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With the rapid development of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, detecting aerial images has found significant applications across various domains. However, existing algorithms overlook the impact of illumination on target detection, resulting in less satisfactory detection performance under low-light conditions. We propose EfficientFuseDet, a visible and infrared image fusion detection network to overcome this issue. First, an effective multilevel cross-modal fusion network called EfficientFuse is presented to combine complementary information from both modalities better. EfficientFuse captures local dependencies and global contextual information in shallow and deep layers, seamlessly combining complimentary local and global features throughout the network. The generated fused images can exhibit clear target contours and abundant texture information. Second, we propose a detection network called AFI-YOLO, which employs an inverted residual vision transformer backbone (IRViT) to effectively address the challenges associated with background interference in fused images. We design an efficient feature pyramid network (EFPN) that efficiently integrates multiscale information, enhancing multiscale detection capability using aerial images. A reparameterization decoupling head (RepHead) is proposed to further improve target classification and localization precision. Finally, experiments on the DroneVehicle dataset indicate that the detection accuracy using fused images can reach 47.2 %, which is higher than that observed with visible light images of 45 %. Compared to state-of-the-art detection algorithms, EfficientFuseDet exhibits a slight decrease in speed. However, it demonstrates superior detection capabilities and effectively enhances the detection accuracy using aerial images under low-light conditions.

Abstract Photonic topological systems may be exploited in topological quantum light generation, the development of topological lasers, the implementation of photonic routing systems and optical parametric amplification. Here, we leverage the strong light confinement of an ultra-silicon-rich nitride (USRN) topological waveguide adopting the 1D Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) system with a topological domain wall. We present the formation and propagation of temporal optical solitons in the topological waveguide, exhibiting two-fold temporal compression. We further observe a saturation in the output power at sufficiently high input powers. It is further observed that pulse propagation through a trivial, non-topological waveguide does not lead to similar temporal soliton dynamics. The demonstrated topological system allows for the temporal compression to be manipulated through power tuning via topological control of delocalization of the topological mode. This design degree of freedom allows temporal solitons to be generated in a topological waveguide while providing straightforward control of temporal pulses in practical applications.

In the current work, the micromechanical behavior and work hardening behavior of Fe-0.1C–10Mn (in wt.%) steel deformed at 100, 63, 25 and −50 °C were investigated via in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction (HE-XRD) technique. As the deformation temperature decreased, the yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increased, while the total elongation (TE) reached a maximum value at 25 °C. The transformation kinetics of retained austenite (RA) was fitted by the Olson and Cohen (OC) model. The phase stress and flow stress contributed by the constituent phases were obtained based on the lattice strain and the volume fraction of the corresponding phase. The work hardening rate was decomposed into four contributors related to the TRIP effect and load partitioning, ie., the austenite phase stress, load partitioning between austenite and martensite, martensitic formation rate and load partitioning between ferrite and austenite. The influence of each contributor on the work hardening behavior was quantitatively evaluated and stacked, the stacked results agreed reasonably well with the experimental work hardening rate obtained from the true stress-strain curve. Finally, the volume fraction of austenite to martensite transformation promoted by the Lüders band (LB) and the stacking fault energy (SFE) of RA were found to be highly temperature-dependent. A linear relationship was revealed between the volume fraction of austenite to martensite transformation during the LB propagation and the SFE of RA. These findings offer insights into the TRIP effect and the LB propagation in medium-Mn steels.

Abstract Objectives To investigate the safety of short-term stenting following flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (fURL) for patients without preoperative stents. Retaining double-J stent for 1–2 weeks after fURL is a common practice. At present, data on short-term stenting after non-pre-stented fURL is still lacking. Methods 182 patients who met inclusion criteria were retrospectively divided into the 2-days group (2-day removal, 76 cases) and the 1-week group (1-week removal, 106 cases). The study endpoint was stent-associated adverse symptoms assessed by follow-up and completed validated questionnaires on postoperative days (POD) 7 and 12. A postoperative imaging review was performed 1 month after the surgery. Results No statistical differences were found in the patients’ demographic and stone-related characteristics. The 2-days group showed fewer urinary tract symptoms and lower scores on the ureteral stent symptom questionnaire on POD 7: less backache during urination (p = 0.004), less hematuria (p = 0.031), less frequent urination (p = 0.004), lower urinary symptoms index (p

Abstract Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) based on steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) have received widespread attention due to their high information transmission rate, high accuracy, and rich instruction set. However, the performance of its identification methods strongly depends on the amount of calibration data for within-subject classification. Some studies use deep learning (DL) algorithms for inter-subject classification, which can reduce the calculation process, but there is still much room for improvement in performance compared with intra-subject classification. To solve these problems, an efficient SSVEP signal recognition deep learning network model e-SSVEPNet based on the soft saturation nonlinear module is proposed in this paper. The soft saturation nonlinear module uses a similar exponential calculation method for output when it is less than zero, improving robustness to noise. Under the conditions of the SSVEP data set, two sliding time window lengths (1 s and 0.5 s), and three training data sizes, this paper evaluates the proposed network model and compares it with other traditional and deep learning model baseline methods. The experimental results of the nonlinear module were classified and compared. A large number of experimental results show that the proposed network has the highest average accuracy of intra-subject classification on the SSVEP data set, improves the performance of SSVEP signal classification and recognition, and has higher decoding accuracy under short signals, so it has huge potential ability to realize high-speed SSVEP-based for BCI.

This study employed the effect of sub-critical annealing heat treatment on the microstructure and anisotropy of the hybrid additive manufactured TC11 alloy. The results demonstrate that after sub-critical annealing, a gradient microstructure with the gradual changes in the morphology and content of primary α phases from the laser deposition zone to the substrate zone was formed. Moreover, the tensile anisotropy of the hybrid manufactured specimens was substantially reduced. In particular, when loading along to the deposition direction, the ultimate tensile strength of the heat-treated hybrid manufactured specimen was 1062 MPa, increased by 8.5%. And when loading perpendicular to the deposition direction, the elongation can reach 13.0%, increased by 86% compare to the as-deposited sample. These findings would also shed new insights for the modification of graded structural parts prepared by the hybrid manufacturing technique, laser additive repair and other methods.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease with a very high infectious rate caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2). Because SARS-CoV-2 is easy to mutate, the continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variant strains not only enhances the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 but also brings great obstacles to the treatment of COVID-19. Neutralizing antibodies have achieved good results in the clinical application of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, which can be used for pre-infection protection and treatment of novel coronavirus patients. This review makes a detailed introduction to the mutation characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, focusing on the molecular mechanism of mutation affecting the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, and the impact of mutation on monoclonal antibody therapy, providing scientific reference for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 variant strains and the research and development of antibody drugs.

Abstract This study presents a dynamic Bayesian game model designed to improve predictions of ecological uncertainties leading to natural disasters. It incorporates historical signal data on ecological indicators. Participants, acting as decision-makers, receive signals about an unknown parameter-observations of a random variable’s realization values before a specific time, offering insights into ecological uncertainties. The essence of the model lies in its dynamic Bayesian updating, where beliefs about unknown parameters are refined with each new signal, enhancing predictive accuracy. The main focus of our paper is to theoretically validate this approach, by presenting a number of theorems that prove its precision and efficiency in improving uncertainty estimations. Simulation results validate the model’s effectiveness in various scenarios, highlighting its role in refining natural disaster forecasts.

The advent of various additive manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, has changed the structural design and preparation process of rocket fuels. In order to investigate the combustion properties of various common polymer materials that can be additively manufactured by fused deposition, the combustion tests of hybrid rocket fuels prepared by 3D printing were carried out. These materials include polylactic acid (PLA), wood-like polylactic acid (Wood), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), copolymers of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 (CoPA), polycarbonate-polybutylene terephthalate (PC-PBT), flame retardant polycarbonate (PC-FR) and polyethylene terephthalateco-1,4-cylclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (PETG). Thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) analysis was carried out on these materials, the printing effect of the fuel grains was observed by three-dimensional X-ray microscopy (µCT) and the combustion performance of these fuels in gaseous oxygen flow (GOX) was recorded by high-speed photography at a constant pressure of 1 MPa. The results show that ASA and ABS exhibit good printing results. The regression rates of PC-PBT, PETG, ABS, ASA, CoPA and PLA are 0.792 mm/s, 0.592 mm/s, 0.536 mm/s and 0.477 mm/s, 0.368 mm/s, 0.339 mm/s (AtGOX=220kg/(m2·s)), respectively.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of rapamycin (RAPA)-deep eutectic solvent (DES) eye drops on corneal allograft rejection in mice and its mechanism. Methods CCK-8 assay was used to measure the influence of 10 types of DES on the viability of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs), and the DES with a significantly higher cell viability than the control group was selected for characterization to obtain the most suitable DES. BALB/c mice and New Zealand white rabbits were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of the most suitable DES. The mice were randomly divided into normal group, phosphate solution (PBS) group, DES group, and RAPA-DES group. The mice in normal group were fed normally, and those in the PBS group, the DES group, and the RAPA-DES group were administrated PBS, DES, and RAPA-DES solution, respectively, to the right eye after corneal transplantation. On the next day, a slit lamp was used to observe the survival of corneal grafts, and the survival percentage of corneal grafts was analyzed to plot the survival curve of corneal grafts. On days 7 and 16 after transplantation, the eyeballs of the mice were collected, and HE staining was used to observe corneal edema and inflammatory cell infiltration under a microscope. On day 16 after transplantation, RT-qPCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-12α (IL-12α), and interleukin-17α (IL-17α) in corneal tissue, and Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of IL-6 and IL-17α in corneal tissue. Results CCK-8 assay showed that compared with the control group, the DES-1 group and the DES-2 group had a significant increase in cell viability (P0.05); compared with the PBS group and the DES group, the RAPA-DES group had significantly lower mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 (P

Abstract Background Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) is an important complication of reperfusion therapy, and has a lack of effective prevention and treatment methods. Oleuropein (OP) is a natural strong antioxidant with many protective effects on cardiovascular diseases, but its protective effect on MIRI has not yet been studied in depth. Methods Tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) was used to establish an in vitro oxidative stress model. Cell viability was detected by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Flow cytometry and fluorescence assays were performed for evaluating the ROS levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Immunofluorescence analysis detected the NRF2 nuclear translocation and autophagy indicators. Further, Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR were performed to evaluate the expression levels of proteins and mRNAs. Molecular docking, CETSA, and molecular interaction analysis explored the binding between OP and TLR4. The protective effects of OP in vivo were determined using a preclinical MIRI rat model. Results OP protected against tBHP-treated injury, reduced ROS levels and reversed the damaged MMP. Mechanistically, OP activated NRF2-related antioxidant pathways, inhibited autophagy and attenuated the TLR4/MAPK signaling pathway in tBHP-treated H9C2 cells with a high binding affinity to TLR4 (K D = 37.5 µM). The TLR4 inhibitor TAK242 showed a similar effect as OP. In vivo, OP could alleviate cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury and it ameliorated adverse cardiac remodeling. Consistent with in vitro studies, OP inhibited TLR4/MAPK and autophagy pathway and activated NRF2-dependent antioxidant pathways in vivo. Conclusion This study shows that OP binds to TLR4 to regulate oxidative stress and autophagy for protecting damaged cardiomyocytes, supporting that OP can be a potential therapeutic agent for MIRI.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a critical therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Many PTP1B inhibitors have been reported, however, most of them lack high specificity and have adverse effects. Designing effective PTP1B inhibitors requires understanding the molecular mechanism of action between inhibitors and PTP1B. To this end, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PB/SA) methods were used to observe the binding patterns of compounds with similar pentacyclic triterpene parent ring structures but different inhibition abilities. Through structure and energy analysis, we found that the positions of cavities and substituents significantly affect combining capacity. Besides, we constructed a series of potential inhibitor molecules using LUDI and rational drug design methods. The ADMET module of Discovery Studio 2020 was used to predict the properties of these inhibitor molecules. Lastly, we obtained compounds with low toxicity and significant inhibitory activity. The study will contribute to the treatment of T2DM.

The optical parametric amplification process in the mid-infrared (MIR) 3–5 μm region of nonlinear crystal LiInS2 (LIS) has been investigated. The LIS crystal was pumped by a 1064 nm laser with a pulse width of 30 picoseconds and seeded by a tunable laser generated from a KTP-OPG/OPA pumped by the second harmonic (SH) of the same 1064 nm laser. In the experiment, the 3.28–5.50 μm tunable idler was realized. When the fixed pump energy is 8.75 mJ, the idler energy obtained is 72.2 μJ at 3.28 μm and 63.3 μJ at 5.50 μm. The maximum idler energy of 179.4 μJ at 4.70 μm is reached at a pump energy of 12.5 mJ, and the optimal photon conversion efficiency is 6.36% at the pump energy of 11.5 mJ. Finally, the optical parametric frequency conversion parameters and performance in the 3–5 μm of several typical new crystals (BGSe, LISe, AGS, HGS, and LGS) developed in recent years are briefly compared and summarized.

As the “carbon neutrality” strategy is implemented, green technology R&D, a core competitive strength for sustainable enterprise development, is an essential pathway for China’s transformation and green growth. Green technology, a breakthrough over traditional production technologies, involves lengthy and costly R&D processes with high risks typically beyond the reach of a single enterprise. It requires the heterogeneous functions of enterprises, universities, and research institutions to complement each other’s advantages and establish an “industry–university–research” collaborative innovation alliance for green technologies. This paper constructs differential game models for non-cooperative and cooperative green technology R&D involving a green manufacturer and a research institution. We solve and compare the profits for both parties under these scenarios, apply a time-consistent payment distribution mechanism to allocate cooperative profits, and ensure that neither party deviates from the optimal cooperative trajectory over a prolonged period, achieving Pareto improvement and enhancing social welfare.

Background: Chemotherapy is a primary treatment for breast cancer (BC), yet many patients develop resistance over time. This study aims to identify critical factors contributing to chemoresistance and their underlying molecular mechanisms, with a focus on reversing this resistance. Methods: We utilized samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and West China Hospital to identify and validate genes associated with chemoresistance. Functional studies were conducted using MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines, involving gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified potential mechanisms. We examined interactions between DNAJC12, HSP70, and AKT using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays and established cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) models for in vivo validations. Results: Boruta analysis of four GEO datasets identified DNAJC12 as highly significant. Patients with high DNAJC12 expression showed an 8 % pathological complete response (pCR) rate, compared to 38 % in the low expression group. DNAJC12 inhibited doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cell death through both ferroptosis and apoptosis. Combining apoptosis and ferroptosis inhibitors completely reversed DOX resistance caused by DNAJC12 overexpression. RNA-seq suggested that DNAJC12 overexpression activated the PI3K-AKT pathway. Inhibition of AKT reversed the DOX resistance induced by DNAJC12, including reduced apoptosis and ferroptosis, restoration of cleaved caspase 3, and decreased GPX4 and SLC7A11 levels. Additionally, DNAJC12 was found to increase AKT phosphorylation in an HSP70-dependent manner, and inhibiting HSP70 also reversed the DOX resistance. In vivo studies confirmed that AKT inhibition reversed DNAJC12-induced DOX resistance in the CDX model. Conclusion: DNAJC12 expression is closely linked to chemoresistance in BC. The DNAJC12-HSP70-AKT signaling axis is crucial in mediating resistance to chemotherapy by suppressing DOX-induced ferroptosis and apoptosis. Our findings suggest that targeting AKT and HSP70 activities may offer new therapeutic strategies to overcome chemoresistance in BC.

There is great demand for the development of novel efficient therapeutic strategies or preventative measures to alleviate the life-threatening complications of type 2 diabetes. Hederasaponin C (PB5), a natural product, has been reported to exhibit significant therapeutic effects in various diseases; however, the possible effects and mechanism underlying PB5 in reducing diabetic renal complications have not been comprehensively reported. Here, we investigated the response of murine diabetic models to PB5 treatment using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and proteomics. Our findings revealed the dynamic transcriptional changes of renal cells in response to diabetic nephropathy. PB5 alleviated inflammatory injury by partially reducing pathophysiologic processes. In addition, we observed severe glomerular lesions and functional deficiencies, including GBM thickening and podocyte dysfunction, during the progression of diabetes, which were likewise attenuated by PB5. These results provide insight into how PB5 treatment improves diabetic symptoms and possibly serves as a novel protective measure and therapeutic strategy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Background Anterior cruciate ligament injury is a common knee joint injury. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a common surgical treatment to treat anterior cruciate ligament injury. It may have certain advantages to retain the ligament stump during the operation, but the results of systematic evaluation on whether to retain the ligament stump are different. The conclusion is still controversial, and the quality needs to be strictly evaluated. Objective To evaluate the methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality and evidence quality of the systematic review of remnant preservation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and to provide reference for clinical work. Methods We systematically searched the system evaluations in 8 electronic databases, the languages were limited to Chinese and English, and the time limit was from the establishment of the database to June 2023. Two reviewers independently screened literature and extracted data. The methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality and quality of evidence were evaluated by AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, PRISMA and GRADE tools. Results A total of 14 systematic reviews were included. The evaluation of results showed that the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews was relatively low, of which 5 were low quality and 9 were critically low quality. A small number of systematic reviews were low risk of bias. The system evaluation reports are relatively complete, but the lack of program registration is a common problem. A total of 111 pieces of clinical evidence were extracted from the included 14 systematic reviews. The quality of evidence was generally low, with only 7 pieces of high-quality evidence, 45 pieces of medium-quality evidence, and the rest were low and very low-quality evidence. Among the reasons for relegation, imprecision is the most common, followed by inconsistency and indirectness. The existing evidence shows that patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with remnant preservation have certain advantages in knee joint function, joint stability and proprioception recovery, which may be a more effective surgical method. However, it may also increase the incidence of postoperative complications and adverse reactions. Conclusion Compared with Standard Technique, Remnant Preservation in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction has more advantages in restoring joint function and stability and proprioception. But the potential risks should also be considered by surgeons. At present, the quality of evidence is generally low, and the reliability of the conclusion is insufficient. It still needs to be verified and further in-depth research is needed.

Abstract Background The successful launch of icaritin, a therapeutic drug for liver cancer derived from Epimedium brevicornu, has provided new impetus for the development of prenylated flavonoids in the field of oncology. Flemingia macrophylla is reported to contain characteristic prenylated flavonoids which can regulate the p53 protein. We aimed to isolate these constituents and conduct activity evaluation, structure–activity relationship, and mechanism studies to provide candidate compounds for antitumor drug development. Methods In this study, chromatographic techniques combined with spectroscopic methods were used to separate, purify, and identify the constituents of Flemingia macrophylla methanol extract. The cytotoxic activity of the constituents was evaluated using an MTT assay with A549 and H1975 cells as the model. The binding mechanism between the compounds and the p53 protein was investigated with molecular docking and validated with cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA). Western blotting (WB) was employed to detect the expression of p53 protein and apoptosis-related proteins in cells. Results Chiral HPLC separation of racemates 1 and 7 provided two pairs of undescribed enantiomers (1a/1b and 7a/7b), along with eight known compounds (2 − 9) isolated from Flemingia macrophylla roots. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configurations of the enantiomers were determined from experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism data. Compounds 1 − 7, and the non-prenyl analogues 10 − 13, were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against the human lung cancer A549 and H1975 cell line. Compounds 5 − 7 displayed better cytotoxicity than the positive control icaritin in A549 and H1975, with IC50 values ranging from 4.50 to 19.83 μmol·L-1 and

In this paper, a W-band unequal power divider is proposed on the basis of groove-to-ridge gap waveguide, and it is employed to design a low sidelobe level (SLL) slot array antenna with monopulse radiation patterns. The proposed unequal power divider is capable of realizing large power ratio and small phase difference. In light of this property, three different unequal power dividers with various output power ratios and phase balance are proposed for designing a low SLL array antenna. Furthermore, a compare network with planar Magic-Tee is designed for realizing the monopulse radiation patterns. Then, a 32 × 32 antenna array consisting of five unconnected layers is designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured results indicate that the relative impedance bandwidth of the antenna is about 5.5%. In addition, the realized gain of the sum pattern at 84 GHz is 35.4 dBi, while the null of the difference pattern is less than 38 dB. Furthermore, the SLL of the antenna array is more than −25 dB on both the E- and H-planes within the operating band.

To reduce the ash content of bone collagen peptide and improve the quality of bone collagen peptide products. In this paper, the method of nanofiltration desalination was used to remove ash. The process parameters for nanofiltration desalination of bone collagen peptides were optimized through design response tests. The changes in physical and chemical indicators, amino acid content, molecular weight distribution, content of various elements, and sensory scores of samples treated with nanofiltration membranes were analyzed. Results showed that, the optimal desalination process conditions were sample concentration of 5%, cycle times of 7 times and pressure of 0.5 MPa. Under this condition, the desalination rate was 65.89%±1.25%. After nanofiltration membrane treatment, the quality of the sample was significantly improved, but the amino acid content did not change much. Through the measurement of molecular weight distribution, it was found that nanofiltration desalination had little impact on the change of molecular weight distribution, the components with molecular weight less than 3000 Da accounted for 97%, which was in line with the provisions of the national food safety standard GB 31645-2018 bone collagen peptides. ICP-MS was used to analyze the changes in the content of various elements before and after desalination, and it was found that the content of various elements in the sample decreased to varying degrees, the content of Na, K, P, Mg, Ca decreased significantly (P

Background: Necroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death wherein the necrotic morphology is characterized by swelling of the cells, rupture of the plasma membrane, and dysfunction of the organelle, has been always observed in cardiovascular diseases. Sugarcane leaf polysaccharide (SLP) are primary components present in sugarcane leaves that exert cardiovascular protective effects. However, the positive effect of SLP and underlying mechanisms in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) remain unexplored. Aim: In this study, the protective effects of SLP on MI/R injury were investigated under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Methods: The protective effects of SLP on MI/R injury were assessed using tertiary butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP)–stimulated-H9c2 cells in the in vitro assay and using Sprague Dawley rats in the in vivo assay. Results: In vitro, SLP significantly reversed TBHP-induced H9c2 cell death by inhibiting necroptosis and oxidative stress. SLP exerted antioxidant activity through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. SLP suppressed necroptosis by decreasing phosphorylation of RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL in TBHP-stimulated H9c2 cells. In vivo, SLP attenuated MI/R injury by decreasing the myocardial infarct area; increasing myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase levels; and reducing malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels.

ObjectiveThe intricate relationship between sleep deprivation (SD) and cognitive performance has long been a subject of research. Our study offers a novel angle by closely examining the neurobiological underpinnings of sustained attention deficits through the lens of the fronto-parietal network (FPN). Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, we delve into the changes in spontaneous brain activity after SD and explore their associations with performance on the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT).MethodsWe conducted an elaborate investigation involving 64 healthy, right-handed participants who underwent resting-state functional MRI scans before and after experiencing 24 h of sleep deprivation. Employing sophisticated statistical analyses, we scrutinized the changes in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) through paired t-tests. Pearson correlation analyses were then applied to dissect the associations between these neurobiological shifts and behavioral outcomes in PVT.ResultsThe study yielded remarkable findings, revealing a dramatic decrease in fALFF values within critical areas of the FPN following SD. These alterations predominantly occurred in the frontal and parietal gyri and were inversely correlated with PVT performance metrics. Furthermore, we discovered that baseline fALFF values in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) have the potential to serve as compelling neurobiological markers, with high discriminatory power in identifying individual responses to the adverse effects of SD on cognitive performance.ConclusionOur groundbreaking research underscores the pivotal role that the FPN plays in modulating attention and executive function, especially under the challenging conditions brought about by sleep deprivation. The findings offer critical insights that could shape the way we understand, assess, and potentially mitigate the cognitive impacts of SD, setting the stage for future research in this riveting domain.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with highly contagious and has posed a significant threat to global public health. The main protease (Mpro) is a promising target for antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2.Methods: In this study, we have used pharmacophore-based drug design technology to identify potential compounds from drug databases as Mpro inhibitors.Results: The procedure involves pharmacophore modeling, validation, and pharmacophore-based virtual screening, which identifies 257 compounds with promising inhibitory activity.Discussion: Molecular docking and non-bonding interactions between the targeted protein Mpro and compounds showed that ENA482732 was the best compound. These results provided a theoretical foundation for future studies of Mpro inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.

The plastic deformation of metal material is accompanied by surface defects, internal defects, damage cracks, etc., and these defects seriously restrict the processing of metal and its performance improvement. Therefore, the continuous damage mechanics theory and the fine view of the damage mechanics theory were reviewed, and then according to the damage model construction, to effectively predict the material crack damage, thus making a good foundation for the subsequent secondary development and simulation application. By comparison, the Johnson-Cook model has been widely used by researchers in its simple multiplication form, owing to its excellent ability to predict strain rate and mechanical behavior in the temperature range. The model is very suitable for finite element program simulation and its verification, and has been continuously improved and optimized.

Abstract g‐C3N4 was employed as a modified substance for modification engineering of wurtzite‐ZnS photocatalysts to overcome its limited light response and stability. The g‐C3N4/ZnS (CNZS) photocatalyst was synthesized by solvothermal reaction of g‐C3N4, thiourea and zinc acetate. The results show that wurtzite‐ZnS spheres were loaded on the surface of g‐C3N4 with well uniformed size. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was determined by the degradation of MB and Rh.B under visible light. The degradation rates of Rh.B and MB by CNZS were 96% and 97%, much better than that of pure ZnS. The addition of g‐C3N4 promoted the visible light response of wurtzite‐ZnS and inhibited the recombination of photogenerated electrons with holes. The density functional theory (DFT) results indicated that the components of both valence band and conductive band were changed for the CNZS system. Compared to pure ZnS, the band gap of CNZS was decreased about 0.5 eV, and the work function calculations were in good agreement with the experimental results. As a result, the heterostructure of CNZS made it beneficial to the electron transfer from g‐C3N4(2p of N) to ZnS (3p of S) and absorption edge has been extended to about 600 nm.

Abstract Chemical vapor deposition-based growth techniques allow flexible design of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible materials. Here, we report the deuterated silicon-rich nitride films grown using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The linear and nonlinear properties of the films are characterized, and we experimentally confirm that the silicon-rich nitride films grown with SiD4 eliminates Si–H and N–H related absorption. The performance of identical waveguides for films grown with SiH4 and SiD4 are compared demonstrating a 2 dB/cm improvement in line with that observed in literature. Waveguides fabricated on the SRN:D film are further shown to possess a nonlinear parameter of 95 W−1 m−1, with the film exhibiting a linear and nonlinear refractive index of 2.46 and 9.8 $$\times$$ × 10–18 m2W−1 respectively.

With the simple perovskite structure, Bi2WO6 could be utilized as a modifier to overcome the low visible light response of the wide energy band photocatalyst ZnS. Flower-like Bi2WO6 was simply synthesized by hydrothermal method and Bi2WO6/ZnS heterojunction was constructed via solvothermal reaction. The results showed that ZnS nanospheres were uniformly loaded on the flower-like structure, which was well kept under low concentration loading (≤20%ωt ZnS). The degradation of MB and Rh.B under visible light was used to measure the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalysts. The degradation rates of MB and Rh.B by 20%ωt-Bi2WO6/ZnS were as high as 94.3% and 92.8%, respectively. Moreover, the degradation performance of photocatalyst still maintained 89.3% after 4 times recycling tests. The visible light absorption ability of modified ZnS was improved, and the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes was inhibited due to the formation of heterojunction. According to the data from density functional theory calculation, the composition of the valence band and conductive band of the Bi2WO6/ZnS system has been altered. The band gap of Bi2WO6/ZnS was reduced by roughly 1.12 eV compared to that of pure ZnS, and the work function analysis were in good agreement with the experimental results. Under light stimulation, electrons were transferred from Bi2WO6 to ZnS to produce superoxide radicals which played key roles in the degradation reaction of dyes.

BackgroundIndoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is responsible for tumor immune escape by regulating T cell-associated immune responses and promoting the activation of immunosuppressive. Given the vital role of IDO1 in immune response, further investigation on the regulation of IDO1 in tumors is needed.MethodsHerein, we used ELISA kit to detect the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), Tryptophan (Trp), and kynurenic acid (Kyn) levels; western blot, Flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence assays detected the expression of the proteins; Molecular docking assay, SPR assay and Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) were used to detect the interaction between IDO1 and Abrine; nano live label-free system was used to detect the phagocytosis activity; tumor xenografts animal experiments were used to explore the anti-tumor effect of Abrine; flow cytometry detected the immune cells changes.ResultsThe important immune and inflammatory response cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) up-regulated the IDO1 expression in cancer cells through the methylation of 6-methyladenosine (m6A) m6A modification of RNA, metabolism of Trp into Kyn, and JAK1/STAT1 signaling pathway, which could be inhibited by IDO1 inhibitor Abrine. CD47 is IFN-γ-stimulated genes (ISGs) and prevents the phagocytosis of macrophages, leading to the cancer immune escape, and this effect could be inhibited by Abrine both in vivo and in vitro. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is an important immune checkpoint in regulating immune response, overexpression of PD-1 or PD-L1 promotes immune suppression, while in this study Abrine could inhibit the expression of PD-L1 in cancer cells or tumor tissue. The combination treatment of Abrine and anti-PD-1 antibody has a synergistic effect on suppressing the tumor growth through up-regulating CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, down-regulating the Foxp3+ Treg cells, and inhibiting the expression of IDO1, CD47, and PD-L1.ConclusionOverall, this study reveals that Abrine as an IDO1 inhibitor has an inhibition effect on immune escape and has a synergistic effect with the anti-PD-1 antibody on the treatment of HCC.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Inflammatory factors may play essential roles in COVID-19 progression. Huashi Baidu Decoction (HSBD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that can expel cold, dispel dampness, and reduce inflammation. HSBD has been widely used for the treatment of COVID-19. However, the active ingredients and potential targets for HSBD to exert anti-inflammatory or anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects remain unclear. In this paper, the active ingredients with anti-inflammatory or anti-viral effects in HSBD and their potential targets were screened using the Discovery Studio 2020 software. By overlapping the targets of HSBD and COVID-19, 8 common targets (FYN, SFTPD, P53, RBP4, IL1RN, TTR, SRPK1, and AKT1) were identified. We determined 2 key targets (P53 and AKT1) by network pharmacology. The main active ingredients in HSBD were evaluated using the key targets as receptor proteins for molecular docking. The results suggested that the best active ingredients Kaempferol2 and Kaempferol3 have the potential as supplements for the treatment of COVID-19.