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Purpose: The biomarker characteristics of breast cancer plays an important role in predicting treatment sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to compare immunohistochemical profiles (ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67) between the primary tumor and synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis and investigate the subsequent effects on neoadjuvant therapy response. Methods: A total of 358 patients with pathologically confirmed synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis at first diagnosis and treated by neoadjuvant therapy at Peking University First Hospital from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Clinicopathologic data, especially receptor status in primary and metastatic foci, was collected for each case. Results: Change of ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67 expression was observed in 5.9%, 8.7%, 12.6%, and 17.3% of patients, respectively. HR discordance was observed more frequently when the ER status (p = 0.023) or PR status (p = 0.010) of primary tumor was negative, while HER2 discordance seemed to be more frequent when the HER2 status of primary tumor was HER2-0 or HER2-low (p < 0.001). Patients with loss of HR-positivity (positive to negative) responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy better compared to those with stable positive HR expression (50% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.0017). A significantly decrease in pCR rate was observed in patients with unstable HER2 status, but not in the HER2-0/HER2-low subgroup. Conclusion: Receptor discordance between primary tumor and synchronous axillary LNM appears to already exist before any anti-tumor therapy. This instability has limited clinical impact on the choice of neoadjuvant therapy at current stage, but further investigation is warranted with the incremental application of endocrine drugs and ADCs in neoadjuvant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bifunctional Cu-CuBr substrate was first constructed by electrochemical methods. • It exhibits high sensitivity and excellent stability (more than 1 year) • MOFs improve SERS and catalytic performance by changing surface properties. • In-situ SERS monitoring of the photocatalytic dehalogenation reaction process. • In-situ SERS reveals the role of MOFs on photocatalytic selectivity. Photocatalytic reactions using copper-based nanomaterials have emerged as a new paradigm in green technology. Selective photocatalysis is very important for improving energy utilization efficiency, and in order to directional improve catalytic selectivity, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of interfacial reactions at the molecular level. Therefore, a unique bifunctional Cu-CuBr substrate is first fabricated via an electrochemical method, which overcomes the instability of traditional copper-based materials and endows high surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensitivity and photocatalytic performance and can be stored stably for more than a year. Further modification of the surface with Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) containing carboxyl functional groups can significantly tune the surface properties of the substrate. This increases the adsorption of cationic dyes to improve the SERS effect, and 10−10 M methylene blue can easily be detected with this substrate. Surprisingly, in-situ SERS monitoring of the interfacial photocatalytic dehalogenation reaction of aromatic halides through its intrinsic SERS effect reveal two competing selective reaction pathways, self-coupling and hydrogenation. Typically, the SERS spectra reveal that the latter's selectivity was greatly enhanced after MOFs modification, and the yield rate of the hydrogenated product increased from 27.6 % to 46.9 % (selectivity increased from 32.7 % to 51.5 %). This proves that the surface properties of catalysts, especially the affinity for reaction intermediates, can effectively regulate catalytic selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to comprehensively explore the decision‐making requirements of women contemplating vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Design & Methods: A meta‐synthesis approach was employed for this study. Using an integrative methodology, we conducted a systematic assessment of women's experiences and needs related to VBAC decision‐making. A comprehensive search was conducted across The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, SCOPUS, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, and Wan Fang databases to identify pertinent studies between 2000 and 2022. Furthermore, the reference lists of the included studies were thoroughly examined. Results: Fifteen studies were incorporated, from which seven themes emerged: emotional changes, preference for vaginal birth, unmet information needs, influences on decision‐making, decision‐making autonomy, aligning information provision with decision‐support needs, and the requirement for support systems. Two primary syntheses were constructed on the decision‐making process and the need for decision‐making aids, respectively. Conclusion: Women opting for VBAC experienced emotional shifts during their decision‐making process in pregnancy. There remains a need for an enhanced decision‐making tool to guide them in their choice. Recommendations for implementation in VBAC decision aids include facilitating women's involvement in decision‐making, satisfying their information needs, and delivering appropriate emotional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the association between household solid cooking fuel use and dementia prevalence and the mediating effect of depression on this association. A total of 3404 (2018) and 1379 (2015 to 2018) older participants (≥65) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were enrolled in the cross-sectional and retrospective longitudinal analyses, respectively. The results showed that solid cooking fuel use was associated with an increased dementia prevalence (adjusted OR = 1.44) from 2015 to 2018. The indirect effect of depression on this association explained 7.14% and 13.11% variances in the cross-sectional and longitudinal mediating model, respectively. Thus, household solid cooking fuel use is a risk factor for the development of dementia, and depressive symptoms partially accounted for this association. The use of improved cookstoves and clean fuel in households and air cleaners and early intervention in depression may reduce the incidence of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aroma or fragrance in rice is a genetically controlled trait; Its high appreciation by consumers increases the rice market price. Previous studies have revealed that the rice aroma is controlled by a specific gene called BETAINE ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE (OsBADH2), and mutation of this gene leads to the accumulation of an aromatic substance 2‐acetyl‐1‐pyrroline (2‐AP). The use of genetic engineering to produce aroma in commercial and cultivated hybrids is a contemporary need for molecular breeding. The current study reports the generation of aroma in the three‐line hybrid restorer line Shu‐Hui‐313 (SH313). We created knock‐out (KO) lines of OsBADH2 through the CRISPR/Cas9. The analysis of KO lines revealed a significantly increased content of 2AP in the grains compared with the control. However, other phenotypic traits (plant height, seed setting rate, and 1000‐grain weight) were significantly decreased. These KO lines were crossed with a non‐aromatic three‐line hybrid rice male sterile line (Rong‐7‐A) to produce Rong‐7‐You‐626 (R7Y626), R7Y627 and R7Y628. The measurement of 2‐AP revealed significantly increased contents in these cross combinations. We compared the content of 2‐AP in tissues at the booting stage. Data revealed that young spike stalk base contained the highest content of 2‐AP and can be used for identification (by simple chewing) of aromatic lines under field conditions. In conclusion, our dataset offers a genetic source and illustrates the generation of aroma in non‐aromatic hybrids, and outlines a straightforward identification under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis, an inflammatory programmed cell death, distinguishes itself from apoptosis and necroptosis and has drawn increasing attention. Recent studies have revealed a correlation between the expression levels of many pyroptosis-related genes and both tumorigenesis and progression. Despite advancements in cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, the persistent hallmark of cancer enables malignant cells to elude cell death and develop resistance to therapy. Recent findings indicate that pyroptosis can overcome apoptosis resistance amplify treatment-induced tumor cell death. Moreover, pyroptosis triggers antitumor immunity by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines, augmenting macrophage phagocytosis, and activating cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. Additionally, it transforms "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors, thereby enhancing the antitumor effects of various treatments. Consequently, pyroptosis is intricately linked to tumor development and holds promise as an effective strategy for boosting therapeutic efficacy. As the principal executive protein of pyroptosis, the gasdermin family plays a pivotal role in influencing pyroptosis-associated outcomes in tumors and can serve as a regulatory target. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the relationship between pyroptosis and gasdermin family members, discusses their roles in tumor progression and the tumor immune microenvironment, and analyses the underlying therapeutic strategies for tumor treatment based on pyroptotic cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lines of evidence indicated that, immune checkpoints (ICs) inhibitors enhanced T cell immune response to exert anti-tumor effects. However, T cell exhaustion has been so far a major obstacle to antitumor immunotherapy in colorectal cancer patients. Our previous studies showed that ginseng-derived nanoparticles (GDNPs) inhibited the growth of various tumors by reprograming tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and downregulated the ICs expression on T cells in tumor microenvironment (TME), but the underlying effector mechanisms remained unclear. Methods: The correlation between arginase-1 (ARG1) and T cells was computed based on the colorectal cancer patients in TCGA database. In vitro, we observed that GDNPs reprogrammed TAMs inhibited ARG1 release and ultimately ameliorated T cell exhaustion according to several techniques including WB, PCR, ELISA and flow cytometry. We also used an in vivo MC38 tumor-bearing model and administered GDNPs to assess their anti-tumor effects through multiple indices. The mechanism that GDNPs improved T cell exhaustion was further clarified using the bioinformatics tools and flow cytometry. Results: GDNPs reprogramed TAMs via reducing ARG1 production. Moreover, normalized arginine metabolism ameliorated T cell exhaustion through mTOR-T-bet axis, resulting in reduced ICs expression and enhanced CD8+ T cells expansion. Conclusions: By regulating the mTOR-T-bet axis, GDNPs reprogramed macrophages to regulate ARG1 release, which further ameliorated T cell exhaustion in TME. These findings provided new insights into comprehending the mechanisms underlying the mitigation of T cell exhaustion, which may facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies in the field of cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction over a wide range of pH, especially in neutral or alkaline conditions, is of great significance but remains· challenging. Herein, a family of single‐atoms and clusters inside the N‐doped porous carbon matrix (NDPCM) are encapsulated. Specifically, the single‐atom platinum (PtSA) and cluster platinum (PtC) in NDPCM exhibited ultralow overpotentials of 20 and 14 mV at −10 mA cm−2 under neutral and alkaline conditions, respectively and superior long‐term durability. Theoretical calculations and operando Raman measurements revealed that the coexistence of PtSA and PtC can provide multiple H adsorption sites, contributing to the extremely low |ΔGH*| of H adsorption and constructing a local acidic microenvironment to trigger a unique H3O+‐induced water reduction in neutral and alkaline conditions This unique configuration significantly promotes the catalytic activity and opens a new avenue for the crafted design of electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased air pollution and global temperature as well as motor vehicle fuel consumption have depleted fossil fuel resources and increased environmental problems caused by the consumption of such fuels. In addition to methods such as combined heat and power (CHP) technology and distributed generation (DG) of energy at the consumption site, renewable energy sources and EVs are considered suitable methods for achieving this goal, which is prepared by the grid or battery electric energy. Generation uncertainty due to the lack of solar radiation and constant wind blow at different hours of the day is the only challenge for using renewable energies. Moreover, system reliability is a concept that refers to the safe and reliable operation of the system. In general, the wider and more important the system, the more attention that is paid to calculating its reliability in planning and decision making. This study aims to examine the problem of probabilistic power system planning by calculating the power system reliability, evaluating the effect of the presence of these vehicles on security and economic indicators and renewable energy sources, and modeling uncertainties using a Least Squares Generative Adversarial Network (LSGANs) method with generating various scenarios for solar irradiance and wind speed. Furthermore, the Kantorovich distance matrix (KDM) is used to reduce the number of generated scenarios. In the proposed model, the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) method is implemented to assess and control the risk caused by uncertainties of the proposed problem. Using the power stored in the EV battery is evaluated to cover wind and solar energy source uncertainties. • Probabilistic planning of large-scale V2G stations and RESs based on MILP. • Considering and management risks caused by uncertainties of RESs. • Comparing effect of smart systems with fast/slow performance on reliability. • Using an analytical approach for calculating power system reliability. • Investigating the effect of EV penetration rate on power system reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is a host immune strategy to defend against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. S100A4, a calcium-binding protein that plays an important role in promoting cancer progression as well as the pathophysiological development of various non-tumor diseases, has not been explored in Mtb-infected hosts. In this study, transcriptome analysis of the peripheral blood of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) revealed that S100A4 and GSDMD were significantly up-regulated in PTB patients' peripheral blood. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the expression of GSDMD and S100A4. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed genes between PTB patients and healthy controls were significantly related to inflammation, such as the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway. To investigate the regulatory effects of S100A4 on macrophage pyroptosis, THP-1 macrophages infected with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) were pre-treated with exogenous S100A4, S100A4 inhibitor or si-S100A4. This research study has shown that S100A4 promotes the pyroptosis of THP-1 macrophages caused by BCG infection and activates NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB signaling pathways, which can be inhibited by knockdown or inhibition of S100A4. In addition, inhibition of NF-κB or NLRP3 blocks the promotion effect of S100A4 on BCG-induced pyroptosis of THP-1 macrophages. In conclusion, S100A4 activates the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway to promote macrophage pyroptosis induced by Mtb infection. These data provide new insights into how S100A4 affects Mtb-induced macrophage pyroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) are crucial components of the tumour microenvironment and play a significant role in tumour development and drug resistance by creating an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Macrophages are essential components of both the innate and adaptive immune systems and contribute to pathogen resistance and the regulation of organism homeostasis. Macrophage function and polarization are closely linked to altered metabolism. Generally, M1 macrophages rely primarily on aerobic glycolysis, whereas M2 macrophages depend on oxidative metabolism. Metabolic studies have revealed that the metabolic signature of TAMs and metabolites in the tumour microenvironment regulate the function and polarization of TAMs. However, the precise effects of metabolic reprogramming on tumours and TAMs remain incompletely understood. In this review, we discuss the impact of metabolic pathways on macrophage function and polarization as well as potential strategies for reprogramming macrophage metabolism in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones with the Android operating system can acquire Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) raw pseudorange and carrier phase observations, which can provide a new way for the general public to obtain precise position information. However, only postprocessing precise orbit and clock offset products in some older smart devices are applied in current studies. The performances of precise point positioning (PPP) with the smartphone using real-time products and newly smartphones are still unrevealed, which is more valuable for real-time applications. This study investigates the observation data quality and multi-GNSS real-time PPP performance using recent smartphones. Firstly, the observed carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N0), number of satellites and position dilution of precision (PDOP) of GNSS observations are evaluated. The results demonstrate that the C/N0 received by Huawei Mate40 is better than that of the Huawei P40 for GPS, BDS, QZSS and Galileo systems, while the GLONASS is poorer, and the PDOP of the Huawei P40 is slightly better than that of Mate40. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of real-time precise orbit and clock offset products performance is conducted. The experiment result expresses that the orbit and clock offset performance of GPS and Galileo is better than that of BDS-3 and GLONASS, and BDS-2 is the worst. Finally, single- and dual-frequency multi-GNSS combined PPP experiments using observations received from smartphones and real-time products are conducted; the results indicate that the real-time static PPP using a smartphone can achieve decimeter-level positioning accuracy, and kinematic PPP can achieve meter-level positioning accuracy after convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-profile broadband dual-polarized antenna is investigated for base station applications. It consists of two orthogonal dipoles, fork-shaped feeding lines, an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC), and parasitic strips. By utilizing the Brillouin dispersion diagram, the AMC is designed as the antenna reflector. It has a wide in-phase reflection bandwidth of 54.7% (1.54–2.70 GHz) and a surface-wave bound range of 0–2.65 GHz. This design effectively reduces the antenna profile by over 50% compared to traditional antennas without an AMC. For demonstration, a prototype is fabricated for 2G/3G/LTE base station applications. Good agreement between the simulations and measurements is observed. The measured −10-dB impedance bandwidth of our antenna is 55.4% (1.58–2.79 GHz), with a stable gain of 9.5 dBi and a high isolation of more than 30 dB across the impedance passband. As a result, this antenna is an excellent candidate for miniaturized base station antenna applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving oncogenic processes in glioma is important in order to develop efficient treatments. Recent studies have proposed gasdermin D (GSDMD) as a newly discovered pyroptosis executive protein associated with tumorigenesis. However, the precise effect of GSDMD on glioma progression remains unknown. Methods: The expression levels of GSDMD in 931 glioma and 1157 normal control tissues were collected. A series of bioinformatic approaches and in vivo and in vitro experiments were used to investigate the roles and mechanisms of GDSMD in glioma. Results: Significant upregulation of GSDMD was detected in glioma tissues compared to normal brain tissues. Patients with glioma and higher GSDMD levels had shorter overall survival, and the Cox regression analysis revealed that GSDMD was an independent risk factor. In addition, upregulation of GSDMD was associated with higher tumor mutation burden and PD-1/PD-L1 expression. Immune infiltration and single-cell analyses indicated that GSDMD was positively associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment with more infiltrated macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Furthermore, the in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that GSDMD knockdown inhibited glioma proliferation, migration, and growth in vivo. Conclusion: Our analyses revealed a relatively comprehensive understanding of the oncogenic role of GSDMD in glioma. GSDMD is a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential target for glioma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As special aggregation functions, overlap functions have been widely used in the soft computing field. In this work, with the aid of overlap functions, two new groups of fuzzy mathematical morphology (FMM) operators were proposed and applied to image processing, and they obtained better results than existing algorithms. First, based on overlap functions and structuring elements, the first group of new FMM operators (called OSFMM operators) was proposed, and their properties were systematically analyzed. With the implementation of OSFMM operators and the fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm, a new image edge extraction algorithm (called the OS-FCM algorithm) was proposed. Then, the second group of new FMM operators (called ORFMM operators) was proposed based on overlap functions and fuzzy relations. Another new image edge extraction algorithm (called OR-FCM algorithm) was proposed by using ORFMM operators and FCM algorithm. Finally, through the edge segmentation experiments of multiple standard images, the actual segmentation effects of the above-mentioned two algorithms and relevant algorithms were compared. The acquired results demonstrate that the image edge extraction algorithms proposed in this work can extract the complete edge of foreground objects on the basis of introducing the least noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a disabling and fatal disease caused by the insufficient blood supply to the brain. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a type of anesthesia commonly used to relieve pain. Here, we sought to identify the effects of SGB on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in rats. The brain injury was assessed using the 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium-chloride (TTC) staining assay and neurological score. Ferroptosis was analyzed by detecting cell death, Fe2+ content, glutathione (GSH), malonic dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ferroptosis-related factors. The mechanisms of SGB were assessed using the western blot. The results showed that I/R increased brain infarction and damaged neurological function. SGB decreased I/R-induced infarction and improved neurological function. Meantime, SGB inhibited ferroptosis of the hippocampus induced by I/R via the Hippo pathway. and the Yes1 associated transcriptional regulator (YAP) of this pathway was positively correlated with the ferroptosis-related solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11). Inhibition of the Hippo pathway reversed the effects of SGB on brain injury and ferroptosis. In conclusion, SGB inhibited ferroptosis of hippocampal neurons via activating the Hippo pathway and thereby alleviated I/R injury. The data provide a novel insight into the treatment of ischemic stroke and even other ischemic encephalopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising non‐invasive treatment modality for tumors. However, the lack of attack targets in tumor cells greatly affects the antitumor efficiency of PDT. Mitochondria, as one of the most pivotal subcellular organelles, generated most of the energy for tumor cells and play an important role in tumor cell proliferation. PDT targeting mitochondria provides a practicable scheme for accurate and efficient antitumor treatment. Hence, the strategies of mitochondria‐based PDT using phthalocyanines or porphyrins as photosensitizers was summarized, including covalent modification of photosensitizers, delivery of drug carriers and cellular respiration in mitochondria. This review will provide guidance in the development of precision medicine for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: B cells in the tumour microenvironment and lymph nodes have affirmed their role in breast cancer pathology. Multiplex imaging, single cell, and spatial transcriptomics of cancer patients' breast carcinomas and lymph nodes have illustrated the diversity and spatial context of B cells in this disease. Their anti-tumoural and pro-tumoural functions make B cells an attractive research area to improve chemo- and immuno-therapy responses for breast cancer patients. B cells have recently become a focus in breast cancer pathology due to their influence on tumour regression, prognosis, and response to treatment, besides their contribution to antigen presentation, immunoglobulin production, and regulation of adaptive responses. As our understanding of diverse B cell subsets in eliciting both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in breast cancer patients increases, it has become pertinent to address the molecular and clinical relevance of these immune cell populations within the tumour microenvironment (TME). At the primary tumour site, B cells are either found spatially dispersed or aggregated in so-called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). In axillary lymph nodes (LNs), B cell populations, amongst a plethora of activities, undergo germinal centre reactions to ensure humoral immunity. With the recent approval for the addition of immunotherapeutic drugs as a treatment option in the early and metastatic settings for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, B cell populations or TLS may resemble valuable biomarkers for immunotherapy responses in certain breast cancer subgroups. New technologies such as spatially defined sequencing techniques, multiplex imaging, and digital technologies have further deciphered the diversity of B cells and the morphological structures in which they appear in the tumour and LNs. Thus, in this review, we comprehensively summarise the current knowledge of B cells in breast cancer. In addition, we provide a user-friendly single-cell RNA-sequencing platform, called "B singLe cEll rna-Seq browSer" (BLESS) platform, with a focus on the B cells in breast cancer patients to interrogate the latest publicly available single-cell RNA-sequencing data collected from diverse breast cancer studies. Finally, we explore their clinical relevance as biomarkers or molecular targets for future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is characterized by podocyte damage and severe proteinuria. The exact mechanism of podocyte damage and loss remains unclear. Necroptosis, a lytic form of programmed cell death mediated by RIP3 and MLKL, has emerged as an important cell death pattern in multiple tissues and cell types. Necroptosis in FSGS has not been investigated. Methods: Public GEO data regarding podocyte treated with vehicle or adriamycin (ADR) was identified and analyzed. Cultured human podocytes were used to explore the activation of necroptosis upon ADR stimulation. The expression of necroptosis pathway molecules, p-RIP3 and p-MLKL, was examined in the glomeruli and defoliated urinary podocytes of patients with FSGS. The effect of necroptosis inhibition was assessed in ADR-induced glomerulopathy mice using GSK872. Results: Publicly available RNA-sequencing data analysis showed that both necroptosis and NLRP3 inflammasome pathway were up-regulated in ADR-injured podocyte. Immunofluorescent staining showed increased expression of p-RIP3 and p-MLKL, the active forms of RIP3 and MLKL, in podocytes of FSGS patients and ADR-induced glomerulopathy mice but not in the normal control. GSK872, an RIP3 kinase inhibitor, significantly inhibited the expression of p-RIP3, p-MLKL and activation of NLRP3 in cultured podocytes treated with ADR. GSK872 treatment of mice with ADR-induced nephropathy resulted in the reduced expression of p-RIP3, p-MLKL, NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20. GSK872 also significantly inhibited the expression of p-MLKL in the podocytes of ADR-induced nephropathy, resulting in the attenuation of proteinuria and renal histological lesions. Conclusion: Necroptosis pathway might be a valuable target for the treatment of FSGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought during the overwintering period threatens the emergence rate and restricts the yield under the "winter-seeded spring wheat" cultivated model in the Hetao Plain Irrigation District in Inner Mongolia. To address this issue, from 2017 to 2019, six treatments were set up in the field to study the emergence rate, growth attributes, grain quality, yield and its percentage of winter-seeded spring wheat. These treatments were the (1) application of water-retaining agents under winter sowing (WRA), (2) soil amendments under winter sowing (SA) and wheat seed presoaking with amino acid water-soluble fertilizer under winter sowing (SP), (3) straw mulching under winter sowing (SM), (4) film-mulching hole sowing under winter sowing (FMHS), (5) blank control under winter sowing (CKW) and (6) conventional blank control under spring sowing (CKS). The results showed that the emergence rate of winter-seeded treatment was lower than CKS treatment, the emergence of WRA, SA, SM, and FMHS treatment increased by 5.4%, 2.3%, 6.5% and 10.8% compared with CKW treatment, respectively. The winter-seeded treatment is earlier than CKS treatment in the growth process, in which FMHS treatment is between 12 d and 16 d earlier in the emergence period, between 13 d and 15 d earlier in the maturation period, between 8 d and 12 d earlier than the CKW treatment in the emergence period, and between 8 d and 10 d earlier in the maturity period. Compared with CKW treatment, WRA, SA, SM, FMHS and CKS treatments increased yield by 13.49%, 11.42%, 14.75%, 21.61% and 28.15%, respectively. FMHS treatment significantly reduced the total water consumption and significantly improved water use efficiency. The protein content, wet gluten content, sedimentation value, dough ductility and maximum resistance in CKS treatment were significantly lower than other winter sowing treatments. The protein percentage and wet gluten percentage in FMHS treatment were the highest, and the difference with CKW treatment was significant. In summary, film-mulching hole sowing in winter improves soil water and the emergence rate, significantly accelerates the growth process of wheat, increases yield and promotes grain quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality. Metastasis involves a complex multistep process during which individual tumor cells spread primarily through destruction of the endothelial barrier, entering the circulatory system to colonize distant organs. However, the role of the endothelial barrier as the rate-limiting process in tumor metastasis and how these processes affect the regulation of the host microenvironment at the molecular level are poorly understood.Methods: Here, we analyzed differentially expressed genes in breast cancer and lung adenocarcinoma, including metastatic and recurrent specimens, using TCGA dataset. The effects of EMCN on endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo were analyzed by assessing angiogenesis and vascular permeability, respectively. We established a syngeneic mouse model of endothelial cell-specific knockout of EMCN (EMCNecko) to study the role of EMCN in tumor growth and metastasis. Transcriptome sequencing, Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence confirmed important factors in the premetastatic niche. A mouse model of allograft tumor resection with lung metastasis was established to confirm the therapeutic effect of a notch inhibitor combined with an anti-TGF-β antibody.Results: We found a strong correlation of EMCN deficiency with tumor recurrence and metastasis. Comparative experiments in WT and EMCNecko mice revealed that endothelial EMCN deficiency did not affect primary tumor growth significantly but strongly promoted spontaneous metastasis. EMCN deficiency was associated with gene profiles that regulate cell junctions in vitro and enhance vascular permeability in vivo. Mechanistically, EMCN deficiency mainly affected the host microenvironment and led to the formation of a lung premetastatic niche by recruiting Ly6G+ neutrophils and upregulating MMP9, S100A8/A9 and TGF-β expression. Anti-TGF-β antibody effectively eliminated TGF-β-induced neutrophil polarization, thereby reducing lung metastasis. Notably, the combination of a Notch inhibitor and an anti-TGF-β antibody effectively inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis and prolonged the survival time of mice.Conclusions: We present a new translational strategy of EMCN as a new key player in tumor lung metastasis by affecting the host microenvironment. These findings could provide a sound theoretical basis for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a common pathological feature of many heart diseases and seriously threatens the normal activity of the heart. Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) tea is a functional food that is commercially available worldwide. Gypensapogenin I (Gyp I), which is a novel dammarane-type saponin, was obtained from the hydrolysates of total gypenosides. It has been reported to exert a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect. In our study, we attempted to investigate the efficiency and possible molecular mechanism of Gyp I in cardiac injury treatment induced by ISO. In vitro, Gyp I was found to increase the survival rate of H9c2 cells and inhibit apoptosis. Combined with molecular docking and Western blot analysis, Gyp I was confirmed to regulate the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. In vivo, C57BL6 mice were subcutaneously injected with 10 mg/kg ISO to induce heart failure. Mice were given a gavage of Gyp I (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg/d for three weeks). Pathological alterations, fibrosis-, inflammation-, and apoptosis-related molecules were examined. By means of cardiac function detection, biochemical index analysis, QRT-PCR monitoring, histopathological staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis, it was elucidated that Gyp I could improve cardiac dysfunction, alleviate collagen deposition, and reduce myocardial fibrosis (MF). In summary, we reported for the first time that Gyp I showed good myocardial protective activity in vitro and in vivo, and its mechanism was related to the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is urgent to realize the quantitative detection of pefloxacin (PFLX), which has been misused to accumulate in the environment and animals. The traditional detection method is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also can only detect a single sample at a time. In this research, a BSA-AuNCs-GMP-Tb ratiometric fluorescent nanocomposite probe with red fluorescence in the initial state was constructed by in situ preparation of guanine nucleotide-terbium ion (GMP-Tb) complex using bovine serum albumin-coated gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) as the substrate material. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the nanoprobe had a wide visual detection range (0.01 μM−60 μM) with an ultra-low detection limit (5.37 nM) for PFLX. A paper-based visualized sensor was further designed with a smartphone color recognition app to achieve qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of PFLX. In addition, merging You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLO v5) target detection algorithm and machine learning regression algorithm, a web-based PFLX concentration prediction system was developed to achieve the quantitative detection of PFLX in actual environment samples. The system was developed to achieve batch detection of PFLX in environmental samples, which greatly improved the speed of PFLX detection. [Display omitted] • A meticulously designed pefloxacin visualized sensing system. • A paper-based visualized sensor with a smartphone color recognition app. • YOLO v5 target detection algorithm and machine learning regression algorithm. • A web-based PFLX concentration prediction system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous polydivinylbenzene microspheres with high specific surface area were prepared by distillation–precipitation polymerization, and were used as the coating material in headspace solid phase microextraction for extracting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with the other reported sorbents, PDVB exhibits lower cost and higher extraction efficiency, and the enrichment factors can reach 5963–16 720. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) have more visible satellites in the Asia-Pacific region, and navigation satellites of Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo satellite navigation system (Galileo), and GLONASS satellite navigation system (GLONASS) are uniformly distributed globally, the service level of multi-mode Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in the Asia-Pacific region should represent the best service capability. Based on the observation data of 10 Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) stations, broadcast ephemeris and precision ephemeris from 13 to 19 October 2021, this paper comprehensively evaluated the service capability of multi-GNSS in the Asia-Pacific region from three aspects of observation data quality, broadcast ephemeris performance, and precision positioning level. The results show that: (1) the carrier-to-noise-density ratio (C/N0) quality of the GPS and Galileo is the best, followed by BDS and GLONASS, and QZSS is the worst. GPS, BDS-2, GLONASS, and QZSS pseudorange multipath values range from 0 to 0.6 m, while Galileo system and BDS-3 pseudorange multipath values range from 0 to 0.8 m. (2) In terms of broadcast ephemeris accuracy, BDS-3 broadcast ephemeris has the best orbit, and the three-dimensional (3D) Root Mean Square (RMS) is 0.21 m; BDS-2 was the worst, with a 3D RMS of 1.99 m. The broadcast ephemeris orbits of GPS, Galileo, QZSS, and GLONASS have 3D RMS of 0.60 m, 0.62 m, 0.83 m, and 1.27 m, respectively. For broadcast ephemeris clock offset: Galileo has the best performance, 0.61 ns, GLONASS is the worst, standard deviation (STD) is 3.10 ns, GPS, QZSS, BDS-3 and BDS-2 are 0.65 ns, 0.75 ns, and 1.72 ns, respectively. For signal-in-space ranging errors (SISRE), the SISRE results of GPS and Galileo systems are the best, fluctuating in the range of 0 m–2 m, followed by QZSS, BDS-3, Galileo, and BDS-2. (3) GPS, BDS, GLONASS, Galileo, GPS/QZSS, and BDS/QZSS were used for positioning experiments. In static PPP, the convergence time and positioning accuracy of GPS show the best performance. The positioning accuracy of GPS/QZSS and BDS/QZSS is improved compared with that of GPS and BDS. In terms of kinematic PPP, the convergence time and positioning accuracy of GPS/QZSS and BDS/QZSS are improved compared with that of GPS and BDS. In addition to GLONASS and Galileo systems, the other combinations outperformed 3 cm, 3 cm, and 5 cm in the east, north, and up directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sample pretreatment plays important role in the analysis and detection of trace pollutants in complex matrices, such as environmental and biological samples. The adsorption materials of sample pretreatment receive considerable attention, which has a significant effect on the sensitivity and selectivity of the analytical method. In this work, the porous hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was utilized as a coating material of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to extract and preconcentrate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) prior to separation and detection with GC-FID. Attributed to the multiple interactions including hydrophobicity, hydrogen bonding and strong π–π interaction, the h-BN coating showed excellent extraction performance for PAHs. Under the optimal conditions, the method showed the linear relationship in the range of 0.1–50 ng mL−1 for acenaphthene, 0.05–50 ng mL−1 for pyrene, and 0.02–50 ng mL−1 for fluorene, phenanthrene and anthracene with a correlation coefficient (R2) not lower than 0.9910. The enrichment factors were achieved between 1526 and 4398 for PAHs with h-BN as SPME fiber coating. The detection limits were obtained in the range of 0.004–0.033 ng mL−1, which corresponds to 0.08–0.66 ng g−1 for soil. The method was successfully applied to analysis of real soil samples. The recoveries were determined between 78.0 and 120.0% for two soil samples. The results showed that h-BN material provided a promising alternative in sample pretreatment and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the repair of LMPR lesions would improve the ACL graft maturation.Method: A total of 49 patients underwent ACL reconstruction were included in this study. Patients were furtherly sub-grouped according to the status of LMPR: intact (17), repair (16) and resected (16). Assessments performed pre- and 2 years post-operatively included patients-reported scores and arthrometer side-to-side difference. Magnetic resonance imaging was used 2 years after the surgery to compare the lateral meniscal extrusion (LME), anterior tibial subluxation of the medial compartment (ATSMC), anterior tibial subluxation of the lateral compartment (ATSLC), the difference of ATSMC and ATSLC, and signal/noise quotient (SNQ) of ACL graft.Results: In LMPR resected group, it showed greater post-operative ATSMC-ATSLC difference when compared with pre-operatively (P = 0.006) and with the other 2 groups (intact: P = 0.031; repair: P = 0.048). SNQ of ACL graft was higher in LMPR resected group than those in LMPR intact (P = 0.004) and repair group (P = 0.002). The LMPR repair group showed significant reduction in LME post-operatively (P = 0.001). Post-operative measures on ATSLC-ATSMC difference (β = 0.304, P = 0.049) and LME (β = 0.492, P = 0.003) showed significant association with graft SNQ.Conclusions: Transtibial repair of LMPR concomitant with ACL reconstruction restored translational stability, reduced meniscus extrusion, making it beneficial for ACL graft maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) is a nucleic acid‐binding protein. Reportedly, hnRNPK is overexpressed in many human tumors, and such overexpression is associated with poor prognosis, implicating the role of hnRNPK as an oncogene during tumorigenesis. In this study, hnRNPK expression in lung cancer tissues was investigated. Methods: Briefly, hnRNPK was knocked down in lung cancer cell lines, and effects of knockdown on the cell proliferation, migration, and cell cycle were assessed using a cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry. The effects of hnRNPK knockdown on the p53‐dependent signaling pathway were examined using western blotting. Finally, the effect of hnRNPK knockdown on tumor growth was verified in vivo using a lung cancer xenograft mouse model. Results: hnRNPK knockdown inhibited the cell proliferation, migration and cell cycle. In addition to phenotypic changes, hnRNPK knockdown upregulated expressions of pCHK1, pCHK2, and p53，p21，cyclin D1, thereby mediating the DNA damage response (DDR). The regulatory function of hnRNPK during p53/p21/cyclin D1 signaling in hnRNPK‐knockdown A549 cells was confirmed by suppressed the protein expression of associated signaling pathways, which inhibited DDR. Conclusion: hnRNPK plays a crucial role in the progression of lung cancer, ultimately affecting survival rate. Inhibition of progression of lung cancer cells induced by hnRNPK‐knockdown is dependent on activation of p53 by the p53/p21/cyclin D1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic systems of nonequilibrium self‐assembly have made considerable progress; however, the achievement of innovative materials with self‐regulated functions analogous to living systems remains a grand challenge. Herein, a versatile nonequilibrium system of polymer brushes with spatiotemporally programmable properties and functions driven by chemical fuels is reported. By combining a responsive polymer with an autonomous pH regulator, the polymer brushes self‐regulate their swelling and deswelling process with tunable lifetimes. By using patterned copolymer brushes with pH‐responsive fluorescence moiety, an autonomous fluorescence modulator is created that self‐regulates its fluorescence in spatiotemporally programmable fashion driven by a chemical or an enzymatic reaction. Furthermore, a self‐regulated wettability switcher of polymer brushes both in air and in an aqueous solution is implemented. The methodology and results in the work provide a useful avenue into the exploration of nonequilibrium synthetic materials with programmable functions and would accelerate the transformative developments of nonequilibrium materials and systems in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Gene engineering techniques are essential for genetic characterizations and metabolic engineering. A stable and robust gene editing method can speed up the explorations of nonmodel microbes which show tremendous potential for a variety of applications. In recent years, base editors have achieved precise point mutation and multiplex gene editing in a wide range of microbes. Without causing double stranded breaks and requiring a donor DNA template, base editors are more available than CRISPR/Cas9 for those species with a low homologous recombination system. Here, we introduce the latest development and applications of base editors in nonmodel microbes. This versatile method is suitable for gene editing from precise point mutation to genome-wide engineering in nonmodel microbes and holds good promise for future development of nonmodel microbes. Nonmodel microbes with unique and diverse metabolisms have become rising stars in synthetic biology; however, the lack of efficient gene engineering techniques still hinders their development. Recently, the use of base editors has emerged as a versatile method for gene engineering in a wide range of organisms including nonmodel microbes. This method is a fusion of impaired CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease and base deaminase, enabling the precise point mutation at the target without inducing homologous recombination. This review updates the latest advancement of base editors in microbes, including the conclusion of all microbes that have been researched by base editors, the introduction of newly developed base editors, and their applications. We provide a list that comprehensively concludes specific applications of BEs in nonmodel microbes, which play important roles in industrial, agricultural, and clinical fields. We also present some microbes in which BEs have not been fully established, in the hope that they are explored further and so that other microbial species can achieve arbitrary base conversions. The current obstacles facing BEs and solutions are put forward. Lastly, the highly efficient BEs and other developed versions for genome-wide reprogramming of cells are discussed, showing great potential for future engineering of nonmodel microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varying the ratio of MoS 2 on MoS 2 /rGO, and thus controlling the density of Pt SA oriented to grow on MoS 2 , a unique single atom catalyst with a 2D/2D structure was constructed, realising precise atomic control and efficient hydrogen evolution reaction under the acidic condition. [Display omitted] • A simple hydrothermal method was used to construct the 2D carrier, and the loading density of single-atom platinum (Pt SA) was precisely controlled by a directional growth strategy. • Pt SA -MoS 2 /rGO with optimised geometrical and electronic structures exhibits an ultra-low overpotential (η 10 = 11 mV) and long-term stability in acid condition for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). • DFT shows that the increased loading density of Pt SA on the MoS 2 surface promotes the reduction of ΔG H* , which is the driving force for the kinetic process of electrocatalytic HER. An important but challenging task in single-atom catalysis is synthesizing a catalyst with controllable single-atom loading densities and no metal agglomeration. Here, we construct MoS 2 /rGO supports by a simple hydrothermal method and precisely control single-atom platinum (Pt SA) loading density by its targeted growth on MoS 2 for electrocatalysis. Using the optimized geometric and electronic structure, Pt SA -MoS 2 /rGO exhibits an ultra-low overpotential of 11 mV at − 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). First-principles calculations reveal that enhanced density of Pt SA on the MoS 2 surface favors the reduction of Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption, facilitating the kinetic process of electrocatalytic HER. This work provides a new engineering route to fabricating a series of performance-tunable single-atom catalysts with controllable locations and loading densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three new optical responsive molecules AT-TPIo , AT-DPIo , and AT-HDPIo have been successfully synthesized. • All of these compounds exhibited remarkable invisible photochromism accompanied by pronounced "turn-off" fluorescence. • AT-TPIo demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity as a sensor for the detection of I− ions. Three novel diarylethene fluorescent molecules based on a thiophene-imidazole core have been successfully synthesized. Their photophysical properties, including photocyclization and ions response characteristics, as well as quantum chemical calculations were systematically investigated. All compounds exhibited significant invisible photochromism upon photocyclization, resulting in remarkable fluorescence "turn-off" properties. This phenomenon can be attributed to photoisomerization, specifically the transition from the open-ring isomer to the closed-ring isomer during this process, which was confirmed by 1H NMR data analysis. Moreover, AT-DPIo demonstrated high selectivity toward I− with pronounced changes in absorption from colorless to yellow and fluorescence from bright yellow to dark, enabling a limit of detection for I− at 9.75 × 10−7 mol L−1. These exceptional sensing properties make it suitable for rapid "naked-eye" detection of I− using test strips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mediates Cd-caused germ cell apoptosis in testis. The effects of 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA), a classical chaperone, were investigated on Cd-induced apoptosis in mouse GC-1 spermatogonia cells. The cells were pretreated with PBA before Cd exposure. TUNEL and flow cytometry assays were applied to determine apoptosis. Some key biomarkers of ER stress were analyzed using RT-PCR and western blot. as expected, the apoptotic cells exposed to Cd apparently increased. The mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78 and ATF6α, were elevated in the Cd groups. Additional experiments displayed that Cd notably increased IRE1α and JNK phosphorylation, and upregulated XBP-1 mRNA and protein expression. Moreover, p-eIF2α and CHOP expressions were clearly elevated in the Cd groups. Interestingly, PBA almost completely inhibited ER stress and protected spermatogonia against apoptosis induced by Cd. PBA alleviated Cd-induced ER stress and spermatogonia apoptosis, and may have the therapeutic role in Cd-induced male reproductive toxicity. • CdCl 2 induced spermatogonia apoptosis in vitro. • CdCl 2 triggered spermatogonia ER stress. • 4-PBA alleviated CdCl 2 -induced spermatogonia apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new asymmetrical photochromic diarylethene (DTE-HQo) exhibiting multicolour photoswitching behaviors have been successfully synthesized. • DTE-HQo can effectively distinguishes between Zn2+ and Cd2+ through visual observation due their distinct binding mode. • DTE-HQo could be applied in cell imaging. A new asymmetrical photochromic diarylethene DTE-HQo composed of a 2-hydrazinoquinoline moiety as the binding unit for ions and dithenylethene as a photoswitching trigger was reported. DTE-HQo displayed favourable photochromism upon irradiation with UV/vis light. Its fluorescent behaviour could be efficiently modulated by light, Zn2+, Cd2+ and HSO 4 −. The binding of Zn2+ induced a strong fluorescence peak at 510 nm in D TE -HQo due to the formation of a 1:2 complex [Zn2+ + 2 D TE -HQo ], resulting in a notable colour change from dark to intense white emission. Triggered by Cd2+, D TE -HQo formed a 1:1 complex [Cd2+ + D TE -HQo ], leading to an enhanced emission intensity by 21-fold with an emission peak red-shifted from 461 nm to 514 nm. Unexpectedly, [Zn2+ + 2 D TE -HQo ] underwent hydrolysis when stimulated with water, generating a yellow-emitting complex [Zn2+ + D TE -HQo ]. This color change easily distinguishes it from Cd2+ complex. Additionally, DTE-HQo showed high selectivity towards HSO 4 − and exhibited distinct "turn-on" fluorescence with a colour change from dark to bright blue upon stimulation. Moreover, the strong emission complexes of DTE-HQo with Zn2+, Cd2+ and HSO 4 − could be effectively quenched during the photocyclization process. Therefore, DTE-HQo can serve as an unimolecular multicolour photoswitching chemosensor, offering potential applications as a multifunctional probe for detecting Zn2+, Cd2+ and HSO 4 −. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI) is a serious chronic complication caused by diabetes. The pathogenesis of DCI is complex, but brain nerve injury and brain nerve cell apoptosis are important pathological changes. Multimodal brain imaging is one of the most important techniques to study the neural mechanism of the brain. For the clinical treatment of DCI, there is no effective targeted Western medicine and a lack of clear drug intervention methods. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find effective complementary and alternative methods and clarify their mechanism. This research seeks to explore the multimodal brain imaging effect of "Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit" electroacupuncture for DCI.Methods: This clinical research will be a randomized, sham-controlled pilot trial. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 30). The intervention group will be divided into the "Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit" electroacupuncture group (n = 30) and sham electroacupuncture group (n = 30). All participants will continue to receive routine hypoglycemic therapy. The treatment period is the same in both groups. The primary outcomes include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). The secondary outcomes include blood glucose and blood lipid tests, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), Hachinski Ischemic Scale (HIS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and before and after treatment, and adverse events will be examined. Inter- and intragroup analyses will be performed.Discussion: This randomized controlled study, combined with multimodal brain imaging techniques and a clinical evaluation scale, was designed to explore the mechanism of "Adjust Zang-fu and Arouse Spirit" electroacupuncture in improving the central nervous system in DCI.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registration ChiCTR2000040268 . Registered on 26 November 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) has a great impact on an individual's quality of life. The current researchers' previous trial suggested that acupuncture was a promising adjunctive treatment for PDPN. However, the underlying mechanism of action of acupuncture treatment for PDPN is still unclear, especially its effects at the cerebral level. The aim of this trial will be to explore how acupuncture works in treating PDPN by using multimodal cerebral imaging.Method and Design: This will be a randomized controlled trial. A total of 150 participants will be recruited and assigned to one of three groups: the healthy group, the DM without PDPN group and the DM with PDPN group. Participants in the DM without PDPN and the DM with PDPN groups will each be further divided between an electroacupuncture group and a sham electroacupuncture group. Participants will receive six treatment sessions per week for 4 weeks. Multimodal cerebral imaging includes resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS); this neurophysiological testing will be the primary outcome measure. Subjective pain scales and blood analysis will be a secondary outcome measure and will be used to assess the clinical efficacy of the intervention. Multimodal cerebral imaging will be used to detect cerebral activity changes in each treatment group. The clinical data and fMRI data will be analysed for all the groups. Multiple correlation regression analyses will be used to assess the association between changes in cerebral functional activity and the improvement of clinical outcomes after acupuncture treatment.Discussion: This study is based on the results of the researchers' previous study, and using combined clinical and cerebral function changes, it will help evaluate the effects of acupuncture on PDPN. The investigation of acupuncture's central mechanism of action will further expand the understanding of acupuncture treatment of PDPN.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024109 . Registered on 26 June 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Constructing flexible perovskite structured ceramic fibrous materials would potentially facilitate applications of photocatalysis, wearable devices, and energy storage. However, current perovskite structured ceramic fibrous materials were fragile with small deformation resistance, which have limited their wide applications. Herein, flexible zirconium doped strontium titanate (ZSTO) nanofibrous membranes were fabricated via combining sol–gel and electrospinning methods. The microstructures (pore and crystal) of ZSTO nanofibers were affected by zirconium doping contents and closely relevant to flexibility of resultant membranes. The probable mechanism for flexibility of ZSTO nanofibrous membranes was presented. Furthermore, the silver phosphate modified ZSTO (AZSTO) exhibited superior photocatalytic performance towards tetracycline hydrochloride (TCHC) and antibacterial performance towards Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with visible-light irradiation, including 85% degradation towards TCHC within 60 min, >99.99% inhibition rate and > 3 mm inhibition zone against Gram bacteria. Furthermore, the·superoxide free radical (O 2 –) and holes played significant roles in the degradation of TCHC that verified by radical scavenger experiment. Additionally, the membranes exhibited good reusability over five cycles without tedious recycling operations needed for micro/nanoparticle-based catalysts. The successful fabrication of ZSTO nanofibrous membranes would provide a new insight into photocatalysts, antibacterial materials, and wearable device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Femoral neck fractures in elderly patients typically warrant operative treatment and are related to high risks of mortality and morbidity. As early hip arthroplasties for elderly femoral neck fractures are widely accepted, rapid predicting models that allowed quantitative and individualized prognosis assessments are strongly needed as references for orthopedic surgeons during preoperative conversations. Methods: Data of patients aged ≥ 65 years old who underwent primary unilateral hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty due to femoral neck fracture between January 1st, 2012 and June 30th, 2019 in our center were collected. Candidate variables included demographic data, comorbidities, and routine preoperative screening tests. The main outcomes included 1-year mortality and free walking rate after hip arthroplasty. Patients were randomly divided into derivation and validation groups in the ratio of three to one. Nomograms were developed based on multivariable logistic regressions of derivation group via R language. One thousand bootstraps were used for internal validation. Those models were further tested in the validation group for external validation. Results: The final analysis was performed on 702 patients after exclusion and follow-up. All-cause 1-year mortality of the entire data set was 23.4%, while the free walking rate was 57.3%. Preoperative walking ability showed the biggest impact on predicting 1-year mortality and walking ability. Static nomograms were created from the final multivariable models, which allowed simplified graphical computations for the risks of 1-year mortality and walking ability in a certain patient. The bias-corrected C index of those nomograms for predicting 1-year mortality in the derivation group and the validation group were 0.789 and 0.768, while they were 0.807 and 0.759 for predicting postoperative walking ability. The AUC of the mortality and walking ability predicting models were 0.791 and 0.818, respectively. Conclusions: Our models enabled rapid preoperative 1-year mortality and walking ability predictions in Asian elderly femoral neck fracture patients who planned for hip arthroplasty, with adequate predictive discrimination and calibration. Those rapid assessment models could help surgeons in making more reasonable clinical decisions and subsequently reducing the risk of potential medical dispute via quantitative and individualized prognosis assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture through a review and analysis of systematic reviews of acupuncture for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods: Systematic reviews of acupuncture treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy were collected by searching CNKI, VIP, Wanfang database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. The retrieval period was from the establishment of the database to February 14, 2020. After literature selection and extraction, included reports were evaluated in terms of the quality of the methodology and of the report using criteria from the AMSTAR2 scale and the PRISMA statement. Results and discussion: Eighty eight reviews were retrieved. The inclusion criteria were a published systematic evaluation/meta‐analysis/systematic review of acupuncture treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which included subjects meeting the diagnostic criteria for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and which compared acupuncture treatment with non‐acupuncture treatment. After the inclusion criteria had been applied, 18 reviews were finally included. According to the PRISMA statement, 3 reports were relatively complete, 12 reports had certain defects, 3 reports had considerable information missing, and 18 reports had extremely low methodological quality according to the AMSTAR2 scale. Current evidence shows that acupuncture improves diabetic peripheral neuropathy and increases nerve conduction velocity. However, the methodological quality of the reviews is generally extremely low, and most of the reviews had certain defects, showing that there is still much room for improvement in terms of the methodology and quality of the research reports. What is new and conclusion: Acupuncture appears to have an effect on DPN, effectively improving nerve conduction and clinical symptoms. Although the methodological quality of the included studies was generally very low and defects were frequent, our study highlights areas where improvement in methodology is required. There is a need for further study of the pathogenesis of DPN, and for developing a unified standard for methods of acupuncture treatment, acupoint selection, and adverse reactions reporting. Traditional Chinese medical practices such as acupuncture should adopt an evidence‐based approach to provide greater confidence in their use. This review evaluates and verifies the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy by using the quality of report and methodology, in order to provide reference for clinical decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Increased soluble Axl, Gas6 and membrane Axl are found in hemodialysis patients. • Soluble Axl and Gas6 were decreased after hemodialysis treatment in patients. • Soluble Axl is related to inflammatory cytokines in hemodialysis patients. • Gas6-Axl signaling may inhibit the inflammation in hemodialysis patients. • Hemodialysis patients with lower sAxl levels had longer survival time. Hemodialysis (HD) patients often develop chronic inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications and mortality. Axl and its ligand, growth arrest 6 (Gas6), have been reported to play key roles in regulating the immune response. However, the function of Axl in HD patients has not been clarified. In the present study, we enrolled 130 HD patients and 117 normal controls (NCs) and evaluated the levels of inflammatory markers, soluble Axl (sAxl), membrane Axl (mAxl), and Gas6 in all participants. The potential downstream cascades of Gas6-Axl signaling in HD patients were identified by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The levels of inflammatory cytokines—tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)—plasma sAxl, and Gas6, were significantly increased in HD patients compared to NCs. Additionally, sAxl was positively associated with the inflammatory factor, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in HD patients. Moreover, we found that mAxl in CD14+ mononuclear cells and CD19+ B cells was increased upon HD. Furthermore, we discovered that the metalloproteinase ADAM17, also called TACE, contributed to the cleavage of mAxl into sAxl, and not ADAM10, in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HD patients. The upregulation of Gas6-mAxl signaling caused the activation of the STAT1-SOCS3 pathway in the PBMCs of HD patients. After two years follow-up, patients with lower sAxl levels had longer survival time than those with higher sAxl levels. Our results suggest that Axl may play a significant role in systemic inflammation in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid genotypes can provide significant yield gains over conventional inbred varieties due to heterosis or hybrid vigor. However, hybrids can also display unintended negative attributes or phenotypes such as extreme pathogen susceptibility. The necrotrophic pathogen Pyrenophora teres f. maculata (Ptm) causes spot form net blotch, which has caused significant yield losses to barley worldwide. Here, we report on a non-transgressive hybrid susceptibility locus in barley identified between the three parental lines CI5791, Tifang and Golden Promise that are resistant to Ptm isolate 13IM.3. However, F2 progeny from CI5791 × Tifang and CI5791 × Golden Promise crosses exhibited extreme susceptibility. The susceptible phenotype segregated in a ratio of 1 resistant:1 susceptible representing a genetic segregation ratio of 1 parental (res):2 heterozygous (sus):1 parental (res) suggesting a single hybrid susceptibility locus. Genetic mapping using a total of 715 CI5791 × Tifang F2 individuals (1430 recombinant gametes) and 149 targeted SNPs delimited the hybrid susceptibility locus designated Susceptibility to Pyrenophora teres 2 (Spt2) to an ~ 198 kb region on chromosome 5H of the Morex V3 reference assembly. This single locus was independently mapped with 83 CI5791 × Golden Promise F2 individuals (166 recombinant gametes) and 180 genome wide SNPs that colocalized to the same Spt2 locus. The CI5791 genome was sequenced using PacBio Continuous Long Read technology and comparative analysis between CI5791 and the publicly available Golden Promise genome assembly determined that the delimited region contained a single high confidence Spt2 candidate gene predicted to encode a pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of mining backfill transportation, inadequate pipeline layout or filling parameters can result in decreased stability in pipeline transportation. This instability can lead to blockages or pipe ruptures, often caused by the occurrence of partial filling during the transportation process. To address the issue of partially filled pipe flow during mining backfill transportation and effectively increase the full pipe height in the transportation process, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation methods were employed to study the causes and hazards of partially filled pipe flow in the transportation of tailings cemented backfill, as well as measures to enhance the full pipe height. By introducing the Bernoulli equation to analyze a simplified transportation model, a discrimination formula for identifying partially filled pipe flow during transportation was obtained. This formula summarizes the factors influencing the full pipe height and can be used to calculate the full pipe height in the transportation process of different filling mining areas. A numerical model was established based on this formula to simulate the occurrence of partially filled pipe flow. Combining the simulation results, the operational parameters of a lead-zinc mine in Yunnan, China, were designed and improved. This improvement significantly increased the full pipe flow height and reduced the failure rate in pipeline transportation. In the realm of mining pipeline transportation, occurrences of transport failures are not uncommon and are often attributed to the phenomenon of partially filled pipe flow. To tackle this challenge, we have devised a discriminative formula for partially filled pipe flow grounded in advanced engineering practices. Industry professionals can leverage our research findings to elevate fill heights in backfill transportation processes, employing strategies such as augmenting slurry concentration and streamlining pipe diameter. Beyond the confines of specific mining operations, this study stands as a universal reference for analogous transport systems. The efficacy of our approach has been validated through its practical application in a lead-zinc mine in Yunnan, China, yielding significant advantages. Through meticulous optimization of operational parameters, we have effectively elevated the fill height while concurrently mitigating pipeline transportation failure rates. This not only optimizes production efficiency but also substantially reduces maintenance costs, thereby providing robust support for mining operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CuS/modified-diatomite composite was prepared via a facile route. • CuS nanosheets were evenly coated onto pre-modified diatomite. • The porosity of the diatomite support was reserved. • The composite exhibited outstanding adsorption performance for Ag+. • The removal of Ag+ is occupied by chemisorption. The study on the recovery of silver ion (Ag+) from silver-containing wastewater is of great significance to heavy metal pollution control and noble metal retrieval. In this work, a porous CuS/modified-diatomite composite was prepared via a pre-modification followed by a mild in situ coating process. A layer of CuS nanosheets was evenly coated onto pre-modified diatomite, and porosity of the diatomite support reserved. Aperture analysis results suggested that the composite possessed a broader porous distribution, higher specific surface area and pore volume than pure CuS. The neosynthetic composite exhibited outstanding adsorption performance for Ag+, according to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 822.7 mg/g for Ag+, approximately 84 times greater than that of raw diatomite (9.87 mg/g). The highest removal efficiency of the composite for Ag+ reached 99.9 %, and pH values (3–8) and coexisting ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) had little influence on the removal of Ag+. Kinetic studies and adsorption product analysis demonstrated that removal of Ag+ on the composite was occupied by chemisorption, arising from that the abundant porosity of diatomite support prompts Ag+ to diffuse onto the composite, and the uniformly coated CuS nanosheets provide abundant active sites for Ag+ chemisorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) is an emerging food additive used for improving the nutritional value of dough products, albeit its adverse effects cannot be ignored. The dilution effect, mechanical shear effect, competitive water absorption, and steric hindrance of WBDF, as well as the non-covalent binding between WBDF and gluten protein, are considered the key mechanisms underlying the WBDF–gluten protein interaction. However, current studies on the interaction are mostly limited to the impact of the interaction on gluten protein and are rarely focused on the quality of products. Therefore, the effects of the interaction on the structural characteristics and aggregation behavior of gluten protein and multiple involved mechanisms are discussed in this review. On this basis, these changes are systematically related to the gluten network structure, dough properties, and product quality. Mitigation measures corresponding to negative impacts also need to be elaborated to guide and standardize the production and development of dough products containing WBDF. • Deterioration of dough products is caused by the adverse effects of DF on gluten protein. • DF-gluten protein interaction is currently believed to involve five main mechanisms. • Non-covalent interaction of WBDF-gluten protein is not fully understood. • Conversion between gluten protein secondary structure caused by DF remains controversial. • Modification methods can reduce the adverse effects of DF on gluten protein structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) is an emerging food additive used for improving the nutritional value of dough products, albeit its adverse effects cannot be ignored. The dilution effect, mechanical shear effect, competitive water absorption, and steric hindrance of WBDF, as well as the non-covalent binding between WBDF and gluten protein, are considered the key mechanisms underlying the WBDF–gluten protein interaction. However, current studies on the interaction are mostly limited to the impact of the interaction on gluten protein and are rarely focused on the quality of products. Therefore, the effects of the interaction on the structural characteristics and aggregation behavior of gluten protein and multiple involved mechanisms are discussed in this review. On this basis, these changes are systematically related to the gluten network structure, dough properties, and product quality. Mitigation measures corresponding to negative impacts also need to be elaborated to guide and standardize the production and development of dough products containing WBDF. • Deterioration of dough products is caused by the adverse effects of DF on gluten protein. • DF-gluten protein interaction is currently believed to involve five main mechanisms. • Non-covalent interaction of WBDF-gluten protein is not fully understood. • Conversion between gluten protein secondary structure caused by DF remains controversial. • Modification methods can reduce the adverse effects of DF on gluten protein structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometric and thermal errors are the crucial errors that directly impact the machining accuracy, and then the crucial errors should be controlled. However, the prediction model is not robust and accurate enough, and the real-time performance of the control system is weak. To address the above challenges, the thermal error models are proposed based on the extreme gradient boosting algorithm-improved sailed fish optimizer-bi-directional ordered neurons-long short-term memory neural network. The critical input variables are identified by extreme gradient boosting. The hyper-parameters of bi-directional ordered neurons-long short-term memory neural network are adaptively optimized by improved sailed fish optimizer. Moreover, the control model is proposed by analyzing the analytical mapping relationship between the compensation component of each axis and crucial errors. Finally, the physical-edge-cloud system is designed to control the crucial errors of precision boring machine tools in real time. The prediction model and control model are embedded into the edge layer. The prediction model is trained on the cloud layer of physical-edge-cloud system. For the thermal error of the spindle system, the predictive ability of the extreme gradient boosting-improved sailed fish optimizer-bi-directional ordered neurons-long short-term memory neural network model is 96.39%. For the thermal error of the linear axis, the predictive abilities of extreme gradient boosting-improved sailed fish optimizer-bi-directional ordered neurons-long short-term memory neural network model are 90.41%, 92.00%, 95.47%, 97.84%, and 91.87% at 1h, 3h, 5h, 7h, and 9h, respectively. Furthermore, the machining error is reduced by more than 75.00% with the application of the designed physical-edge-cloud system. [Display omitted] • XGBoost-ISFO-BiON-LSTM thermal error model is proposed. • XGBoost is applied to select feature variables for error prediction. • Nonlinear control parameter is designed for ISFO. • Crucial error control model of boring machine tool is proposed. • Physical-edge-fog-cloud system architecture is designed for crucial error control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The thiol-functionalized diatom biosilica was successfully generated in-vivo. • FIB-TEM-EDS showed the homogeneous distribution of thiol in diatom biosilica. • The thiol-modified biosilica showed a higher Ag+ removal than unmodified ones. • The Ag+-loaded diatom biosilica exhibited a surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Diatom silica frustules are recognized as a valuable biomaterial with hierarchically porous silica structures and can be used for many applications. To obtain targeted functional diatom-based materials, many strategies have been explored, mainly focusing on diatomite (fossilized diatoms) but rarely on living diatom silica frustules. In this work, the frustules of living diatoms (T. weissflogii) were in-vivo functionalized with thiol (-SH) groups by using (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) as silicon source, through living biomineralization process. The -SH groups were homogeneously distributed in diatom biosilica structures, as revealed by FIB-TEM-EDS result. Two applications of thiol-functionalized frustules were demonstrated. The first was for Ag+ adsorption, showing significantly enhanced adsorption capacity (87.59 mg·g−1) compared with unmodified frustules (33.21 mg·g−1). The adsorption data and the spectroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed that the inner-sphere complexation of -SH with Ag+ was the primary mechanism. The second application showed that Ag+-loaded diatom frustules exhibited a significant surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which can be used for detecting methylene blue and rhodamine 6G. The charge transfer resonance between Ag 2 S and probe molecules makes the primary contribution to the distinct enhancement of Raman signals. These findings demonstrate that these in-vivo functionalized -SH groups on diatom silica frustules can still maintain their excellent chemical reactivities, suggesting that this modification strategy could be extended to modify living diatom silica frustules with other functional groups. This study is of great significance for developing functional materials from living diatoms and their applications in the fields of environmental remediation, biosensing, and drug delivery, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A weakly supervised method for defect detection of nuclear-fuel rod grooves is proposed. • A classification network with self-attention mechanism is designed. • A non-defective self-reference template generating method is developed. • The proposed method has been applied in practical industrial engineering. Defect detection of nuclear-fuel rod grooves plays an important role in nuclear industry. The processing quality of grooves has great influence on the safety during the nuclear reaction. This paper proposes a weakly supervised method for detecting defects of nuclear-fuel rod grooves, which mainly uses image-level labels to locate the defects at the pixel level, so as to reduce the complexity of dataset preparation. The core of the method mainly lies in the pre-positioning of defects and the generation of non-defective self-reference templates. We evaluate our method on the groove dataset, which is captured by the industrial camera. Experiments show that the proposed method outperforms existing state-of-the-art method in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. What's more, our method has been used in practical industrial engineering, and the false detection rate of grooves is only 0.171%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cooling plate multi-objective topology optimization method is proposed. • Effect of penalty factor and Reynolds number on channel performance is studied. • Analytical response surface model is established to reduce design time. • Heat dissipation and flow performance are verified by simulation and experiment. • Topological cooling plate shows stronger performance than spiral cooling plate. Machining accuracy is reduced by precision machine tool thermal deformation. Currently, machine tool temperature and thermal deformation are usually controlled by optimizing original machine tool structure or using a cooling system. However, these methods are poor in generalization ability and convenience, and traditional cooling channels have shortcomings of a large flow resistance and low heat transfer efficiency. In this study, a cooling plate multi-objective topology optimization method towards precision machine tool heat dissipation is proposed. Firstly, multi-objective topology optimization model is established with maximum heat exchange and minimum fluid dissipation energy as objective function. Then effect of various design parameters on topology optimization results is investigated. Penalty factor and design Reynolds number are taken as design variables, and heat dissipation and flow performances of different topology optimization results are analyzed. Response surface model is constructed, and then an analytical model of average temperature in design domain and pressure drop generated by Pareto fronts under different working conditions are obtained. Furthermore, a full-size three-dimensional thermal-fluid interaction verification model is constructed, and cooling and flow performances of topology optimization cooling plate are compared with those of traditional spiral cooling plate. Numerical results show that cooling performance of topology optimization cooling plate is stronger than that of spiral cooling plate at high Reynolds number, and pressure drop of topology optimization cooling plate is reduced by 85.38% compared with that of spiral cooling plate. Finally, topology optimization and spiral cooling plates are manufactured, and experimental platform is built to evaluate heat dissipation and flow performances of cooling plates. For topology optimization plate, maximum deviations between simulation results and experimental data for temperature and pressure drop are 4.8% and 6.4%, respectively. The effectiveness and feasibility of the topology optimization design for cooling plate are verified. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]