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Summary: This paper proposes a wideband quasi‐reflectionless bandpass filter with high‐selectivity based on signal‐interference method. The bandpass filter is composed of a bandpass section and two absorptive sections, which consist of a quarter‐wavelength coupled line and signal‐interfering/resistively loaded path, respectively. The bandpass section mainly performs bandpass filtering characteristics while the absorptive sections are applied to consume the reflected signals. By virtue of rationally setting electric lengths and characteristic impedances of the absorptive section to form signal interference, signal dissipation within a wider frequency range and higher selectivity can be realized. Finally, the quasi‐reflectionless bandpass filter was designed and demonstrated with well‐matched measurement and simulation results. Compared with conventional works, the proposed bandpass filter can simultaneously attain wideband, high‐selectivity, and two‐port quasi‐reflectionless performance within a single‐layer topology and well‐integrated structure owing to the signal‐interference technology. The proposed technique may be extensively applied in the RF front‐end and decreases the effect on the stability of communication systems caused by reflected signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume and composition of airway surface liquid (ASL) is regulated by liquid secretion and absorption across airway epithelia, controlling the pH, solute concentration, and biophysical properties of ASL in health and disease. Here, we developed a method integrating explanted tracheal tissue with a micro-machined device (referred to as "ex vivo trachea-chip") to study the dynamic properties of ASL volume regulation. The ex vivo trachea-chip allows real-time measurement of ASL transport (Jv) with intact airway anatomic structures, environmental control, high-resolution, and enhanced experimental throughput. Applying this technology to freshly excised tissue we observed ASL absorption under basal conditions. The apical application of amiloride, an inhibitor of airway epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), reduced airway liquid absorption. Furthermore, the basolateral addition of NPPB, a Cl-channel inhibitor, reduced the basal rate of ASL absorption, implicating a role for basolateral Cl- channels in ASL volume regulation. When tissues were treated with apical amiloride and basolateral methacholine, a cholinergic agonist that stimulates secretion from airway submucosal glands, the net airway surface liquid production shifted from absorption to secretion. This ex vivo trachea-chip provides a new tool to investigate ASL transport dynamics in pulmonary disease states and may aid the development of new therapies targeting ASL regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two crystalline large‐sized porous organic cages (POCs) based on conical calix[4]arene (C4A) were designed and synthesized. The four‐jaw C4A unit tends to follow the face‐directed self‐assembly law with the planar triangular building blocks such as tris(4‐aminophenyl)amine (TAPA) or 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB) to generate a predictable cage with a stoichiometry of [6+8]. The formation of the large cages is confirmed through their relative molecular mass measured using MALDI‐TOF/TOF spectra. The protonated molecular ion peaks of C4A‐TAPA and C4A‐TAPB were observed at m/z 5109.0 (calculated for C336H240O24N32: m/z 5109.7) and m/z 5594.2 (calculated for C384H264O24N24: m/z 5598.4). C4A‐POCs exhibit I‐type N2 adsorption‐desorption isotherms with the BET surface areas of 1444.9 m2 ⋅ g−1 and 1014.6 m2 ⋅ g−1. The CO2 uptakes at 273 K are 62.1 cm3 ⋅ g−1 and 52.4 cm3 ⋅ g−1 at a pressure of 100 KPa. The saturated iodine vapor static uptakes at 348 K are 3.9 g ⋅ g−1 and 3.5 g ⋅ g−1. The adsorption capacity of C4A‐TAPA for SO2 reaches to 124.4 cm3 ⋅ g−1 at 298 K and 1.3 bar. Additionally, the adsorption capacities of C4A‐TAPA for C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an economical energy recovery device, pump as turbine (PAT) is widely used in micro-hydropower stations and the chemical industry. The inlet and outlet pipelines connected to the double-suction pump are on the same horizontal line. As the pipeline layout is very convenient, in some chemical industries, the way of residual pressure energy utilization is increasing using the double-suction pump as a turbine. Based on numerical simulation, experimental verification, and entropy generation theory, the energy loss rule of each flow component in the pump mode and turbine mode under different flow rates is compared and analyzed. The results show that when the double-suction pump is used as a turbine, the flow rate at the best efficiency point (BEP) in the turbine mode shifts to a large flow rate by 30.89% and the BEP efficiency decreases by 1.30%. In the pump mode and turbine mode, the main energy loss component is the impeller, and the turbulent entropy generation power and the wall entropy generation power are the main sources of energy loss. The energy loss in the suction chamber and impeller increases sharply, and the energy loss is primarily enhanced in the blade trailing edge and the tongue near due to the unsteady flow in the turbine mode. Due to the complex structure, the spiral suction chamber is not suitable for the flow direction of the fluid flow out of the impeller, and the flow state inside the impeller is negatively affected by the suction chamber in the turbine mode. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the design and application of double-suction centrifugal PAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aim to examine whether having been separated from parents during childhood influences multiple dimensions of intergenerational solidarity during adulthood. Background: In developing countries, many children experience geographic separation from one or both parents due to parental out-migration. Previous research has examined the concurrent effects of parental migration on parent-child relationships, but little is known about the long-term implications of parental absence during childhood for intergenerational relationships in adulthood. Method: Our study used data from the China Family Panel Studies (2010 and 2016) to examine the relationship between mothers' and fathers' absence during childhood and intergenerational solidarity during adulthood. The sample includes adult respondents aged 25-54 with a living mother or father in 2016, generating 8889 respondentmother and 7159 respondent-father dyads. We estimated multilevel regression models predicting emotional, associational, and functional solidarity with the mother and the father during adulthood. Results: For both mother and father, the parent's absence during childhood is negatively associated with children's closeness to and frequency of seeing the parent in adulthood. Parental absence during childhood has little impact on the economic and instrumental support of parents in adulthood. A longer duration of parental absence has a stronger detrimental impact on intergenerational solidarity than a shorter duration for both mother-child and father-child relationships. Moreover, one parent's absence during childhood can influence the child's relationship with the other parent during adulthood (a spillover effect). Conclusion: Parents' absence during childhood has longterm implications for parent-child relationships during adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis, a common chronic gynecological disease, refers to the presence and proliferation of endometrial tissue in locations other than the uterine cavity. Approximately 6 to 10% of the population of women of childbearing age are known to have endometriosis; the most common clinical signs are pelvic pain and infertility. Although endometriosis is a benign disease, it exhibits some typical features of malignant tumors, such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and recurrence. Endometriosis is considered a chronic, inflammatory, and estrogen-dependent disease, and multiple factors contribute to its occurrence and development. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of this disease. Some researchers believe that spontaneous apoptosis of the endometrium is critical in maintaining its normal structure and function, and abnormal apoptosis can promote the occurrence and development of endometriosis. Inflammation is another likely process in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Inflammation mediates the adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and invasion of ectopic lesions of endometriosis, primarily by regulating the function of immune cells and increasing the level of proinflammatory cytokines in body fluids. The ultimate initiators of apoptosis and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis) are the caspase family proteases. In this article, we review the progress in recent years in caspase function as well as the possible role of these enzymes in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, indicating potential treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports a meta-analysis of studies that investigated the effectiveness of instruction on second language collocation learning. A total of 64 research projects in 17 primary studies (the number of participants = 3,859) were included in the meta-analysis. Aggregated results confirmed the effectiveness of collocation instruction for facilitating second language collocation learning (d = 1.415, 95% CI: 1.189, 1.641). The results of moderator analysis indicated that the intervention method was a significant predictor of intervention effectiveness. To be specific, 1) explicit interventions produced larger effect sizes than implicit interventions; 2) interventions with low session frequency did not produce larger effect sizes than those with high session frequency; 3) long interventions did not show larger effect sizes than short interventions; and 4) constrained-constructed responses, selected responses, and multiple outcome measures did not produce larger effect sizes than free-constructed responses. The study also offered explanations for the results, as well as implications for the teaching and research of collocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Non‐alcoholic fatty liver is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. GPR40 is a potential therapeutic target for energy metabolic disorders. GPR40 is a potential therapeutic target for energy metabolic disorders. SZZ15‐11 is a newly synthesized GPR40 agonist. In this study, we estimate the potency of SZZ15‐11 in fatty liver treatment. Methods: In vivo, diet‐induced obese (DIO) mice received SZZ15‐11 (50 mg/kg) and TAK875 (50 mg/kg) for 6 weeks. Blood glucose and lipid, hepatocyte lipid and liver morphology were analysed. In vitro, HepG2 cells and GPR40‐knockdown HepG2 cells induced with 0.3 mM oleic acid were treated with SZZ15‐11. Triglyceride and total cholesterol of cells were measured. At the same time, the AMPK pathway regulating triglycerides and cholesterol esters synthesis was investigated via western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in both liver tissue and HepG2 cells. Results: SZZ15‐11 was found to not only attenuate hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia but also ameliorate fatty liver disease in DIO mice. At the same time, SZZ15‐11 decreased triglyceride and total cholesterol content in HepG2 cells. Whether examined in the liver of DIO mice or in HepG2 cells, SZZ15‐11 upregulated AMPKα phosphorylation and then downregulated the expression of the cholesterogenic key enzyme 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and inhibited acetyl‐CoA carboxylase activity. Furthermore, SZZ15‐11 promotes AMPK activity via [cAMP]i accumulation. Conclusion: This study confirmed that SZZ15‐11, a novel GPR40 agonist, improves hyperlipidaemia and fatty liver, partially via Gs signalling and the AMPK pathway in hepatocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the previous studies focused on lexical and syntactic features in adapted texts while little attention has been paid to the structural complexity from the perspective of the amount of information. In this study, we intend to examine the differences in structural complexity in adapted texts from the perspective of the amount of information at the lexical and grammatical levels. We also aim to identify the lexical and grammatical features that contribute most to such differences. The data used in this study were reading texts from Newsela, that is, reading materials for English learners under the educational system of K‐12 in the United States. This study yields several findings of interest. First, the adapted texts differ in the structural complexity at both lexical and grammatical levels in terms of their amount of information. Second, the differences display a decreasing trend. That is, the differences become smaller when the level of the text increases. Third, function words and part‐of‐speech trigrams with a preposition(s) and/or a noun(s) contribute most to the differences. The findings provide significant implications for the adaptation of language materials such as reading texts and test materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Build a mathematical model for magneto-electro-elastic cylindrical shells with geometrical imperfection. • Consider the impacts of the electrical potential, magnetic potential and thermal factor. • Illustrate the nonlinear transient responses of magneto-electro-elastic cylindrical shells. • Reveal the roles of the coupled multi-physics fields. Exploring the nonlinear mechanical behaviors of structures under external excitation is significant. This article, for the first time, attempts to demonstrate the transient response of imperfect magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) cylindrical shells under pulse load in thermal environment by time history curves and phase trajectories. Using Love's thin shell theory and Maxwell's equations, expressions for displacement-, electric-, and magnetic- fields are obtained. Combining Hamiltonian principle and Galerkin method, the nonlinear dynamic equations of cylindrical shells are derived, and Runge-Kutta method is employed to solve the whole problem. Subsequently, the transient responses under various parameters including BaTiO 3 vol fraction, geometric imperfection, electrical potential, magnetic potential, prestress, viscoelastic foundation, positive phase duration, damping coefficient, maximum blast load, geometrical parameter, temperature variation and various pulse loads are presented in numerical analysis in the forms of time history curves and phase trajectories. Finally, the conclusion advocates that the BaTiO 3 vol fraction, geometric imperfection and dimensions of cylindrical shells have significant impacts on the transient response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertrophic scar is a complex global disease, which can lead to remarkable functional impairment, pruritus, and pain. Treating local skin diseases needs a transdermal drug delivery system that can simultaneously promote cell and tissue penetration within the hypertrophic scar. Herein, a tissue and cell dual‐penetrating liposomal delivery platform consisting of arginine‐based dendritic lipopeptide mimicking the pivotal amino acid sequence in viral protein transduction domains and virion‐like nanostructure to enhance hypertrophic scar tissue deep penetration and cellular internalization is reported. This dendritic lipopeptide liposomal delivery platform can overcome corneum barriers to the punch on hypertrophic scar fibroblast membranes, as are natural viruses. It also can deeply deliver drugs to promote hypertrophic scar fibroblast apoptosis and collagen fiber remodeling within thickened dermis and epidermis, and finally remove the raised scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicle–light detection and ranging (UAV-LiDAR) provides a convenient and economical means of forest data acquisition that can penetrate canopy gaps to obtain abundant ground information, offering huge potential in forest inventory. Individual tree segmentation is a prerequisite to obtain individual tree details but is highly dependent on the accuracy of seed point detection. However, most of the existing methods, such as the local maximum (LM) and CHM-based methods, are strongly dependent on the window size, and, for individual tree segmentation, they can result in over-segmentation and under-segmentation, especially in natural forests. In this paper, we propose an adaptive crown shaped algorithm for individual tree segmentation without consideration of the window size. It was implemented in four plots with different forest types and topographies (i.e., planted coniferous forest with flat terrain, coniferous forest with sloping terrain, mixed forest with flat terrain and broadleaf forest with flat terrain). First, the normalized point clouds were rotated and blocked at multiple angles to extract the surface points of the forest. Then, the crown boundaries were delineated by analyzing the crown profiles to extract the treetops as seed points. Finally, a region growing method based on seed points was applied for individual tree segmentation. Our results showed that the recall, precision and F1-score of seed point detection reached 91.6%, 95.9% and 0.94, respectively, and that the accuracy rates for individual tree segmentation for the four plots were 87.7%, 80.6%, 73.2% and 70.5%, respectively. Our proposed method can effectively detect seed points via the adaptive crown shaped algorithm and reduce the impacts of elongated branches by applying distance thresholds between trees, enhancing the accuracy of seed point detection and subsequently improving the precision of individual tree segmentation. In addition, the proposed algorithm demonstrated superior performance in comparison to LM and CHM-based methods for the calculation of seed points, as well as outperforming PCS in individual tree segmentation. The proposed method demonstrates effectiveness and feasibility in dense forests and natural forests, providing an important reference for future research on seed point detection and individual tree segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China's advanced light sources have entered a period of rapid construction and development. As modern X-ray detectors and data acquisition technologies advance, these facilities are expected to generate massive volumes of data annually, presenting significant challenges in data management and utilization. These challenges encompass data storage, metadata handling, data transfer and user data access. In response, the Data Organization Management Access Software (DOMAS) has been designed as a framework to address these issues. DOMAS encapsulates four fundamental modules of data management software, including metadata catalogue, metadata acquisition, data transfer and data service. For light source facilities, building a data management system only requires parameter configuration and minimal code development within DOMAS. This paper firstly discusses the development of advanced light sources in China and the associated demands and challenges in data management, prompting a reconsideration of data management software framework design. It then outlines the architecture of the framework, detailing its components and functions. Lastly, it highlights the application progress and effectiveness of DOMAS when deployed for the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) and Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the causal relationship between the characteristics of glycemic traits (fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance) and benign colorectal neoplasm (colorectal adenomas, benign rectal neoplasm, and benign colon neoplasm). Methods The instrumental variables of blood glucose characteristics were extracted from MAGIC and GLGCL alliance, and the genome-wide data of colorectal benign tumors came from Finn-Gen alliance. In this study, random effect inverse-variance weighted method (IVW), MR-Egger regression, and weighted median method (WMM) were used to analyze the causal relationship between four glycemic traits and benign colorectal neoplasm. Results The results of IVW model showed that there was no causal relationship between fasting blood glucose (OA =0.999, 95%CI: 0.997-1.001), fasting insulin (OA=1.002, 95_CI: 0.998-1.006), glycosylated hemoglobin (CI=1.001, 95%CI: 0.999-1.004), insulin resistance (OA=0.999, 95%CI: 0.997-1.002), and colorectal adenoma. There was no causal relationship between fasting blood glucose (OA =0.909, 95%CI: 0.684-1.209), fasting insulin (OA=1.220, 95%CI: 0.706-2.107), glycosylated hemoglobin (0A=0.678, 95_CI: 0.440-1.046), insulin resistance (OA=1.161, 95 CI: 0.810-1.663) and rectal benign tumor. There was no causal relationship between fasting blood glucose (OA =0.966, 95%CI: 0.836-1.116), fasting insulin (OA=1.318, 95%CI: 0.906-1.916), glycosylated hemoglobin (OA=1.124, 95%CI: 0.882-1.431), insulin resistance (OA=1.071, 95%CI: 0.875-1.311) and benign tumors of colon. Conclusion There is no evidence of causal relationships of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycosy- lated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance with colorectal adenomas, benign rectal neoplasm, and benign colon neoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited metabolic disorder with an elevated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The effects of coffee on FH individuals remain unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the association between coffee consumption and ASCVD and mortality in adults with clinical diagnosed FH. Cross-sectional and prospective (up to December 31st, 2019) analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018. Coffee consumption was calculated by 24-hour dietary recalls. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression and Cox analysis were performed to evaluated the relationship between coffee consumption and ASCVD and all-cause mortality. A total of 1008 FH individuals with coffee information were included and were categorized into four groups: 357 (35.42%) did not consume coffee on a regular basis, 390 (38.69%) consumed 0.5–3 cups per day, 141 (13.99%) consumed 3–5 cups per day and 120 (11.90%) ≥5 cups per day. Higher coffee or caffeine consumption was associated with elevated risk of ASCVD and heart attack. Compared to non-coffee drinkers, ≥5 cups coffee drinking was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (multivariate HR: 1.67, 95%CI: 1.02–2.73, P = 0.04). The risk of all-cause death increased dose-dependently along with the higher coffee or caffeine intake (P < 0.05). The results remained similar among those who excluded non-coffee drinkers. Coffee consumption of up to five cups per day was associated with unfavorable ASCVD and all-cause mortality, suggesting that high coffee consumption should be avoided among patients with FH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of school‐based mindfulness training on learning burnout of Chinese middle school students and the mediating role of psychological resilience between dispositional mindfulness and learning burnout. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with repeated measurement analysis, in which 62 Chinese middle school students in the experimental group received a 10‐week school‐based mindfulness training. In comparison, 63 students in the control group were randomized to receive no intervention. Learning burnout, dispositional mindfulness, and psychological resilience were measured by Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents, respectively. The results showed: (1) Compared with the experimental group's pre‐test scores and the control group's pretest and posttest scores, the posttest scores of learning burnout in the experimental group significantly decreased. In contrast, the posttest scores of dispositional mindfulness and psychological resilience in the experimental group significantly increased. Meanwhile, the control group gained no significant changes between the pre‐and posttest in learning burnout, dispositional mindfulness, and psychological resilience. (2) Dispositional mindfulness was positively related to psychological resilience, while dispositional mindfulness and psychological resilience were negatively associated with learning burnout. (3) The direct effect of dispositional mindfulness on learning burnout and the mediating effect of psychological resilience between dispositional mindfulness and learning burnout were significant. This study suggested that school‐based mindfulness training distinctly improves dispositional mindfulness and psychological resilience and alleviates learning burnout in Chinese middle school students. Furthermore, psychological resilience plays a mediating role between dispositional mindfulness and learning burnout. Practitioner Points: School‐based mindfulness training is an effective intervention method to alleviate learning burnout of Chinese middle school students.Dispositional mindfulness is a protective factor of learning burnout, and psychological resilience plays a mediating role between dispositional mindfulness and learning burnout.School‐based mindfulness training alleviates learning burnout by improving dispositional mindfulness and psychological resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex structure of a double-suction pump's suction chamber, the flow in the pump's cavity is often ignored in numerical simulations because of difficulties in structured hexahedral meshing. However, the wear ring clearance interlinking the pump chamber leads the fluid at the impeller inlet directly to the impeller area. This significantly impacts the pump's internal flow field, so the influence of the clearance on the internal flow of a double-suction pump cannot be ignored. This paper develops four three-dimensional double-suction pump models with different wear ring clearances to investigate their influence on pump performance, and structured hexahedral meshes were used for all the computational domains. The clearances varied from 0.2 to 0.5 mm in 0.1 mm increments. The influences of the clearance on the energy loss, external characteristics, and internal flow field distribution of the pump were simulated via a verified computational fluid dynamics method. The results show that the wear ring leakage decreases with the flow rate and increases with wear ring clearance. The increase in backflow leads to an internal flow disorder inside the impeller, resulting in a decreased head and efficiency. Energy loss is mainly caused by increasing the turbulence entropy production with an increasing wear ring clearance. Also, the low-pressure region in the pump cavity expands to the volute with increasing clearance, and the impeller outlet pressure decreases. This study's research on wear ring clearance provides a reference for the design and application of double-suction centrifugal pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discriminating paints of the same color has always been a challenge in automotive paint examination. The process is even more difficult when these paints originate from the same manufacturer and color. Raman spectroscopy is an effective and non‐destructive method that is commonly used to differentiate automotive paint. This method is often used to provide a reliable information about pigments and extenders contained in topcoats and is barely used to examine other layers of paints. In this study, A total of 54 white automotive paints from one single manufacturer (Volkswagen) were prepared and analyzed by Raman Spectroscopy. Each layer of the samples was measured in order to evaluate if Raman spectroscopy can provide good discrimination power. Statistical methods were used to characterize and classify these samples. Correlations between paint characteristics and discriminating factors (such as model, topcoat color code, production year, and assembly plant) were also investigated to get a deeper understanding of automotive paints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Stroke causes serious physical disability with impaired quality of life (QoL) and heavy burden on health. The goal of this study is to explore the impaired QoL typologies and their predicting factors in physically disabled stroke survivors with machine learning approach. Methods: Non‐negative matrix factorization (NMF) was applied to clustering 308 physically disabled stroke survivors in rural China based on their responses on the short form 36 (SF‐36) assessment of quality of life. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to differentiate the subtypes, and the Boruta algorithm was used to identify the variables relevant to the categorization of two subtypes. A gradient boosting machine(GBM) and local interpretable model‐agnostic explanation (LIME) algorithms were used to apply to interpret the variables that drove subtype predictions. Results: Two distinct subtypes emerged, characterized by short form 36 (SF‐36) domains. The feature difference between worsen QoL subtype and better QoL subtype was as follows: role‐emotion (RE), body pain (BP) and general health (GH), but not physical function (PF); the most relevant predictors of worsen QoL subtypes were help from others, followed by opportunities for community activity and rehabilitation needs, rather than disability severity or duration since stroke. Interpretation: The results suggest that the rehabilitation programs should be tailored toward their QoL clustering feature; body pain and emotional‐behavioral problems are more crucial than motor deficit; stroke survivors with worsen QoL subtype are most in need of social support, return to community, and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper proposes a high‐selective crossover with a third‐order filtering characteristic, high passband isolation, and multiple controllable transmission zeros based on a coupled topology using single‐ and dual‐mode resonators. By virtue of the odd‐ and even‐mode feature of the stub‐loaded dual‐mode ring resonator, not only can the two resonant modes for different passbands be relatively independently controlled, but also better isolation can be achieved. With a single‐mode resonator and stub‐loaded dual‐mode resonant coupling topology, the resultant crossover can perform third‐order filtering performance in two distinct passbands/channels and generate several transmission zeros outside the desired bands to improve the isolation between the passbands. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared with conventional works, the filtering order of the proposed crossover is promoted and its passband isolation can be significantly improved by about 8 dB. The proposed work may facilitate its widespread applications in high‐performance multichannel integrated microwave systems for avoiding interference between multiple intersecting signal paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) materials are widely used in the aviation and spaceflight area, attributed to magneto-electric coupling effect of MEE materials which can achieve mutual energy conversion in complex physical fields. This article takes the imperfect MEE plate as the research object to explore the nonlinear low-velocity behaviors, and the influence of multiple physical fields such as electric, magnetic and temperature fields are taken into account. Based on Maxwell's equations and first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), the constitutive equation of MEE plate is obtained, and the nonlinear motion equations are derived using the Euler-Lagrange principle. Subsequently, with the aid of the Galerkin method, the ordinary differential equations are obtained by discretizing the partial differential equations. Then the low-velocity impact problem is solved using the Runge-Kutta method. Finally, the impacts of unknown factors upon the dynamic behaviors of the MEE plate are illustrated particularly. It can be found that the magnetic and electric potentials have opposite effects on the impact displacement of the plate, and the MEE plate with the lowest volume fraction of BaTiO 3 has the smallest center displacement and the shortest contact time, but has the maximum contact force. • Establishing a nonlinear impact model for magneto-electro-elastic plates with geometrical imperfection. • Considering the effects of the magneto-electro-elastic effects, geometrical imperfection, and thermal effect. • Studying the low-velocity impact of magneto-electro-elastic plates. • Employing the Runge-Kutta method to solve the whole problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Among patients treated with statin therapy to guideline-recommended cholesterol levels, residual inflammatory risk assessed by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is at least as strong a predictor of future cardiovascular events as is residual risk assessed by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC). Whether these relationships are present among statin-intolerant patients with higher LDLC levels is uncertain but has implications for the choice of preventive therapies, including bempedoic acid, an agent that reduces both LDLC and hsCRP. METHODS: The multinational CLEAR-Outcomes trial (Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic Acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen Outcomes Trial) randomly allocated 13 970 statin-intolerant patients to 180 mg of oral bempedoic acid daily or matching placebo and followed them for a 4-component composite of incident myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiovascular death, and for all-cause mortality. Quartiles of increasing baseline hsCRP and LDLC were assessed as predictors of future adverse events after adjustment for traditional risk factors and randomized treatment assignment. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, bempedoic acid reduced median hsCRP by 21.6% and mean LDLC levels by 21.1% at 6 months. Baseline hsCRP was significantly associated with the primary composite end point of major cardiovascular events (highest versus lowest hsCRP quartile; hazard ratio [HR], 1.43 [95% CI, 1.24-1.65]), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 2.00 [95% CI, 1.53-2.61]), and all-cause mortality (HR, 2.21 [95% CI, 1.79-2.73]). By contrast, the relationship of baseline LDLC quartile (highest versus lowest) to future events was smaller in magnitude for the primary composite cardiovascular end point (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.04-1.37]) and neutral for cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.70-1.17]) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.78-1.16]). Risks were high for those with elevated hsCRP irrespective of LDLC level. Bempedoic acid demonstrated similar efficacy in reducing cardiovascular events across all levels of hsCRP and LDLC. CONCLUSIONS: Among contemporary statin-intolerant patients, inflammation assessed by hsCRP predicted risk for future cardiovascular events and death more strongly than hyperlipidemia assessed by LDLC. Compared with placebo, bempedoic acid had similar efficacy for reducing cardiovascular risk across hsCRP and LDLC strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), has great promise in the treatment of cancer. However, there are many obstacles that can restrict the therapeutic efficacy of phototherapy. The hypoxic tumor microenvironment can restrict the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PDT. As for PTT, the thermotolerance of cancer cells may lead to ineffective PTT. In this study, IR780 and glycolysis inhibitor lonidamine (LND)-encapsulated liposomes are prepared for photodynamic and photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. IR780 can be used as a photosensitizer and photothermal agent for simultaneous PDT and PTT after being irradiated with 808 nm laser. LND can reduce the oxygen consumption of cancer cells by inhibiting glycolysis, which will relieve tumor hypoxia and produce more ROS for PDT. On the other hand, energy supply can be blocked by LND-induced glycolysis inhibition, which will inhibit the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), reduce the thermotolerance of tumor cells, and finally enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PTT. The enhanced PTT is studied by measuring intracellular HSPs, ATP level, and mitochondrial membrane potential. The antitumor effect of IR780 and LND co-loaded liposomes is extensively investigated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. This research provides an innovative strategy to simultaneously enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PDT and PTT by inhibiting glycolysis, which is promising for future creative approaches to cancer phototherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delirium occurs frequently in critically ill children and has been reported in many countries, but delirium is not well-characterized in China. The aim of this study was to represent the incidence of delirium in critically ill children in China, its associated factors, and the influence of delirium on in-hospital outcomes. Methods: This observational prospective cohort study was set up in a large academic medical center with a 57-bed PICU in southwestern China. Critically ill children who required PICU stays over 24 h and were admitted between November 2019 and February 2022 were included in this study. The Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium was used twice daily for delirium evaluation by bedside nurses, and twenty-four clinical features were collected from medical and nursing records during hospitalization. Results: The incidence of delirium was 26.0% (n = 410/1576). Multivariate analysis revealed that seven independent risk factors including days of mechanical ventilation and physical restraints, admission diagnosis (neurologic disorder), sleep deprivation, use of benzodiazepines and dexmedetomidine, liver failure/liver dysfunction associated with delirium in critically ill children. One potentially protective factor was the watching television /listening to music/playing with toys. Children with delirium had longer lengths of stay in the PICU (median 11 vs. 10 days, p < 0.001) and hospital (median 18 vs. 15 days, p < 0.001) compared to those without delirium. Additionally, the in-hospital mortality rates were 4.63% and 0.77% in patients with and without delirium (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Delirium is common in critically ill children in China and related to poor outcomes. Interventional studies are warranted to determine the best practices to reduce delirium exposure in at-risk children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To translate the Academic Goals Orientation Questionnaire (AGOQ) into Chinese and to determine the validity and reliability of the (AGOQ) in Chinese nursing students based on SEM and IRT multidimensional models. Methods: The participants were 654 nursing students with an age range of 17–26 years (mean age 21.61 ± 1.73 years). The psychometric properties of AGOQ were investigated based on a dual analytical perspective of structural equation modeling (SEM) and item response theory (IRT). Results: The Cronbach's α value of the questionnaire is 0.895. A four-factor model was obtained by exploratory factor analysis, which explained the variance of 71.892%. With confirmatory factor analysis, a new four-factors model was built and showed an acceptable goodness-of-fit, chi-square/degree of freedom (CMIN/DF) = 4.008, goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.932, adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) = 0.905, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.952, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.952, Tucker Lewis index (TLI) = 0.941. In the analysis part of IRT, according to the comparison between Akek's information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC), we choose the Graded Response Model (GRM) for analysis. The results show that the difficulty value is monotonically increasing, and the discrimination of all items is greater than 0.19, which shows that 16 items can be retained. Conclusions: This study tested the psychometric characteristics of AGOQ of nursing students in China. The results confirmed that the Chinese version of AGOQ has good psychometric characteristics and can be used to measure the academic goal orientation of nursing students in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes five optimization algorithms for solving microgrid energy management problems. Network reconfiguration has become prevalent due to increased power demand in modern society. Microgrid energy management system has become a part of essential strategies to mitigate the total generation cost and electricity payment in the advanced smart electrical network. This study compared the performance of the optimization algorithm with total generation cost minimization and the total number of demand response programs while selecting the best approach as a suggestion. The effectiveness of the applied method is evaluated with fitness value, convergence rates, and robustness. Numerical simulation results are presented in paper, the five different methods are evaluated based on their performance and the resulting demand response program from the viewpoint of system cost-minimizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many societies, parents prefer sons over daughters, but the well-being effects of child gender, especially in later life, are less studied. Using the latest two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this paper evaluates the impacts of having daughters on older parents' subjective well-being (SWB) in urban China, which has a rapidly aging population and the traditional preference for sons. Studying the cohort of parents whose child gender is as good as random, we find that having more daughters promotes older parents' SWB, especially overall life satisfaction, satisfaction with health, and satisfaction with children. Our results suggest that the increase in SWB is achieved through better health, more financial support from daughters and more spending on leisure. The positive SWB effects of daughters are found to be more salient among more vulnerable groups, including those who are older, less educated, and with fewer children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous advancement of lightweight vehicle body technology, clinching has become the focus of lightweight sheet connection technology recently owing to its high efficiency and superior joint properties. This study focused on the clinching progress of common metals used in car bodies. The changes in the joining mechanical properties due to the heat treatment before and after the formation are described herein. Several new clinching methods and joint repairs have been proposed. An overview on clinching, in terms of fretting wear and fatigue properties, is also presented. In addition, current research on fretting fatigue wear and crack extension damage mechanisms is presented. Finally, the trends in research on clinching development and fatigue failure mechanism are reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) poses a significant social and economic burden worldwide. Identifying exposures, risk factors, and biological mechanisms that are causally connected to MDD can help build a scientific basis for disease prevention and development of novel therapeutic approaches. Methods: In this systematic review, we assessed the evidence for causal relationships between putative causal risk factors and MDD from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, following PRISMA. We assessed methodological quality based on key elements of the MR design: use of a full instrumental variable analysis and validation of the three key MR assumptions. Results: We included methodological details and results from 52 articles. A causal link between lifestyle, metabolic, inflammatory biomarkers, particular pathological states and MDD is supported by MR investigations, although results for each category varied substantially. Conclusions: While this review shows how MR can offer useful information for examining prospective treatment targets and better understanding the pathophysiology of MDD, some methodological flaws in the existing literature limit reliability of results and probably underlie their heterogeneity. We highlight perspectives and recommendations for future works on MR in psychiatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no theorems (proven theories) in the biological sciences. We propose that the 3 31 nt minihelix tRNA evolution theorem be universally accepted as one. The 3 31 nt minihelix theorem completely describes the evolution of type I and type II tRNAs from ordered precursors (RNA repeats and inverted repeats). Despite the diversification of tRNAome sequences, statistical tests overwhelmingly support the theorem. Furthermore, the theorem relates the dominant pathway for the origin of life on Earth, specifically, how tRNAomes and the genetic code may have coevolved. Alternate models for tRNA evolution (i.e., 2 minihelix, convergent and accretion models) are falsified. In the context of the pre-life world, tRNA was a molecule that, via mutation, could modify anticodon sequences and teach itself to code. Based on the tRNA sequence, we relate the clearest history to date of the chemical evolution of life. From analysis of tRNA evolution, ribozyme-mediated RNA ligation was a primary driving force in the evolution of complexity during the pre-life-to-life transition. TRNA formed the core for the evolution of living systems on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paediatric critical care practitioners have become increasingly concerned about venous thromboembolism (VTE). Although a wide range of factors associated with VTE in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) have been identified, the strength and consistency of effect sizes are uncertain. Study Design: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of case–control and cohort studies. We searched six electronic databases from inception to 20 June 2021. The study population consisted of hospitalized children aged 0–21 years. Our primary outcome was factors associated with VTE in the PICU. We pooled effect sizes as odds ratios (ORs) using random‐effects models for each factor that was examined in at least three distinct samples. We assessed study quality using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and examined between‐study heterogeneity. Results: The meta‐analysis showed that age <1 year (OR = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–3.01), sepsis (OR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.55–6.38), central venous catheterization (CVC; OR = 7.76, 95% CI: 3.63–16.61), and mechanical ventilation (OR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.90–4.13) was associated with an increased VTE risk. Conclusion: We identified that infancy, sepsis, and the use of CVC and mechanical ventilation therapies are more likely to cause VTE in critically ill children. It is still necessary to identify the association between VTE and important clinical variables (e.g., postpubertal age, postoperative status). Relevance to Clinical Practice: This review provides evidence that supports the factors associated with VTE in specific clinical settings and suggests that nurses should focus on the precise identification of the factors associated with VTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Metaplastic thymoma is a rare thymic tumour characterized by Yes Associated Protein 1 (YAP1) and Mastermind Like Transcriptional Coactivator 2 (MAML2) gene fusions resulting from an intrachromosomal inversion of chromosome 11. Immunohistochemistry with an antibody directed against the C‐terminus of YAP1 has shown loss of expression in YAP1‐rearranged vascular neoplasms, poromas, and porocarcinomas. This study aimed to validate an anti‐YAP1 C‐terminal antibody as an ancillary immunohistochemical marker for the diagnosis of metaplastic thymoma. Materials and methods: Ten metaplastic thymomas were selected for the current study. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), next‐generation sequencing (NGS), and reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analyses were performed to detect YAP1::MAML2 fusions. We then performed immunohistochemistry to detect YAP1 C‐terminus expression in 10 metaplastic thymomas, 50 conventional thymomas (10 each of type A thymoma, type AB thymoma, type B1 thymoma, type B2 thymoma, and type B3 thymoma) and seven thymic carcinomas. Results: All 10 cases showed narrow split signals with a distance of nearly two signal diameters and sometimes had false‐negative results in YAP1 and MAML2 break‐apart FISH (BA‐FISH). Abnormal colocalized signals of the YAP1::MAML2 fusion were observed in all 10 cases using fusion FISH (F‐FISH) assays. Eight of 10 cases with adequate nucleic acids were successfully sequenced and all showed YAP1::MAML2 fusions; in two cases the fusions were detected by both DNA and RNA sequencing and in six cases by RNA sequencing only. YAP1::MAML2 fusion transcripts were identified in four cases by RT‐PCR. Metaplastic thymoma showed loss of YAP1 C‐terminus expression in all 10 (100%) cases. All other thymic neoplasms showed retained YAP1 C‐terminus expression. Conclusion: YAP1 C‐terminus immunohistochemistry is a highly sensitive and specific ancillary marker that distinguishes metaplastic thymoma from its mimics. BA‐FISH assays could not effectively detect YAP1::MAML2 fusions due to the proximity of the two genes. Loss of YAP1 C‐terminus expression is a reliable surrogate for the detection of YAP1::MAML2 fusions in metaplastic thymoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cryoablation synergized with PD-1 blockade can elicit a robust antitumor immune response. • Anti-PD-L1/cryoablation therapy selectively derived the improvement of depolarized mitochondria in PD-1+CD8+T cells. • Mitochondrial dynamics in CD8+TILs were involved in modulating the local immune response. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown improvement in overall survival for lung cancer in clinical trials. However, monotherapies have limited efficacy in improving outcomes and benefit only a subset of patients. Combination therapies targeting multiple pathways can augment an immune response to improve survival further. Here, we demonstrate that combinatorial anti-PD-L1/cryoablation therapy generated a synergistic antitumor activity in the established lung cancer model. Importantly, it was observed that this favorable antitumor immune response comes predominantly from the PD-1+CD8+ T cells generated after the combination therapy, referred as improvement of IFN-γ production and mitochondrial metabolism, which resembled highly functional effectors CD8+ T cells. Notably, the cellular levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen and mitochondria mass excessively coincided with alteration of IFN-γ secretion in PD-1+CD8+T cell subset. So far, anti-PD-L1/cryoablation therapy selectively derived the improvement of depolarized mitochondria in PD-1+CD8+T cell subset, subsequently rebuild the anti-tumor function of the exhausted CD8+ T cells. Collectively, there is considerable interest in anti-PD-L1 plus cryoablation combination therapy for patients with lung cancer, and defining the underlying mechanisms of the observed synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) has a great heterogeneity in prognosis that is difficult to evaluate effectively. Thus, we developed and validated an effective nomogram prognostic model based on the clinical and laboratory characteristics of stage I–IIA ADC. METHODS We included 1585 patients with pathologically diagnosed stage I–IIA ADC who underwent surgery at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. The nomogram was constructed based on the peripheral blood test and coagulation test indicators and evaluated using Calibration plots, concordance index, decision curve analysis and the X-tile software. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The primary end point of this study was RFS. RESULTS Thrombin time and 4 clinical indicators for RFS were integrated into nomograms. A favourable agreement between the nomogram prediction and validation was observed in the calibration curves for RFS probabilities. The concordance index of the nomogram to predict RFS was 0.736 (95% confidence interval, 0.717–0.755). Moreover, significant differences were shown between the high-risk and low-risk groups in RFS and OS (P  <   0.001) after effective cut-off values of risk points were found based on the nomogram. CONCLUSIONS We established and validated a prognostic nomogram including thrombin time to predict RFS and OS of stage I–IIA ADC patients. This nomogram provided an effective prediction ability for the prognosis of stage I–IIA ADC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the electron diffraction of cationic pyrene (C16H10) clusters embedded in superfluid helium droplets. The diffraction profile contains a significant contribution from helium, but interferences of atomic pairs of pyrene are still recognizable. From least-squares fittings, we determine an interlayer distance of 3.0 Å for the cationic cluster, shortened from 3.5 Å in neutral clusters. The relative contributions of dimers and trimers are about 2:1, in qualitative agreement with the doping statistics. Limited by the detection range of the experimental data, we cannot distinguish further structure details. The predominant contribution of helium also prevents observations of the solvation shell of the ionic cluster. Nevertheless, the success of this experiment demonstrates the feasibility of electron diffraction from an ionic all-light-atom system, dispelling the concern over limited particle concentration of ionic species in the diffraction region, and the need of heavy atoms for diffraction intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume and composition of a thin layer of liquid covering the airway surface defend the lung from inhaled pathogens and debris. Airway epithelia secrete Cl- into the airway surface liquid through cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channels, thereby increasing the volume of airway surface liquid. The discovery that pulmonary ionocytes contain high levels of CFTR led us to predict that ionocytes drive secretion. However, we found the opposite. Elevating ionocyte abundance increased liquid absorption, whereas reducing ionocyte abundance increased secretion. In contrast to other airway epithelial cells, ionocytes contained barttin/Cl- channels in their basolateral membrane. Disrupting barttin/Cl-channel function impaired liquid absorption, and overexpressing barttin/Cl- channels increased absorption. Together, apical CFTR and basolateral barttin/Cl- channels provide an electrically conductive pathway for Cl- flow through ionocytes, and the transepithelial voltage generated by apical Na+ channels drives absorption. These findings indicate that ionocytes mediate liquid absorption, and secretory cells mediate liquid secretion. Segregating these counteracting activities to distinct cell types enables epithelia to precisely control the airway surface. Moreover, the divergent role of CFTR in ionocytes and secretory cells suggests that cystic fibrosis disrupts both liquid secretion and absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous work on reflective linear polarization converters has mostly focused on wideband characteristics, while the out-of-band selectivity has received rare attention. To achieve wideband and high selectivity simultaneously, a wideband reflective linear polarization converter with quasi-elliptic filtering characteristic is proposed based on multi-mode resonant metamaterial. Through the loading of the cross-shaped slotlines and inter-unit connecting lines, the inherent degenerate modes of a square patch can be excited and separated, and two additional resonant modes and two independently controllable conversion zeros are introduced to achieve excellent wideband and quasi-elliptic filtering characteristics. After the principles of generating in-band resonant modes and out-of-band conversion zeros are revealed, the mechanism of polarization conversion is analyzed in detail from the perspective of the amplitude-phase imbalance between its polarization components. Finally, a polarization converter is designed, fabricated, and measured. The main-polarization reflection coefficient is less than − 10 dB in fractional bandwidth of 50%, wherein the polarization conversion rate is 90%, and the polarization conversion rate squareness is about 0.9. The proposed converter with excellent frequency selectivity provides great potential for applications in multi-band and multi-functionality systems for reduced isolation band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nightmare Disorder Index Questionnaire (NDI) was developed to measure the impact of nightmares. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of NDI among Chinese adolescents. This study investigated the validity and internal consistency of the Nightmare Disorder Index Chinese (NDI‐CV) among 6014 Chinese adolescents who completed the NDI‐CV, Nightmare Distress Questionnaire‐Chinese Version (NDQ‐CV), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Chinese Adolescent Daytime Sleepiness Scale (CADSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 Questionnaire (GAD‐7), and Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9). In addition, we investigated the test‐retest reliability of the NDI‐CV among 423 adolescents who completed a retest of the NDI‐CV after a 2‐week interval. Finally, NDI‐CV demonstrated good psychometric properties in a sample of Chinese adolescents (Cronbach′s α coefficient of 0.876), and the 95% confidence interval for the 2‐week retest correlation coefficient was 0.675–0.977 (p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Depression and anxiety have a significant impact on an individuals' work and personal life alike. The mental health of researchers is a significant concern worldwide. This study investigated the mental health status of Chinese researchers specifically and explored the moderating effects of perceived stress on the influence of low self-accomplishment on anxiety and depression.Methods: The online survey platform "Survey Star" was used to create a questionnaire to be distributed to researchers, with 949 questionnaires retrieved. The general information questionnaire, 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) were used for this investigation. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to investigate correlations among the relevant variables. Model 8 of PROCESS 3.3 program was used to analyze the moderating effects of perceived stress.Results: Among the 949 participants, 570 (60.1%) reported symptoms of depression and 431 (45.4%) had symptoms of anxiety, with about one in six reporting symptoms of self-harm or suicidal ideation. Perceived stress was found to moderate the effect of low self-accomplishment on depression and anxiety.Conclusion: Here we show that researchers exhibit a high rate of depression and anxiety symptoms. Perceived stress is also shown to play a moderating role on the influence of low self-accomplishment on anxiety and depression. Thus, reducing perceived stress levels can help to improve the mental health of researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanide-doped upconversion (UC) nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted great attention in many emerging applications. Although multilayer structures have been employed to strengthen UC intensity, balancing the energy transfer (ET) efficiency from sensitizer to activator as well as the back energy transfer (BET) efficiency remains a critical issue. Herein, the ET processes in the BaYF 5 -based core/shell/shell NPs are comprehensively manipulated, resulting in greatly enhanced UC intensity. By using the sub20 nm BaYF 5 :2Yb2Er@BaYbF 5 @BaYF 5 nanostructure, the efficiencies of incident light absorption and ET from the sensitizer in the interlayer to the activator in the core are improved, while the BET is limited. The UC intensity of this nanostructure was approximately 3.7 times that of normal BaYF 5 :20Yb2Er@BaYF 5 NPs. The isolation of Yb and Er can remarkably restrict the negative thermal quenching (NTQ) effect, resulting in improved temperature sensing performance. Moreover, the BaYF 5 :2Yb2Er@BaYbF 5 @BaYF 5 NPs can be used for selective sensing of rhodamine B. Our results highlight the comprehensive manipulation of ET processes in a core/shell/shell nanostructure to significantly improve the UC intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, nano-TiNb2O7/carbon nanotubes (nano-TNO/CNTs) composites were prepared by solvothermal process, ball-milling and subsequent high-temperature calcination. The effects of CNTs content on the microstructure and electrochemical performances of nano-TNO/CNTs composites were investigated. The results indicate nano-TNO/CNTs-20 composites exhibit superior high-rate and cycling performance. Their specific capacities at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 A·g−1 are 374, 351, 339, 320 and 300 mAh·g−1, respectively. Moreover, the capacity retention ratios are up to 94.7% and 82% after 500 and 770 cycles at 0.3 and 1.0 A·g−1, respectively. The excellent electrochemical performances should be attribute to the nanoscale TNO particles and conductive network formed by CNTs around nano-TNO particles in composites, enabling facile Li+ diffusion and electronic conductivity, and a significant pseudocapacitive contribution to the rate capability was also demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited research has been conducted on the potential relationship between the dietary inflammation index (DII) and mortality, particularly in individuals with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. This study aimed to investigate the association between the DII and H. pylori infection, as well as their respective impacts on all-cause mortality in a cohort of individuals with or without H. pylori infection. Methods: Data from the 1999–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were utilized for this study, with a final of 4370 participants included. Both univariable and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the relationship between H. pylori infection and pertinent covariates. Cox regression analysis, as well as restricted regression cubic spline analysis, were utilized to assess the association between DII and all-cause mortality among individuals with or without H. pylori infection. Results: The findings demonstrated a positive correlation between DII scores and H. pylori infection, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Moreover, higher DII scores were significantly associated with an elevated risk of mortality exclusively in individuals with H. pylori infection, while no such association was observed in the uninfected population. Additional analysis using restricted cubic spline modeling revealed a positive linear relationship between DII scores as a continuous variable and the adjusted risk of all-cause mortality specifically in H. pylori-infected patients. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that DII was positively correlated with an increased risk of H. pylori infection and was associated with a heightened risk of all-cause mortality solely in individuals with H. pylori infection. Consequently, DII might serve as a useful tool for risk stratification in the H. pylori-infected population among U.S. adults. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and potential clinical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(A)-binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) is an RNA- binding protein localized in nuclear speckles, while its alanine (Ala)-expanded variants accumulate as intranuclear aggregates in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. The factors that drive PABPN1 aggregation and its cellular consequences remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the roles of Ala stretch and poly(A) RNA in the phase transition of PABPN1 using biochem- ical and molecular cell biology methods. We have revealed that the Ala stretch controls its mobility in nuclear speckles, and Ala expansion leads to aggregation from the dynamic speckles. Poly(A) nucleotide is essential to the early-stage condensation that thereby facilitates speckle formation and transition to solid- like aggregates. Moreover, the PABPN1 aggregates can sequester CFIm25, a component of the pre-mRNA 30-UTR processing complex, in an mRNA-dependent manner and consequently impair the function of CFIm25 in alternative polyadenylation. In conclusion, our study elucidates a molecular mechanism under- lying PABPN1 aggregation and sequestration, which will be beneficial for understanding PABPN1 proteinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient design of a throttle element is still a challenging open problem in fluid flow engineering, considering the flow characteristics, turbulence, and cavitation phenomenon. An optimization framework based on the Optimized Latin Hypercube Sampling method and Bayesian optimization is proposed, where the Optimized Latin Hypercube Sampling method is used to build a preliminary surrogate model within limited sampling points, then the best candidate location is guessed by the Bayesian optimization. First, two numerical cases are discussed to verify the correctness of the proposed optimization framework in mathematics, both cases find the best candidate in less than 200 iterations. Second, a two-stage throttle plate is used to verify whether the optimization framework is suitable for an engineering problem. The computational fluid dynamics is less than 5% error compared to the experimental data. In the two-variable case, the optimal candidate is better than the candidate of the exhaustive method with fewer simulations. Some common features of the geometric structure and flow characteristics are discussed in the five-variable case. Finally, the complex engineering design of the multi-stage orifice plate is optimized, and the best candidate is generated after 130 iterations, showcasing close flow velocity performance comparable to the two-stage case, a unique “X”-shaped flow path is observed in this candidate. The proposed optimization framework efficiently realizes high-performance orifice plates with less computational resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laccases are widely used in industrial production due to their broad substrate availability and environmentally friendly nature. However, the pursuit of laccases with superior stability and increased heterogeneous expression to meet industry demands appears to be an ongoing challenge. To address this challenge, we resurrected five ancestral sequences of laccase BsCotA and their homologues. All five variants were successfully expressed in soluble and functional forms with improved expression levels in Escherichia coli. Among the five variants, three exhibited higher catalytic rates, thermal stabilities, and acidic stabilities. Notably, AncCotA2, the best-performing variant, displayed a kcat/KM of 7.5 × 105 M−1·s−1, 5.2-fold higher than that of the wild-type BsCotA, an improved thermo- and acidic stability, and better dye decolorization ability. This study provides a laccase variant with high application potential and presents a new starting point for future enzyme engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A holy grail of regenerative medicine is to replenish the cells that are lost due to disease. The adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) has, however, largely lost such a regenerative ability. An emerging strategy for the generation of new neurons is through glia-to-neuron (GtN) conversion in vivo, mainly accomplished by the regulation of fate-determining factors. When inhibited, PTBP1, a factor involved in RNA biology, was reported to induce rapid and efficient GtN conversion in multiple regions of the adult CNS. Remarkably, PTBP1 inhibition was also claimed to greatly improve behaviors of mice with neurological diseases or aging. These phenomenal claims, if confirmed, would constitute a significant advancement in regenerative medicine. Unfortunately, neither GtN conversion nor therapeutic potential via PTBP1 inhibition was validated by the results of multiple subsequent replication studies with stringent methods. Here we review these controversial studies and conclude with recommendations for examining GtN conversion in vivo and future investigations of PTBP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current nodal (pN) classification still has limitations in stratifying the prognosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with pathological classifications T1-2N0-2M0. Thus. This study aimed to develop and validate a modified nodal classification based on a multicenter cohort. Materials and methods: We collected 1156 SCLC patients with pathological classifications T1-2N0-2M0 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and a multicenter database in China. The X-tile software was conducted to determine the optimal cutoff points of the number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) and lymph node ratio (LNR). The Kaplan-Meier method, the Log-rank test, and the Cox regression method were used in this study. We classified patients into three pathological N modification categories, new pN#1 (pN0-#ELNs > 3), new pN#2 (pN0-#ELNs ≤ 3 or pN1-2-#LNR ≤ 0.14), and new pN#3 (N1-2-#LNR > 0.14). The Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian Information Criterion, and Concordance index (C-index) were used to compare the prognostic, predictive ability between the current pN classification and the new pN component. Results: The new pN classification had a satisfactory effect on survival curves (Log-rank P < 0.001). After adjusting for other confounders, the new pN classification could be an independent prognostic indicator. Besides, the new pN component had a much more accurate predictive ability in the prognostic assessment for SCLC patients of pathological classifications T1-2N0-2M0 compared with the current pN classification in the SEER database (AIC: 4705.544 vs. 4731.775; C-index: 0.654 vs. 0.617, P < 0.001). Those results were validated in the MCDB from China. Conclusions: The multicenter cohort developed and validated a modified nodal classification for SCLC patients with pathological category T1-2N0-2M0 after surgery. Besides, we propose that an adequate lymph node dissection is essential; surgeons should perform and consider the situation of ELNs and LNR when they evaluate postoperative prognoses of SCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: LOC_Os07g07690 on qCTB7 is associated with cold tolerance at the booting stage in rice, and analysis of transgenic plants demonstrated that qCTB7 influenced cold tolerance by altering the morphology and cytoarchitecture of anthers and pollen. Cold tolerance at the booting stage (CTB) in rice can significantly affect yield in high-latitude regions. Although several CTB genes have been isolated, their ability to induce cold tolerance is insufficient to ensure adequate rice yields in cold regions at high latitudes. Here, we identified the PHD-finger domain-containing protein gene qCTB7 using QTL-seq and linkage analysis through systematic measurement of CTB differences and the spike fertility of the Longjing31 and Longdao3 cultivars, resulting in the derivation of 1570 F2 progeny under cold stress. We then characterized the function of qCTB7 in rice. It was found that overexpression of qCTB7 promoted CTB and the same yield as Longdao3 under normal growing conditions while the phenotype of qctb7 knockout showed anther and pollen failure under cold stress. When subjected to cold stress, the germination of qctb7 pollen on the stigma was reduced, resulting in lower spike fertility. These findings indicate that qCTB7 regulates the appearance, morphology, and cytoarchitecture of the anthers and pollen. Three SNPs in the promoter region and coding region of qCTB7 were identified as recognition signals for CTB in rice and could assist breeding efforts to improve cold tolerance for rice production in high latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irregular ocean environment brings difficulties to observation and affects the movement state of underwater vehicles. Multisource information fusion can provide more reliable results on information-rich datasets. This paper proposes a multisource information fusion-based environment perception and dynamics model for underwater vehicles in irregular ocean environments. First, the multisource observation data is decomposed by the latent feature disentanglement learning model into the latent stable and dynamical features. The dynamical feature is predicted by the retrospect regression method and then integrated with the latent stable feature to predict the ocean field. After that, the environment-vehicle coupling effect is explored by thermodynamics and statics simulation. Then, a real-time dynamic model of the underwater vehicle is constructed by combining multisource information from physical principles, environmental perception, and sensor observations. Finally, extensive experiments are performed on a novel underwater glider and a publicly available South China Sea dataset to verify the proposed method. • An environment perception model is proposed for the underwater vehicle array. • A real-time dynamic model is proposed for the underwater vehicle. • Environment-vehicle coupling effect is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The production of defensive metabolites in plants can be induced by signaling chemicals released by neighboring plants. Induction is mainly known from volatile aboveground signals, with belowground signals and their underlying mechanisms largely unknown.We demonstrate that (−)‐loliolide triggers defensive metabolite responses to competitors, herbivores, and pathogens in seven plant species. We further explore the transcriptional responses of defensive pathways to verify the signaling role of (−)‐loliolide in wheat and rice models with well‐known defensive metabolites and gene systems.In response to biotic and abiotic stressors, (−)‐loliolide is produced and secreted by roots. This, in turn, induces the production of defensive compounds including phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, benzoxazinoids, and cyanogenic glycosides, regardless of plant species. (−)‐Loliolide also triggers the expression of defense‐related genes, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of jasmonic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Transcriptome profiling and inhibitor incubation indicate that (−)‐loliolide‐induced defense responses are regulated through pathways mediated by jasmonic acid, H2O2, and Ca 2+.These findings argue that (−)‐loliolide functions as a common belowground signal mediating chemical defense in plants. Such perception‐dependent plant chemical defenses will yield critical insights into belowground signaling interactions. See also the Commentary on this article by Frost, 238: 1749–1751. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]