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Through millions of years of evolution, bones have developed a complex and elegant hierarchical structure, utilizing tropocollagen and hydroxyapatite to attain an intricate balance between modulus, strength, and toughness. In this study, continuous fiber silk composites (CFSCs) of large size are prepared to mimic the hierarchical structure of natural bones, through the inheritance of the hierarchical structure of fiber silk and the integration with a polyester matrix. Due to the robust interface between the matrix and fiber silk, CFSCs show maintained stable long-term mechanical performance under wet conditions. During in vivo degradation, this material primarily undergoes host cell-mediated surface degradation, rather than bulk hydrolysis. We demonstrate significant capabilities of CFSCs in promoting vascularization and macrophage differentiation toward repair. A bone defect model further indicates the potential of CFSC for bone graft applications. Our belief is that the material family of CFSCs may promise a novel biomaterial strategy for yet to be achieved excellent regenerative implants.

Abstract Class I integrons have garnered significant attention due to pivotal roles in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), which impose risks to public health and food safety. Here, the prevalence and characteristics of class I integrons in Escherichia coli isolates derived from food-producing animals and human patients were assessed. Of 721 E. coli isolates collected from human patients (113), pigs (298), and poultry (310), 93 (12.90%) carried the class I integrase gene (intI1). Multilocus sequence typing identified 39 sequence types from 93 intI1-postive isolates, including three novel types. Sequence analysis revealed that 59 classical class I integrons encompassed six distinct gene cassettes arrangements [dfrA17-aadA5, dfrA12-aadA2, dfrA1-aadA1, dfrA7, aac(6’)-Ib, and aadA1-aac(3)-VIa]. Six insertion sequences (IS1, IS6, IS21, IS91, IS110, and IS256) and one transposon (Tn3) were harbored in proximity to the integrons. A comparison with sequences retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information database demonstrated that E. coli isolates with integron sequences were detected in various food-producing animals and human hosts in environmental niches across Asia, Europe, and North America. These findings indicate the potential risk of ARG transmission between food-producing animals and humans by bacteria populations and provide useful baseline data for monitoring of ARGs.

Abstract Objective Evidence regarding the relationship between the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and glycemic conversion outcomes in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is still limited. Our study aims to explore the role of HSI in the reversion to normoglycemia or the progression to diabetes among Chinese IFG individuals. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from 11,327 IFG individuals who had undergone wellness examinations at Rich Healthcare Group. To analyze the association between the baseline HSI and glucose status conversion, a Cox regression model was used, and the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed. A generalized additive model was used to examine non-linear relationships. A two-piecewise binary logistic regression model was employed to further elucidate the non-linearity. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also conducted. Results Over an observation period spanning 33,892 person-years, the rate of normoglycemia reversion was found to be 41.75%, whereas the rate of progression to diabetes was 11.63%. After accounting for potential confounding variables, our analysis demonstrated that among IFG individuals, there was an inverse relationship between HSI and the likelihood of returning to normoglycemia (HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90–0.96, P

Abstract Background Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS, MIM #154500), a severe congenital disorder, predominantly involves dysplasia of craniofacial bones and is characterized by features such as downslanting palpebral fissures, lower eyelid colobomas, microtia, and other craniofacial anomalies. Despite its clinical importance, the underlying pathogenic mutations in TCS remain largely uncharacterized, representing a critical knowledge gap for researchers in the field. Results To address this, we performed mutation screening on a familial TCS case (trio) and 11 sporadic cases from a Chinese population. We identified 11 mutations predominantly localized to the central repeat domain (CRD) and the C-terminal domain (CTD, including the nuclear localization sequence) of TCOF1. The de novo frameshift mutation identified in the trio led to TCOF1 truncation, disrupting the central repeat domain crucial for binding transcriptional factors. Immunoprecipitation assays revealed that this pathogenic mutation attenuates the interaction between TCOF1 and transcription-related proteins, such as Pol II. Furthermore, cellular luciferase assays demonstrated that the mutation compromises the nuclear localization capability of TCOF1. Conclusions Our findings establish TCOF1 as the primary pathogenic gene in this Chinese TCS cohort, with mutations predominantly in the CRD and CTD, thereby expanding the known mutation spectrum of TCS and informing its prevention strategies.

Background and Aims: The optimal analgesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) remains uncertain. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of various analgesic strategies for PCNL. Methods: We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Ovid and EMBASE to identify all relevant randomised controlled trials published up to January 2024. Our review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024504578). The identified methods included erector spinae plane block (ESPB), paravertebral block (PVB), intercostal nerve block (ICNB), quadratus lumborum block (QLB) and local infiltration. Our primary outcomes consisted of 24-h cumulative opioid consumption and the time to first use of opioid medication postoperatively. Secondary outcomes encompassed pain scores at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h postoperatively, as well as occurrences of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Results: Overall, 27 trials met our inclusion criteria. QLB, PVB and ESPB demonstrated significant advantages in reducing 24-h postoperative opioid consumption and providing effective analgesia at all measured postoperative time points within 24 h, compared to the placebo group. However, there was no statistical difference between the three interventions. Similarly, there were no statistical differences in all outcomes between the ICNB and infiltration groups compared to the placebo group. Conclusions: ESPB, PVB and QLB offer significant analgesic benefits for PCNL compared to placebo, with no significant differences in efficacy among them. Due to limited evidence, ICNB and local infiltration were found not to be more effective than placebo.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a prevalent pathogen associated with a wide range of infections, exhibiting significant antibiotic resistance and posing therapeutic challenges in clinical settings. The formation of biofilms contributes to the emergence of resistant strains, further diminishing the efficacy of antibiotics. This, in turn, leads to chronic and recurrent infections, ultimately increasing the healthcare burden. Consequently, preventing and eliminating biofilms has become a critical focus in clinical management and research. Aim of review: This review systematically examines the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation in S. aureus and its contribution to antibiotic resistance, emphasizing the essential roles biofilms play in maintaining structural integrity and enhancing resistance. It also analyses the protective mechanisms that fortify S. aureus biofilms against antimicrobial treatments. Furthermore, the review provides a comprehensive overview of recent therapeutic innovations, including enzymatic therapy, nanotechnology, gene editing, and phage therapy. Key scientific concepts of review: Emerging therapeutic strategies present novel approaches to combat S. aureus biofilm-associated infections through various mechanisms. This review discusses recent advancements in these therapies, their practical challenges in clinical application, and provides an in-depth analysis of each strategy’s mechanisms and therapeutic potential. By mapping future research directions, this review aims to refine anti-biofilm strategies to control infection progression and effectively mitigate recurrence.

Abstract Lane detection is one of the key functions to ensure the safe driving of autonomous vehicles, and it is a challenging task. In real driving scenarios, external factors inevitably interfere with the lane detection system, such as missing lane markings, harsh weather conditions, and vehicle occlusion. To enhance the accuracy and detection speed of lane detection in complex road environments, this paper proposes an end-to-end lane detection model with a pure Transformer architecture, which exhibits excellent detection performance in complex road scenes. Firstly, a separable lane multi-head attention mechanism based on window self-attention is proposed. This mechanism can establish the attention relationship between each window faster and more effectively, reducing the computational cost and improving the detection speed. Then, an extended and overlapping strategy is designed, which solves the problem of insufficient information interaction between two adjacent windows of the standard multi-head attention mechanism, thereby obtaining more global information and effectively improving the detection accuracy in complex road environments. Finally, experiments are carried out on four data sets. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is superior to the existing state of the arts method in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency.

Abstract The interfacial molecular dipole enhances the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by facilitating improved charge extraction. However, conventional self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) face challenges like inadequate interface coverage and weak dipole interactions. Herein, we develop a strategy using a self-assembled ferroelectric layer to modify the interfacial properties of PSCs. Specifically, we employ 1-adamantanamine hydroiodide (ADAI) to establish robust chemical interactions and create a dipole layer over the perovskite. The oriented molecular packing and spontaneous polarity of ferroelectric ADAI generate a substantial interfacial dipole, adjusting band bending at the anode, reducing band misalignment, and suppressing charge recombination. Consequently, our formamidinium lead iodide-based conventional PSC achieves efficiencies of 25.13% (0.06 cm2) and 23.5% (1.00 cm2) while exhibiting enhanced stability. Notably, we demonstrate an impressive efficiency of 25.59% (certified at 25.36%) in a 0.06 cm2 area for the inverted champion device, showcasing the promise of ferroelectric SAMs for PSCs performance enhancement.

Abstract Global warming has threatened all-rounded hierarchical biosphere by reconstructing eco-structure and bringing biodiversity variations. Pacific white shrimp, a successful model of worldwide utilizing marine ectothermic resources, is facing huge losses due to multiple diseases relevant to intestinal microbiota (IM) dysbiosis during temperature fluctuation. However, how warming mediates shrimp health remains poorly understood. Herein, a global shrimp IM catalogue was conducted via 1,369 shrimp IM data from nine countries, including 918 samples from previously published data and 451 generated in the study. Shrimp IMs were stratified into three enterotypes with distinctive compositions and functions, dominated by Vibrio, Shewanella and Candidatus Bacilloplasma, which showed an obvious distribution bias between enterotypes and diseases. The ratio of Vibrio and Candidatus Bacilloplasma was a crucial indicator for shrimp health. Moreover, temperature was the most driving factor for microbial composition, which potentially led to the migration of enterotypes, and high probability of white feces syndrome and low risk of hepatopancreas necrosis syndrome. Collectively, the warming-driven enterotypes mediated shrimp health, which exemplified the causal relationship between temperature rising and ectothermic animals’ health. These findings enlarged the cognition of shrimp health culture management from a microecological perspective, and alerted the inevitable challenge of global warming to ectothermic animals.

Abstract CD8+T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are often functionally impaired, which limits their ability to mount effective anti-tumor responses. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this dysfunction remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified valosin-containing protein (VCP) as a key regulator of CD8+T cells suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our findings reveal that VCP suppresses the activation, expansion, and cytotoxic capacity of CD8+T cells both in vitro and in vivo, significantly contributing to the immunosuppressive nature of the TME. Mechanistically, VCP stabilizes the expression of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1-like protein (GPD1L), leading to the accumulation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a downstream metabolite of GPD1L. The accumulated G3P diffuses into the TME and directly interacts with SRC-family tyrosine kinase LCK, a critical component of the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway in CD8+T cells. This interaction heightens the phosphorylation of Tyr505, a key inhibitory residue, ultimately reducing LCK activity and impairing downstream TCR signaling. Consequently, CD8+T cells lose their functional capacity, diminishing their ability to fight against HCC. Importantly, we demonstrated that targeting VCP in combination with anti-PD1 therapy significantly suppresses HCC tumor growth and restores the anti-tumor function of CD8+T cells, suggesting synergistic therapeutic potential. These findings highlight a previously unrecognized mechanism involving VCP and G3P in suppressing T-cell-mediated immunity in the TME, positioning VCP as a promising upstream target for enhancing immunotherapy in HCC.

In recent years, perceiving the environment has been the most important part of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) inspection tasks on the battlefield scene. This article aims to study how to quickly reconstruct unknown battlefield scenes, such as buildings, streets, etc. using UAVs equipped with binocular cameras and stereo-matching technology. We use a binocular module to reduce the cost of drone-borne equipment and lighten the load of the UAVs. Since the drone needs to use an embedded onboard computer and stereo matching algorithms require massive computing resources, this paper studies the optimization of CUDA-based stereo matching algorithms on embedded devices to improve the reconstruction effect of scenes and achieve rapid reconstruction, thereby reducing time costs, and enhancing drone efficiency.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a profound ailment lacking a well-defined molecular mechanism and effective treatments. Cuproptosis, identified as a recently discovered cell death pathway, exhibits diverse roles in various cancers. Nevertheless, its involvement in SCI is yet to be elucidated. Firstly, the RNA sequencing data of 1, 3, 7 dpi SCI samples were collected from GEO database. We performed differential expression analysis on these samples with varying cuproptosis-related scores calculating by ssGSEA. Subsequently, we conducted enrichment analyses with KEGG, GO, and GSEA. Simultaneously, we executed WGCNA analysis using cuproptosis-related scores, selecting the most relevant module for enrichment analysis. Hub genes were identified at the intersection of PPI analysis results from two modules and cuproptosis-related DEGs. Additionally, relying on the immune infiltration landscape associated with cuproptosis, we carried out immune cell correlation analysis on hub genes. Finally, to corroborate our earlier findings, we utilized single-cell RNA-seq analysis and in vitro experimental validation. Based on ssGSEA, differential expression analysis and WGCNA analysis, we identified two modules that were highly relevant to cell division and immune processes, respectively. From these modules, we identified two hub genes, Cd48 and Mpeg1, which exhibited a strong positive correlation (R = 0.92) and shared similar pathways. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between M2 macrophages and Cd48/Mpeg1. To validate our findings, we performed external cohort validation using a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset. The results confirmed that Mpeg1 was highly expressed in microglia (macrophages in center nervous system) following spinal cord injury. Additionally, we conducted in vitro experiments to further validate the molecular functions of Mpeg1 in SCI. In summary, targeting Mpeg1, as well as cuproptosis and immune cell infiltration, holds promise as a potential strategy for reducing spinal cord tissue damage and promoting recovery after SCI. These findings provide valuable insights for future therapeutic interventions.

Abstract Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 14 regulates cell cycle, tumor expansion by influencing the downstream targets of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. However, the function of CDK14 during organ development and regeneration has not been investigated in genetically-modified animals. Here, we found that genetic ablation of Cdk14 influenced pulmonary vascular endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells during mice embryonic development as well as repair of lung after bleomycin or lipopolysaccharide induced injury. Genetic knockout of Cdk14 and the CDK14 covalent inhibitor FMF-04-159-2 resulted in reduction of pulmonary vessel covered area and epithelial cell number, exhibiting increased mortality and more severe lung damage after injury. Mechanistically, Cdk14 ablation inhibited the proliferation of epithelial and vascular endothelial cells, inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Through RNA-seq analysis of both endothelial and epithelial cells, we found that knockdown of Cdk14 controls the expression of signal transducers and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) as well as associated genes in interferon signaling. Disruption of Cdk14 interferes with IFN-γ induced lung repair in vivo, suggesting potential crosstalk of CDK14 signaling and IFN-γ pathway. Our work highlights the importance of Cdk14 in lung development and regenerative repair through an uncharacterized CDK14- IFN-γ signaling axis.

Abstract The primary challenge in commercializing perovskite solar cells (PSCs) mainly stems from fragile and moisture-sensitive nature of halide perovskite materials. In this study, we propose an asynchronous cross-linking strategy. A multifunctional cross-linking initiator, divinyl sulfone (DVS), is firstly pre-embedded into perovskite precursor solutions. DVS, also as a special co-solvent, facilitates intermediate-dominated perovskite crystallization manipulation, favouring formamidine-DVS based solvate transition. Subsequently, DVS-embedded perovskite as-cast films are post-treated with a nucleophilic reagent, glycerinum, to trigger controllably three-dimensional co-polymerization. The resulting cross-linking scaffold provides enhanced water-resistance, releases residual tensile strain, and suppresses deep-level defects. We achieve a maximum efficiency over 25% (certified 24.6%) and a maximum VOC of 1.229 V, corresponding to mere 0.30 V deficit, reaching 97.5% of the theoretical limit, which is the highest reported in all perovskite systems. This strategy is generally applicable with enhanced efficiencies approaching 26%. All-around protection significantly improves PSC’s operational longevity and thermal endurance.

Abstract Studies have confirmed that elevated glucose levels could lead to renal fibrosis through the process of ferroptosis. Liraglutide, a human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, is a potential treatment option for diabetes. This study aimed to examine the potential of liraglutide (LIRA) in inhibiting ferroptosis and reducing high glucose-induced renal fibrotic injury in mice, and whether the Fsp1-CoQ10-NAD(P)H signal pathway is a mechanism for this effect. In our study, we used db/db mice to simulate Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The mice were intraperitoneally injected with LIRA (200 µg/kg/d) daily for 6 weeks. Renal function, pathologic changes, lipid peroxidation levels, iron levels, and ferroptosis were assessed. First, LIRA ameliorated renal dysfunction and fibrosis in db/db mice. Second, LIRA inhibited lipid peroxidation by up-regulating T-SOD, GSH-Px, and GSH activities as well as down-regulating the levels of 8-OHDG, MDA, LPO, 4-HNE, 12-Lox, and NOX4 in db/db mice. In addition, LIRA attenuated iron deposition by decreasing the expression of TfR1 and increasing the expression of FPN1. Meanwhile, LIRA reduced high levels of high glucose-induced cell viability decline and intracellular lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, LIRA inhibited ferroptosis by adjusting the Fsp1-CoQ10-NAD(P)H pathway in vivo and in vitro. These findings suggested that LIRA attenuated kidney fibrosis injury in db/db mice by inhibiting ferroptosis through the Fsp1-CoQ10-NAD(P)H pathway.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, whereas there is no approved drug therapy due to its complexity. Studies are emerging to discuss the role of selective autophagy in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, because the specificity among the features of selective autophagy makes it a crucial process in mitigating hepatocyte damage caused by aberrant accumulation of dysfunctional organelles, for which no other pathway can compensate. Aim of review: This review aims to summarize the types, functions, and dynamics of selective autophagy that are of particular importance in the initiation and progression of NAFLD. And on this basis, the review outlines the therapeutic strategies against NAFLD, in particular the medications and potential natural products that can modulate selective autophagy in the pathogenesis of this disease. Key scientific concepts of review: The critical roles of lipophagy and mitophagy in the pathogenesis of NAFLD are well established, while reticulophagy and pexophagy are still being identified in this disease due to the insufficient understanding of their molecular details. As gradual blockage of autophagic flux reveals the complexity of NAFLD, studies unraveling the underlying mechanisms have made it possible to successfully treat NAFLD with multiple pharmacological compounds that target associated pathways. Overall, it is convinced that the continued research into selective autophagy occurring in NAFLD will further enhance the understanding of the pathogenesis and uncover novel therapeutic targets.

This study presents a novel electrochemical biosensor for the detection of CA19–9, a crucial pancreatic cancer biomarker, utilizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) biosynthesized from mint extract. The green synthesis approach yielded well-dispersed, spherical AuNPs with a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 520 nm. Modification of glassy carbon electrodes with these AuNPs resulted in a significant enhancement of electrochemical properties, including a 50 % increase in peak current and a 66.7 % reduction in charge transfer resistance. The biosensor exhibited a wide linear range from 0.1 to 100 U/mL with excellent linearity (R² = 0.998) and achieved a remarkably low limit of detection of 0.05 U/mL. The sensor demonstrated high specificity against common interfering substances and maintained stability over 100 cycles with less than 5 % decrease in performance. Compared to traditional ELISA methods, this biosensor offers rapid detection, minimal sample preparation, and superior sensitivity. The integration of biosynthesized AuNPs not only enhanced the sensor's performance but also aligned with sustainable practices in nanomaterial synthesis. This innovative approach paves the way for the development of sensitive, eco-friendly, and cost-effective diagnostic tools for early pancreatic cancer detection and monitoring.

The visibility of road markings has a significant impact on the safety and reliability of intelligent driving. To improve the mechanical properties of road marking materials, the influence of glass beads in road markings on the mechanical properties of road marking materials was studied through experiments and numerical simulations. It can be observed that the addition of glass beads reduces the mechanical properties of road marking materials. Using the established finite element microscopic model, it was found that the presence of glass beads alters the transmission of stress inside road markings, and stress concentration is extremely easy to occur around the glass beads, especially between two glass beads in close proximity. Cracks are easily produced in the stress concentration area, which reduces the mechanical properties of the road marking material. Through the establishment of molecular dynamics microscopic modeling, it can be found that the smooth surface of the glass beads is difficult to combine with the resin and other base materials, resulting in a serious decline in the mechanical properties of the material at the interface. This study summarizes the overall effect of glass beads on the mechanical properties of road marking materials, points out the importance of improving interfacial bonding and optimizing stress transfer paths, and provides a design basis for the future development of high-performance road marking materials.

Objectives: Vitrified bonded diamond grinding tools are widely used in the machining industry, but the high-temperature resistance of diamond is poor. Therefore, there are high requirements on sintering temperature, flowability, and thermal expansion coefficient of vitrified bond materials. The influence of the content of Al2O3, B2O3, and SiO2 in vitrified bond on its properties is investigated. By changing the content of these three components and comparing the changes in the properties of the bonds, a more suitable vitrified bond for diamond grinding tools is obtained. Methods: Using a ternary phase diagram, the content of Al2O3, B2O3, and SiO2 in the R2O-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 bond system is adjusted. Sixteen different formulas were designed to prepare 5 mm × 6 mm × 30 mm sample strips under a pressure of 5 MPa, and dried at 80 ℃ for 12 hours. The refractoriness of each group of bonds was measured using a standard refractory cone, the flowability of the bonds was measured using the plane flow method, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the bonds was determined. According to the refractoriness data determined by each formula, sintering was carried out at a temperature 60 ℃ higher than the refractoriness of the bond. A microcomputer-controlled electronic universal testing machine was used to determine the flexural strength of the bond using the three-point bending method. The microhardness of the bond was measured using a microhardness tester, and the microstructure of the bond was analyzed. Results: From the analysis of the measured performance data, it can be concluded that: (1) B2O3 has the effect of reducing the refractoriness in vitrified bonds, while SiO2 and Al2O3 increase the refractoriness of the bonds. Al2O3 has a greater impact on the refractoriness of the bonds than SiO2. (2) B2O3 has the effect of improving the flowability of bonds, while Al2O3 reduces the flowability of bonds. The thermal expansion coefficient and the flexural strength of the bond will vary depending on the content of Al2O3 and B2O3. When the Al2O3 content in the bond is high, the thermal expansion coefficient of the bond will first decrease and then increase with the increase of B2O3 content, and the flexural strength will first increase and then decrease with the increase of B2O3 content. When the Al2O3 content in the bond is low, the thermal expansion coefficient of the bond will increase with the increase of B2O3 content, and the flexural strength will decrease with the increase of B2O3 content. When the SiO2 content is fixed, the thermal expansion coefficient of the bond will increase with the increase of B2O3 content, and the flexural strength will increase with the increase of Al2O3 content. When the B2O3 content is fixed, the thermal expansion coefficient of the bond will increase with the increase of Al2O3 content, and the flexural strength will increase with the increase of B2O3 content. The influence of each component in the bond on the microhardness change of the bond is SiO2>B2O3>Al2O3. When the molar ratio of Al2O3+B2O3 to Na2O in the bond is less than 1, Al2O3 and B2O3 will combine with oxygen ions in Na2O to form [AlO4] and [BO4], which participate in the network structure of the bond and densify it. Breaking the dense network structure requires higher energy. Therefore, densification of the network structure in the bond can reduce its thermal expansion coefficient and improve its flexural strength and microhardness. When n(Al2O3+B2O3)/n(Na2O)>1, the oxygen ions in Na2O are insufficient, and Al2O3 and B2O3 form [AlO3] and [BO3] triangles, reducing the density of the network structure. The fluffy structure makes the network structure more sensitive to energy, increasing the thermal expansion coefficient of the bond and reducing its flexural strength and microhardness. Conclusions: A ternary phase diagram based on the content of Al2O3, B2O3, and SiO2 in the R2O-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2 system bond can intuitively reflect the synergistic effect of the three components during sintering. The three components will exhibit different effects in bonds with different contents, and their impact on the performance of the bond will also be different. When designing the formula for vitrified bonds, it is necessary to consider the roles of different components in the bond and their interactions with other components.

Abstract In the context of increasing renewable energy penetration and the imperative for efficient utilization, this paper explores the application of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control for wind turbines. The objective is to optimize wind power generation by maximizing energy capture efficiency while addressing challenges associated with behind‐the‐meter renewables, load flexibility, and encouraging prosumers' participation. This paper proposes an adaptive integral sliding mode MPPT control strategy for wind turbines in the presence of external disturbance and model uncertainties. A new fixed‐time integral sliding mode manifold is constructed, such that the singularity problem can be avoided in the controller design without using any piecewise continuous functions. Then, an adaptive fixed‐time MPPT controller is developed to ensure that the tracking error can converge to a small neighbourhood around zero in fixed time, where the upper bound of the convergence time can be pre‐set based on actual engineering needs by selecting appropriate parameters. By designing update law, no prior knowledge on the upper bound of the lumped uncertainties is required anymore in advance. Stability analysis of the closed‐loop system is conducted using Lyapunov stability theory, and the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is validated through numerical simulations.

Abstract The power generation performance of wind turbines has consistently been a paramount concern for wind power operators, maintainers, and manufacturers, as it directly determines the profitability of wind farms. However, due to the combined influence of complex environmental conditions within wind farms and inherent deficiencies in wind turbine design, significant variations in power generation performance persist among turbines of the same model. This discrepancy can be attributed to two crucial factors: site conditions and operational efficiency. To achieve more precise and systematic diagnostic work on the power generation performance of wind turbines, this paper focuses on three factors: air density, turbulence intensity, and yaw adaptability. Based on this, three evaluation and diagnosis methods are proposed, including a conversion method for air density based on two‐dimensional interpolation, a turbulence correction method based on the zero‐turbulence curve, and a yaw adaptability diagnosis method based on the convergence degree. Finally, the effectiveness of these proposed methods is verified through the analysis of actual wind field data.

Abstract Background The lateral locking plate for the proximal humerus is currently the most commonly used surgical procedure for the treatment of elderly proximal humeral comminuted fractures. Previous studies have found that the rate of postoperative complications in patients of proximal humerus fractures with medial column involvement is relatively high. Through biomechanical methods, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the conventional lateral locking plate fixation along with the addition of the metacarpal supporting plate on the medial column in the treatment for proximal humeral fractures involving the medial column. The goal is to reduce the rate of postoperative internal fixation failure in patients with medial column injury. Methods Thirty artificial synthetic humerus models are used as experimental samples. A proximal humerus fracture model with medial column injury was created, and then divided into two groups. Group A was fixed with a proximal humerus lateral locking plate (single-plate group). Group B was fixed with a proximal humerus lateral locking plate and a metacarpal supporting plate on the medial column (double-plate group). The failure displacement, stiffness, and strength of the repaired proximal humerus fractures with two different methods were tested under compression at posterior extension of 15°, forward flexion of 15°, and vertical direction. Results There was no statistical significance in the comparison of the failure displacement of repaired proximal humeral fractures between the two groups under compression at posterior extension of 15° and forward flexion of 15° (P > 0.05). However, the failure displacement of the fracture was longer in single-plate group than in double-plate group under compression at vertical direction (P

Abstract Midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons participate in a wide range of brain functions through an intricate regulation of DA biosynthesis. The epigenetic factors and mechanisms in this process are not well understood. Here we report that histone demethylase JMJD3 is a critical regulator for DA biosynthesis in adult mouse mDA neurons. Mice carrying Jmjd3 conditional knockout or undergoing pharmaceutical inhibition of JMJD3 showed consistent reduction of DA content in midbrain and striatum. Histological examination of both mice confirmed that TH and NURR1, two key molecules in DA biosynthesis pathway, were decreased in mDA neurons. Mechanistic experiments in vivo and in vitro further demonstrated that the transcriptions of Th and Nurr1 in mDA neurons were suppressed by JMJD3 deficiency, because of increased repressive H3K27me3 and attenuated bindings of JMJD3 and NURR1 on the promoters of both genes. On behavioral level, a significant prolonged inflammation-induced mechanical hyperalgesia was found in conditional knockout mice regardless of sex and age, whereas motor function appeared to be intact. Our findings establish a novel link between DA level in mDA neurons with intrinsic JMJD3 activity, and suggest prolonged chronic inflammatory pain as a major loss-of-function consequence.

Atomizing nozzle is the core component of the gas atomization process, which structural parameters, especially the melt tip taper angle of the delivery tube, have the great impact on the gas atomization results. Changing the taper angle of melt tip is more effective and economical than changing the atomization process parameters such as gas pressure and temperature. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to simulate the internal flow field in the spray chamber with different melt tip taper angles in this paper. The commercial CFD software FLUENT was used to calculate and visualize the complex multiphase flow process in the closed spray chamber with high temperature and high pressure. The influence of various factors on the melt breaking effect in the single phase flow field was analyzed, and the volume of fluid (VOF) model was used to simulate the primary atomization process. The results show that the direction of air flow can be changed by changing the melt tip taper angle (16°, 22°, 28°, 34°, 40°, and 46°). With the change of taper angle, the stagnation point position, stagnation pressure, and suction pressure show the regular characteristics in single-phase flow field. The mass median diameter (MMD) of the primary atomization also varies with the change of melt tip taper angle. The droplet size distribution after primary atomization can be controlled by changing the melt tip taper angle. The minimum MMD is 304 μm when the melt tip taper angle is 34°.

Using fused corundum powder as raw material， silica sol as a binder， and aluminum fluoride trihydrate as mullite phase conversion promoter， the slurry composition of the ceramic shell for directional solidification molding of turbine blades was designed， and the ceramic shell was prepared. The microstructure and phase composition， high-temperature permeability， thermal expansion， high-temperature mechanics， and resistance to high-temperature deformation of the shell were studied. The results show that after sintering at 1200 ℃， with the help of the catalysis of aluminum fluoride trihydrate， the alumina in the shell reacts with silicon dioxide to produce a mullite whisker. Compared with the ceramic shell without aluminum fluoride trihydrate， the permeability of the shell is increased by about 1 time， the thermal diffusion coefficient is increased， and the thermal expansion coefficient is decreased. At the same time， the addition of aluminum fluoride trihydrate also reduces the high-temperature strength of the shell to a suitable range， improves the high-temperature yield of the shell， and makes the shell maintain a good high-temperature deformation resistance.

Abstract Background Vasopressors are effective in managing perioperative hypotension in high-risk parturients undergoing Caesarean section (CS). Nevertheless, the optimal vasopressor for addressing hypotension induced by neuraxial anesthesia remains a subject of investigation. Methods We compared hypotension episodes among high-risk parturients who received ephedrine, noradrenaline, or phenylephrine by searching four electronic databases and reviewing the relevant references. Inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials directly comparing two or more vasopressors in the context of managing hypotension in high-risk parturients undergoing neuraxial anesthesia for CS. A network meta-analysis was performed using fixed-effects and Bayesian random-effects models. Results We analyzed 13 trials involving 1,262 patients. While our direct and indirect comparisons revealed no reveal statistically significant differences in the number of hypotensive episodes among patients treated with different vasopressors, vasopressors were hierarchically ranked. Phenylephrine (Rank of the best choice = 0.81) exhibited the highest effectiveness in preventing hypotension, followed by ephedrine (Rank of the best choice = 0.10) and noradrenaline (Rank of the best choice = 0.09). Bradycardia occurrence was higher in patients administered phenylephrine compared to those given noradrenaline (risk ratio [RR]: 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03 to 0.85) or ephedrine (RR: 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.12). Notably, patients treated with phenylephrine or noradrenaline experienced reduced occurrences of nausea or vomiting compared to those who received ephedrine (RR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.59 for phenylephrine and RR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.75 for noradrenaline). Regarding fetal outcomes, no significant differences were noted between noradrenaline and phenylephrine. Overall norepinephrine in maternal outcomes may be more favorable. Conclusions Our findings suggest the potential advantages of phenylephrine for reducing hypotensive episodes in high-risk parturients undergoing CS. Noradrenalin may emerge as an alternative, particularly for women at high risk of caesarean delivery. Trial registration This systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023397259).

Abstract The radio map serves as a vital tool in assessing wireless communication networks and monitoring radio coverage, providing a visual representation of electromagnetic spatial characteristics. To address the limitation of low accuracy in current radio map construction method, this article presents a novel method based on Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), called ACT‐GAN. This method incorporates the aggregated contextual‐transformation block, the convolutional block attention module, and the transposed convolutional block into the generator, significantly enhancing the construction accuracy of radio map. The performance of ACT‐GAN is validated in three distinct scenarios. The results indicate that, in scenario 1, where the transmitter locations are known, the average reduction in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) is 14.6%. In scenario 2, where the transmitter locations are known and supplemented with sparse measurement maps, the average reduction in RMSE is 13.3%. Finally, in scenario 3, where the transmitter locations are unknown, the average reduction in RMSE is 7.1%. Moreover, the proposed model exhibits clearer predictive results and can accurately capture multi‐scale shadow fading.

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are common skin injuries known for their high morbidity, rapid onset, susceptibility to infection, and challenging healing process. One potential therapy for PUs is cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, poor survival and low cell retention of MSCs on skin lesions limit their therapeutic effects and applications. In this study, we prepared an extracellular matrix (dECM) hydrogel decellularized from the human umbilical cord (UC). A patch composed of UC-dECM and UC-MSCs was employed in the treatment of PUs in C57BL/6 mice. Our results indicate that the UC-dECM hydrogel effectively sustains cell viability, enhances the stemness-related gene expression in UC-MSCs, and promotes human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) migration and angiogenesis. Compared to the groups treated with the patch containing only UC-dECM, injection of UC-MSCs or gauze dressing, the patch combining UC-dECM hydrogel with UC-MSCs significantly accelerated PU healing. This positive outcome can be attributed to the promotion of tissue re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and inflammation inhibition. Our results suggest that the composite patch, comprised of UC-dECM hydrogel and UC-MSCs, may be a promising therapeutic approach for PU treatment.

Abstract Dou-gong is important component of ancient timber buildings in China, Japan, and South Korea, etc. It has important decoration and load transferring functions. Due to its complex structure, Dou-gong is difficult to be fully analyzed in large-scale structured. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a reliable and simplified Dou-gong calculation model. In this study, some traditional Chinese timber buildings built in the Song and Yuan dynasties (960–1368 AD) are investigated, and the characteristics of the typical Dou-gong model are obtained. Experimental study and refined finite-element analysis of the typical Dou-gong model is then carried out to study the load transferring mechanism under horizontal load. Then, the load path is extracted from the force-flow perspective to establish a simplified beam element model. The simplified model is then numerically and experimentally verified. The results show that the simplified model has a good consistency with the experimental model, and it is suitable for large-scale structural analysis of ancient timber buildings.

Abstract The cladding of fast reactor fuel rods, made of stainless steel, presents significant challenges in cutting due to its ductility, which leads to increased tool wear and poor cut quality with traditional mechanical methods. Laser cutting has emerged as a superior alternative, offering non-contact precision, high efficiency, and suitability for radioactive environments. This study systematically investigates the effects of laser cutting parameters—cutting speed, focal position, power, and gas pressure—on the cutting quality of simulated fast reactor fuel rods. The results show that optimal cutting is achieved with a cutting speed of 1 m/min, a focal position between − 20 and − 25 mm, a laser power between 7200 and 9600 W, and a gas pressure of 10 MPa. These parameters provide the best balance between cutting efficiency, surface roughness, and minimal slag formation. This study contributes valuable insights into optimizing laser cutting technology for nuclear fuel rod processing, with potential applications in fuel reprocessing and decommissioning.

Abstract The stereoselectivity of enzymes plays a central role in asymmetric biocatalytic reactions, but there remains a dearth of evolution-driven biochemistry studies investigating the evolutionary trajectory of this vital property. Imine reductases (IREDs) are one such enzyme that possesses excellent stereoselectivity, and stereocomplementary members are pervasive in the family. However, the regulatory mechanism behind stereocomplementarity remains cryptic. Herein, we reconstruct a panel of active ancestral IREDs and trace the evolution of stereoselectivity from ancestors to extant IREDs. Combined with coevolution analysis, we reveal six historical mutations capable of recapitulating stereoselectivity evolution. An investigation of the mechanism with X-ray crystallography shows that they collectively reshape the substrate-binding pocket to regulate stereoselectivity inversion. In addition, we construct an empirical fitness landscape and discover that epistasis is prevalent in stereoselectivity evolution. Our findings emphasize the power of ASR in circumventing the time-consuming large-scale mutagenesis library screening for identifying mutations that change functions and support a Darwinian premise from a molecular perspective that the evolution of biological functions is a stepwise process.

Abstract Effective treatment against glioma remains challenging nowadays because the protective blood-brain barrier (BBB) impedes drug penetration into brain and the limited efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. While strong positively charged nanoparticles have good permeability through the BBB, they often come with the caveat of cationic toxicity to healthy tissues and organs during blood circulation. Here we show a neutrally charged nanoprobe with a surface decorated with γ-glutamyl moieties that can be cleaved by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, an enzyme overexpressed on brain capillaries. Upon the cleavage, positively charged primary amines are generated, facilitating the effective crossing of the nanoprobe through BBB via the adsorption-mediated transcytosis pathway, while avoiding the caveat of cationic toxicity. In addition, when reaching the acidic tumor microenvironment, the nanoprobe co-encapsulating sonosensitizer and immune agonist swells, which results in an accelerated drug release under ultrasound irradiation to induce a combined immune response, ultimately leading to a robust anticancer effect. Overall, we report an effective drug delivery nanoplatform across the BBB for an enhanced therapy of glioma.

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers have heavily burdened public health. Few studies reported GI cancer burden among adolescents and young adults (AYA). To address this gap, we explored the burden of GI cancer among people aged 15–39. Methods We retrieved data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 Data Resources. The average annual percent change (AAPC) of rates was calculated by linear regression analysis of the natural logarithm. Bayesian age-period-cohort model was applied to predict the future burden. Results In 2019, there were 171,857 (95% uncertain interval [95% UI]: 157,092–187,974) new GI cancer cases with a rate of 5.79/100,000 (95% UI: 5.29–6.33) and 91,033 (95% UI: 83,156–99,399) deaths at a rate of 3.07/100,000 (95% UI: 2.80–3.35) among AYA. The number of prevalent cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were 722,573 (95% UI: 660,806–789,476) and 5,151,294 (95% UI: 4,706,065–56,188,77), with rates of 24.35/100,000 (95% UI: 22.27–26.60) and 173.57/100,000 (95% UI: 158.57–189.32) respectively. The overall rates of mortality (AAPC = -1.281, p

Abstract Background Previously, we reported that serum Semaphorin 5 A (Sema5A) levels were increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients compared with healthy controls (HC), and elevated Sema5A correlated with disease activity and lupus nephritis in SLE patients. In this study, we aimed to further understand the role of Sema5A in promoting Th17 cells differentiation in SLE. Methods Sema5A, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 17 A (IL-17 A) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). RNA and protein were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in SLE patients and HC. Expression of PlexinA1 and PlexinB3 were measured by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blot. Th cell subsets were detected by flow cytometry. Treatment with recombinant human Sema5A (rhSema5A) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were employed to examine the in vitro effect of Sema5A in CD4+T cell differentiation in SLE patients. Results IL-17 A elevated in SLE patients and positively correlated with Sema5A. PlexinA1 was upregulated and mainly expressed in CD4+ T cells of SLE; Sema5A treatment induced the differentiation of Th17 cells, while did not affect the Th1 and Th2 skewing. These effects were associated with an upregulation of the transcription factor RORγt by Th17 cells, but not T-bet or GATA3 in Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. Knock down PlexinA1 regulates IL-17 A production by CD4+T cells. Functional assays showed that Sema5A-PlexinA1 axis promoted Th17 cells differentiation via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. Conclusions These findings demonstrated that Sema5A-PlexinA1 axis acts as a key mediator on Th17 differentiation, suggesting that Sema5A might be a novel therapeutic target in SLE.

Abstract In the life cycle of the oriental fruit fly where larvae reside within fruits and adults exhibit high activity, the pupal stage occurs in the soil, closely tied to agricultural soil management. This study investigates the impact of four variables (body orientation, burial depth, soil particle size, and pH) on Bactrocera dorsalis’ physiological preferences, eclosion rates, and pupal stage duration. Notably, body orientation, burial depth, soil texture (particle size), and pH affect eclosion rates. The fruit fly demonstrates a preference for a supine position during eclosion, with average eclosion rates of 97.33%, contrasting with decreases to 78.00% in a head-down position. Soil with mixed particle sizes is detrimental to pupal eclosion, reducing the eclosion rate to 56.67%. And at a pH of 9.98, eclosion rates decrease to 16.67%. These factors significantly influence eclosion rates However, these factors do not significantly alter the duration of the pupal stage, with mean changes not exceeding one day when experimental conditions are modified. These findings suggests that soil manipulations affecting these variables could reduce eclosion rates without compromising the uniformity of adult emergence. This study provides a foundation for environmentally friendly pest control practices and addresses gaps in the pupal stage research of the oriental fruit fly.

Abstract The injection molding procedure and the compression molding procedure of foamed polypropylene composite are studied. The pore diameter, pore density, and microscopic topography for polypropylene composites was studied by experiments of slicing samples. The foamed temperature is very important for foamed property of the foamed polypropylene composite materials. To analyze the effect of temperature distribution, the virtual boundary meshfree Galerkin method (VBMGM) was employed the radial basis function interpolation method to obtain a detailed discretization formula. The temperature of experiment and numerical calculation from zone a to zone d in different zones of the injection molding procedure is reduced from 406.35 K to 311.63 K; the temperature from Ma zone to Md zone in the compression molding procedure is reduced from 326.35 K to 309.14 K. The experimental observation of the injection molding procedure shows that the foamed property in zone c is ideal, and the average pore diameter and pore density are 26.5 µm and 2.43×109 cells·cm−3 respectively. According to the experimental observation of compression molding process, the foamed property in Md zone is ideal, and the average pore diameter and pore density are 131.2 µm and 6.3×104 cells·cm−3. These results are of great significance to the foam molding of polypropylene composites.

The additive manufacturing of directionally solidified Ni-based superalloys remains a significant challenge due to the formation of stray equiaxed grains and their high susceptibility to cracking, particularly for high-volume γ´-type Ni-based superalloys. In this study, a novel strategy based on temperature field management was proposed to prevent hot cracking and control crystallographic texture during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of IN738LC superalloy. The influence of laser parameters and substrate preheating on crack density, melt pool morphology, and texture of IN738LC superalloy was investigated. The fluid dynamics and thermal behavior of melt pool was simulated using the discrete element model (DEM) and volume of fluid (VOF) method. The processing window for achieving defect-free IN738LC samples was established and was found to be highly affected by substrate preheating. Substrate preheating at 350 °C resulted in expanded processing window, with the volume energy density ranging from 42.9 to 62.5 J/mm³ without substrate preheating to 40–75 J/mm³. The enlarged processing window was achieved by reducing cracking susceptibility due to the reduced temperature gradient and cooling rate. A unique crystallographic lamellar microstructure (CLM), comprising a -oriented major layer and -oriented sub-layer along the building direction, was successfully achieved in the LPBF-processed IN738LC superalloy. The solidification conditions for obtaining such a CLM were discussed on the aspects of temperature gradient and solidification rate within the melt pool. This work provides new insights and methods for preparing crack-free γ´-Ni-based superalloys with specific textures, which is favorable for improving the high-temperature properties.

Introduction: Surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR) is an alternative therapeutic approach in patients with refractory heart failure (HF), but residual remodeling after SVR limits the improvement of HF. Recently, we reported that SVR may act as an environmental cue to reactivate endogenous proliferation of cardiomyocytes; however, it is unclear whether enhancing endogenous cardiomyocyte regeneration further improves HF after SVR. Objectives: We aimed to explore whether circular RNAs (circRNAs) would involved in SVR and their mechanisms. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to myocardial infarction (MI) or sham surgery. Four weeks later, MI mice with a large ventricular aneurysm underwent SVR or a second open-chest operation only. Echocardiography and histological analysis were used to evaluate heart function, cardiac remodeling, and myocardial regeneration. Sequencing of circular RNAs, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pulldown, and luciferase reporter assay were used to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results: SVR markedly attenuated cardiac remodeling and induced cardiomyocyte regeneration, as evidenced by positive staining of Ki-67, phospho-histone H3 (pH3), and Aurora B in the plication zone, but significant residual remodeling still existed in comparison with the sham group. Sequencing results showed that SVR altered the expression profile of cardiac circRNAs, and circMap4k2 was identified as the most upregulated one. After characterizing circMap4k2, we noted that overexpression of circMap4k2 significantly promoted proliferation of cardiomyocytes in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and silencing of circMap4k2 significantly inhibited it; similar results were obtained in SVR-treated MI mice but not in MI mice without SVR treatment. Residual cardiac remodeling after SVR was further attenuated by circMap4k2 overexpression. CircMap4k2 bound with miR-106a-3p and inhibited cardiomyocyte proliferation by targeting a downstream effector of the antizyme inhibitor 1 (Azin1) gene. Conclusions: CircMap4k2 acts as an environmental cue and targets the miR-106a-3p/Azin1 pathway to increase cardiac regeneration in the plication zone and attenuate residual remodeling after SVR.

In insects, the number and specificity of antennal lobe glomeruli often reflect the number and diversity of expressed chemosensory genes, which are linked to its ecological niche and specific olfactory needs. The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata, is an important and common lepidopteran pest of cereal crops. Given its reliance on the olfactory system for crucial behaviors, understanding the evolutionary potential of this system requires a thorough characterization of the anatomical structure of the primary olfactory center. Here, we systematically identified all antennal lobe glomeruli of M. separata based on synaptic antibody immunostaining and mass staining of the olfactory sensory neurons. A total of 69 glomeruli were identified in females and 65 in males, and an intuitive nomenclature based on glomerular positions was applied. Our findings uncovered some sex-specific glomeruli in this species. There were ten female-specific glomeruli and three male-specific glomeruli, except for the macroglomerular complex (MGC) units, with a notable observation that the female labial pit organ glomerulus was larger than its male counterpart. Additionally, we identified four antennal-lobe tracts (ALTs) and retrograde labeling from the calyx revealed that all glomeruli were innervated by the medial ALT projection neurons. The comparison of the olfactory system structures between M. separata and sympatric moths supports their evolutionary convergence in noctuid moths. These results collectively lay the foundation for future studies on olfactory processing in M. separata.

Abstract In a modular multilevel converter (MMC) system, the sub‐module capacitors account for a large proportion of the cost, volume, and weight. This paper proposed a method to reduce the total capacitance of MMC based on the combination of boosting the modulation index (m) and second‐harmonic circulating current injection (SCCI). A small amount of full‐bridge sub‐modules was added to conventional half‐bridge sub‐modules (HBSM) based MMC to form the hybrid MMC. The third‐harmonic voltage injection technology was used to increase the m of hybrid MMC without the common‐mode voltage injected on the ac‐side. An optimized SCCI method determined by m was introduced, which limited the root mean square (RMS) of arm current. An improved modulation approach is used to eliminate the coupling effect of third‐harmonic voltage injection and SCCI in boosting m, ensuring that the m increases to 1.15 with the optimized SCCI. Compared with conventional HBSM‐MMC, the proposed method reduced the total capacitance by approximately half when m = 1.15. A comprehensive comparison of different capacitance reduction methods was presented to demonstrate the cost and effect. Simulation and experiment verified the proposed method.

Abstract Objective This study aims to systematically evaluate the burden of low back pain(LBP) in the middle-aged population across global regions and between genders, assess the major risk factors and their impacts, and project the burden to 2050, providing a scientific basis for global preventive actions. Methods This study utilized The Global Burden of Disease(GBD) 2021 database. First, we integrated the population data of the 45–49, 50–54, and 55–59 age groups provided by the GBD using a weighted average method to calculate the Disability-adjusted life years(DALYs) rate for the middle-aged population aged 45 to 59 years. Subsequently, we analyzed the trends in the burden of LBP globally and across regions from 1990 to 2021, with a focus on stratified data by country, risk factors (e.g., high BMI), and gender. Finally, we employed the Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort(BAPC) model to predict future trends in LBP burden from 2021 to 2050. Results Globally, from 1990 to 2021, the DALY rate for the 45–59 age group with LBP decreased from 875.45(95%UI: 534.57-1340.68) per 100,000 people to 747.92 (450.55-1,161.66), with an EAPC of -0.46 (95%UI: -0.50 to -0.43). Despite the decline in DALY rates, the total number of DALYs due to LBP increased from 5,515,080.64 (95%UI: 3,367,626.11–8,445,931.67) in 1990 to 9,816,401.64 (95%UI: 5,913,142.33–15,249,187.03) in 2021, a rise of 4,301,321. High Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) regions were the most affected, with a DALY rate of 933.03 (95%UI: 557.90–1,420.60) per 100,000 in 2021. Among risk factors, high BMI showed the most significant increase, with DALY rates rising from 153.64 (95%UI: 15.94–334.63) per 100,000 in 1990 to 209.09 (95%UI: 22.16–452.58) in 2021, and an EAPC of 1.08 (95%UI: 1.02 to 1.14). Gender differences revealed a DALY rate of 705.39 (95%UI: 431.21–1,078.96) per 100,000 for males and 803.62 (95%UI: 471.69–1,266.63) per 100,000 for females in 2021. Projections based on the BAPC model suggest that by 2050, global DALYs due to LBP will increase to 11,626,643.07, with females expected to account for 6,725,763.24 and males for 4,900,879.84, indicating a greater burden for females. Conclusion This study highlights the global burden and trends of LBP in the middle-aged population. Although the DALY rate for the 45–59 age group decreased from 1990 to 2021, the total number of DALYs increased significantly due to population aging. In this context, the burden of LBP in low-middle SDI regions has remained largely unchanged and remains substantial, while high-SDI regions, despite some decline, continue to bear the highest overall burden. High BMI continues to contribute significantly to the rising LBP burden, particularly in middle-aged populations, and demands urgent attention. Gender differences indicate that females bear a greater LBP burden than males, with the gap widening over time. Effective preventive and intervention measures are urgently needed to mitigate the future burden of LBP.

To improve the premature convergence and poor global search capability of the classical particle swarm algorithm(PSO), this paper proposes a novel elite guidance-based social learning particle swarm optimization (ESLPSO) algorithm. In the ESLPSO algorithm, a hierarchical topological search method is proposed. The method divides particles into optimal elite particles and other civilian particles according to their fitness performance, revolutionizing the update sample of the traditional population iterative search and enhancing the guidance of the whole population evolution information. In addition, an elite particle-guided social learning strategy is designed to better utilize the multidimensional information on population evolution by increasing the uncertainty of state superposition. On this basis, the extremum perturbation migration mechanism motivates the particles to experience new search paths and regions, increase population diversity and balance the population's exploration and exploitation in the search process. Moreover, the Cubic chaos initialization is employed to endow the initial particle population with a wide coverage in the search space. Finally, 12 benchmark test function sets covering unimodal, multimodal and rotated-multimodal functions are used to validate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results on comparing the ESLPSO algorithm with other eight improved PSO algorithms show that the ESLPSO algorithm has excellent search performances in solving different types of functions, having efficient robustness and excellent solutions.

Soil microorganisms play critical roles in ecosystem function. However, the relative impact of the potassium (K) fertilizer gradient on the microbial community in wheat-maize double-cropping systems remains unclear. In this long-term field experiment (2008–2019), we researched bacterial and fungal diversity, composition, and community assemblage in the soil along a K fertilizer gradient in the wheat season (K0, no K fertilizer; K1, 45 kg ha−1 K2O; K2, 90 kg ha−1 K2O; K3, 135 kg ha−1 K2O) and in the maize season (K0, no K fertilizer; K1, 150 kg ha−1 K2O; K2, 300 kg ha−1 K2O; K3, 450 kg ha−1 K2O) using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internally transcribed spacer (ITS) data. We observed that environmental variables, such as mean annual soil temperature (MAT) and precipitation, available K, ammonium, nitrate, and organic matter, impacted the soil bacterial and fungal communities, and their impacts varied with fertilizer treatments and crop species. Furthermore, the relative abundance of bacteria involved in soil nutrient transformation (phylum Actinobacteria and class Alphaproteobacteria) in the wheat season was significantly increased compared to the maize season, and the optimal K fertilizer dosage (K2 treatment) boosted the relative bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation (genus Lactobacillus) and soil denitrification (phylum Proteobacteria) bacteria in the wheat season. The abundance of the soil bacterial community promoting root growth and nutrient absorption (genus Herbaspirillum) in the maize season was improved compared to the wheat season, and the K2 treatment enhanced the bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation (genus MND1) and soil nitrogen cycling (genus Nitrospira) genera in the maize season. The results indicated that the bacterial and fungal communities in the double-cropping system exhibited variable sensitivities and assembly mechanisms along a K fertilizer gradient, and microhabitats explained the largest amount of the variation in crop yields, and improved wheat-maize yields by 11.2–22.6 and 9.2–23.8% with K addition, respectively. These modes are shaped contemporaneously by the different meteorological factors and soil nutrient changes in the K fertilizer gradients.

Automatic modulation recognition (AMR) stands as a pivotal operation within industrial cognitive radio systems. State-of-the-art real-valued convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have innovated modulation recognition but view complex signal components as separate real inputs, impairing signal phase integrity and model interpretability. This paper presents an innovative AMR method known as the CVCNN-LSTM. Our study aims to leverage CNNs in conjunction with a long short-term memory network (LSTM) to harness the strengths of both networks while mitigating their weaknesses. This approach enhances the learning of original I/Q signal features, thus improving recognition performance. The proposed network is composed of multiple LFLBs and an LSTM layer. Each LFLBs is primarily composed of a convolutional layer and an average pooling layer, which play a key role in enabling local correlation learning and hierarchical correlation extraction. Recognizing that I/Q data inherently possesses a complex-valued structure, we advocate using end-to-end complex-valued CNN and complex-valued LSTM instead of dual-channel real-valued networks for modulation recognition. We conduct experiments to evaluate complex-valued networks and demonstrate that our method surpasses current state-of-the-art approaches in the AMR field.

Abstract In a modular multilevel converter (MMC) system, the sub‐module (SM) capacitors account for a large proportion of cost, volume and weight. Increasing modulation index (m) is an effective method to reducing the capacitance. Traditional MMC based on half‐bridge SM (HBSM) cannot boosting m while the hybrid MMC composed of HBSMs and full‐bridge sub‐modules (FBSM) can increase the m. The negative voltage is required when hybrid MMC works at the boosted m, which is only provided by the FBSMs because the HBSMs cannot output negative voltage. Therefore, appropriate control strategies are needed to achieve the normal operation of hybrid MMC under boosted m. This paper presents a control method suitable for hybrid MMC with high m based on multi‐harmonic voltage injection. The m is increased to 1.41 with the proposed multi‐harmonic voltage injection. Compared with the HBSM‐MMC, the proposed method reduces the total capacitance by more than 32%. Boosting m also reduces the RMS and peak value of the arm current by 18%. A comprehensive comparison was presented to demonstrate the cost and effect. Simulation and experiment verified the proposed method.

Abstract In addressing the finite element model and actual structural error of the sprayer boom truss, this study aims to achieve high-precision dynamic characteristics, enhance simulation credibility, make informed optimization decisions, and reduce testing costs. The research investigates the dynamic behavior of the sprayer boom truss through modal experiments and finite element simulations. Initially, modal parameters of the sprayer boom are obtained through experimental testing, validating their reasonableness and reliability. Subsequently, Ansys Workbench18.0 simulation software was employed to analyze the finite element model of the sprayer boom, revealing a maximum relative error of 11.93% compared to experimental results. To improve accuracy, a kriging-based response surface model was constructed, and multi-objective parameter adjustments using the MOGA algorithm reduce the maximum relative error to 4.6%. Sensitivity analysis further refines the model by optimizing target parameters, resulting in a maximum relative error of 4.96%. These findings demonstrate the effective enhancement of the corrected finite element model’s precision, with the response surface method outperforming sensitivity analysis the maximum relative error between the updated finite element model and experimental results was within the engineering allowable range, confirming the effectiveness of the updated model.