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Abstract Background The prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is high. However, there are few studies on the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF) and caloric restriction (CR) in MAFLD. Objectives To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of 4 h TRF and 60% CR in MAFLD. Methods Twelve male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the Normal group (normal diet, 10 kcal% fat), while the remaining 38 rats were assigned to the MAFLD group (high-fat diet, 60 kcal% fat). 10 weeks later, the MAFLD group was randomly divided into the 4 h TRF, 60% CR, 4 h TRF + 60% CR, and Model groups; all rats were then given normal diet. After 4 weeks, weight, blood lipid, and other indicators were detected. Results After the high-fat diet was discontinued, the liver lipid levels in the rat with MAFLD significantly reduced, while the body weight was not significantly changed. The rats in the Model group were heavier than those in the other four groups (p

Abstract Background Chordoma is a rare malignant bone tumor exhibiting poor survival and prognosis. Hence, it is crucial to develop a convenient and effective prognostic classification method for the rehabilitation and management of patients with chordoma. In this study, we combined DNA methylation profiles and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images to generate a radiogenomic signature to assess its effectiveness for prognosis classification in patients with skull base chordoma. Results DNA methylation profiles from chordoma tissue samples of 40 patients were factorized into eight DNA methylation signatures. Among them, Signature 4 was identified as the prognosis-specific signature. Based on the Signature 4 loading values, the patients were categorized into low-signature (LLG) and high-signature (HLG) loading groups. HLG patients had higher progression-free survival times than LLG patients. Combined analysis with external single-cell RNA-seq data revealed higher tumor cell proportions and lower natural killer cell proportions in the HLG than in the LLG. Additionally, 2,553 radiomic features were extracted from T1, T2, and enhanced T1 MRI images of the patients, and a radiogenomic signature comprising 14 radiomic features was developed. In a validation cohort of 122 patients, the radiogenomic signature successfully distinguished between the two groups (P = 0.027). Furthermore, the existence of Signature 4 was confirmed in an additional dataset of 14 patients. Conclusion We developed a prognostic radiogenomic signature using a radiogenomic classification method, which leverages MRI images to extract features that reflect the DNA methylation signature associated with prognosis, enabling the stratification of patients based on their prognostic risk. This method offers the advantages of being noninvasive and convenient.

Min Yin,1– 3 Chenpei Zhao,1– 3 Jia You,4 Wenzhi Ding,1– 3 Dongdong Jiang,1– 3 Yuyin Tian,1– 3 Lin Shi,1– 3 Lin Leng1– 3 1Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 4Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lin Leng, Email coollin.1987@163.comObjective: To examine the current status of research, identify key areas of interest, and explore emerging frontiers in the field of scleral lenses (SL) with the goal of informing and advancing further research in this field.Methods: Bibliometric methods were utilized to retrieve SL-related literature published in the Web of Science and Scopus database from 2014 to 2024. Elements such as authors, country/region, institution, journal, and keywords were analyzed using CiteSpace information visualization and analysis software and Bibliometrix R package.Results: A total of 506 articles were included. Among 117 countries/regions, the United States ranked first in the number of publications, followed by Spain and Australia. The distribution of research institutions showed that the Queensland University of Technology had the largest number of publications. Prof. Schornack, MM from Mayo Clinic had the highest number of articles. The research literature on SLwas published in 184 journals, of which Contact Lens & Anterior Eye and Eye & Contact Lens: Science and Clinical Practice were the most influential. Keyword clustering mainly included corneal topography, dry eye, limbal stem cell deficiency, ocular surface disease.Conclusion: SL has emerged as a prominent area of investigation in the field of ophthalmology. In this study, the research field of SL from 2014 to 2024 was visualized and analyzed, providing a visualization of the development status of SL and revealing the trends and cutting-edge hotspots of SL-related research. SL exhibits a broad spectrum of applications and demonstrates considerable potential for enhancing both visual acuity and overall quality of life in patients afflicted with diverse ocular conditions. This study offers a comprehensive overview of current state of knowledge and understanding on SL for researchers and clinicians.Keywords: scleral lens, bibliometrics, literature visualization, research hotspots

Yuying Wang, Dongmei Jiang, Xia Pan, Ke Sun, Tingting Li, Xin Cao, Xiaohui Zhu Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaohui Zhu, Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yandu District, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, 224000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18344764511, Email zhuxiao_hui9@163.comObjective: This study aims to investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota in patients with microvascular complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology.Methods: Patients diagnosed with T2DM were enrolled as study subjects. Based on the presence of microvascular complications, subjects were divided into a study group, a control group. Clinical fecal samples from the two groups were subjected to diversity analysis using the Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology, comparing the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota between the two groups. The Tax4Fun software was utilized for the functional prediction of differential microbiota.Results: A total of 3727 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, with 1311 OTUs common to both groups, and 1363 and 1053 OTUs unique to the study group and the control group, respectively. The study group exhibited a significant increase in the relative abundance of Clostridia and Negativicutes, and a marked decrease in Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Verrucomicrobia compared to the control group. LefSe analysis revealed significant differences in the relative abundance at two phyla, two classes, two orders, three families, and two genera levels between the groups. KEGG pathway analysis of differential microbiota identified 10 pathways with statistically significant differences (P< 0.05).Conclusion: This study reveals significant disparities in gut microbiota abundance between T2DM patients and those with microvascular complications of T2DM, suggesting potential microbial markers for diagnosing and treating microvascular complications of T2DM.Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing, type 2 diabetes, microvascular complications, gut microbiota

Highlights Single-layer graphdiyne on MXene (sGDY@MXene) heterostructure was fabricated and integrated into polypropylene separators, directing a LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase and long-term stability of lithium-metal anode. Instead of direct electron transfer from surface polar groups to fluorinated anions, the adsorbed Li ions on sGDY@MXene act as dynamic bridges collaboratively connecting the electron-donating heterostructure to the anion and its derivatives, facilitating interface charge transfer. Dedicate balance between lithiophilicity and high Li-ion mobility is the key to promote the dipole-induced fluorinated-anion decomposition.

Abstract Bridge widening involves phased construction of adjacent structures to maintain uninterrupted traffic flow. This process exposes freshly placed longitudinal joints between staged deck constructions to vehicle-induced vibrations, potentially compromising their mechanical integrity. This study investigates the flexural behavior of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) longitudinal joints under such vibrations through model tests. To simulate actual site conditions, we developed a novel vibration test setup that replicates the dynamic environment experienced by these joints during construction. Micro- and meso-scale tests were conducted to examine the flexural behavior of longitudinal joints following vibration exposure. Results revealed that vibration amplitude significantly influences fiber orientation and flexural strength of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) wet joint specimens. Low-amplitude vibrations (3 Hz at 1 mm and 3 mm) enhanced fiber orientation, increasing flexural strength by 11.5% to 19.8% and ultimate load capacity by 17% compared to non-vibrated specimens. Conversely, high-amplitude vibrations (3 Hz at 5 mm) adversely affected fiber orientation, decreasing flexural strength by 23.9% and ultimate load capacity by 19% relative to non-vibrated specimens.

Bing Sun,1 Jiali Huang,1 Xiaojun Chen,1 Chunhua Zhang,1 Hujie Lu,1 Mengyue Zhang,1 Dandan Jiang,2 Yanyan Chen2 1School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, People’s Republic of China; 2National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dandan Jiang, Email jiangdandan@eye.ac.cnAim: To investigate the influence of early-life factors (Season of birth, premature birth and breastfeeding) on the age at myopia onset.Methods: A total of 331 myopic students aged 18 years or above were recruited from one medical university in Wenzhou, China. Questionnaires were administered to collect data on age at myopia onset, early-life factors, and vision hygiene habits. Participants underwent noncycloplegic autorefraction. Generalized Linear Model was used to analyse the influencing factors of the age at myopia onset, early life factors as independent variables, spherical equivalent, parental myopia and eye hygiene habits as confounding factors into the generalized linear model.Results: In this study, the mean spherical equivalent (SE) of myopic university students was − 4.55± 2.19 D, and the mean age at myopia onset was 13.31± 2.64 years old. Subjects born in the summer had a younger age at myopia onset (β=− 1.79, P=0.001); subjects born prematurely tended to have a younger age at myopia onset (β=− 1.50, P=0.011); and breastfeeding was not statistically associated with the age at myopia onset.Conclusion: Season of birth and premature birth were associated with age at myopia onset, and children born in the summer and born prematurely had a younger age at myopia onset.Keywords: myopia, age at myopia onset, season of birth, premature birth

［Objective］To analyze the relationship between carbody stiffness and modal, and to provide theoretical support for the modal analysis of lightweight carbodies, it is necessary to conduct a theoretical study on both aspects. ［Method］Taking the 25T passenger vehicle as the research object, a finite element model of the carbody is established. Static and dynamic performance analysis of the carbody is carried out to identify key structures affecting the carbody modal. A carbody plate-beam mixed finite element model is established based on carbody geometric features. Using the optimal Latin hypercube sampling method, 40 sets of design variables for the chassis are obtained, and the carbody modal and equivalent stiffness results under different geometric parameters are further calculated. The modal of the lightweight carbody is calculated and analyzed based on the function relationship between carbody stiffness and modal. ［Result & Conclusion］The equivalent bending stiffness and equivalent torsional stiffness of the carbody are linearly and positively correlated with the first-order vertical bending and torsional modal frequencies, respectively. The optimized finite element results of the carbody show that the first-order vertical bending modal frequency increases from 9.04 Hz to 9.24 Hz, and the first-order torsional modal frequency increases from 15.99 Hz to 16.66 Hz, which are consistent with the theoretical relationship between stiffness and modal frequency.

Abstract With the increasing penetration rate of renewable energy in the power system, it becomes increasingly important to coordinate adequacy, flexibility, and environmental protection. The development of the power market provides diverse signals for power investors and plays an increasingly significant role in the decarbonization of the power system. However, due to the interdependent operations of various power markets, measuring the multifaceted value of power generation within traditional market mechanisms poses considerable challenges. Herein, a bi‐level optimization model is proposed to integrate the capacity remuneration mechanism (CRM), energy market (EM), and carbon emission trading (CET). The adequacy, flexibility, and environmental revenue expectations of different generation resources through synergistic transactions are derived using Lagrange multipliers. Furthermore, the bilevel optimization model is converted to its equivalent single‐level scheme based on the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions. Finally, several case studies are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model, along with comparisons and sensitivity analyses to study the principles behind synergistic transactions and the impact of some key parameters.

FanJing Jing,1 YunYan Shi,1 Dong Jiang,2 Xiao Li,1 JiaLin Sun,1 Qie Guo1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, People’s Republic of China; 2Navy Qingdao Special Service Rehabilitation Center, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Qie Guo, Email guoqie822a@qdu.edu.cnBackground: Sorafenib, an orally active potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), represented a primary treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, sorafenib resistance was regarded as a huge obstacle for HCC treatment.Methods: RNA-sequencing including circRNA Sequencing (circRNA-Seq) for circular RNAs (circRNAs), miRNA Sequencing (miRNA-Seq) for microRNAs (miRNAs), as well as mRNA Sequencing (mRNA-Seq) for mRNAs in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells vs sorafenib-sensitive HCC cells, were performed. Then, interaction correlation analysis between differentially expressed circRNAs and miRNAs and their target genes in Huh7/SOR and SMMC7721/SOR cells was exhibited. The “circRNA-miRNA-mRNA” network was constructed through the Cytoscape software application, Circular RNA Interactome and Targetscan prediction, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, and Dual luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, mRNA-Seq, Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis for the downstream genes involved in the “circRNA-miRNA-mRNA” network was implemented. Iron detection assay, Lipid peroxidation quantification assay, ROS measurement assay, CCK-8 assay, and tumor challenge in vivo were used to determine the mechanisms promoting sorafenib resistance in HCC, where the “circRNA-miRNA-mRNA” network is clearly involved in.Results: : circ_0001944 and circ_0078607 with upregulation and 2 downregulated expressed circRNAs (circ_0002874 and circ_0069981), as well as 11 upregulated miRNAs including miR-193a-5p, miR-197-3p, miR-27a-5p, miR-551b-5p, miR-335-3p, miR-767-3p, miR-767-5p, miR-92a-1-5p, miR-92a-3p, miR-3940-3p, and miR-664b-3p and 3 downregulated expressed miRNAs (miR-1292-5p, let-7c-5p, and miR-99a-5p) in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells were determined. Among these non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), circ_0001944 and miR-1292-5p should not be drop out of sight; circ_0001944 has been proved to target miR-1292-5p to inhibit its expression in HCC. Subsequent findings also raise that miR-1292-5p directly targeted the 3’-noncoding region (3’-UTR) of Fibulin 2 (FBLN2) mRNA. Furthermore, circ_0001944 targets the miR-1292-5p/FBLN2 axis to inhibit cell ferroptosis in which the indicated regulators associated with iron overload and lipid peroxidation were “rearranged”. Most importantly, circ_0001944 advanced sorafenib resistance in HCC through mitigating ferroptosis, where the miR-1292-5p/FBLN2 axis cannot be left unrecognized.Conclusion: : Circ_0001944 is a putative target for reversing sorafenib resistance in HCC. Our findings are expected to provide new targets and new directions for sorafenib sensitization in the treatment of HCC.Keywords: Circular RNAs, Sorafenib, hepatocellular carcinoma, MicoRNAs

Xiumei Han,1,&ast; Die Jiang,1,&ast; Chaomang Zhu,2,&ast; Duojie Li,1 Hongmei Yin1 1Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of China; 2Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Evolution and Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hongmei Yin, Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 182 2655 8221, Email yhm062573@163.comPurpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and survival analysis of internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLNI) radiotherapy after modified radical mastectomy for T1-3N3M0 The lateral quadrant breast cancer.Materials and Methods: A total of 124 patients who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy after modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University were included. The patients were divided into the internal mammary lymph node (IMLN) irradiation group, and sixty-two patients received postoperative chest wall + upper and infraclavicular lymph nodes + IMLNI,sixty-two patients in the non-IMLN irradiation group received postoperative radiotherapy to the chest wall + upper and infraclavicular lymph nodes. The radiotherapy dose was 45– 50GY, The disease-free survival rate (DFS), survival rate (OS), local recurrence rate (LRR), distant metastasis rate (DM), and adverse radiation reactions were analyzed.Results: Median follow-up was 56 months (range 12– 96). The 5-year OS in the IMLNI group and the non-IMLNI group were 80.6% and 79.8% (P> 0.05), DFS was 62.9% and 59.7% (P> 0.05), LRR was 22.6 and 21.0% (P> 0.05), and DM was 25.8% and 33.9% (P> 0.05), respectively. Multifactorial showed that T stage, PR status, vascular cancer embolism, it was an independent prognostic factor affecting the 5-year OS of patients, and PR expression status (P=0.038) was an independent prognostic factor affecting the 5-year LRR.Conclusion: For breast cancer patients located in the outer quadrant and more than 9 axillary lymph node positives, increasing IMNI failed to improve the 5-year prognosis of the patients, and for patients with late N stage, PR receptor-negative, and vascularity cancer thrombosis positive, the 5-year OS of breast cancer postoperative patients could be reduced, and the PR receptor positivity could reduce the 5-year LRR of patients. There was no significant difference in 5-year late radiation adverse effects between the IMLNI and non-IMLNI groups.Keywords: breast cancer, internal mammary lymph node irradiation, radiotherapy, survival rate, retrospective study

Ecological protection and restoration of territorial space is a national strategy aimed at safeguarding China's ecological security and enhancing people's well-being in the new era of ecological civilization. Establishing a legal framework for ecological protection and restoration of territorial space is a key strategic requirement for China to build the "multiple pillars" of ecological civilization. However, the legal provisions related to ecological protection and restoration are currently dispersed across various environmental laws and basic environmental legislation, making it difficult to provide robust support for the construction of a comprehensive legal system for ecological protection and restoration of territorial space. This study employs a textual analysis to systematically review the history of China's ecological protection and restoration legislation since 1978, tracing the evolution of relevant environmental laws, revealing the legislative foundations for the protection and restoration of national land space, and offering critical insights and references for building a legal framework that promotes integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, fields, lakes, grasses, and sands in the new era. The evolution of legal themes related to ecological protection and restoration of territorial space in China has undergone three stages: natural resource management and utilization (1978‒2011), single-element protection (2012‒2017), and barrier zone ecological protection and restoration (2018‒2023), marking three levels of transformation. From the perspective of legislative objectives, the focus has shifted from legislation concerning individual natural resources elements, such as mountains, water, forests, grasses, and seas, to comprehensive legislation targeting key regional ecosystems. In terms of legislative goals, the shift has been from single-element governance aimed at singular objectives to multi-objective, synergistic protection and restoration of mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes, grasses, sands, and more, through an integrated approach. Additionally, the legislative framework has transitioned from managing natural resources to managing integrated ecosystems. These changes and innovations have laid a foundation for China to establish a legal system for ecological protection and restoration of territorial space, focused on integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes, grasses, and sands in the new era. However, challenges remain, such as the absence of legal norms to implement the new concepts and approaches, unclear departmental responsibilities, and insufficient public participation mechanisms. Moving forward, it is essential to fully implement the ecosystem approach, develop a management system with centralized jurisdiction, joint coordination, and step-by-step refinement centered on the "two unified" responsibilities of the natural resources departments, and deepen legislation to enhance public participation. Additionally, leveraging the combined expertise of multiple disciplines and fields will support legislative research and practical exploration, leading to the comprehensive establishment of a legal system for the ecological protection and restoration of territorial space.

Xudong Che, Baixue Wu, Hongxia Zhang, Dengzhi Jiang, Wenqiao Fu, Zhaohui He Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhaohui He, Email geno_he@163.comBackground: Hemoglobin decrement is a common complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and is associated with poor outcome. However, the mediating variables on the causal pathway between hemoglobin decrement and poor outcome in aSAH are not clear.Methods: This is a single-center retrospective observational study containing all consecutive patients with aSAH admitted to our hospital between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2022. Hemoglobin decrement was defined as the hemoglobin at admission minus the minimum hemoglobin during hospitalization. Calculation of cutoff value using ROC curve Youden index. The main exposure of interest was a hemoglobin decrement greater than the cutoff value. The primary outcome was poor outcome at 3 months (mRS 4– 6).Results: A total of 480 patients with aSAH were included in the study, 414 (71.1%) had a favorable and 66 (28.9%) had a poor outcome at 3 months. The cut-off value for calculating the degree of hemoglobin decrease using the ROC curve was 12.5 g/l. Hemoglobin decrement greater than the cutoff value was significantly associated with pneumonia (OR 3.12; 95% CI 1.78– 5.57; p < 0.001), cerebral infarction (OR 3.06; 95% CI 1.80– 5.30; p < 0.001), and poor prognosis (OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.44– 5.92; p = 0.003) at 3 months. The mediation effect was significant for both pneumonia and cerebral infarction, with the average causal mediation effect (ACME) were 0.04 (95% CI 0.02– 0.08; p < 0.05) and 0.05 (95% CI 0.02– 0.08; p < 0.001), respectively.Conclusion: Hemoglobin decrement during hospitalization was significantly associated with poor prognosis after aSAH, and the increased risk of cerebral infarction and pneumonia might mediate this effect. Avoiding hemoglobin decrement greater than 12.5g/l may improve the prognosis of patients with aSAH.Keywords: aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemoglobin decrement, cerebral infarction, pneumonia

Rao Chen,1,2,* Liya Ai,1,2,* Jiying Zhang,1,3,4 Dong Jiang1,3,4 1Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Institute of Sports Medicine of Peking University, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China; 3Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China; 4Engineering Research Center of Sports Trauma Treatment Technology and Devices, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dong Jiang, Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China, Email bysyjiangdong@126.comIntroduction: Tendon injuries present a significant challenge for independent repair, and can progress into tendinopathy over time, highlighting the importance of early intervention. Dendritic cell-derived exosomes (DEXs) has been shown to shift the polarization of M1 macrophages, the predominant inflammatory cells in the early stages of tendon injury. This study introduces a therapeutic approach that effectively manages inflammation while promoting regeneration in the treatment of tendinopathy.Methods: The purification and characterization of DEXs were meticulously conducted. Experiments were carried out using an Achilles tendon rupture mouse model, with weekly DEXs treatment starting on postoperative day (POD) 4. In vitro, the function of DEXs was assessed by coculturing them with tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) in culture medium containing IL-1β. Tendon healing progress was evaluated using Sirius Red staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, biomechanical testing, and immunofluorescence microscopy. The inflammatory microenvironment of injured tendons was evaluated using the Luminex procedure and flow cytometry analysis.Results: DEXs treatment significantly enhanced tendon cell differentiation, promoted collagen type I synthesis, and inhibited collagen type III synthesis, thereby expediting tendon healing. Furthermore, DEXs treatment improved the inflammatory microenvironment by reducing multiple cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) and induced the conversion of M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway.Conclusion: DEXs demonstrated a potent ability to promote tendon healing while ameliorating the inflammatory microenvironment, suggesting their potential as a therapeutic approach to prevent the development of tendinopathy. Keywords: dendritic cell-derived exosomes, macrophage polarization, tendinopathy, inflammatory microenvironment

ObjectivesIn order to provide technical reference and design basis for the research and subsequent upgrade of China’s independent heavy-duty gas turbine, a series of upgrade measures of SGT5-4000F gas turbine were analyzed.MethodsThrough the collection, organization and performance analysis of relevant literature and data on the SGT5-4000F gas turbine, a series of upgrade measures taken by Siemens to improve the performance of the gas turbine have been summarized since it was introduced to the market in 1996.ResultsThrough the analysis, it can be concluded that Siemens’ upgrade measures include: increasing compressor mass flow, reducing the cooling air and adopting HCO to improve the power and thermal efficiency. The use of premixed pilot and optimization of the main swirler helps to improve the thermo-acoustic stability and reduce NOx emission. The validated new materials and new casting technologies can be used to improve the durability, life and operational flexibility.ConclusionsThe above technical upgrade measures can be used as technical reference and design basis for future improvement and upgrade of China’s independent heavy-duty gas turbine and its derivative models.

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in the treatment of moderate and severe plaque psoriasis in children. Methods A total of 10 children with psoriasis were enrolled at Yongcheng Central Hospital from November 2021 to November 2022. All patients were treated with subcutaneous injection of secukinumab and followed up for 52 weeks. The psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and childrens' dermatology life quality index(CDLQI) were evaluated, and adverse reactions were observed. Results After 4 weeks of the treatment, 8 patients achieved PASI 75, among which 7 patients achieved PASI 90 and PASI 100 was observed in 5 patients. After 8 weeks of the treatment, all 10 patients reached PASI 75, including 8 patients with PASI 100. After 12 weeks, all 10 patients achieved PASI 100. By 52 weeks, 9 patients reached PASI 75, including 8 patients with PASI 90 and 7 patients with PASI 100. After 4 weeks of the treatment, CDLQI scores were significantly decreased and declined to 0 by 52 weeks. No adverse reactions were observed in all patients. Conclusions Secukinumab can rapidly improve moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in children and exhibits long-lasting benefit. It is safe and can quickly improve the quality of life of the children.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a metabolic bone disease that affects more than 10 million people in the USA and leads to over two million fractures every year. The disease results in serious long-term disability and death in a large number of patients. Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement is the current standard in assessing fracture risk; however, the majority of fractures cannot be explained by BMD alone. Bone is a composite material of mineral, organic matrix, and water. While bone mineral provides stiffness and strength, collagen provides ductility and the ability to absorb energy before fracturing, and water provides viscoelasticity and poroelasticity. These bone components are arranged in a complex hierarchical structure. Both material composition and physical structure contribute to the unique strength of bone. The contribution of mineral to bone’s mechanical properties has dominated scientific thinking for decades, partly because collagen and water are inaccessible using X-ray based techniques. Accurate evaluation of bone requires information about its components (mineral, collagen, water) and structure (cortical porosity, trabecular microstructure), which are all important in maintaining the mechanical integrity of bone. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is routinely used to diagnose soft tissue diseases, but bone is “invisible” with clinical MRI due to its short transverse relaxation time. This review article discusses using ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences to evaluate bone composition and structure. Both morphological and quantitative UTE MRI techniques are introduced. Their applications in osteoporosis are also briefly discussed. These UTE-MRI advancements hold great potential for improving the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases by providing a more comprehensive assessment of bone quantity and quality.

IntroductionEnterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most frequent microsporidia species causing digestive disorder mainly diarrhea in humans and animals. Eld’s deer (Rucervus eldii) is the class I national key protected wildlife and only distributed on Hainan Island in China. No report on the prevalence and molecular characterization of E. bieneusi in wild Eld’s deer worldwide.Methods217 fecal samples were collected from Eld’s deer in two isolated habitats of a nature reserve in Hainan, and examined by nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.Results and discussionThe overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in Eld’s deer was 17.5% (38/217), with 13.5% (12/89) and 20.3% (26/128) in habitats 1 and 2, respectively. Seven ITS genotypes were identified, including five known genotypes: D (n = 19), Peru11 (n = 10), EbpC (n = 5), Peru8 (n = 1) and Type IV (n = 1), and two novel genotypes: HNED-I and HNED-II (one each). Genotypes Peru8 and Peru11 were firstly identified in cervids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all the detected genotypes belonged to zoonotic Group 1. The results implied that the further research on threaten of E. bieneusi to endangered Eld’s deer and potential risks for public health is necessary.

In this study, vegetative eco-concrete was prepared based on electrolytic manganese slag/phosphogypsum composite cementitious material as binder and clayey ceramic grains as aggregate. Based on the conditions of porosity and water-cement ratio, the optimal proportion of phosphogypsum-based eco-concrete was investigated, and concrete specimens with good performance were prepared (14 days compressive strength: 3.49 MPa, permeability coefficient: 1.37, total porosity: 24.5%, Improved compressive strength by 15% and water retention by 20%). The nutrient matrix of vegetative eco-concrete with different phosphogypsum/electrolytic manganese slag ratios was designed and modified, and the vegetative performance of the eco-concrete was investigated using four-season grass, ryegrass, clippings and clover as the grass species. The results showed that the eco-concrete based on phosphogypsum as raw material was rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which could meet the requirements of plant growth, Supporting plant growth with a 30% increase in root length and 25% improvement in biomass compared to control concrete. The addition of improvers had a good passivation effect on heavy metals such as As, Cu, Cr, Zn, Sb and Pb in the phytogenic substrate. The adaptability of different grass species to the planting substrate was Four Seasons > ryegrass > shepherd’s purse > clover, alfalfa, dogbane; the application of electrolytic manganese slag substrate had the best performance of planting, and the planting substrate with the application of improver inhibited the growth of plants. The study addresses the challenge of using phosphogypsum as a binder in concrete, which has traditionally faced issues with strength and stability. By optimizing the mix ratio and curing process, we were able to achieve a concrete material that not only performs well mechanically but also supports plant growth.

Coastal wetland is one of the most critical ecosystems for mitigating climate change and sequestrating carbon. Detecting dynamic changes in carbon storage of coastal wetland can clearly reveal their carbon sequestration capacity, which is helpful for protecting coastal wetland ecosystems and achieving carbon peaking and neutrality targets. We used the InVEST model supporting by statistical analysis and GIS to investigate carbon storage dynamics and its driving factors in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) for the period of 1980—2020. The results indicated that①carbon storage in the YRD initially increased and then decreased from 1980 to 2020, resulting in an overall decrease from 1.561×107 t to 1.556×107 t, with a maximum loss of 1.310×106 t (-7.8% ) from 1990 to 2020. Specifically, carbon storage increased by 1.3×105 tC/a from 1980 to 1990, decreased by 6.5×104 tC/a from 1990 to 2010, and further decreased by 2.0×103 tC/a from 2010 to 2020. ②Spatially, carbon storage exhibited distinct variations. Low values were primarily observed in tidal flats and wetland area. Medium values were found in the inland extension of wetland, while high values were distributed between the first two areas and along the Yellow River. ③The decrease in carbon storage was mainly attributed to land use conversion from wetland and grassland to built-up area, salt pan, and mariculture. Additionally, the construction of large-scale tidal barriers in the YRD altered the distribution of carbon storage by affecting sea-land hydrological connectivity, vegetation, and soil properties. Notably, carbon storage tended to increase with greater distance from tidal barriers. Overall, promoting the conversion of land use types towards wetland ecological restoration will be crucial for enhancing the carbon sink in the YRD in the future.

Donglin Jiang,1 Yangxue Wu,1 Ling Liu,1 Yajing Shen,1 Tiandong Li,1 Yin Lu,1 Peng Wang,2 Changqing Sun,2 Kaijuan Wang,2 Keyan Wang,3 Hua Ye1 1College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Gaoxin District, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People’s Republic of China; 2Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Epidemiology and State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People’s Republic of China; 3Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hua Ye, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Gaoxin District, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 186-3853-6001, Fax +86 371-67781018, Email yehua@zzu.edu.cnBackground: Gastrointestinal tumors represent a significant component of the cancer burden in Asia. This study aims to evaluate the burden of gastrointestinal tumors in Asia from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021).Methods: The absolute incidence, mortality, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) number and rate of six gastrointestinal tumors(colon and rectum cancer (CRC), stomach cancer (SC), pancreatic cancer (PC), esophageal cancer (EC), liver cancer (LC) and gallbladder and biliary tract cancer (GBTC)) in 48 Asian countries were extracted from GBD 2021. Differences were analyzed based on gender, age, year, location and socio-demographic index (SDI).Results: In 2021, SC accounted for the highest disease burden in Asia (DALYs=16.41million [95% UI: 13.70, 19.62]). From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized incidence rates of EC, LC, and SC in Asia declined, while the incidence rates of CRC and PC increased significantly, with CRC showing the largest rise (AAPC=1.08 [95% CI: 1.02 to 1.12]). Gastrointestinal tumors DALY rates peaked at age 70 and above, with males generally exhibiting higher rates than females. Furthermore, East Asia bears a higher burden compared to other Asian subregions. A higher SDI correlates with increased DALY rates for PC, but no linear relationship was observed for other gastrointestinal tumors.Conclusion: The burden of gastrointestinal tumors in Asia remains high and may continue to increase. Therefore, effective prevention and treatment measures are essential to address the challenge posed by gastrointestinal tumors.Keywords: Asia, gastrointestinal tumors, burden, trends

Xiaohui Zhu,1,2 Dongmei Jiang,1 Hongjie Zhang,3 Ruyuan Cai,3 Yuying Wang,1 Fei Hua2 1Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng, 224000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, 213000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng, 224000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fei Hua, Email huafeihf@21cn.comObjective: The study aimed to explore the correlation between retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) with blood biochemical indicators and cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the possible mechanism, thereby providing more theoretical basis for the occurrence and prevention of diabetes related complications.Methods: Eighty T2DM patients treated in our hospital from March 2022 to September 2022 were selected as the study subjects, and the clinical data of the patients were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) to analyze the changes in retinal blood vessels. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided as the diabetic retinopathy (DR) group (n=46) and simple diabetes group (n=34). The RNFLT, blood biochemical indexes and changes in cognitive functions of the patients were detected. The correlation between RNFLT with blood biochemical indexes and cognitive dysfunction was analyzed.Results: Compared with the simple diabetes group, patients in the DR group had much lower mean, nasal, inferior and superior thicknesses (P< 0.01). There existed no significant difference in blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), blood lipids (triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein) between the two groups (P> 0.05). Compared with the simple diabetes group, patients in the DR group had much higher fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, apolipoprotein B (ApoB)/apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) (P< 0.001). Besides, the DR group had sharply lower scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale and higher levels of the Trail Making Test-A (TMT-A) and TMT-B (P< 0.001). Spearman correlation analysis confirmed that the mean RNFLT was negatively correlated with the levels of FBG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR index, TMT-A and TMT-B (P< 0.05), positively correlated with the score of mini-mental state examination (MMSE) (P< 0.05), and was no significant correlation with FINS and ApoB/ApoA1 (P> 0.05).Conclusion: DR patients had significantly reduced RNFLT, elevated levels of blood glucose related indicators, and cognitive dysfunction. There existed a correlation between RNFLT and FBG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR index, TMT-A, TMT-B and MMSE.Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, retinal nerve fiber thickness, blood biochemical indicators, cognitive dysfunction, correlation

In this study, the effect of recombinant porcine interferon alpha (rPoIFNα) on porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus inactivated vaccine (TGEV IV) in terms of immunological augmentation was examined. Seven experimental piglet groups, including PBS group, rPoIFNα group, inactivated vaccine (IV) alone group, 4.0x104 U rPoIFNα+IV group, 2.0x105 U rPoIFNα+IV group,1.0x106 U rPoIFNα+IV group, 5.0x106 U rPoIFNα+IV group, were divided. The piglets in each group received a secondary vaccination at 28 days following the initial immunization. By using the ELISA assay, neutralization assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry, we measured anti- TGEV-specific antibody expressions, neutralization antibodies, as well as lymphocyte proliferation index (Stimulation index, SI), specific IL-4 and IFN-γ production, and T cell subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+). Piglets injected with IV supplemented with rPoIFNα at 1.0x106 U or 5.0x106 U developed significantly higher anti-TGEVspecific and neutralizing antibodies compared to those treated with IV alone. IV therapy with rPoIFNα at 1.0x106 U or 5.0x106 U can boost cellular immunity against TGEV by increasing SI, IL-4, IFN-γ, and the ratio of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cell subgroups. The IV+5.0x106 U rPoIFNα group showed a considerably larger immune increase than the IV+2.0x105 U rPoIFNα group, suggesting that it works in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, rPoIFNα at 1.0x106 U or 5.0x106 U enhances the immune response against TGEV IV and may function as an immune stimulant.

Xiaojun Chen,1,&ast; Shushu Zuo,1,&ast; Chunhua Zhang,1 Bing Sun,1 Mengyue Zhang,1 Dandan Jiang,2 Yanyan Chen2 1School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, People’s Republic of China; 2National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yanyan Chen; Dandan Jiang, National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, No. 270, Xueyuan West Road, Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13858855689 ; +86 13506649289, Email cyy@eye.ac.cn; jiangdandan@eye.ac.cnObjective: This study aims to explore the effects of eye exercises on the accommodative ability of Chinese school-aged children.Methods: This study used a convenience cluster sampling and selected 149 students from grades 2– 5 in a Wenzhou primary school to participate in the intervention in June 2022. This study involved a one-month intervention teaching eye exercises using a composite feedback model. Assessments were made at 3 and 9 months post-intervention. Data collection occurred thrice, including a baseline and two follow-ups, measuring monocular and binocular accommodative facility, monocular and binocular accommodative amplitude, CISS scale, spherical equivalent refraction, and uncorrected visual acuity. Analysis used chi-square tests and generalized estimating equations to evaluate the exercises’ effectiveness, with a significance threshold of P < 0.05.Results: 134 students completed the follow-up, including 61 females (45.52%). After teaching intervention, students showed significant improvements in the accuracy of manipulation, rhythm, acupoint location, strength effectiveness and rhythm of acupressure eye exercises (all P < 0.05), with increases of 10.37%, 13.03%, 16.96%, and 25.17%, respectively. Follow-up assessments revealed both monocular and binocular accommodative amplitude at T3 were significantly higher than at T1 and T2. Moreover, the binocular accommodative amplitude in the high-quality eye exercise group remained significantly higher than that in the low-quality group even(B=1.39,1.46, P < 0.01). Eye exercises could improve monocular and binocular accommodative amplitude in the short term(P < 0.05). High-quality eye exercises could alleviate visual fatigue (B=− 2.00--3.49, both P < 0.05). However, eye exercises did not demonstrate any advantages in affecting spherical equivalent refraction or uncorrected visual acuity (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Eye exercises can alleviate myopia-related symptoms in Chinese children aged 7 to 11 years. However, this study did not find that eye exercises effectively reduce the degree of myopia in children.Trial Registration: The original trial (Registration site: https://www.chictr.org.cn/ Registration number: ChiCTR2300070903) was retrospectively registered on 26/04/2023.Keywords: Eye exercises, myopia, accommodative facility, accommodative amplitude, visual fatigue

Abstract The recent colder winters in midlatitude Eurasia have been proposed to result from Arctic sea-ice decline. However, large uncertainties remain regarding this link in the present variable climate. Here, we present ice-rafted debris records from the eastern Arctic and geochemical data from the temperate East China Sea to reconstruct Holocene changes in sea ice and the East Asian winter monsoon. Our reconstructions and climate numerical simulations revealed enhanced Arctic sea-ice decline but warmer winters in East Asia in the mid-Holocene than in the late Holocene. In the warmer mid-Holocene, enhanced Arctic sea-ice loss transferred more heat from intensive summer solar insolation to the winter atmosphere, suppressing meridional heat transport; thus, less high-latitude cold air moved to lower latitudes in Asia due to the weakened winter monsoon. Our findings imply that the colder winters in East Asia may not change the long-term trend toward winter warming in the context of Arctic sea-ice decline.

Abstract Background With the rapid growth of the ageing population, chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis have become one of the major diseases affecting the quality of life of elderly people. The main pathological manifestation of osteoarthritis is articular cartilage damage. Alleviating and repairing damaged cartilage has always been a challenge. The application of cartilage tissue engineering methods has shown promise for articular cartilage repair. Many studies have used cartilage tissue engineering methods to repair damaged cartilage and obtained good results, but these methods still cannot be used clinically. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating nerve growth factor (NGF) into a silk fibroin (SF)/chitosan (CS) scaffold containing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the repair of articular cartilage defects in the knees of rabbits and to explore the possible underlying mechanism involved. Materials and methods Nerve growth factor-loaded sustained-release microspheres were prepared by a double emulsion solvent evaporation method. SF/CS scaffolds were prepared by vacuum drying and chemical crosslinking. BMSCs were isolated and cultured by density gradient centrifugation and adherent culture. NGF-SF/CS-BMSC composites were prepared and implanted into articular cartilage defects in the knees of rabbits. The repair of articular cartilage was assessed by gross observation, imaging and histological staining at different time points after surgery. The repair effect was evaluated by the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) score and a modified Wakitani score. In vitro experiments were also performed to observe the effect of different concentrations of NGF on the proliferation and directional differentiation of BMSCs on the SF/CS scaffold. Results In the repair of cartilage defects in rabbit knees, NGF-SF/CS-BMSCs resulted in higher ICRS scores and lower modified Wakitani scores. The in vitro results showed that there was no significant correlation between the proliferation of BMSCs and the addition of different concentrations of NGF. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the protein and mRNA expression of COL2a1 and ACAN between the groups after the addition of different concentrations of NGF. Conclusion NGF-SF/CS-BMSCs improved the repair of articular cartilage defects in the knees of rabbits. This repair effect may be related to the early promotion of subchondral bone repair.

Background and purpose: The overexpression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A) is related to the poor prognosis of breast cancer, and it can promote the utilization of fatty acids by mitochondria and maximize triphosphate (ATP) production. However, the role of CPT1A in breast cancer metastasis is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism that mitochondrial dysfunction and CPT1A/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in breast cancer jointly regulate the malignant behavior of breast cancer. Methods: The lentivirus system and shRNA tools were used to overexpress or knock down CPT1A in human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF7, and the cells were divided into NC group, CPT1A group and shCPT1A group. The invasion ability of cells was detected by transwell assay, and the protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), ERK1/2 and CPT1A were analyzed by Western blot. The mitochondrial morphology of MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cell lines was analyzed using mitochondrial red staining, and mitochondrial respiratory capacity was analyzed by oxygen consumption rate. Results: Compared with cells expressing control vector, overexpression of CPT1A resulted in enhanced invasion abilities of MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells (P

Investigating neurophysiological markers linked to impulsivity in individuals with gambling and methamphetamine addiction using resting-state EEG data offers valuable insights into the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms associated with impulsivity in individuals with addiction. This study aims to use resting-state EEG to explore the connection between various types of addiction and different aspects of impulsivity. Participants from the methamphetamine, gambling, and healthy control groups (abbreviation: MA, GB, HC) underwent EEG recordings and completed measures of impulsivity. Group differences in trait scores and behavioral tendencies were analyzed. Abnormal connections with node linkage and importance changes were analyzed through the resting-state EEG power spectral and network analyses. Further, relationships between impulsivity scores and connectivity differences in groups were explored through correlation analysis. Finally, these abnormal connections related to impulsivity were tested for their effect of distinguishing individuals with addiction from healthy controls through the ROC analysis. Results revealed that GB displayed the highest trait impulsivity on the overall score, while MA exhibited greater attentional impulsivity. Variations in behavioral impulsivity were reflected in response times. Resting-state EEG analysis showed higher beta power in GB. Specific channel pairs demonstrated abnormal connections and altered connectivity patterns in the beta band, with MA displaying a less efficient network compared to GB. Correlation analyses uncovered associations between impulsivity scores and connectivity, which were influenced by group differences. Furthermore, resting-state EEG connections effectively differentiated individuals with addiction from healthy controls. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights into the neural mechanisms of addiction-related impulsivity, emphasizing the potential of resting-state EEG connections as an important neurophysiological correlate.

Evidence showed that air pollution was associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to study the impact of long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) on the acquisition of LTBI and on the risk of subsequent active disease development among rural older adults from a multicentre cohort, which have not yet been investigated to date. A total of 4790 older adults were included in a population-based, multicentre, prospective cohort study (LATENTTB-NSTM) from 2013 to 2018. The level of long-term exposure to PM2.5 for each participant was assessed by aggregating satellite-based estimates. Logistic regression and time-varying Cox proportional hazards models with province-level random intercepts were employed to assess associations of long-term exposures to PM2.5 with the risk of LTBI and subsequent development of active TB, respectively. Out of 4790 participants, 3284 were LTBI-free at baseline, among whom 2806 completed the one-year follow-up and 127 developed newly identified LTBI. No significant associations were identified between PM2.5 and the risk of LTBI. And among 1506 participants with LTBI at baseline, 30 active TB cases were recorded during the 5-year follow-up. Particularly, an increment of 5 μg/m3 in 2-year moving averaged PM2.5 was associated with a 50.6% increased risk of active TB (HR = 1.506, 95% CI: 1.161-1.955). Long-term air pollution might be a neglected risk factor for active TB development from LTBI, especially for those living in developing or less-developed areas where the air quality is poor.

A series of porous organic polymers based on a singlet oxygen generating oxoporphyinogen (‘OxP’) has been successfully prepared from a pseudotetrahedral OxP-tetraamine precursor (OxP(4-NH2Bn)4) by its reaction with tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides under suitable conditions. Of the compounds studied, those containing naphthalene (OxP-N) and perylene (OxP-P) spacers, respectively, have large surface areas (~530 m2 g−1). On the other hand, the derivative with a simple benzene spacer (OxP-B) exhibits the best 1O2 generating capability. Although the starting OxP-tetraamine precursor is a poor 1O2 generator, its incorporation into OxP POPs leads to a significant enhancement of 1O2 productivity, which is largely due to the transformation of NH2 groups to electron-withdrawing diimides. Overall 1O2 production efficacy of OxP-POPs under irradiation by visible light is significantly improved over the common reference material PCN-222. All the materials OxP-B, OxP-N and OxP-P promote oxidation of thioanisole involving conversion of ambient triplet state oxygen to singlet oxygen under visible light irradiation and its reaction with the sulfide. Although the reaction rate of the oxidation promoted by OxP POPs is generally lower than for conventional materials (such as PCN-222) or previously studied OxP derivatives, undesired overoxidation of the substrate to methyl phenyl sulfone is suppressed. For organic sulfides, selectivity of oxidation is especially important for detoxification of mustard gas (bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide) or similarly toxic compounds since controlled oxidation leads to the low toxicity bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfoxide while overoxidation leads to intoxification (since bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfone presents greater toxicity to humans than the sulfide substrate). Therefore, OxP POPs capable of promoting selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides have excellent potential to be used as mild and selective detoxification agents.

In order to meet the requirements of concrete filling, vibration, and pumping during the construction of the concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) arch bridge, the C80 expansive self-compacting concrete (SCC) is prepared using the absolute volume method. This research investigates the effects of MgO-based expansive agent (EA) and water-to-binder ratio (w/b) on the fresh properties, mechanical properties, autogenous shrinkage, and creep behaviors of expansive SCC. The microstructure of expansive SCC is analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results show that, as the MgO-based EA content increases from 5 % to 10 %, its effect on fresh properties of SCC is negligible. The addition of EA retards the hydration reaction of cement at early ages, thus delaying the strength development. However, the long-term mechanical strengths of the SCC are enhanced, due to the expansion product refines the microstructure at later ages. Moreover, the 14-day autogenous shrinkage of SCC with 10 % EA content is eliminated and shows the micro expansion (155.3 με). The microstructural analysis shows that the porosity of SCC with 10 % EA content is 1.8 % while the pore throat below 0.1 μm accounting for 55 % and the pore size above 30 μm is negligible. This research reveals the mechanism of the effects of MgO-based EA and w/b on the volume stability of the SCC, facilitating the application of expansive SCC in CFST composite structures.

ABSTRACT Background A screening tool was devised to aid the diagnosis and treatment of ground‐glass nodules (GGNs). Methods The current ambispective cohort study included retrospective collation of 20 variables synthesizing a patient's clinical characteristics, serum tumor markers, and CT results, which allowed division into noninvasive (benign, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma in situ) and invasive (minimally invasive and invasive adenocarcinomas) tumors to build a prediction nomogram and GGN screening scale. The model was verified internally. A prospective cohort of patients was randomly divided by envelope method into those assessed by the GGN screening scale and those assessed via CT values. The diagnostic efficiencies were compared to allow external verification of the model. Result A total of 223 patients with 225 GGNs were recruited into the retrospective cohort between January 2021 and December 2022. Multivariable analysis showed sex, diameter, air bronchogram, and vessel convergence sign to be independent factors for prediction of noninvasive and invasive GGNs. Internal verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 70.7% and specificity of 75.0% with the Youden index at 0.457 and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.793 (95% CI: 0.734–0.852). Calibration curves indicated good internal stability (p = 0.357). Between January 2023 and March 2023, 147 patients with 148 GGNs were recruited into the prospective cohort. External verification showed the model had a sensitivity of 92.4% and specificity of 40.0% with the Youden index at 0.324 and AUC of 0.678 (95% CI: 0.509–0.847). Calibration curves indicated good external stability (p = 0.088). The scale was shown to have a sensitivity of 75.00%, specificity of 37.50%, positive predictive value of 91.53%, negative predictive value of 14.29%, and accuracy of 71.25%. Conclusion The GGN screening scale has high sensitivity and accuracy, making it suitable for diagnosis of GGNs.

To enhance the transmission capabilities in power system scheduling, this paper develops a unit commitment model that incorporates dynamic transmission line capacities and proposes an efficient solving algorithm. A multi-scenario unit commitment model that integrates dynamic transmission line capacities is introduced, using quantile regression to construct a data-driven capacity increase model based on historical environmental data. The model is solved using Lagrangian relaxation and the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) to decouple dynamic constraints, allowing the dual problem to be decomposed into sub-problems and solved iteratively. The proposed model and algorithm are validated using the IEEE-118 and IEEE-300 test cases, demonstrating their effectiveness in handling dynamic transmission line capacities and improving scheduling performance.The approach provides a robust and flexible solution for power system scheduling, enhancing reliability and economic efficiency.

BackgroundThere have been few instances of symptomatic bradycardia-arrhythmia in the context of area postrema syndrome (APS), and some of them have been implanted permanent pacemakers. Cardioneuroablation (CNA) has emerged as a viable therapy for the treatment of syncope induced by neutrally mediated bradycardia or atrioventricular block.MethodsWe report a young patient with recurrent cardiac asystole and syncope following persistent hiccups caused by neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), who successfully completed CNA treatment and avoided permanent pacemaker placement. We also summarized and analyzed 20 previously reported cases that were relevant to APS with bradyarrhythmia.ResultsIn a patient with NMOSD, CNA can efficiently and safely eradicate symptomatic bradycardia-arrhythmia. A total of 21 cases were identified in the final analysis (including our case). The average age was 51 years old and female patients accounted for 38.1%. Brady-arrhythmia was presented in all patients, and 9 patients were implanted temporary or permanent pacemakers. 4 of the 9 patients were received permanent pacing therapy because they were not weaned off pacing support after etiological treatment.ConclusionsCardiac asystole and syncope after persistent hiccups may be the first signs of APS of medullary lesions, and CNA may be a useful therapy option for these patients in experienced centers. We believe that in this scenario, CNA may be a superior therapeutic option than permanent pacemaker placement. Additionally, the statement also serves as a cautionary reminder for health care professionals to establish an association between bradyarrhythmia and APS of medullary lesions in their clinical practice.

C23H24O5, monoclinic, C2 (no. 4), a = 23.958(2) Å, b = 5.8145(5) Å, c = 17.839(3) Å, β = 129.974(3)°, V = 1904.3(4) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt (F) = 0.0435, wRref (F 2) = 0.1140, T = 153(2) K.

Amplitude error of each antenna in three-element array is an important factor affecting the angle simulation precision, which is a key index in radio frequency simulation system (RFSS). Analyzing the relationship between angle simulation error and amplitude error is of great significance. Firstly, under the maximum amplitude error limitation of three-element array, the problem of maximum angle simulation error at a fixed incoming wave direction is modeled. This optimization problem is a non-convex optimization problem, and by analyzing its structural characteristics, six possible values for the optimal solution are obtained. Secondly, the problem of maximum angle simulation error at any incoming wave direction within the three-element array is modeled. Based on the optimization results for the fixed incoming wave direction and structural properties of the problem, a closed-form expression for the maximum angle simulation error is obtained, and the apparent radiation centers corresponding to the maximum angle simulation error are revealed. Then, when the amplitude errors approach zero, the asymptotic characteristics of the maximum angle simulation error of the three-element array are analyzed, revealing that the asymptotic angle simulation error increases linearly with the amplitude error. Finally, the accuracy of the analysis results is proved via numerical simulations.

Shiwandashan is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in Guangxi, and its main vegetation type is mountain evergreen broad-leaved forest. In order to understand the current community status and the development status of dominant species population structure of mountain evergreen broad-leaved forests in the region, this study was conducted in a fixed monitoring sample plot of 1 hm2 established within the evergreen broad-leaved forest community in the Shiwandashan. Woody plants with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 1 cm in the sample plot community were used as the research objects to analyze their species compositions, diameter class structures, tree height structures, and the spatial distribution patterns of dominant species using the g(r) function. The results were as follows: (1) There were 7 517 woody plants with DBH ≥ 1 cm in the community, belonging to 52 families, 108 genera and 153 species. The dominant species in the community were Clethra delavayi, Schima argentea, Hartia villosa, Castanopsis hystrix, Engelhardtia roxburghiana, Ardisia quinquegona, Itea chinensis, Symplocos adenophylla, Eurya subintegra, Ilex pubescens, but the dominant position of dominant species was not obvious. (2) The overall average DBH of the community was 5.51 cm, and the distribution of diameter class and tree height was approximately an inverted “J” shape. The diameter class distribution of dominant species was mostly an inverted “J” or “L” shape, and the community had a large number of small and medium-sized diameter class standing trees, indicating a strong self-renewal ability of the community. (3) Dominant species coexisted stably in the community; the dominant species exhibited aggregated distribution in the sample plot, but there were differences in the location of aggregated distribution among dominant species. Overall, the community is currently in a good state of renewal, with the existence of dominant species in the top level community. However, the community has certain secondary characteristics and has not yet reached a stable top level community state. The dominant species can coexist stably and have the potential to inherit towards a stable top level community. Therefore, it is necessary to continue to strengthen management and promote the renewal and survival of the evergreen broad-leaved forest community in the Shiwandashan areas.

To solve the problem of low precision in soft sensor models caused by sensor data loss in industrial processes, a new method of sensor data generation based on generative adversarial nets (GAN) is proposed. Firstly, the missing area of sensor data is detected by the isolated forest algorithm. Secondly, conditional generative adversarial nets (CGAN) are training using the attributes of missing data. By adding random sequences to the input conditions of CGAN as additional information, the data is generated iteratively in CGAN. The wasserstein generative adversarial nets gradient penalty (WGAN-GP) cost function is used to improve the stability of network training. Finally, a sampler is introduced to fill the sampled data into the missing region and form a complete data set to improve the accuracy of the soft sensing model. In this paper, the temperature sensor data of a nickel flash furnace is used as the target variable for soft-sensing modelling, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method to improve the accuracy of the soft-sensing model are verified.

Highlights MVOH/rGO cathode with dual defect of Mg2+ pre-intercalation defect (P-Mgd) and surface oxygen defect (Od) is prepared. The dual defect of Od and P-Mgd in MVOH/rGO lamellar structure effectively enhances Mg2+ migration kinetics, structural stability, and electronic conductivity. The Mg foil//MVOH/rGO full cell achieves an ultralong lifespan of 850 cycles at 0.1 A g−1 and powers an orange light-emitting diode.

With the increasing utilization of drones, the cyber security threats they face have become more prominent. Code reuse in the software development of drone systems has led to vulnerabilities in drones. The binary code similarity analysis method offers a way to analyze drone firmware lacking source code. This paper proposes DEGNN, a novel graph neural network for binary code similarity analysis. It uses call-enhanced control graphs and attention mechanisms to generate dual embeddings of functions and predict similarity based on graph structures and node features. DEGNN is effective in cross-architecture tasks. Experimental results show that in the cross-architecture binary function search, DEGNN’s mean reciprocal rank and recall@1 surpass the state of the art by 12% and 28.6%, respectively. In the cross-architecture real-world vulnerability search, specifically targeting drone systems, it has a 33.3% performance improvement over the SOTA model, indicating its great potential in enhancing drone cyber security.

The primary grain size, sintering conditions, and admixtures have a significant impact on the grain growth of alumina ceramics. Three kinds of alumina powders with varying grain sizes and zirconia nanoparticles were selected and configured into five compositions of zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramics. As-received granules were used to sinter bulk ceramics at temperatures of 1520 °C, 1600 °C, and 1680 °C for durations of 0.5–2 h, respectively. The average grain sizes of alumina in ZTA ceramics were studied as a function of the sintering temperature, time, and particle size of raw materials. The results demonstrated that the addition of nano alumina led to a slight reduction in the grain size of alumina and a more uniform grain size distribution. The incorporation of nano zirconia (15 wt.%) resulted in the concentration of zirconia among the alumina grains, effectively inhibiting grain growth and resulting in a significant reduction in the average grain size of alumina from 11.73 to 5.63 μm after sintering at 1600 °C for 1 h.

Abstract BackgroundThe evidence on the association of fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5 ObjectiveIn a population-based retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the influence of PM2.5 MethodsA total of 26,482 patients with incident PTB, registered in a mandatory web-based reporting system between 2012 and 2019 in Zhengzhou, China, were included in the analysis. The exposure to PM2.52.5 ResultsAmong the 26,482 patients (mean age 46.86, SD 19.52 years) with a median follow-up time of 1523 days per patient, 1542 (5.82%) PTB retreatments were observed between 2012 and 2019. Exposure to PM2.532.52.5 ConclusionsLong-term exposure to PM2.5

Direct imaging of semi-solid lipids, such as myelin, is of great interest as a noninvasive biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, the short T2 relaxation times of semi-solid lipid protons hamper direct detection through conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequences. In this study, we examined whether a three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D UTE) sequence can directly acquire signals from membrane lipids. Membrane lipids from red blood cells (RBC) were collected from commercially available blood as a general model of the myelin lipid bilayer and subjected to D2O exchange and freeze-drying for complete water removal. Sufficiently high MR signals were detected with the 3D UTE sequence, which showed an ultrashort T2* of ∼77–271 µs and a short T1 of ∼189 ms for semi-solid RBC membrane lipids. These measurements can guide designing UTE-based sequences for direct in vivo imaging of membrane lipids.

Abstract Mg‐ion batteries (MIBs) are promising next‐generation secondary batteries, but suffer from sluggish Mg2+ migration kinetics and structural collapse of the cathode materials. Here, an H2O‐Mg2+ waltz‐like shuttle mechanism in the lamellar cathode, which is realized by the coordination, adaptive rotation and flipping, and co‐migration of lattice H2O molecules with inserted Mg2+, leading to the fast Mg2+ migration kinetics, is reported; after Mg2+ extraction, the lattice H2O molecules rearrange to stabilize the lamellar structure, eliminating structural collapse of the cathode. Consequently, the demo cathode of Mg0.75V10O24·nH2O (MVOH) exhibits a high capacity of 350 mAh g−1 at a current density of 50 mA g−1 and maintains a capacity of 70 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1. The full aqueous MIB based on MVOH delivers an ultralong lifespan of 5000 cycles The reported waltz‐like shuttle mechanism of lattice H2O provides a novel strategy to develop high‐performance cathodes for MIBs as well as other multivalent‐ion batteries.

C9H9Br3, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 8.7420(4) Å, b = 4.4696(2) Å, c = 13.3526(6) Å, β = 97.785(2)°, V = 516.92(4) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0235, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0528, T = 150 K.

C23H25NO3, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 15.2433(7) Å, b = 5.8687(3) Å, c = 22.3558(11) Å, β = 105.461(2)°, V = 1927.54(16) Å3, Z = 4, R gt(F) = 0.0413, wR ref(F 2) = 0.1055, T = 100(2) K.

Hao Zou,1 Jianrong Liu,1 Dongxu Jiang,2 Linlin Hou,3 Weiliang Wang,4 Linlin Zhang5 1Nursing Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University, Shanxi, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nursing, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Nursing Department, The second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Shanxi, People’s Republic of China; 4Nursing Department, Xuzhou Medical university, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianrong Liu; Linlin Zhang, Email 1548708192@qq.com; zhanglinlin1971@163.comPurpose: To test a hypothetical pathway model to estimate the links between health literacy, social support, illness perception, and disease management self-efficacy.Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted from June to October 2022, involved the recruitment of 210 patients with chronic diseases at two primary care facilities. Participants completed the Health Literacy Management Scale, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale, Social Support Rating Scale and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. We used the PROCESS macro for R to determine the hypothetical pathway model.Results: The direct effect of health literacy on self-efficacy was significant (β=0.1792, 95% CI: 0.0940– 0.2644), and social support played a partial mediating role between health literacy and self-efficacy (ES=0.0761, 95% CI: 0.0398– 0.1204). Illness perception moderated the relationship between social support and self-efficacy (β=− 0.0153, 95% CI: − 0.0268- − 0.0039).Conclusion: Proposed a conceptual model including the mediating effect of social support and the moderating effect of illness perception, which helps to clarify the underlying mechanisms between health literacy and self-efficacy.Keywords: health literacy, self efficacy, moderated mediation analysis

The oxidation behavior of a medium carbon Cr–Mn–Si alloyed steel was investigated under a mold flux melt environment exposed to different high temperatures of 1175–1425 °C, and holding time of 5–85 min. The results showed that the thicknesses of oxide layers contained Cr–Mn–Si oxide particles significantly increased from 10 to 183 μm with the increasing of oxidation temperature and holding time. The selective oxidation of Cr, Mn and Si elements in the grain boundaries is caused by the diffusion of free oxygen (O2−) migrating from mold flux to steel matrix, which leads to the growth of oxide layer thicknesses. Moreover, the oxidation rate constant (kp) of the Cr–Mn–Si alloyed steel was revealed under the mold flux environment at the temperatures of 1175–1375 °C. In addition, it was found that the growth kinetics of oxide particles in the oxide layer consists of a rapid growth stage and a slow-steady growth stage, and the growth of oxide particles is co-controlled by the diffusion of O2− within the steel matrix and the competing oxidation reactions involving Fe, Cr, Mn, and Si elements.

[Objective] The GDP of Shandong Province ranks among the top in China, and the province has an important strategic position in the regional development of China. However, water shortage has been restricting the rapid socioeconomic development in Shandong Province. The research on water resources carrying capacity (WRCC), as an important indicator of rigid constraint of water resources, is crucial for regional sustainable development. [Methods] This study quantitatively evaluated the WRCC of 16 cities in Shandong Province during 2011-2020 and explored its distribution in different hydrological years, using the comprehensive weighting method and TOPSIS model. Then, the obstacle degree model was applied to diagnose the main obstacle factors of WRCC. [Results] This research found that: (1) Water resources carrying capacity was the highest (0.68) for the wet year (2020) but lowest (0.19) for the dry year (2014), which was overall weak (0.39) in Shandong Province. From 2011 to 2020, WRCC decreased first and then increased, which changed with the water resources endowment. (2) Spatially, WRCC showed an obvious regional difference. Annual average WRCC over the whole province was overall low, with the the highest in Jinan City (0.51) and the lowest in Weihai City (0.24). In the wet year, WRCC of most cities were relatively high, but the lowest was found in Yantai City (0.30) and WRCC was also low in northwest Shandong Province. In the normal year, WRCC overall decreased from the southwest to the northeast of the province. In the dry year, WRCC for all cities was low and thus showed insignificant difference. (3) Total amount of water resources, water production modulus, ecological water use ratio, surface water resources proportion, and wastewater discharge were the main obstacle factors of WRCC. Accordingly, water resources and ecological environment were the main obstacles to WRCC improvement. [Conclusion] Due to the water scarcity and low WRCC, at present and in the future, expanding water sources and reducing expenditure as well as improving quality and increasing efficiency will be crucial for the ecological priority protection and high-quality socioeconomic development in Shandong Province.