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Abstract Eleocharis dulcis (Burm. f.) Trin. ex Hensch., commonly known as Chinese water chestnut, is a traditional aquatic vegetable in China, and now is widely cultivated throughout the world because of its high nutritional value and unique tastes. Here, we report the assembly of a 493.24 Mb telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome of E. dulcis accomplished by integrating ONT ultra-long reads, PacBio long reads and Hi-C data. The reference genome was anchored onto 111 gap-free chromosomes, containing 48.31% repeat elements and 33,493 predicted protein-coding genes. Whole genome duplication (WGD) and inter-genomic synteny analyses indicated that chromosome breakage and genome duplication in E. dulcis possibly occurred multiple times during genome evolution after its divergence from a common ancestor with Rhynchospora breviuscula at ca. 35.6 Mya. A comparative time-course transcriptome analysis of corm development revealed different patterns of gene expression between cultivated and wild accessions with the highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 15,870) at the middle swelling stage and some of the DEGs were significantly enriched for starch metabolic process.

Abstract Background To assess the improvement of image quality and diagnostic acceptance of thinner slice iodine maps enabled by deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) in abdominal dual-energy CT (DECT). Methods This study prospectively included 104 participants with 136 lesions. Four series of iodine maps were generated based on portal-venous scans of contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT: 5-mm and 1.25-mm using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (Asir-V) with 50% blending (AV-50), and 1.25-mm using DLIR with medium (DLIR-M), and high strength (DLIR-H). The iodine concentrations (IC) and their standard deviations of nine anatomical sites were measured, and the corresponding coefficient of variations (CV) were calculated. Noise-power-spectrum (NPS) and edge-rise-slope (ERS) were measured. Five radiologists rated image quality in terms of image noise, contrast, sharpness, texture, and small structure visibility, and evaluated overall diagnostic acceptability of images and lesion conspicuity. Results The four reconstructions maintained the IC values unchanged in nine anatomical sites (all p > 0.999). Compared to 1.25-mm AV-50, 1.25-mm DLIR-M and DLIR-H significantly reduced CV values (all p

This paper proposes an adaptive image enhancement method that aims to effectively restore the brightness, detail, and natural color of various low-illumination images. To be specific, the method first constructs the initial dual-channel illumination map of the image. Next, the optimal illumination correction coefficient is calculated by the prior information entropy of the initial illumination map, which helps to correct potentially erroneous illumination estimates. To restore the illumination, gamma correction is used with the optimal illumination correction coefficient. Finally, an improved perfect reflection constraint model is used to restore the color of the image. Both visual analysis and quantitative comparison with state-of-the-art methods demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in terms of brightness adjustment, detail recovery, and color restoration.

PurposeKidney transplantation (KT) has the potential to reverse the cardiac changes caused by end-stage renal disease, and it may be inaccurate to analysis the left ventricular function by conventional echocardiography due to afterload. This study aimed to investigate the utility of pressure strain loops (PSLs) in evaluating left ventricular performance in patients underwent KT.MethodsWe enrolled 60 patients with end-stage renal disease who underwent KT between January 2022 and July 2023, and 60 healthy controls with a similar distribution of gender and age to the patients. All participants underwent conventional echocardiography and three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE). Long axis, short axis, and four cavity images were collected and cardiac parameters were measured. The echocardiographic changes of cardiac structure and function of all patients before KT and about 12 months after KT were recorded. Left ventricular myocardial work parameters were acquired by PSLs, including the global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), global work efficiency (GWE) and global longitudinal strain (GLS). In addition, the correlation between PSLs and clinical data were explored.ResultsCompared with controls, the conventional echocardiographic parameters, myocardial function indicators GWI and GCW appeared no difference in post-KT group, while the GWE and GLS decreased (p

Post-transcriptional regulation by small RNAs and post-translational modifications (PTM) such as lysine acetylation play fundamental roles in physiological circuits, offering rapid responses to environmental signals with low energy consumption. Yet, the interplay between these regulatory systems remains underexplored. Here, we unveil the cross-talk between sRNAs and lysine acetylation in Streptococcus mutans, a primary cariogenic pathogen known for its potent acidogenic virulence. Through systematic overexpression of sRNAs in S. mutans, we identified sRNA SmsR1 as a critical player in modulating acidogenicity, a key cariogenic virulence feature in S. mutans. Furthermore, combined with the analysis of predicted target mRNA and transcriptome results, potential target genes were identified and experimentally verified. A direct interaction between SmsR1 and 5'-UTR region of pdhC gene was determined by in vitro binding assays. Importantly, we found that overexpression of SmsR1 reduced the expression of pdhC mRNA and increased the intracellular concentration of acetyl-CoA, resulting in global changes in protein acetylation levels. This was verified by acetyl-proteomics in S. mutans, along with an increase in acetylation level and decreased activity of LDH. Our study unravels a novel regulatory paradigm where sRNA bridges post-transcriptional regulation with post-translational modification, underscoring bacterial adeptness in fine-tuning responses to environmental stress.

Abstract This paper proposes a method to enhance the accuracy of power load forecasting by considering the variability in the impact of multi‐dimensional meteorological information on power load in diverse regions. The proposed method employs spatio‐temporal fusion (SF) of multi‐dimensional meteorological information and applies the Copula theory to analyze the non‐linear coupling of meteorological information from multiple stations with power load to achieve SF in the spatial dimension. To enhance the accuracy of load forecasting in the time dimension, this paper improves the core parameters of the variational mode decomposition (VMD) using the marine predators algorithm (MPA) and utilizes the weighted permutation entropy (WPE) to construct the MPA‐VMD fitness function for the adaptive decomposition of the load sequence. Moreover, this paper constructs input sets for the long short‐term memory model and the MPA‐LSSVM model by combining each component of the time dimension and each meteorological information of the spatial dimension to obtain the prediction results of each component. The prediction model corresponding to each component is selected according to the evaluation index and reconstructed to obtain the overall prediction results. The analysis results demonstrate that the proposed forecasting method outperforms the traditional forecasting method and effectively enhances the accuracy of power load forecasting.

The efforts to discover HIV therapeutics have continued since the first human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patient was confirmed in the 1980s. Ten years later, the first HIV drug, zidovudine (AZT), targeting HIV reverse transcriptase, was developed. Meanwhile, scientists were enlightened to discover new drugs that target different HIV genes, like integrase, protease, and host receptors. Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is the most feasible medical intervention to suppress the virus in people with HIV (PWH) and control the epidemic. ART treatment has made HIV a chronic infection rather than a fatal disease, but ART does not eliminate latent reservoirs of HIV-1 from the host cells; strict and life-long adherence to ART is required for the therapy to be effective in patients. In this review, we first discussed the scientific history of conventional HIV drug discovery since scientists need to develop more and more drugs to solve drug-resistant issues and release the side effects. Then, we summarized the novel research technologies, like gene editing, applied to HIV treatment and their contributions to eliminating HIV as a complementary therapy.

Abstract Background Traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been intensively studied for their role in the treatment of tumours. However, these therapies often cause side effects for patients, which calls for the development of novel treatment options for tumours. B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) reportedly apoptosis-inducing effects in tumour cells and is associated with the progression and treatment of multiple tumours. Nevertheless, little is known about its potential role in tumour diagnosis and targeted therapy. Findings The results of the study demonstrated that the interaction of BNIP3 with HDAC1 may affect the progression of breast invasive cancer (BRCA), sarcoma (SARC), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), and low-grade glioma (LGG). BNIP3 seemed to exert its effects in BRCA and SARC primarily through gene silencing and integrator complex, and in KIRC and LGG, mainly by affecting olfactory function, suggesting that targeted therapy can be developed based on the above signalling pathway and downstream molecules. Interpretation BNIP3 has emerged as a promising therapeutic and diagnostic target for BRCA, SARC, KIRC, and LGG, providing new insights into tumour molecular therapies in the clinic.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate robustness of dual-energy CT (DECT) radiomics features of virtual unenhanced (VUE) image and virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) among different imaging platforms. Methods A phantom with sixteen clinical-relevant densities was scanned on ten DECT platforms with comparable scan parameters. Ninety-four radiomic features were extracted via Pyradiomics from VUE images and VMIs at energy level of 70 keV (VMI70keV). Test–retest repeatability was assessed by Bland–Altman analysis. Inter-platform reproducibility of VUE images and VMI70keV was evaluated by coefficient of variation (CV) and quartile coefficient of dispersion (QCD) among platforms, and by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) between platform pairs. The correlation between variability of CT number radiomics reproducibility was estimated. Results 92.02% and 92.87% of features were repeatable between scan–rescans for VUE images and VMI70keV, respectively. Among platforms, 11.30% and 28.39% features of VUE images, and 15.16% and 28.99% features of VMI70keV were with CV 0.90 and CCC > 0.90 between platform pairs were 10.00% and 9.86% in VUE images and 11.23% and 11.23% in VMI70keV. The CT number inter-platform reproducibility using CV and QCD showed negative correlations with percentage of the first-order radiomics features with CV

Abstract CreTA, CRISPR-regulated toxin-antitoxin (TA), safeguards CRISPR-Cas immune systems by inducing cell dormancy/death upon their inactivation. Here, we characterize a bacterial CreTA associating with the I-F CRISPR-Cas in Acinetobacter. CreT is a distinct bactericidal small RNA likely targeting several essential RNA molecules that are required to initiate protein synthesis. CreA guides the CRISPR effector to transcriptionally repress CreT. We further demonstrate a proof-of-concept antimicrobial strategy named ATTACK, which AssociaTes TA and CRISPR-Cas to Kill multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens. In this design, CRISPR-Cas is programed to target antibiotic resistance gene(s) to selectively kill MDR pathogens or cure their resistance, and when CRISPR-Cas is inactivated or suppressed by unwanted genetic or non-genetic events/factors, CreTA triggers cell death as the last resort. Our data highlight the diversity of RNA toxins coevolving with CRISPR-Cas, and illuminate a combined strategy of CRISPR and TA antimicrobials to ‘ATTACK’ MDR pathogens.

As one of the most important transportation hubs and industrial bases in China, Zhengzhou has suffered from serious PM2.5 pollution for a long time. However, the investigation of contamination status and possible exposure risks of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in PM2.5 from Zhengzhou is rare. In this work, a comprehensive study of pollution levels, seasonal variations, sources, and potential health risks of PM2.5-bound EPFRs in Zhengzhou was conducted for the first time. The atmospheric concentrations of EPFRs in PM2.5 from Zhengzhou ranged from 1.732 × 1012 spin m−3 to 7.182 × 1014 spin m−3 between 2019 and 2020. Relatively serious contamination was noticed in winter and spring. Primary fossil fuel combustion and Fe-mediated secondary formation were apportioned as possible sources of PM2.5-bound EPFRs in Zhengzhou. Moreover, to avert the bias of the toxicity assessment induced by utilization of incompletely extracted EPFRs from sample filter, simulatively generated EPFRs were applied to toxicological evaluations (cell viability and reactive oxygen species assays). Corresponding experimental dosages were based on the estimated adults’ annual exposure amounts of EPFRs in real PM2.5 samples. The results elucidated that EPFRs might cause growth inhibition and oxidative stress of human lung cells, suggesting the possible exposure-induced health concerns for local people in Zhengzhou. This study provides practical information of real contamination status of PM2.5-bound EPFRs in Zhengzhou, which is favorable to local air pollution control and reduction of exposure risks on public health in central China.

A simple protocol for the sulfur-promoted conversion of aromatic aldehydes to aromatic nitriles has been developed. This strategy enables the one-pot conversion of inexpensive and readily available aromatic aldehydes into highly valuable aromatic nitriles using a cheap inorganic ammonium salt as the nitrogen source in the absence of metals. Significantly, a broad scope of substrates was explored using this strategy, and various groups, including alkyl, alkoxyl, alkylthiol, hydroxyl, amino, aryl, alkenyl, cyano, carboxyl, and borate ester groups were tolerated, and good to excellent yields were achieved in most cases. Additionally, polycyclic aromatic aldehydes and heteroaromatic aldehydes also could be converted to the corre-sponding nitriles with satisfactory yields. This method can be utilized as a powerful tool for the cyanation of complex molecules.

Abstract The tactile pressure sensor is of great significance in flexible electronics, but sensitivity customization over the required working range with high linearity still remains a critical challenge. Despite numerous efforts to achieve high sensitivity and a wide working range, most sensitive microstructures tend to be obtained only by inverting naturally existing templates without rational design based on fundamental contact principles or models for piezoresistive pressure sensors. Here, a positive design strategy with a hyperelastic model and a Hertzian contact model for comparison was proposed to develop a flexible pressure sensor with highly customizable linear sensitivity and linearity, in which the microstructure distribution was precalculated according to the desired requirement prior to fabrication. As a proof of concept, three flexible pressure sensors exhibited sensitivities of 0.7, 1.0, and 1.3 kPa− 1 over a linear region of up to 200 kPa, with a low sensitivity error (

The dynamic star simulator is a commonly used ground-test calibration device for star sensors. For the problems of slow calculation speed, low integration, and high power consumption in the traditional star chart simulation method, this paper designs a FPGA-based star chart display algorithm for a dynamic star simulator. The design adopts the USB 2.0 protocol to obtain the attitude data, uses the SDRAM to cache the attitude data and video stream, extracts the effective navigation star points by searching the starry sky equidistant right ascension and declination partitions, and realizes the pipelined displaying of the star map by using the parallel computing capability of the FPGA. Test results show that under the conditions of chart field of view of Φ20° and simulated magnitude of 2.0∼6.0 Mv, the longest time for calculating a chart is 72 μs under the clock of 148.5 MHz, which effectively improves the chart display speed of the dynamic star simulator. The FPGA-based star map display algorithm gets rid of the dependence of the existing algorithm on the computer, reduces the volume and power consumption of the dynamic star simulator, and realizes the miniaturization and portable demand of the dynamic star simulator.

A serious game titled “Crossing the Jungle” was developed in this study to train children’s inhibition skills using the Stroop task. The effects of inhibitory control on children were tested by a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up test. In the control groups, children were asked to play a commercial game instead. In experiment 1, 48 participants chose either the training or control game voluntarily, whereas, in experiment 2, 44 participants were randomly assigned to either group. In both experiments, children exposed to the serious game demonstrated training effects from the Stroop spatial task and near-transfer effects from the Flanker task. However, transferring effects were not produced by the Go/No-go task. As a result, although the serious game “Crossing the Jungle” does not improve response inhibition, children aged 9 to 12 who play it may benefit from improved interference inhibition abilities. This provides evidence for the mutual independence of interference inhibition and response inhibition in children at this stage.

Abstract Light initiated multi-gate semiconductor switch (LIMS) is a kind of power electronic device which has many differences from traditional thyristor triggered by electric pulse. LIMS is triggered by laser, the turn-on time is smaller, and the anti-electromagnetic interferences is strong. The opening mode of LIMS is obviously different to traditional thyristor. After the laser into the gate area, a large number of electrons and holes will appear in P-base region, holes gather in the area of P-base in PN junction J2, and electrons gather in N-drift region around the PN junction J2. PN junction J2 will open first, then PN junction J3 opens. The delay time of the NPN and PNP thyristors is close to zero when the laser pulse is narrow and the peak power is high, so the turn-on velocity is fast. To optimize the characteristics of the LIMS at high temperatures, we propose a new structure of the LIMS with the optimization of the n+ layer, circular light gate, and the new-style edge termination. The diameter of the LIMS is 23 mm. The experiment results show that the leakage current of the proposed LIMS has been decreased from more than 1 mA to 500 μA at 125 °C, the output current of the LIMS is 10.2 kA with a voltage of 4 kV at 85 °C, and the output current of the LIMS is 12.1 kA with a voltage of 4 kV at − 55 °C. Additionally, di/dt is larger than 30 kA/μs.

The activity status of muscles in real-time should be obtained in hand rehabilitation training to adjust the auxiliary grip-strength value with a good hand grip-strength prediction model. Surface electromyography (sEMG) has great advantages in reflecting human hand motions noninvasively. Therefore, based on sEMG, the work proposed a hand grip-strength prediction method optimizing the support vector regression (SVR) model through Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA). First, the time domain characteristics were extracted from sEMG signals, and grip-strength signals were interpolated by the cubic spline function to extract the average value of grip-strength signals. Then Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to select appropriate feature combinations to enter the SSA-SVR model for grip-strength prediction. Finally, particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA) were used to optimize the SVR model, and the effectiveness of the SSA-SVR model was verified by comparison. Random forest (RF) with SSA algorithm and BP neural network models was optimized to test the effect of SSA on improving the performance of the SVR model. The performance of the SSA-SVR model was better than that of other regression prediction models, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.5054, an average absolute error (MAE) of 0.3242, an average absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.0864, and an accuracy (R2) of 93.2%. It can accurately predict the hand grip-strength value, which is suitable for hand rehabilitation training.

Sample pretreatment is an essential step in the analytical process. Solid phase extraction (SPE) procedures are widely used for clean-up and enriching analytes in sample preparation due to the complex sample matrix and low concentration level of target compounds. The sorbent is the critical part and plays a vital role in the SPE process. The combination strategies of green sample preparation (GSP) with sorbents have been taken seriously to establish high-performance and environmental-friendly SPE methods. This work mainly reviewed the capacity of different functional materials to be used as SPE sorbents which fulfilled the GSP requirements, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), natural products, and carbon-based materials. Advanced computer-assisted strategies for the synthesis and usage of green SPE sorbents are also overviewed. Finally, recent advanced applications of these green adsorption materials for SPE procedure were summarized. This review aims to retrace latest research of green sorbents-based SPE techniques under the perspective of GSP, suggesting the future synthesis and application of adsorption materials should pose the features of less reagent and energy usage, less labor and time consuming, and high extraction efficiency.

The Zizania latifolia is usually infected by the obligate parasitic fungus Ustilago esculenta to form an edible fleshy stem which is an aquatic vegetable called Jiaobai in China. The infection by the teliospore (T) strain of U. esculenta induces Z. latifolia forming gray fleshy stems, while the mycelia-teliospore (MT) strain of U. esculenta induces white fleshy stems which are more suitable for edibility than gray fleshy stems. The mechanism of this phenomenon is still largely unknown. One of the possible causes is the diversity of endophytic microbial communities between these two fleshy stems. Therefore, we utilized fungal ITS1 and bacterial 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing to investigate the diversity of endophytic microbial communities in the two different fleshy stems of Z. latifolia. The results revealed that the α diversity and richness of endophytic fungi in white Z. latifolia were significantly greater than in gray Z. latifolia. The dominant fungal genus in both fleshy stems was U. esculenta, which accounted for over 90% of the endophytic fungi. The community composition of endophytic fungi in gray and white Z. latifolia was different except for U. esculenta, and a negative correlation was observed between U. esculenta and other endophytic fungi. In addition, the dominant bacterial genus in gray Z. latifolia was Alcaligenaceae which is also negatively correlated with other bacterium communities. Additionally, the co-occurrence network of white Z. latifolia was found to have a stronger scale, connectivity, and complexity compared to that of gray Z. latifolia. And the detected beneficial bacteria and pathogens in the stems of Z. latifolia potentially compete for resources. Furthermore, the function of endophytic bacteria is more abundant than endophytic fungi in Z. latifolia. This research investigated the correlation between the development of Z. latifolia fleshy stems and endophytic microbial communities. Our findings indicate that the composition of endophytic microbial communities is closely related to the type of Z. latifolia fleshy stems. This research also suggests the potential utilization of specific microbial communities to enhance the growth and development of Z. latifolia, thereby contributing to the breeding of Z. latifolia.

Objective: To compare the image quality between the deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) and iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms via the dedicated phantom. Method: ACR quality assurance phantom (Gammex 464) was scanned by GE Revolution Apex. The CT value accuracy, low contrast resolution, image uniformity and high contrast resolution of five substances from module 1 to module 4 were measured respectively. Through the above indicators, the image quality of three levels (DL, DM and DH) of Truefedelitytm (TFI) and three levels (30%, 60% and 90%) of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (asir-V, hereinafter referred to as AV) under high dose (20 mgy) were compared. The comparison between the two algorithms for each parameter was tested by One-Way Anova. Results: The high/low-contrast resolution of the six image series were consistent (high-contrast resolution: 10 lp/cm; low-contrast resolution: 6 mm). The two algorithms both slightly overestimated the CT value of polyethylene, air and acrylic, and no statistically significant difference was found among the difference of CT values of the substances. Both algorithms underestimated the CT value of bone and the solid water; TFI showed better performance in evaluating the solid water which was closer to the real value, though statistical difference was not found between each group of images. Among the 6 groups of images, TFI DH showed the best image uniformity and at the same reconstruction level, TFI showed better uniformity than AV. Conclusion: DLIR can further reduced image noise while maintaining image spatial resolution and CT value accuracy at high dose level.

A strategy for the synthesis of benzisothiazoles by a three-component reaction was developed using elemental sulfur and ammonium as heteroatom components under transition metal-free conditions. The reaction is preferably based on pyridine or quinoline ring substrate, and good to excellent yields can be obtained. Notably, this reaction has been applied to the gram-scale synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Purpose: To compare the effect of radiation dose and tube potential on image quality of CT through the task-based image quality assessment parameters. Methods: We scanned Gammex 464 (the ACR quality assurance phantom) with GE Revolution Apex CT. Three radiation doses (5, 10, 20 mGy) and three tube potentials (80, 100, 120 kVp) were used to reconstruct nine sets of image. Bone and acrylic inserts from module 1 of the phantom was selected for the measurement of task-based transfer function (TTF, representing spatial resolution) and TTF50% was recorded for each set of images. Module 3 was selected for the measurement of noise power spectrum (NPS, representing image noise) and noise value, spatial frequency (f-peak) and NPS peak value were recorded for each set of images. Detestability index (\begin{document}${d}'$\end{document} representing lesion detestability) was furtherly calculated based on TTF and NPS of images. The effect of radiation dose and tube potential on image quality was evaluated by One-way Anova analysis. Multiple comparisons for P value were corrected by FDR. Results: Compared with radiation dose, the effect of tube potential on TTF50% was more obvious, but there was no significant difference between them in bone and acrylic substances. Noise and NPS peak significantly decreased with the increase of both radiation dose and tube potential but no statistical difference was found. Compared with tube potential, radiation dose showed greater impact on f-peak, but no statistical difference was found. d’ was significantly improved as radiation dose increased; while no statistical difference was found under different tube potentials. Conclusion: Image quality is predominantly influenced by radiation dose rather than tube potential. Image noise and lesion detestability is signifcantly improved as radiation dose elevates. Image quality could be comprehensively inflected by the task-based image quality assessment.

Copper-cysteamine as a new generation of sensitizers can be activated by light, X-rays, microwaves, or ultrasound to produce reactive oxygen species. X-ray induced photodynamic therapy (X-PDT) has been studied extensively; however, most of the studies reported so far were conducted in the laboratory, which is not conducive to the clinical translation conditions. In this contribution, for the first time, we investigated the treatment efficiency of copper-cysteamine (Cu-Cy) based X-PDT by mimicking the clinical conditions with a clinical linear accelerator and building deep-seated tumor models to study not only the effectiveness but also its effects on the cell migration and proliferation in the level of the cell, tissue, and animal. The results showed that, without X-ray irradiation, Cu-Cy nanoparticles (NPs) had a low toxicity in HepG2, SK-HEP-1, Li-7, and 4T1 cells at a concentration below 100 mg/L. Interestingly, for the first time, it was observed that Cu-Cy mediated X-PDT can inhibit the proliferation and migration of these cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Antigen markers of migration and cell proliferation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and E-cadherin, from tumor tissue in the X-PDT group were remarkably different from that of the control group. Furthermore, the MRI assessment showed that the Cu-Cy based X-PDT inhibited the growth of deeply located tumors in mice and rabbits (p

Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) exhibit efficient cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capability and unique light-up features in the aggregated state, which have been well explored in image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the limited penetration depth of light in tissue severely hinders AIEgens as a candidate for primary or adjunctive therapy for clinical applications. Coincidentally, microwaves (MWs) show a distinct advantage for deeper penetration depth in tissues than light. Herein, for the first time, we report AIEgen-mediated microwave dynamic therapy (MWDT) for cancer treatment. We found that two AIEgens (TPEPy-I and TPEPy-PF6) served as a new type of microwave (MW) sensitizers to produce ROS, including singlet oxygen (1O2), resulting in efficient destructions of cancer cells. The results of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and live/dead assays reveal that the two AIEgens when activated by MW irradiation can effectively kill cancer cells with average IC-50 values of 2.73 and 3.22 μM, respectively. Overall, the ability of the two AIEgens to be activated by MW not only overcomes the limitations of conventional PDT, but also helps to improve existing MW ablation therapy by reducing the MW dose required to achieve the same therapeutic outcome, thus reducing the occurrence of side-effects of MW radiation.

Abstract Background The relationship between IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and the risk of malignancy is still controversial. This article focused on assessing the risk of cancer in patients with IgG4-RD by meta-analysis. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis characterizing the associated risk of overall malignancy and four site-specific malignancies (pancreas, lung, gastric and lymphoma) in patients with IgG4-RD. A search from 2003 to 2020 was performed using specified terms from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and SinoMed. Random-effects model analysis was used to pool standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to clarify the heterogeneity of the included studies. Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s linear regression test were used to evaluate the bias of the meta-analysis. A P value < 0.05 indicated the existence of publication bias. Results A total of 10 studies were included in the article. The overall SIR estimates suggested an increased risk of overall cancer in IgG4-RD patients (SIR 2.57 95% CI 1.72–3.84) compared with the general population. The specific SIRs for pancreas and lymphoma were higher than those of the general population in IgG4-RD patients (SIR 4.07 95% CI 1.04–15.92, SIR 69.17 95% CI 3.91–1223.04, respectively). No significant associations were revealed in respiratory and gastric cancer (SIR 2.14 95% CI 0.97–4.75, SIR 0.95 95% CI 0.24–3.95, respectively). Four studies were found to be the major sources of heterogeneity by sensitivity analysis. There was no evidence of publication bias via Egger’s test. Conclusion Compared with the general population, patients with IgG4-RD appear to have a higher risk of overall cancer, especially pancreatic and lymphoma. The risk of lung and gastric cancer was not different between IgG4-RD patients and the general population.

The projection stellar target simulator is a stellar target simulator in which star points are projected to be imaged on a fixed plane at a fixed distance. Compared with conventional stellar target simulators, the projection stellar target simulator makes star points visible and provides the necessary condition for a semi-physical simulation test of the star camera. In this paper, the projection stellar target simulator optical system with high-quality imaging is designed by combining the projection technology, which breaks the collimated imaging of the conventional stellar target simulator optical system, and offers a new thought to solve the problem of decreasing the calibration accuracy caused by the influence of the coaxiality and other factors in the stellar target simulator calibrating the star camera. Based on the imaging behavior of the star map, this paper proposes a method to realize the automatic detection of a projection stellar target simulator by using CCD and introduces the composition and working principle of the detection system in detail. According to the imaging characteristics of star points, denoising and threshold segmentation of the star map are carried out, and an improved centroid algorithm is proposed to achieve high-precision positioning of the centroid coordinates of the star points. The measurement model and measuring formulas for the angular distance between stars are established. The error sources of the detection system are analyzed and obtain the theoretical error of 9.22″ for this detection system. The result of an actual test experiment shows that the position error of single star is less than 11″, in line with the theoretical analysis of the error, indicating the detection system has high detection precision and meets the requirement for the detection accuracy of the projection stellar target simulator.

This study explored the effects of social networking site use intensity, upward social comparison, and optimism on college students’ conspicuous consumption and their mechanisms of action using a sample of Chinese college students. A total of 717 Chinese college students (M = 20.08, SD = 1.44; 73.9% female) completed the Social Network Use Intensity Scale, the Upward Social Comparison Scale, the Life Orientation Test, and the Conspicuous Consumption Scale. The results indicate that (1) the intensity of use of social networking sites significantly positively predicts the conspicuous consumption behavior of college students; (2) upward social comparison plays a mediating role between the intensity of social networking site usage and conspicuous consumption; and (3) optimism moderates the second half of the mediating path between the intensity of social networking site use, upward social comparison, and conspicuous consumption. Specifically, the relationship between upward social comparison and conspicuous consumption among college students with low optimism levels is stronger than that among college students with high levels of optimism. Intensity has a stronger positive effect on conspicuous consumption through upward social comparison. It is concluded that the intensity of college students’ use of social networking sites can affect their conspicuous consumption behavior through upward social comparison, and this relationship is moderated by optimism. The results of the study help to reveal the influence of SNS (social networking site) use behavior on conspicuous consumption and its mechanism of action and have implications for reducing the negative impact of conspicuous consumption on college students.

Thin-film sensors are regarded as advanced technologies for in situ condition monitoring of components operating in harsh environments, such as aerospace engines. Nevertheless, these sensors encounter challenges due to the high-temperature oxidation of materials and intricate manufacturing processes. This paper presents a simple method to fabricate high temperature-resistant oxidized SiCN precursor and La(Ca)CrO3 composite thin film temperature sensors by screen printing and air annealing. The developed sensor demonstrates a broad temperature response ranging from 200 °C to 1100 °C with negative temperature coefficients (NTC). It exhibits exceptional resistance to high-temperature oxidation and maintains performance stability. Notably, the sensor’s resistance changes by 3% after exposure to an 1100 °C air environment for 1 h. This oxidation resistance improvement surpasses the currently reported SiCN precursor thin-film sensors. Additionally, the sensor’s temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) can reach up to −7900 ppm/°C at 200 °C. This strategy is expected to be used for other high-temperature thin-film sensors such as strain gauges, heat flux sensors, and thermocouples. There is great potential for applications in high-temperature field monitoring.

In a laboratory environment, in order to test the attitude recognition capability and accuracy of the satellite attitude sensor—the infrared Earth sensor—the infrared Earth simulator is fixed on a five-axis turntable to enable multi-angle testing. In the past, the temperature control system of the Earth simulator was water cooled, which not only affected the working accuracy of the Earth simulator but also affected its size and portability and made it more difficult to use on the turntable. Therefore, we designed a cooling method for the cold plate based on semiconductor cooling technology combined with air cooling, and we designed a fuzzy PID control algorithm to accurately control the temperature according to this cooling method. In this article, we use SOLIWORKS to build the system model for the system and use the ANAYS Workbench to perform temperature analysis of the Earth simulator. The results show that the cold plate temperature can be maintained at 20.089 °C when the hot plate temperature is 85 °C. The overall temperature uniformity of the hot plate is better than ±0.3 °C, which meets the index requirements of the Earth simulator. We found that this cooling method can replace water cooling, giving the simulator the advantage of being miniaturized, and it can be adaptable to the turntable, which can be widely used in various sizes of Earth simulators and in various complex environments and operating conditions.

Abstract Background Immunoglobulin G4-related lung disease (IgG4-RLD) is a rare entity. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients with pathologically confirmed IgG4-RLD to improve the diagnosis rate and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis. Methods We screened the pathological reports of 4838 patients with pulmonary surgery and/or biopsy specimens from April 2017 to April 2021 at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital affiliated with Sun Yat-Sen University, and specimens from 65 patients with suspected IgG4-RLD were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for IgG4 and IgG. Finally, 10 patients with definite IgG4-RLD that was pathologically confirmed were enrolled and analyzed. Results The incidence of pathologically confirmed IgG4-RLD was 0.2% (10/4838). The ten patients had an average age of 59.7 years at diagnosis, and the male-to-female ratio was 9:1. The initial clinical manifestations were nonspecific, and cough was the most common symptom (4/10). More than one organ was involved in most patients (8/10), and mediastinal/hilar lymph node involvement was often observed (7/10). Serum IgG4 was analyzed in 6 patients and found to be elevated. Serum tumor marker levels were within the normal range or were slightly elevated. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest and/or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) imaging revealed that 5 patients had a mixed type, 3 patients had the solid nodular type, and 2 patients had the bronchovascular type. All pulmonary masses and large nodules with solid patterns had spiculated margins and inhomogeneous enhancement with or without pleural indentation and a lobulated appearance. Abundant lymphoplasmacytic cell infiltration and fibrosis were observed in all patients. The expression of IgG4 and IgG was upregulated in the pulmonary sections. Seven patients were treated with glucocorticoids with or without additional immunosuppressants and responded well. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that multiple imaging findings, an elevated serum IgG4 concentration, and no significant increase in serum tumor biomarkers could provide diagnostic support for IgG4-RLD, especially for isolated IgG4-RLD or IgG4-RLD that includes other organ involvement that does not aid in establishing the diagnosis.

BackgroundThe prevalence of hyperuricemia (HUA) has been increasing in recent years. HUA is a crucial risk factor for gout and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Identifying potentially modifiable factors of HUA is vital for preventing gout and even CVDs. This study aimed to explore the associations of fat distribution with HUA among middle-aged and elderly people in Chongqing, China.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and September 2021. People who underwent quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans were invited to participate in the study. A total of 3,683 individuals whose clinical characteristics and QCT-based fat distribution measurements included visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), and liver fat content (LFC) were well-recorded were included. HUA was defined as having a serum uric acid level greater than 420.0 μmol/L. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between these adipose variables and HUA prevalence.ResultsThe HUA prevalence was 25.6% (943/3,683), which was 39.6% (817/2,063) in men and 7.8% (126/1,620) in women. In the fully adjusted model (model 4), the comparison of the highest one with the lowest quartiles of adipose variables showed that the multivariable OR (95% confidence intervals) of HUA were 2.08 (1.36–3.16; P for trend = 0.001) for VFA, 0.89 (0.63–1.25; P for trend = 0.651) for SFA, and 1.83 (1.42–2.34; P for trend < 0.0001) for LFC. For VFA, the association was more evident in men than in women.ConclusionHigher VFA and LFC were significantly associated with the increased prevalence of HUA in middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals. VFA and LFC may have a predictive effect on HUA. Controlling visceral and liver fat accumulation may be beneficial for middle-aged and older people. HUA can be prevented with specific effective healthy physical activity and balanced diet guidelines.

Cai et al discover an auto-inhibitory interaction between the S5 and S6 helices in the calcium-selective channel TRPV6. Molecular dynamics simulations predict that pathogenic mutation R532Q in S5 results in channel gain-of-function, which is confirmed in breast cancer migration, invasion and apoptosis assays.

Abstract Background Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been increasingly developed and studied in cardiac imaging. This systematic review summarizes the latest progress of image segmentation, quantification, and the clinical application of AI in evaluating cardiac adipose tissue. Methods We exhaustively searched PubMed and the Web of Science for publications prior to 30 April 2021. The search included eligible studies that used AI for image analysis of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) or pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT). The risk of bias and concerns regarding applicability were assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Results Of the 140 initially identified citation records, 19 high-quality studies were eligible for this systematic review, including 15 (79%) on the image segmentation and quantification of EAT or PCAT and 4 (21%) on the clinical application of EAT or PCAT in cardiovascular diseases. All 19 included studies were rated as low risk of bias in terms of flow and timing, reference standards, and the index test and as having low concern of applicability in terms of reference standards and patient selection, but 16 (84%) studies did not conduct external validation. Conclusion AI technology can provide accurate and quicker methods to segment and quantify EAT and PCAT images and shows potential value in the diagnosis and risk prediction of cardiovascular diseases. AI is expected to expand the value of cardiac adipose tissue imaging.

Li et al develop PPAB-PyS nanoparticles that simultaneously allows intracellular imaging and ratiometric detection of the intracellular polyamine. With an additional potential to consume polyamines via an irreversible chemical reaction, the authors thus provide an alternative approach for photodynamic therapy with polyamine detection.

The phenomenon of self-positivity bias refers to the common tendency for individuals to perceive themselves in a more positive light than is objectively warranted. The current study seeks to investigate the impact of enhanced self-positivity bias on depressive mood resulting from negative life events. The study included two experiments, a resistance experiment (exp. 1) and an improvement experiment (exp. 2), with 40 randomly selected college students randomly assigned to either a self-positive bias training group or a neutral training group in each experiment. In the resistance experiment, self-positive bias training was conducted before failure feedback, while in the improvement experiment, it was conducted after failure feedback. The results showed that failure feedback significantly increased depression levels among college students, and self-positive bias training improved the level of self-positive bias. In the resistance experiment, there was no significant difference between the self-positive bias training group and the neutral training group regarding depression. However, in the improvement experiment, being in the self-positive bias training group had a significantly greater effect on improving depression compared to the neutral training group. Overall, the findings suggest that while self-positive bias training cannot prevent depression caused by failure events, it has a positive effect on improving depression.

As a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved molecular-targeted chemotherapeutic drug, sorafenib (SF) can inhibit angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation, leading to improved patient overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition, SF is an oral multikinase inhibitor as a single-agent therapy in renal cell carcinoma. However, the poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties and undesirable side effects (anorexia, gastrointestinal bleeding, and severe skin toxicity, etc.) seriously limit its clinical application. To overcome these drawbacks, the entrapment of SF into nanocarriers by nanoformulations is an effective strategy, which delivers SF in a target tumor with decreased adverse effects and improved treatment efficacy. In this review, significant advances and design strategies of SF nanodelivery systems from 2012 to 2023 are summarized. The review is organized by type of carriers including natural biomacromolecule (lipid, chitosan, cyclodextrin, etc.); synthetic polymer (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polyethyleneimine, brush copolymer, etc.); mesoporous silica; gold nanoparticles; and others. Co-delivery of SF and other active agents (glypican-3, hyaluronic acid, apolipoprotein peptide, folate, and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles) for targeted SF nanosystems and synergistic drug combinations are also highlighted. All these studies showed promising results for targeted treatment of HCC and other cancers by SF-based nanomedicines. The outlook, challenges and future opportunities for the development of SF-based drug delivery are presented.

Cancer is threatening the survival of human beings all over the world. Phototherapy (including photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT)) and bioimaging are important tools for imaging–mediated cancer theranostics. Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) dyes have received more attention due to their high thermal and photochemical stability, efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and thermal effects, easy functionalization, and tunable photophysical properties. In this review, we outline the latest achievements of DPP derivatives in cancer therapy and imaging over the past three years. DPP-based conjugated polymers and small molecules for detection, bioimaging, PTT, photoacoustic imaging (PAI)-guided PTT, and PDT/PTT combination therapy are summarized. Their design principles and chemical structures are highlighted. The outlook, challenges, and future opportunities for the development of DPP derivatives are also presented, which will give a future perspective for cancer treatment.

Iodine ion is one of the most indispensable anions in living organisms, particularly being an important substance for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Curcumin is a yellow-orange polyphenol compound derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., which has been commonly used as a spice and natural coloring agent, food additives, cosmetics as well as Chinese medicine. However, excess curcumin may cause DNA inactivation, lead to a decrease in intracellular ATP levels, and trigger the tissue necrosis. Therefore, quantitative detection of iodine and curcumin is of great significance in the fields of food and life sciences. Herein, we develop nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon dots (NCDs) as a multi-mechanism detection for iodide and curcumin in actual complex biological and food samples, which was prepared by a one-step solid-phase synthesis using tartaric acid and urea as precursors without adding any other reagents. An assembled NCDs-Hg2+ fluorescence-enhanced sensor for the quantitative detection of I− was established based on a fluorescence “turn-off-on” mechanism in a linear range of 0.3–15 μM with a detection limit of 69.4 nM and successfully quantified trace amounts of I− in water samples and urine sample. Meanwhile, the as-synthesized NCDs also can be used as a fluorescent quenched sensor for curcumin detection based on the synergistic internal filtration effect (IFE) and static quenching, achieving a good linear range of 0.1–20 μM with a satisfactory detection limit of 29.8 nM. These results indicate that carbon dots are potential sensing materials for iodine and curcumin detection for the good of our health.

Abstract Background Iodine plays an important role in pregnancy. How to maintain adequate iodine intake amongst pregnant women in each trimester of pregnancy to prevent adverse birth outcomes in central China is a challenge for clinical practice. Methods 870 pregnant women and their infants were enrolled in the study. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Maternal and newborn information were obtained during follow-up. Multinomial logistic regression models were established. Results Median UIC of pregnant women was 172 ± 135 μg/L which is currently considered to be sufficient. Multivitamin supplements containing iodine, iodized salt intake and frequent milk intake were significantly associated with higher UIC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that multivitamin supplements containing iodine and milk consumption were risk factors for more than adequate iodine (UIC ≥ 250 μg/L). Iodine-rich diet was significantly related to heavier birthweight, larger head circumference and longer femur length of the newborns while more than adequate iodine intake (UIC ≥ 250 μg/L) was a risk factor for macrosomia. Logistic regression models based on potential risk factors involving iodine containing supplements and iodine-rich diet were established to predict and screen pregnant women with high risk of more than adequate iodine intake among local pregnant women in different trimesters and guide them to supplement iodine reasonably to prevent the risk. Conclusions Multivitamin supplements containing iodine and milk consumption were risk factors for maternal UIC ≥ 250 μg/L which was a risk factor for macrosomia. Iodine monitoring models were established to provide guidance for pregnant women to reduce the risk of more than adequate iodine intake, thereby contributing to reduce the risk of having a macrosomia.

PurposeMicroRNA-497 (miR-497) is previously reported to target fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and regulates cardiac injury, while their value in predicting drug-induced cardiotoxicity is not reported. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the correlation of miR-497/FGF-23 with neoadjuvant/adjuvant trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients.MethodsA total of 97 HER2-positive surgical breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant/adjuvant trastuzumab contained regimens were enrolled; then, their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum were collected at baseline, after neoadjuvant treatment, at 3 months (M3), 6 months (M6), 9 months (M9), and 12 months (M12) after surgery. The PBMC was used for miR-497 measurements, and the serum was used for FGF-23 measurements. The cardiotoxicity events and incidence were recorded.ResultsA total of 24 (24.7%) patients occurred cardiotoxicity during the treatment period. MiR-497 decreased from baseline (median: 0.955) to M12 after surgery (median: 0.602) (p

The simulated star map generated by the dynamic star simulator cannot meet the current demand for calibration of the star map recognition rate of the star sensor due to the huge amount of guide star catalog data and the slow retrieval process. This paper proposes the guide star equipartition method, which makes the constant number of each sub-region of the guide star catalog basically the same. This method first divides the declination at equal intervals through the field of view of the dynamic star simulator, and then determines the interval of the right ascension by the average number of stars with magnitude Mv that can be photographed in the field of view of the star sensor. The SAO (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) catalog containing 5103 stars in the whole celestial sphere is divided into 452 sub-areas by the average number of guide stars. After the division, the guide star retrieval time is about 8ms, and the refresh rate of the simulated star map is increased by more than three times. The real-time requirements of the dynamic star simulator have been improved. Based on this, a star map simulation software is designed, which can realize the division of star catalogs with different fields of view and different magnitude thresholds.

Relaxor-type ferroelectrics show important potential in energy storage fields due to their significantly enhanced energy performance and good temperature stability compared to normal ferroelectrics. Here, a novel, high-performance ternary composition, (0.4−x)BiFeO3-xBi(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3–0.6BaTiO3 (x = 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4), was designed by compositional modulation, which displays typical relaxor characteristics. The optimum energy storage properties can be attained at x = 0.35, accompanied by energy efficiency of 84.87%, a promising energy storage density of 2.3 J/cm3 and good temperature stability of less than 10% over 20–160 °C. Moreover, the samples provide stable cycling fatigue after 105 cycles and a fast discharge time of t0.9 < 0.1 μs, indicative of promising applications in energy units.

Abstract Background Intima-media thickness (IMT) and small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) have been reported to be related to atherosclerosis and stroke. This study is trying to explore the association between IMT and sdLDL-C in Chinese acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) subjects. Methods This study enrolled total 368 consecutive AIS patients and 165 non-AIS controls from November 2016 to February 2019. Mean IMT and carotid plaques were measured by using carotid ultrasonography method. Blood glucose and lipid parameters were measured by using an automatic biochemical instrument. SdLDL-C was detected by using the Lipoprint LDL system. IMT > 1.0 mm was defined as increased IMT. Plaque stability based on the nature of the echo was determined by ultrasound examination. Risk factors for IMT were identified by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. A logistic regression model was established to predict AIS risk. Python software (Version 3.6) was used for the statistical analysis of all data. Results The carotid IMT, proportion of plaques, and the sdLDL-C, triglycerides (TG) and glucose levels were obviously higher in AIS patients than those in controls. SdLDL-C level in the IMT thickening group was higher than that in the normal IMT group. SdLDL-C and total cholesterol (TC) were risk factors for IMT, while sdLDL-C was an independent risk factor. The IMT value of the unstable plaque group was markedly higher than that of the stable plaque group. The predictive value of IMT for AIS was better than that of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) but not as good as that of sdLDL-C. A logistic regression model was established to predict AIS risk. Additionally, carotid IMT and sdLDL-C were closely related to AIS severity and outcomes. Conclusions SdLDL-C and TC were risk factors for increased IMT, while sdLDL-C was an independent risk factor. A prediction model based on IMT and other variables was established to screen the population with high AIS risk.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi, an obligate intracellular pathogen of the intestinal epithelium, is commonly identified in humans and many other animals and is ubiquitous in water sources and the environment generally. To determine the molecular prevalence of E. bieneusi in edible bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana) and evaluate the possibility of its potential zoonotic transmission to humans via food or water, the intestinal contents of 295 bullfrogs were intermittently collected from two open markets in Aksu, China. The samples were screened for the internal transcribed spacer by polymerase chain reaction amplifications, revealing that 20.7% (61/295) of them were infected with E. bieneusi, with no significant differences found between the two sampling locations (p > 0.05). Twenty-two different E. bieneusi genotypes were identified, including one known genotype (EbpC) and 19 novel ones (named BLC1 to BLC19). The zoonotic genotype EbpC was identified in most of the E. bieneusi-positive samples (65.6%, 40/61). The remaining genotypes were identified in either one or three samples each. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that 20 of the E. bieneusi genotypes belonged to Group 1. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infections in edible bullfrogs. Our findings suggest that E. bieneusi can be maintained in edible bullfrogs and potentially transmitted via food or water. It is possible that these amphibians are unsuspected zoonotic reservoirs of E. bieneusi. Keywords: Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Bullfrogs, Genotype, Zoonotic

Abstract The advances in wearable/flexible electronics have triggered tremendous demands for flexible power sources, where flexible nanogenerators, capable of converting mechanical energy into electricity, demonstrate its great potential. Here, recent progress on flexible nanogenerators for mechanical energy harvesting toward self‐powered systems, including flexible piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerator, is reviewed. The emphasis is mainly on the basic working principle, the newly developed materials and structural design as well as associated typical applications for energy harvesting, sensing, and self‐powered systems. In addition, the progress of flexible hybrid nanogenerator in terms of its applications is also highlighted. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives toward flexible self‐powered systems are reviewed.

Low-rank coal (LRC) can be converted to high value-added naphthalene and its alkylated derivatives through low-temperature catalytic pyrolysis. In this paper, the catalytic pyrolysis of Beisu LRC in a fixed-bed at low temperature was investigated. And the catalytic effects of HZSM-5, low-temperature carbocoal (LtC), and LtC-HZSM-5 on the content and yield of naphthalene oil were examined. The results showed that the generation of naphthalene oil in low-temperature LRC pyrolysis (LT-LP) process could be improved when LtC (prepared at 550 °C) or HZSM-5 was individually used as a catalyst. Compared with sole pyrolysis of raw LRC, the addition of the LtC-HZSM-5 catalyst increased the content of naphthalene oil from 11.19 wt.% to 31.49 wt%. And the yield of naphthalene oil was increased from 1.07 wt% to 5.31 wt%. The reactions of micromolecular hydrogen-containing radicals (·MHCR) were optimized by LtC. ·MHCR could be captured in relatively low-temperature region (200–400 °C) and released at high temperature by LtC. The generation of phenolics was inhibited by HZSM-5. As a result, the naphthalene oil-rich tar was obtained through low-temperature LtC-HZSM-5 catalytic pyrolysis of Beisu LRC.

To comprehensively evaluate the fate of nitrogen (N) through erosion and leakage, and to reveal the constitution of the whereabouts for fertilizer N on a sloping red soil cultivated with peanut, two treatments with three repetitions of conventional fertilization and no fertilization were set up according to the N-balance method. Lysimetric devices were adopted to observe the output of N in terms of loss, plant use, and residual N under natural rainfall in 2017 and 2018 in De’an, Poyang Lake Basin, China. The results showed that (1) leaching water was the main pathway of N output from runoff (including erosion and leakage), and the TN (total N) concentration of each surface runoff exceeded surface water Class V standard value of 2.0 mg L−1. (2) The fertilizer N use rate, the residual rate, and the apparent loss rate were 25.19–27.87%, 9.92–14.79%, and 60.02–62.21%, respectively. The apparent fertilizer N loss rate caused by soil erosion and leakage was 0.11–5.90% and 4.27–16.27%, respectively. (3) N losses from surface runoff and leakage were higher in the wet year (2017), whereas the amount of residual N in the soil profile was higher in the dry year (2018). This study provides a scientific basis for the adjustment of crop N fertilization in the study area.

Motor stereotypic behaviors (MSBs) are common in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and human with psychiatric diseases. However, large gaps remain in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that mediate this behavior and whether there are similarities between human and non-human primates that exhibit this behavior, especially at gene expression and gut microbiota levels. The present study combined behavior, blood transcriptome, and gut microbiota data of two groups of captive macaques to explore this issue (i.e., MSB macaques with high MSB exhibition and those with low: control macaques). Observation data showed that MSB macaques spent the most time on MSB (33.95%), while the CONTROL macaques allocated more time to active (30.99%) and general behavior (30.0%), and only 0.97% of their time for MSB. Blood transcriptome analysis revealed 382 differentially expressed genes between the two groups, with 339 upregulated genes significantly enriched in inflammation/immune response-related pathway. We also identified upregulated pro-inflammatory genes TNFRSF1A, IL1R1, and IL6R. Protein–protein interaction network analysis screened nine hub genes that were all related to innate immune response, and our transcriptomic results were highly similar to findings in human psychiatric disorders. We found that there were significant differences in the beta-diversity of gut microbiota between MSB and CONTROL macaques. Of which Phascolarctobacterium, the producer of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), was less abundant in MSB macaques. Meanwhile, PICRUSTs predicted that SCFAs intermediates biosynthesis and metabolic pathways were significantly downregulated in MSB macaques. Together, our study revealed that the behavioral, gene expression levels, and gut microbiota composition in MSB macaques was different to controls, and MSB was closely linked with inflammation and immune response. This work provides valuable information for future in-depth investigation of MSB and human psychiatric diseases.