction of the CRKP infection risk of neurocritically ill patients.

Abstract High-performance Li-ion/metal batteries working at a low temperature (i.e.,

Objective Studies discussed few risk factors for specific patients, such as duration of disease; or surgical factors, such as duration and time of surgery; or C3 or C7 involvement, which could have led to the formation of hematomas (HTs). To investigate the incidence, risk factors especially the factors mentioned above, and management of postoperative HTs following anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACF) for degenerative cervical diseases. Methods Medical records of 1,150 patients who underwent ACF for degenerative cervical diseases at our hospital between 2013 and 2019 were identified and reviewed. Patients were categorized into the HT group (HT group) or normal group (no-HT group). Demographic, surgical and radiographic data were recorded prospectively to identify risk factors for HT. Results Postoperative HT was identified in 11 patients, with an incidence rate of 1.0% (11 of 1,150). HT occurred within 24 hours postoperatively in 5 patients (45.5%), while it occurred at an average of 4 days postoperatively in 6 patients (54.5%). Eight patients (72.7%) underwent HT evacuation; all patients were successfully treated and discharged. Smoking history (odds ratio [OR], 5.193; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.058–25.493; p = 0.042), preoperative thrombin time (TT) value (OR, 1.643; 95% CI, 1.104–2.446; p = 0.014) and antiplatelet therapy (OR, 15.070; 95% CI, 2.663–85.274; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for HT. Patients with postoperative HT had longer days of first-degree/intensive nursing (p < 0.001) and greater hospitalization costs (p = 0.038). Conclusion Smoking history, preoperative TT value and antiplatelet therapy were independent risk factors for postoperative HT following ACF. High-risk patients should be closely monitored through the perioperative period. Postoperative HT in ACF was associated with longer days of first-degree/intensive nursing and more hospitalization costs.

Abstract A crawler system provides much larger ground contact, leading to excellent terrain adaptability. Due to its structural characteristics, high‐frequency vibration proportional to the vehicle speed is generated during the driving process. This is a result of the polygon and rolling effects between the track and the wheels. A field test of a tracked vehicle is performed to monitor movement signals of the chassis and a rocker arm. Their corresponding power spectral density distributions confirm the correctness of the frequency‐calculation equation. Then, a novel elastic track tensioning device with a damper is designed as a cushion between the idler and the chassis. Depending on its geometry, the equivalent damping coefficient for a dynamic model is evaluated. Subsequently, the damping is altered in response to different operating conditions by a hybrid damping fuzzy semiactive control system. The controller accounts for both chassis and track vibration. Based on the transfer matrix method for multibody systems, a dynamical model of the track system is developed. Control performances are evaluated using two numerical simulations of obstacle crossing and off‐road driving operations. Results indicate that the proposed semiactive tensioner is substantially better than the conventional one. This paper provides a novel feasible scheme for vibration reduction of tracked vehicles.

Objectives Unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (UPKP) has been effective in reducing the operative time, cement volume, and cement leakage (CL) rate compared with bilateral kyphoplasty. However, no device can help to determine the trajectory during operation, especially the inner inclination angle. To assess the safety and efficacy of a novel guide device (GD) for UPKP in the treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fractures (TLOVFs). Methods From January 2019 to May 2021, 31 patients diagnosed with single TLOVF who underwent UPKP were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: traditional UPKP (UPKP group, 15 patients) and UPKP assisted with GD (UPKP‐GD group, 16 patients). Pre‐procedure demographic, clinical and radiologic characteristics, operative procedure details, and clinical and radiologic outcomes at 1 day and 12 months post‐procedure were collected. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 24.0. The baseline characteristics of the two groups were compared by the independent sample t test or the χ2 test. The anterior height or local kyphotic angle (LKA) of the fractured vertebrae, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) within groups were compared using the paired t test. Results A total of 31 patients (five men and 26 women; age range: 58–90 years) completed the full 12‐month postoperative follow‐up schedule. No significant differences were observed between treatment groups with respect to sex, age, body mass index, preoperative bone mineral density, or surgical level. Compared with the UPKP group, the operation time in the UPKP‐GD group was significantly shorter (40.8 ± 5.5 min vs. 48.5 ± 8.5 min, p = 0.005), and the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy times in the UPKP‐GD group was significantly decreased (20.6 ± 4.5 vs. 25.2 ± 2.4, p = 0.001). Five (31.3%) patients in the UPKP‐GD group and four (26.7%) patients in the UPKP group had bone CL. The VAS and ODI scores, anterior height and LKA of the fractured vertebrae were significantly improved after surgery in each group. No significant differences in postoperative VAS and ODI scores, anterior height or LKA of the fractured vertebrae, volume of injected cement or CL were observed between the two groups. Conclusion Unilateral puncture using a novel GD is a safe and effective technique for patients with TLFs and UPKP assisted with a novel GD is associated with fewer intraoperative fluoroscopy times and shorter operation time.

ABSTRACTFor geoscience text, rich domain corpora have become the basis of improving the model performance in word segmentation. However, the lack of domain-specific corpus with annotation labelled has become a major obstacle to professional information mining in geoscience fields. In this paper, we propose a corpus augmentation method based on Levenshtein distance. According to the technique, a geoscience dictionary of 20,137 words was collected and constructed by crawling the keywords from published papers in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The dictionary was further used as the main source of synonyms to enrich the geoscience corpus according to the Levenshtein distance between words. Finally, a Chinese word segmentation model combining the BERT, Bi-gated recurrent neural network (Bi-GRU), and conditional random fields (CRF) was implemented. Geoscience corpus composed of complex long specific vocabularies has been selected to test the proposed word segmentation framework. CNN-LSTM, Bi-LSTM-CRF, and Bi-GRU-CRF models were all selected to evaluate the effects of Levenshtein data augmentation technique. Experiments results prove that the proposed methods achieve a significant performance improvement of more than 10%. It has great potential for natural languages processing tasks like named entity recognition and relation extraction.

Abstract To investigate the sex, age, role and geographic differences in traumatic spinal fractures (TSFs) caused by motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) in adults (≥ 18 years old). This was a multicentre retrospective observational study. In total, 798 patients with TSFs caused by MVCs admitted to our hospitals from January 2013 to December 2019 were enrolled. The patterns were summarized with respect to different sexes (male and female), age group (18–60 and ≥ 60), role (driver, passenger and pedestrian) and geographic location (Chongqing and Shenyang). Significant differences in distribution related to district (p = 0.018), role (p

Arc plasma, characterized by its high current density, high energy concentration, and elevated gas enthalpy, is widely utilized in fields such as metallurgy, chemical industry, energy and environmental protection, as well as aerospace. Plasma treatment of solid waste is one of the advanced environmental protection technologies at the international forefront. The rapid development of plasma technology has led to continuous updates and upgrades of arc plasma power sources. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research progress in arc plasma technology in China, with a particular focus on two key aspects: structure and control methods. The objective is to provide a novel perspective and insights for the international academic community, thereby driving further development in the field of arc plasma power sources. Furthermore, it discusses and analyzes the future development of arc plasma power sources with a focus on achieving higher system reliability, increased power output, environmentally friendly solutions, and intelligent operation.

With the development of artificial intelligence, the intelligence of agriculture has become a trend. Intelligent monitoring of agricultural activities is an important part of it. However, due to difficulties in achieving a balance between quality and cost, the goal of improving the economic benefits of agricultural activities has not reached the expected level. Farm supervision requires intensive human effort and may not produce satisfactory results. In order to achieve intelligent monitoring of agricultural activities and improve economic benefits, this paper proposes a solution that combines unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with deep learning models. The proposed solution aims to detect and classify objects using UAVs in the agricultural industry, thereby achieving independent agriculture without human intervention. To achieve this, a highly reliable target detection and tracking system is developed using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The use of deep learning methods allows the system to effectively solve the target detection and tracking problem. The model utilizes data collected from DJI Mirage 4 unmanned aerial vehicles to detect, track, and classify different types of targets. The performance evaluation of the proposed method shows promising results. By combining UAV technology and deep learning models, this paper provides a cost-effective solution for intelligent monitoring of agricultural activities. The proposed method offers the potential to improve the economic benefits of farming while reducing the need for intensive hum.

The crystal morphology and conformational changes during crystallization of a polypropylene random copolymer (PPR) are the basis for understanding its crystallization process. In this work, novel rare-earth β-nucleating agent WBN-28 was directly added into PPR to induce β-crystallization. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that it has an excellent β-crystal-induced effect. The β-crystal content could surpass 85%, calculated from wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) data. The morphology of the β-crystal and α-crystal was intuitively observed via a polarizing optical microscope (POM). The β-crystallites were interconnected to naturally develop plate-like crystalline regions possessing a certain size, and the α-crystallites with sufficient thicknesses possessed a cross-hatched phenomenon. The bundle-like supramolecular structure of the β-crystal induced by WBN-28 was further observed via a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The conformational changes in the crystallization process of PPR were resolved via high-resolution infrared spectroscopy to understand its β-crystallization in depth. The conformational changes during the crystallization of PPR were found to be different from those of the isotactic polypropylene homopolymer (PPH); they had their own characteristics. This will provide guidance for understanding the β-crystallization of PPR in depth.

Agronomic traits are key components in variety protection, cultivar development, and the formulation of DUS (distinct, uniform, and stable) test guidelines. P. giganteus is an increasingly popular and commercially promising edible macrofungi. In this study, both mycelial performance and fruiting body characters of 15 Pleurotus giganteus strains were investigated. The temperature gradient culture test indicated that, although most of the strains achieved optimal mycelial growth between 24 and 28 °C, a statistical difference in mycelial growth rates and temperature adaptability among strains were found, supporting that this trait has the potential to be adopted as an indicator in distinguishing strains. In the fruiting performance tests, the coefficient of variation (CV) of tested traits ranged from 5.30% (pileus diameter) to 18.70% (individual mushroom weight). The mushroom yields ranged from 103.37 g/bag (strain No. 15) to 275.76 g/bag (strain No. 9). The large divergence observed in individual mushroom weight tested strains, ranging from 40.88 g to 78.39 g (with median between 37.69 and 79.395 g), make it highly selective and a potential indicator in variety development. Strain No. 9 had the advantages of forming larger, heavier fruiting bodies and a more obvious funnel shape, which also exhibited the highest biological efficiency (15.61%). The results suggested some morphological traits showed high variety difference, such as pileus diameter (55.75 mm to 66.48 mm), stipe length (92.59 mm to 177.51 mm), stipe diameter (16.14 mm to 23.52 mm), and pileus thickness (13.38 mm to 19.75 mm). In the cluster analysis, the tested strains were grouped into four clusters based on agronomic traits: cluster Ⅰ comprised six strains (No. 6, No. 11, No. 8, No. 1, No. 14, and No. 9) with high mushroom yield; cluster Ⅱ included four strains (No. 3, No. 10, No. 7, and No. 4) with large pileus diameter and short stipe; cluster ⅡI consisted of four strains (No. 5, No. 12, No. 13, and No. 15) with relatively lower yields; and cluster Ⅳ included only strain No. 2 which was low in yield, individual mushroom weight, and biological efficiency, accompanied by smaller pileus size and shorter stipe. The results of the correlation analysis indicated three traits, including individual mushroom weight, stipe length, and pileus weight, were positively associated with high yield. This study suggested P. giganteus germplasm resources are of high abundance and their agronomic diversity is useful in distinguishing and developing different varieties. The findings of this work provide knowledge on the agronomic traits and cultivation performance of various P. giganteus strains, laying a foundation for the development of its DUS test guidelines and variety protection, as well as providing reference for the breeding and phenotype selection of high-quality cultivars.

In this paper, Ti-5Mn alloy was subjected to different heat treatments to explore the possibility of preparing antimicrobial Ti-Mn alloys and to examine the effect of precipitate on the properties of the alloy. The microstructure, phase composition, hardness, biocorrosion properties and antimicrobial properties of Ti-5Mn alloys after different heat treatments was analyzed by metallurgical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), microhardness tests, electrochemical tests and antimicrobial tests. The results have shown that the phase composition of the solid solution treated Ti-5Mn(T4) was mainly β -Ti phase, and the aged Ti-5Mn was composed of α -Ti phase and Ti _17 Mn _3 phase, while Ti _17 Mn _3 precipitate gradually increased with the extension of the aging time. Ti-5Mn(T4) showed the highest hardness and the best corrosion resistance and the aging process reduced the hardness of Ti-5Mn(T4) alloy. With the precipitation of Ti _17 Mn _3 , the corrosion resistance of the alloy became worse and the hardness was reduced, but the corrosion resistance of Ti-5Mn alloy was still better than that of cp-Ti. It was demonstrated that Ti-5Mn(T4) exhibited no antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus , but the aging treatment improved the antibacterial property of Ti-5Mn(T4) alloy, and the antibacterial rate of Ti-5Mn alloy reached 69% after 50 h aging treatment.

Abstract Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), comprising unstable angina (UA) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is the leading cause of death worldwide. Currently, lacking effective strategies for classifying ACS hinders the prognosis improvement of ACS patients. Disclosing the nature of metabolic disorders holds the potential to reflect disease progress and high‐throughput mass spectrometry‐based metabolic analysis is a promising tool for large‐scale screening. Herein, a hollow crystallization COF capsuled MOF hybrids (UiO‐66@HCOF) assisted serum metabolic analysis is developed for the early diagnosis and risk stratification of ACS. UiO‐66@HCOF exhibits unrivaled chemical and structural stability as well as endowing satisfying desorption/ionization efficiency in the detection of metabolites. Paired with machine learning algorithms, early diagnosis of ACS is achieved with the area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.945 for validation sets. Besides, a comprehensive ACS risk stratification method is established, and the AUC value for the discrimination of ACS from healthy controls, and AMI from UA are 0.890, and 0.928. Moreover, the AUC value of the subtyping of AMI is 0.964. Finally, the potential biomarkers exhibit high sensitivity and specificity. This study makes metabolic molecular diagnosis a reality and provided new insight into the progress of ACS.

Pleurotus giganteus is a commercially cultivated high-temperature mushroom. Investigating the molecular mechanism of fruiting body development will help us to better understand the regulation of substrates and energy in this process. However, little information has been reported on the development and nutrients of the P. giganteus fruiting body. In the present study, P. giganteus is cultivated in a climate chamber, and comparative transcriptome, proteome, and nutritional analysis of P. giganteus fruiting bodies were performed. Our results revealed that Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and hydrophobin proteins play important roles during the differentiation in the elongation stage. Later, carbon metabolism dominate the fruiting body metabolism and genes related to the carbohydrate metabolic process, glycolytic process, and gluconeogenesis were up-regulated in the mature fruiting bodies. The up-regulation of carbohydrate substrates utilization CAZymes genes and inconsistent protein expression in pileus indicated a reverse transportation of mRNA from the fruiting body to vegetative mycelia. In addition, protein concentration in the pileus is higher than that in the stem, while the stem is the major nitrogen metabolic and amino acid synthetic location. The integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and nutritional analysis indicated a two-way transportation of substrates and mRNAs in P. giganteus. Stem synthesizes amino acids and transported them to pileus with reducing sugars, while pileus induces the expression of substrate degradation mRNA according to the needs of growth and development and transports them in the other direction.

Objective Femoral fractures are a common cause of mortality and functional loss, mainly among older people, and there are few studies about the age in relation to traumatic femoral fractures. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of age on the patterns of traumatic femoral fractures in patients presenting to our regional tertiary hospital. Methods The records of 2020 patients who presented with traumatic femoral fractures between 2013 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' clinical and radiographic records were reviewed. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify independent risk factors for associated injuries and complications. Results The patients were divided into a child group (CH group, n = 342) aged under 18 years, a young adult group (YA group, n = 484) aged 18–60 years, and an older people group (OP group, n = 1194) aged 60 years and over. There were significant differences among the three groups in several indexes, such as sex ratio (χ2 = 301.699, p

Objective To compare the effect of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) using a double‐cannula guide tube (DGT), traditional PELD, and open lumbar discectomy (OLD) to treat large lumbar disc herniations (LLDHs). Methods Seventy patients who presented with LLDH without cauda equina syndrome and were treated with surgery in our hospital from October 2015 to October 2017 were included. The detailed index included the visual analog scale (VAS) for back and radicular leg pain and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) in the immediate preoperative period and at the final follow‐up. The operation time, radiation exposure time, surgical satisfaction rate, and modified MacNab criteria score were also recorded. Results The leg and back pain of the patients in these groups improved significantly in the postoperative period. No significant differences were observed in leg pain improvement between the other two groups; however, patients in the PELD group (with or without DGT) presented with significantly higher improvement in back pain than the OLD group (t = 9.965, p

Xanthine oxidase (XO), a form of xanthine oxidoreductase, is widely distributed in various human tissues. As a major source for the generation of superoxide radicals, XO is involved in the induction of oxidative stress and inflammation during ischemic and hypoxic tissue injury. Therefore, we designed this study to identify the role of serum XO levels in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) pathogenesis. In this single-center prospective study, 328 consecutive patients with AIS for the first time were included, and 107 age- and sex-matched healthy controls from a community-based stroke screening population were also included. The serum levels of XO and several conventional stroke risk factors were assessed. Multivariate analysis was applied to evaluate the relationship between serum levels of XO and clinical outcomes, and nomogram models were developed to predict the onset, progression and prognosis of AIS. Compared with the healthy control group, the serum level of XO was significantly higher in the AIS group (P

In our previous study, metformin was able to promote nerve regeneration after sciatic nerve crushing in rats under diabetic conditions. However, a crush injury also has a strong ability to spontaneously recover. Therefore, in our present study, a model of transection injury of the sciatic nerve in diabetic rats was utilized to detect whether metformin could still promote nerve regeneration. Diabetes was induced via an injection of 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin in rats. After transection injury of the sciatic nerve, the rats were randomly divided into a high-dose metformin group (500 mg/kg/d), mid-dose metformin group (200 mg/kg/d), low-dose metformin group (30 mg/kg/d) and control group (normal saline). The metformin or normal saline was intraperitoneally injected for 4 weeks. Then, behavioral, electrophysiological and morphometric analyses were performed. The results showed that metformin could significantly promote functional restoration and axonal regeneration of the sciatic nerve after transection injury under diabetic conditions. Furthermore, high doses and middle doses of metformin presented more of this ability than a low dose of metformin. In conclusion, metformin is able to accelerate sciatic nerve repair after transection injury under diabetic conditions, showing the therapeutic potential of metformin in the management of nerve injuries during diabetes mellitus.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error caused by deficiencies in phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism. Mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene are the main cause of the disease whose signature hallmarks of toxically elevated levels of Phe accumulation in plasma and organs such as the brain, result in irreversible intellectual disability. Here, we present a unique approach to treating PKU deficiency by using an mRNA replacement therapy. A full-length mRNA encoding human PAH (hPAH) is encapsulated in our proprietary lipid nanoparticle LUNAR and delivered to a Pahenu2 mouse model that carries a missense mutation in the mouse PAH gene. Animals carrying this missense mutation develop hyperphenylalanemia and hypotyrosinemia in plasma, two clinical features commonly observed in the clinical presentation of PKU. We show that intravenous infusion of LUNAR-hPAH mRNA can generate high levels of hPAH protein in hepatocytes and restore the Phe metabolism in the Pahenu2 mouse model. Together, these data establish a proof of principle of a novel mRNA replacement therapy to treat PKU.

In this study, the soluble sugar and organic acid components of 11 main cultivars of Lentinus edodes were determined and analyzed by ion chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, and then the taste quality was evaluated by cluster analysis and factor analysis. The results showed that four kinds of soluble sugar, mannitol, trehalose, arabinose and glucose, in which mannitol and trehalose were main. The total contents of 241-4, L9015 and L135 were relatively high. The organic acids were mainly succinic acid and malic acid, and the total contents of 241-4 were highest in the cultivars. The taste evaluation was based on the above results and EUC data of previous research. According to the clustering analysis, Shenxiang-8, Shenxiang-10, Wuxiang-1, J868, Cr04, 939 and Qingke-20 were classified as class A, in which EUC, citric acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid and mannitol contributed significantly; L808, 241-1, L9015 and L135 were classified as class B, in which fumaric acid, malic acid, trehalose and succinic acid have made outstanding contributions. And the factor analysis was used to obtain three recessive factors, et al, high sensitivity factor of organic acid, medium sensitivity factor of organic acid and sweetness factor. The comprehensive evaluation results showed that class B was relatively high in the ranking, and the contribution of high sensitivity factor of organic acid was relatively large, which was not easy to receive; while class A was relatively low in the ranking, which was easy to receive, and EUC fresh index was relatively high.

Lyophyllum decastes, also known as Luronggu in China, is a culinary edible and medicinal mushroom that was widely cultivated in China in recent years. In the present study, the complete high-quality genome of two mating compatible L. decastes strain was sequenced. The L. decastes LRG-d1-1 genome consists of 47.7 Mb in 15 contigs with a contig N90 of 2.08 Mb and 14,499 predicted gene models. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that L. decastes exhibits a close evolutionary relationship to the Termitomyces and Hypsizygus genus and was diverged from H. marmoreus ~ 45.53 Mya ago. Mating A loci of L. decastes compose of five and four HD genes in two monokaryotic strains, respectively. Mating B loci compose of five STE genes in both two monokaryotic strains. To accelerate the cross-breeding process, we designed four pairs of specific primers and successfully detected both mating types in L. decastes. As a wood-rotting mushroom, a total of 541 genes accounting for 577 CAZymes were identified in the genome of L. decastes. Proteomic analysis revealed that 1,071 proteins including 182 CAZymes and 258 secreted enzymes were identified from four groups (PDB, PDB + bran, PDB + cotton hull, and PDB + sawdust). Two laccases and a quinone reductase were strongly overproduced in lignin-rich cultures, and the laccases were among the top-3 secreted proteins, suggesting an important role in the synergistic decomposition of lignin. These results revealed the robustness of the lignocellulose degradation capacity of L. decastes. This is the first study to provide insights into the evolution and lignocellulose degradation of L. decastes.

Abstract Background Lentinula edodes (Berk.) is the second most productive mushroom in the world. It contains compounds effective for antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant and immune regulation. Although genomes have previously been reported for this species, a high-quality chromosome-level reference for L. edodes is unavailable. This hinders detailed investigation of population genetics, breeding history of strains and genes related to environmental stress responses. Results A high-quality chromosome-level genome was constructed. We separated a monokaryon from protoplasts of the commercial L. edodes strain L808 and assembled the genome of L. edodes using PacBio long-read and Illumina short-read sequencing, along with the high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) technique. We assembled a 45.87 Mb genome, and 99% of the sequences were anchored onto 10 chromosomes. The contig and scaffold N50 length were 2.17 and 4.94 Mb, respectively. Over 96% of the complete Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) were identified, and 9853 protein-coding genes were predicted. We performed population genome resequencing using 34 wild strains and 65 commercial cultivars of L. edodes originating from China, Japan, the United States and Australia. Based on whole-genome variants, we showed substantial differences in the Chinese wild population, which divided into different branches according to the main areas of their geographical distribution. We also determined the breeding history of L. edodes at the molecular level, and demonstrated that the cultivated strains in China mainly originated from wild strains from China and Northeast Asia. Phenotypic analysis showed that 99 strains exhibited differences on the Cd accumulation. Three significant loci in the of L. edodes genome were identified using the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of Cd accumulation traits. Functional genes associated with Cd accumulation traits were related to DNA ligase and aminoacyl tRNA synthetase, indicating that DNA damage repair and in vivo protein translation may be responses to Cd stress. Conclusions A high-quality chromosome-level genome and population genetic data of L. edodes provide genetic resources for functional genomic, evolutionary and artificial breeding studies for L. edodes.

Given that the rate of acid deposition tends to be stable or even decline in most regions of China, the rapid development of the coal industry accelerated the rates of S and N deposition in Northwest China. Although desert plants are sparse, they play an essential role in maintaining ecosystem functions. However, few studies have evaluated whether and how acid deposition affects plant species diversity in deserts, especially those with moderate and severe alkalinity. In this study, three coal-fired power plants located at the Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base in Northwest China were selected as the monitoring sites. From 2019 to 2021, we analyzed the chemical compositions of the bulk deposition of rainfall and dustfall, plant species diversity, and the main factors influencing plant diversity along a 2000 m sampling distance gradient. There were no apparent trends in annual deposition of SO42− (19.67–82.28 kg ha−1 yr−1), NO3− (2.83–11.42 kg ha−1 yr−1), NH4+ (1.91–5.20 kg ha−1 yr−1), and inorganic N (4.91–16.11 kg ha−1 yr−1) along the sampling gradient. The SO42− deposition was lower than the S deposition critical load in the study area, whereas the N deposition exceeded the acceptable N deposition of soils. The base cation (BC) neutralized the input acidity of the bulk deposition, in which Ca2+ played a key role. There were no significant differences in the Patrick richness index (2–8), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (0.45–1.73), and Pielou evenness index (0.56–0.99) along the sampling gradient, whereas an increasing trend was observed in the Simpson dominance index (0.13–0.72). C:N:P ecological stoichiometry in plant–microbe-soil could not highly explain the variation in plant diversity. S, N, and BC deposition had minor direct effects on plant diversity. However, S and BC deposition could indirectly influence plant diversity through their influence on soil BCs and bulk deposition pH. The results indicate that S deposition increases bulk deposition acidity, reduces soil BC concentration, and improves soil alkaline environments, thus enhancing plant diversity in the studied deserts. Current N deposition does not greatly affect plant diversity. However, long-term observations are still required to thoroughly evaluate the effect of N deposition..

Most of the sequenced wood-rotting edible mushroom produce fruiting body at relatively low temperatures. Little information has been known about the high-temperature wood-rotting mushroom. Here, we performed de novo sequencing and assembly of the genome of a high-temperature edible mushroom Pleurotus giganteus from a monokaryotic strain zhudugu2 using the Illumina and Pac-Bio CLR sequencing technologies. P. giganteus, also known as Zhudugu in China, is a well-known culinary edible mushroom that has been widely distributed and cultivated in China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The genome consists of 40.00 Mb in 27 contigs with a contig N50 of 4.384 Mb. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that P. giganteus and other strains in Pleurotus clustered in one clade. Phylogenetic analysis and average nucleotide identity analysis indicated that the P. giganteus genome showed a closer relationship with other Pleurotus species. Chromosome collinearity analysis revealed a high level of collinearity between P. ostreatus and P. giganteus. There are 12,628 protein-coding genes annotated in this monoploid genome. A total of 481 enzymes accounting for 514 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) terms were identified in the P. giganteus genome, including 15 laccases and 10 class II peroxidases predicted in the genome, which revealed the robustness of lignocellulose degradation capacity of P. giganteus. The mating-A type locus of P. giganteus consisted of a pair of homeodomain mating-type genes HD1 and HD2. The mating-B type locus of P. giganteus consisted of at least four pheromone receptor genes and three pheromone genes. The genome is not only beneficial for the genome-assisted breeding of this mushroom but also helps us to understand the high-temperature tolerance of the edible mushroom.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is considered as one of the most important complications of diabetes mellitus. At present, effective treatments that might improve the damaged neurological function in DPN are sorely needed. As myricetin has been proved to possess excellent neuroprotective and antioxidant effects, it might have therapeutic potential for DPN. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to detect the potential beneficial effect of myricetin on DPN. A single dose of 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin was applied in rats for the establishment of diabetic models. Different doses of myricetin (0.5 mg/kg/day, 1.0 mg/kg/day, and 2.0 mg/kg/day) were intraperitoneally injected for 2 weeks from the 21st day after streptozotocin injection. After the final myricetin injection, behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical, and protein analyses were performed. In the present study, myricetin significantly ameliorated diabetes-induced impairment in sensation, nerve conduction velocities, and nerve blood flow. In addition, myricetin significantly reduced the generation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and elevated Na+, K+-ATPase activity and antioxidant activities in nerves in diabetic animals. Additional studies revealed that myricetin significantly raised the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels, and elevated the expression level of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as well as nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in diabetic rats. In addition, myricetin has the capability of decreasing plasma glucose under diabetic conditions. The findings in our present study collectively indicated that myricetin could restore the impaired motor and sensory functions under diabetic conditions. The Nrf2-dependent antioxidant action and the capability of decreasing plasma glucose might be the underlying mechanisms for the beneficial effect of myricetin on impaired neural functions. Our study showed the therapeutic potential of myricetin in the management of DPN.

Sanghuangporus sanghuang is a large wood-decaying mushroom highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine due to its medicinal properties, including hypoglycemic, antioxidant, antitumor, and antibacterial properties effects. Its key bioactive compounds include flavonoids and triterpenoids. Specific fungal genes can be selectively induced by fungal elicitors. To investigate the effect of fungal polysaccharides derived from Perenniporia tenuis mycelia on the metabolites of S. sanghuang, we conducted metabolic and transcriptional profiling with and without elicitor treatment (ET and WET, respectively). Correlation analysis showed significant differences in triterpenoid biosynthesis between the ET and WET groups. In addition, the structural genes associated with triterpenoids and their metabolites in both groups were verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). Through metabolite screening, three triterpenoids were identified: betulinol, betulinic acid, and 2-hydroxyoleanolic acid. Excitation treatment increased the level of betulinic acid by 2.62-fold and 2-hydroxyoleanolic acid by 114.67-fold compared to WET. The qRT-PCR results of the four genes expressed in secondary metabolic pathways, defense gene activation, and signal transduction showed significant variation between the ET and WET groups. Overall, our study suggests that the fungal elicitor induced the aggregation of pentacyclic triterpenoid secondary metabolites in S. sanghuang.

Abstract Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) catalyses the reaction from ornithine to citrulline in the urea cycle. Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) results in episodes of hyperammonemia. Arcturus Therapeutics developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)‐encapsulated OTC‐mRNA (LUNAR‐OTC) that results in a replacement enzyme and is currently undergoing clinical trials. In this study, the efficacy of LUNAR OTC‐mRNA drug in the spfash mouse model was examined by measuring the OTC enzyme activity and protein expression in the liver and plasma of OTC‐mRNA‐treated mice. Using purified citrulline‐D4 as the substrate improved the sensitivity of the OTC activity assay and allowed us to quantify the ornithine‐D4 product from the mouse plasma samples. OTC activity in the liver showed a clear dose response: The lowest dose, 0.3 mg/kg, resulted in higher activity than that of the untreated group, and the highest dose, 3 mg/kg, resulted in completely restored OTC activity in the liver. OTC activity in plasma was also dose‐dependent. A clear positive correlation between the OTC activity in the liver and that in the plasma suggests that the plasma OTC activity assay may serve as a surrogate for measuring OTC activity in liver biopsy samples. In addition, the OTC protein expression levels correlated well with the OTC activity in liver samples, but there was no quantifiable OTC protein in the plasma samples. This finding suggests that the sensitivity of the OTC activity assay is superior to that of the protein expression assay. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the OTC activity assay described here can be used as a clinical pharmacodynamic endpoint to measure the effectiveness of OTCD treatment.

With the ageing of the global population, the incidence of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) is increasing. To assess the safety and efficacy of O-arm- and guide-device-assisted personalized percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for treating thoracolumbar OVCFs, a total of 38 consecutive thoracolumbar OVCF patients who underwent bilateral PKP assisted with an O-arm and a guide device (O-GD group, n = 16) or traditional fluoroscopy (TF group, n = 22) from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, and their epidemiologic, clinical and radiological outcomes were analysed. The operation time was significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in the O-GD group (38.3 ± 12.2 min) compared with the TF group (57.2 ± 9.7 min). The number of intraoperative fluoroscopy exposures was significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in the O-GD group (31.9 ± 4.5) compared with the TF group (46.7 ± 7.2). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly decreased (p = 0.031) in the O-GD group (6.9 ± 2.5 mL) compared with the TF group (9.1 ± 3.3 mL). No significant difference (p = 0.854) in the volume of injected cement was observed between the O-GD group (6.8 ± 1.3 mL) and the TF group (6.7 ± 1.7 mL). Both the clinical and radiological outcomes, including the visual analogue scale score for pain, Oswestry Disability Index and anterior height and local kyphotic angle of the fractured vertebrae, were significantly improved at the postoperative and final follow-up but did not differ between the two groups. The incidence of cement leakage and refracture of the vertebral body was similar in the two groups (p = 0.272; p = 0.871). Our preliminary study demonstrated that O-GD-assisted PKP is a safe and effective procedure that presents a significantly shorter operation time, fewer intraoperative fluoroscopy exposures and less intraoperative blood loss than the TF technique.

Oudemansiella raphanipes, considered as a well-known culinary edible mushroom with a high content of natural bioactive substances, is widely cultivated in China with the commercial name Changgengu. However, due to the lack of genomic data, molecular and genetic study on O. raphanipes is rare. To obtain a comprehensive overview of genetic characteristics and enhance the value of O. raphanipes, two mating-compatible monokaryons isolated from the dikaryon were applied for de novo genome sequencing and assembly using Nanopore and /or Illumina sequencing platforms. One of the monokaryons, O. raphanipes CGG-A-s1, was annotated with 21,308 protein-coding genes, of which 56 were predicted to be involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as terpene, type I PKS, NRPS, and siderophore. Phylogenetic and comparative analysis of multiple fungi genomes revealed a close evolutionary relationship between O. raphanipes and Mucidula mucid based on single-copy orthologous protein genes. Significant collinearity was detected between O. raphanipes and Flammulina velutipes on the synteny of inter-species genomes. 664 CAZyme genes in CGG-A-s1 were identified with GHs and AAs families significantly elevated when compared with the other 25 sequenced fungi, indicating a strong wood degradation ability. Furthermore, the mating type locus analysis revealed that CGG-A-s1 and CGG-A-s2 were conserved in the gene organization of the mating A locus but various in that of the mating B locus. The genome resource of O. raphanipes will provide new insights into its development of genetic studies and commercial production of high-quality varieties.

Abstract Background In the central nervous system (CNS), connexin 43 (Cx43) is mainly expressed in astrocytes and regulates astrocytic network homeostasis. Similar to Cx43 overexpression, abnormal excessive opening of Cx43 hemichannels (Cx43Hcs) on reactive astrocytes aggravates the inflammatory response and cell death in CNS pathologies. However, the role of excessive Cx43Hc opening in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) injury is not clear. Methods Hemin stimulation in primary cells and collagenase IV injection in C57BL/6J (B6) mice were used as ICH models in vitro and in vivo. After ICH injury, the Cx43 mimetic peptide Gap19 was used for treatment. Ethidium bromide (EtBr) uptake assays were used to measure the opening of Cx43Hcs. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to measure protein expression. qRT-PCR and ELISA were used to determine the levels of cytokines. Coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and the Duolink in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) were applied to measure the association between proteins. Results In this study, Cx43 expression upregulation and excessive Cx43Hc opening was observed in mice after ICH injury. Delayed treatment with Gap19 significantly alleviated hematoma volume and neurological deficits after ICH injury. In addition, Gap19 decreased inflammatory cytokine levels in the tissue surrounding the hematoma and decreased reactive astrogliosis after ICH injury in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, Cx43 transcriptional activity and expression in astrocytes were significantly increased after hemin stimulation in culture. However, Gap19 treatment downregulated astrocytic Cx43 expression through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway without affecting Cx43 transcription. Additionally, our data showed that Gap19 increased Yes-associated protein (YAP) nuclear translocation. This subsequently upregulated SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression and then inhibited the TLR4-NFκB and JAK2-STAT3 pathways in hemin-stimulated astrocytes. Finally, the YAP inhibitor, verteporfin (VP), reversed the anti-inflammatory effect of Gap19 in vitro and almost completely blocked its protective effects in vivo after ICH injury. Conclusions This study provides new insight into potential treatment strategies for ICH injury involving astroglial Cx43 and Cx43Hcs. Suppression of abnormal astroglial Cx43 expression and Cx43Hc opening by Gap19 has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects after ICH injury.

The inherent properties of non-aqueous electrolytes are highly associated with the identity of salt anions. To build highly conductive and chemically/electrochemically robust electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and rechargeable lithium metal batteries (RLMBs), various kinds of weakly coordinating anions have been proposed as counterparts of lithium salts and ionic liquids. Among them, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion ([N(SO2F)2]−, FSI−) has aroused special attention in battery field due to the unique physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties of the FSI-based electrolytes. Herein, an overview on the synthetic methodologies of the FSI-based salts (e.g., alkali metal salts, ionic liquids) is provided, and their applications in LIBs and RLMBs are also updated. Future directions on developing FSI-based and/or FSI-derived electrolytes are presented. The present work is anticipated to inspire the design and screening of new anions for battery use, particularly, those stemming from sulfonimide anions.

Abstract Background Colletotrichum species are the causal agents of anthracnose, a major disease affecting the yield and quality of pepper (Capsicum spp.). Colletotrichum scovillei is widespread in China, has strong pathogenicity and drug resistance, and causes anthracnose disease in pepper fruits that severely reduces production. Previously, an anti-anthracnose locus AnR GO 5 was mapped to the P5 chromosome on the basis of analyses of fruit at the green mature stage. The aim of this study was to narrow down the interval of this locus and identify the gene responsible for conferring resistance. Results On the basis of results of re-sequencing of Capsicum chinense ‘PBC932’ and C. annuum ‘77013’, we developed Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASPar) markers and insertion–deletion (InDel) markers linked to AnR GO 5 at the green mature fruit stage and used them to construct a genetic linkage map (42 markers, 24.4 cM in length). Using data obtained in phenotypic and genotypic analyses of BC4S1, BC4S2, and BC4S3 populations, AnR GO 5 was located between the markers P5in-2266-404 and P5in-2268-978 within a physical distance of 164 kb. This region contained five genes, including CA05g17730. CA05g17730 encodes ‘R1C-3-like’ putative late blight resistance protein homologs. The transcript level of CA05g17730 differed between ‘PBC932’ and ‘77013’. The structure of the CA05g17730 gene also differed between ‘PBC932’ and ‘77013’. Conclusions We narrowed down the QTL interval to a region containing five genes. These results will be useful for further research on the mechanisms of resistance to anthracnose, and for marker assisted selection for anthracnose-resistant capsicum lines.

Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are identified to play an important role in many human cancers, such as glioblastoma. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between circRNAs and glioblastoma pathogenesis are still elusive. This study is designed to investigate the role of circRNAs in glioblastoma progression. Methods The present study is designed to investigate the mechanism by which circRNAs involves in glioblastoma pathogenesis. By using circRNAs microarray, we detected the dysregulated circRNAs and identified an up-regulated circRNA, circENTPD7 in glioblastoma tissues. Cell proliferation was measured using a CCK-8 assay. Cell clone formation ability was assessed with a clone formation test. We used the bioinformatics website to predict circRNA–miRNA and miRNA–mRNA interactions. CircRNA–miRNA interaction was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assays and RNA–RNA pulldown assay. Results circENTPD7 (hsa_circ_0019421) was upregulated in glioblastoma tissues. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis indicated that glioblastoma patients had a poor overall survival when circENTPD7 expression levels were high. Knockdown of circENTPD7 inhibited the motility and proliferation of glioblastoma cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that circENTPD7 acted as a sponge of miR-101-3p to regulate the expression of ROS1 further promoted the proliferation and motility of glioblastoma cells. Conclusions Taken together, these findings indicate that circRNA circENTPD7 promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation and motility by regulating miR-101-3p/ROS1.

Although Ti-Cu alloys have been shown to possess good antibacterial properties, they are still biologically inert. In this study, sandblasting and acid etching combined with anodic oxidation were applied to roughen the surface as well as to form a TiO2/CuO/Cu2O composite film, which would benefit both the antibacterial properties and the biocompatibility. The surface morphology, the phase composition, and the physicochemical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical testing and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP) were used to determine the corrosion resistance and Cu ion release, the plate counting method was used to evaluate the antibacterial performance, and the CCK-8 method was used to evaluate the cytocompatibility. It was revealed that a rough surface with densely porous double layer composed of TiO2/CuO/Cu2O was produced on Ti-Cu alloy surface after the combined surface modification, which enhanced the corrosion resistance significantly. The plate counting results demonstrated that the modified sample had strong long-term antibacterial performance (antibacterial rate > 99%), which was attributed to the formation of TiO2/CuO/Cu2O composite film. The cell compatibility evaluation results indicated that the surface modification improved the cytocompatibility. It was demonstrated that the combined modification provided very strong antibacterial ability and good cytocompatiblity, potentially making it a good candidate surface modification technique for Ti-Cu alloy for biomedical applications.

Polysaccharides separated from Lentinula edodes are well known for their medicinal properties. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of polysaccharide biosynthesis in L. edodes remain unclear. In this study, the fruiting bodies of L. edodes in four developmental stages with significant differences in polysaccharide yield were collected, and the characteristics of polysaccharides were studied. De novo sequencing and comparative transcriptomic analysis were performed by using high-throughput Illumina RNA-sequencing. KS1P30, KS2P30, KS3P30, and KS4P30 were obtained from the four developmental stages, respectively, by hot water extraction and 30% ethanol precipitation. These four polysaccharides had good immune activity in vitro; all of them were β-glucopyranose with a high molecular weight. Glucose was the main monosaccharide component of these polysaccharides. High-quality clean reads (57.88, 53.17, 53.28, and 47.56 million for different growth stages) and mapping ratios ranging from 84.75 to 90.11% were obtained. In total, 11,493 (96.56%) unigenes and 18,924 (97.46%) transcripts were successfully annotated in five public databases. The biosynthetic pathway and related genes of LEFP30 were mined. The molecular mechanism of LEFP30 yield change in the different developmental stages was predicted. The results provide some insights into the possible mechanisms involved in the biosynthetic pathway of this kind of polysaccharide in L. edodes fruiting bodies. They also indicate that candidate genes can be used as important resources for biotechnology and molecular breeding to regulate L. edodes fruiting body polysaccharide biosynthesis.