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Abstract Pediatric ankle injuries are common; ankle epiphyseal fractures are also common in children. But isolated distal epiphyseal fibular fractures of the distal fibula are clinically rare. We describe one unusual case of an adolescent with a completely displaced Salter-Harris type II distal fibular epiphyseal fracture. The attempt of closed reduction failed, and the patient required open reduction and internal fixation. The localized periosteum and the superior peroneal retinaculum were avulsed from the distal fibular metaphysis, with the peroneal tendons underneath exposed but no obvious subluxation. To the best of our knowledge, this combination of injuries has not been previously reported.

Abstract Shape transformations of active composites (ACs) depend on the spatial distribution of constituent materials. Voxel-level complex material distributions can be encoded by 3D printing, offering enormous freedom for possible shape-change 4D-printed ACs. However, efficiently designing the material distribution to achieve desired 3D shape changes is significantly challenging yet greatly needed. Here, we present an approach that combines machine learning (ML) with both gradient-descent (GD) and evolutionary algorithm (EA) to design AC plates with 3D shape changes. A residual network ML model is developed for the forward shape prediction. A global-subdomain design strategy with ML-GD and ML-EA is then used for the inverse material-distribution design. For a variety of numerically generated target shapes, both ML-GD and ML-EA demonstrate high efficiency. By further combining ML-EA with a normal distance-based loss function, optimized designs are achieved for multiple irregular target shapes. Our approach thus provides a highly efficient tool for the design of 4D-printed active composites.

This article introduces the concept of load aggregation, which involves a comprehensive analysis of loads to acquire their external characteristics for the purpose of modeling and analyzing power systems. The online identification method is a computer-involved approach for data collection, processing, and system identification, commonly used for adaptive control and prediction. This paper proposes a method for dynamically aggregating large-scale adjustable loads to support high proportions of new energy integration, aiming to study the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction methods. The experiment selected 300 central air conditioners as the research subject and analyzed their regulation characteristics, economic efficiency, and comfort. The experimental results show that as the adjustment time of the air conditioner increases from 5 minutes to 35 minutes, the stable adjustment quantity during the adjustment period decreases from 28.46 to 3.57, indicating that air conditioning loads can be controlled over a long period and have better adjustment effects in the short term. Overall, the experimental results of this paper demonstrate that analyzing the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction algorithms is effective.

Abstract Astragalus mongholicus is a medicinal plant that is known to decrease in quality in response to continuous cropping. However, the differences in the root-associated microbiome and root exudates in the rhizosphere soil that may lead to these decreases are barely under studies. We investigated the plant biomass production, root-associated microbiota, and root exudates of A. mongholicus grown in two different fields: virgin soil (Field I) and in a long-term continuous cropping field (Field II). Virgin soil is soil that has never been cultivated for A. mongholicus. Plant physiological measurements showed reduced fresh and dry weight of A. mongholicus under continuous cropping conditions (i.e. Field II). High-throughput sequencing of the fungal and bacterial communities revealed differences in fungal diversity between samples from the two fields, including enrichment of potentially pathogenic fungi in the roots of A. mongholicus grown in Field II. Metabolomic analysis yielded 20 compounds in A. mongholicus root exudates that differed in relative abundance between rhizosphere samples from the two fields. Four of these metabolites (2-aminophenol, quinic acid, tartaric acid, and maleamate) inhibited the growth of A. mongholicus, the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, or both. This comprehensive analysis enhances our understanding of the A. mongholicus microbiome, root exudates, and interactions between the two in response to continuous cropping. These results offer new information for future design of effective, economical approaches to achieving food security.

Abstract Diagnosis and stratification of prostate cancer (PCa) patients using the prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) test is challenging. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), as a new star of liquid biopsy, has attracted interest to complement inaccurate PSA screening and invasiveness of tissue biopsy. In this study, a panel of potential small EV (sEV) protein biomarkers is identified from PCa cell lines using label‐free LC‐MS/MS proteomics. These biomarkers underwent further validation with plasma and urine samples from different PCa stages through parallel reaction monitoring‐based targeted proteomics, western blotting, and ELISA. Additionally, a tissue microarray containing cancerous and noncancerous tissues is screened to provide additional evidence of selected sEV proteins associated with cancer origin. Results indicate that sEV protein LAMB1 is highly expressed in human plasma of metastatic PCa patients compared with localised PCa patients and control subjects, while sEV protein Histone H4 is highly expressed in human urine of high‐risk PCa patients compared to low‐risk PCa patients and control subjects. These two sEV proteins demonstrate higher specificity and sensitivity than the PSA test and show promise for metastatic PCa diagnosis, progression monitoring, and risk stratification.

Colon cancer is a common gastrointestinal malignancy that ranks third in incidence among gastrointestinal cancers. Therefore, screening bioactive compounds for treatment of colon cancer is urgently needed. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SO) has been demonstrated that the extractions or monomers possess potential anti-tumor effect. In this study, we firstly used cell membrane chromatography (CMC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with (quadrupole) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-(Q) TOF-MS/MS) to identify a novel active ingredient, octyl gallate (OG), from SO methanol extract (SO-MtOH). HCT116 and SW620 cells lines were used for in vitro research, which showed OG presents great anti-colon cancer effect by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and repressing the migration and invasion. Furthermore, SW620 bearing athymic nude mice was used to investigate the potential antitumor activity in vivo, which exhibited OG treatment remarkably lessened the tumor volume. Mechanism studies showed that OG downregulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis and induced apoptosis by upregulating the Bax/Bcl-2 protein and the cleaved caspase-3, caspase-9. In conclusion, our research innovatively applied the method of CMC to intriguingly unearth the potential anti-colon cancer ingredient OG and demonstrated its the great antineoplastic activity, which provide a new insight for researchers efficiently developing the novel apoptosis-inducing compound for colon cancer therapy.

IntroductionOolong tea, celebrated for its significance in Chinese tea culture, was the subject of investigation in this study.MethodsFive varieties of Minnan oolong tea were sampled, each cultivated under two distinct management approaches: conventional management and natural growth methods. The study aimed to discern variations in sensory attributes, encompassing appearance and liquor color, alongside the analysis of chemical composition.Results and discussionThe results indicated that oolong tea cultivated through conventional manual management generally exhibited qualities in terms of shape and foliage appearance, in contrast to those grown naturally. However, naturally grown oolong tea tended to exhibit more favorable aroma and taste profiles compared to conventionally managed counterparts. Furthermore, the content of water extract, amino acids, polyphenols, caffeine, and other pivotal chemical constituents were typically higher in naturally grown tea varieties compared to conventionally managed ones. Conversely, catechin content was found to be more abundant in traditionally managed bushes than in those grown naturally. These findings emphasize the significance of implementing appropriate natural growth management practices to enhance the quality of Minnan oolong tea and maintain ecological sustainability.

In many plant species, petal abscission can be considered the final step of petal senescence. Cytokinins (CKs) are powerful suppressors of petal senescence; however, their role in petal abscission is ambiguous. Here, we observed that, in rose (Rosa hybrida), biologically active CK is accumulated during petal abscission and acts as an accelerator of the abscission process. Using a combination of reverse genetics, and molecular and biochemical techniques, we explored the roles of a LESION SIMULATING DISEASE1 (LSD1) family member RhLOL1 interacting with a bHLH transcription factor RhILR3 in CK-induced petal abscission. Silencing RhLOL1 delays rose petal abscission, while the overexpression of its ortholog SlLOL1 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) promotes pedicel abscission, indicating the conserved function of LOL1 in activating plant floral organ abscission. In addition, we identify a bHLH transcription factor, RhILR3, that interacts with RhLOL1. We show that RhILR3 binds to the promoters of the auxin signaling repressor auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) genes to inhibit their expression; however, the interaction of RhLOL1 with RhILR3 activates the expression of the Aux/IAA genes including RhIAA4-1. Silencing RhIAA4-1 delays rose petal abscission. Our results thus reveal a RhLOL1-RhILR3 regulatory module involved in CK-induced petal abscission via the regulation of the expression of the Aux/IAA genes.

Using three-wave longitudinal data, this study tested the potential mediating roles of teacher-student relationship quality and teachers' career support efficacy in the association between Chinese adolescents' family socioeconomic status (SES) and career development (N = 1410). Results showed that adolescents' family SES at Wave 1 was negatively associated with their career ambivalence at Wave 3 via positive associations with both teacher-student relationship quality and teachers' career support efficacy at Wave 2. Moreover, adolescents' family SES at Wave 1 was positively related to career adaptability at Wave 3 via its positive association with teachers' career support efficacy at Wave 2. This study highlighted the important role of teacher-student interaction in adolescents' career development.

The three-dimensional (3D) kidney organoid is a breakthrough model for recapitulating renal morphology and function in vitro, which is grown from stem cells and resembles mammalian kidney organogenesis. Currently, protocols for cultivating this model from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and patient-derived adult stem cells (ASCs) have been widely reported. In recent years, scientists have focused on combining cutting-edge bioengineering and bioinformatics technologies to improve the developmental accuracy of kidney organoids and achieve high-throughput experimentation. As a remarkable tool for mechanistic research of the renal system, kidney organoid has both potential and challenges. In this review, we have described the evolution of kidney organoid establishment methods and highlighted the latest progress leading to a more sophisticated kidney transformation research model. Finally, we have summarized the main applications of renal organoids in exploring kidney disease.

Early tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) in utero and/or during the first years after birth poses threats to the development of child executive functioning and self-regulation skills, including inhibitory control. Efforts are still needed to examine under what conditions such effects may occur and thus identify modifiable intervention targets. In addition, a distinction between cool and hot inhibitory control is also important to obtain greater nuance in such links. The cool inhibitory control refers to children's suppression of prepotent automatic responses to a distracting stimulus in solving arbitrary and decontextualized problems, whereas the hot inhibitory control refers to children's control of impulse in motivationally and emotionally high-stake situations. Using data derived from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examined the links between early risk of TSE and preschoolers' hot and cool inhibitory control and tested the potential promotive/protective roles of maternal positivity in early mother-child interactions. Results indicate that early risk of TSE was negatively linked to child "cool" inhibitory control when maternal positivity was low, but this link was nonsignificant when maternal positivity was high (i.e., the "protective" role of maternal positivity). The link between early risk of TSE and child later "hot" inhibitory control was not moderated by maternal positivity; instead, early risk of TSE and maternal positivity were negatively and positively associated with child "hot" inhibitory control above and beyond each other, respectively (i.e., the "promotive" role of maternal positivity). Accordingly, building a tobacco-free environment during pregnancy and infancy likely yields long-term benefits for child self-regulation development. Improving early mothering may offset the negative link between early TSE and child "cool" inhibitory control and also facilitate child "hot" inhibitory control even in the face of early TSE.

Fabrication of structures in unstructured conditions is a promising area of bolstering the application spaces of additive manufacturing (AM). One emerging application is appending structures on existing ones that may have nonplanar surfaces in unconventional orientations. However, extrusion‐based AM techniques are limited to printing on structured, planar environments with a fixed single‐nozzle direction. Herein, the authors present a dexterous conformal material extrusion printing method using a six‐axis robotic arm capable of constructing complex parts onto highly unstructured surfaces with rough topographies. The manufacturing method employs a custom algorithm that generates layers consisting of 3D spatial coordinates of print path as well as the extrusion nozzle oriented in the normal direction of the substrate, thereby enabling conformal motion of the extrusion nozzle to the unstructured surface. The capabilities of the surface‐informed robotic conformal 3D printing method to fabricate structures on surfaces with a variety of topographies in unconventional orientations are demonstrated. Finally, via addition of deposited conductive paths, a high‐strength, functional reinforcement capable of in situ deformation monitoring is appended. This work has the potential for reconstructing, repairing, and reinforcing existing structures in human‐limited or inaccessible spaces. Integration of functional elements can also enable in situ sensing, monitoring, and self‐diagnosis.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), the most biologically active ingredient of Astragali Radix, is used to treat diabetes mellitus (DM)-related chronic wounds in traditional Chinese medicine for several decades. This herb possesses an anti-inflammatory effect. Our study proved that APS can reduce excessive inflammation at the late phase of wound-healing in diabetic ulcers. Aim of the study: To clarify the molecular mechanism of APS in promoting wound-healing via reducing excessive inflammation in diabetic ulcers during the late stages of wound-healing. Methods and materials: The rat model of the diabetic ulcers was established via intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (60 mg/kg). We detected the regulation of APS on diabetic ulcers by measuring wound-healing rates. Bioinformatics was used to predict the target genes of APS, and autodocking was used to predict the combination of APS and target genes. Immunohistochemistry, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and flow cytometric sorting were investigated. Results: The results demonstrated that APS promoted wound-healing and inhibited excessive inflammation at the late phase of wound-healing in diabetic rats. Mechanistic findings showed that APS promoted the expression of β-catenin and Rspo3 while inhibiting the expression of NF-KB and GSK-3β, which leads to the transformation of M1-type macrophages into M2-type macrophages and thus reducing excessive inflammation at the late phase of wound-healing in diabetic ulcers. Conclusion: We found an interesting finding that APS promoted the polarization of macrophages towards M2-type through the β-catenin/NF-κB axis to reduce excessive inflammation at the late phase of wound-healing. Therefore, APS may be a promising drug for treating diabetic ulcers in clinic.

The road performance decay law of EACRM under freeze-thaw cycles was studied using laboratory tests on the macroscopic scale in order to comprehensively analyze the serious performance damage mechanism of emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture (EACRM) in cold regions during the service period. The surface cracking behavior, internal void evolution characteristics, and asphalt mortar morphology damage of EACRM under freeze-thaw cycles were studied by means of digital speckle, industrial CT, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) on the mesoscopic and microscopic scale. The results show that along with the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, the road performance of EACRM decreases significantly. The surface of EACRM obviously cracks, and the width and number of main cracks increase significantly. The fatigue times of the maximum horizontal strain in the whole field gradually decrease. Air voids and the average volume of meso-void visibly increase. The microcracks of cement-emulsified asphalt mortar constantly emerge at the interface. The serious damage of the “three-dimensional network structure” is the fundamental reason for the performance decay of EACRM in cold regions. The performance damage of EACRM in cold regions is aggravated by water seeping into voids from cracks. Eventually, EACRM shows serious freeze-thaw inflicted damage.

Abstract Shape-morphing structures that can reconfigure their shape to adapt to diverse tasks are highly desirable for intelligent machines in many interdisciplinary fields. Shape memory polymers are one of the most widely used stimuli-responsive materials, especially in 3D/4D printing, for fabricating shape-morphing systems. They typically go through a hot-programming step to obtain the shape-morphing capability, which possesses limited freedom of reconfigurability. Cold-programming, which directly deforms the structure into a temporary shape without increasing the temperature, is simple and more versatile but has stringent requirements on material properties. Here, we introduce grayscale digital light processing (g-DLP) based 3D printing as a simple and effective platform for fabricating shape-morphing structures with cold-programming capabilities. With the multimaterial-like printing capability of g-DLP, we develop heterogeneous hinge modules that can be cold-programmed by simply stretching at room temperature. Different configurations can be encoded during 3D printing with the variable distribution and direction of the modular-designed hinges. The hinge module allows controllable independent morphing enabled by cold programming. By leveraging the multimaterial-like printing capability, multi-shape morphing structures are presented. The g-DLP printing with cold-programming morphing strategy demonstrates enormous potential in the design and fabrication of shape-morphing structures.

High‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most common subtype of ovarian cancer with 5‐year survival rates below 40%. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) is recommended for patients with advanced‐stage HGSOC unsuitable for primary debulking surgery (PDS). However, about 40% of patients receiving this treatment exhibited chemoresistance of uncertain molecular mechanisms and predictability. Here, we built a high‐quality ovary‐specific spectral library containing 130 735 peptides and 10 696 proteins on Orbitrap instruments. Compared to a published DIA pan‐human spectral library (DPHL), this spectral library provides 10% more ovary‐specific and 3% more ovary‐enriched proteins. This library was then applied to analyze data‐independent acquisition (DIA) data of tissue samples from an HGSOC cohort treated with NACT, leading to 10 070 quantified proteins, which is 9.73% more than that with DPHL. We further established a six‐protein classifier by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) to effectively predict the resistance to additional chemotherapy after IDS (Log‐rank test, P = 0.002). The classifier was validated with 57 patients from an independent clinical center (P = 0.014). Thus, we have developed an ovary‐specific spectral library for targeted proteome analysis, and propose a six‐protein classifier that could potentially predict chemoresistance in HGSOC patients after NACT‐IDS treatment.

The blood coagulation test is an indispensable test for monitoring the blood coagulation and fibrinolysis functions. Currently, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) is the most widely used approach to coagulation testing. However, APTT reagents need to be optimized due to the fact that they are unstable, highly variable, and cannot be easily controlled. In this study, we created apoptotic cell-inspired methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylserine (MPS) particles for blood coagulation as an alternative to conventional APTT reagents. Particle size could be controlled by changing the concentration of the polymer. The blood coagulation ability of particles was stable at different environmental temperatures. Moreover, the procoagulant activity could be enhanced by increasing the concentration to 0.06 mg/mL and reducing the size of the particles to around 900 nm. Fibrin clotted by particles showed no significant difference from that formed by APTT regent Actin FSL. We propose that MPS particles are a potential alternative to Actin FS for the application of blood coagulation tests.

High-speed train operation may cause vibration near track facilities and propagate far through the ground, affecting people’s lives, work, and normal use of precision instruments in an urban environment. An efficient numerical method is proposed to calculate the non-uniform ground vibration under a moving high-speed railway load. The theory of stochastic variables is used to describe the soil spatial variability of the non-uniform layered elastic ground, and the coupled 2.5D random finite element method (FEM) is proposed to reduce the computational cost without losing accuracy. Vibration propagation and attenuation of the non-uniform layered ground are investigated and the effect of train speed and soil non-homogeneity are analyzed. Results show that (1) at cross speed and high speed, the homogeneity coefficient of the layered ground has the most important influence on the ground vibration amplitude; (2) the upward acceleration is much larger than the downward acceleration at most speeds, and at cross speed and high speed, the acceleration amplitude decreases with the increase in the homogeneity coefficient; (3) as train speed increases from 60 m/s to 130 m/s, the influencing range of the homogeneity coefficient increases to 10 m from 2 m; and (4) the phenomenon of an in increase in local rebound can be observed in the velocity and acceleration attenuation curve at cross speed when the ground soil has a weaker homogeneity.

Our interest is in the development of gratitude as a moral virtue, and its variability across different cultural contexts. Given psychology's overreliance on samples collected from the United Sates, Western Europe, and Australasia, we contrasted patterns of age-related expressions of gratitude among a sample of U.S. 7- to 14-year-old children with those from same-age samples from Brazil, China, Russia, South Korea, and Turkey (N = 2,540, 54.7% female, M[subscript age] = 10.61 years). The U.S. sample was diverse (n = 730: Black 26.4%, White 40.4%, Latinx 19.9%, Asian 3.8%, Other 1.6%, Missing 7.0%; 55.7% female, M[subscript age] = 10.52 years). The remaining samples were largely homogeneous by ethnicity. Our data were gathered using one quantitative scale to measure variations in the extent of gratitude that children expressed, and one qualitative measure to assess variability in the types of gratitude expressed by children of different ages. Both measures were chosen for their fit with the definition of virtuous gratitude. Hypotheses that the U.S. sample would differ from the others in extent and type of gratitude were largely supported. However, age-related differences in the type of gratitude expressed were similar across societies (e.g., in most samples older children were less likely to express concrete gratitude and more likely to express connective gratitude). Our results reveal the importance of treating gratitude as a virtue that develops during childhood and that is influenced by one's cultural group. Reliance on samples from a limited set of cultures is thus to be avoided.