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Abstract We explore the generalized covariant entropy bound in the theory where Einstein gravity is perturbed by quadratic curvature terms, which can be viewed as the first-order quantum correction to Einstein gravity. By replacing the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy with the holographic entanglement entropy of this theory and introducing two reasonable physical assumptions, we demonstrate that the corresponding Generalized Covariant Entropy Bound is satisfied under a first-order approximation of the perturbation from the quadratic curvature terms. Our findings suggest that the entropy bound and the Generalized Second Law of black holes are satisfied in the Einstein gravity under the first-order perturbation from the quadratic curvature corrections, and they also imply that the generalized covariant entropy bound may still hold even after considering the quantum correction of gravity, but in this case, we may need to use holographic entanglement entropy as the formula for gravitational entropy.

Abstract Background Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease, remains an important public health problem. Although there are various methods for diagnosing schistosomiasis, many limitations still exist. Early diagnosis and treatment of schistosomiasis can significantly improve survival and prognosis of patients. Methodology Circulating cell-free (cf)DNA has been widely used in the diagnosis of various diseases. In our study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of circulating cfDNA for schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum. We focused on the tandem sequences and mitochondrial genes of S. japonicum to identify highly sensitive and specific targets for diagnosis of Schistosomiasis japonica. Results Through data screening and analysis, we ultimately identified four specific tandem sequences (TD-1, TD-2, TD-3. and TD-4) and six mitochondrial genes (COX1(1), COX1(2), CYTB, ATP6, COX3, and ND5). We designed specific primers to detect the amount of circulating cfDNA in S. japonicum-infected mouse and chronic schistosomiasis patients. Our results showed that the number of tandem sequences was significantly higher than that of the mitochondrial genes. A S. japonicum infection model in mice suggested that infection of S. japonicum can be diagnosed by detecting circulating cfDNA as early as the first week. We measured the expression levels of circulating cfDNA (TD-1, TD-2, and TD-3) at different time points and found that TD-3 expression was significantly higher than that of TD-1 or TD-2. We also infected mice with different quantities of cercariae (20 s and 80 s). The level of cfDNA (TD-3) in the 80 s infection group was significantly higher than in the 20 s infection group. Additionally, cfDNA (TD-3) levels increased after egg deposition. Meanwhile, we tested 42 patients with chronic Schistosomiasis japonica and circulating cfDNA (TD-3) was detected in nine patients. Conclusions We have screened highly sensitive targets for the diagnosis of Schistosomiasis japonica, and the detection of circulating cfDNA is a rapid and effective method for the diagnosis of Schistosomiasis japonica. The levels of cfDNA is correlated with cercariae infection severity. Early detection and diagnosis of schistosomiasis is crucial for patient treatment and improving prognosis. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The principal aim of this investigation is to identify pivotal biomarkers linked to the prognosis of osteosarcoma (OS) through the application of artificial intelligence (AI), with an ultimate goal to enhance prognostic prediction. Expression profiles from 88 OS cases and 396 normal samples were procured from accessible public databases. Prognostic models were established using univariate COX regression analysis and an array of AI methodologies including the XGB method, RF method, GLM method, SVM method, and LASSO regression analysis. Multivariate COX regression analysis was also employed. Immune cell variations in OS were examined using the CIBERSORT software, and a differential analysis was conducted. Routine blood data from 20,679 normal samples and 437 OS cases were analyzed to validate lymphocyte disparity. Histological assessments of the study's postulates were performed through immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. AI facilitated the identification of differentially expressed genes, which were utilized to construct a prognostic model. This model discerned that the survival rate in the high-risk category was significantly inferior compared to the low-risk cohort (p

Public Map Service Platforms (PMSPs) aggregate and disseminate the earth observation data. Leveraging spatiotemporal preference patterns derived from browsing targets within complex virtual trajectories on PMSPs aids in constructing user-profiles and comprehending their intentions. However, complex virtual trajectories, characterized by numerous trajectory points and overlapping pyramidal spatial structures, introduce inefficiencies and inaccuracies during browsing target extraction. To mitigate this, we propose an Optimized Spatial Structure Segmentation (OSSS) method that divides complex virtual trajectories into sub-trajectories with simplified spatial structures, enhancing the efficiency of browsing target extraction. Spatiotemporal reconstruction of these sub-trajectories establishes sequences of browsing targets, revealing patterns of interest transitions. Moreover, recognizing the spatial uncertainty inherent in complex virtual trajectories, which results in imprecise matching between browsing targets and spatial features, we introduce a spatial co-occurrence semantic modeling approach. This involves constructing a POI semantic space and introducing a semantic similarity matching method to reduce spatial uncertainty and refine the accuracy of mining spatiotemporal preference patterns. We evaluate these methods using real-world data from Tianditu. Results demonstrate that the OSSS improves extraction efficiency by 3.45 times and accuracy by 18.84%. Additionally, the semantic similarity approach combined with spatial co-occurrence effectively mitigates spatial uncertainty. This research contributes to advancing the intelligence of PMSPs.

Abstract Our study focused on evaluating the effect of three common vasoactive drugs on the prognosis of elderly patients with sepsis and pre-existing heart failure. The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database, Version 1.4, was used. Our study included critically ill older patients (aged ≥ 65 years) with sepsis and heart failure treated with vasoactive drugs. Patients were divided into norepinephrine group, norepinephrine combined with vasopressin group, and dopamine group. The baseline characteristics, primary outcome, and secondary outcome measures were compared among the three groups. In total, 1357 elderly patients were included (766 in norepinephrine group, 250 in norepinephrine combined with vasopressin group, and 341 in dopamine group). After propensity score matching, statistically significant differences in 28-d and 90-d mortality (P = 0.046, P = 0.031) were observed; meanwhile, there was a significant difference in the incidence of mechanical ventilation, AKI, and malignant arrhythmias. Cox regression analysis revealed that norepinephrine combined with vasopressin decreased 5-year survival statistically(P = 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated dopamine as an independent risk factor in reducing ICU and hospital length of stay (P = 0.001, P = 0.017). Logistic regression analysis showed dopamine was an independent risk factor for new-onset arrhythmias (P

Abstract Among today’s nonvolatile memories, ferroelectric-based capacitors, tunnel junctions and field-effect transistors (FET) are already industrially integrated and/or intensively investigated to improve their performances. Concurrently, because of the tremendous development of artificial intelligence and big-data issues, there is an urgent need to realize high-density crossbar arrays, a prerequisite for the future of memories and emerging computing algorithms. Here, a two-terminal ferroelectric fin diode (FFD) in which a ferroelectric capacitor and a fin-like semiconductor channel are combined to share both top and bottom electrodes is designed. Such a device not only shows both digital and analog memory functionalities but is also robust and universal as it works using two very different ferroelectric materials. When compared to all current nonvolatile memories, it cumulatively demonstrates an endurance up to 1010 cycles, an ON/OFF ratio of ~102, a feature size of 30 nm, an operating energy of ~20 fJ and an operation speed of 100 ns. Beyond these superior performances, the simple two-terminal structure and their self-rectifying ratio of ~ 104 permit to consider them as new electronic building blocks for designing passive crossbar arrays which are crucial for the future in-memory computing.

Abstract Liver fibrosis is a reparative response to injury that arises from various etiologies, characterized by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Periostin, a secreted matricellular protein, has been reported to participate in tissue development and regeneration. However, its involvement in liver fibrosis remains unknown. This study investigated the roles and mechanisms of Periostin in phenotypic transition of HSCs and relevant abnormal cellular crosstalk during liver fibrosis. The fate of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during liver fibrogenesis was investigated using single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing profiles, which revealed a significant proliferation of activated HSCs (aHSCs) in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice. αSMA-TK mice were used to demonstrate that depletion of proliferative aHSCs attenuates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine. Through integrating data from single-cell and bulk sequencing, Periostin was identified as a distinctive hallmark of proliferative aHSC subpopulation. Elevated levels of Periostin were detected in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice, primarily within aHSCs. However, hepatic Periostin levels were decreased along with depletion of proliferative aHSCs. Deficiency of Periostin led to reduced liver fibrosis and suppressed hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Periostin-overexpressing HSCs, exhibiting a proliferative aHSC phenotype, release bone morphogenetic protein-1 (Bmp-1), which activates EGFR signaling, inducing hepatocyte EMT and contributing to liver fibrosis. In conclusion, Periostin in aHSCs drives their acquisition of a proliferative phenotype and the release of Bmp-1. Proliferative aHSC subpopulation-derived Bmp-1 induces hepatocyte EMT via EGFR signaling, promoting liver fibrogenesis. Bmp-1 and Periostin should be potential therapeutic targets for liver fibrosis.

Abstract Purpose Pulmonary sarcoidosis (PS) and pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis (PLC) can be complications in tumor patients, and both involve the pulmonary interstitium and have similar imaging findings. Our objective was to distinguish PS and PLC on 18F-FDG PET/CT images. Material and methods The authors reviewed 18F-FDG PET/CT data of PS and PLC, diagnosed based on histopathology and imaging, in patients with tumors from July 2015 to January 2023. Three independent readers performed a blinded comparative analysis of 18F-FDG PET/CT signs in all patients. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to establish a differential diagnosis model. Results A total of 114 patients were included in the study: 56 patients with PS (mean age, 56 ± 11 [SD] years; 10 men) and 58 patients with PLC caused by extrapulmonary tumors (mean age, 51 ± 11 [SD] years; 21 men). For PS, breast cancer and cervical cancer were the most common primary tumors. For PLC, breast cancer and gastric cancer were the most common extrapulmonary tumors. The model constructed using multivariate logistic regression consisted of five factors: area of lymph node involvement, bronchovascular bundle diffuse thickening, interlobular septal thickening, pleural effusion, and subpleural hypermetabolic activity. The area under the model characteristic curve was 0.973 (95% CI 0.925–0.994), with a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 87.50%, 98.28%, 50.75 and 0.13 respectively. Conclusion There are detailed differences in 18F-FDG PET/CT manifestations of PS in tumor patients and PLC caused by extrapulmonary tumors, and the constructed diagnostic model has high clinical application value in differentiating the two.

Abstract We investigate whether the Strong Cosmic Censorship (SCC) Conjecture can be reinstated at the classical level in Reissner–Nordström–de Sitter (RNdS) black holes by introducing non-minimal couplings between the electromagnetic and scalar fields in Einstein–Maxwell-scalar (EMS) theory. By conducting numerical calculations, we find that the SCC can be restored within a specific range of the coupling constant. Notably, for a given value of the cosmological constant, there exists a critical coupling constant above which the EMS theory satisfies the SCC. These findings suggest that the non-minimal couplings between the electromagnetic and scalar fields may play a crucial role in the restoration of the SCC in RNdS spacetime. Additionally, under negative coupling constants, the low-lying modes of nearly extremal black holes exhibit $$\beta > 1,$$ β > 1 , enabling $$C^2$$ C 2 extensions beyond the Cauchy horizon and intensifying the violation of the SCC.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a class of natural toxins produced by plant secondary metabolism, of which unsaturated PAs and most pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides (PANOs) have multiple toxic effects. These toxic components can be transmitted through food supplements or food chain to threaten human health. To date, PAs have been found to be widely present in a variety of food and agricultural products such as honey and tea, highlighting their occurrence as a concerning food safety issue. Therefore, this paper summarizes the contamination levels and possible contamination pathways of PAs in different matrices of different countries, and reviews the latest advances and development trends in pretreatment methods and analytical detection techniques or cooking preparation on the stability of PAs contaminants, aiming to provide warning and reference basis for the detection research, safety risk assessment and control of PAs in foods.

The local climate zone (LCZ) scheme has been widely utilized in regional climate modeling, urban planning, and thermal comfort investigations. However, existing LCZ classification methods face challenges in characterizing complex urban structures and human activities involving local climatic environments. In this study, we proposed a novel LCZ mapping method that fully uses space-borne multi-view and diurnal observations, i.e. daytime Ziyuan-3 stereo imageries (2.1 m) and Luojia-1 nighttime light (NTL) data (130 m). Firstly, we performed land cover classification using multiple machine learning methods (i.e. random forest (RF) and XGBoost algorithms) and various features (i.e. spectral, textural, multi-view features, 3D urban structure parameters (USPs), and NTL). In addition, we developed a set of new cumulative elevation indexes to improve building roughness assessments. The indexes can estimate building roughness directly from fused point clouds generated by both along- and across-track modes. Finally, based on the land cover and building roughness results, we extracted 2D and 3D USPs for different land covers and used multi-classifiers to perform LCZ mapping. The results for Beijing, China, show that our method yielded satisfactory accuracy for LCZ mapping, with an overall accuracy (OA) of 90.46%. The overall accuracy of land cover classification using 3D USPs generated from both along- and across-track modes increased by 4.66%, compared to that of using the single along-track mode. Additionally, the OA value of LCZ mapping using 2D and 3D USPs (88.18%) achieved a better result than using only 2D USPs (83.83%). The use of NTL data increased the classification accuracy of LCZs E (bare rock or paved) and F (bare soil or sand) by 6.54% and 3.94%, respectively. The refined LCZ classification achieved through this study will not only contribute to more accurate regional climate modeling but also provide valuable guidance for urban planning initiatives aimed at enhancing thermal comfort and overall livability in urban areas. Ultimately, this study paves the way for more comprehensive and effective strategies in addressing the challenges posed by urban microclimates.

Abstract Background Despite evidence that severe and poorly controlled asthma are associated with more clinical unmet needs and intensive utilization of healthcare resources, limited data is available on severe asthma expenditure in China. The study aimed to assess Medical Resource Utilization (MRU) costs of asthma and explore the cost drivers in order to better understand the economic burden of the Chinese population suffered from asthma. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using Chinese sampled national claim database. Patients aged 6 years and above with primary diagnosis of asthma and asthma-related medical visit/hospitalization during 2015 were included. Medication was used as a proxy per the GINA and China guideline to identify asthma severity (i.e. mild, moderate, and severe). multiple linear regression model was conducted to identify MRU costs drivers. Results 7,254 patients diagnosed with asthma were included: 4,529 (62.4%), 2,200 (30.3%), and 525 (7.2%) had mild, moderate, and severe asthma, respectively. On average, each severe patient spent 6,782 Chinese Yuan (CNY) on asthma treatment and had 57.0% hospitalization rate during the year, 3.9- and 4.4-fold of the average of overall population (P

Background:After femoral oncological knee arthroplasty, some patients suffer from rotating axis fracture, which significantly impacts the life span of the rotating hinge knee (RHK) prosthesis. This research aimed to analyze the biomechanical response of anatomical gastrocnemius reconstruction and assess whether it could reduce the risk of rotating axis breakage by finite element (FE) analysis.Methods:A femur-prosthesis-tibia FE model was established using the data from CT scans. The mechanical properties of the RHK implant were quantitatively compared before and after gastrocnemius reconstruction at 6 angles: 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°.Results:Our results showed that gastrocnemius reconstruction effectively altered the stress distribution around the rotating axis, considerably relieving the stress in the fracture-prone region. In addition, the peak stress in the rotating axis, bending axis, prosthesis stem, and femoral condyles decreased variably.Conclusion:In distal femoral resection knee arthroplasty, the rebuilding of gastrocnemius substantially improved the stress distribution within the prosthesis, thereby having the potential to reduce the risk of prosthetic fracture and prolong the overall durability of the prosthesis.

Chrysanthemi indic Flos (CIF) has been commonly consumed for the treatment of inflammation and related skin diseases. However, the potential bioactive components responsible for its anti-inflammatory and sensitive skin (SS) improvement activities, and the correlated mechanisms of action still remain unknown. In this work, it was firstly found that the CIF extract (CIFE) displayed arrestive free radical scavenging activity on DPPH and ABTS radicals, with no significant difference with positive control Trolox (p > 0.05). Then, compared to the negative group, CIFE markedly decreased the productions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, PEG2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, NO) in LPS induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01). Besides, CIFE strongly inhibited the COX-2 and hyaluronidase (HAase) with the IC50 values of 1.06 ± 0.01 μg/mL and 12.22 ± 0.39 μg/mL, indicating higher inhibitory effect than positive control of aspirin of 6.33 ± 0.05 μg/mL (p < 0.01), and comparable inhibitory effect with indometacin of 0.60 ± 0.03 μg/mL, and ascorbic acid of 11.03 ± 0.41 μg/mL (p > 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, kinetic assays with Lineweaver-Burk plot (Michaelis Menten equation) suggested that CIFE reversibly inhibited the COX-2 and HAase, with a mixed characteristics of competitive and non-competitive inhibition. Thereafter, multi-target affinity ultrafiltration liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UF-LC/MS) method was employed to fast fish out the potential COX-2 and HAase in CIFE. Herein, 13 components showed various affinity binding degrees to the COX-2 and HAase, while those components with relative binding affinity (RBA) value higher than 3.0, such as linarin and chlorogenic acid isomers, were deemed to be the most bioactive components for the anti-inflammatory and SS improvement activities of CIFE. Finally, the interaction mechanism, including binding energy, inhibition constant, docking sites, and the key amino acids involved in hydrogen bonds between the potential ligands and COX-2/HAase were simulated and confirmed with the molecule docking analysis. In summary, this study showcased the prominent anti-inflammatory and SS improvement activities of CIF, which would provide further insights on this functional medicinal plant to be a natural anti-SS remedy.

Morphological changes in estuaries are typically discussed on decadal time scales, with reported changes often exceed several decimeters. In our study, we utilized refined in-situ data to investigate bed-level changes and rapid accretion-erosion transitions during tidal cycles off the Changjiang Estuary. A field study employing a high-resolution bottom tripod system was conducted, measuring various parameters such as water level, waves, velocity profiles, near-bottom suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and bed level changes over ten tidal cycles. Our findings reveal significant and intense bed level changes occurring at the scale of tidal cycles. The data suggests that downward sediment transport plays a dominant role in the overall accretion tendency throughout the study period. Additionally, our research introduces a dynamic critical bed shear stress that increases during tidal cycles, deviating from fixed values. We also present a new quadrant analysis method to elucidate the primary processes controlling near-bed sediment transport. The results highlight the importance of horizontal advective sediment transport in frequent accretion-erosion transitions at tidal-cycle timescales. This implies a frequent exchange of sediment between adjacent shoals and channels in the seaward region of the North Channel in the Changjiang Estuary, which holds significance for future navigation and construction management.

Abstract The modern East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) features an extension from tropical to subtropical areas. However, the fundamental process that determines the northward extension of EASM in the geological history remains unclear. Here, we showed evidence from proxy data, climate modeling, and theoretical solutions that the northward extension of EASM to today's boundary emerged no later than the Miocene. The extension was driven by the monsoon seasonal march which features stepwise northward rainfall stages. The seasonal progression of monsoon was determined by Rossby wave responses from early summer to late summer and caused by the weakening of westerly jet colliding with the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The Rossby wave responses further led to a northward migration of the western Pacific subtropical high and thereby monsoon precipitation. Our findings propose a novel physical linkage between the geological evolution of EASM and the TP uplift in the context of monsoon seasonal march.

Objective This study aimed to create a predictive model based on machine learning to identify the risk for tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TBTB) occurring alongside Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in pediatric patients. Methods Clinical data from 212 pediatric patients were examined in this retrospective analysis. This cohort included 42 individuals diagnosed with TBTB and Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (combined group) and 170 patients diagnosed with lobar pneumonia alone (pneumonia group). Three predictive models, namely XGBoost, decision tree, and logistic regression, were constructed, and their performances were assessed using the receiver’s operating characteristic (ROC) curve, precision-recall curve (PR), and decision curve analysis (DCA). The dataset was divided into a 7:3 ratio to test the first and second groups, utilizing them to validate the XGBoost model and to construct the nomogram model. Results The XGBoost highlighted eight significant signatures, while the decision tree and logistic regression models identified six and five signatures, respectively. The ROC analysis revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.996 for XGBoost, significantly outperforming the other models (p < 0.05). Similarly, the PR curve demonstrated the superior predictive capability of XGBoost. DCA further confirmed that XGBoost offered the highest AIC (43.226), the highest average net benefit (0.764), and the best model fit. Validation efforts confirmed the robustness of the findings, with the validation groups 1 and 2 showing ROC and PR curves with AUC of 0.997, indicating a high net benefit. The nomogram model was shown to possess significant clinical value. Conclusion Compared to machine learning approaches, the XGBoost model demonstrated superior predictive efficacy in identifying pediatric patients at risk of concurrent TBTB and Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. The model’s identification of critical signatures provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis of these conditions.

Flexible piezoresistive sensors with high sensitivity, low cost, and good durability have been studied for widely use in automatic testing, control technology, and wearable devices. Most piezoresistive sensors can be regarded as varying resistances under different pressures, which do not have current directionality. Here, we report a novel piezoresistive sensor with rectification characteristic by doping reduced graphene oxide (rGO) powder into graphene oxide (GO) film. This piezoresistive sensor exhibits good rectification characteristic for rectifying low-frequency alternating current (AC) signals, coupled with an increase in resistance change rate in response to increased pressure within approximately 24 kPa. When the applied pressure exceeds the threshold, the resistance change rate tends to saturation, reaching up to 99.9 %. The sensor has a high peak sensitivity of 9.65 kPa−1, and a great stability in durability, remaining stable piezoresistive performance under 5500 cycles of pressure test. The piezoresistive sensor also has a fast response time of 72 ms and recovery time of 26 ms. Our work provides a simple way to fabricate a novel piezoresistive sensor with rectification characteristic for next-generation diode and high performance sensor.

Abstract A reliable projection of precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is crucial for climate adaptation activities in this climate‐sensitive region, but existing studies show a large spread in magnitude. Based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 models, we investigate the TP summer precipitation projection and understand the sources of uncertainty. The results show that the TP exhibits a profound wetting trend throughout the 21st century, with precipitation increasing by 0.64 ± 0.06 mm day−1 during 2050–2099 under the SSP5–8.5 scenario. The moisture budget analysis indicates that the thermodynamical response to global warming determines the precipitation increase. However, both the thermodynamical and dynamical components contribute to the uncertainty of precipitation projection. The inter‐model spread of the thermodynamic term arises from divergent global mean warming, which is closely related to model climate sensitivity. The uncertainty of the dynamic component is driven by model‐dependent circulation changes induced by different equatorial Pacific warming rates.

Accelerating black holes have been widely studied in the context of black hole thermodynamics, holographic gravity theories, and in the description of black holes at the center of galaxies. As a fundamental assumption to ensure spacetime causality, we investigate the weak cosmic censorship conjecture (WCCC) in the accelerating Reissner-Nordström-Anti-de Sitter (RN-AdS) spacetime through the scattering of a charged field and the absorption of a charged particle. For the scattering of a charged scalar field, both near-extremal and extremal accelerating RN-AdS black holes cannot be overcharged, thereby upholding the validity of the WCCC. In the case of the absorption of a test charged particle, the results demonstrate that the event horizon of the extremal accelerating RN-AdS black hole cannot be destroyed, while the event horizon of the near-extremal black hole can be overcharged if the test particle satisfies certain conditions. The above results suggest that, in the case of test particles, second-order effects like self-force and self-energy should be further considered.

Abstract We investigate the collisional Penrose process of extended test particles near an extremal Kerr black hole using the pole-dipole-quadrupole approximation. We analyze the motion of the test particles and examine the dynamics and maximal efficiency of energy extraction in this process. Our results demonstrate that the maximal extracted energy in the collisional Penrose process is influenced by the spin s and quadrupolar parameter C of the test particles. Specifically, we observe that, at a fixed collisional position, the energy extraction efficiency decreases as the spin increases for either the pole-dipole or the pole-dipole-quadrupole approximation case. Furthermore, for a fixed spin, the energy extraction efficiency is higher in the pole-dipole-quadrupole approximation compared to the pole-dipole approximation. These findings provide insight into the role of the internal structures of the test particles in the collisional Penrose process.

Abstract Background Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a devastating parasitic disease. This progressive and debilitating helminth disease is often associated with poverty and can lead to chronic poor health. Despite ongoing research, there is currently no effective vaccine for schistosomiasis, and praziquantel remains the only available treatment option. According to the progression of schistosomiasis, infections caused by schistosomes are classified into three distinct clinical phases: acute, chronic and advanced schistosomiasis. However, the underlying immune mechanism involved in the progression of schistosomiasis remains poorly understood. Methods We employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile the immune landscape of Schistosomiasis japonica infection based on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a healthy control group (n = 4), chronic schistosomiasis group (n = 4) and advanced schistosomiasis group (n = 2). Results Of 89,896 cells, 24 major cell clusters were ultimately included in our analysis. Neutrophils and NK/T cells accounted for the major proportion in the chronic group and the healthy group, and monocytes dominated in the advanced group. A preliminary study showed that NKT cells were increased in patients with schistosomiasis and that CXCR2 + NKT cells were proinflammatory cells. Plasma cells also accounted for a large proportion of B cells in the advanced group. MHC molecules in monocytes were notably lower in the advanced group than in the chronic group or the healthy control group. However, monocytes in the advanced group exhibited high expression of FOLR3 and CCR2. Conclusions Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in schistosomiasis. It provides a transcriptional atlas of peripheral immune cells that may contribute to elimination of the disease. This preliminary study suggests that the increased presence of CCR2 + monocyte and CXCR2 + NKT cells might participate in the progression of schistosomiasis. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Schistosoma infection is a significant public health issue, affecting over 200 million individuals and threatening 700 million people worldwide. The species prevalent in China is Schistosoma japonicum. Recent studies showed that both gut microbiota and metabolome are closely related to schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum, but clinical study is limited and the underlying mechanism is largely unclear. This study aimed to explore alterations as well as function of gut microbiota and metabolite profile in the patients with S. japonicum infection. Methods This study included 20 patients diagnosed with chronic schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum, eight patients with advanced schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum and 13 healthy volunteers. The fresh feces of these participators, clinical examination results and basic information were collected. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to investigate gut microbiota, while ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) was applied to explore the metabolome of patients in different stages of schistosomiasis. Results The study found that gut microbiota and metabolites were altered in patients with different stages of S. japonicum infection. Compared with healthy control group, the gut microbial diversity in patients with chronic S. japonicum infection was decreased significantly. However, the diversity of gut microbiota in patients with chronic schistosomiasis was similar to that in patients with advanced schistosomiasis. Compared with uninfected people, patients with schistosomiasis showed decreased Firmicutes and increased Proteobacteria. As disease progressed, Firmicutes was further reduced in patients with advanced S. japonicum infection, while Proteobacteria was further increased. In addition, the most altered metabolites in patients with S. japonicum infection were lipids and lipid-like molecules as well as organo-heterocyclic compounds, correlated with the clinical manifestations and disease progress of schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum. Conclusions This study suggested that the gut microbiota and metabolome altered in patients in different stages of schistosomiasis, which was correlated with progression of schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum. This inter-omics analysis may shed light on a better understanding of the mechanisms of the progression of S. japonicum infection and contribute to identifying new potential targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of S. japonicum infection. However, a large sample size of validation in clinic is needed, and further study is required to investigate the underlying mechanism.

Abstract Recently, Fernandes discovered an analytic solution for rotating black holes in semiclassical gravity induced by the trace anomaly. These solutions exhibit some distinctive characteristics, including a non-spherically symmetric event horizon, the absence of circularity conditions, and violations of the Kerr bound. As a crucial assumption to uphold causality in spacetime, we investigate the validity of the weak cosmic censorship conjecture (WCCC) within this class of solutions with type-A trace anomaly by introducing a test particle on the equatorial plane. Our study reveals three distinct mechanisms that can potentially destroy the event horizon, leading to a violation of the WCCC. Our findings indicate that, with the exception of extremal Kerr, static extremal, and static singular black holes, the WCCC may be violated under the first-order perturbation of the test particle. These results suggest the need for further exploration of modifications to the behavior of the test particle under quantum effects in order to address the violation of the WCCC in this system.

Urban reservoirs contribute significantly to human survival and ecological balance. Machine learning-based remote sensing techniques for monitoring water quality parameters (WQPs) have gained increasing prominence in recent years. However, these techniques still face challenges such as inadequate band selection, weak machine learning model performance, and the limited retrieval of non-optical active parameters (NOAPs). This study focuses on an urban reservoir, utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral remote sensing and ensemble machine learning (EML) methods to monitor optically active parameters (OAPs, including Chla and SD) and non-optically active parameters (including CODMn, TN, and TP), exploring spatial and temporal variations of WQPs. A framework of Feature Combination and Genetic Algorithm (FC-GA) is developed for feature band selection, along with two frameworks of EML models for WQP estimation. Results indicate FC-GA’s superiority over popular methods such as the Pearson correlation coefficient and recursive feature elimination, achieving higher performance with no multicollinearity between bands. The EML model demonstrates superior estimation capabilities for WQPs like Chla, SD, CODMn, and TP, with an R2 of 0.72–0.86 and an MRE of 7.57–42.06%. Notably, the EML model exhibits greater accuracy in estimating OAPs (MRE ≤ 19.35%) compared to NOAPs (MRE ≤ 42.06%). Furthermore, spatial and temporal distributions of WQPs reveal nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient pollution in the upstream head and downstream tail of the reservoir due to human activities. TP, TN, and Chla are lower in the dry season than in the rainy season, while clarity and CODMn are higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. This study proposes a novel approach to water quality monitoring, aiding in the identification of potential pollution sources and ecological management.

In order to reduce the environmental impact of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic waste, supercritical fluids were used to facilitate effective recovery via improved solvent effects. This work focuses on the mechanisms of supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) during the alcoholysis processing of PET using systematic experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results of the alcoholysis experiment indicated that PET chips can be completely depolymerized within only an hour at 473 K assisted with ScCO2 at an optimal molar ratio of CO2/ethanol of 0.2. Random scission of PET dominates the early stage of the depolymerization reaction process, while specific scission dominates the following stage. Correspondingly, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the solubilization and self-diffusion properties of ScCO2 facilitate the transportation of alcohol molecules into the bulk phase of PET, which leads to an accelerated diffusion of both oligomers and small molecules in the system. However, the presence of excessive CO2 has a negative impact on depolymerization by weakening the hydrogen bonding between polyester chain segments and ethanol, as well as decreasing the swelling degree of PET. These data provide a deep understanding of PET degradation by alcohols and the enhancement of ScCO2. It should be expected to achieve an efficient and high-yield depolymerization process of wasted polyesters assisted with ScCO2 at a relatively low temperature.

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are an innovative technology for the efficient degradation of antibiotics. Shewanella oneidensis (S. oneidensis) MR-1 plays a pivotal role in degrading sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in BESs. Our study investigated the effect of BES conditions on SMX degradation, focusing on microbial activity. The results revealed that BESs operating with a 0.05 M electrolyte concentration and 2 mA/cm2 current density outperformed electrolysis cells (ECs). Additionally, higher electrolyte concentrations and elevated current density reduced SMX degradation efficiency. The presence of nutrients had minimal effect on the growth of S. oneidensis MR-1 in BESs; it indicates that S. oneidensis MR-1 can degrade SMX without nutrients in a short period of time. We also highlighted the significance of mass transfer between the cathode and anode. Limiting mass transfer at a 10 cm electrode distance enhanced S. oneidensis MR-1 activity and BES performance. In summary, this study reveals the complex interaction of factors affecting the efficiency of BES degradation of antibiotics and provides support for environmental pollution control.

Abstract Objectives Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma (PLELC) is a subtype of lung carcinoma associated with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). The clinical predictive biomarkers of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in PLELC require further investigation. Methods We prospectively analysed EBV levels in the blood and immune tumor biomarkers of 31 patients with ICB‐treated PLELC. Viral EBNA‐1 and BamHI‐W DNA fragments in the plasma were quantified in parallel using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Progression‐free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in EBNA‐1 high or BamHI‐W high groups. A longer PFS was also observed in patients with both high plasma EBNA‐1 or BamHI‐W and PD‐L1 ≥ 1%. Intriguingly, the tumor mutational burden was inversely correlated with EBNA‐1 and BamHI‐W. Plasma EBV load was negatively associated with intratumoral CD8+ immune cell infiltration. Dynamic changes in plasma EBV DNA level were in accordance with the changes in tumor volume. An increase in EBV DNA levels during treatment indicated molecular progression that preceded the imaging progression by several months. Conclusions Plasma EBV DNA could be a useful and easy‐to‐use biomarker for predicting the clinical activity of ICB in PLELC and could serve to monitor disease progression earlier than computed tomography imaging.

Abstract Clusteroluminescence (CL) has recently gained significant attention due to its unique through‐space interactions associated with a high dependence on the aggregation of subgroups. These distinct features could easily transform the stimuli into visual fluorescence and monitor the fluctuation of the environment but have not received sufficient attention before. In this work, supramolecular films are designed based on the neutralization reaction of anhydride groups and the self‐assembly of dynamic covalent disulfide bonds in NaOH aqueous solution. The self‐assembly of hydrophilic carboxylate chromophores and hydrophobic disulfide‐containing five‐membered rings could be observed by the variation of the aggregation state of carboxylate in CL. Furthermore, the dynamic cross‐linking films obtained with water‐sensitive carboxylate chromophores could alter the aggregation distance stimulated by surrounding water vapor, causing the emission wavelength to change from 534 to 508 nm by varying the relative humidity. This work not only provides an approach to monitor the self‐assembly of clusteroluminogens but also offers new strategies for designing stimuli‐responsive materials that utilize the intrinsic features of CL.

Summary: TDP-43 is an RNA/DNA-binding protein that forms aggregates in various brain disorders. TDP-43 engages in many aspects of RNA metabolism, but its molecular roles in regulating genes and transposable elements (TEs) have not been extensively explored. Chronic TDP-43 knockdown impairs cell proliferation and cellular responses to DNA damage. At the molecular level, TDP-43 chronic deficiency affects gene expression either locally or distally by concomitantly altering the crosstalk between R-loops and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in gene bodies and long-range enhancer/promoter interactions. Furthermore, TDP-43 knockdown induces substantial disease-relevant TE activation by influencing their R-loop and 5hmC homeostasis in a locus-specific manner. Together, our findings highlight the genomic roles of TDP-43 in modulating R-loop-5hmC coordination in coding genes, distal regulatory elements, and TEs, presenting a general and broad molecular mechanism underlying the contributions of proteinopathies to the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders.

Resistance traits of plants can be activated both at the damaged site and undamaged parts. Systemic resistance induced by local exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application alleviated negative effect of low water availability on growth performance of clonal plant. However, timing of systemic resistance was poorly understood. Timing of systemic resistance refers to its activation and decay time within clonal network. Clonal fragment of Centella asiatica with four successive ramets (including first-oldest, second-older, third-old and fourth-young ramets) subjected to low water availability (20% soil moisture content) was used to explore effects of local exogenous ABA application on the timing of resistance activation and decay. Systemic resistance activated by local exogenous ABA application after 4 days remained at least 28 days. Compared with control, biomass accumulation of whole clonal fragment, root biomass and ratio of belowground to aboveground biomass significantly increased by local exogenous ABA application after 28 days. It is suggested that rapid activation and delay of resistance response induced by local exogenous ABA application within clonal network may improve fitness of clonal plant subjected to abiotic stress.

Mineral nutrients play a significant role in influencing the quality of tea. In order to detect the quantitative relationships between tea quality and mineral elements from the soil and tea plant, samples of soil and tea leaves from 'Baiyeyihao' and 'Huangjinya' cultivars were collected from 160 tea plantations, and these were used to determine 16 types of soil mineral elements, 16 leaf nutrient elements, and 10 key tea quality compositions. Three predictive models including linear regression, multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RF) were applied to predict the main constituents of tea quality. The usage of mineral elements in the soil and tea leaves improved the estimation accuracy of tea quality compositions, the RF performed best for EGCG (R2 = 0.67–0.77), amino acid (R2 = 0.61–0.88), tea polyphenols (R2 = 0.68–0.77) and caffeine (R2 = 0.59–0.68), while the MLR performed well for predicting the soluble sugars (R2 = 0.54–0.84). The multi-source information demonstrated a superior accuracy in predicting the biochemical components of tea when compared to individual mineral elements.

ABSTRACTThe traditional von Neumann architecture is gradually failing to meet the urgent need for highly parallel computing, high-efficiency, and ultra-low power consumption for the current explosion of data. Brain-inspired neuromorphic computing can break the inherent limitations of traditional computers. Neuromorphic devices are the key hardware units of neuromorphic chips to implement the intelligent computing. In recent years, the development of optogenetics and photosensitive materials has provided new avenues for the research of neuromorphic devices. The emerging optoelectronic neuromorphic devices have received a lot of attentions because they have shown great potential in the field of visual bionics. In this paper, we summarize the latest visual bionic applications of optoelectronic synaptic memristors and transistors based on different photosensitive materials. The basic principle of bio-vision formation is first introduced. Then the device structures and operating mechanisms of optoelectronic memristors and transistors are discussed. Most importantly, the recent progresses of optoelectronic synaptic devices based on various photosensitive materials in the fields of visual perception are described. Finally, the problems and challenges of optoelectronic neuromorphic devices are summarized, and the future development of visual bionics is also proposed.

ABSTRACTEnterovirus 76 (EV-A76) is a serotype of enterovirus A and has been rarely reported. In this paper, we present the genetic characteristics of 15 EV-A76 isolates reported to circulate in the Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region of China in 2011. Sequence analysis revealed that all Chinese EV-A76 isolates had high similarity (> 98.3%) in the VP1 region, and five Chinese EV-A76 isolates were selected for whole genome sequencing based on VP1 nucleotide divergence. Similarity plots and boot-scanning analyses revealed frequent intertypic recombination in the nonstructural region of the EV-A76 isolate, as found with the EV-A89 donor sequence (also isolated in Xinjiang). The breakpoint of recombination is around nucleotide 3960, and the recombinant fragments covered part 2C and all P3 regions. This study increases publicly available EV-A76 nucleotide sequence and further our understanding EV-A76 molecular epidemiology.

Background: There is an inconsistent association between overweight/obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Considering that different metabolic characteristics exist among individuals in the same body mass index (BMI) category, the classification of overweight/obesity based on metabolic status may facilitate the risk assessment of COPD. Our study aimed to explore the relationship between metabolic overweight/obesity phenotypes and unplanned readmission in patients with COPD.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). According to metabolic overweight/obesity phenotypes, patients were classified into four groups: metabolically healthy non-overweight/obesity (MHNO), metabolically unhealthy non-overweight/obesity (MUNO), metabolically healthy with overweight/obesity (MHO), and metabolically unhealthy with overweight/obesity (MUO). The primary outcome was unplanned readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge from index hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS) and total charges of readmission within 30 days.Results: Among 1,445,890 patients admitted with COPD, 167,156 individuals were unplanned readmitted within 30 days. Patients with the phenotype MUNO [hazard ratio (HR), 1.049; 95%CI, 1.038–1.061; p < 0.001] and MUO (HR, 1.061; 95%CI, 1.045–1.077; p < 0.001) had a higher readmission risk compared with patients with MHNO. But in elders (≥65yr), MHO also had a higher readmission risk (HR, 1.032; 95%CI, 1.002–1.063; p = 0.039). Besides, the readmission risk of COPD patients with hyperglycemia or hypertension regardless of overweight/obesity increased (p < 0.001).Conclusion: In patients with COPD, overweight/obesity alone had little effect on unplanned readmission, whereas metabolic abnormalities regardless of overweight/obesity were associated with an increased risk of unplanned readmission. Among the metabolic abnormalities, particular attention should be paid to hyperglycemia and hypertension. But in elders (≥65yr) overweight/obesity and metabolic abnormalities independently exacerbated the adverse outcomes.

Seed coating is the most important type of pretreatment. Since cotton is an important economic crop, the cost of its cultivation and the resulting economic benefits are undoubtedly important aspects to be considered. In recent years, the high cost of coating materials and complex production processes have prevented the widespread application of cotton seed coating. Moreover, cotton plants emerge from cotyledons, and the coating material on the seed coat does not play a role after the seed emerges. Given the above shortcomings, to adapt to the mechanized direct seeding method and to include a large number of fertilizers and fungicides, insecticides can be used together with the seed direct seeding into the soil; at the same time, this will improve the cotton seedling emergence rate, the physiological qualities of cotton seedlings after the emergence of cotton seedlings, and the resilience of cotton seedlings in the early stage of resistance ability. In this study, we devised a technique for balling cotton seeds employing components such as cassava starch, bentonite, diatomite, attapulgite, and seedling substrate. The compositional ratios of the method were determined via a growth chamber trial, and we evaluated its effect throughout the cotton reproductive period using field trials. The results showed that the emergence and emergence hole rates of the balled cotton seeds increased by 34.42% and 28.84%, respectively, compared with the uncoated control. In terms of cotton yield, the seed balling treatment increased the number of bolls per plant and the overall cotton yield. Seed balling technology is different from traditional seed pelleting or seed coating techniques. It gathers one or more seeds in seed balls, enabling the simultaneous sowing of multiple seeds of the same variety or different varieties in the same crop. Additionally, seed balls can encourage seeds to carry fertilizer and pesticides into the soil, further weakening soil-borne diseases and abiotic stresses, form a relatively stable internal environment in the soil, and ensure the germination of cotton seeds. Our findings provide a reference point to improve cotton seedling emergence through the utilization of this novel technology.

Real-timely monitoring of the crop water status can improve irrigation scheduling to increase water saving and enhance agricultural sustainability, whereas the canopy temperature measured by thermal imaging is an essential indicator for determining the rice water status. The primary goal of this study was to propose a new temperature index based on the temporal variance of the daily temperature and to develop the rice water status estimation model. Two field experiments involving two rice varieties and multi-irrigation regimes were conducted from 2019 to 2020. A thermal imaging camera was used to measure the canopy temperature from 8:00–16:00 at 2-hour intervals across all growth stages. Three plant water parameters, namely plant water content (PWC), canopy water content (CWC), and canopy equivalent water thickness (CEWT), were collected simultaneously. The results showed that canopy temperature and plant water parameters differed obviously among different irrigation treatments. The relative canopy temperature velocity (RCTV) was developed based on the temporal variance of the daily temperature, and the RCTV8–12 performed well in distinguishing different irrigation treatments and quantifying the rice water status. The coefficient of determination (R2) values of the exponential relationships between the optimal RCTV and plant water parameters reached 0.47 (PWC), 0.39 (CWC) and 0.18 (CEWT). The random forest model, which integrates the multi-temperature indices, achieved a good estimation for PWC (R2 = 0.78), CWC (R2 = 0.77), and CEWT (R2 = 0.64) across all growth stages. In summary, combining the multi-temperature indices derived from the thermal infrared imagery and machine learning algorithm can facilitate the non-destructive estimation of the rice water status and improve the precision irrigation schedule.

Abstract Mitochondria are the key organelles for sensing oxygen, which is consumed by oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that degrade misfolded proteins and damaged organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis. Mitochondria physically and functionally interact with lysosomes to regulate cellular metabolism. However, the mode and biological functions of mitochondria-lysosome communication remain largely unknown. Here, we show that hypoxia remodels normal tubular mitochondria into megamitochondria by inducing broad inter-mitochondria contacts and subsequent fusion. Importantly, under hypoxia, mitochondria-lysosome contacts are promoted, and certain lysosomes are engulfed by megamitochondria, in a process we term megamitochondria engulfing lysosome (MMEL). Both megamitochondria and mature lysosomes are required for MMEL. Moreover, the STX17-SNAP29-VAMP7 complex contributes to mitochondria-lysosome contacts and MMEL under hypoxia. Intriguingly, MMEL mediates a mode of mitochondrial degradation, which we termed mitochondrial self-digestion (MSD). Moreover, MSD increases mitochondrial ROS production. Our results reveal a mode of crosstalk between mitochondria and lysosomes and uncover an additional pathway for mitochondrial degradation.

Abstract Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-secreting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for ~75% of HCCs, is more aggressive with a worse prognosis than those without AFP production. The mechanism through which the interaction between tumors and the microenvironment leads to distinct phenotypes is not yet clear. Therefore, our study aims to identify the characteristic features and potential treatment targets of AFP-negative HCC (ANHC) and AFP-positive HCC (APHC). We utilized single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze 6 ANHC, 6 APHC, and 4 adjacent normal tissues. Integrated multi-omics analysis together with survival analysis were also performed. Further validation was conducted via cytometry time-of-flight on 30 HCCs and multiplex immunohistochemistry on additional 59 HCCs. Our data showed that the genes related to antigen processing and interferon-γ response were abundant in tumor cells of APHC. Meanwhile, APHC was associated with multifaceted immune distortion, including exhaustion of diverse T cell subpopulations, and the accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Notably, TAM-SPP1+ was highly enriched in APHC, as was its receptor CD44 on T cells and tumor cells. Targeting the Spp1-Cd44 axis restored T cell function in vitro and significantly reduced tumor burden when treated with either anti-Spp1 or anti-Cd44 antibody alone or in combination with anti-Pd-1 antibody in the mouse model. Furthermore, elevated IL6 and TGF-β1 signaling contributed to the enrichment of TAM-SPP1+ in APHC. In conclusion, this study uncovered a highly suppressive microenvironment in APHC and highlighted the role of TAM-SPP1+ in regulating the immune microenvironment, thereby revealing the SPP1-CD44 axis as a promising target for achieving a more favorable immune response in APHC treatment.

Abstract Objective This article aims at exploring the role of hypoxia-related genes and immune cells in spinal tuberculosis and tuberculosis involving other organs. Methods In this study, label-free quantitative proteomics analysis was performed on the intervertebral discs (fibrous cartilaginous tissues) obtained from five spinal tuberculosis (TB) patients. Key proteins associated with hypoxia were identified using molecular complex detection (MCODE), weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine recursive feature Elimination (SVM-REF) methods, and their diagnostic and predictive values were assessed. Immune cell correlation analysis was then performed using the Single Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) method. In addition, a pharmaco-transcriptomic analysis was also performed to identify targets for treatment. Results The three genes, namely proteasome 20 S subunit beta 9 (PSMB9), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), and transporter 1 (TAP1), were identified in the present study. The expression of these genes was found to be particularly high in patients with spinal TB and other extrapulmonary TB, as well as in TB and multidrug-resistant TB (p-value

Abstract We provide mass/energy formulas for the extended thermodynamics, mixed thermodynamics, and holographic conformal field theory (CFT) thermodynamics for the charged and rotating Kerr-Newman Anti-de Sitter black holes. Then for the CFT thermal states dual to the black hole, we find the first-order phase transitions and criticality phenomena in the canonical ensemble with fixed angular momentum, volume, and central charge. We observe that the CFT states cannot be analogous to the Van der Waals fluids, despite the critical exponents falling into the universality class predicted by the mean field theory. Additionally, we examine the (de)confinement phase transitions within the grand canonical ensemble with fixed angular velocity, volume, and central charge of the CFT. Our findings suggest that the near zero temperature (de)confinement phase transitions can occur with the angular velocity of the CFT that solely depends on the CFT volume.

Abstract Setting the cosmological constant to be dynamical, we study the bulk and boundary thermodynamics of charged Anti-de Sitter black holes. We develop mass/energy formulas in terms of thermodynamic state functions for the extended thermodynamics, mixed thermodynamics, and boundary conformal field theory thermodynamics. We employ the residue method to study the topological properties of the phase transitions. Our analysis reveals that the bulk and boundary thermodynamics are topologically equivalent for both criticalities and first-order phase transitions in the canonical ensembles, as well as for the Hawking-Page(-like) phase transitions in the grand canonical ensembles. Additionally, those three kinds of phase transitions are shown to be distinguished by their unique topological charges. Our results exemplify the gravity-gauge duality in terms of topology.

Abstract Background There is a mutual influence between COVID-19, diabetes ketoacidosis, and acute pancreatitis, with clinical manifestations overlapping each other, which can lead to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment that could aggravate the condition and affect the prognosis. COVID-19-induced diabetes ketoacidosis and acute pancreatitis are extremely rare, with only four case reports in adults and no cases yet reported in children. Case presentation We reported a case of acute pancreatitis associated with diabetic ketoacidosis in a 12-year-old female child post novel coronavirus infection. The patient presented with vomiting, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and confusion. Laboratory findings showed elevated levels of inflammatory markers, hypertriglyceridemia, and high blood glucose. The patient was treated with fluid resuscitation, insulin, anti-infection treatments, somatostatin, omeprazole, low-molecular-weight heparin, and nutritional support. Blood purification was administered to remove inflammatory mediators. The patient's symptoms improved, and blood glucose levels stabilized after 20 days of admission. Conclusion The case highlights the need for greater awareness and understanding of the interrelated and mutually promoting conditions of COVID-19, diabetes ketoacidosis, and acute pancreatitis among clinicians, to reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses.

Abstract The violation of strong cosmic censorship (SCC) in RNdS black holes by a minimally coupled neutral massless scalar field has recently been discovered. This paper investigates the stability of the Cauchy horizon of a spherically charged de-Sitter black hole surrounded by dark matter under perturbations from a massless scalar field. Our results show that SCC can also be destroyed in the nearly extremal region, regardless of the presence of dark matter. However, the existence of dark matter can mitigate the extent of SCC violation, particularly when the cosmological constant and dark matter energy density are both small. Notably, the violation region of SCC as a function of the dark matter state parameter does not exhibit a simple monotonic decrease, suggesting that the influence of dark matter on SCC is not straightforward and may be complex.

Bio-based epoxy resins have received significant attention in terms of concerns regarding carbon emission. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) derived from sustainable feedstock has been widely used to blend with traditional diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) to replace some of the petroleum-based components. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were applied to track the network formation and predict the performance of methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA)-cured ESO/DGEBA blend systems. The effects of ESO content and cross-linking degree on the mass density, volumetric shrinkage, glass transition temperature (Tg), coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), Young’s modulus, yield strength, and Poisson’s ratio of the epoxy resin were systematically investigated. The results show that systems with high ESO content achieve gelation at low cross-linking degree. The Tg value, Young’s modulus, and yield strength increase with the increase in cross-linking degree, but the CTE at the glassy state and Poisson’s ratio decrease. The comparison results between the simulated and experimental data demonstrated that the MD simulations can accurately predict the thermal and mechanical properties of ESO-based thermosets. This study gains insight into the variation in thermo-mechanical properties of anhydride-cured ESO/DGEBA-based epoxy resins during the cross-linking process and provides a rational strategy for optimizing bio-based epoxy resins.

Significant columnar grains usually occur in the metallurgical microstructure of laser additive manufacturing, and plastic deformation introduced into additive manufacturing can significantly refine grain size. Due to the high deformation resistance and difficult deformation of titanium alloys, reducing the high-temperature deformation resistance of additive manufacturing titanium alloys is essential to facilitating the implementation of online rolling processes. High-temperature compression of titanium alloys was performed on a Gleeble-3800. It was found that the flow stress of the alloy decreased when the strain of the alloy decreased or the deformation temperature increased. The flow behavior of titanium alloys at high temperatures was investigated with the help of a Z-parameter flow model and multiple linear regression model. A positive correlation was found between the experimental and predicted values of the alloy under the multiple linear regression model, with a correlation coefficient of 0.98 and its error of 13.5%, which could better predict the flow stress values. In addition, hot processing maps were established, and the optimal deformation conditions were determined to provide some theoretical guidance for subsequent experiments.

Acellular fish swim bladders (AFSBs) are a promising biomaterial in tissue engineering, however, they may suffer from rapid degradation due to enzyme invasion. In this work, natural polyphenols, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), proanthocyanidin (PC), tannic acid (TA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA), were utilized to improve the properties of AFSBs through crosslinking modifications. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results indicate that the triple helix of the collagen in AFSBs is well preserved after crosslinking. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water contact angle (WCA) and in vitro degradation tests indicate that the polyphenol-crosslinked AFSBs exhibit improved thermal stability, enzymatic stability, hydrophilicity and mechanical properties. Among them, EGCG with multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups and low potential resistance is more favorable for the improvement of the mechanical properties and enzymatic stability of AFSBs, as well as their biocompatibility and integrity with the collagen triple helix. Moreover, the crosslinking mechanism was demonstrated to be due to the hydrogen bonds between polyphenols and AFSBs, and was affected by the molecular size, molecular weight and the hydroxyl groups activity of polyphenol molecules, as clarified by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. The approach presented in this work paves a path for improving the properties of collagen materials.

Rainfall and wind speed are two important meteorological variables that have a significant impact on agriculture, human health, and socio-economic development. While individual rainfall or wind events have been widely studied, little attention has been devoted to studying the lead–lag relationship between rainfall and wind speed, particularly in coastal regions where strong dependence between rainfall and wind speed is expected. Taking China's coastline as the case study, this paper aims to explore the variation trends of wind speed and rainfall and reveal the relationships between rainfall events and wind speeds on days before and after rainfall occurrence, by using meteorological station data from 1960 to 2018. The results show that wind speed tended to decrease while rainfall showed a slight increase for most stations. The daily wind speed increased 2 days before rainfall occurrence and decreased after then, with the highest wind speed observed during rainfall onset regardless of rainfall amount. Moreover, heavier rainfall events are more likely to occur with higher wind speeds. The findings of this study potentially improve the understanding of the dependence of rainfall and wind speed, which could help rainfall or wind-related disaster mitigation. HIGHLIGHTS Dependence of daily rainfall and wind speed over China's coastline is investigated.; Daily wind speed increased 2 days before rainfall occurrence and decreased after then.; Heavier rainfall events are more likely to occur with higher wind speeds.;

Abstract Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a main subtype of renal cancer, and advanced ccRCC frequently has poor prognosis. Many studies have found that lipid metabolism influences tumor development and treatment. This study was to examine the prognostic and functional significance of genes associated with lipid metabolism in individuals with ccRCC. Using the database TCGA, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with fatty acid metabolism (FAM) were identified. Prognostic risk score models for genes related to FAM were created using univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analyses. Our findings demonstrate that the prognosis of patients with ccRCC correlate highly with the profiles of FAM-related lncRNAs (AC009166.1, LINC00605, LINC01615, HOXA-AS2, AC103706.1, AC009686.2, AL590094.1, AC093278.2). The prognostic signature can serve as an independent predictive predictor for patients with ccRCC. The predictive signature's diagnostic effectiveness was superior to individual clinicopathological factors. Between the low- and high-risk groups, immunity research revealed a startling difference in terms of cells, function, and checkpoint scores. Chemotherapeutic medications such lapatinib, AZD8055, and WIKI4 had better outcomes for patients in the high-risk group. Overall, the predictive signature can help with clinical selection of immunotherapeutic regimens and chemotherapeutic drugs, improving prognosis prediction for ccRCC patients.