Search

Summary: Visual perception is enacted and constrained by the constantly moving eyes. Although it is well known that the first two fixations are crucial for face recognition, the function of each fixation remains unspecified. Here we demonstrate a central-to-divergent pattern of the two fixations and specify their functions: Fix I clustered along the nose bridge to cover the broad facial information; Fix II diverged to eyes, nostrils, and lips to get the local information. Fix II correlated more than Fix I with the differentiating information between faces and contributed more to recognition responses. While face categories can be significantly discriminated by Fix II’s but not Fix I’s patterns alone, the combined patterns of the two yield better discrimination. Our results suggest a functional division and collaboration of the two fixations in sampling the general-to-specific facial information and add to understanding visual perception as an active process undertaken by structural motor programs.

Abstract Unidirectional cascade electron transfer induced by multi‐junctions is essential for deep electronic state regulation of the catalytic active sites, while this advanced concept has rarely been investigated in the field of electrocatalysis. In the present work, a dual junction heterostructure (FePc/L‐R/CN) is designed by anchoring iron phthalocyanine (FePc)/MXene (L‐Ti3C2‐R, R═OH or F) heterojunction on g‐C3N4 nanosheet substrates for electrocatalysis. The unidirectional cascade electron transfer (g‐C3N4 → L‐Ti3C2‐R → FePc) induced by the dual junction of FePc/L‐Ti3C2‐R and L‐Ti3C2‐R/g‐C3N4 makes the Fe center electron‐rich and therefore facilitates the adsorption of O2 in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Moreover, the electron transfer between FePc and MXene is facilitated by the axial Fe─O coordination interaction of Fe with the OH in alkalized MXene nanosheets (L‐Ti3C2‐OH). As a result, FePc/L‐OH/CN exhibits an impressive ORR activity with a half‐wave potential (E1/2) of 0.92 V, which is superior over the catalysts with a single junction and the state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C (E1/2 = 0.85 V). This work provides a broad idea for deep regulation of electronic state by the unidirectional cascade multi‐step charge transfer and can be extended to other proton‐coupled electron transfer processes.

Abstract Carbon‐based single‐atom catalysts (SACs) with well‐defined and homogeneously dispersed metal−N4 moieties provide a great opportunity for CO2 reduction. However, controlling the binding strength of various reactive intermediates on catalyst surface is necessary to enhance the selectivity to a desired product, and it is still a challenge. In this work, the authors prepared Sn SACs consisting of atomically dispersed SnN3O1 active sites supported on N‐rich carbon matrix (Sn‐NOC) for efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction. Contrary to the classic Sn‐N4 configuration which gives HCOOH and H2 as the predominant products, Sn‐NOC with asymmetric atomic interface of SnN3O1 gives CO as the exclusive product. Experimental results and density functional theory calculations show that the atomic arrangement of SnN3O1 reduces the activation energy for *COO and *COOH formation, while increasing energy barrier for HCOO* formation significantly, thereby facilitating CO2‐to‐CO conversion and suppressing HCOOH production. This work provides a new way for enhancing the selectivity to a specific product by controlling individually the binding strength of each reactive intermediate on catalyst surface.

Models of visual cognition generally assume that brain networks predict the contents of a stimulus to facilitate its subsequent categorization. However, understanding prediction and categorization at a network level has remained challenging, partly because we need to reverse engineer their information processing mechanisms from the dynamic neural signals. Here, we used connectivity measures that can isolate the communications of a specific content to reconstruct these network mechanisms in each individual participant (N = 11, both sexes). Each was cued to the spatial location (left vs right) and contents [low spatial frequency (LSF) vs high spatial frequency (HSF)] of a predicted Gabor stimulus that they then categorized. Using each participant’s concurrently measured MEG, we reconstructed networks that predict and categorize LSF versus HSF contents for behavior. We found that predicted contents flexibly propagate top down from temporal to lateralized occipital cortex, depending on task demands, under supervisory control of prefrontal cortex. When they reach lateralized occipital cortex, predictions enhance the bottom-up LSF versus HSF representations of the stimulus, all the way from occipital-ventral-parietal to premotor cortex, in turn producing faster categorization behavior. Importantly, content communications are subsets (i.e., 55–75%) of the signal-to-signal communications typically measured between brain regions. Hence, our study isolates functional networks that process the information of cognitive functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let $ \mathbb{F}_q $ be the finite field of $ q $ elements, and $ \mathbb{F}_{q^{n}} $ its extension of degree $ n $. A normal basis of $ \mathbb{F}_{q^{n}} $ over $ \mathbb{F}_q $ is a basis of the form $ \{\alpha, \alpha^{q}, \cdots, \alpha^{q^{n-1}}\} $. Some problems on normal bases can be finally reduced to the determination of the irreducible factors of the polynomial $ x^{n}-1 $ in $ \mathbb{F}_q $, while the latter is closely related to the cyclotomic polynomials. Denote by $ \mathfrak{F}(x^{n}-1) $ the set of all distinct monic irreducible factors of $ x^{n}-1 $ in $ \mathbb{F}_q $. The criteria for $ |\mathfrak{F}(x^{n}-1)|\leq 2 $ have been studied in the literature. In this paper, we provide the sufficient and necessary conditions for $ |\mathfrak{F}(x^{n}-1)| = s, $ where $ s $ is a positive integer by using the properties of cyclotomic polynomials and results from the Diophantine equations. As an application, we obtain the sufficient and necessary conditions for $ |\mathfrak{F}(x^{n}-1)| = 3, 4, 5. $

Recent research certified that DOT1L and its mutations represented by R231Q were potential targets for the treatment of lung cancer. Herein, a series of adenosine-containing derivatives were identified with DOT1LR231Q inhibition through antiproliferation assay and Western blot analysis in the H460R231Q cell. The most promising compound 37 significantly reduced DOT1LR231Q mediated H3K79 methylation and effectively inhibited the proliferation, self-renewal, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cell lines at low micromolar concentrations. The cell permeability and cellular target engagement of 37 were verified by both CETSA and DARTS assays. In the H460R231Q OE cell-derived xenograft (CDX) model, 37 displayed pronounced tumor growth inhibition after intraperitoneal administration at 20 mg/kg dose for 3 weeks (TGI = 54.38%), without obvious toxicities. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that 37 possessed tolerable properties (t1/2 = 1.93 ± 0.91 h, F = 97.2%) after intraperitoneal administration in rats. Mechanism study confirmed that 37 suppressed malignant phenotypes of lung cancer carrying R231Q gain-of-function mutation via the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Moreover, analysis of the binding modes between molecules and DOT1LWT/R231Q proteins put forward the “Induced-fit” allosteric model in favor to the discovery of potent DOT1L candidates.

Abstract In recent years, immunotherapy, particularly PD-1 antibodies, have significantly enhanced the outcome of gastric cancer patients. Despite these advances, some patients do not respond well to treatment, highlighting the need to understand resistance mechanisms and develop predictive markers of treatment effectiveness. This study retrospectively analyzed data from 106 patients with stage IV gastric cancer who were treated with first-line immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy. By comparing plasma cytokine levels between patients resistant and sensitive to PD-1 antibody therapy, the researchers identified elevated IL-4 expression in the resistant patients. Mechanical investigations revealed that IL-4 induces metabolic changes in macrophages that activate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This alteration promotes ATP production, enhances glycolysis, increases lactic acid production, and upregulates FcγRIIB expression in macrophages. Ultimately, these changes lead to CD8+ T cell dysfunction and resistance to PD-1 antibody therapy in gastric cancer. These findings highlight the role of IL-4-induced macrophage polarization and metabolic reprogramming in immune resistance and verify IL-4 as potential targets for improving treatment outcomes in gastric cancer patients.

Abstract In China, how to guide residents on actively participating in decision-making activities related to urban settlement regeneration is critical and must be addressed. Referring to the theory of planned behavior (TPB), combined with the characteristics of regeneration decision-making, the external environmental factors affecting residents’ participation in such decision-making activities, through impacting psychological environmental factors, were determined by establishing the structural equation model (SEM) and conducting a survey. The guidance measures of enhancing external pressure and providing regeneration information were selected. Participation guidance experiments were designed, and the typical communities located in the development zone and city center of Harbin, China were selected as the experiment regions. Forty-eight subjects were screened in each experimental region and divided into six groups; three participated in the experiments regarding the leading role of representatives, enhancing communication, and incentives, and three in the experiments on policy advocacy, regeneration technology popularization, and regeneration case sharing. Guidance measures’ effects for introversion or extraversion, regardless of region are, from large to small, incentives, regeneration case sharing, leading role of representatives, enhancing communication, policy advocacy and regeneration technology popularization. There are significant differences in the effects of enhancing external pressure measures between different personalities, and enhancing external pressure measures are more effective for extraversion. Although the differences in the effects of providing regeneration information measures are statistically insignificant, providing such measures is more effective for introversion. The results reflect the analysis of the influencing factors. TPB application is enriched and the guidance experiments used to verify guiding measures’ effectiveness are provided. Practically-significant implications include: communities and proprietor committees should organize neighborhood-relationship to enhance community activities, with the proprietor committee solving residents’ daily problems to win authority and trust, positively guiding residents’ participation. Community staff can also understand, via daily participation, residents’ personality traits, so as to implement the above-mentioned guidance measures.

In order to study the effects of GABA-rich germinated adzuki bean on blood glucose level and intestinal flora in T2DM mice. C57BL/6J mice were used as subjects to construct T2DM model by high fat diet+STZ injection. Different doses of GABA-rich germinated adzuki bean were used to treat T2DM mice for 6 weeks and 16S rRNA sequencing technique was used to identify the microbial structure and distribution in the cecal contents of T2DM mice. The results showed that different doses of GABA-rich adzuki bean dietary intervention could significantly reduce the FBG value of T2DM mice, and the FBG value of high dose GABA-rich adzuki bean (TF3) group was 8.36±0.78 mmol/L, which was 54.09%, lower than that of model group (M). In addition, TF3 diet induced significant changes in intestinal flora abundance in T2DM mice. Firmicutes abundance at gate level was 35.96%, which decreased by 53.17% compared with M model group, and Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia abundance were significantly up-regulated. In summary, the improvement of glucose and lipid metabolism by TF3 diet was significantly correlated with the abundance of dominant bacteria in Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, suggesting that high dose of GABA-rich adzuki bean diet could alleviate hyperglycemia symptoms in T2DM mice through beneficial bacteria, which provided reference for further explaining the relationship between T2DM and intestinal flora.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Baseline data, encompassing basic information, lifestyle habits, and treatment of 305 T2DM patients from March 2021 to January 2023, were collected and analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software. Results Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified insulin therapy (OR = 2.233; 95%Cl = 1.013–4.520; P = 0.026) and regular clinic visits (OR = 0.567; 95%Cl = 0.330–0.973; P = 0.040) as independent factors influencing glycemic control. No observed interactions between the two variables were noted. Conclusion History of insulin therapy and regular clinic visits were significantly and independently associated with glycated hemoglobin control in T2DM patients. Tailored interventions based on individual circumstances are recommended to optimize glycemic control.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs), a group of replication-competent viruses that can selectively infect and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact, are emerging as promising living anticancer agents. Unlike traditional drugs composed of non-replicating compounds or biomolecules, the replicative nature of viruses confer unique pharmacokinetic properties that require further studies. Despite some pharmacokinetics studies of OVs, mechanistic insights into the connection between OV pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy remain vague. Here, we characterized the pharmacokinetic profile of oncolytic virus M1 (OVM) in immunocompetent mouse tumor models and identified the JAK‒STAT pathway as a key modulator of OVM pharmacokinetics. By suppressing the JAK‒STAT pathway, early OVM pharmacokinetics are ameliorated, leading to enhanced tumor-specific viral accumulation, increased AUC and Cmax, and improved antitumor efficacy. Rather than compromising antitumor immunity after JAK‒STAT inhibition, the improved pharmacokinetics of OVM promotes T cell recruitment and activation in the tumor microenvironment, providing an optimal opportunity for the therapeutic outcome of immune checkpoint blockade, such as anti-PD-L1. Taken together, this study advances our understanding of the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship in OV therapy.

In order to study the effect of hypoxia combined with acid stress on GABA enrichment in adzuki bean and mung bean, germination time, germination temperature, hypoxia time and L-glutamic acid concentration were investigated by single factor. Based on the stress conditions identified for high GABA sprouted beans, GABA-enriched adzuki and mung beans were mixed with rice, and D-mixture design was used to optimize processing conditions for these sprouted bean/rice mixtures. Results showed that hypoxia combined with acid stress promoted GABA enrichment in adzuki and mung beans. In sprouted adzuki beans, GABA reached levels as high as 158.32±3.24 mg/100 g under the germination time of 48 h, germination temperature of 40 ℃, 15 h exposure to hypoxia, and L-glutamic acid concentration of 2.5 mg/mL. Mung bean stress conditions were: Germination time of 24 h, germination temperature of 35 ℃, 15 h exposure to hypoxia, and L-glutamic acid concentration of 2.5 mg/mL, the content of GABA was 141.57±4.35 mg/100 g. On this basis, the sprouted beans and rice formulation was optimized by D-mixture design as follows: Rice 76%, sprouted mung beans 11%, and sprouted adzuki beans 13%. Under this composition, the GABA content of sprouted bean/rice mixture was 23.73±1.03 mg/100 g, and the average sensory score was 88.76±2.47. The taste, color, and aroma of the sprouted bean/rice mixture fell within acceptable ranges, and the active ingredient GABA was enriched, enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of sprouted beans/rice. This study provided a theoretical reference for the further development of rice/grain mixtures.

BackgroundHealth literacy is an important means to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities. It plays an important role in promoting multiple health-related behaviors of individuals. Numerous studies have demonstrated a number of sociodemographic and school characteristics, and family related factors were related to health literacy among college students. However, these characteristics and factors were relatively unchangeable. Research on the relationship between factors, that can be intervened, and health literacy remains scarce. This study aims to explore the association between personal and changeable environmental factors, and the level of health literacy in college students.MethodsA cross-sectional study, which used a stratified random sampling method, was conducted at a university in Wuhan (N = 447). The survey questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, the School Environment Questionnaire, the Family Environment Questionnaire, the General Self-Efficacy Scale Questionnaire, and the Health Literacy Questionnaire. We used Spearman correlation tests, and Student’s tests or analyses of variance to describe the relationship among continuous variables. In addition, we employed linear regression analysis to test the mediating effect based on the bias-corrected nonparametric percentile Bootstrap method.ResultsFactors related to socioeconomic status, such as living costs (p = 0.011), residential area (p = 0.003), annual household income (p = 0.001), and parents’ education level (fathers: p = 0.001; mothers: p = 0.01) and occupation type (fathers: p

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that disturbs human health. In the laboratory researches about PD, the mice model induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) was widely used. However, there has been controversy about the model effectiveness to simulate PD symptoms and pathology, and the time-varying development of behavioral and pathological characteristic after MPTP treatment remains unclear. In order to solve these problems, we designed a series of experiments to evaluate this PD model at different time points. We constructed the subacute PD mouse model by intraperitoneal injection of MPTP for 5 consecutive days. The rotarod test, open field test and the immunohistochemical staining of tyrosine hydroxylase were conducted at −5, 1, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the last injection of MPTP. The results showed that 5 days after the last MPTP administration, typical motor disorders with significant balance function damage in rotarod test began to appear and remained stable throughout the entire experiment. Simultaneously, we also observed the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells in the substantia nigra compacta and reduction of TH content in the striatum but this pathological change in the substantia nigra compacta reversed 21 days after injection. Besides, the spontaneous movement of mice in open field test remained unchanged by MPTP. This research indicated the time-dependence of MPTP neurotoxicity that impair the motor function and histological features and confirmed the symptom occurrence time after MPTP injection, which provides a reference for the future research about MPTP-induced PD.

Liver cancer, a common and intractable liver-related disease, is a malignant tumor with a high morbidity, which needs a high treatment cost but still lacks perfect clinical treatment methods. Looking for an effective platform for liver cancer study and drug screening is urgent and important. Traditional analytical methods for liver disease studies mainly rely on the 2D cell culture and animal experiments, which both cannot fully recapitulate physiological and pathological processes of human liver. For example, cell culture can only show basic functions of cells in vitro, while animal models always hold the problem of species divergence. The organoids, a 3D invitro culture system emerged in recent years, is a cell-bound body with different cell types and has partial tissue functions. The organoid technology can reveal the growth state, structure, function and characteristics of the tissue or organ, and plays an important role in reconstructing invitro experimental models that can truly simulate the human liver. In this paper, we will give a brief introduction of liver organoids and review their applications in liver cancer research, especially in liver cancer pathogenesis, drug screening, precision medicine, regenerative medicine, and other fields. We have also discussed advantages and disadvantages of organoids, as well as future directions and perspectives towards liver organoids.

This study employs the super-efficiency directional distance function (SDDF) to assess the productivity of each administrative region in China over the period 2013–2017. The focus is on exploring variations in gross domestic production and efficiency related to waste gas and wastewater discharge across regions. The inputs include labor, capitalization, energy usage, and total water consumption, with domestic gross production as the output, and total wastewater and exhaust gas discharges as unintended outputs. The findings highlight Beijing, Tianjin, Hainan, Qinghai, Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Shandong as the most efficient regions, while Zhejiang, Ningxia, Hunan, and others exhibit lower performance. Notably, Guangxi ranks lowest (0.631). Unlike traditional direct distance function models, the SDDF model provides a more accurate estimation of the production efficiency of all 30 administrative regions, and addresses the limitation of generating the same efficiency values of 1 simultaneously for multiple regions. The study emphasizes the need for inefficient regions to reduce water consumption and emissions and enhance productivity, offering valuable insights for policymakers in formulating environmental and production policies. HIGHLIGHTS Water-used and production efficiency of China are evaluated.; Analyzing data for the period 2013–2017, changes in gross domestic production are tracked.; Efficiency varies notably in China among regions.; The study urges resource reduction in less efficient regions.;

This paper considers a dual-channel supply chain with two members, comprising a manufacturer and an online platform. We mainly investigate the influence of various key system variables on manufacturer encroachment strategy and all members’ optimal decisions through Stackelberg game models. Our findings show that, regardless of the size of each parameter, the encroachment strategy is always optimal to the manufacturer; the manufacturer may be motivated to choose the direct selling channel and the platform may opt for the agency selling channel due to a high commission rate. Moreover, when the inter-channel substitution rate is high, the encroachment strategy has a diminishing positive effect on the manufacturer and an increasing negative effect on the platform so that the platform may temporarily benefit from the manufacturer encroachment; in cases where the inter-channel substitution rate is not high, the encroachment strategy always yields advantages for the manufacturer while causing disadvantages for the platform. In addition, if the elasticity coefficient is large, both the manufacturer and the platform are inclined to the reselling channel, that is, if the platform service cost is high, it is advisable for the platform to reduce its investment of service to avoid negative effect.

Abstract The study of walkability is of great significance to the construction of healthy cities. In this paper, taking 1283 articles of walkability, which were included in Web of Science, as the research object. This paper adopts to analysis the research progress by using the method of scientometrics and knowledge networks analysis. Objectively and systematically analyze the research progress of walkability abroad from the aspects of publication overview, knowledge foundation, research direction and hot spots, etc. It is found that foreign researches on walkability mainly include three core directions: walkability and physical activity, walkability evaluation, walkability and urban design. Among them, walkability and physical activity orientation have been studied from various perspectives, such as various groups, various environmental types, different behavioral patterns and various chronic diseases. With the increasingly prominent urbanization problems and the rapid development of new technologies, multiple data, new methods and interdisciplinary cooperation will actively promote the vigorous development of walking suitability research.

The stability of diabetes formula food for special medical purposes (D-FSMP) was improved by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at different homogenization pressures (up to 70 MPa) and number of passes (up to 6 times). The process at 60 MPa/4 times was the best. Casein had the highest surface hydrophobicity in this condition. The casein–polysaccharide complexes were endowed with the smallest size (transmission electron microscopy images). The complex particles exhibited nearly neutral wettability (the three-phase contact angle was 90.89°), lower interfacial tension, and the highest emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI). The prepared D-FSMP system exhibited the narrowest particle size distribution range, the strongest interfacial deformation resistance and the best storage stability. Therefore, an appropriate intensity of HPH could enhance the stability of D-FSMP by improving the interfacial and emulsifying properties of casein–polysaccharide complexes. This study provides practical guidance on the productions of stable D-FSMP.

Abstract Wastewater biotreatment systems harbor a rich diversity of microorganisms, and the effectiveness of biotreatment systems largely depends on the activity of these microorganisms. Specifically, viruses play a crucial role in altering microbial behavior and metabolic processes throughout their infection phases, an aspect that has recently attracted considerable interest. Two metagenomic approaches, viral‐like particle‐concentrated (VPC, representing free viral‐like particles) and non‐concentrated (NC, representing the cellular fraction), were employed to assess their efficacy in revealing virome characteristics, including taxonomy, diversity, host interactions, lifestyle, dynamics, and functional genes across processing units of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Our findings indicate that each approach offers unique insights into the viral community and functional composition. Their combined use proved effective in elucidating WWTP viromes. We identified nearly 50,000 viral contigs, with Cressdnaviricota and Uroviricota being the predominant phyla in the VPC and NC fractions, respectively. Notably, two pathogenic viral families, Asfarviridae and Adenoviridae, were commonly found in these WWTPs. We also observed significant differences in the viromes of WWTPs processing different types of wastewater. Additionally, various phage‐derived auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were active at the RNA level, contributing to the metabolism of the microbial community, particularly in carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling. Moreover, we identified 29 virus‐carried antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) with potential for host transfer, highlighting the role of viruses in spreading ARGs in the environment. Overall, this study provides a detailed and integrated view of the virosphere in three WWTPs through the application of VPC and NC metagenomic approaches. Our findings enhance the understanding of viral communities, offering valuable insights for optimizing the operation and regulation of wastewater treatment systems.