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Aim Methods Results Conclusions To compare the efficacy and safety of a fixed‐ratio combination of insulin glargine 100 U/mL plus lixisenatide (iGlarLixi) with premixed insulin, insulin degludec plus insulin aspart (IDegAsp), in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) suboptimally controlled with oral antidiabetic drug(s) (OADs).In Soli‐D, a 24‐week, multicentre, open‐label, study, insulin‐naïve adults were randomized 1:1 to once‐daily injections of iGlarLixi (n = 291) or IDegAsp (n = 291), with continued metformin ± sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitors. The primary endpoint was non‐inferiority in HbA1c change from baseline to week 24. Key secondary endpoints included superiority in HbA1c change and body weight (BW) change at week 24. Hypoglycaemia rates were also assessed.At week 24, iGlarLixi showed non‐inferiority and superiority over IDegAsp in HbA1c reduction (least squares [LS] mean difference: −0.20 [95% confidence interval {CI}: –0.33, −0.07]; P < .001 for non‐inferiority; [97.5% CI: –0.35, −0.05]; P = .003 for superiority). iGlarLixi decreased BW and IDegAsp increased BW from baseline to week 24, with a statistically significant LS mean difference of −1.49 kg in favour of iGlarLixi (97.5% CI: –2.32, −0.66; P < .001). Event rates (per person‐year) for American Diabetes Association (ADA) Level 1, 2 or 3 hypoglycaemia were lower for iGlarLixi (1.90) versus IDegAsp (2.72) (relative risk: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.98). No ADA Level 3 hypoglycaemia or unexpected safety findings were reported.In Chinese people with T2D suboptimally controlled with OADs, once‐daily iGlarLixi provided better glycaemic control with BW benefit and lower hypoglycaemia event rates versus IDegAsp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous cultivation of tobacco could cause serious soil health problems, which could cause bacterial soil to change to fungal soil. In order to study the diversity and richness of fungal community in tobacco-growing soil under different crop rotation, three treatments were set up in this study: CK (tobacco continuous cropping); B (barley-tobacco rotation cropping) and R (oilseed rape-tobacco rotation cropping). The results of this study showed that rotation with other crops significantly decreased the soil fungal OTUs, and also decreased the community richness, evenness, diversity and coverage of fungal communities. Among them, B decreased the most. In the analysis of the composition and structure of the fungal community, it was found that the proportion of plant pathogens Nectriaceae decreased from 19.67% in CK to 5.63% in B, which greatly reduced the possibility of soil-borne diseases. In the analysis of the correlation between soil environmental factors and fungal communities, it was found that Filobasidiaceae had a strong correlation with TP and AP, and Erysiphaceae had a strong correlation with TK and AK. NO3−-N and NH4+-N were the two environmental factors with the strongest correlation with fungal communities. The results of this study showed that rotation with other crops slowed down the process of soil fungi in tobacco-growing soil and changed the dominant species of soil fungi community. At the same time, crop rotation changed the diversity and richness of soil fungal community by changing the physical and chemical properties of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micromechanical characterization of brittle ceramics remains challenging due to the difficulty in sample preparation required by conventional tests. The micromechanical properties (e.g., elastic modulus E IT , indentation hardness H IT , and fracture toughness K IC) of ZrO 2 and Si 3 N 4 were investigated by indentation and scratch tests with different indenters (e.g., Vickers, Knoop, and Berkovich indenters) under various loads. The ratio of the true hardness by the Vickers indenter over that by the Knoop indenter is approximately a constant of 1.13 and independent of material. Elastic recovery of residual imprint by the Knoop indenter was also used to assess elastic modulus of ZrO 2 and Si 3 N 4 , and modified equations were proposed. The length of Vickers indenter-induced cracking was found to be proportional to the applied load under large loads, and a modified formula for calculating fracture toughness was proposed for ZrO 2 and Si 3 N 4 , which have relatively large fracture toughness of about 9 MPa⋅m1/2. The critical void volume fraction f * in the nanoindentation energy-based methods was found to linearly decrease with the exponent m f of the power-law equation used for curve fitting of the degradation of H IT or E IT with h max. The determination of fracture toughness by scratch methodology was found to be affected by mechanical properties of material, indenter geometry, and data range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photomultiplication type organic photodetectors (PM‐OPDs) exhibit obvious superiority in weak light detection due to their low dark current density (JD) and large photo‐induced current density (JPI). The JD is one of the important parameters that influences light detection sensitivity of PM‐OPDs, how to effectively suppress the JD is a great challenge to improve the performance of PM‐OPDs. In this work, the JD of PM‐OPDs can be suppressed by employing PTAA or doped‐PTAA as the interfacial layer replacing PEDOT:PSS layer. The PM‐OPDs with PTAA layer exhibit a low JD of 2.3 × 10−7 A cm−2 under −6 V bias, which is much smaller than 1.4 × 10−6 A cm−2 for PM‐OPDs with PEDOT:PSS layer. The small molecule DRCN5T is incorporated into PTAA to further passivate surficial defects of PTAA films, which is conducive to reducing the leakage current of PM‐OPDs. The optimal PM‐OPDs exhibit rather low JD of 8.4 × 10−8 A cm−2 under −6 V bias, as well as external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 31700% and specific detectivity (D*) of 1.2 × 1013 Jones at 370 nm. The signal‐noise‐ratio of optimal PM‐OPDs arrives to 89600 under −4.5 V bias under white light illumination with intensity of 1.5 mW cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalized laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) has a broader application prospect than that of traditional casting. In this paper, the composition and corrosion resistance of the passive film formation mechanism of TC4 prepared by optimization of PBF-LB/M techniques and traditional casting were systematically studied in 0.9 wt.% NaCl at 37 °C by electrochemical technique and surface analysis. The rates of the passive film formation process, corrosion resistance and composition of TC4 show different characteristics for the different preparation processes. Although the rate of passive film formation of cast-TC4 was higher at the initial immersion, the open circuit potential was more positive, and the film thickness was larger after stabilization, those facts show no positive correlation with corrosion resistance. On the contrary, with no obvious defects on the optimized PBF-LB/M-TC4, the passive film resistance is 2.5 times more, the defect concentration is reduced by 30%, and the TiO2 content is higher than that of the cast-TC4, making the martensitic-based PBF-LB/M-TC4 exhibit excellent corrosion resistance. This also provides good technical support for the further clinical application of PBF-LB/M-TC4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative adversarial network (GAN) can generate diverse and high-resolution images for data augmentation. However, when GAN is applied to the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) dataset, the generated categories are not of the same quality. The unrealistic category will affect the performance of the subsequent automatic target recognition (ATR). To overcome the problem, we propose a reinforced constraint filtering with compensation afterwards GAN (RCFCA-GAN) algorithm to generate SAR images. The proposed algorithm includes two stages. We focus on improving the quality of easily generated categories in Stage 1. Then, we record the categories that are hard to generate and compensate by using traditional augmentation methods in Stage 2. Thus, the overall quality of the generated images is improved. We conduct experiments on the moving and stationary target acquisition and recognition (MSTAR) dataset. Recognition accuracy and Fréchet inception distance (FID) acquired by the proposed algorithm indicate its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-performance Al2O3-PF composite coating was prepared on the surface of polymer matrix composite materials using supersonic high-energy plasma spraying technology. The bonding strength between the composite coating and the matrix was used as the evaluation index. The spraying process parameters were optimized using orthogonal experimental design method. Subsequently, the optimal process was verified based on single-factor experimental method, further exploring the influence mechanism of Ar flow rate, spraying current, spraying voltage, and second powder feeding position on the composite coating. Analysis shows that spray voltage, Ar flow rate, and spray current have a significant impact on the experimental results and are the main influencing factors; the second powder feeding position has a relatively small impact on the experimental results and is a secondary influencing factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normally, aluminum-based (Al-based) anti-corrosion coatings are prepared by flame spraying and other coating technologies to improve the corrosion resistance of metal materials in the marine environment. However, the prepared coatings are usually found to be poor in quality owing to the shortcomings of traditional thermal spraying technologies, such as flame spraying, including the low jet temperature and low particle in-flight velocity. In this paper, pure Al coatings and Al/SiC composite coatings were prepared on the surface of low-carbon steel by innovatively adopting plasma transferred wire spraying technology and making full use of the technological advantages of plasma spraying. In addition, the experiments have shown that larger SiC particles play a role in shot peening during the spraying process, allowing Al droplets to spread and overlap more fully, effectively improving the density of the coating and reducing defects such as pores and cracks in the coating. However, there is no significant effect on improving the bonding strength of the coating. Therefore, the porosity of pure Al coating and Al/SiC composite coating is 3.9% and 2.5%, respectively; the microhardness is 36 HV0.1 and 102 HV0.1, respectively, increasing by about three times; the bonding strength with the matrix is 39.0 and 36.5 MPa, respectively; the corrosion resistance of Al/SiC composite coating is significantly better than that of pure Al coating, and the wear rate is reduced by 7 times compared to pure Al coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global concern over arsenic contamination in water due to its natural occurrence and human activities has led to the development of innovative solutions for its detection and remediation. Microbial metabolism and mobilization play crucial roles in the global cycle of arsenic. Many microbial arsenic-resistance systems, especially the ars operons, prevalent in bacterial plasmids and genomes, play vital roles in arsenic resistance and are utilized as templates for designing synthetic bacteria. This review novelty focuses on the use of these tailored bacteria, engineered with ars operons, for arsenic biosensing and bioremediation. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using synthetic bacteria in arsenic pollution treatment. We highlight the importance of genetic circuit design, reporter development, and chassis cell optimization to improve biosensors' performance. Bacterial arsenic resistances involving several processes, such as uptake, transformation, and methylation, engineered in customized bacteria have been summarized for arsenic bioaccumulation, detoxification, and biosorption. In this review, we present recent insights on the use of synthetic bacteria designed with ars operons for developing tailored bacteria for controlling arsenic pollution, offering a promising avenue for future research and application in environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel method for seepage control in calcareous sand using microbially induced Ca-Alginate polymeric sealant, which was achieved by the reaction between supplied alginate and microbially induced Ca2+ ions directly derived from calcareous sand. This approach includes two steps: (i) microbially induced soluble Ca2+ generated inside the pores of calcareous sand through a bio-acidification process using activated sludge and (ii) reacting with supplied alginate to form Ca-alginate polymeric sealant via the in situ gelation. With the effect of Ca-alginate polymeric sealant, the seepage rate of the calcareous sand was intensely decreased to the level of 10–9 m/s from an initial 10–4 m/s when 5 g/L of alginate was applied. In this way, a low seepage rate of calcareous sand was achieved which was able to remove heavy metal ions and suspended solids from the wastewater sludge. A model test was also carried out to assess the erosion resistance of Ca-alginate treated calcareous sand dam subjected to wave attack. Built on the current research, the proposed polymeric sealant is a promising method for the reduction of seepage, formation barriers for coastal construction on the island, and remediation of specific contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes to incorporate text mining into critical discourse analysis (CDA) to give a corpus-assisted discourse study of the particular ways of imagining Hong Kong's relations to China in the public speeches of three former Chief Executives in the two decades after its handover. With the computer-assisted text-mining tool KH Coder, this study combines the methods of quantitative text mining and qualitative discourse analysis to examine their preferential ways of imagining China at different levels of discourse: (1) topics/themes, (2) discursive strategies, and (3) linguistic means and realizations. It generates illuminating findings concerning their preferential ways of imagining Hong Kong's relations to China as well as the analytic potential of incorporating text mining into CDA. It is expected that it can lead to more studies towards this endeavour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Materials and Methods Results Conclusion The RHCE gene plays an important role in the complex and polymorphic Rh blood group system. RHCE genotyping holds significant clinical and transfusion‐related implications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of RHC/c genotyping in the Chinese Han population.Blood samples were obtained from 653 Chinese Han blood donors. The serological RhD and RhCcEe types were determined using monoclonal antibodies. Subsequently, multiplex real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed for RHC and RHc genotyping. Additionally, exon 2 of RHCE and exon 1 of RHD were sequenced.The analysis in this study found 443 RhD‐positive donors and 210 RhD‐negative donors. Among the 653 total donors, discrepancies between the RHC genotyping results and the serological results were found in 37 individuals. Specifically, 6 false‐positive RhC results in RhD‐positive donors and 28 false‐positive RhC results in RhD‐negative donors were identified based on c.48C in RHCE exon 1. Additionally, 3 false‐negative RhC results were observed in the RhD‐positive donors due to a 109 bp insertion in RHCE intron 2. RHc typing demonstrated complete consistency between the real‐time PCR and the serological results.In the Chinese Han population, RHC genotyping was reliable when consistent results were achieved by both c.48C‐based and 109 bp insertion‐based genotyping. Moreover, RHc genotyping based on c.203A and c.307C polymorphic loci demonstrated dependable performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a highly lethal form of lung cancer. Despite advancements in treatments, managing LUAD is still challenging due to its aggressive behavior. Recent studies indicate that various molecular pathways, including the dysregulation of ferredoxin 1 (FDX1), play roles in LUAD progression. FDX1, a crucial protein in cellular redox reactions and energy metabolism, has been linked to several cancers. However, its exact role in the development of LUAD is not yet fully understood. Methods: We investigated the role of ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) in LUAD progression through analysis of its expression in LUAD tissues and its impact on patient survival. Functional assays were performed to assess the effects of FDX1 overexpression on LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. A xenograft model was employed to evaluate the tumorigenesis potential of LUAD cells with FDX1 overexpression. Mechanistic insights into FDX1 regulation were gained through depletion experiments targeting the G protein-regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 2 (GPRIN2)/PI3K signaling pathway. Results: FDX1 expression was down-regulated in LUAD tissues, correlating with shorter patient survival. Overexpression of FDX1 suppressed LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and inhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanistically, the GPRIN2/PI3K signaling pathway was implicated in FDX1 regulation, as depletion of GPRIN2 reversed the effects of FDX1 overexpression on cellular functions. Conclusions: Our findings highlight FDX1 as a potential tumor suppressor in LUAD, acting through modulation of the GPRIN2/PI3K signaling pathway. These results suggest FDX1 as a promising therapeutic target for LUAD treatment, warranting further investigation into its clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic outcomes of patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) remain unsatisfactory, largely because the underlying mechanisms of eosinophilic inflammation are uncertain. Here, it is shown that the nasal secretions of ECRS patients have high eosinophil extracellular trap (EET) and cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) levels. Moreover, the cfDNA induced EET formation by activating toll‐like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling. After demonstrating that DNase I reduced eosinophilic inflammation by modulating EET formation, linear polyglycerol‐amine (LPGA)‐coated TiS2 nanosheets (TLPGA) as functional 2D nanoplatforms with low cytotoxicity, mild protein adsorption, and increased degradation rate is developed. Due to the more flexible linear architecture, TLPGA exhibited higher cfDNA affinity than the TiS2 nanosheets coated with dendritic polyglycerol‐amine (TDPGA). TLPGA reduced cfDNA levels in the nasal secretions of ECRS patients while suppressing cfDNA‐induced TLR9 activation and EET formation in vitro. TLPGA displayed exceptional biocompatibility, preferential nasal localization, and potent inflammation modulation in mice with eosinophilic inflammation. These results highlight the pivotal feature of the linear molecular architecture and 2D sheet‐like nanostructure in the development of anti‐inflammation nanoplatforms, which can be exploited for ECRS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTwo novel cadmium compounds (me2-4,4'-H2bipy)9[(CdCl3)-HCl-(CdCl3)](CdCl3)4(CdCl4)6 (1) and (me2-4,4'-H2bipy)9[(CdCl3)-HCl-(CdCl3)]3[CdCl4(H2O)]6 (2) (me = methyl; 4,4'-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine) have been synthesized through solvothermal reactions and their crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The me2-4,4'-H2bipy moiety was obtained via in situ reactions. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that both compounds are crystallized in the P3(–)1c space group of the hexagonal system and both are characterized by a 0-D isolated structure. Powder photoluminescent characterization reveals that compounds 1 and 2 show an emission in the blue or red region of the spectrum. Compounds 1 and 2 possess wide energy band gaps of 3.49 and 5.01 eV as found by the solid-state UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to strengthen the safety management of coal slurry preparation systems, a dynamic risk assessment method was established by using the bow-tie (BT) model and the Structure-variable Dynamic Bayesian Network (SVDBN). First, the BT model was transformed into a static Bayesian network (BN) model of the failure of a coal slurry preparation system by using the bow-tie model and the structural similarity of the Bayesian cognitive science, based on the SVDBN recursive reasoning algorithm. The risk factors of the coal slurry preparation system were deduced using the Python language in two ways, and at the same time, preventive measures were put forward according to the weak links. In order to verify the accuracy and feasibility of this method, the simulation results were compared with those obtained using GeNIe software. The reasoning results of the two methods were very similar. Without considering maintenance factors, the failure rate of the coal slurry preparation system gradually increases with increasing time. When considering maintenance factors, the reliability of the coal slurry preparation system will gradually be maintained at a certain threshold, and the maintenance factors will increase the reliability of the system. The proposed method can provide a theoretical basis for the risk assessment and safety management of coal slurry preparation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We conducted a systematic evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy and complications of tolterodine and α-adrenergic receptor blockers in alleviating ureteral stent-related symptoms. Methods: Until August 2023, we conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and complications of tolterodine and α-adrenergic receptor blockers in treating ureteral stent-related symptoms. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. The scores from various domains of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) were summarized and compared, and statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.0 software. Results: A total of 8 studies met the inclusion criteria for our analysis. These studies were conducted at different centers. All studies were randomized controlled trials, involving a total of 487 patients, with 244 patients receiving α-adrenergic receptor blockers and 243 patients receiving tolterodine. The results showed that tolterodine demonstrated significantly better improvement in body pain (MD, 1.56; 95% CI [0.46, 2.66]; p = 0.005) (MD, 0.46; 95% CI [0.12, 0.80]; p = 0.008) (MD, 3.21; 95% CI [1.89, 4.52]; p = 0.00001) among patients after ureteral stent placement compared to α-adrenergic receptor blockers at different time points. Additionally, at 4 weeks, tolterodine showed superior improvement in general health (MD, 0.15; 95% CI [0.03, 0.27]; p = 0.01) and urinary symptoms (MD, 1.62; 95% CI [0.59, 2.66]; p = 0.002) compared to α-adrenergic receptor blockers, while at 6 weeks, tolterodine showed better improvement in work performance (MD, -1.60; 95% CI [-2.73, -0.48]; p = 0.005) compared to α-adrenergic receptor blockers. Additionally, the incidence of dry mouth (RR, 4.21; 95% CI [1.38, 12.87]; p = 0.01) is higher with the use of tolterodine compared to α-adrenergic receptor blockers. However, there were no significant statistical differences between the two drugs in other outcomes. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that tolterodine is superior to α-adrenergic receptor blockers in improving physical pain symptoms after ureteral stent placement, while α-adrenergic receptor blockers are more effective than tolterodine in enhancing work performance. Additionally, the incidence of dry mouth is higher with the use of tolterodine compared to α-adrenergic receptor blockers. However, higher-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to further investigate this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a class of impulsive neutral stochastic partial differential equations in real Hilbert spaces. The main goal here is to consider the Trotter-Kato approximations of mild solutions of such equations in the pth-mean (p ≥ 2). As an application, a classical limit theorem on the dependence of such equations on a parameter is obtained. The novelty of this paper is that the combination of this approximating system and such equations has not been considered before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maca extract may regulate oxidative stress and muscle damage after exhaustive endurance exercise (EEE); however, its impact on these physiological activities remains obscure. To examine the effects of Maca extract supplementation on oxidative stress, muscle damage and aerobic capacity after EEE. Twenty healthy men were assigned to Maca or placebo groups and received two doses per day for 12 weeks. Pre- and post-EEE tests assessed levels of oxidative stress and muscle damage. The EEE test also recorded metrics such as time to exhaustion, peak oxygen consumption, and maximal and average heart rates. Post-exercise, there was no significant difference in oxidative stress markers between the Maca and placebo groups. However, the Maca group exhibited lower stress levels at both Post-4 and Post-24 in comparison to Post-0, while the placebo group only displayed a decrease at Post-4. Notably, Maca extract supplementation immediately increased catalase activity at Post-0. Though muscle damage markers did not significantly differ, the slope of CK elevation in the Maca group appeared lower than the Placebo group, suggesting Maca’s potential in preventing muscle damage. However, no differences were noted on aerobic capacity markers. Maca extract may have some beneficial effects on reducing oxidative stress and possibly muscle damage after EEE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a mammalian pro‐oxidant protease and it is closely related to severe infections and diverse inflammatory diseases. Rapid and sensitive measurement of MPO activity is essential for anticancer drug discovery and inflammatory research. Herein, we demonstrate the construction of an oxidative cleavage‐activated deoxyribozymes (DNAzyme) biosensor for rapid detection and cellular imaging of the MPO activity. When target MPO is present, the phosphorothioate (PS)‐modified hairpin probe is site‐specifically cleaved by MPO, releasing the intact Mg2+‐dependent DNAzyme sequences. Subsequently, the activated DNAzyme initiates the cyclic cleavage of the signal probe with the assistance of cofactor Mg2+, liberating large numbers of Cy5 molecules. This assay possesses the characteristics of easy operation, low sample consumption, without the requirements of expensive radiolabeling, antibodies, and nanomaterials. Especially, this assay can be performed in one pot under isothermal conditions (37°C) within 60 min. Due to the high efficiency of DNAzyme‐based cyclic cleavage reaction and the intrinsic advantages of single‐molecule detection, this assay achieves high sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.74×10−3 ng μL−1. It can be applied to screen MPO inhibitors, measure cellular MPO activity at the single‐cell level, and image intracellular MPO in living cells, providing a powerful platform for early clinical diagnosis and drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring optimal building performance is vital for enhancing student activity comfort and fostering energy-saving initiatives toward low-carbon objectives. This paper focuses on university student centers in China, aiming to diminish building energy consumption while enhancing indoor thermal comfort. Parametric modeling of typical cases is executed using the Grasshopper 1.0.0007 software package, and the simulation of building energy consumption and indoor thermal comfort relies on the Ladybug and Honeybee plug-in. Employing a multi-objective optimization design method and the Octopus multi-objective optimization algorithm, this study integrates numerical simulations and on-site surveys to analyze how factors like building form, orientation, envelope structure, and others impact the indoor and outdoor environment. A comprehensive optimization design approach is implemented for the building's exterior components, including the walls, windows, roof, and shading system. After conducting a comparative analysis of the annual comprehensive energy consumption and indoor thermal comfort before and after the optimization plan, it is determined that implementing these measures reduces the annual comprehensive energy consumption of the building under study by 58.8% and extends the duration of indoor thermal comfort by 53.0%. This study presents a practical optimization design methodology for university student center architecture in China, aiding architects in decision making and advocating for energy-efficient building designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short-term prediction of single well production can provide direct data support for timely guiding the optimization and adjustment of oil well production parameters and studying and judging oil well production conditions. In view of the coupling effect of complex factors on the daily output of a single well, a short-term prediction method based on a multi-agent hybrid model is proposed, and a short-term prediction process of single well output is constructed. First, CEEMDAN method is used to decompose and reconstruct the original data set, and the sliding window method is used to compose the data set with the obtained components. Features of components by decomposition are described as feature vectors based on values of fuzzy entropy and autocorrelation coefficient, through which those components are divided into two groups using cluster algorithm for prediction with two sub models. Optimized online sequential extreme learning machine and the deep learning model based on encoder-decoder structure using self-attention are developed as sub models to predict the grouped data, and the final predicted production comes from the sum of prediction values by sub models. The validity of this method for short-term production prediction of single well daily oil production is verified. The statistical value of data deviation and statistical test methods are introduced as the basis for comparative evaluation, and comparative models are used as the reference model to evaluate the prediction effect of the above multi-agent hybrid model. Results indicated that the proposed hybrid model has performed better with MAE value of 0.0935, 0.0694 and 0.0593 in three cases, respectively. By comparison, the short-term prediction method of single well production based on multi-agent hybrid model has considerably improved the statistical value of prediction deviation of selected oil well data in different periods. Through statistical test, the multi-agent hybrid model is superior to the comparative models. Therefore, the short-term prediction method of single well production based on a multi-agent hybrid model can effectively optimize oilfield production parameters and study and judge oil well production conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the epiretinal fibrotic membrane by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a primary pathological change for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) is an antifibrogenic factor in various cells. To date, it is still unknown whether BMP6 can interfere with the fibrogenesis of RPE cells during the progression of PVR. This work aimed to address the relationship between BMP6 and transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2)-elicited fibrogenesis of RPE cells, an experimental model for studying PVR in vitro. The BMP6 level was down-regulated, while the TGF-β2 level was up-regulated in the vitreous humor of PVR patients. The BMP6 level was down-regulated in human RPE cells challenged with TGF-β2. The treatment of RPE cells with TGF-β2 resulted in significant increases in proliferation, migration, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling. These effects were found to be inhibited by the overexpression of BMP6 or exacerbated by the knockdown of BMP6. BMP6 overexpression reduced the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK in TGF-β2-stimulated RPE cells, while BMP6 knockdown showed the opposite effects. The inhibition of p38 or JNK partially reversed the BMP6-silencing-induced promoting effects on TGF-β2-elicited fibrogenesis in RPE cells. Taken together, BMP6 demonstrates the ability to counteract the proliferation, migration, EMT, and ECM remodelling of RPE cells induced by TGF-β2. This is achieved through the regulation of the p38 and JNK MAPK pathways. These findings imply a potential connection between BMP6 and PVR, and highlight the potential application of BMP6 in therapeutic interventions for PVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean paste, a traditional fermented condiment, exhibits distinct quality attributes by its microbial communities. This study employed Illumina sequencing and LC–MS to scrutinize the bacterial biota and metabolome of highly preserved (HP) and easily spoiled (ES) soybean pastes. Firmicutes were prevalent in both pastes, with HP showcasing greater microbial α‐diversity compared to ES pastes. Bacillus predominated in HP pastes, whereas Lactobacillus was most abundant in ES pastes. Significant metabolic differences were observed between HP and ES samples in lipids, peptides, nucleic acids, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, protein digestion, amino acid metabolism, inflammatory mediator regulation, and neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin biosynthesis. Lactobacillus exhibited positive associations with daidzein and 3,4,5‐trihydroxypentanoylcarnitine, whereas Bacillus showed negative correlations with 1,n6‐ethenoadenosine, 2‐deoxy‐2,3‐dehydro‐n‐acetyl‐neuraminic acid, 3,4,5‐trihydroxypentanoyl carnitine, and fructosyl valine. These findings highlight the collaborative impact of bacterial communities and metabolites on soybean paste quality attributes. This research enhances our comprehension of preservation mechanisms in fermented foods, particularly soybean pastes. Practical Application: The investigation would provide insights into the soybean pastes fermentation, safe and quality control methods, bio‐preservative development strategies, and so on of soybean pastes for related studies and the consumers. Bacteria and their metabolites could be used to optimize the fermentation processes for the preservative and safe regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing awareness of marine ecological environment, biocide-free marine antifouling coatings have been gaining increased attention in the field of marine antifouling. Among all the antifouling approaches, constructing fouling-release coatings (FRCs) may be the most effective and economical way caused by the biocide-free. However, the low mechanical strength, weak adhesion to substrates, and poor static fouling resistance of traditional silicone-based FRCs, which limiting their applications. In this work, we synthesized a polyurethane with hydroxyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as main chains, 2,2'-Bis (hydroxymethyl)butyric acid (DMBA) as chain extender, and γ-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (KH-550) as crosslinker by condensation polymerization. Meanwhile, Triclosan (TCS) was used as an antibacterial agent and mixed into the polymer system with uniformly dispersed. We introduced urethane groups into silicone, which improved the mechanical strength (ultimate tensile strength: 1.379 MPa, elongation at break: 282%). As a result, the laboratory bioassays using bacteria (E. coli, and S. aureus) showed that the anti-bacterial efficiency could respectively reach ∼95% and ∼93%, which demonstrated an outstanding antifouling property of the D:K = 0.7:1.3/1.0. This work overcomes the low strength issue of traditional fouling-release coatings and provides a simple strategy for silicone-based polyurethane antifouling coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide versus insulin glargine in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) by baseline body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: Participants with T2D from the Phase 3 SURPASS‐AP‐Combo trial (NCT04093752) were categorized into three BMI subgroups (normal weight [<25 kg/m2], overweight [≥25 and <30 kg/m2], and obese [≥30 kg/m2]) according to World Health Organization criteria. Exploratory outcomes including glycaemic control, body weight, cardiometabolic risk, and safety were compared among three tirzepatide doses (5, 10 or 15 mg) and insulin glargine. Results: Of 907 participants, 235 (25.9%) had a BMI <25 kg/m2, 458 (50.5%) a BMI ≥25 to <30 kg/m2, and 214 (23.6%) a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 at baseline. At Week 40, all tirzepatide doses led to a greater reduction in mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c; −2.0% to −2.8% vs. −0.8% to −1.0%, respectively) and percent change in body weight (−5.5% to −10.8% vs. 1.0% to 2.5%, respectively) versus insulin glargine, across the BMI subgroups. Compared with insulin glargine, a higher proportion of tirzepatide‐treated participants achieved treatment goals for HbA1c and body weight reduction. Improvements in other cardiometabolic indicators were also observed with tirzepatide across all the BMI subgroups. The safety profile of tirzepatide was similar across all subgroups by BMI. The most frequent adverse events with tirzepatide were gastrointestinal‐related events and decreased appetite, with relatively few events leading to treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: In participants with T2D, regardless of baseline BMI, treatment with tirzepatide resulted in statistically significant and clinically meaningful glycaemic reductions and body weight reductions compared with insulin glargine, with a safety profile consistent with previous reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resin materials feature exceptional physical properties and inexpensive cost, but unfavorable surface characteristics, such as low wear resistance and poor erosion wear performance, render them tough to satisfy greater demands. The potential option is to prepare supersonic plasma sprayed Al 2 O 3 -13 wt%TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 -phenolic resin (AT13/Al 2 O 3 -PF) coating on the surface of the resin matrix. AT13 feedstocks are classified into two types: Al 2 O 3 -13 wt%TiO 2 powder prepared by the agglomeration granulation process (AT13-1) and the mixture of spherical Al 2 O 3 and TiO 2 (approximately 13 wt%) powder (AT13-2). The effect of component dispersion on mechanical and tribological characteristics of coatings was thoroughly investigated, as well as the solid particle erosion wear behavior of coatings. The results illustrated that the evenly dispersed TiO 2 phase in AT13-1 coating was prone to homogenize the coating structure, resulting in better tribological characteristics than AT13-2 coating, although erosion wear performance was inferior to AT13-2 coating. The wear rate of AT13-1 coating was 1.36 × 10−5 mm3 (N m)−1, which was 1/21 times that of AT13-2 coating. At the 60° erosion angle, the high porosity of AT13-1 coating resulted in hard phase cracking or hard phase debonding. The high microhardness of AT13-2 coating reduced erosion wear at the 90° erosion angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered oxide cathode materials have good structural stability and high capacity, making them ideal cathode materials of Na-ion batteries (SIBs). Nonetheless, the irreversible phase transitions and metal dissolution often result in poor cycling stability. Here, a simple strategy was developed to Na 2 MoO 4 and MoO 3 coated Na 0.67 Fe 0.15 Cu 0.1 Mn 0.65 Ni 0.1 O 2 (NFCMN-M) as cathode material of SIBs with ultrahigh cycling stability caused by the enhanced kinetic. The formed Na 2 MoO 4 layer on the surface of Na 0.67 Fe 0.15 Cu 0.1 Mn 0.65 Ni 0.1 O 2 (NFCMN) particles supplies a good conductive connection, and inhibits side effects between cathode material and electrolyte. Thanks to the unique component, the as-prepared NFCMN-M shows a good rate performance with a reversible discharge capacity of 132.4, 112.6, 102.3, 87.1 and 79.3 mAh g−1 at 0.1, 0.5, 1, 3 and 5C, respectively. The NFCMN-M also delivers an initial capacity of 73.7 mAh g−1 at 10C and an ultrahigh cycling stability with a capacity retention rate of about 80 % after 1000 cycles. The result confirms that the Na 2 MoO 4 modification is a direct and effective strategy to improve the capacity and enhance cycling stability of NFCMN at high charge-discharge rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their novel spin and valley properties, two-dimensional (2D) ferrovalley materials are expected to be promising candidates for next-generation spintronic and valleytronic devices. However, they are subject to various defects in practical applications. Therefore, the electronic, valley, and magnetic properties may be modified in the presence of the defects. In this work, utilizing first-principles calculations, we systematically studied the effects of defects on the electronic, valley, and magnetic properties of the 2D ferrovalley material VSi2N4. It has been found that C doping, O doping, and N vacancies result in the half-metallic feature, Si vacancies result in the metallic feature, and V vacancies result in a bipolar gapless semiconductor. These defect-induced electronic properties can be effectively tuned by changing defect concentration and layer thickness. Since the impurity bands do not affect the K and K′ valleys, valley polarization is well maintained in O-doped and N-defective systems. Importantly, these defects play a crucial role in modifying the magnetic properties of the pristine VSi2N4, especially the magnitude of local magnetic moments and the magnetic anisotropy energy. Detailed analysis of the density of states demonstrates that the variations of the total magnetic moment and magnetic anisotropy energy with biaxial strain are determined by the electronic states near the Fermi level rather than the type of defect, which provides a new understanding of the effects of defects on the magnetic properties of 2D materials. Moreover, the layer thickness can affect the magnetic coupling between defects and surrounding V atoms. Our results offer insight into the electronic, valley, and magnetic properties of VSi2N4 in the presence of various point defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective passivation of defects at the buried interface between the perovskite absorber and hole‐selective layer (HSL) is crucial for achieving high performance in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Additionally, the HSL needs to possess compact molecular packing and intrinsic photo‐ and thermo‐stability to ensure long‐term operation of the devices. In this study, a novel MeO‐BTBT‐based self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) is reported to serve as an efficient HSL in inverted PSCs. Compared to the well‐established carbazole‐containing SAM MeO‐2PACz, MeO‐BTBT has flat and more extended conjugation with large atomic radius of the sulfur atom. These induce stronger intermolecular interactions to enable more ordered and compact SAM to be formed on indium–tin oxide (ITO) substrates. Meanwhile, the sulfur atoms in MeO‐BTBT can coordinate with Pb2+ ions to passivate the defects at the buried interface of perovskite absorber. The derived perovskite films show both high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (13.2%) and a long lifetime (7.2 µs). The PSCs based on MeO‐BTBT show a PCE of 24.53% with an impressive fill factor of 85.3%. The PCEs of MeO‐BTBT‐based devices can maintain ≈95% of their initial values after being aged at 65 °C for more than 1000 h or continuous operation under 1‐sun illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to compare bone scintigraphy and dual-layer detector spectral CT (DLCT) with multiphase contrast enhancement for the diagnosis of osteoblastic bone lesions in patients with prostate cancer. The patients with prostate cancer and osteoblastic bone lesions detected on DLCT were divided into positive bone scintigraphy group (pBS) and negative bone scintigraphy group (nBS) based on bone scintigraphy. A total of 106 patients (57 nBS and 49 pBS) was included. The parameters of each lesion were measured from DLCT including Hounsfield unit (HU), 40–140 keV monochromatic HU, effective nuclear numbers (Zeff), and Iodine no water (InW) value in non-contrast phase (N), the arterial phase (A), and venous phase (V). The slope of the spectral curve at 40 and 100 keV, the different values of the parameters between A and N phase (A-N), V and N phase (V-N), and hybrid prediction model with multiparameters were used to differentiate pBS from nBS. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to compare the area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating the pBS group from the nBS group. The value of conventional HU values, slope, and InW in A-N and V-N, and hybrid model were significantly higher in the pBS group than in the nBS group. The hybrid model of all significant parameters had the highest AUC of 0.988, with 95.5% sensitivity and 94.6% specificity. DLCT with arterial contrast enhancement phase has the potential to serve as an opportunistic screening tool for detecting positive osteoblastic bone lesions, corresponding to those identified in bone scintigraphy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider geodesic motions in Kerr–Sen–AdS4 spacetime. We obtain equations of motion for light rays and test particles. Using parametric diagrams, we show some regions where radial and latitudinal geodesic motions are allowed. We analyze the impact of parameters related to the dilatonic scalar on the orbit and find that it will result in more rich and complex orbital types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are gaining significant interest as an attractive substitute for traditional fuel cells, with higher energy density, lower environmental pollution, and better operation efficiency. However, the cathode reaction, i.e., the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), is widely proved to be inefficient, and therefore an obstacle to the widespread development of PEMFCs. The requirement for affordable highly‐efficient ORR catalysts is extremely urgent to be met, especially at fuel cell level. Unfortunately, most previous reports focus on the ORR performance at rotating disk electrodes (RDE) level instead of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) level, making it harder to evaluate ORR catalysts operating under real vehicle conditions. Obviously, it is extremely necessary to develop an in‐depth understanding of the structure‐activity relationship of highly‐efficient ORR catalysts applied at MEA level. In this work, an overview of the latest advances in ORR catalysts is provided with an emphasis on their performance at MEA level, hoping to cover the novel and systemic insights for innovative and efficient ORR catalyst design and applications in PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Our team once proposed a correction of transitional zone index (CTZI) based on the transitional zone index (TZI) in view of achieving a more precise prediction of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmia (OTVA). The predictive accuracy of these two electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithms has not been validated and compared. The purpose of this study was to compare the predictive accuracy of TZI and CTZI in a much larger population with idiopathic OTVA. Methods: The predictive accuracy of TZI and CTZI was compared in 695 individuals with idiopathic premature ventricular complex or ventricular tachycardia which exhibited a left bundle branch block pattern and inferior axis QRS morphology. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, decision curve analysis, and calibration curve were used to compare the predictive accuracy of TZI and CTZI. Results: TZI and CTZI manifested the similar area under the curve. While a TZI of <0 predicted a left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) origin with a high specificity of 88.2% but a low sensitivity of 67.1%, a CTZI of <0 yielded a high sensitivity of 84.3% but a low specificity of 59.5% in the overall analysis. Similar results were yielded in the sub-analysis of participants with a precordial transition occurring at lead V3. In the sub-analysis of participants with a TZI = 0, CTZI demonstrated a bit higher but not satisfactory predictive accuracy than TZI. Conclusion: Based on the scientific spirit of self-criticism and seeking truth from facts, our team disproves the correction of TZI proposed previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava is susceptible to mites, especially Tetranychus cinnabarinus. Secondary metabolism products such as flavonoids play an important role as antimicrobial metabolites protecting plants against biotic stressors including fungal, pathogen, bacterial, and pest defense. The chalcone synthase (CHS) is the initial step of the phenylpropanoid pathway for producing flavonoids and is the gatekeeper of the pathway. Until recently, the CHS genes family has not been systematically studied in cassava. Thirty-nine CHS genes were identified from the cassava genome database. Based on phylogenetic and sequence composition analysis, these CHSs were divided into 3 subfamilies. Within the same subfamily, the gene structure and motif compositions of these CHS genes were found to be quite conserved. Duplication events, particularly segmental duplication of the cassava CHS genes, were identified as one of the main driving force of its expansion. Various cis-elements contained in the promoter might regulate the gene expression patterns of MeCHS. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis showed that MeCHS1 and MeCHS10 protein are more closely related to other family members. The expression of MeCHS genes in young leaves was higher than that in other tissues, and their expression varies even within the same tissue. Coincidentally, these CHS genes of most LAP subclasses were highly expressed in young leaves. The verified MeCHS genes showed consistent with the real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and proteomic expression in protected and affected leaves respectively, indicating that these MeCHS genes play crucial roles in the response to T. cinnabarinus. This study is the first to comprehensively expatiate the information on MeCHS family members. These data will further enhance our understanding both the molecular mechanisms and the effects of CHS genes. In addition, the results will help to further clarify the effects on T. cinnabarinus and provide a theoretical basis for the potential functions of the specific CHS gene in resistance to mites and other biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe cold chain is an integral part of the modern food industry. Low temperatures can effectively alleviate food loss and the transmission of foodborne diseases caused by microbial reproduction. However, recent reports have highlighted shortcomings in the current cold chain technology’s ability to prevent and control cold-tolerant foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, it has been observed that certain cold-chain foods have emerged as new sources of infection for foodborne disease outbreaks. Consequently, there is a pressing need to enhance control measures targeting cold-tolerant pathogens within the existing cold chain system. This paper aims to review the recent advancements in understanding the cold tolerance mechanisms of key model organisms, identify key issues in current research, and explore the potential of utilizing big data and omics technology in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-assembly of cluster-based halide framework materials has been a matter of great interest but with great challenges. Herein, by exploiting hexamethylenetetramine (Hmta) with Td symmetry as a structural modifier, we successfully constructed and systematically characterized an unusual three-dimensional (3D) hybrid bromoargentate, namely K[NH4][Ag4Br6(Hmta)] (1), bearing a diamond-type [Ag4Br6(Hmta)]n2n− anionic skeleton built up from adamantane-like units of inorganic [Ag4Br6] clusters and organic Hmta ligands. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance analysis showed that the optical bandgap of the title compound was 2.68 eV, indicating a visible-light-responsive semiconductive behavior. More importantly, upon alternate light illumination, the so-designed compound exhibited remarkable photoelectric switching properties, with photocurrent densities (0.38 and 1.10 μA cm−2 for visible and full-spectrum light, respectively) that compete well with and even exceed those of some high-performance metal halide counterparts. Further theoretical calculations, including band structure, density of states, and wave functions, revealed that compound 1 has a unique valence band and conduction band distribution, rendering it with small effective masses (especially the electrons), which may be responsible for its good photoelectricity. Furthermore, in this work, Hirshfeld surface analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating the training process of neural radiance field holds substantial practical value. The ray sampling strategy profoundly influences the convergence of this neural network. Therefore, more efficient ray sampling can directly augment the training efficiency of existing NeRF models. We propose a novel ray sampling approach for neural radiance field that improves training efficiency while retaining photorealistic rendering results. First, we analyze the relationship between the pixel loss distribution of sampled rays and rendering quality. This reveals redundancy in the original NeRF's uniform ray sampling. Guided by this finding, we develop a sampling method leveraging pixel regions and depth boundaries. Our main idea is to sample fewer rays in training views, yet with each ray more informative for scene fitting. Sampling probability increases in pixel areas exhibiting significant color and depth variation, greatly reducing wasteful rays from other regions without sacrificing precision. Through this method, not only can the convergence of the network be accelerated, but the spatial geometry of a scene can also be perceived more accurately. Rendering outputs are enhanced, especially for texture-complex regions. Experiments demonstrate that our method significantly outperforms state-of-the-art techniques on public benchmark datasets. [Display omitted] • Proposing a redundant hypothesis regarding ray sampling for neural radiance fields. • Devising an efficient ray sampling method guided by pixel regions and depth boundaries. • Readily integrable into most existing NeRF variants. • The entire network is trained in an end-to-end manner using RGB images as supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorisations of social groups involve interpretations of reality that include social cognition, classification of relevant concepts, worldviews and ideologies. To reveal the factors that form the basis for the commonly used terms developed countries and developing countries, this study uses corpus-assisted critical discourse studies to examine how they are represented in United Nations climate change news reports. Results show these two categorisations are constructed through lexico-grammatical patterns that serve generally as Locations specifying the characteristics of various climate change scenarios. In addition, guided by UN mandates, Agents (developed countries) are expected to provide climate funds to Patients or Goals (developing countries) to effectively solve this global problem. The ways in which these patterns are represented in UN news reporting reflect the post-World War II world order and the core value of humanitarianism endorsed by the UN. To address the ongoing problem of insufficient financial support to developing countries, it is proposed that provisions of support be included in the Nationally Developed Contributions of developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Osteosarcoma is a primary malignancy originating from mesenchymal tissue characterized by rapid growth, early metastasis and poor prognosis. Ginsenoside Rg5 (G‐Rg5) is a minor ginsenoside extracted from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer which has been discovered to possess anti‐tumor properties. The objective of current study was to explore the mechanism of G‐Rg5 in the treatment of osteosarcoma by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: Pharmmapper, SwissTargetPrediction and similarity ensemble approach databases were used to obtain the pharmacological targets of G‐Rg5. Related genes of osteosarcoma were searched for in the GeneCards, OMIM and DrugBank databases. The targets of G‐Rg5 and the related genes of osteosarcoma were intersected to obtain the potential target genes of G‐Rg5 in the treatment of osteosarccoma. The STRING database and Cytoscape 3.8.2 software were used to construct the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) platform was used to perform gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. AutoDock vina software was used to perform molecular docking between G‐Rg5 and hub targets. The hub genes were imported into the Kaplan–Meier Plotter online database for survival analysis. Results: A total of 61 overlapping targets were obtained. The related signaling pathways mainly included PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, Proteoglycans in cancer, Lipid and atherosclerosis and Kaposi sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus infection. Six hub targets including PIK3CA, SRC, TP53, MAPK1, EGFR, and VEGFA were obtained through PPI network and targets‐pathways network analyses. The results of molecular docking showed that the binding energies were all less than –7 kcal/mol. And the results of survival analysis showed TP53 and VEGFA affect the prognosis of sarcoma patients. Conclusion: This study explored the possible mechanism of G‐Rg5 in the treatment of osteosarcoma using network pharmacology method, suggesting that G‐Rg5 has the characteristics of multi‐targets and multi‐pathways in the treatment of osteosarcoma, which lays a foundation for the follow‐up experimental and clinical researches on the therapeutic effects of G‐Rg5 on osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies have indicated that circRNAs play an important role in the progression of malignant tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we designed to explore the abnormal expression of hsa_circ_0091579 (circ_0091579) and its role in the pathogenesis of HCC. In this study, the mRNA levels of circ_0091579, miR-1270, and Yes-associated protein (YAP1) were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RNase R and Actinomycin D were used to test the stability of circ_0091579. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to measure cell viability. Tubule formation assay was used to determine the effect of HCC cells on the number of tubes. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot was used for the protein levels. Transwell and wound healing tests were used to measure the abilities of invasion and migration. The effect of circ_0091579 knockdown on tumor growth was verified in vivo by xenograft tumor assay and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter or RIP assay was used to detect the relationship between miR-1270 and circ_0091579 or YAP1. Glutamine metabolism was determined by ELISA and western blot assays. In the present study, we found that circ_0091579 was upregulated in HCC tissues and cells. Inhibited circ_0091579 expression significantly suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells. Moreover, circ_0091579 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Bioinformatic prediction and luciferase assay showed that circ_0091579 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-1270 and YAP1 was a target gene of miR-1270. MiR-1270 silencing could reverse the inhibitory effect of circ_0091579 knockdown on HCC progression, and YAP1 overexpression also could reverse the suppressive effect of circ_0091579 silencing on HCC progression. Meanwhile, miR-1270 inhibitor could invert the negative regulation effect of circ_0091579 silencing on YAP1 expression. Circ_0091579 promoted HCC progression by regulating the miR-1270/YAP1 axis, and our study might offer novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exotic states X(3872) and Z c (3900) have long been conjectured as isoscalar and isovector D ¯ ∗ D molecules. In this work, we first propose the triangle diagram mechanism to investigate their productions in B decays as well as their heavy quark spin symmetry partners, X 2 (4013) and Z c (4020) . We show that the large isospin breaking of the ratio B [ B + → X (3872) K + ] / B [ B 0 → X (3872) K 0 ] can be attributed to the isospin breaking of the neutral and charged D ¯ ∗ D components in their wave functions. For the same reason, the branching fractions of Z c (3900) in B decays are smaller than the corresponding ones of X(3872) by at least one order of magnitude, which naturally explains its non-observation. A hierarchy for the production fractions of X(3872), Z c (3900) , X 2 (4013) , and Z c (4020) in B decays, consistent with all existing data, is predicted. Furthermore, with the factorization ansatz we extract the decay constants of X(3872), Z c (3900) , and Z c (4020) as D ¯ ∗ D (∗) molecules via the B decays, and then calculate their branching fractions in the relevant B (s) decays, which turn out to agree with all existing experimental data. The mechanism we proposed is useful to elucidate the internal structure of the many exotic hadrons discovered so far and to extract the decay constants of hadronic molecules, which can be used to predict their production in related processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genomic heterozygosity has been shown to confer a health advantage in humans and play a protective role in complex diseases. Given osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly polygenic disease, we set out to determine if an association exists between OA and genomic heterozygosity. Results: End-stage knee and hip OA patients and healthy controls were recruited from the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) population. The Arthritis Research UK Osteoarthritis Genetics (arcOGEN) consortium database was utilized as a replication cohort. DNA was extracted from blood samples and genotyped. Individual rates of observed heterozygosity (HetRate) and heterozygosity excess (HetExcess) relative to the expected were mathematically derived, and standardized to a z-score. Logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association between OA and HetRate or HetExcess. A total of 559 knee and hip OA patients (mean age 66.5 years, body mass index (BMI) 33.7 kg/m2, and 55% females) and 118 healthy controls (mean age 56.4 years, BMI 29.5 kg/m2, and 59% female) were included in the NL cohort analysis. We found that OA had an inverse relationship with HetRate and HetExcess with odds ratios of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45–0.91) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.45–0.93) per standard deviation (SD), respectively. The arcOGEN data included 2,019 end-stage knee and hip OA patients and 2,029 healthy controls, validating our findings with HetRate and HetExcess odds ratios of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.56–0.64) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.40–0.47) per SD, respectively. Conclusions: Our results are the first to clearly show evidence, from two separate cohorts, that reduced genomic heterozygosity confers a risk for the future development of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrogen content, structure, and nitrogen cycling play a crucial role in tobacco growth quality, with different preceding crops having varying impacts on tobacco cultivation soil. This study conducted using field experiments, employed three treatments with different preceding crops, namely tobacco, barley, and rapeseed, to investigate the effects of different preceding crops on soil nitrogen structure and the expression levels of soil nitrogen cycling-related functional genes in tobacco cultivation soil. The results indicated that different preceding crops had varying effects on the content of different nitrogen forms in tobacco cultivation soil. Ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were the two nitrogen forms which were most influenced by preceding crops, with the ammonium nitrogen content in soils following barley and rapeseed preceding crops increasing by 82.88% and 63.56%, respectively, compared to sole tobacco cultivation. The nitrate nitrogen content in tobacco cultivation soil was 26.97% higher following barley preceding crops and 24.39% higher following rapeseed preceding crops compared to sole tobacco cultivation. Simultaneously, different preceding crops also affected the expression levels of nitrogen cycling-related genes in tobacco cultivation soil. In the nitrification process, amoA was significantly impacted, with its expression reduced by 64.39% and 72.24% following barley and rapeseed preceding crops, respectively, compared to sole tobacco cultivation. In the denitrification process, except for the narG gene, all other genes were subjected to varying degrees of inhibition when preceded by barley and rapeseed crops. Correlation analysis between soil nitrogen structure and the expression levels of nitrogen cycling-related genes revealed that increased nitrogen levels suppressed the expression of Arch-amoA. Additionally, ammonium nitrogen strongly influenced the expression levels of most soil nitrogen cycling functional genes. In conclusion, preceding crops alter soil nitrogen structure, possibly due to changes in soil microorganisms, and different preceding crops modified the expression levels of nitrogen cycling-related genes in tobacco cultivation soil, consequently affecting the proportions of various nitrogen forms in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the fuzzy adaptive event-triggered tracking control for a certain class of strictly uncertain nonlinear systems subject to partial state constraints as well as output dead-zones. First of all, fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are utilised to approximate the unpredictable items, a fuzzy adaptive observer is intended to enable state estimation. Subsequently, a type of smooth approximate model is introduced to settle the nondifferentiable phenomenon of output dead-zones. To reduce the computational overhead of the communication operation effectively, an improved event-triggered control strategy including a decreasing hyperbolic tangent function related to dead-zone, is applied to determine the actual control input. In addition, the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is fabricated to address the issue of partial state constraint. By theoretical analysis, the reference signal can be precisely tracked by the system output and all closed-loop signals remain uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB). Finally, the constructed controller's effectiveness is validated with two illustrative examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triglyceride glycemic-body mass index (TyG-BMI) is a simple and reliable surrogate for insulin resistance (IR). However, it is still unclear if TyG-BMI has any predictive value in patients having percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The purpose of this study was to examine the TyG-BMI index's prognostic significance and predictive power in patients with STEMI. The study comprised a total of 2648 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent PCI. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as the combination of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and coronary revascularization. The TyG-BMI index was formulated as ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2] × BMI. 193 patients in all experienced MACE over a median follow-up of 14.7 months. There was a statistically significant difference between the Kaplan–Meier survival curves for the TyG-BMI index tertiles (log-rank test, p = 0.019) for the cumulative incidence of MACE. The adjusted HRs for the incidence of MACE in the middle and highest quartiles of the TyG-BMI index compared with the lowest quartile were 1.37 (95% CI 0.92, 2.03) and 1.53 (95% CI 1.02, 2.29), respectively, in the fully adjusted Cox regression model. At six months, one year, and three years, the TyG-BMI area under the curve (AUC) for predicting MACE was 0.691, 0.666, and 0.637, respectively. Additionally, adding the TyG-BMI index to the risk prediction model enhanced outcome prediction. In STEMI patients undergoing PCI, TyG-BMI was independently linked to MACE. TyG-BMI could be a simple and solid way to assess MACE risk and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Talaromyces marneffei is endemic to eastern India, Southeast Asia, and Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in China. It is common in immunocompromised individuals, especially in HIV-infected patients. Case presentation: A 66-year-old male who had a history of hypertension and resided in Shandong Province (Northern China) was admitted for recurrent fever for one month. The patient had recurrent fever, multiple lymphadenopathies, hepatosplenomegaly, a back rash, and a progressive decrease in white blood cells and platelets. Talaromyces marneffei was isolated from peripheral blood and bone marrow after admission, and suspected fungal cells were found via lymph node pathology. The patient's infection secondary to haemophagocytic syndrome continued to worsen despite antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and symptomatic treatment, leading to death due to multiple-organ failure. Conclusion: Although rare, infection due to Talaromyces marneffei in HIV-negative patients has been increasing in recent years, and we should be vigilant about "new" infections in nonendemic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The libration points in the Earth-Moon and Sun-Earth systems are widely regarded as cost-effective gateways into interstellar space. The associated manifold tubes have been utilized by numerous researchers in the development of transfers between distinct systems. In this paper, a five-impulse transfer method, based on the manifold, has been proposed for designing the low-energy transfer trajectory for the Earth-Moon system. The Sun-Earth-Moon-Spacecraft four-body problem is decomposed into two circular restricted three-body problems: Sun-Earth-Spacecraft and Earth-Moon-Spacecraft. Moreover, a time parameter is employed to describe the positional relationship between the Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems, thereby facilitating their conversion. A phase angle is utilized to characterize the position of the Poincare section, and multiple orbital elements, such as orbital altitude and inclination, are considered in the constraints. To solve the design of multi-constrained transfer trajectories, sequential differential correction algorithms are proposed. The results demonstrate that this method can be used to create compliant low-energy transfer trajectories for various combinations of time parameters and phase angles. Additionally, excellent velocity increments and time-of-flight metrics can be found within a single Sun-Earth-Moon conjunction cycle. In parallel, the method is validated by reconstructing transfer trajectories in a bicircular restricted four-body problem model (BCR4BP) of the Sun-Earth/Moon system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping improves resource utilization. Under wide–narrow-row maize (Zea mays) intercropping, maize plants are subjected to weak unilateral illumination and exhibit high photosynthetic performance. However, the mechanism regulating photosynthesis under unilateral weak light remains unknown. We investigated the relationship between photosynthesis and sugar metabolism in maize under unilateral weak light. Our results showed that the net photosynthetic rate (P n) of unshaded leaves increased as the level of shade on the other side increased. On the contrary, the concentration of sucrose and starch and the number of starch granules in the unshaded leaves decreased with increased shading due to the transfer of abundant C into the grains. However, sink loss with ear removal reduced the P n of unshaded leaves. Intense unilateral shade (40% to 20% normal light), but not mild unilateral shade (60% normal light), reduced grain yield (37.6% to 54.4%, respectively). We further found that in unshaded leaves, Agpsl , Bmy , and Mexl-like expression significantly influenced sucrose and starch metabolism, while Sweet13a and Sut1 expression was crucial for sugar export. In shaded leaves, expression of Sps1 , Agpsl , and Sweet13c was crucial for sugar metabolism and export. This study confirmed that unshaded leaves transported photosynthates to the ear, leading to a decrease in sugar concentration. The improvement of photosynthetic performance was associated with altered sugar transport. We propose a narrow-row spacing of 40 cm, which provides appropriate unilateral shade and limits yield reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodent pests not only cause severe agricultural loss but also spread zoonotic pathogens to human beings. Anticoagulant rodenticides are widely used to decrease the population densities of rodents but often lead to the spillover of ectoparasites because fleas and ticks may gather on surviving rodents. Therefore, it is necessary to kill fleas and ticks before culling rodents to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission. In this study, we used a mixture of ivermectin (an antiparasitic drug) and bromadiolone (an anticoagulant rodenticide) to control both rodent and flea/tick abundances. We found that in a laboratory test, 0.01% ivermectin bait was not lethal for greater long‐tailed hamsters after 7 days of treatment, while 0.1% ivermectin bait was lethal for approximately 33% of treated rodents. In a field test, bait containing 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01%, and 0.05% ivermectin decreased the number of fleas per vole of Brandt's voles to 0.42, 0.22, 0.12, and 0.2, respectively, compared with 0.77 in the control group, indicating that 0.01% ivermectin bait performed best in removing fleas. In another laboratory test, bait containing a 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone mixture caused the death of all voles within 6–14 days after the intake of the bait. In the field test, the bait containing 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone reduced the average number of fleas per vole to 0.35, which was significantly lower than the 0.77 of the control group. Our results indicate that a 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone mixture could be used to control both rodents and fleas to minimize the spillover risk of disease transmission when using traditional rodenticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]