Search

Abstract Background Disease prevalence and mean phenotype values differ between many populations, including Inuit and Europeans. Whether these differences are partly explained by genetic differences or solely due to differences in environmental exposures is still unknown, because estimates of the genetic contribution to these means, which we will here refer to as mean genotypic values, are easily confounded, and because studies across genetically diverse populations are lacking. Methods Leveraging the unique genetic properties of the small, admixed and historically isolated Greenlandic population, we estimated the differences in mean genotypic value between Inuit and European genetic ancestry using an admixed sibling design. Analyses were performed across 26 metabolic phenotypes, in 1474 admixed sibling pairs present in a cohort of 5996 Greenlanders. Results After FDR correction for multiple testing, we found significantly lower mean genotypic values in Inuit genetic ancestry compared to European genetic ancestry for body weight (effect size per percentage of Inuit genetic ancestry (se), −0.51 (0.16) kg/%), body mass index (−0.20 (0.06) kg/m2/%), fat percentage (−0.38 (0.13) %/%), waist circumference (−0.42 (0.16) cm/%), hip circumference (−0.38 (0.11) cm/%) and fasting serum insulin levels (−1.07 (0.51) pmol/l/%). The direction of the effects was consistent with the observed mean phenotype differences between Inuit and European genetic ancestry. No difference in mean genotypic value was observed for height, markers of glucose homeostasis, or circulating lipid levels. Conclusions We show that mean genotypic values for some metabolic phenotypes differ between two human populations using a method not easily confounded by possible differences in environmental exposures. Our study illustrates the importance of performing genetic studies in diverse populations.

Abstract The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a keystone species in savanna ecosystems from southern to eastern Africa, and is well known for its spectacular migrations and locally extreme abundance. In contrast, the black wildebeest (C. gnou) is endemic to southern Africa, barely escaped extinction in the 1900s and is feared to be in danger of genetic swamping from the blue wildebeest. Despite the ecological importance of the wildebeest, there is a lack of understanding of how its unique migratory ecology has affected its gene flow, genetic structure and phylogeography. Here, we analyze whole genomes from 121 blue and 22 black wildebeest across the genus’ range. We find discrete genetic structure consistent with the morphologically defined subspecies. Unexpectedly, our analyses reveal no signs of recent interspecific admixture, but rather a late Pleistocene introgression of black wildebeest into the southern blue wildebeest populations. Finally, we find that migratory blue wildebeest populations exhibit a combination of long-range panmixia, higher genetic diversity and lower inbreeding levels compared to neighboring populations whose migration has recently been disrupted. These findings provide crucial insights into the evolutionary history of the wildebeest, and tangible genetic evidence for the negative effects of anthropogenic activities on highly migratory ungulates.

Abstract RNA-binding proteins (RBPs)-RNA networks have contributed to cancer development. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are considered as protein recruiters; nevertheless, the patterns of circRNA-protein interactions in colorectal cancer (CRC) are still lacking. Processing bodies (PBs) formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) are membrane-less organelles (MLOs) consisting of RBPs and RNA. Previous evidence suggests a connection between PBs dynamics and cancer progression. Despite the increasingly acknowledged crucial role of RBPs and RNA in the accumulation and maintenance of MLOs, there remains a lack of specific research on the interactions between PBs-related RBPs and circRNAs in CRC. Herein, we identify that MEX-3 RNA binding family member A (MEX3A), frequently upregulated in CRC tissues, predicts poorer patient survival. Elevated MEX3A accelerates malignance and inhibits autophagy of CRC cells. Importantly, MEX3A undergoes intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs)-dependent LLPS in the cytoplasm. Specifically, circMPP6 acts as a scaffold to facilitate the interaction between MEX3A and PBs proteins. The MEX3A/circMPP6 complex modulates PBs dynamic and promotes UPF-mediated phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) mRNA degradation, consequently leading to the aggressive properties of CRC cells. Clinically, CRC patients exhibiting high MEX3A expression and low PDE5A expression have the poorest overall survival. Our findings reveal a collaboration between MEX3A and circMPP6 in the regulation of mRNA decay through triggering the PBs aggregation, which provides prognostic markers and/or therapeutic targets for CRC.

The monotypic genus Cheliceroides Żabka, 1985 is revalidated based on both molecular sequence data (ultra-conserved elements and protein coding genes of mitochondrial genomes) and morphological evidence. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Cheliceroides is not closely related to Colopsus Simon, 1902, not even in the same tribe, and a comparative morphological study also demonstrates significant differences in the genital structures (i.e. in the shape of embolus, and with or without pocket on epigynum) of the two genera. Therefore, we remove Cheliceroides from the synonymy of Colopsus, and its generic status is revalidated.

Summary: Previous studies have indicated the neuroprotective effect of olfactory mucosa mesenchymal stem cells (OM-MSCs) on brain injury. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) models were established in rats by injecting autologous blood. SENP1 expression was enhanced in neurons but decreased in astrocytes compared to that in OM-MSCs. Overexpression of SENP1 promoted the proliferation and neuronal differentiation, while inhibiting the astrocytic differentiation of OM-MSCs. Conversely, its knockdown had the opposite effect. Moreover, OM-MSCs reduced neurological dysfunction in rats after ICH, and the neuroprotective effect of OM-MSCs could be further enhanced by SENP1 overexpression. In addition, SENP1 promoted mitophagy, which might be related to SENP1-mediated OPTN deSUMOylation. Furthermore, SENP1 promoted neuronal differentiation of OM-MSCs through mitophagy mediated by OPTN. Similar to SENP1, OPTN transfection further enhanced the remission effect of OM-MSC on ICH rats. SENP1 promoted neuronal differentiation of OM-MSCs through OPTN-mediated mitophagy to improve neurological deficits in ICH rats.

Abstract Objective To investigate whether T2-weighted imaging (T2WI)-based intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics can predict extranodal extension (ENE) and prognosis in patients with resectable rectal cancer. Methods One hundred sixty-seven patients with resectable rectal cancer including T3T4N + cases were prospectively included. Radiomics features were extracted from intratumoral, peritumoral 3 mm, and peritumoral-mesorectal fat on T2WI images. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used for feature selection. A radiomics signature score (Radscore) was built with logistic regression analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of each Radscore. A clinical-radiomics nomogram was constructed by the most predictive radiomics signature and clinical risk factors. A prognostic model was constructed by Cox regression analysis to identify 3-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results Age, cT stage, and lymph node-irregular border and/or adjacent fat invasion were identified as independent clinical risk factors to construct a clinical model. The nomogram incorporating intratumoral and peritumoral 3 mm Radscore and independent clinical risk factors achieved a better AUC than the clinical model in the training (0.799 vs. 0.736) and validation cohorts (0.723 vs. 0.667). Nomogram-based ENE (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.625, 95% CI = 1.233–5.586, p = 0.012) and extramural vascular invasion (EMVI) (HR = 2.523, 95% CI = 1.247–5.106, p = 0.010) were independent risk factors for predicting 3-year RFS. The prognostic model constructed by these two indicators showed good performance for predicting 3-year RFS in the training (AUC = 0.761) and validation cohorts (AUC = 0.710). Conclusion The nomogram incorporating intratumoral and peritumoral 3 mm Radscore and clinical risk factors could predict preoperative ENE. Combining nomogram-based ENE and MRI-reported EMVI may be useful in predicting 3-year RFS. Critical relevance statement A clinical-radiomics nomogram could help preoperative predict ENE, and a prognostic model constructed by the nomogram-based ENE and MRI-reported EMVI could predict 3-year RFS in patients with resectable rectal cancer. Key points • Intratumoral and peritumoral 3 mm Radscore showed the most capability for predicting ENE. • Clinical-radiomics nomogram achieved the best predictive performance for predicting ENE. • Combining clinical-radiomics based-ENE and EMVI showed good performance for 3-year RFS. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Several African mammals exhibit a phylogeographic pattern where closely related taxa are split between West/Central and East/Southern Africa, but their evolutionary relationships and histories remain controversial. Bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) and red river hogs (P. porcus) are recognised as separate species due to morphological distinctions, a perceived lack of interbreeding at contact, and putatively old divergence times, but historically, they were considered conspecific. Moreover, the presence of Malagasy bushpigs as the sole large terrestrial mammal shared with the African mainland raises intriguing questions about its origin and arrival in Madagascar. Analyses of 67 whole genomes revealed a genetic continuum between the two species, with putative signatures of historical gene flow, variable F ST values, and a recent divergence time (

The potential risks of vapor intrusion (VI) can arise from low bulk soil contaminant concentration existing in shallow soils beneath a building foundation. To assess VI risks for such a contamination scenario, a comprehensive study was conducted on a factory building located at a trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated site. This study involved the integration of various types of field data, including groundwater, bulk soil, soil gas and indoor air data, along with the utilization of the Vapor Intrusion Screening Level (VISL) calculator. Previously observed high TCE concentrations in soil gas are attributed to accumulation of TCE vapor within the unsaturated soil beneath the building floor, since ground surface is extensively paved at this site. These soil gas data do not directly correlate with the magnitudes of bulk soil and/or groundwater TCE concentration with the linear adsorption model. Soil gas TCE concentration exceeding 107 μg/m3 (or bulk soil concentration exceeding 18.9 mg/kg) observed in shallow soils (at a depth of less than 1 m ) may pose health risk to the workers inside the building due to VI, as we have detected TCE vapor concentrations exceeding indoor air screening level several times in the past. This bulk soil TCE concentration, however, falls below soil pollution control standards for TCE, i.e., 60 mg/kg, in Taiwan. As a result, soil remediation is not considered at this site. Soil gas TCE concentrations have reduced to less than 106 μg/m3 after two years of groundwater remediation work at this site. However, we have observed significantly higher soil gas TCE levels at a depth of 0.5 m compared to other depths. This discrepancy raises suspicions that an amount of TCE may still be trapped within the shallow soils that are not reached by groundwater table.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact, although the majority of recently infected cases have presented with mild to moderate symptoms. Previous clinical studies have demonstrated that Shufeng Jiedu (SFJD) capsule, a Chinese herbal patent medicine, effectively alleviates symptoms associated with the common cold, H1N1 influenza, and COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of SFJD capsules in managing symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection.Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted from May to December 2022 at two hospitals in China. Mild and moderate COVID-19-infected patients presenting respiratory symptoms within 3 days from onset were randomly assigned to either the SFJD or placebo groups in a 1:1 ratio. Individuals received SFJD capsules or a placebo three times daily for five consecutive days. Participants were followed up for more than 14 days after their RT-PCR nucleoid acid test for SARS-CoV-2 turned negative. The primary outcome measure was time to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms from baseline until the end of follow-up.Results: A total of 478 participants were screened; ultimately, 407 completed the trial after randomization (SFJD, n = 203; placebo, n = 204). No statistically significant difference in baseline parameters was observed between the two groups. The median time to alleviate all symptoms was 7 days in the SFJD group compared to 8 days in the placebo group (p = 0.037). Notably, the SFJD group significantly attenuated fever/chills (p = 0.04) and headache (p = 0.016) compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, the median time taken to reach normal body temperature within 24 h was reduced by 7 hours in the SFJD group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.033). No deaths or instances of serious or critical conditions occurred during this trial period; moreover, no serious adverse events were reported.Conclusion: The trial was conducted in a unique controlled hospital setting, and the 5-day treatment with SFJD capsules resulted in a 1-day reduction in overall symptoms, particularly headache and fever/chills, among COVID-19-infected participants with mild or moderate symptoms. Compared to placebo, SFJD capsules were found to be safe with fewer side effects. SFJD capsules could potentially serve as an effective treatment for alleviating mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19.Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.isrctn.com/, identifier ISRCTN14236594.

The escalating environmental changes are imposing multiple pressures on biodiversity conservation, thereby, more attention has been paid to fish diversity and community assembly patterns. Fish diversity in Liaohe River has deteriorated significantly due to overfishing, environmental pollution and other reasons, in addition, no fish survey related research has been published in Liaohe National Park in recent years. In order to study the diversity of fish species in the area and to investigate the presence of any invasive species. This study used eDNA metabarcoding to explore the distribution and diversity of fish communities in the Liaohe National Park. The study showed that a total of 54 species of fish from six orders, 14 families, and 39 genera were detected, meantime, the invasive species Lepomis cyanellus was found at two sampling sites. The α-diversity results showed that estuarine sites had the highest species diversity. The spatial structure of fish communities in the upstream and downstream reaches were similar as indicated by non-metric multidimensional scaling. In our study, the fish community is influenced by both deterministic and stochastic processes, with the stochastic processes being the main factor. The potential existence of L. cyanellus in Liaohe National Park might be resulted from aquaculture, ornamental pet trade, other economic fish farming, artificial release. The relatively low number of fish species in this study may be attributed to the limited number of sampling events and sampling sites. In addition to these factors, over exploitation of resources, water pollution, and the invasion of alien species have directly impacted the biodiversity of aquatic life. The results of this study lay a foundation for the future biodiversity investigation in National Parks of China, meantime, the use of eDNA monitoring is crucial to prevent, to control and limit the spreading of invasive species in advance.

This study aimed to verify the role and feasibility of co-fired fly ash (CFA) as an alternative construction material. It also demonstrated the engineering properties of CFA mortar and compared them with those of pulverized coal fly ash (PCFA) mortar. Further, CFA-PCFA-cement mortar specimens were mixed to produce ternary eco-binder mortars and find the optimal application proportion. The results pointed out that the pozzolanic strength activity index of CFA was 76 %, with only a slight pozzolanic reaction. The sum of the chemical composition (SiO2+Al2O3+Fe2O3) of CFA was insufficient to meet ASTM C618 requirements, and it was deduced that a small amount of CFA should be used as the substitute for cement or fine aggregates. Specimens with CFA replacing fine aggregates contributed to lower water absorption, improved sulfate resistance, and increased compressive strength; Specimens with CFA replacing cement reduced shrinkage and improved sulfate resistance but decreased compressive strength and increased absorption. Blended CFA-cement mortars consisting of 5 % CFA as a replacement material for cement and fine aggregates had excellent engineering properties. Ternary blended CFA-PCFA-cement mortar exhibits superior engineering properties. The optimum proportion is an economy-friendly binder composed of 10 % CFA (5 % as cement and 5 % as fine aggregates) and 10% PCFA (as a replacement for cement).

Artificial sweeteners (AS) are extensively utilized as sugar substitutes and have been recognized as emerging environmental contaminants. While the effect of AS on aquatic organisms has garnered recent attention, their effects on soil invertebrates and gut microbial communities remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we exposed springtails (Folsomia candida) to both single and combined treatments of four typical AS (sucralose [SUC], saccharin [SAC], cyclamate [CYC], and acesulfame [ACE]) at environmentally relevant concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg kg−1 in soil. Following the first-generational exposure, the reproduction of juveniles showed a significant increase under all the AS treatments of 0.1 mg kg−1. The transcriptomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome pathways (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, amino sugar, and nucleotide sugar metabolism, ribosome, and lysosome) in springtails under all AS treatments. Analysis of gut bacterial microbiota indicated that three AS (SUC, CYC, and ACE) significantly decreased alpha diversity, and all AS treatments increased the abundance of the genus Achromobacter. After the sixth-generational exposure to CYC, weight increased, but reproduction was inhibited. The pathways that changed significantly (e.g., extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, lysosome) were generally similar to those altered in first-generational exposure, but with opposite regulation directions. Furthermore, the effect on the alpha diversity of gut microbiota was contrary to that after first-generational exposure, and more noticeable disturbances in microbiota composition were observed. These findings underscore the ecological risk of AS in soils and improve our understanding of the toxicity effects of AS on living organisms.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to analyze the correlation between serum calcium changes and short-term prognosis of patients with acute type A aortic dissection. Methods Patients who underwent acute type A aortic dissection surgery at Fujian Heart Medical Center between June 2019 and June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 383 patients were enrolled. According to the changing track of serum calcium in patients after acute type A aortic dissection, three potential category tracks were determined: high-level (n = 85), medium-level (n = 259), and continuous low-level groups (n = 39). Using the medium-level group as the control, regression analysis showed that poor prognosis risk was increased in the group with continuous low serum calcium (odds ratio = 2.454, P 48 h (odds ratio = 3.595, P

Abstract The rapid diagnosis of respiratory virus infection through breath and blow remains challenging. Here we develop a wireless, battery-free, multifunctional pathogenic infection diagnosis system (PIDS) for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptom severity by blow and breath within 110 s and 350 s, respectively. The accuracies reach to 100% and 92% for evaluating the infection and symptom severity of 42 participants, respectively. PIDS realizes simultaneous gaseous sample collection, biomarker identification, abnormal physical signs recording and machine learning analysis. We transform PIDS into other miniaturized wearable or portable electronic platforms that may widen the diagnostic modes at home, outdoors and public places. Collectively, we demonstrate a general-purpose technology for rapidly diagnosing respiratory pathogenic infection by breath and blow, alleviating the technical bottleneck of saliva and nasopharyngeal secretions. PIDS may serve as a complementary diagnostic tool for other point-of-care techniques and guide the symptomatic treatment of viral infections.

Abstract Objective To develop a mapping algorithm for generating the Short Form Six-Dimension (SF-6D) utility score based on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) of lung cancer patients. Methods Data were collected from 625 lung cancer patients in mainland China. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and principal component analysis were used to evaluate the conceptual overlap between the FACT-L and SF-6D. Five model specifications and four statistical techniques were used to derive mapping algorithms, including ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and beta-mixture regression models, which were used to directly estimate health utility, and ordered probit regression was used to predict the response level. The prediction performance was evaluated using the correlations between the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and the observed and predicted SF-6D scores. A five-fold cross-validation method was used to test the universality of each model and select the best model. Results The average FACT-L score was 103.024. The average SF-6D score was 0.774. A strong correlation was found between FACT-L and SF-6D scores (ρ = 0.797). The ordered probit regression model with the total score of each dimension and its square term, as well as age and sex as covariates, was most suitable for mapping FACT-L to SF-6D scores (5-fold cross-validation: RMSE = 0.0854; MAE = 0.0655; CCC = 0.8197; AEs > 0.1 (%) = 53.44; AEs > 0.05 (%) = 21.76), followed by beta-mixture regression for direct mapping. The Bland‒Altman plots showed that the ordered probit regression M5 had the lowest proportion of prediction scores outside the 95% agreement limit (-0.166, 0.163) at 4.96%. Conclusions The algorithm reported in this paper enables lung cancer data from the FACT-L to be mapped to the utility of the SF-6D. The algorithm allows the calculation of quality-adjusted life years for cost-utility analyses of lung cancer.

探究教學是當前自然科學領域課綱中強調的重要教學方法和特色，且被認為是可解決學習成效的通用方案，但針對偏鄉地區，師資生較缺乏結合當地文化與環境所需具備的教學技能和知識，若能融入地方本位教育特色於教師職前教育課程，才可更有效引導及激發偏鄉學生的潛能、提升自信，進而促其擁有自我實現的能力，此乃現今師資培育所面臨的重要問題。 本研究採混合研究法，以偏鄉國中為教學實踐場域，引導師資生體驗、設計及施行符合偏鄉地方本位特色的探究教學教材，探討其對職前師資培育課程的價值及整體師資生專業知能提升情形。研究對象為修習「物理科教學應用與實作」教程必修課程的15名師資生。研究工具採「教師專業知能量表」；質性部分針對教師反思日誌、教學活動錄影、錄音、師資生反思實踐心得、期末歷程檔案與晤談紀錄等進行資料分析。研究結果顯示，師資生於偏鄉場域實踐教學後，教師專業知能量表的習得、運用、重要程度及總量表之後測均顯著優於前測，師資生對設計與實踐偏鄉地方本位特色探究課程、小組合作學習、探究引導與提問技巧、主動關懷偏鄉教育的責任感等各方面表現亦均有所提升，本研究可供職前師資培育相關課程之參考。 According to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, rural education should fulfill the requirements of quality education and reduce inequality. The concept of “justice in education” should not be limited to resource allocation. Students in rural areas face several disadvantages. Teachers should consider the living conditions of students in rural areas to avoid exacerbating the challenges faced by these students, who often lack interest in education and feel powerless. Inquiry instruction is an important teaching method in the field of natural sciences that aims to improve learning effectiveness. However, in rural areas, preservice teachers often lack the necessary teaching skills and knowledge to integrate local culture and the environment into their teaching practices. If the characteristics of place-based education are integrated into preservice teacher training courses, preservice teachers can develop the ability to guide and stimulate rural students to unlock their potential, increase their confidence, and undergo self-realization. This has become crucial in preservice teacher training. Using a rural junior high school as the site of teaching practice, in this study, preservice teachers were guided to experience, design, and implement an inquiry-based teaching course that incorporated the characteristics of rural place-based education (PBE). The study explored the value of this approach in preservice teacher training courses and how it can enhance overall professional knowledge in preservice teachers. A review of the literature was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a PBE teaching program for enhancing the professional development of teachers. According to the constructivist student-centered perspective in the literature, an innovative PBE inquiry teaching program was proposed. To effectively implement this program, teachers should be familiar with the characteristics of PBE in their field. Teachers should also be able to identify students’ original ideas and ask PBE-related questions to increase students’ learning motivation. Teachers should also guide students to perform inquiry-based activities, facilitating the exchange of ideas among students through communication and interaction. Students should be encouraged to assimilate, adjust, and construct new ideas through critical thinking under conflicting scenarios. Furthermore, students are expected to evaluate and apply these new ideas to new PBE scenarios provided by teachers. Finally, students should reflect on the evolution of their ideas, ultimately developing problem-solving skills in scientific learning and innovative thinking abilities while expanding their knowledge base. In this study, a remote junior high school in the mountainous area of central Taiwan was investigated using a mixed-method approach. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires, and qualitative data were collected through other methods. The research participants were 15 preservice teachers taking a compulsory course titled Application and Practice of Physics Teaching. This course incorporated inquiry-based and place-based teaching methods. The course implementation can be summarized as follows: first, PBE inquiry instruction was provided for 14 weeks to enable preservice teachers to develop a comprehensive understanding of the environment, culture, and place-based characteristics of rural schools. Second, while teaching, preservice teachers were encouraged to apply their prior knowledge gained from daily life experiences and integrate it into natural science inquiry courses. Using this approach, the teachers increased their understanding and appreciation of the natural environment and cultural characteristics specific to rural areas and developed professional knowledge as teachers. For example, when designing teaching activities for ninth-grade students at a rural Bunun school on the topic of “torque and rotational motion,” preservice teachers used hunting traps used by locals, including foot-binding traps and stone traps, as illustrative examples. They also applied the stages of 5E inquiry instruction to guide students through inquiry activities that would deepen students’ understanding of place-based characteristics, highlight the significance of hunting, and showcase the wisdom of the elders of the area. The main research tool used in this study was the Teacher Professional Knowledge Scale questionnaire, which consists of three subscales: acquisition of professional knowledge, application of professional knowledge, and importance of professional knowledge. The questionnaire was administered to the preservice teachers in the first and last weeks of the semester. Qualitative data analysis was also performed. Reflective teaching journals, video and audio recordings of teaching activities, teacher reflections on teaching practices, end-of-term portfolios, and counseling records were obtained to collect qualitative data. The participants exhibited significant improvements in overall scores and in scores across the acquisition, application, and importance subscales. The participants also exhibited improvements in their ability to design and implement inquiry-based courses with rural PBE characteristics and in their ability to effectively participate in group learning, inquiry guidance, and questioning. Furthermore, the participants demonstrated an increased sense of responsibility toward rural students. In summary, by designing and implementing a PBE inquiry-based teaching course, preservice teachers learned how to effectively design and teach an inquiry-based course and gained valuable skills for facilitating group cooperative learning, developing effective questioning techniques for inquiry-based course design, and prioritizing student-centered teaching approaches. Furthermore, by incorporating PBE principles, the participants learned how to integrate the life experiences and local culture of rural students into their lessons, thereby increasing engagement among students. The participants also improved their understanding of science concepts, enhanced their professional competence and development focus, and developed a greater enthusiasm for rural education. These findings can be used as a reference for preservice teacher training courses.

Background: Children with ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are considered to have no difference in cardiopulmonary functional capacity with healthy children of the same age; however, studies have shown contradictory findings. The aim of this study was to assess whether Taiwanese children with VSDs exhibited cardiopulmonary deficits. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study with the data collected from January 2010 to December 2021. All patients and controls (age-, sex-, and body mass index -matched) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and pulmonary function test. Results: In total, 157 VSD patients (80 patients with surgically closed VSDs, 77 patients with unrepaired VSDs) and 157 healthy controls were recruited. Pulmonary function test showed significant among-group differences in maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) (p = 0.015). The surgically closed group had lower MVV compared to the control group. Regarding CPET, we found VSD patients had lower peak oxygen uptake than the controls (surgically closed group: 30.84 ± 6.27 ml/kg/min; unrepaired group: 32.00 ± 5.95 ml/kg/min; control group: 36.76 ± 6.50 ml/kg/min, p

This study aimed to explore the experience of painting appreciation through desktop virtual reality (VR) and a heads-up display (HTC Vive) and compare it with those of a physical painting and album. The study included 52 university students who viewed paintings in all four environments and answered a subjective feelings questionnaire. The results show that the physical paintings generated more positive emotions, such as pleasure, relaxation, and calmness, than virtual paintings. Additionally, the physical paintings were perceived and evaluated as more original, attractive, and valuable. Moreover, among the virtual paintings, the landscape paintings were more popular than abstract ones, whereas among the physical paintings, the abstract paintings were preferred. The head-mounted display made the participants feel uncertain about moving in the physical environment, and the transmission line connecting it to the computer limited their movements. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the quality and ease of interactions in VR environments to make virtual paintings appear as impressive as physical ones.

The Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis is critically involved in treating several diseases; For example, Ang-(1-7) improves inflammatory response and neurological function after traumatic brain injury and inhibits post-inflammatory hypothermia. However, its function in traumatic brain injury (TBI) combined with seawater immersion hypothermia remains unclear. Here, we used a mice model of hypothermic TBI and a BV2 cell model of hypothermic inflammation to investigate whether the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis is involved in ameliorating hypothermic TBI. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blotting assay, and immunofluorescence assay were performed to confirm microglia polarization and cytokine regulation. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and immunohistochemical assay were conducted to assess the extent of hypothermic TBI-induced damage and the ameliorative effect of Ang-(1-7) in mice. An open field experiment and neurological function scoring with two approaches were used to assess the degree of recovery and prognosis in mice. After hypothermic TBI establishment in BV2 cells, the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis induced phenotypic transformation of microglia from M1 to M2, inhibited IL-6 and IL-1β release, and upregulated IL-4 and IL-10 levels. After hypothermic TBI development in mice, intraperitoneally administered Ang-(1-7) attenuated histological damage and promoted neurological recovery. These findings suggest that hypothermia exacerbates TBI-induced damage and that the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis can ameliorate hypothermic TBI and directly affect prognosis.

Summary: Deficiency of DNA repair pathways drives the development of colorectal cancer. However, the role of the base excision repair (BER) pathway in colorectal cancer initiation remains unclear. This study shows that Nei-like DNA glycosylase 1 (NEIL1) is highly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Knocking out neil1 in mice markedly suppresses tumorigenesis and enhances infiltration of CD8+ T cells in intestinal tumors. Furthermore, NEIL1 directly forms a complex with SATB2/c-Myc to enhance the transcription of COL17A1 and subsequently promotes the production of immunosuppressive cytokines in CRC cells. A NEIL1 peptide suppresses intestinal tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice, and targeting NEIL1 demonstrates a synergistic suppressive effect on tumor growth when combined with a nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibitor. These results suggest that combined targeting of NEIL1 and NF-κB may represent a promising strategy for CRC therapy.

Background and objectivePredicting mortality from traumatic brain injury facilitates early data-driven treatment decisions. Machine learning has predicted mortality from traumatic brain injury in a growing number of studies, and the aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of machine learning models in predicting mortality from traumatic brain injury.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis included searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Embase from inception to June 2023, supplemented by manual searches of study references and review articles. Data were analyzed using Stata 16.0 software. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD2023440875).ResultsA total of 14 studies were included. The studies showed significant differences in the overall sample, model type and model validation. Predictive models performed well with a pooled AUC of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.92).ConclusionOverall, this study highlights the excellent predictive capabilities of machine learning models in determining mortality following traumatic brain injury. However, it is important to note that the optimal machine learning modeling approach has not yet been identified.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=440875, identifier CRD2023440875.

Background: Little is known about immediate responses of blood perfusion to the balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) procedure. Objectives: To investigate the changes in pulmonary perfusion of balloon-dilated vessels and untreated vessels with before, immediately after a single BPA and at follow-up. Design: Retrospective single-center cohort study. Methods: Patients who had chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and completed the pulmonary perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging before, immediately after BPA and at follow-up were included. We evaluated the perfusion defects of both-lung, BPA target (balloon dilated) and non-target (untreated) vessel segments according to Begic 3-point scale in each lung segment. Results: Forty patients (40 BPA procedures) were included and were given next BPA after 89 (62–125) days. The hemodynamic parameters including mPAP, PVR, and RAP were significantly improved after a single BPA. Visual scoring results of pulmonary perfusion imaging in 40 BPAs showed the perfusion defect scores of target vessels reduced from 5.6 ± 2.6 to 4.2 ± 2.2 ( p

Wastewater and sewage sludge treatment plants are known to be important entrance routes for microplastics (MPs) into the aquatic environment. Although traditional wastewater treatment plants with primary and secondary purification processes can remove over 99 % of MPs, the majority of these are believed to be deposited into the sewage sludge. This provides a route into the environment, especially if the treated sludge is used as a fertilizer on agricultural land. Although methods do exist for the removal of MPs from water, there are limited studies with sludge. The possibility of using electron beam treatment for the removal of microplastics from wastewater and sewage sludge has been investigated in the laboratory using both tap water and actual sewage sludge. Microplastics were created from six types of plastics in daily use,

Abstract Background In this retrospective study, we aimed to develop a nomogram to predict recurrence during a 1-year period of spinal manipulation/mobilization (SM/M) in patients with low back pain (LBP) with greater pain intensity, more severe comorbid conditions, or a neuropathic component. Methods A total of 786 consecutive patients with LBP treated with SM/M as primary therapy were divided into training (n = 545) and validation (n = 241) sets. Cox regression analyses were used to assess the relative value of clinical factors and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging features associated with recurrence during the 1-year period. Predictors of recurrence with significant differences were used to construct a nomogram in the training set. We evaluated the performance of the model on the training and validation sets to determine its discriminative ability, calibration, and clinical utility. The prognostic value of the nomogram for predicting recurrence was assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results A nomogram comprising hospitalization time, previous history of LBP, disease duration, lumbar range of motion, lower extremity tendon reflex, muscle strength, ratio of herniation to uncompressed dural sac area, and Pfirrmann classification was established for recurrence during a 1-year period after SM/M in patients with LBP. Favorable calibration and discrimination were observed in the nomogram training and validation sets (C-index 0.753 and 0.779, respectively). Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the nomogram. Over a 1-year period, the nomogram showed satisfactory performance in predicting recurrence in LBP after SM/M. Conclusion We established and validated a novel nomogram that can accurately predict a patient's risk of LBP recurrence following SM/M. This realistic prognostic model may aid doctors and therapists in their decision-making process and strategy optimization for non-surgical treatment of LBP using SM/M.

The preparation of an aluminum-mesoporous A1-MCM-41 humidity control material (Al-MHCM) by hydrothermally synthesizing a mixture of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) waste glass and sandblasting (SB) waste was studied. The product has a typical mesoporous structure, with a specific surface area of up to 1013 m2/g, the pore size distribution calculated is 3–4 nm, and the pore volume of 0.97 cm3/g. All the aluminum atoms of the product are in the form of tetrahedral aluminum in the framework, which confirms the successful synthesis of Al-MHCM. Results show that when the hydrothermal synthesis temperature is 105 °C, the product synthesized from a mixture with a Si/Al molar ratio of 41.8 exhibits excellent performance (91.45 m3/m3) in terms of the equilibrium moisture content and moisture adsorption capacity. The results confirm that the equilibrium moisture content of Al-MHCM is better than the rape straw concrete and hemp concrete (9.8–17.8 m3/m3), and that of a diatomite/ground calcium carbonate composite aterial (11.7 m3/m3). The research results are expected to provide a new technology for synthesizing TFT-LCD waste glass and SB waste into novel high value-added humidity control materials. Resumen: Se estudió la preparación de un material de control de humedad de aluminio-mesoporoso A1-MCM-41 (Al-MHCM) mediante la síntesis hidrotermal de una mezcla de vidrio de desecho de pantalla de cristal líquido de transistor de película delgada (TFT-LCD) y desechos de arenado (SB). El producto tiene una estructura mesoporosa típica, con una superficie específica de hasta 1013 m2/g, la distribución del tamaño de poro calculada es de 3-4 nm y el volumen de poro de 0,97 cm3/g. Todos los átomos de aluminio del producto están en forma de aluminio tetraédrico en la estructura, lo que confirma la síntesis exitosa de Al-MHCM. Los resultados muestran que cuando la temperatura de síntesis hidrotermal es de 105 °C, el producto sintetizado a partir de una mezcla con una relación molar Si/Al de 41,8 presenta un excelente rendimiento (91,45 m3/m3) en términos de contenido de humedad de equilibrio y capacidad de adsorción de humedad. Los resultados confirman que el contenido de humedad de equilibrio de Al-MHCM es mejor que el hormigón de paja de colza y el hormigón de cáñamo (9,8–17,8 m3/m3), y que el de un material compuesto de diatomita/carbonato de calcio molido (11,7 m3/m3). Se espera que los resultados de la investigación proporcionen una nueva tecnología para sintetizar residuos de vidrio TFT-LCD y residuos SB en nuevos materiales de control de humedad de alto valor añadido.

Abstract Background Retrograde approach technique has been challenging in percutaneous coronary interventional treatment of chronic total occlusion (CTO) coronary disease. The present study endeavors to determine a novel Chinese scoring system for predicting successful collateral channels traverse via retrograde approach. Methods The demographic characteristics and angiographic characteristics of 309 CTO patient were analyzed by univariable and multivariable analysis for selecting potential predictors. And the nomogram was used to establish the scoring system. Then it was evaluated by the internal and external validation. Results The predictors of Age, Connections between collateral channels and recipient vessels, and Channel Tortuosity (ACT) were identified with univariable and multivariable analysis and employed to the ACT score system. With acceptable calibrations, the area under curve of the scoring system and the external validation were 0.826 and 0.816 respectively. Based on score, the predictors were divided into three risk categories and it showed a consistent prediction power in the validation cohort. Conclusions The novel Chinese ACT score is a reliable tool for predicting successful retrograde collateral traverse.