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The blood brain barrier (BBB) limits the application of most therapeutic drugs for neurological diseases (NDs). Hybrid cell membrane‐coated nanoparticles derived from different cell types can mimic the surface properties and functionalities of the source cells, further enhancing their targeting precision and therapeutic efficacy. Neuroinflammation has been increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various NDs, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, a novel cell membrane coating is designed by hybridizing the membrane from platelets and chemokine (C–C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) cells are overexpressed to cross the BBB and target neuroinflammatory lesions. Past unsuccessful endeavors in AD drug development underscore the challenge of achieving favorable outcomes when utilizing single‐mechanism drugs.Two drugs with different mechanisms of actions into liposomes are successfully loaded to realize multitargeting treatment. In a transgenic mouse model for familial AD (5xFAD), the administration of these drug‐loaded hybrid cell membrane liposomes results in a significant reduction in amyloid plaque deposition, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairments. Collectively, the hybrid cell membrane‐coated nanomaterials offer new opportunities for precise drug delivery and disease‐specific targeting, which represent a versatile platform for targeted therapy in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCow milk consumption (CMC) and downstream alterations of serum metabolites are commonly considered important factors regulating human health status. Foods may lead to metabolic changes directly or indirectly through remodelling gut microbiota (GM). We sought to identify the metabolic alterations in Chinese Peri-/Postmenopausal women with habitual CMC and explore if the GM mediates the CMC-metabolite associations. 346 Chinese Peri-/Postmenopausal women participants were recruited in this study. Fixed effects regression and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were applied to reveal alterations of serum metabolic features in different CMC groups. Spearman correlation coefficient was computed to detect metabolome-metagenome association. 36 CMC-associated metabolites including palmitic acid (FA(16:0)), 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesterin-3-one (7alphaC4), citrulline were identified by both fixed effects regression (FDR < 0.05) and PLS-DA (VIP score > 2). Some significant metabolite-GM associations were observed, including FA(16:0) with gut species Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides sp.D2. These findings would further prompt our understanding of the effect of cow milk on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), persistent environmental pollutants, are found in flue gas from incinerators. While air pollution control systems (APCSs) capture pollutants, the resulting sludge/fly ash (SFA) requires further treatment due to residual PCDEs and other harmful substances. This study investigated a hazardous waste thermal treatment system (HAWTTS) utilizing flameless combustion technology alongside a multistage APCS (scrubbers, cyclone demisters, bag houses). SFA from the APCS was recirculated for secondary combustion. PCDE levels were measured before and after each unit within the HAWTTS. The HAWTTS achieved a remarkable overall PCDE removal efficiency of 99%. However, the incinerator alone was less effective for low-chlorine PCDEs. Scrubbers and bag houses exhibited lower removal efficiencies (17.8% and 30.9%, respectively) due to the memory effect. Conversely, the cyclone demister achieved a high removal rate (98.2%). Following complete APCS treatment, PCDE emissions were significantly reduced to 1.02 ng/Nm3. While SFA still contained some PCDEs, the flameless combustion's uniform temperature distribution enhanced combustion efficiency, minimizing overall PCDE emissions. This system demonstrates significant potential for mitigating PCDE pollution from incinerators. Further research could focus on optimizing treatment processes to address residual PCDEs in SFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, as-received Zn powder and as-prepared Zn@(ZnWO4/ZnO) core–shell powder were used as feedstocks for plasma spraying to prepare Zn-based composite coatings and nano-ZnO was co-deposited by chemical vapor deposition induced by plasma spraying. The composition and morphology were controllable within certain range by plasma spraying power. The photocatalytic activities of the coatings were analyzed by the degradation efficiency of methyl orange (MO) solution. It was found the photocatalytic activity can be improved with ZnWO4 decoration. The Zn/ZnO/ZnWO4 coating which presented tremella-like surface morphology was testified to have the best photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation among all coatings. On the other hand, the chemical surface modification with 1H,1H,1H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17) was implemented to produce superhydrophobic coatings. Among all modified coatings, the ZnWO4-containing coating with tremella-like surface structure presented the best superhydrophobicity. By the cyclic wetting and tape adhesion experiments, the tremella-like structure was proved to make a great improvement on the robustness of the Zn-based superhydrophobic coatings. The superhydrophobic and photocatalytic properties provide the possibility for the application of the coating in the fields of antifouling, antibacterial, and photocatalytic degradation of organics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the tasks required of most statistics researchers and academic faculty is to publish their innovative ideas in the peer‐reviewed literature. In this paper, we provide guidance about the different stages of the process as experienced authors and offer advice from those who hold the decision about the success or failure of these papers, namely the editors of applied statistics journals. The paper is organized into four sections focusing on the different stages of publishing: (1) Planning what to write about, where to submit and how to organize the paper; (2) The process of writing the paper; (3) Interpreting and responding to peer‐reviews from the journal editors and referees to prepare for resubmission; and (4) General comments about the publication process, including collaboration and mentoring. Each section starts with fundamentals provided by the moderators (C.A.C. and L.L.) on key aspects to consider on each topic and then is followed with discussion from some current and past editors of impactful journals in the field of applied statistics. Our hope is that this collection of insights may help accelerate learning about the process for young researchers and help all researchers to understand some of the important often‐unspoken aspects of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to improve workers’ postures and thus reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in human-robot collaboration by developing a novel model-free reinforcement learning method. Background: Human-robot collaboration has been a flourishing work configuration in recent years. Yet, it could lead to workrelated musculoskeletal disorders if the collaborative tasks result in awkward postures for workers. Methods: The proposed approach follows two steps: first, a 3D human skeleton reconstruction method was adopted to calculate workers’ continuous awkward posture (CAP) score; second, an online gradient-based reinforcement learning algorithm was designed to dynamically improve workers’ CAP score by adjusting the positions and orientations of the robot end effector. Results: In an empirical experiment, the proposed approach can significantly improve the CAP scores of the participants during a human-robot collaboration task when compared with the scenarios where robot and participants worked together at a fixed position or at the individual elbow height. The questionnaire outcomes also showed that the working posture resulted from the proposed approach was preferred by the participants. Conclusion: The proposed model-free reinforcement learning method can learn the optimal worker postures without the need for specific biomechanical models. The data-driven nature of this method can make it adaptive to provide personalized optimal work posture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-anesthetic emergence agitation is common after general anesthesia and may cause adverse consequences, such as injury as well as respiratory and circulatory complications. Emergence agitation after general anesthesia occurs more frequently in nasal surgery than in other surgical procedures. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of emergence agitation in patients undergoing nasal surgery who were extubated under deep anesthesia or when fully awake. Methods: A total of 202 patients (18–60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification: I–II) undergoing nasal surgery under general anesthesia were randomized 1:1 into two groups: a deep extubation group (group D) and an awake extubation group (group A). The primary outcome was the incidence of emergence agitation. The secondary outcomes included number of emergence agitations, sedation score, vital signs, and incidence of adverse events. Results: The incidence of emergence agitation was lower in group D than in group A (34.7% vs. 72.8%; p < 0.001). Compared to group A, patients in group D had lower Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale scores, higher Ramsay sedation scores, fewer agitation episodes, and lower mean arterial pressure when extubated and 30 min after surgery, whereas these indicators did not differ 90 min after surgery. There was no difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups. Conclusions: Extubation under deep anesthesia can significantly reduce emergence agitation after nasal surgery under general anesthesia without increasing the incidence of adverse events. Trial registration: Registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04844333) on 14/04/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient thin film composite polyamide (PA) membranes require optimization of interfacial polymerization (IP) process. However, it is challengeable owing to its ultrafast reaction rate coupled with mass and heat transfer, yielding heterogeneous PA membranes with low performance. Herein, a non‐isothermal‐controlled IP (NIIP) method is proposed to fabricate a highly permeable and selective PA membrane by engineering IP at the cryogenic aqueous phase (CAP) to achieve synchronous control of heat and mass transfer in the interfacial region. The CAP also enables the phase transition of the aqueous solution from the liquid to solid state, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved in different phase states in the IP process. Consequently, the PA membrane exhibits excellent separation performance with ultrahigh water permeance (42.9 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and antibiotic desalination efficiency (antibiotic/NaCl selectivity of 159.3). This study provides new insights for the in‐depth understanding of the precise mechanism linking IP to the performance of the targeting membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional repairing of CFRP (continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites) includes complicated steps of patching, splicing, repairing, and post-curing. Intensive labor work needs to be conducted, and poor surface quality and weak interfacial adhesion are usually observed. This work mainly introduces an in situ online repairing method using AM (additive manufacturing) facilitated composite fabrication. With the advances of the robotic-assisted AM process, the surface roughness and accuracy during the repairing process can be evaluated online upon layer-by-layer process. In order to fulfill the efficient and on-site requirements for repairing damage in structural components, this study explores the method including in situ repairing, laser point clouds online collection, and repairing path planning based on multi-axial additive manufacturing of composites. A repair algorithm is proposed incorporating point clouds collection, measurement evaluation, and path planning. Furthermore, relevant mechanical measurements have been conducted, so as to assess the interface degree of recovery. A rapid online evaluation and surface conformal repairing method have been proposed to overcome the technical bottleneck of in situ automatic repairing of damaged composites. It expands the application of multi-axial robot-assisted CFRP AM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, many important formulas of the subtrigonometric, subhyperbolic, pretrigonometric, prehyperbolic, supertrigonometric, and superhyperbolic functions sin Wiman class are developed for the first time. The subsine, subcosine, subhyperbolic sine, and subhyperbolic cosine associated with Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) function and their scaling-law ODEs are proposed. The supersine, supercosine, superhyperbolic sine, and superhyperbolic cosine functions associated with Mittag-Leffler (ML) function and their fractional ODEs are obtained. The conjectures for the supercosine functions containing ML function are presented in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is devoted to the subtrigonometric and subhyperbolic functions in terms of theWiman class for the first time. The conjectures for the subsine and subcosine functions are considered in detail. The Weierstrass–Mandelbrot function is represented as the hyperbolic subsine, and hyperbolic subcosine functions to get new results for the nondifferentiable functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new strategy to develop simple and efficient monochrome and white OLEDs is proposed via doping-free technology, and the resulting all monochrome and white OLEDs achieve complete exciton utilization with maximum EQE beyond 20%, and exhibit the low efficiency roll off. [Display omitted] How to adopt simpler device structure and preparation process to achieve high device performance are the continuous efforts of researchers for promoting the industrialization development of white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) lighting technology. In view of this, vertical stacked multiple interfacial exciplexes with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) character are demonstrated in the same device for the first time by cleverly arranging donor and acceptor layers alternately and precisely controlling the thickness of donor and acceptor layers. Inserting blue phosphorescent ultra-thin emitting layers (Ph-UEMLs) (FIrpic, 0.40 nm) into the interfaces of mCP/PO-T2T-forming multi-interfacial exciplex, the doping-free blue phosphorescent OLED achieves the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 28.15 %, and still maintain at 23.40 % at a luminance of 1000 cd/m2, which is among the best performance for FIrpic-based doping-free devices reported in the literatures. And it is testified that this scheme is universal for structuring other color phosphorescent OLEDs. On this basis, the doping-free white OLEDs are developed by simply incorporating complementary Ph-UEMLs with different order of arrangement and film thickness into the interfaces of above TADF multi-interfacial exciplex. The resulting two-, three-, four-color white OLEDs realize the maximum EQE reaching 21.33 %, 25.38 %, and 24.15 %, respectively. Meanwhile, all white OLEDs also exhibit high color stability, and achieve color rendering index exceeding 80 for optimized three, four-color white devices, indicating a huge potential application. The underlying physical mechanisms for proposed monochrome and white OLEDs are investigated and analyzed in detail. We believe this work offers a new strategy to develop simple and efficient monochrome and white OLEDs via doping-free technology, is of great significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants possess the remarkable ability to integrate the circadian clock with various signalling pathways, enabling them to quickly detect and react to both external and internal stress signals. However, the interplay between the circadian clock and biological processes in orchestrating responses to environmental stresses remains poorly understood. TOC1, a core component of the plant circadian clock, plays a vital role in maintaining circadian rhythmicity and participating in plant defences. Here, our study reveals a direct interaction between TOC1 and the promoter region of MYB44, a key gene involved in plant defence. TOC1 rhythmically represses MYB44 expression, thereby ensuring elevated MYB44 expression at dawn to help the plant in coping with lowest temperatures during diurnal cycles. Additionally, both TOC1 and MYB44 can be induced by cold stress in an Abscisic acid (ABA)‐dependent and independent manner. TOC1 demonstrates a rapid induction in response to lower temperatures compared to ABA treatment, suggesting timely flexible regulation of TOC1‐MYB44 regulatory module by the circadian clock in ensuring a proper response to diverse stresses and maintaining a balance between normal physiological processes and energy‐consuming stress responses. Our study elucidates the role of TOC1 in effectively modulating expression of MYB44, providing insights into the regulatory network connecting the circadian clock, ABA signalling, and stress‐responsive genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO 2 -supported SiC/B 4 C (SiO 2 –SiC/B 4 C) nanowires were synthesized by using SiO 2 @C nanospheres, amorphous B powders and catalyst Ni(NO 3) 2 ·6H 2 O as raw materials, and exhibited remarkable microwave absorbing characteristics. The minimum reflection loss of the SiO 2 –SiC/B 4 C nanowire/paraffin composite reaches −41.33 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth up to 9.69 GHz. The broadband microwave absorption of SiO 2 –SiC/B 4 C nanowires is attributed to the synergistic effect of interfacial polarization relaxation and conduction loss. While conductive loss dominates at low frequencies within 2–8 GHz, polarization loss caused by the heterogeneous interfaces plays an important role at high frequencies, especially between 10 and 16 GHz. The movement of the polarization relaxation peaks to lower frequencies in the composites is further investigated by modeling the relaxation process as a rotating sphere in a viscous fluid. The linear relationship between relaxation time and conductivity indicates that the conductivity is an important factor that affects the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance not only on the impedance matching and attenuation constant of the materials, but also regulates the relaxation time, and this result provides a new idea for exploring the absorption mechanism of EMW absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is considered a promising substitute for traditional fossil fuels because of its widespread sources, high calorific value of combustion, and zero carbon emissions. Electrocatalytic water-splitting to produce hydrogen is also deemed to be an ideal approach; however, it is a challenge to make highly efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are considered the most promising candidate to replace traditional noble metal catalysts. Compared with SACs, dual-atom catalysts (DACs) are capable of greater attraction, including higher metal loading, more versatile active sites, and excellent catalytic activity. In this review, several general synthetic strategies and structural characterization methods of DACs are introduced, and recent experimental advances in water-splitting reactions are discussed. The authors hope that this review provides insights and inspiration to researchers regarding DACs in electrocatalytic water-splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanjing Yunjin, a traditional Chinese silk weaving craft, is celebrated globally for its unique local characteristics and exquisite workmanship, forming an integral part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. However, with the advancement of information technology, the experiential knowledge of the Nanjing Yunjin production process is predominantly stored in text format. As a highly specialized and vertical domain, this information is not readily convert into usable data. Previous studies on a knowledge graph-based Nanjing Yunjin Question-Answering System have partially addressed this issue. However, knowledge graphs need to be constantly updated and rely on predefined entities and relationship types. Faced with ambiguous or complex natural language problems, knowledge graph information retrieval faces some challenges. Therefore, this study proposes a Nanjing Yunjin Question-Answering System that integrates Knowledge Graphs and Retrieval Augmented Generation techniques. In this system, the ROBERTA model is first utilized to vectorize Nanjing Yunjin textual information, delving deep into textual semantics to unveil its profound cultural connotations. Additionally, the FAISS vector database is employed for efficient storage and retrieval of Nanjing Yunjin information, achieving a deep semantic match between questions and answers. Ultimately, related retrieval results are fed into the Large Language Model for enhanced generation, aiming for more accurate text generation outcomes and improving the interpretability and logic of the Question-Answering System. This research merges technologies like text embedding, vectorized retrieval, and natural language generation, aiming to overcome the limitations of knowledge graphs-based Question-Answering System in terms of graph updating, dependency on predefined types, and semantic understanding. System implementation and testing have shown that the Nanjing Yunjin Intelligent Question-Answering System, constructed on the basis of Knowledge Graphs and Retrieval Augmented Generation, possesses a broader knowledge base that considers context, resolving issues of polysemy, vague language, and sentence ambiguity, and efficiently and accurately generates answers to natural language queries. This significantly facilitates the retrieval and utilization of Yunjin knowledge, providing a paradigm for constructing Question-Answering System for other intangible cultural heritages, and holds substantial theoretical and practical significance for the deep exploration and discovery of the knowledge structure of human intangible heritage, promoting cultural inheritance and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes are small vesicles released from cells and are found in various mammalian biological fluids, such as bovine milk, which has been employed in skincare for many years, apart from its dairy applications. In addition, exosomes have been recognized as vehicles for intercellular communication. Aims: In this study, we aimed to investigate the novel effects of bovine milk‐derived exosomes (MK‐Exo) on antiaging in human skin. Methods: Initially, MK‐Exo were co‐cultured with keratinocytes and fibroblasts; subsequent analysis involved qPCR and western blotting to assess induced gene expression. Subsequently, MK‐Exo were topically applied to the facial skin of 31 female volunteers twice daily for 28 days. The functions were evaluated after conducting safety assessments in vivo. Results: Purified MK‐Exo demonstrated the ability to be taken up directly by keratinocytes and fibroblasts in vitro, resulting in the upregulation of natural factors associated with skin moisturization, including filaggrin (FLG), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and CD44 in keratinocytes, as well as hyaluronidase (HAS2) in fibroblasts. Concurrently, MK‐Exo promoted fibroblast cell migration and restored the expression of type I and III collagen (Col I and Col III) following exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Furthermore, phototoxicity, photoallergy, repeated skin irritation, skin allergy, and patch tests confirmed the safety of MK‐Exo for skin application. Finally, we elucidated the roles of MK‐Exo in preserving moisture and reducing wrinkles in humans. Conclusion: Our findings unveil the novel contributions of MK‐Exo to human skin aging, presenting a new avenue in the field of skincare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to study six novel inequalities associated with the Riesz‐type fractional integral operator for synchronous function and bounded function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions Knowledge of taxonomy and species distributions in highly diverse lineages of invertebrates remains too incomplete for the study of biogeographical patterns at the global scale. This limits the understanding of processes leading to the formation and maintenance of boundaries between major biogeographical realms. Site‐based metagenomic approaches may provide an alternative source of data for inference of historical processes of in situ speciation and interchange among biogeographical regions. We applied the methodology to explore the historical biogeography of the Qinling Mountains at the boundary of the Oriental and Palaearctic regions.The focal area in the Qinling Mountains; sites in Borneo, Panama, and Spain, representing the Oriental, Neotropical and Palaearctic faunas.Contemporary.Chrysomelidae, a group of ~40,000 species with worldwide distribution.Mass‐trapped insects were subjected to deep Illumina DNA sequencing and mitochondrial genome assembly, followed by phylogenetic analysis and historical biogeographical inference on a dated tree. The methodology produced 622 mitogenomes (304 newly sequenced) each representing a morphologically distinct species.Ancestral area reconstruction revealed that the Qinling fauna is a composite of distinct clades that, respectively, have Oriental or Palaearctic ancient origins, while in situ speciation and local clade formation were limited. The global diversity of Chrysomelidae consists of regionalised deep clades at the level of the major zoogeographic realms, which remain recognisable where these realms abut in the Qinling mountains. Yet, the Qinling fauna is clearly distinct from the source areas although local lineage ages are generally <20 Ma.The Qinling fauna is a composite of clades that have either Oriental or Palaearctic origin, indicating the important role of immigration at the realm boundary. Global site‐based phylogenetic analyses based on metagenomic sequencing can address previously intractable questions about the historical biogeography of poorly studied groups even without a fully developed taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most deadly human malignancies. Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound with wide-ranging pharmacological effects. Growing evidence suggests that curcumin has anticancer activity against PC, but the mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of curcumin on the invasion and migration of PC cells. Methods: Effect of curcumin on tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI)-2 mRNA expression in PC cells was initially identified using qRT-PCR. Cytotoxicity of curcumin was assessed with MTT assays and IC50 was calculated. Involvement of ERK and JNK pathways, as well as protein expression of TFPI-2 and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers, were detected using immunoblotting. Invasion and migration of PC cells were examined using Transwell assays. TFPI-2 expression was manipulated by transfection with siRNA and shRNA. Rescue assays were used to validate the effect of curcumin on cell invasion and migration via TFPI-2. Results: Curcumin increased the expression of TFPI-2 mRNA and protein in PC cells and attenuated cell invasion and migration. Curcumin also inhibited ERK and JNK pathways and EMT in PC cells. Knockdown of TFPI-2 partially reversed the inhibition of ERK and JNK pathways and EMT by curcumin. Mechanistically, curcumin upregulated TFPI-2, thereby inhibiting the ERK and JNK pathways, leading to the inhibition of EMT in PC cells. Conclusion: Collectively, curcumin inhibits ERK- and JNK-mediated EMT through upregulating TFPI-2, which in turn suppresses the migration and invasion of PC cells. These findings provide new insights into the antitumor mechanism of curcumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Obtaining crystalline materials with high structural stability as well as super proton conductivity is a challenging task in the field of energy and material chemistry. Therefore, two highly stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with macro-ring structures and carboxylate groups, Zr-TCPP (1) and Hf-TCPP (2) assembled from low-toxicity as well as highly coordination-capable Zr(IV)/Hf(IV) cations and the multifunctional linkage, meso -tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine (TCPP) have attracted our strong interest. Note that TCPP as a large-size rigid ligand with high symmetry and multiple coordination sites contributes to the formation of the two stable MOFs. Moreover, the pores with large sizes in the two MOFs favor the entry of more guest water molecules and thus result in high H 2 O-assisted proton conductivity. First, their distinguished structural stabilities covering water, thermal and chemical stabilities were verified by various determination approaches. Second, the dependence of the proton conductivity of the two MOFs on temperature and relative humidity (RH) is explored in depth. Impressively, MOFs 1 and 2 demonstrated the optimal proton conductivities of 4.5 × 10−4 and 0.78 × 10−3 S·cm−1 at 100 °C/98 % RH, respectively. Logically, based on the structural information, gas adsorption/desorption features, and activation energy values, their proton conduction mechanism was deduced and highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient and straightforward copper‐catalyzed sulfanylation of acrylamides with readily available disulfides has been developed. Through 8‐aminoquinoline‐assisted activation of the alkenyl C−H bond, a broad scope of (Z)‐alkenyl sulfides were constructed in moderate to excellent yields with good compatibility of functional groups. Moreover, the bidentate directing auxiliary promotes high regioselectivity of (Z)‐β‐alkenyl sulfides, and enables the excellent performance of copper catalyst in this transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a major microvascular complication of diabetes, is characterized by its complex pathogenesis, high risk of chronic renal failure, and lack of effective diagnosis and treatment methods. GSK3β (glycogen synthase kinase 3β), a highly conserved threonine/serine kinase, was found to activate glycogen synthase. As a key molecule of the glucose metabolism pathway, GSK3β participates in a variety of cellular activities and plays a pivotal role in multiple diseases. However, these effects are not only mediated by affecting glucose metabolism. This review elaborates on the role of GSK3β in DKD and its damage mechanism in different intrinsic renal cells. GSK3β is also a biomarker indicating the progression of DKD. Finally, the protective effects of GSK3β inhibitors on DKD are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) can overcome the blackbody radiation limit and holds great promise in radiative energy conversion devices such as near-field thermophotovoltaics (NF-TPV). However, NF-TPV is not yet ready for practical applications at larger scales due to the challenges of maintaining the nanoscale gap and the lack of optimized NFRHT with nanostructure emitters. Here, we measure the enhanced near-field radiative heat flux between GaSb absorbers and nanostructure emitters that can be applied in NF-TPV systems, with a cm2-scale plate–plate structure and a temperature difference of 100 K at a gap down to 200 nm. It is demonstrated that the radiative heat flux between the bulk W emitter and the absorber at a 400 nm gap is about an order of magnitude larger than that in the far field, and the heat flux can be further enhanced by 1.6 times at a 200 nm gap. Moreover, the enhanced NFRHT from the surface plasmon polaritons supported by a indium tin oxide film and the hyperbolic modes supported by a W/SiO2 multilayer is also experimentally verified and theoretically analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally space‐filling designs have focused on the characteristics of the design in the input space ensuring uniform spread throughout the region. Input‐response space‐filling designs considered scenarios when having good spread throughout the range or region of the responses is also of interest. This paper acknowledges that there is typically uncertainty associated with the values of the response(s) and hence proposes a method, Input‐Response Space‐Filling Designs with Uncertainty (IRSFwU), to incorporate this into the design construction. The Pareto front of designs offers alternatives that balance input and response space filling, while prioritizing input combinations with lower associated response uncertainty. These lower uncertainty choices improve the chances of observing the desired response values. We describe the new approach with an uncertainty‐adjusted distance to measure the response space filling, the Pareto aggregate point exchange algorithm to populate the set of promising designs, and illustrate the method with three examples of different input and response relationships and dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 is continuously evolving. The Omicron subvariant BA.2.86, with >30 mutations in its spike (S) protein compared with its predecessor strain BA.2, was expected to quickly become predominant worldwide, but this has not happened. Instead, its descendant strain, JN.1, with just one additional mutation, has become the predominant SARS-CoV-2 subvariant. Here, we offer a possible explanation for these unexpected consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading cause of cancer-associated death in the world. However, due to the complexity of HCC, it is urgent for us to find a reliable and accurate biomarker for HCC gene therapy.TopBP1-interacting checkpoint and replication regulator (TICRR), known as Treslin in vertebrate and sld3 in yeast, is involved in the tumorigenesis, progression, matastasis, diagnosis, and predicting prognosis of HCC. Disappointingly, the mechanism of TICRR expression in HCC is still not described in detail and requires further analysis. In this study, TCGA (www.tcga-data.nci.nih.gov/tcga/) datasets and GEO (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo) datasets were used to analyze the expression of TICRR in HCC, the relevance of TICRR mRNA expression and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with HCC, and the relationship between TICRR expression and immune infiltration level in Patients with HCC. Based on MethSurv database, the impact of TICRR in patients with HCC was investigated. In addition, GO/KEGG enrichment analysis of TICRR co-expression was performed using the R package. TICRR was found drastically highly expressed in a variety of cancer types including HCC.ROC curve analysis showed that TICRR had higher accuracy in predicting HCC compared with AFP. The expression level of TICRR was marked positively correlated with tumor stage and prognosis in Patients with HCC.GO/KEGG enrichment analysis showed that TICRR was associated with cell division and cell cycle as well as p53 signaling pathway. In addition, patients with high TICRR methylation of cg05841809, cg09403165, and cg03312532 CpG sites were significantly correlated with poor prognosis of HCC. This study demonstrated that increased TICRR expression in HCC might play an important role in the tumorigenesis, progression, diagnosis, and predicting prognosis of HCC. Therefore, TICRR might be used as a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks in birds, humans, and livestock have occurred in multiple areas in Europe and have had a significant impact on animal and human health. The patterns of emergence and spread of WNV in Europe are very different from those in the US and understanding these are important for guiding preparedness activities. Methods: We mapped the evolution and spread history of WNV in Europe by incorporating viral genome sequences and epidemiological data into phylodynamic models. Spatially explicit phylogeographic models were developed to explore the possible contribution of different drivers to viral dispersal direction and velocity. A "skygrid-GLM" approach was used to identify how changes in environments would predict viral genetic diversity variations over time. Findings: Among the six lineages found in Europe, WNV-2a (a sub-lineage of WNV-2) has been predominant (accounting for 73% of all sequences obtained in Europe that have been shared in the public domain) and has spread to at least 14 countries. In the past two decades, WNV-2a has evolved into two major co-circulating clusters, both originating from Central Europe, but with distinct dynamic history and transmission patterns. WNV-2a spreads at a high dispersal velocity (88km/yr–215 km/yr) which is correlated to bird movements. Notably, amongst multiple drivers that could affect the spread of WNV, factors related to land use were found to strongly influence the spread of WNV. Specifically, the intensity of agricultural activities (defined by factors related to crops and livestock production, such as coverage of cropland, pasture, cultivated and managed vegetation, livestock density) were positively associated with both spread direction and velocity. In addition, WNV spread direction was associated with high coverage of wetlands and migratory bird flyways. Conclusion: Our results suggest that—in addition to ecological conditions favouring bird- and mosquito- presence—agricultural land use may be a significant driver of WNV emergence and spread. Our study also identified significant gaps in data and the need to strengthen virological surveillance in countries of Central Europe from where WNV outbreaks are likely seeded. Enhanced monitoring for early detection of further dispersal could be targeted to areas with high agricultural activities and habitats of migratory birds. Author summary: Evidence for the drivers for West Nile virus (WNV) dispersal has been not clear in Europe. Here, we have comprehensively described the dispersal history of the currently predominant WNV lineage in Europe and estimated the contribution of key drivers of spread between and within countries. By fitting several phylodynamic and phylogeographic models, we found that 1) WNV in Europe has a greater lineage diversity than in other regions of the world. 2) Agricultural intensity had the greatest impact on both WNV spread direction and velocity. 3) WNV spread direction was specifically associated with urbanization and bird habitats. 4) Climate change and bio-diversity changes predicted viral genetic diversity over time. Our study revealed that to enhance preparedness for potential outbreaks, it is important to further define these drivers, and increase sampling for WNV in areas that appear to be a source of WNV in other countries in Europe, as well as in regions with known risk factors but where WNV has not yet been detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of α,β-diamino acid derivatives were synthesized from N-phthalyldehydroalanine with different amines by acetic acid catalytic Aza-Michael additions. This reaction achieves C–N bond formation with good functional group tolerance. Under optimized conditions, the desired products of most aromatic and secondary aliphatic amines were obtained in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. The electronic effect and steric effect play the important roles to the reactivity of amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The excretory/secretory (ES) antigen of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) is currently the most widely used diagnostic antigen to detect T. spiralis infection. However, this antigen has certain drawbacks, such as a complicated ES antigen preparation process and lower sensitivity during the early phase of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the features of a novel T. spiralis trypsin (TsTryp) and evaluate its potential diagnostic value for trichinellosis. Methods: The TsTryp gene was cloned and recombinant TsTryp (rTsTryp) expressed. Western blotting and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to confirm the antigenicity of rTsTryp. The expression pattern and distribution signature of TsTryp at various life-cycle stages of T. spiralis were analyzed by quantitative PCR, western blotting and the immunofluorescence test. An ELISA with rTsTryp and ML ES antigens was used to detect immunoglobulins G and M (IgG, IgM) in serum samples of infected mice, swine and humans. The seropositive results were further confirmed by western blot with rTsTryp and ML ES antigens. Results: TsTryp expression was observed in diverse T. spiralis life-cycle phases, with particularly high expression in the early developmental phase (intestinal infectious larvae and adults), with distribution observed mainly at the nematode outer cuticle and stichosome. rTsTryp was identified by T. spiralis-infected mouse sera and anti-rTsTryp sera. Natural TsTryp protease was detected in somatic soluble and ES antigens of the nematode. In mice infected with 200 T. spiralis ML, serum-specific IgG was first detected by rTsTryp-ELISA at 8 days post-infection (dpi), reaching 100% positivity at 12 dpi, and first detected by ES-ELISA at 10 dpi, reaching 100% positivity at 14 dpi. Specific IgG was detected by rTsTryp 2 days earlier than by ES antigens. When specific IgG was determined in serum samples from trichinellosis patients, the sensitivity of rTsTryp-ELISA and ES antigens-ELISA was 98.1% (51/52 samples) and 94.2% (49/52 samples), respectively (P = 0.308), but the specificity of rTsTryp was significantly higher than that of ES antigens (98.7% vs. 95.4%; P = 0.030). Additionally, rTsTryp conferred a lower cross-reaction, with only three serum samples in total testing positive from 11 clonorchiasis, 20 cysticercosis and 24 echinococcosis patients (1 sample from each patient group). Conclusions: TsTryp was shown to be an early and highly expressed antigen at intestinal T. spiralis stages, indicating that rTsTryp represents a valuable diagnostic antigen for the serodiagnosis of early Trichinella infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proteases secreted by Trichinella spiralis intestinal infective larvae (IIL) play an important role in larval invasion and pathogenesis. However, the mechanism through which proteases mediate larval invasion of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) remains unclear. A novel T. spiralis trypsin (TsTryp) was identified in IIL excretory/secretory (ES) proteins. It was an early and highly expressed protease at IIL stage, and had the potential as an early diagnostic antigen. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological characteristics of this novel TsTryp, its role in larval invasion of gut epithelium, and the mechanisms involved. Methodology/Principal finding: TsTryp with C-terminal domain was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and the rTsTryp had the enzymatic activity of natural trypsin, but it could not directly degrade gut tight junctions (TJs) proteins. qPCR and western blotting showed that TsTryp was highly expressed at the invasive IIL stage. Immunofluorescence assay (IFA), ELISA and Far Western blotting revealed that rTsTryp specifically bound to IECs, and confocal microscopy showed that the binding of rTsTryp with IECs was mainly localized in the cytomembrane. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) confirmed that rTsTryp bound to protease activated receptors 2 (PAR2) in Caco-2 cells. rTsTryp binding to PAR2 resulted in decreased expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin and increased paracellular permeability in Caco-2 monolayers by activating the extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. rTsTryp decreased TJs expression and increased epithelial permeability, which could be abrogated by the PAR2 antagonist AZ3451 and ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059. rTsTryp facilitated larval invasion of IECs, and anti-rTsTryp antibodies inhibited invasion. Both inhibitors impeded larval invasion and alleviated intestinal inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: TsTryp binding to PAR2 activated the ERK1/2 pathway, decreased the expression of gut TJs proteins, disrupted epithelial integrity and barrier function, and consequently mediated larval invasion of the gut mucosa. Therefore, rTsTryp could be regarded as a potential vaccine target for blocking T. spiralis invasion and infection. Author summary: Trichinella spiralis is an important foodborne parasitic nematode, and the intestinal infective larvae (IIL) invasion of host's intestinal mucosa is the key step in T. spiralis infection. But the mechanism of the IIL invasion of gut epithelium has not been completely elucidated. Characterization of interaction between the IIL invasive proteins and their receptors in intestinal epithelium cells will be valuable to understand larval invasion mechanism, and contribute in development of preventive veterinary vaccines against T. spiralis infection. Our results indicated that a novel T. spiralis trypsin (TsTryp) binding to PAR2 in intestinal epithelium activated ERK1/2 pathway, decreased expression of gut tight junctions (TJs) proteins, disrupted gut epithelial integrity and barrier function, and consequently mediated larval invasion of gut mucosa. Therefore, TsTryp may be regarded as a potential vaccine target to block T. spiralis infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim was to investigate the neurological complications associated with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) during the 2022 Omicron wave. Methods and analysis: The medical records of a cohort of people admitted to neurological wards of three participating tertiary centres in Sichuan from 12 December 2022 to 12 January 2023 were reviewed. Demographics and clinical data were obtained and analysed with an interest in COVID‐19‐related new‐onset or worse neurological symptoms. The current data were also compared in two centres with similar data from the same period 12 months earlier. Results: In all, 790 people were enrolled, of whom 436 were positive for COVID‐19. Ninety‐nine had new onset COVID‐related neurological problems, or their known neurological condition deteriorated during the wave. There was a significant difference in demographics from the findings amongst admissions 12 months earlier as there was an increase in the average age, the incidence of encephalitis and encephalopathy, and mortality rates. One hundred and one received COVID‐specific antivirals, intravenous glucocorticoids and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. No differences were seen between these and those who did not use them. Conclusion: New‐onset neurological conditions, particularly encephalitis and encephalopathy, increased significantly during this period. Deterioration of existing neurological conditions, such as seizure exacerbation, was also observed. A large‐scale treatment trial of people with COVID‐19 infection presenting with neurological disorders is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new species named Scutiger luozhaensis sp. nov. is described from Luozha, southern Tibet, China. Genetic analysis based on two mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COI and the nuclear gene RAG1 revealed that the new species belongs to an independent phylogenetic clade close to S. gongshanensis and S. nyingchiensis and shares no RAG1 haplotype with other species. Morphological comparisons based on examined specimens and literatures indicated that it can be diagnosed from congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) body moderate, male body length 47.0-67.2 mm (n = 13), female body length 49.8-66.2 mm (n = 8); (2) maxillary teeth and budding absent; (3) numerous tiny dense nuptial spines present on dorsal surface of fingers I, II and inner surface of finger III of males in breeding condition with similar size; (4) spine patches on belly of males in breeding condition absent; (5) spines on inner surface of forearm and upper arm of males in breeding condition absent; (6) small patches of black spines present near armpit of males in breeding condition absent; (7) adult males without vocal sac; (8) some large warts and tubercles on dorsum gathered into short skin ridges with several spines present on top; (9) space between upper eyelids wider than upper eyelids; (10) spots or irregular cross bands on limbs absent; (11) webbing between toes rudimentary; (12) coloration of dorsal body olive brown to bronze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cage-like MOF has demonstrated tremendous potential in gas selective adsorption and CO2 catalysis due to its distinctive structural features. Accordingly, a novel cage-like MOF 1 was synthesized using the biphenyl tricarboxylic acid ligand, (1,1′-biphenyl)-2,4,6-tricarboxylic acid (H3L), and Zn(II) via a solvothermal reaction. 1 exhibited a porous three-dimensional framework formed by interconnected dodecahedron (5.2 Å) and octahedron (4.7 Å) cages, which was based on an interesting 13-connected fcu topology. Significantly, 1a has excellent adsorption properties for C2H2 and CO2 and selective separation performance for C2H2/CO2, C2H2/CH4, and CO2/CH4. Moreover, under the action of the Lewis acid sites, 1a also shows highly efficient and recyclable catalytic properties for the reaction of CO2 with various epoxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring origami has emerged as a robust strategy for designing foldable and deployable structures due to its impressive packing abilities achieved from snap-folding. In general, polygonal rings with rationally designed geometric parameters can fold into compact three-loop configurations with curved segments which result from the internal bending moment in the folded state. Inspired by the internal bending moment-induced curvature in the folded state, we explore how this curvature can be tuned by introducing initial natural curvature to the segments of the polygonal rings in their deployed stress-free state, and study how this initial curvature affects the folded configurations of the rings. Taking a clue from straight-segmented polygonal rings that fold into overlapping curved loops, we find that this behavior can be reversed by introducing curvature into the ring segments in the stress-free initial state such that the rings fold into a looped straight-line configuration with "zero" area. This strategy realizes extreme packing of the rings. In this work, by a combination of experimental observation, finite element analysis, and theoretical modeling, we systematically study the effect of segment curvature on folding behaviors, folded configurations, and packing abilities of curved ring origami with different geometries. It is anticipated that curved ring origami can open a new avenue for the design of foldable and deployable structures with simple folded configurations and high packing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The powerful parallel computing capability of GPU and the development of matrix processing unit in recent years provide more possibilities to improve the performance of convolutional neural network (CNN) on GPU. For the Winograd convolution algorithm, which is the most widely used in CNN and has the best performance, there are already some tuning results, but they all ignore the utilization of the matrix operation unit and fail to make full use of the computing resources of GPU. This paper introduces a single precision accelerated solution on GPU for CNN. According to the indicators of architecture, the optimal data layout, grid division and block division methods are derived. In order to adapt to a variety of padding in practical application, an efficient dynamic scheme for filling is designed, and by the use of matrix cores, a pipeline algorithm with operator fusion is implemented. The deep learning accelerated library MIOpen in AMD is used as the baseline. Taking several convolutional layers of ResNet50 as the experimental input, the evaluation shows that our approach outperforms MIOpen with the speedup of 1.41x on MI210, and reaches 74% of the peak value of single precision calculations. Applying this method to the training and inference of ResNet50, the speedup of 1.68x is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of 283 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2019, this study constructed an index measurement system of digital economy, economic agglomeration, innovation and entrepreneurship, and employment structure. The index of digital economy was developed by entropy weight method, and the double-fixed spatial Durbin model was constructed based on the intermediary effect from the spatial perspective to determine the direct effect, indirect effect, and total effect of the digital economy, economic agglomeration degree, and innovation and entrepreneurship on employment structure. The results indicated a significant spatial correlation between the three aspects, i.e., digital economy can significantly optimize the employment structure, with an evident spillover effect. The mechanism analysis revealed that the level of innovation and entrepreneurship poses a stronger intermediary effect than the degree of economic agglomeration, and the digital economy in the eastern region directly impacts the urban employment structure; however, the influence of digital economy on the employment structure is significantly higher in small- and medium-sized cities than in large-sized cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy utilization is of great significance to current challenges of the energy crisis and environmental pollution, which benefit the development of the global community to achieve carbon neutrality goals. Hydrogen energy is also treated as a good candidate for future energy supply since its combustion not only supplies high‐density energy but also shows no pollution gas. In particular, photocatalytic water splitting has attracted increasing research as a promising method for H2 production. Recently, single‐atom (SA) photocatalysts have been proposed as a potential solution to improve catalytic efficiency and lower the costs of photocatalytic water splitting for H2 generation. Owing to the maximized atom utilization rate, abundant surface active sites, and tunable coordination environment, SA photocatalysts have achieved significant progress. This review reviews developments of advanced SA photocatalysts for H2 generation regarding the different support materials. The recent progress of titanium dioxide, metal–organic frameworks, two‐dimensional carbon materials, and red phosphorus supported SA photocatalysts are carefully discussed. In particular, the material designs, reaction mechanisms, modulation strategies, and perspectives are highlighted for realizing improved solar‐to‐energy efficiency and H2 generation rate. This work will supply significant references for future design and synthesis of advanced SA photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Lycium ruthenicum Murray (LRM), a perennial shrub plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, is rich in anthocyanins, which have anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, lipid‐lowering, intestinal flora regulating, and other pharmacological qualities. This study was primarily aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of different anthocyanin purities from LRM on angiotensin‐I‐converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro. Moreover, the inhibitory mechanism was further analyzed by molecular docking technology. RESULTS: Two main anthocyanin isomers were identified by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and proton/carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance, namely petunidin‐3‐O‐[rhamnopyranosyl‐(trans‐p‐coumaroyl)]‐5‐O‐(β‐d‐glucopyranoside) (trans‐Pt3R5G) and petunidin‐3‐O‐[rhamnopyranosyl‐(cis‐p‐coumaroyl)]‐5‐O‐(β‐d‐glucopyranoside) (cis‐Pt3R5G), with a molar ratio of 9:1. Three purification grades of Pt3R5G all showed excellent inhibitory effects on ACE, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values being 0.562, 0.421, and 0.106 mg·mL−1. Increasing the purity may reduce the IC50 within a certain concentration range. An enzymatic kinetic experiment showed that the inhibitory effect of Pt3R5G on ACE was reversible and non‐competitive: Pt3R5G and substrate were not in competition for the active sites of ACE. Molecular docking technology further revealed the possible mechanism was that Pt3R5G and ACE amino acid residues were interacting by hydrogen bonds to exert the inhibitory effect. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that Pt3R5G from LRM was highly effective at inhibiting ACE activity in vitro, with the hydrogen bonds of Pt3R5G and ACE amino acid residues exerting the inhibition. As a potential plant‐based ACE inhibitor, Pt3R5G can be used as a functional ingredient for antihypertensive effects. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active tunability of phonon dispersion and spontaneous emission (SE) still remain open owing to its exciting application potential. In this study, multilayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) combined with the Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) functional substrate are proposed to obtain tunable hyperbolic plasmon–phonon dispersion and SE. Results indicate that GST phase change has a profound impact on hyperbolic phonon polaritons in the hBN layer and can obtain an actively tunable SE. Moreover, when graphene is introduced into the hBN/GST system, hyperbolic plasmon–phonon polaritons inside the two reststrahlen (RS) bands of hBN and surface plasmon–phonon polaritons outside the two RS bands can be achieved, both of which can be actively tuned by adjusting the GST phase state and graphene chemical potential. In addition, the coupled polariton branches between hBN phonon polaritons and graphene plasmons become stronger and corresponding SE enhancement regions obviously broaden with increasing the graphene/hBN layer numbers for the fixed thickness multilayer graphene/hBN on GST substrate. These characteristics may provide an available route to realize active tunability of both phonon dispersion and SE enhancement of natural or artificial hyperbolic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanjing Yunjin, one of China's traditional silk weaving techniques, is renowned for its unique local characteristics and exquisite craftsmanship, and was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. However, with rapid development in weaving technology, ever-changing market demands, and shifting public aesthetics, Nanjing Yunjin, as an intangible cultural heritage, faces the challenge of survival and inheritance. Addressing this issue requires efficient storage, management, and utilization of Yunjin knowledge to enhance public understanding and recognition of Yunjin culture. In this study, we have constructed an intelligent question-answering system for Nanjing Yunjin digital resources based on knowledge graph, utilizing the Neo4j graph database for efficient organization, storage, and protection of Nanjing Yunjin knowledge, thereby revealing its profound cultural connotations. Furthermore, we adopted deep learning algorithms for natural language parsing. Specifically, we adopted BERT-based intent recognition technology to categorize user queries by intent, and we employed the BERT + BiGRU + CRF model for entity recognition. By comparing with BERT + BILSTM + CRF, BERT + CRF and BILSTM + CRF models, our model demonstrated superior performance in terms of precision, recall, and F1 score, substantiating the superiority and effectiveness of this model. Finally, based on the parsed results of the question, we constructed knowledge graph query statements, executed by the Cypher language, and the processed query results were fed back to the users in natural language. Through system implementation and testing, multiple indices including system response time, stability, load condition, accuracy, and scalability were evaluated. The experimental results indicated that the Nanjing Yunjin intelligent question-answering system, built on the knowledge graph, is able to efficiently and accurately generate answers to user's natural language queries, greatly facilitating the retrieval and utilization of Yunjin knowledge. This not only reinforces the transmission, promotion, and application of Yunjin culture but also provides a paradigm for constructing other intangible cultural heritage question-answering systems based on knowledge graphs. This has substantial theoretical and practical significance for deeply exploring and uncovering the knowledge structure of human intangible heritage, promoting cultural inheritance and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanjing Yunjin, one of China's traditional silk weaving techniques, is renowned for its unique local characteristics and exquisite craftsmanship, and was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. However, with rapid development in weaving technology, ever-changing market demands, and shifting public aesthetics, Nanjing Yunjin, as an intangible cultural heritage, faces the challenge of survival and inheritance. Addressing this issue requires efficient storage, management, and utilization of Yunjin knowledge to enhance public understanding and recognition of Yunjin culture. In this study, we have constructed an intelligent question-answering system for Nanjing Yunjin digital resources based on knowledge graph, utilizing the Neo4j graph database for efficient organization, storage, and protection of Nanjing Yunjin knowledge, thereby revealing its profound cultural connotations. Furthermore, we adopted deep learning algorithms for natural language parsing. Specifically, we adopted BERT-based intent recognition technology to categorize user queries by intent, and we employed the BERT + BiGRU + CRF model for entity recognition. By comparing with BERT + BILSTM + CRF, BERT + CRF and BILSTM + CRF models, our model demonstrated superior performance in terms of precision, recall, and F1 score, substantiating the superiority and effectiveness of this model. Finally, based on the parsed results of the question, we constructed knowledge graph query statements, executed by the Cypher language, and the processed query results were fed back to the users in natural language. Through system implementation and testing, multiple indices including system response time, stability, load condition, accuracy, and scalability were evaluated. The experimental results indicated that the Nanjing Yunjin intelligent question-answering system, built on the knowledge graph, is able to efficiently and accurately generate answers to user's natural language queries, greatly facilitating the retrieval and utilization of Yunjin knowledge. This not only reinforces the transmission, promotion, and application of Yunjin culture but also provides a paradigm for constructing other intangible cultural heritage question-answering systems based on knowledge graphs. This has substantial theoretical and practical significance for deeply exploring and uncovering the knowledge structure of human intangible heritage, promoting cultural inheritance and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fields of finance, insurance, system reliability, etc., it is often of interest to measure the dependence among variables by modeling a multivariate distribution using a copula. The copula models with parametric assumptions are easy to estimate but can be highly biased when such assumptions are false, while the empirical copulas are nonsmooth and often not genuine copulas, making the inference about dependence challenging in practice. As a compromise, the empirical Bernstein copula provides a smooth estimator, but the estimation of tuning parameters remains elusive. The proposed empirical checkerboard copula within a hierarchical empirical Bayes model alleviates the aforementioned issues and provides a smooth estimator based on multivariate Bernstein polynomials that itself is shown to be a genuine copula. Additionally, the proposed copula estimator is shown to provide a more accurate estimate of several multivariate dependence measures. Both theoretical asymptotic properties and finite-sample performances of the proposed estimator based on simulated data are presented and compared with some nonparametric estimators. An application to portfolio risk management is included based on stock prices data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a persistent inflammatory disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract, mainly the colon, which is defined by inflammatory responses and the formation of ulcers. Probiotics have been shown to directly impact various immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and T and B cells. By interacting with cell surface receptors, they regulate immune cell activity, produce metabolites that influence immune responses, and control the release of cytokines and chemokines. Methods: This article is a comprehensive review wherein we conducted an exhaustive search across published literature, utilizing reputable databases like PubMed and Web of Science. Our focus centered on pertinent keywords, such as "UC," 'DSS," "TNBS," "immune cells," and "inflammatory cytokines," to compile the most current insights regarding the therapeutic potential of probiotics in managing UC. Results: This overview aims to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the effects of probiotics on immune cells in relation to UC. Probiotics have a crucial role in promoting the proliferation of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are necessary for preserving immunological homeostasis and regulating inflammatory responses. They also decrease the activation of pro‐inflammatory cells like T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells, contributing to UC development. Thus, probiotics significantly impact both direct and indirect pathways of immune cell regulation in UC, promoting Treg differentiation, inhibiting pro‐inflammatory cell activation, and regulating cytokine and chemokine release. Conclusion: Probiotics demonstrate significant potential in modulating the immune reactions in UC. Their capacity to modulate different immune cells and inflammation‐related processes makes them a promising therapeutic approach for managing UC. However, further studies are warranted to optimize their use and fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying their beneficial effects in UC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) results when the outflow of the hepatic vein (HV) is obstructed. BCS patients exhibiting an accessory HV (AHV) that is dilated but obstructed can achieve significant alleviation of liver congestion after undergoing AHV recanalization. This meta-analysis was developed to explore the clinical efficacy of AHV recanalization in patients with BCS. Materials and methods: PubMed, Embase, and Wanfang databases were searched for relevant studies published as of November 2022, and RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0 were used for pooled endpoint analyses. Results: Twelve total studies were identified for analysis. Pooled primary clinical success, re-stenosis, 1- and 5-year primary patency, 1- and 5-year secondary patency, 1-year overall survival (OS), and 5-year OS rates of patients in these studies following AHV recanalization were 96%, 17%, 91%, 75%, 98%, 91%, 97%, and 96%, respectively. Patients also exhibited a significant reduction in AHV pressure after recanalization relative to preoperative levels (P < 0.00001). Endpoints exhibiting significant heterogeneity among these studies included, AHV pressure (I2 = 95%), 1-year primary patency (I2 = 51.2%), and 5-year primary patency (I2 = 62.4%). Relative to HV recanalization, AHV recanalization was related to a lower rate of re-stenosis (P = 0.002) and longer primary patency (P < 0.00001), but was not associated with any improvements in clinical success (P = 0.88) or OS (P = 0.29) relative to HV recanalization. Conclusions: The present meta-analysis highlights AHV recanalization as an effective means of achieving positive long-term outcomes in patients affected by BCS, potentially achieving better long-term results than those associated with HV recanalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for infants, we used a medical polymer gel pad to assist ultrasonic positioning, so that the ultrasonic probe could be far away from the shock wave energy field. Although not affecting the ultrasonic positioning and monitoring effect, we discussed the protective effect of this method on the ultrasonic probe. A retrospective analysis was made on 21 infants (0–3 years old) who received ESWL in our hospital from June 2021 to February 2023. After the stones were accurately located by B-ultrasound before surgery, a 4 * 5 * 10 cm medical polymer gel pad was placed between the skin and the ultrasonic probe to keep the ultrasonic probe away from the shock wave energy field. The B-ultrasonic wave source locked the target stone through the gel pad, and the lithotripter Dornier Compact Delta II was used for lithotripsy. The extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was completed under the whole process of B-ultrasonic monitoring. All patients completed the surgery under ultrasound monitoring, and there were no abnormalities in the ultrasound probe during the surgery. The average stone size was 0.60 ± 0.21 cm, the surgical time was 39.8 ± 13.8 min, and the total energy of lithotripsy was 7.41 ± 4.35 J. There were no obvious complications in all patients after the surgery. After 2 weeks of ultrasound examination, the success rate of lithotripsy in 21 patients reached 85.7%. We believe that the use of the gel pad increases the distance between the ultrasonic probe and the skin, leaving the probe away from the shock wave energy field, avoiding the damage of the shock wave source to the ultrasonic probe, and does not affect the monitoring effect of ultrasound on stones and the success rate of lithotripsy, which is worthy of further promotion in the field of children's urinary stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly predicting and revealing the spatiotemporal characteristics and driving factors of land-use changes in carbon storage within megacities under different scenarios is crucial to achieving sustainable development. In this study, Jinan City (JNC) is taken as the study area, and the Markov-FLUS-InVEST model is utilized to predict and analyze the spatiotemporal variation in carbon storage in 2030 under three scenarios, namely, the natural development scenario (S1), the ecological conservation scenario (S2), and the economic development scenario (S3). The drivers of carbon storage changes were identified using an optimal parameter-based geographic detection (OPGD) model. The findings indicate that (1) land use from 2010 to 2018 shows a trend of continuous expansion of construction land and reduction in arable land. (2) The main types of carbon pools were cropland, forest, and grassland, accounting for more than 96% of the total amount. Carbon storage showed a decreasing trend from 2010 to 2018, and the main type of carbon pool that decreased was cropland. The center of gravity of carbon storage increases and decreases was located in the southern Lixia District, and the center of gravity of increase and decrease moved to the southwest by 3057.48 m and 1478.57 m, respectively. (3) From 2018 to 2030, the reductions in carbon stocks were 3.20 × 106 t (S1), 2.60 × 106 t (S2), and 4.26 × 106 t (S3), and the carbon release was about 9 times (S1), 4 times (S2), and 10 times (S3) that of the carbon sink. (4) The contribution of slope (A2) ∩ nighttime light index (B6) and elevation (A1) ∩ nighttime light index (B6) to the regional heterogeneity of carbon stocks was the largest among the interaction drivers. To sum up, this study deepens the simulation of spatial and temporal dynamics of carbon storage under land-use changes in megacities and the related driving mechanism, which can provide the basis for scientific decision-making for cities to conduct territorial spatial planning and ecological protection and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we first propose two Chebyshev-type inequalities associated with the general fractional-order (Yang–Abdel–Aty–Cattani) integrals with the Rabotnov fractional-exponential kernel under the condition that μ and ν are synchronous functions. What is more, by the mathematical induction, we prove a new Chebyshev-type inequality in the case that (μ i) i = 1 , ... , n be n positive increasing functions. Finally, we introduce a novel Chebyshev-type inequality via the general fractional-order integrals with the Rabotnov fractional-exponential kernel under the condition that μ and ν are monotonic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]