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Abstract Background Emerging evidence has demonstrated the unfavourable cardiovascular risk of individuals with lean type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our study aims to investigate the prognostic value of lean T2DM in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stratified by sex. Methods The study cohort examines the clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of individuals with AMI, stratified by four phenotypes based on T2DM and lean body category—lean T2DM, non-lean T2DM, lean non-T2DM and non-lean non-T2DM. The primary outcome was long-term all-cause mortality. Cox regression model was constructed to investigate the associations of lean and non-lean T2DM phenotypes with mortality, adjusted for age, ethnicity, previous AMI, AMI type, chronic kidney disease, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and smoking status. Results A cohort of 9545 AMI patients was examined, with a mean follow-up duration of 3.4 ± 2.4 years. Majority had the non-lean T2DM phenotype (40.4%), followed by non-lean non-T2DM (29.8%), lean non-T2DM (15.9%), and lean T2DM (13.9%). In the T2DM group, one-quarter was lean (N = 1324), while the vast majority (74.5%) was non-lean. Individuals with lean T2DM tended to be female and older. Patients with lean T2DM had the highest rates of heart failure (23.3%, p

Abstract The rapid development of large language models (LLMs) has opened new avenues across various fields, including cybersecurity, which faces an evolving threat landscape and demand for innovative technologies. Despite initial explorations into the application of LLMs in cybersecurity, there is a lack of a comprehensive overview of this research area. This paper addresses this gap by providing a systematic literature review, covering the analysis of over 300 works, encompassing 25 LLMs and more than 10 downstream scenarios. Our comprehensive overview addresses three key research questions: the construction of cybersecurity-oriented LLMs, the application of LLMs to various cybersecurity tasks, the challenges and further research in this area. This study aims to shed light on the extensive potential of LLMs in enhancing cybersecurity practices and serve as a valuable resource for applying LLMs in this field. We also maintain and regularly update a list of practical guides on LLMs for cybersecurity at https://github.com/tmylla/Awesome-LLM4Cybersecurity .

Abstract Background The profitability of the beef industry is directly influenced by the fertility rate and reproductive performance of both males and females, which can be improved through selective breeding. When performing genomic analyses, genetic markers located on the X chromosome have been commonly ignored despite the X chromosome being one of the largest chromosomes in the cattle genome. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate variance components and genetic parameters for eighteen male and five female fertility and reproductive traits in Nellore cattle including X chromosome markers in the analyses; and (2) perform genome-wide association studies and functional genomic analyses to better understand the genetic background of male and female fertility and reproductive performance traits in Nellore cattle. Results The percentage of the total direct heritability (h2 total) explained by the X chromosome markers (h2 x) ranged from 3 to 32% (average: 16.4%) and from 9 to 67% (average: 25.61%) for female reproductive performance and male fertility traits, respectively. Among the traits related to breeding soundness evaluation, the overall bull and semen evaluation and semen quality traits accounted for the highest proportion of h2 x relative to h2 total with an average of 39.5% and 38.75%, respectively. The total number of significant genomic markers per trait ranged from 7 (seminal vesicle width) to 43 (total major defects). The number of significant markers located on the X chromosome ranged from zero to five. A total of 683, 252, 694, 382, 61, and 77 genes overlapped with the genomic regions identified for traits related to female reproductive performance, semen quality, semen morphology, semen defects, overall bulls’ fertility evaluation, and overall semen evaluation traits, respectively. The key candidate genes located on the X chromosome are PRR32, STK26, TMSB4X, TLR7, PRPS2, SMS, SMARCA1, UTP14A, and BCORL1. The main gene ontology terms identified are “Oocyte Meiosis”, “Progesterone Mediated Oocyte Maturation”, “Thermogenesis”, “Sperm Flagellum”, and “Innate Immune Response”. Conclusions Our findings indicate the key role of genes located on the X chromosome on the phenotypic variability of male and female reproduction and fertility traits in Nellore cattle. Breeding programs aiming to improve these traits should consider adding the information from X chromosome markers in their genomic analyses.

Abstract The outbreak of emerging infectious diseases poses significant challenges to global public health. Accurate early forecasting is crucial for effective resource allocation and emergency response planning. This study aims to develop a comprehensive predictive model for emerging infectious diseases, integrating the blending framework, transfer learning, incremental learning, and the biological feature Rt to increase prediction accuracy and practicality. By transferring features from a COVID-19 dataset to a monkeypox dataset and introducing dynamically updated incremental learning techniques, the model's predictive capability in data-scarce scenarios was significantly improved. The research findings demonstrate that the blending framework performs exceptionally well in short-term (7-day) predictions. Furthermore, the combination of transfer learning and incremental learning techniques significantly enhanced the adaptability and precision, with a 91.41% improvement in the RMSE and an 89.13% improvement in the MAE. In particular, the inclusion of the Rt feature enabled the model to more accurately reflect the dynamics of disease spread, further improving the RMSE by 1.91% and the MAE by 2.17%. This study underscores the significant application potential of multimodel fusion and real-time data updates in infectious disease prediction, offering new theoretical perspectives and technical support. This research not only enriches the theoretical foundation of infectious disease prediction models but also provides reliable technical support for public health emergency responses. Future research should continue to explore integrating data from multiple sources and enhancing model generalization capabilities to further enhance the practicality and reliability of predictive tools.

The treatment of breast cancer has seen great success in the recent decade. With longer survivorship, more attention is paid to function and aesthetics as integral treatment components. However, breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) remains a significant complication. Immediate lymphatic reconstruction is an emerging technique to reduce the risk of BCRL, the Lymphatic Microsurgical Preventive Healing Approach (LYMPHA) being the most widely used approach. Despite promising results, it is often difficult to find suitably sized recipient venules and perform the microanastomoses between mismatched vessels deep in the axilla. Moreover, high axillary venous pressure gradients and potential damage from radiotherapy may affect the long-term patency of the anastomoses. From an ergonomic point of view, performing lymphaticovenular anastomosis in the deep axilla may be challenging for the microsurgeon. In response to these limitations, we modified the technique by moving the lymphatic reconstruction distally—terming it distally based LYMPHA (dLYMPHA). A total of 113 patients underwent mastectomy with axillary clearance in our institution from 2018 to 2021. Of these, 26 underwent subsequent dLYMPHA (Group 2), whereas 87 did not (Group 1). In total, 17.2% (15 patients) and 3.84% (1 patient) developed BCRL in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.018). Lymphatics and recipient venules suitable for anastomoses can be reliably found in the distal upper limb with better size match. A distal modification achieves a more favorable lymphaticovenular pressure gradient, vessel match, and ergonomics while ensuring a comparably low BCRL rate.

ABSTRACT Enterobacter cloacae is a Gram-negative nosocomial pathogen of the ESKAPE (Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacter spp.) priority group with increasing multi-drug resistance via the acquisition of resistance plasmids. However, E. cloacae can also display forms of antibiotic refractoriness, such as heteroresistance and tolerance. Here, we report that E. cloacae displays transient heteroresistance to aminoglycosides, which is accompanied with the formation of small colony variants (SCVs) with increased minimum inhibitor concentration (MIC) of gentamicin and other aminoglycosides used in the clinic, but not other antibiotic classes. To explore the underlying mechanisms, we performed RNA sequencing of heteroresistant bacteria, which revealed global gene expression changes and a signature of the CpxRA cell envelope stress response. Deletion of the cpxRA two-component system abrogated aminoglycoside heteroresistance and SCV formation, pointing to its indispensable role in these processes. The introduction of a constitutively active allele of cpxA led to high aminoglycoside MICs, consistent with cell envelope stress response driving these behaviors in E. cloacae. Cell envelope stress can be caused by environmental cues, including heavy metals. Indeed, bacterial exposure to copper increased gentamicin MIC in the wild-type but not in the ΔcpxRA mutant. Moreover, copper exposure also elevated the gentamicin MICs of clinical isolates from bloodstream infections, suggesting that CpxRA- and copper-dependent aminoglycoside resistance is broadly conserved in E. cloacae strains. Altogether, we establish that E. cloacae relies on transcriptional reprogramming via the envelope stress response pathway for transient resistance to a major class of frontline antibiotic.IMPORTANCEEnterobacter cloacae is a bacterium that belongs to the WHO high-priority group and an increasing threat worldwide due its multi-drug resistance. E. cloacae can also display heteroresistance, which has been linked to treatment failure. We report that E. cloacae shows heteroresistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics. These are important frontline microbicidal drugs used against Gram-negative bacterial infections; therefore, understanding how resistance develops among sensitive strains is important. We show that aminoglycoside resistance is driven by the activation of the cell envelope stress response and transcriptional reprogramming via the CpxRA two-component system. Furthermore, heterologous activation of envelope stress via copper, typically a heavy metal with antimicrobial actions, also increased aminoglycoside MICs of the E. cloacae type strain and clinical strains isolated from bloodstream infections. Our study suggests aminoglycoside recalcitrance in E. cloacae could be broadly conserved and cautions against the undesirable effects of copper.

Background Renal fibrosis, a hallmark of chronic kidney disease, is closely associated with dysregulated gluconeogenesis. Tanshinone I (Tan I), a bioactive compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Danshen, exhibits antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its effects on gluconeogenesis and the mechanisms through which it alleviates renal fibrosis remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether Tan I promotes gluconeogenesis and mitigates renal fibrosis.Methods Both in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted. A unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model was used. Masson’s trichrome, HE, and immunofluorescence staining, along with Western blotting, were employed. Lactate concentrations and a pyruvate tolerance test were conducted to assess glucose metabolism. In vitro, HK2 cells and primary renal tubular cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) to induce fibrosis, and the effects of Tan I on glucose and lactate levels were examined.Results In the UUO model, Tan I reduced fibrosis, decreased lactate accumulation, and modulated fibrosis markers while upregulating gluconeogenesis markers. Tanshinone I restored impaired renal gluconeogenesis, as evidenced by increased pyruvate levels. In vitro, Tan I inhibited fibrosis, reduced lactate levels, and increased glucose levels in cell supernatants. It also restored gluconeogenesis protein expression and decreased fibrotic protein levels. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC1α) expression was downregulated in UUO and TGFβ-stimulated models, and Tan I reversed this downregulation. Inhibition of PGC1α in TGFβ-stimulated cells counteracted the antifibrotic and gluconeogenesis-promoting effects of Tan I.Conclusions Tanshinone I ameliorated renal fibrosis by enhancing gluconeogenesis through upregulation of PGC1α.

Summary: With the increasing popularity of location-based services (LBSs), safeguarding location privacy has become critically important. Traditional methods often struggle to balance the intensity of privacy protection with service quality. To address this challenge, this research proposes the comprehensive location privacy enhanced model (CLPEM), which enhances personalized privacy protection by integrating dynamic weight allocation at the policy layer, incorporating a user feedback mechanism, and designing tailored privacy strategies for various scenarios. Additionally, the model employs data fusion and optimization techniques to enhance the usability of location data while ensuring effective privacy protection. Our experimental results demonstrate that CLPEM outperforms existing technologies in terms of privacy strength, data availability, and user satisfaction, providing a robust technical framework for location privacy and paving the way for future research and applications.

Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) were investigated for their potential as plant-based milk alternatives. Their nutritional, anti-nutrient, stability, and organoleptic characteristics were compared with commercial soymilk and bovine milk. Results showed that both adzuki bean milk (ABM) and mung bean milk (MBM) demonstrated lower protein (ABM: 2.19 ± 0.10 %; MBM: 1.63 ± 0.05 %) and carbohydrate contents compared to soymilk. Additionally, they exhibited magnesium contents similar to bovine milk and iron levels comparable to both soymilk and bovine milk. While total amino acid content was lower in ABM and MBM, their phytic acid and purine contents were significantly lower than in soymilk. Fewer volatile compounds associated with beany flavours were also present in ABM and MBM, and ABM emerged as a palatable choice from the sensory analysis. These findings suggest that ABM and MBM have the potential to offer diverse and palatable plant-based milk options for consumers.

Purpose – The purpose of this article is based on the unit patent license fee model in the closed-loop supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – This paper analyzes the impact of the bundling strategy of the retailer selling new products and remanufactured products on the closed-loop supply chain under the condition that the original manufacturer produces new products and the remanufacturer produces remanufacturing products. Findings – The results show that alternative products can be bundled, and in many cases, the bundling of remanufactured products and new products is better than selling alone. Originality/value – If the retailer chooses bundling, for the remanufacturer, when certain conditions are met, the benefits of bundling are greater than the separate sales at that time; for the original manufacturer, when the recycling price sensitivity coefficient is high, the bundling is better than separate sales.

Abstract Background Longitudinal records of automatically-recorded vaginal temperature (TV) could be a key source of data for deriving novel indicators of climatic resilience (CR) for breeding more resilient pigs, especially during lactation when sows are at an increased risk of suffering from heat stress (HS). Therefore, we derived 15 CR indicators based on the variability in TV in lactating sows and estimated their genetic parameters. We also investigated their genetic relationship with sows’ key reproductive traits. Results The heritability estimates of the CR traits ranged from 0.000 ± 0.000 for slope for decreased rate of TV (SlopeDe) to 0.291 ± 0.047 for sum of TV values below the HS threshold (HSUB). Moderate to high genetic correlations (from 0.508 ± 0.056 to 0.998 ± 0.137) and Spearman rank correlations (from 0.431 to 1.000) between genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) were observed for five CR indicators, i.e. HS duration (HSD), the normalized median multiplied by normalized variance (Nor_medvar), the highest TV value of each measurement day for each individual (MaxTv), and the sum of the TV values above (HSUA) and below (HSUB) the HS threshold. These five CR indicators were lowly to moderately genetically correlated with shoulder skin surface temperature (from 0.139 ± 0.008 to 0.478 ± 0.048) and respiration rate (from 0.079 ± 0.011 to 0.502 ± 0.098). The genetic correlations between these five selected CR indicators and sow reproductive performance traits ranged from − 0.733 to − 0.175 for total number of piglets born alive, from − 0.733 to − 0.175 for total number of piglets born, and from − 0.434 to − 0.169 for number of pigs weaned. The individuals with the highest GEBV (most climate-sensitive) had higher mean skin surface temperature, respiration rate (RR), panting score (PS), and hair density, but had lower mean body condition scores compared to those with the lowest GEBV (most climate-resilient). Conclusions Most of the CR indicators evaluated are heritable with substantial additive genetic variance. Five of them, i.e. HSD, MaxTv, HSUA, HSUB, and Nor_medvar share similar underlying genetic mechanisms. In addition, individuals with higher CR indicators are more likely to exhibit better HS-related physiological responses, higher body condition scores, and improved reproductive performance under hot conditions. These findings highlight the potential benefits of genetically selecting more heat-tolerant individuals based on CR indicators.

Climate change poses a growing threat to the livestock industry, impacting animal productivity, animal welfare, and farm management practices. Thus, enhancing livestock climatic resilience (CR) is becoming a key priority in various breeding programs. CR can be defined as the ability of an animal to be minimally affected or rapidly return to euthermia under thermally stressful conditions. The primary study objectives were to perform genome-wide association studies for 12 CR indicators derived from variability in longitudinal vaginal temperature in lactating sows under heat stress conditions. A total of 31 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located on nine chromosomes were considered as significantly associated with nine CR indicators based on different thresholds. Among them, only two SNPs were simultaneously identified for different CR indicators, SSC6:16,449,770 bp and SSC7:39,254,889 bp. These results highlighted the polygenic nature of CR indicators with small effects distributed across different chromosomes. Furthermore, we identified 434 positional genes associated with CR. Key candidate genes include SLC3A2, STX5, POLR2G, and GANAB, which were previously related to heat stress responses, protein folding, and cholesterol metabolism. Furthermore, the enriched KEGG pathways and Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with these candidate genes are linked to stress responses, immune and inflammatory responses, neural system, and DNA damage and repair. The most enriched quantitative trait loci are related to “Meat and Carcass”, followed by “Production”, “Reproduction”, “Health”, and “Exterior (conformation and appearance)” traits. Multiple genomic regions were identified associated with different CR indicators, which reveals that CR is a highly polygenic trait with small effect sizes distributed across the genome. Many heat tolerance or HS related genes in our study, such as HSP90AB1, DMGDH, and HOMER1, have been identified. The complexity of CR encompasses a range of adaptive responses, from behavioral to cellular. These results highlight the possibility of selecting more heat-tolerant individuals based on the identified SNP for CR indicators.

Location privacy protection has drawn increasing attention with the popularity of location-based services. This study proposes a context-aware location privacy protection method (CA-LP). CA-LP evaluates users' location privacy needs by mining their historical trajectories and estimating the privacy leakage degree of locations. Experiments compare CA-LP with other methods on metrics like privacy protection level, quality of service, privacy leakage risk, information loss, and average anonymous time. Results demonstrate CA-LP provides better privacy protection and service quality when considering all factors. CA-LP shows extensive practical value in location sharing applications.

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has high heterogeneity, poor prognosis, and limited treatment success. Recently, an immunohistochemistry-based surrogate classification for the “Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) subtyping” has been developed and is considered more suitable for clinical application. Seventy-one paraffin-embedded sections of surgically resected TNBC were classified into four molecular subtypes using the IHC-based surrogate classification. Genomic analysis was performed by targeted next-generation sequencing and the specificity of the subtypes was explored by bioinformatics, including survival analysis, multivariate Cox regression, pathway enrichment, Pyclone analysis, mutational signature analysis and PHIAL analysis. AKT1 and BRCA1 mutations were identified as independent prognostic factors in TNBC. TNBC molecular subtypes encompass distinct genomic landscapes that show specific heterogeneities. The luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype was associated with mutations in PIK3CA and PI3K pathways, which are potentially sensitive to PI3K pathway inhibitors. The basal-like immune-suppressed (BLIS) subtype was characterized by high genomic instability and the specific possession of signature 19 while patients in the immunomodulatory (IM) subtype belonged to the PD-L1 ≥ 1% subgroup with enrichment in Notch signaling, suggesting a possible benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors and Notch inhibitors. Moreover, mesenchymal-like (MES) tumors displayed enrichment in the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-RAS pathway and potential sensitivity to RTK pathway inhibitors. The findings suggest potential treatment targets and prognostic factors, indicating the possibility of TNBC stratified therapy in the future.

Abstract The gut microbiota modulates response to hormonal treatments in prostate cancer (PCa) patients, but whether it influences PCa progression remains unknown. Here, we show a reduction in fecal microbiota alpha-diversity correlating with increase tumour burden in two distinct groups of hormonotherapy naïve PCa patients and three murine PCa models. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from patients with high PCa volume is sufficient to stimulate the growth of mouse PCa revealing the existence of a gut microbiome-cancer crosstalk. Analysis of gut microbial-related pathways in mice with aggressive PCa identifies three enzymes responsible for the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Supplementation with LCFA omega-3 MAG-EPA is sufficient to reduce PCa growth in mice and cancer up-grading in pre-prostatectomy PCa patients correlating with a reduction of gut Ruminococcaceae in both and fecal butyrate levels in PCa patients. This suggests that the beneficial effect of omega-3 rich diet is mediated in part by modulating the crosstalk between gut microbes and their metabolites in men with PCa.

Abstract Background High prostate eicosapentaenoic fatty acid (EPA) levels were associated with a significant reduction of upgrading to grade group (GG) ≥ 2 prostate cancer in men under active surveillance. We aimed to evaluate the effect of MAG-EPA long-chain omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplement on prostate cancer proliferation. Methods A phase II double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 130 men diagnosed with GG ≥ 2 prostate cancer and undergoing radical prostatectomy between 2015–2017 (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02333435). Participants were randomized to receive 3 g daily of either MAG-EPA (n = 65) or placebo (n = 65) for 7 weeks (range 4–10) prior to radical prostatectomy. The primary outcome was the cancer proliferation index quantified by automated image analysis of tumor nuclear Ki-67 expression using standardized prostatectomy tissue microarrays. Additional planned outcomes at surgery are reported including plasma levels of 27 inflammatory cytokines and fatty acid profiles in circulating red blood cells membranes and prostate tissue. Results Cancer proliferation index measured by Ki-67 expression was not statistically different between the intervention (3.10%) and placebo (2.85%) groups (p = 0.64). In the per protocol analyses, the adjusted estimated effect of MAG-EPA was greater but remained non-significant. Secondary outcome was the changes in plasma levels of 27 cytokines, of which only IL-7 was higher in MAG-EPA group compared to placebo (p = 0.026). Men randomized to MAG-EPA prior to surgery had four-fold higher EPA levels in prostate tissue compared to those on placebo. Conclusions This MAG-EPA intervention did not affect the primary outcome of prostate cancer proliferation according to nuclear Ki-67 expression. More studies are needed to decipher the effects of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplementation in men with prostate cancer.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 2 endoscopic spine surgeries on the biomechanical properties of normal and osteoporotic spines. Methods Based on computed tomography images of a healthy adult volunteer, 6 finite element models were created. After validating the normal intact model, a concentrated force of 400 N and a moment of 7.5 Nm were exerted on the upper surface of L3 to simulate 6 physiological activities of the spine. Five types of indices were used to assess the biomechanical properties of the 6 models, range of motion (ROM), maximum displacement value, intervertebral disc stress, maximum stress value, and articular protrusion stress, and by combining them with finite element stress cloud. Results In normal and osteoporotic spines, there was no meaningful change in ROM or disc stress in the 2 surgical models for the 6 motion states. Model N1 (osteoporotic percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy model) showed a decrease in maximum displacement value of 20.28% in right lateral bending. Model M2 (unilateral biportal endoscopic model) increased maximum displacement values of 16.88% and 17.82% during left and right lateral bending, respectively. The maximum stress value of L4–5 increased by 11.72% for model M2 during left rotation. In addition, using the same surgical approach, ROM, maximum displacement values, disc stress, and maximum stress values were more significant in the osteoporotic model than in the normal model. Conclusion In both normal and osteoporotic spines, both surgical approaches were less disruptive to the physiologic structure of the spine. Furthermore, using the same endoscopic spine surgery, normal spine biomechanical properties are superior to osteoporotic spines.

Assessing the carbon sequestration capacity of regional ecosystems is essential for achieving carbon neutrality goals. However, existing research often fails to comprehensively evaluate the spatial-temporal dynamic changes of ecosystem carbon emission and absorption. This study introduces a Carbon Benefit Index (CBI) to assess carbon neutrality potential and classifies Shandong’s 16 cities into four regions based on their carbon storage and emission profiles. We conducted an in-depth analysis of ecosystem carbon benefit in Shandong Province from 2000 to 2020 using the multimodel random forest ensemble method, which enhances the accuracy of carbon sink simulations across terrestrial ecosystems. Our results showed that from 2000 to 2020, Shandong’s carbon emission increased by 1.45 × 10 ^8 tons (a 203.8% rise), while carbon storage decreased by 3.40 × 10 ^7 tons (a 2.05% decline). Compared to previous studies, our findings underscore the significance of both above-ground and below-ground carbon storage. Grey correlation analysis of land use, anthropogenic CO _2 emission, and ecosystem carbon storage revealed that cultivated and forest lands were most significantly correlated with carbon storage, whereas built-up areas were most closely linked to carbon emission. The CBI analysis and classification of the 16 cities into four categories highlights the spatial-temporal heterogeneous of the carbon efficiency, and diverse roles cities play in the province’s overall carbon balance, informing city-specific, targeted carbon reduction strategies. The study emphasizes the need for spatially differentiated, comprehensive carbon accounting to improve carbon efficiency. Based on these findings, we propose tailored low-carbon improvement strategies for different regions. This research not only contributes to existing literature by incorporating below-ground carbon storage but also provides valuable insights for policy and land management, with practical implications for promoting sustainable development and advancing efforts toward carbon neutrality.

Objective: Currently, 68Ga-labeled somatostatin analogs (SSAs) are the most commonly used imaging agents for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in clinical practice, demonstrating good results in tumor diagnosis. For applications in peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), targeted drugs should have high tumor uptake and prolonged tumor retention time. To enhance the uptake and retention of tracers in NETs, our goal is to design a 68Ga-labeled heterodimer for optimizing pharmacokinetics and assess whether this form is more efficacious than its monomeric equivalents. Methods: Using the somatostatin analog TATE and quinoline-based compound FAPI-46 as raw materials, we designed and synthesized 68Ga-labeled TATE-46. The labeling efficiency and stability were verified by Radio-HPLC. The receptor binding properties and tumor targeting were examined both in vitro and in vivo by using NCI-H727 (SSTR2/FAP, positive) and Mc38 (SSTR2/FAP, negative) cell lines and tumor-bearing mouse models. Preclinical evaluation was performed through cell uptake, pharmacokinetics, Micro PET, and biodistribution studies, and the results were compared with [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE and [68Ga]Ga -FAPI-46. Immunohistochemistry and HE staining were performed on tumor tissues from tumor-bearing mice for further validation. Results: [68Ga]Ga-TATE-46 showed comparable SSTR2 and FAP targeting ability to monomeric TATE and FAPI-46 in cell uptake and PET imaging studies. [68Ga]Ga-TATE-46 exhibited significantly higher uptake in NCI-H727 (SSTR2/FAP, positive) tumors compared to [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE (p < 0.001) and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 (p < 0.001). No increased uptake of [68Ga]Ga-TATE-46 was observed in MC38 tumors (SSTR2/FAP, negative). Additionally, excess DOTA-TATE and/or unlabeled FAPI-46 significantly blocked the uptake of [68Ga]Ga-TATE-46 in NCI-H727 tumors (p < 0.001), confirming its dual-receptor targeting characteristics. The ex vivo biodistribution, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry results were in line with the in vivo imaging findings. Conclusion: Compared with 68Ga-labeled FAPI-46 and DOTA-TATE mono-specific tracers, the dual-target tracer [68Ga]Ga-TATE-46 improves tumor uptake, extends tumor retention, and enhances pharmacokinetics. It is an effective probe for non-invasive detection of tumors expressing FAP and SSTR2, and it is worth further studying its application in the expression of sstr2 and FAP-related tumors.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating myocardial infarction is associated with poor outcomes. Data among Asian populations are scarce. We aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes, prognostic factors, and predictors of CS among Asian ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for STEMI within our regional STEMI network between 2015 and 2019. The long-term outcomes of those with and without CS were compared. Clinical predictors of outcomes and development of CS were investigated. Results: A total of 1791 patients who underwent PPCI were included. Patients completed at least 2 years’ follow-up with a median follow-up period of 2.6 years (IQR 1.0, 3,9). Overall, 208/1791 (11.6 %) STEMI patients developed CS. These patients were older (61.1 ± 12.5 vs 57.8 ± 12.2, P

IntroductionSymptoms during the onset of major depressive disorder [MDD] and bipolar disorder type II [BD-II] are similar. The difference of hippocampus subregion could be a biological marker to distinguish MDD from BD-II.MethodsWe recruited 61 drug-naïve patients with a first-episode MDD and BD-II episode and 30 healthy controls (HC) to participate in a magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] study. We built a general linear model (one-way analysis of covariance) with 22 hippocampal subfields and two total hippocampal volumes as dependent variables, and the diagnosis of MDD, BD-II, and HC as independent variables. We performed pair-wise comparisons of hippocampal subfield volumes between MDD and HC, BD-II and MDD, BD-II and HC with post hoc for primary analysis.ResultsWe identified three regions that differed significantly in size between patients and controls. The left hippocampal fissure, the hippocampal–amygdaloid transition area (HATA), and the right subiculum body were all significantly larger in patients with MDD compared with the HC. In the onset of first-episode of MDD, the hippocampal volume increased significantly, especially on the left side comparing to HC. However, we found differences between MDD and BD-II were not statistically significant. The volume of the left HATA and right subiculum body in BD-II was larger.ConclusionsThe sample size of this study is relatively small, as it is a cross-sectional comparative study. In both MDD and BD-II groups, the volume of more left subregions appeared to increase. The left subregions were severely injured in the development of depressive disorder.

Genetic markers for acne are being studied to create personalized treatments based on an individual’s genes, and the field is benefiting from the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. One such AI tool, the Q-learning algorithm, is increasingly being utilized by medical researchers to delve into the genetics of acne. In contrast to previous methods, our research introduces a Q-learning model that is adaptable to diverse sample groups. This innovative approach involves preprocessing data by identifying differentially expressed genes and constructing gene-gene connectivity networks. The key advantage of using the Q-learning model lies in its ability to transform acne gene data into Markovian domains, which are essential for selecting relevant genetic markers. Performance evaluations of our Q-learning model have shown high accuracy and specificity, although there may be some sensitivity variations. Notably, this research has identified specific genes, such as CD86, AGPAT3, TMPRSS11D, DSG3, TNFRSF1B, PI3, C5AR1, and KRT16, as being acne-related through biological verification and text data mining. These findings underscore the potential of AI-driven Q-learning models to revolutionize the study of acne genetics. In conclusion, our Q-learning model offers a promising approach for the selection of acne-related genetic markers, despite minor sensitivity fluctuations. This research highlights the transformative potential of Q-learning in advancing our understanding of the genetics underlying acne, paving the way for more personalized and effective treatments in the future.

Despite the critical role of mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) in species identification and evolutionary studies in the genus Parupeneus, current resources are inadequate, given the species richness. Although previous studies have suggested a complex evolutionary history, the detailed mitogenomic variations and their implications remain largely unexplored. Therefore, we sequenced and assembled the mitogenomes of P. barberinoides, P. barberinus, P. biaculeatus, P. crassilabris, P. cyclostomus, P. heptacanthus, P. multifasciatus, and P. chrysopleuron, to enrich the molecular data and provide novel insights into the genetic diversity, evolutionary dynamics and phylogenetics of the family Mullidae. Our analysis revealed a novel gene rearrangement in P. chrysopleuron, Cytb-T-P-CR-Q-I-F-12S-V-16S-ND1-M-ND2, which differed from the conventional sequence of Cytb-T-P-CR-F-12S-V-16S-ND1-I-Q-M-ND2 observed in other species. In the novel rearrangement, four non-coding regions are inserted between ND1 and M, Q and I, I and ψM (tRNA-Met pseudogene), ψM and F. We assume that two tandem duplication/random loss events occur in the CR and IQM, making the entire sequence longer than that in other Parupeneus species. The phylogenetic results indicated that Mullidae formed a sister group relationship with the family Dactylopteridae, contradicting previous studies that identified a sister group relationship between Mullidae and Callionymoidei. The genera Parupeneus and Mullus formed a sister group, and discrepancies were found in the topological structure of the interspecies relationships within the genus Parupeneus compared with those reported by previous studies. Through combined phylogenetic and mitochondrial structural analysis, we found that phylogenetic topology is closely related to mitochondrial structural abnormalities. This study not only expands the mitogenomic dataset available for Mullidae but also underscores the importance of mitochondrial DNA studies in resolving taxonomic ambiguities and understanding the evolutionary history of marine fishes. Our study contributes to the ongoing research on marine fish taxonomy, mitogenomics, and evolutionary biology by providing new insights into the genetic diversity of marine ecosystems.

Abstract The evolution of Internet technology has led to an increase in online users. This study focuses on the pivotal role of visual elements in web content conveyance and their impact on user browsing behavior. Therefore, the use of visual elements in web design based on big data has aroused widespread concern among web designers, they apply visual elements to their web design works to make the web more attractive. This study examines the composition and distribution characteristics of key visual elements identified through user behavior data in a big data environment and discusses the use of visual elements in web design in the era of network economy. In addition, this paper issued 200 questionnaires to investigate the degree of attention to visual elements in web pages for users of different occupations and different educational backgrounds. Our survey indicated that visual elements captured the attention of 41% of corporate employees, whereas a mere 1% of social welfare workers focused on web content; 36% of undergraduates pay attention to visual elements of web pages, but only 5% and 4% of postgraduates and doctoral degrees and above. Therefore, the visual elements of the designed web page need to conform to the user's cultural background and professional background.

Abstract Multi-omics approaches have been successfully applied to investigate pregnancy and health outcomes at a molecular and genetic level in several studies. As omics technologies advance, research areas are open to study further. Here we discuss overall trends and examples of successfully using omics technologies and techniques (e.g., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics) to investigate the molecular epidemiology of pregnancy. In addition, we outline omics applications and study characteristics of pregnancy for understanding fundamental biology, causal health, and physiological relationships, risk and prediction modeling, diagnostics, and correlations.

Abstract Background Automatic and continuous recording of vaginal temperature (TV) using wearable sensors causes minimal disruptions to animal behavior and can generate data that enable the evaluation of temporal body temperature variation under heat stress (HS) conditions. However, the genetic basis of TV in lactating sows from a longitudinal perspective is still unknown. The objectives of this study were to define statistical models and estimate genetic parameters for TV in lactating sows using random regression models, and identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with HS indicators derived from automatically-recorded TV. Results Heritability estimates for TV ranged from 0.14 to 0.20 over time (throughout the day and measurement period) and from 0.09 to 0.18 along environmental gradients (EG, − 3.5 to 2.2, which correspond to dew point values from 14.87 to 28.19 ˚C). Repeatability estimates of TV over time and along EG ranged from 0.57 to 0.66 and from 0.54 to 0.77, respectively. TV measured from 12h00 to 16h00 had moderately high estimates of heritability (0.20) and repeatability (0.64), indicating that this period might be the most suitable for recording TV for genetic selection purposes. Significant genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) were observed and the moderately high estimates of genetic correlations between pairs of extreme EG indicate potential re-ranking of selection candidates across EG. Two important genomic regions on chromosomes 10 (59.370–59.998 Mb) and16 (21.548–21.966 Mb) were identified. These regions harbor the genes CDC123, CAMK1d, SEC61A2, and NUDT5 that are associated with immunity, protein transport, and energy metabolism. Across the four time-periods, respectively 12, 13, 16, and 10 associated genomic regions across 14 chromosomes were identified for TV. For the three EG classes, respectively 18, 15, and 14 associated genomic windows were identified for TV, respectively. Each time-period and EG class had uniquely enriched genes with identified specific biological functions, including regulation of the nervous system, metabolism and hormone production. Conclusions TV is a heritable trait with substantial additive genetic variation and represents a promising indicator trait to select pigs for improved heat tolerance. Moderate GxE for TV exist, indicating potential re-ranking of selection candidates across EG. TV is a highly polygenic trait regulated by a complex interplay of physiological, cellular and behavioral mechanisms.

The strengthening mechanism of Nb, V, and Nb-V micro-alloyed high-strength bolt steels was investigated and compared using microstructural evolution and strength modeling. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the microstructure and precipitations. The results show that Nb-V composite micro-alloyed steel possessed a higher yield strength compared with Nb or V micro-alloyed steel when quenched at 870 °C and tempered at 450–650 °C. Furthermore, the strength increment of Nb-V micro-alloyed steel with respect to Nb or V micro-alloyed steel reached the maximum at a tempering temperature of 600 °C, and precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening presented higher strength contributions in Nb-V micro-alloyed steel than in Nb micro-alloyed steel and V micro-alloyed steel owing to the higher volume fraction and finer precipitate size. When V was added in combination with Nb in steel, the number of Nb-rich carbonitrides increased, which resulted in a higher volume fraction of the effective pinning particles-Nb-rich (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N) with diameters smaller than 50 nm and led to an enhanced refinement of the prior austenite grain. In addition, Nb could reduce the consumption of V during quenching, allowing more V to be solid-solved in the matrix after quenching, thereby further enhancing the precipitation strengthening effect of V during tempering.

Abstract Background Genetic selection based on direct indicators of heat stress could capture additional mechanisms that are involved in heat stress response and enable more accurate selection for more heat-tolerant individuals. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for various heat stress indicators in a commercial population of Landrace × Large White lactating sows measured under heat stress conditions. The main indicators evaluated were: skin surface temperatures (SST), automatically-recorded vaginal temperature (TV), respiration rate (RR), panting score (PS), body condition score (BCS), hair density (HD), body size (BS), ear size, and respiration efficiency (Reff). Results Traits based on TV presented moderate heritability estimates, ranging from 0.15 ± 0.02 to 0.29 ± 0.05. Low heritability estimates were found for SST traits (from 0.04 ± 0.01 to 0.06 ± 0.01), RR (0.06 ± 0.01), PS (0.05 0.01), and Reff (0.03 ± 0.01). Moderate to high heritability values were estimated for BCS (0.29 ± 0.04 for caliper measurements and 0.25 ± 0.04 for visual assessments), HD (0.25 ± 0.05), BS (0.33 ± 0.05), ear area (EA; 0.40 ± 0.09), and ear length (EL; 0.32 ± 0.07). High genetic correlations were estimated among SST traits (> 0.78) and among TV traits (> 0.75). Similarly, high genetic correlations were also estimated for RR with PS (0.87 ± 0.02), with BCS measures (0.92 ± 0.04), and with ear measures (0.95 ± 0.03). Low to moderate positive genetic correlations were estimated between SST and TV (from 0.25 ± 0.04 to 0.76 ± 0.07). Low genetic correlations were estimated between TV and BCS (from − 0.01 ± 0.08 to 0.06 ± 0.07). Respiration efficiency was estimated to be positively and moderately correlated with RR (0.36 ± 0.04), PS (0.56 ± 0.03), and BCS (0.56 ± 0.05 for caliper measurements and 0.50 ± 0.05 for the visual assessments). All other trait combinations were lowly genetically correlated. Conclusions A comprehensive landscape of heritabilities and genetic correlations for various thermotolerance indicators in lactating sows were estimated. All traits evaluated are under genetic control and heritable, with different magnitudes, indicating that genetic progress is possible for all of them. The genetic correlation estimates provide evidence for the complex relationships between these traits and confirm the importance of a sub-index of thermotolerance traits to improve heat tolerance in pigs.

Background Antibody-based platforms (i.e., ADC) have emerged as one of the most encouraging tools for the cancer resistance caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs) enrichment. Our study might provide a promising therapeutic direction against drug resistance and serve as a potential precursor platform for screening ADC. Methods The cell migration, invasion, drug resistance, and self-renewal were assessed by the cell invasion and migration assay, wound healing assay, CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and sphere formation assay, respectively. The expression profiles of CSCs (ALDH+ and CD44+) subpopulations were screened by flow cytometry. The western blot and cell immunofluorescence assay were used to evaluate pathway-related protein expression in both anti-ENO1 antibody, MET combined with DPP/CTX-treated CSCs. Results In the present study, western blot and flow cytometry verified that anti-ENO1 antibody target the CD44+ subpopulation by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway, while metformin might target the ALDH+ subpopulation through activation of the AMPK pathway and thus reverse drug resistance to varying degrees. Subsequently, in vitro investigation indicated that anti-ENO1 antibody, metformin combined with cisplatin/cetuximab could simultaneously target ALDH+ and CD44+ subpopulations. The combination also inhibited the CSCs proliferation, migration, invasion, and sphere formation; which may result in overcoming the drug resistance. Then, molecular mechanism exploration verified that the anti-ENO1 antibody, metformin combined with cisplatin/cetuximab inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Conclusions The study preliminarily revealed anti-ENO1 antibody combined with metformin could overcome drug resistance against CSCs by inhibiting the Wnt//β-catenin pathway and might serve as a potential precursor platform for screening ADC. More importantly, it is reasonably believed that antibody-based drug combination therapy might function as an encouraging tool for oncotherapy.

Background: Approaches to surgical treatment to cubital tunnel syndrome include simple decompression, decompression with medial epicondylectomy, and decompression with anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve. Transposition of the ulnar nerve involves decompression and transposition of the nerve anteriorly to a subcutaneous, intramuscular, or submuscular position. However, transposing the ulnar nerve to subcutaneous plane renders it more susceptible to external trauma. Hence, this technique article introduces the use of a modified fascial sling. Methodology: The modified fascial sling technique for anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve involves careful dissection to identify the ulnar nerve, decompression of the nerve, then transposition of the ulnar nerve anterior to the medial epicondyle. An AlloWrap (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) is first wrapped around the ulnar nerve, followed by wrapping a fascial sling fashioned from the flexor carpi ulnaris fascia. A prospective case series for this surgical technique was conducted. Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared preoperative and postoperative qDASH-9 scores, an abbreviated questionnaire to assess functional limitations of the upper limb. Results: Five patients were included in this study, with a mean duration of follow-up of 530.4 days. The mean QuickDASH-9 functional disability score was 36.5 ± 25.1 preoperatively and 20.6 ± 12.8 postoperatively, demonstrating statistically significant improvement (P = .008). Conclusion: The modified fascial sling technique for anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve was developed to address the complications of perineural adhesions after transposition causing tethering of the ulnar nerve. At the same time, the fascial sling prevents posterior subluxation of the ulnar nerve back to its original location, thereby reducing the risk of recurrent symptoms.

We reported the new synthesis of Sm2Co17 particles by a microwave-assisted combustion (MACS) method. This process enables the controlled decomposition of Sm(NO3)3 and Co(NO3)2 into SmCo-O particles, followed by calcium reduction-diffusion. This SmCo-O particle provides an approach for achieving high magnetic properties in Sm2Co17 magnetic materials. The rhombohedral Sm2Co17 particles can be incorporated into epoxy resin and oriented, displaying a square-like hysteresis loop. The particles display magnetic properties at room temperature, with a saturation magnetization of 112.3 emu/g, coercivity of 5.6 kOe, and a maximum energy product of 9.4 MGOe. This method improves the synthesis efficiency of rare earth cobalt-based nano-materials, expands the synthesis scope, and provides ideas for the synthesis and applications of other rare earth nano-materials.

To construct a nonlinear fractional-order neural network reflecting the complex environment of the real world, this paper considers the common factors such as uncertainties, perturbations, and delays that affect the stability of the network system. In particular, not only does the activation function include multiple time delays, but the memristive connection weights also consider transmission delays. Stemming from the characteristics of neural networks, two different types of discontinuous controllers with state information and sign functions are devised to effectuate network synchronization objectives. Combining the finite-time convergence criterion and the theory of fractional-order calculus, Mittag-Leffler synchronization conditions for fractional-order multi-delayed memristive neural networks (FMMNNs) are derived, and the upper bound of the setting time can be confirmed. Unlike previous jobs, this article focuses on applying different inequality techniques in the synchronous analysis process, rather than comparison principles to manage the multi-delay effects. In addition, this study removes the restrictive requirement that the activation function has a zero value at the switching jumps, and the discontinuous control protocol in this paper makes the networks achieve synchronization over a finite time, with some advantages in terms of the convergence speed.

The datasets outline a methodical approach for comparing translations from Mandarin to Malay completed by humans and AI. The datasets contain a framework with rubrics for a keyword detection template to discover common words used by both humans and AI in their translation tasks. The datasets include a Mandarin poem originally written in Mandarin, along with translations by a belt-and-road project translator, a Mandarin native speaker translator, and a Malay native speaker translator categorised as human translators. It also contains translations by ChatGPT 3.5 with 1 prompt, and ChatGPT 4.0 with four different prompts. All these prompts are also listed in the dataset.

ABSTRACT Understanding the changes in bacterial community structure in different microenvironments of Camellia oleifera is essential to better explore the benign interaction between beneficial microorganisms and plants. Using Camellia oleifera trees, a Chinese wooden oil plant as a model ecosystem, we characterized the archaeal and bacterial microbiome across five different tissue-level niches using 16S rRNA gene analyses. Our research indicates that the diversity of Camellia oleifera endophytic bacterial communities is highly dependent on the plant compartment. The species replacement process (69.90%) is the dominant factor in the differences in bacterial community structure. The dominant bacteria phyla (Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia) of Camellia oleifera show a significant plant compartment (roots, stems, leaves, fruits) enrichment effects. A variety of bacteria (Hymenobacter, Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Bacillus, Ochrobactrum, Pantoea, Pseudomonas, etc.) with nitrogen-fixed potentials are enriched in Camellia oleifera tissue. In addition, the hub bacterial groups of Camellia oleifera are Nitrospira, Haemophilus, Staphylococcus, Ruminiclostridium, and Ochrobactrum. They are widespread colonization in various tissues with a low relative abundance and may play an important role in the nitrogen cycle, host life promotion, and plant defense. This study provides a holistic understanding of the endosphere bacterial community structure, which is one of the most complete ecological niche-level analyses of Camellia oleifera. These results provide a scientific theoretical basis for an in-depth discussion of plant-endosphere microbial interaction and better exploration of benign interaction of beneficial microorganisms and plants. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms inhabited various tissues of plants and play a key role in promoting plant growth, nutritional absorption, and resistance. Our research indicates that the diversity of Camellia oleifera endophytic bacterial communities is highly dependent on the plant compartment. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia are dominant bacteria phyla. The tissues of Camellia oleifera contain various bacteria with nitrogen fixation potential, host life promotion, and plant defense. This study provides a scientific theoretical basis for an in-depth discussion of plant-endosphere microbial interaction and better exploration of benign interaction of beneficial microorganisms and plants.

ABSTRACTRice false smut caused by Ustilaginoidea virens is becoming one of the most devastating diseases in rice production areas in the world. Revealing U. virens potential pathogenic mechanisms provides ideas for formulating more effective prevention and control strategies. Sucrose non-fermenting 1 (Snf1) protein kinase plays a critical role in activating transcription and suppressing gene expression, as well as in cellular response to various stresses, such as nutrient limitation. In our study, we identified the Snf1 homolog UvSnf1 and analyzed its biological functions in U. virens. The expression level of UvSnf1 was dramatically up-regulated during invasion, indicating that UvSnf1 may participate in infection. Phenotypic analyses of UvSnf1 deletion mutants revealed that UvSnf1 is necessary for hyphae growth, spore production, and virulence in U. virens. Moreover, UvSnf1 promotes U. virens to use unfavorable carbon sources when the sucrose is insufficient. In addition, deletion of UvSnf1 down-regulates the expression of the cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) genes under sucrose limitation conditions in U. virens. Further analyses showed that CWDEs (UvCut1 and UvXyp1) are not only involved in growth, spore production, and virulence but are also required for the utilization of carbon sources. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that UvSnf1 plays vital roles in virulence and carbon source utilization in U. virens, and one of the possible mechanisms is playing a role in regulating the expression of CWDE genes.

Background: Small molecules have emerged as valuable tools to modulate cellular homeostasis and the changes associated with aging. In particular, the phytochemical curcumin elicits cytoprotective effects that promote human health and longevity. The short-chain fatty acid butyrate provides anti-fibrotic activities, but can also induce cellular senescence. Rationale: The impact of curcumin and butyrate on living cells are not fully understood. To obtain this information, our work focuses on fibroblasts. We selected fibroblasts as cellular model, because they (i) are present in different tissues and organs, (ii) contribute essential functions that derail during organismal aging, and (iii) are prime targets for therapeutic interventions that ameliorate aging-related pathologies. Methods and results: A panel of quantitative assessments determines how curcumin and its nanoformulation (nano-curcumin), either alone or in combination with butyrate, modulate fibroblast physiology. Several experimental approaches and biomarkers demonstrate that curcumin (i) diminishes fibroblast viability, and (ii) promotes cellular senescence in a concentration-dependent fashion. Specifically, curcumin and nano-curcumin increase the activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase and reduce the abundance of lamin B. When combined with butyrate, both curcumin and nano-curcumin enhance cell death and senescence. Free curcumin decreases the levels of Nrf2, a transcription factor that is upregulated upon oxidative stress. Neither curcumin nor nano-curcumin changes the abundance of the transcription factor NFκB, which is critical for inflammatory responses. Free curcumin, butyrate and nano-curcumin/butyrate combinations significantly diminish the abundance of the lysine deacetylase SIRT1, which is a key regulator of cellular senescence. Notably, none of the compounds or their combinations elevates biomarkers of fibrosis. Conclusions: This study defines the cellular and molecular changes produced in fibroblasts by curcumin, nano-curcumin, alone or together with butyrate. Collectively, our results set the stage to explore curcumin/butyrate-based treatments to control the cellular activities that are contributed by fibroblasts.

Abstract Background Based on the neuroinflammation hypothesis in schizophrenia and known anti-inflammatory effects of berberine, the aim of the present study is to investigate the efficacy of berberine in treating negative symptoms and cognitive deficits in adult patients with chronic schizophrenia. Methods Enrolled participants were randomized to receive berberine or placebo for 3 months. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Trail-making Test A (TMT-A), Trail-making Test B (TMT-B), and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) were used to evaluate the negative symptoms and cognitive function at four-time points (baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd month). Serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were used as inflammatory markers. 106 patients with per-protocol were analyzed, 56 in the experimental (berberine) group and 50 in the control (placebo) group. Results From baseline to month 3, patients receiving berberine demonstrated a decrease in total scores on clinical scales SANS, TMT-A and TMT-B and showed a serum level reduction of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α comparing with patients in the control group (P

Electrically-excited flux-switching machines are advantageous in simple and reliable structure, good speed control performance, low cost, etc., so they have arouse wide concerns from new energy field. However, they have much lower torque density/thrust density compared with the same type PM machines. To overcome this challenge, electromagnetic-thermal coupled analysis is carried out with respect to water-cooled electrically-excited flux-switching linear machines (EEFSLM). The simulation results indicate that the conventional fixed copper loss method (FCLM) is no longer suitable for high thrust density design, since it is unable to consider the strong coupling between the electromagnetic and thermal performance. Hence, a multi-step electromagnetic-thermal joint optimisation method is proposed, which first ensures the consistency between the electromagnetic and thermal modelling and then considers the effect of different field/armature coil sizes. By using the proposed joint optimisation method, it is found that the combination of relatively large size of field coil and relatively low field copper loss is favourable for achieving high thrust force for the current EEFSLM design. Moreover, the thrust force is raised by 13-15% compared with using the FCLM. The electromagnetic and thermal performance of the EEFSLM is validated by the prototype test.

The action of the petunia strigolactone (SL) hormone receptor DAD2 is dependent not only on its interaction with the PhMAX2A and PhD53A proteins, but also on its expression patterns within the plant. Previously, in a yeast-2-hybrid system, we showed that a series of a single and double amino acid mutants of DAD2 had altered interactions with these binding partners. In this study, we tested the mutants in two plant systems, Arabidopsis and petunia. Testing in Arabidopsis was enabled by creating a CRISPR-Cas9 knockout mutant of the Arabidopsis strigolactone receptor (AtD14). We produced SL receptor activity in both systems using wild type and mutant genes; however, the mutants had functions largely indistinguishable from those of the wild type. The expression of the wild type DAD2 from the CaMV 35S promoter in dad2 petunia produced plants neither quite like the dad2 mutant nor the V26 wild type. These plants had greater height and leaf size although branch number and the plant shape remained more like those of the mutant. These traits may be valuable in the context of a restricted area growing system such as controlled environment agriculture.

Abstract Organic diradicaloids with unique open‐shell structures and properties have been widely used in organic electronics and spintronics. However, their advantageous optical properties have been explored less in the biomedical field. In this work, the photothermal conversion behaviors of a boron‐containing organic diradicaloid (BOD) are reported. BOD can assemble with 1,2‐distearoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphoethanolamine‐poly(ethylene glycol) to form rodlike nanoparticles (BOD NPs). These as‐prepared BOD NPs exhibit high photothermal conversion capability and robust photothermal stability. Notably, they possess morphological superiority, which guarantees the effective photothermal therapy of tumors. This work thus demonstrates the promise of organic diradicaloids as efficient photothermal agents for biomedical applications.

This study is one of the first to investigate the relationship between modalities and individuals' tendencies to believe and share different forms of deepfakes (also deep fakes). Using an online survey experiment conducted in the US, participants were randomly assigned to one of three disinformation conditions: video deepfakes, audio deepfakes, and cheap fakes to test the effect of single modality against multimodality and how it affects individuals’ perceived claim accuracy and sharing intentions. In addition, the impact of cognitive ability on perceived claim accuracy and sharing intentions between conditions are also examined. The results suggest that individuals are likelier to perceive video deepfakes as more accurate than cheap fakes, but not audio deepfakes. Yet, individuals are more likely to share video deepfakes than cheap and audio deepfakes. We also found that individuals with high cognitive ability are less likely to perceive deepfakes as accurate or share them across formats. The findings emphasize that deepfakes are not monolithic, and associated modalities should be considered when studying user engagement with deepfakes.

This paper shows solicitude for the generalized projective synchronization of Caputo fractional-order uncertain memristive neural networks (FOUMNNs) with multiple delays. By extending the constant scale factor to the time-varying function matrix, we establish an extraordinary synchronization mode called time-varying function matrix projection synchronization (TFMPS), which is a generalized version of traditional matrix projection synchronization, modified projection synchronization, complete synchronization, and anti-synchronization. To achieve the goal of TFMPS, we design a novel mixed controller including the open loop feedback control and impulsive control, which employs the state information in the time-delayed interval and the sampling information at the impulse instants. It has a prominent advantage that impulse intervals are not restricted by time delays. To establish the connection between the error system and the auxiliary system, a generalized fractional-order comparison theorem with time-varying coefficients and impulses is established. Applying the stability theory, the comparison theorem, and the Laplace transform, new synchronization criteria of FOUMNNs are acquired under the mixed impulsive control schemes, and the derived synchronization theorem and corollary can effectively expand the correlative synchronization achievements of fractional-order systems.

Non-destructive defect testing with a passive magnetic detection technique is crucial for magnetic materials, which can be exempt from the extra excitation magnetic field or developer replenisher contamination. We demonstrate a novel and high-resolution non-destructive defect testing of a magnetic turbine blade in the earth’s magnetic field using a passive magnetic detection technique and a precisely controlled experimental system. The variation in the turbine blade’s magnetic field, measured by a three-dimensional and sensitive sensor mounted on a translation system, was numerically processed and visually demonstrated according to the experimental data. The element differential method was used for simulation and analysis, and we found that a feasible distance and an optimal signal-to-noise ratio can be reached at a testing distance of h = 1 mm. The magnetic characteristics obtained experimentally are in good agreement with those of the sample defect spots with the best spatial resolution of 0.1 mm. The major sources of systematic errors including dead zones and sensor orthogonality were also briefly discussed along with the possible solutions.

ABSTRACT: Aims: It has been reported that there are a certain percentage of COVID-19 patients who recover but suffer from devastating permanent organ damage or failure. Others suffer from long Covid syndrome, with prolonged symptoms that persist more than 12 weeks. However, there is scarcity of literature regarding the provision of dental treatment for these two groups of patients. This manuscript reviews the impact of multi-system involvement on the provision of dental care to these patients. Materials and methods: A search of literature was done in PubMed-Medline and Scopus databases to review the available literature on COVID-19 impacts on pulmonary, cardiovascular, haematologic, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and neurologic systems and respective management in dental clinical settings. Results: The literature search from PubMed-Medline and Scopus databases resulted in 74 salient articles that contributed to the concise review on COVID-19 effects on pulmonary, cardiovascular, haematologic, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and neurologic systems and/or its respective dental management recommendations. Conclusions: This concise review covers the management of post COVID-19 patients with pulmonary, cardiovascular, haematologic, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, or neurologic system complications.

Abstract Trichiurus nanhaiensis is one of the most important commercial fish species in the South China Sea. This study aimed to investigate the level of genetic variation and population genetic structure of T. nanhaiensis in the South China Sea for the first time, using 281 individuals collected from seven locations along the coast of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hainan Island. A high level of haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity were detected in the mitochondrial DNA cyt b gene and nuDNA RYR 3 gene. The overall expected heterozygosity (He = 0.693) among the seven populations ranged from 0.681 to 0.706 in microsatellite DNA data, which revealed high levels of genetic diversity. Significant genetic differentiation was found in Taidong populations in Taiwan, revealing the prevention of gene flow caused by the Kuroshio Current. Two major lineages based on the cyt b gene suggested that the Taiwan Strait acted as a geographic barrier for T. nanhaiensis during the glacier periods in the late Pleistocene. The Bayesian skyline plot also revealed that population demographic expansion of T. nanhaiensis was estimated to have occurred in 0.1 Mya. Our results indicated that all populations of T. nanhaiensis had experienced a recent genetic bottleneck following recent expansion based on ABC analysis.

Coordinated regulation of alternative splicing is essential for germ cell development. Here, the authors report that hnRNPH1 interacts with alternative splicing factors PTBP2 and SRSF3 in the germline to regulate pre-mRNA alternative splicing.

Evolutionary algorithms have been widely used for tackling multi-objective optimization problems, while feature selection in classification can also be seen as a discrete bi-objective optimization problem that pursues minimizing both the classification error and the number of selected features. However, traditional multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) can encounter setbacks when the dimensionality of features explodes to a large scale, i.e., the curse of dimensionality. Thus, in this paper, we focus on designing an adaptive MOEA framework for solving bi-objective feature selection, especially on large-scale datasets, by adopting hybrid initialization and effective reproduction (called HIER). The former attempts to improve the starting state of evolution by composing a hybrid initial population, while the latter tries to generate more effective offspring by modifying the whole reproduction process. Moreover, the statistical experiment results suggest that HIER generally performs the best on most of the 20 test datasets, compared with six state-of-the-art MOEAs, in terms of multiple metrics covering both optimization and classification performances. Then, the component contribution of HIER is also studied, suggesting that each of its essential components has a positive effect. Finally, the computational time complexity of HIER is also analyzed, suggesting that HIER is not time-consuming at all and shows promising computational efficiency.

Plant diversity plays a crucial role in maintaining the functionality of a community and providing essential ecosystem services. Studying the plant diversity and its response to environmental factors in the Yellow River Delta, China, as a newly formed coastal land, is beneficial for protecting plant diversity in coastal areas and maintaining ecosystem stability. In this study, 56 sites were sampled to investigate the diversity of shrubs and herbaceous plant community and its response to environmental factors. The results indicate that the plants growing in the Yellow River Delta are predominantly from the Poaceae and Asteraceae families, with dominant communities consisting of species such as Suaeda salsa, Phragmites australis, Setaria viridis, Imperata cylindrica, and Tamarix chinensis. The Shannon–Wiener index, Simpson diversity index, and Pielou’s evenness index exhibit average values of 0.34, 0.21, and 0.25, respectively, within the Yellow River Delta. These values collectively indicate a low diversity in the vegetation community, reflecting a relatively uncomplicated ecological structure in this area. Additionally, there were no significant differences in biodiversity indices under different soil formation times, but under different land cover types, the biodiversity index of cropland was significantly higher than that of impervious land. Soil salinity index exhibited a significant negative correlation with plant diversity (R2 = 0.279, p < 0.001) in the Yellow River Delta. Moreover, elevation (R2 = 0.247, p < 0.001) and temperature (R2 = 0.219, p < 0.001) showed significant positive effects on plant diversity. Regarding the ecological stoichiometry of plant elements, soil organic carbon exhibited a negative effect on the biodiversity index, while litter carbon showed a positive effect. This may be attributed to the unique topographical conditions and soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta. Our findings provide important references for the sustainable management of wetlands in the Yellow River Delta under conditions of soil salinization.