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Abstract Soil-rock mixture embankments are essential for infrastructure stability, particularly in high-fill construction projects. This study evaluates the effects of rock content and spatial distribution of rock blocks on the bearing capacity, stability, and failure sliding surfaces of SRM embankments through static load model tests. An Equation for Sliding Surface of Block-Rock Content and Distribution was developed to calculate sliding surfaces based on rock content and distribution, and validated it through numerical simulation experiments. The results demonstrate that rock content significantly influences embankment stability. When rock content is below 60%, the shear outlet position of the sliding surface increases, and its curvature decreases as rock content rises, thereby enhancing the bearing capacity. Beyond 60% rock content, the internal structure densifies, markedly improving stability, although further increases yield diminishing returns. Additionally, the spatial distribution of rock blocks is crucial; concentrating rock blocks at the slope crest or toe enhances stability, while distributing them in the middle reduces it. These findings offer practical guidance for optimizing the design and construction of the soil-rock mixture embankments, emphasizing the importance of appropriate rock content and spatial distribution to achieve enhanced stability and safety.

Abstract Historic districts play an important role in urban planning and protection. While previous research on soundscapes has focused on acoustic comfort or preferences in these districts, the aspect of authenticity has been somewhat overlooked. Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for constructing soundscapes that enhance the authenticity of such districts. Using the grounded theory approach, we identified four key components for enhancing authenticity via soundscapes: the aim of soundscape design, physical and cultural characteristics of soundscapes, the effects of soundscapes, and the influence of spatial characteristics on soundscapes. A theoretical framework was developed to illustrate the enhancement of authenticity in historic districts via soundscapes. To verify the applicability and advancement of the proposed framework, it was compared with methodologies and steps obtained from previous soundscape research in historic districts. This study underscores the significance of soundscape design in creating authenticity in historic districts, thereby contributing to the development of soundscape design in historic districts and offering sustainable solutions for the protection and renewal of urban cultural heritage.

The development and application of nuclear energy is often considered as a potential solution to meet the increasing energy demand. However, it is important to acknowledge that the utilization of nuclear energy resources and the treatment of nuclear waste pollution pose significant challenges that require careful consideration and management. Therefore, it is crucial to address the challenges of uranium pollution treatment and uranium resource recovery to ensure the sustainable development of nuclear energy. The technology of photocatalytic reduction has been found to have a synergistic adsorption reduction ability, which allows it to overcome the thermodynamic limitations of single adsorption removal. As a result, photocatalytic reduction technology is widely recognized as having great potential in the removal and recycling of uranium in nuclear waste liquid. One of the key factors for the effective application of this technology is the acquisition of a catalyst with high photocatalytic reduction ability. Nitride carbon materials are considered an ideal photocatalyst for photocatalytic reduction of U（Ⅵ） due to their excellent photochemical properties, excellent physicochemical adjustability, and good chemical stability. However, the pure g-C3N4 photocatalyst still suffers from its low separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers, which results in unsatisfactory photocatalytic activity. In recent years, research on modifying and applying carbon nitride has provided in-depth insights into the reduction of uranium through photocatalysis. Discussing the strategy of modifying C3N4, constructing heterojunction nanostructures, and utilizing them for the photocatalytic reduction of uranium, along with the mechanisms involved. This review summarizes the recent significant progress on the design of g-C3N4-based heterostructure photocatalysts and their special separation/transfer mechanisms of photogenerated charge carriers. On the one hand, according to the key steps of photocatalytic uranium reduction, modification strategies using g-C3N4 photocatalysts can be classified into the following groups: morphology modification, band-structure regulation, and heterostructure construction. Moreover, according to the different transfer mechanisms of photogenerated charge carriers between g-C3N4 and the coupled components, the g-C3N4-based heterostructure photocatalysts can be divided into the following categories: g-C3N4-based conventional Type-Ⅱ heterojunction, g-C3N4-based Z-scheme heterojunction, g-C3N4-based S-scheme heterojunction, and g-C3N4/metal heterostructure. We also focused on the structure-activity relationship between the modification of photocatalytic materials based on carbon nitride and their photocatalytic reduction performance for U（Ⅵ）, as well as the mechanism of their catalytic reduction removal. Finally, this section offers concluding remarks and prospects for exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by advanced carbon nitride-based photocatalytic materials in the removal of uranium pollution and the recovery of uranium resources. It also provides directions for future breakthroughs.

Abstract Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been linked to adverse birth outcomes that have been reported to be induced by oxidative stress, but few epidemiological studies to date have evaluated associations between urinary PAH metabolites and oxidative stress biomarkers in pregnancy and identified critical periods for these outcomes and PAH exposures in pregnancy. Methods A cohort of pregnant women was recruited early in pregnancy from antenatal clinics at the University of California Los Angeles during 2016–2019. We collected urine samples up to three times during pregnancy in a total of 159 women enrolled in the cohort. A total of 7 PAH metabolites and 2 oxidative stress biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)] were measured in all available urine samples. Using multiple linear regression models, we estimated the percentage change (%) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in 8-OHdG and MDA measured at each sample collection time per doubling of PAH metabolite concentrations. Furthermore, we used linear mixed models with a random intercept for participant to estimate the associations between PAH metabolite and oxidative stress biomarker concentrations across multiple time points in pregnancy. Results Most PAH metabolites were positively associated with both urinary oxidative stress biomarkers, MDA and 8-OHdG, with stronger associations in early and late pregnancy. A doubling of each urinary PAH metabolite concentration increased MDA concentrations by 5.8-41.1% and 8-OHdG concentrations by 13.8-49.7%. Linear mixed model results were consistent with those from linear regression models for each gestational sampling period. Conclusion Urinary PAH metabolites are associated with increases in oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy, especially in early and late pregnancy.

ABSTRACT: Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is one of the major avian pathogens plaguing the global poultry industry. Although vaccination is the primary preventive measure for IBV infection, the emergence of virus variants with mutations and recombination has resulted in IBV circulating globally, presenting a challenge for IB control. Here, we isolated 3 IBV strains (CZ200515, CZ210840, and CZ211063) from suspected sick chickens vaccinated with IBV live attenuated vaccines (H120, 4/91, or QXL87). Phylogenetic analysis of the S1 gene sequence of the spike (S) revealed that the 3 isolates belonged to the QX-type (GI-19 lineage). Whole genome sequencing and recombination analysis indicated that CZ200515 and CZ210840 contained genetic material from 4/91 and Scyz3 (QX-type), possibly due to recombination between the circulating strain and the 4/91 vaccine strain, while no evidence of recombination was found in CZ211063. Pathogenicity analysis in 1-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens demonstrated that all 3 isolates caused severe tissue damage and varying degrees of mortality. Virus cross-neutralization assay revealed decreased antigen relatedness between the isolates and the QX-type vaccine strain (QXL87). Amino acid sequence homology analysis of S1 revealed 5%-6.5% variances between the isolates and QXL87. Analysis of the S1 subunit structure revealed that mutations of amino acid residues in the hypervariable region (HVR) and the neutralizing epitope region resulted in antigenic variation in isolates by changing the antigen conformation. Our data indicate antigenicity variances between QX isolates and QXL87 vaccine strains, potentially resulting in immune evasion occurrences. Overall, these results offer crucial insights into the epidemiology and pathogenicity of QX-type IBV, facilitating improved selection and formulation of vaccines for disease management.

The public's health is gravely at risk due to the current global outbreak of emerging viruses, specifically SARS-CoV-2 and MPXV. Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 mutants (such as Omicron) exhibit a higher capability to antagonize the host innate immunity, increasing their human adaptability and transmissibility. Furthermore, current studies on the strategies for MPXV to antagonize the host innate immunity are still in the initial stages. These multiple threats from emerging viruses make it urgent to study emerging virus-host interactions, especially the viral antagonism of host antiviral innate immunity. Given this, we selected several representative viruses that significantly threatened human public health and interpreted the multiple strategies for these viruses to antagonize the host antiviral innate immunity, hoping to provide ideas for molecular mechanism research that emerging viruses antagonize the host antiviral innate immunity and accelerate the research progress. The IAV, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, EBOV, DENV, ZIKV, and HIV are some of the typical viruses. Studies have shown that viruses could antagonize the host antiviral innate immunity by directly or indirectly blocking antiviral innate immune signaling pathways. Proviral host factors, host restriction factors, and ncRNAs (microRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and vtRNAs) are essential in indirectly blocking antiviral innate immune signaling pathways. Furthermore, via controlling apoptosis, ER stress, stress granule formation, and metabolic pathways, viruses may antagonize it. These regulatory mechanisms include transcriptional regulation, post-translational regulation, preventing complex formation, impeding nuclear translocation, cleavage, degradation, and epigenetic regulation.

Abstract In the construction of a new power system, the identification and evaluation of power consumption status of power customers will become an important basis for them to participate in the emerging businesses such as demand response and virtual power plants. In order to ensure the power safety of important power customers, a new evaluation of power consumption status of important power customers based on the AHP (analytic hierarchy process)‐TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution) algorithm is proposed by fully mining and applying the power big data. Firstly, a power consumption big data analysis platform based on the Hadoop architecture is built to provide a high‐performance platform support for big data analysis. Secondly, nine evaluation indexes are constructed from the three dimensions of voltage, load and synthesis, which objectively and scientifically describes the power consumption status of important power customers. Finally, the AHP‐TOPSIS algorithm is used to evaluate and analyse the voltage, load and comprehensive indicators respectively, thus, obtaining the evaluation values of three kinds of indicators. The power consumption status scores of important power customers are determined by the variable weight weighted summation. The rationality and feasibility of the method and algorithm are proved by example analysis and field verification. This method helps to promote the transformation from post fault emergency repair to warning beforehand. It has the multiple effects of ensuring safe power consumption, supporting accurate patrolling and active emergency repair serving.

In order to enhance the flavor and texture of sourdough steamed bread, this study analyzed the growth, fermentation and aroma production characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae XTC-y11 and XTC-m13, Cyberlindnera jadinii HSO-y3, which had been isolated from sourdough, and S. cerevisiae CICC 31616 and evaluated the sensory quality and volatile flavor compounds of steamed bread made with each of these strains. The results revealed that XTC-y11 grew at the fastest rate. XTC-y11 and XTC-m13 had better sugar metabolism than the other strains. Compared with S. cerevisiae CICC 31616, XTC-y11 produced more gas, and XTC-m13 resulted in a larger expansion volume of dough, showing higher fermentation capacity. The total ester concentration of the fermentation broth of HSO-y3 at 24 h was highest (1.672 g/100 mL). The whiteness, hardness, chewability and elasticity of steamed bread with XTC-y11 or XTC-m13 were moderate. The results of sensory evaluation showed that steamed bread with XTC-y11 or XTC-m13 scored highest. Altogether, 37 volatile components were identified in the four steamed breads by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), with the predominance of alcohols and esters. 4-Pentenoic acid, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, (E)-2-hexenoic acid, ethyl lactate, ethyl acetate and 2-amylfuran were predominant in steamed bread with XTC-y11, while esters were predominant in steamed bread with HSO-y3. Using partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), we found significant differences in volatile components among the four steamed breads, and identified 18 differential compounds. In summary, XTC-y11 had a positive effect on the flavor and quality of steamed breads. This study provides a favorable reference for improving the quality and flavor of steamed bread.

Objective To screen factors influencing the neurological prognosis following lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) in patients with hydrocephalus. Methods Total 136 patients who underwent LPS in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from October 2014 to January 2020. The short-term neurological prognosis post - surgery were evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge. Univariate and multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analyses were conducted to screen factors affecting neurological prognosis. Results Of the 136 patients, 65 were categorized into the good prognosis group (mRS score ≤ 3), and 71 into the poor prognosis group (mRS score > 3). Logistic regression analysis indicated that an admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 9-12 (OR = 7.800, 95%CI: 7.205-8.443; P = 0.000) and 3-8 (OR = 6.299, 95%CI: 5.744-6.907; P = 0.006), as well as etiologies including traumatic brain injury (OR = 27.681, 95%CI: 24.270-31.572; P = 0.000), cerebral hemorrhage (OR = 13.017, 95%CI: 11.473-14.769; P = 0.005), subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR = 17.682, 95%CI: 15.683-19.935; P = 0.001), and other causes (OR = 5.851, 95%CI: 5.166-6.628; P = 0.050) were risk factors for poor short-term neurological prognosis in patients with hydrocephalus undergoing LPS. Conclusions The neurological prognosis after LPS in patients with hydrocephalus is influenced by multiple factors. Prognoses vary among patients with different admission GCS scores and different etiologies. Personalized treatment plans should be developed based on specific circumstances.

Abstract Currently, the digital transformation of the power grid is underway, and the intelligent health management technology for power transformers is rapidly advancing. However, there are issues in the operation and maintenance process, such as weak information correlation and low decision‐making efficiency. Knowledge graphs have been applied in other industrial fields, such as spacecraft maintenance, to significantly improve knowledge query efficiency. However, there is a lack of literature on knowledge graph construction in the field of power transformer operation and maintenance. Additionally, there is limited publicly available data and difficulties in effectively mining operation and maintenance knowledge in this field. A method for constructing a knowledge graph for power transformer operation and maintenance based on ALBERT is proposed. Firstly, publicly available literature in the field of power transformers is collected, and a sample enhancement method using regular matching is used to enrich the semi‐structured corpora, such as power system accident investigation reports, to construct a training dataset for power transformer operation and maintenance. Then, the ALBERT‐BiLSTM‐CRF deep learning algorithm is applied to extract power transformer operation and maintenance entities from the relevant literature and accident investigation reports, and this method is compared with traditional deep learning algorithms to demonstrate its superiority. Subsequently, the ALBERT‐BiLSTM‐Attention deep learning algorithm, which incorporates ALBERT and attention mechanism, is utilised to extract relationships between power transformer operation and maintenance entities. Compared to other deep learning algorithms, this algorithm demonstrates better performance in the domain‐specific texts of power transformer operation and maintenance. Finally, the Neo4j graph database is used to visualise and present the knowledge graph, enabling decision support based on the power transformer operation and maintenance knowledge graph.

Abstract Background Prior observational research has investigated the association between dietary patterns and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk. Nevertheless, due to constraints in past observational studies, establishing a causal link between dietary habits and AD remains challenging. Methods Methodology involved the utilization of extensive cohorts sourced from publicly accessible genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets of European descent for conducting Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. The principal analytical technique utilized was the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. Results The MR analysis conducted in this study found no statistically significant causal association between 20 dietary habits and the risk of AD (All p > 0.05). These results were consistent across various MR methods employed, including MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode approaches. Moreover, there was no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy detected (All p > 0.05). Conclusion In this MR analysis, our finding did not provide evidence to support the causal genetic relationships between dietary habits and AD risk.

Abstract This paper presents an efficient scheme for single-pixel imaging (SPI) utilizing a phase-controlled fiber laser array and an untrained deep neural network. The fiber lasers are arranged in a compact hexagonal structure and coherently combined to generate illuminating light fields. Through the utilization of high-speed electro-optic modulators in each individual fiber laser module, the randomly modulated fiber laser array enables rapid speckle projection onto the object of interest. Furthermore, the untrained deep neural network is incorporated into the image reconstructing process to enhance the quality of the reconstructed images. Through simulations and experiments, we validate the feasibility of the proposed method and successfully achieve high-quality SPI utilizing the coherent fiber laser array at a sampling ratio of 1.6%. Given its potential for high emitting power and rapid modulation, the SPI scheme based on the fiber laser array holds promise for broad applications in remote sensing and other applicable fields. Graphical Abstract

BackgroundThe development of executive function in adolescents is influenced by many environmental factors. Previous studies have found that perceived stress is closely related to executive function， whereas its role in the mediation of executive function remains poorly studied.ObjectiveTo explore the role of negative affect and self-hate in mediating the relationship between perceived stress and executive function in adolescents， so as to assist the improvement of executive function in adolescents.MethodsQuestionnaires were administered to 7 734 adolescents from five junior and five senior high schools in Rizhao city， Shandong province from 1 to 30 May 2022. Data were collected using a self-made questionnaire， and adolescents were assessed using Perceived Stress Scale （PSS）， Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self Report Version （BRIEF-SR）， Patient Health Questionnaire （PHQ-4） and Self-Hate Scale （SHS）. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between variables. A Bootstrap method was chosen to examine the mediation effect of self-hate and negative affect on the relationship between perceived stress and executive function in adolescents.ResultsA total of 7 012 （90.66%） valid questionnaires were retrieved. BRIEF-SR score was positively correlated with PSS， PHQ-4 and SHS scores （r=0.564， 0.653， 0.597， P

Abstract In recent years, remarkable breakthroughs have been reported on antibody‐drug conjugates (ADCs), with 15 ADCs successfully entering the market over the past decade. This substantial development has positioned ADCs as one of the fastest‐growing domains in the realm of anticancer drugs, demonstrating their efficacy in treating a wide array of malignancies. Nonetheless, there is still an unmet clinical need for wider application, better efficacy, and fewer side effects of ADCs. An ADC generally comprises an antibody, a linker and a payload, and the combination has profound effects on drug structure, pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy. Hence, optimization of the key components provides an opportunity to develop ADCs with higher potency and fewer side effects. In this review, we comprehensively reviewed the current development and the prospects of ADC, provided an analysis of marketed ADCs and the ongoing pipelines globally as well as in China, highlighted several ADC platforms and technologies specific to different pharmaceutical enterprises and biotech companies, and also discussed the new related technologies, possibility of next‐generation ADCs and the directions of clinical research.

In this manuscript, an automated optimization neural network is applied in Hadamard single-pixel imaging (H-SPI) and Fourier single-pixel imaging (F-SPI) to improve the imaging quality at low sampling ratios which is called AO-Net. By projecting Hadamard or Fourier basis illumination light fields onto the object, a single-pixel detector is used to collect the reflected light intensities from object. The one-dimensional detection values are fed into the designed AO-Net, and the network can automatically optimize. Finally, high-quality images are output through multiple iterations without pre-training and datasets. Numerical simulations and experiments demonstrate that AO-Net outperforms other existing widespread methods for both binary and grayscale images at low sampling ratios. Specially, the Structure Similarity Index Measure value of the binary reconstructed image can reach more than 0.95 when the sampling ratio is less than 3%. Therefore, AO-Net holds great potential for applications in the fields of complex environment imaging and moving object imaging.

Abstract Re‐extracting environmentally transportable hexavalent uranium from wastewater produced by spent fuel reprocessing using the photocatalytic technology is a crucial strategy to avoid uranium pollution and recover nuclear fuel strategic resources. Here, we have designed S‐scheme 2D/0D C3N5/Fe2O3 heterojunction photocatalysts based on the built‐in electric field and the energy band bending theory, and have further revealed the immobilization process of hexavalent uranium conversion into relatively insoluble tetravalent uranium in terms of thermodynamics and kinetics. According to the results, the hexavalent uranium removal and recovery ratios in wastewater are as high as 93.38% and 83.58%, respectively. Besides, C3N5/Fe2O3 heterojunctions also exhibit satisfactory catalytic activity and selectivity even in the presence of excessive impurity cations (including Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, and Eu3+) or various organics (such as xylene, tributylphosphate, pyridine, tannic acid, citric acid, and oxalic acid). It is believed that this work can provide a potential opportunity for S‐scheme heterojunction photocatalysts to re‐enrich uranium from spent fuel wastewater.

IntroductionTransformer network is widely emphasized and studied relying on its excellent performance. The self-attention mechanism finds a good solution for feature coding among multiple channels of electroencephalography (EEG) signals. However, using the self-attention mechanism to construct models on EEG data suffers from the problem of the large amount of data required and the complexity of the algorithm.MethodsWe propose a Transformer neural network combined with the addition of Mixture of Experts (MoE) layer and ProbSparse Self-attention mechanism for decoding the time-frequency-spatial domain features from motor imagery (MI) EEG of spinal cord injury patients. The model is named as EEG MoE-Prob-Transformer (EMPT). The common spatial pattern and the modified s-transform method are employed for achieving the time-frequency-spatial features, which are used as feature embeddings to input the improved transformer neural network for feature reconstruction, and then rely on the expert model in the MoE layer for sparsity mapping, and finally output the results through the fully connected layer.ResultsEMPT achieves an accuracy of 95.24% on the MI EEG dataset for patients with spinal cord injury. EMPT has also achieved excellent results in comparative experiments with other state-of-the-art methods.DiscussionThe MoE layer and ProbSparse Self-attention inside the EMPT are subjected to visualisation experiments. The experiments prove that sparsity can be introduced to the Transformer neural network by introducing MoE and kullback-leibler divergence attention pooling mechanism, thereby enhancing its applicability on EEG datasets. A novel deep learning approach is presented for decoding EEG data based on MI.

The rapid growth of electronic devices, electric vehicles, and mobile energy storage has produced large quantities of spent batteries, leading to significant environmental issues and a shortage of lithium resources. Recycling spent batteries has become urgent to protect the environment. The key to treating spent lithium-ion batteries is to implement green and efficient regeneration. This study proposes a recycling method for the direct regeneration of spent lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries using hydrothermal reduction. Ascorbic acid (AA) was used as a low-cost and environmentally friendly reductant to reduce Fe3+ in spent LiFePO4. We also investigated the role of AA in the hydrothermal process and its effects on the electrochemical properties of the regenerated LiFePO4 cathode material (AA-SR-LFP). The results showed that the hydrothermal reduction direct regeneration method successfully produced AA-SR-LFP with good crystallinity and electrochemical properties. AA-SR-LFP exhibited excellent electrochemical properties, with an initial discharge specific capacity of 144.4 mAh g−1 at 1 C and a capacity retention rate of 98.6% after 100 cycles. In summary, the hydrothermal reduction direct regeneration method effectively repairs the defects in the chemical composition and crystal structure of spent LiFePO4. It can be regarded as a green and effective regeneration approach for spent LiFePO4 cathode materials.

Background: Air pollution is a global health concern, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) constituents posing potential risks to human health, including children's neurodevelopment. Here we investigated associations between exposure during pregnancy and infancy to specific traffic-related PM2.5 components with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Methods: For exposure assessment, we estimated PM2.5 components related to traffic exposure (Barium [Ba] as a marker of brake dust and Zinc [Zn] as a tire wear marker, Black Carbon [BC]) and oxidative stress potential (OSP) markers (Hydroxyl Radical [OPOH] formation, Dithiothreitol activity [OPDTT], reactive oxygen species [ROS]) modeled with land use regression with co-kriging based on an intensive air monitoring campaign. We assigned exposures to a cohort of 444,651 children born in Southern California between 2016 and 2019, among whom 11,466 ASD cases were diagnosed between 2018 and 2022, Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained with logistic regression for single pollutant and PM2.5 mass co-adjusted models, also adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Among PM2.5 components, we found the strongest positive association with ASD for our brake wear marker Ba (ORper IQR = 1.29, 95 % CI: 1.24, 1.34). This was followed by an increased risk for all PM2.5 oxidative stress potential markers; the strongest association was with ROS formation (ORper IQR = 1.22, 95 % CI: 1.18, 1.25). PM2.5 mass was linked to ASD in Hispanic and Black children, but not White children, while traffic-related PM2.5 and OSP markers increased ASD risk across all groups. In neighborhoods with the lowest socioeconomic status (SES), associations with ASD were stronger for all examined pollutants compared to higher SES areas. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that brake wear-related PM2.5 and PM2.5 OSP are associated with ASD diagnosis in Southern California. These results suggest that strategies aimed at reducing the public health impacts of PM2.5 need to consider specific sources.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the intervention effect of curcumin on hepatic fibrosis in rodent models through systematic review and meta-analysis, in order to provide meaningful guidance for clinical practice.MethodsA systematic retrieval of relevant studies on curcumin intervention in rats or mice hepatic fibrosis models was conducted, and the data were extracted. The outcome indicators included liver cell structure and function related indicators, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), ratio of albumin to globulin (A/G), total bilirubin (TBIL), bax protein, bcl-2 protein and index of liver, as well as the relevant indicators for evaluating the degree of hepatic fibrosis, such as hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), type I collagen (Collagen I), type III collagen (Collagen III), type III procollagen (PCIII), type III procollagen amino terminal peptide (PIIINP), type IV collagen (IV-C), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), α-Smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), hydroxyproline (HYP), platelet derived factor-BB (PDGF-BB), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and oxidative stress-related indicators, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). These results were then analyzed by meta-analysis. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality using the syrcle's bias risk tool.ResultsA total of 59 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the results showed that curcumin can reduce the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TBIL, bax protein, and index of liver in hepatic fibrosis models. It can also reduce HA, LN, Collagen I, Collagen III, PCIII, PIIINP, IV-C, TNF-α, α-SMA, HYP, PDGF-BB, CTGF, TGF-β1 and MDA, and increase the levels of ALB, A/G, SOD, and GSH-Px in the hepatic fibrosis models. However, the effects of curcumin on bcl-2 protein, IL-6 in hepatic fibrosis models and index of liver in mice were not statistically significant.ConclusionThe analysis results indicate that curcumin can reduce liver cell apoptosis by maintaining the stability of liver cell membrane, inhibit the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells by reducing inflammatory response, and alleviate tissue peroxidation damage by clearing oxygen free radicals.

BackgroundThe complex and diverse occupational disease hazards in automobile manufacturing industry pose high occupational health risks to workers. ObjectiveTo explore the methods that can accurately reflect the workplace health risk grade of automobile manufacturing enterprises, and to guide enterprises to practice risk classification management. MethodsComprehensive index method, International Commission on Mining and Metals occupational health risk assessment method (ICMM method), and risk index method were used toassess health risks of occupational disease hazards in major workstations such as welding, polishing, and painting in three automobile manufacturing enterprises in Hunan Province. Kappa consistency test was used to test the grading results of the three assessment methods. The re-examine results and detection rate of contraindications of occupational health examinations in the past three years were used to verify the assessment results. ResultsThe results of comprehensive index method showed that the hazards of each selected workstation in enterprises A and B were evaluated as grade 2-3, among which NO2 in enterprise A was grade 3, and welding fume, NO2, and formaldehyde in enterprise B were all grade 3. The hazards of each selected workstation in enterprise C were grade 3-4, among which NO2 and benzene in were grade 4, and welding fume, manganese and its compounds, grinding wheel dust, and xylene were grade 3. The hazards evaluated by ICMM quantitative method were grade 2 and grade 5, among which manganese and its compounds in enterprise A and welding fume, grinding wheel dust, and benzene series in enterprise C were graded as grade 5. The hazards evaluated by risk index method were grade 1-4, among which manganese and its compounds in enterprises A and B were grade 3, and manganese and its compounds and benzene in enterprise C were grade 4. The Kappa value between comprehensive index method and ICMM method was 0.084 (P>0.05), that between comprehensive index method and risk index method was −0.046 (P>0.05), and that between ICMM method and risk index method was 0.014 (P>0.05), indicating poor consistency. By comparing the results of occupational health surveillance with the results of occupational health risk assessment, one worker was found to have occupational contraindication of manganese exposure and 1 worker was found to have excessive manganese in hair in enterprise A. However, the comprehensive index method graded low risk for manganese and its compounds in enterprise A and the result is conservative. The key workstations identified by ICMM method were consistent with the occupational health examination results, but the assessment grades were all extremely high risk, and the results were too strict. One worker was found to be contraindicated to welding fumes, and 2 polishers were found to have severe mixed pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in enterprise C. Mild and moderate pulmonary ventilation dysfunction was found to be common in welding and polishing workstations in each enterprise. The assessment results of welding fumes and grinding wheel dust by the risk index method were negligible risks, which were inconsistent with the occupational health examination results. ConclusionThe comprehensive index method, ICMM method, and risk index method can basically identify workstations with serious occupational hazards, but they have certain limitations and applicability. In general, the evaluation results of the comprehensive index method were generates more consistent with the results with occupational health surveillance than the other two methods, is more comprehensive and objective in consideration, and is more suitable for health risk assessment of automobile manufacturing enterprises.

BackgroundThe mining of non-coal underground mines may come into contact with various types of dust, such as lead, zinc, copper, and non-metallic minerals. Dust of various kinds commonly exists in all aspects of mining and selection, and is one of the main occupational hazard groups in non-coal underground mines. ObjectiveTo compare the application of two risk assessment methods in the occupational health risk assessment of productive dust in non-coal underground mines, and to provide a reference for the selection of dust hazard health risk assessment methods and the management of dust hazards in non-coal mines. MethodsA field investigation of the dust hazards of three typical non-coal underground mining enterprises (lead-zinc mines, copper mines, and fluorite mines) was carried out, and the comprehensive index method and the occupational health risk assessment method from the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) were used to perform risk assessments. The comprehensiveindex method considers the following factors: dust monitoring data, the aerodynamic diameter of dust, hazard control measures, occupational health management, daily usage, and daily exposure time to determine exposure levels. The ICMM method determines the risk level based on the consequences caused by dust, exposure probability, exposure time, and uncertainty coefficient. Kendall consistency test was used to compare agreement between the results generated by the two methods. ResultsThe results generated by the comprehensive index method were as follows: level 3 (medium risk) or level 4 (high risk) for silica dust or lead dust; level 1 (negligible risk) or level 2 (low risk) for other dust (dust with free SiO2 content

Background: Selenium (Se) pollution poses serious threats to terrestrial ecosystems. Mushrooms are important sources of Se with the potential for bioremediation. Pre-eminent Se resources must possess the ability to tolerate high levels of Se. To obtain Se-accumulating fungi, we isolated selenite-tolerance-enhanced Ganoderma lucidum JNUSE-200 through adaptive evolution. Methods: The molecular mechanism responsible for selenite tolerance and accumulation was explored in G. lucidum JNUSE-200 by comparing it with the original strain, G. lucidum CGMCC 5.26, using a combination of physiological and transcriptomic approaches. Results: G. lucidum JNUSE-200 demonstrated tolerance to 200 mg/kg selenite in liquid culture and exhibited normal growth, whereas G. lucidum CGMCC 5.26 experienced reduced growth, red coloration, and an unpleasant odor as a result of exposure to selenite at the same concentration. In this study, G. lucidum JNUSE-200 developed a triple defense mechanism against high-level selenite toxicity, and the key genes responsible for improved selenite tolerance were identified. Conclusions: The present study offers novel insights into the molecular responses of fungi towards selenite, providing theoretical guidance for the breeding and cultivation of Se-accumulating varieties. Moreover, it significantly enhances the capacity of the bio-manufacturing industry and contributes to the development of beneficial applications in environmental biotechnology through fungal selenite transformation bioprocesses.

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage worldwide. However, limited research has been conducted on identifying key odor-active components in lager-type draft beers for the Chinese market. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the odor characteristics of the four most popular draft beer brands through a sensory evaluation and an electronic nose. Subsequently, the four draft beers were analyzed through solid-phase microextraction and liquid–liquid extraction using a two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry analysis (GC×GC–O–MS). Fifty-five volatile odor compounds were detected through GC×GC–O–MS. Through an Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis, 22 key odor-active compounds with flavor dilution factors ≥ 16 were identified, with 11 compounds having odor activity values > one. An electronic nose analysis revealed significant disparities in the odor characteristics of the four samples, enabling their distinct identification. These findings help us to better understand the flavor characteristics of draft beer and the stylistic differences between different brands of products and provide a theoretical basis for objectively evaluating the quality differences between different brands of draft beer.

Abstract Background Epstein‒Barr virus‐associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) is regarded as a distinct molecular subtype of GC, accounting for approximately 9% of all GC cases. Clinically, EBVaGC patients are found to have a significantly lower frequency of lymph node metastasis and better prognosis than uninfected individuals. RNA N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification has an indispensable role in modulating tumour progression in various cancer types. However, its impact on EBVaGC remains unclear. Methods Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP‐seq) and m6A dot blot were conducted to compare the m6A modification levels between EBVaGC and EBV‐negative GC (EBVnGC) cells. Western blot, real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) and immunohistochemistry were applied to explore the underlying mechanism of the reduced m6A modification in EBVaGC. The biological function of fat mass and obesity‐associated protein (FTO) was determined in vivo and in vitro. The target genes of FTO were screened by MeRIP‐seq, RT‐qPCR and Western blot. The m6A binding proteins of target genes were verified by RNA pulldown and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and Luciferase report assays were performed to investigate the mechanism how EBV up‐regulated FTO expression. Results M6A demethylase FTO was notably increased in EBVaGC, leading to a reduction in m6A modification, and higher FTO expression was associated with better clinical outcomes. Furthermore, FTO depressed EBVaGC cell metastasis and aggressiveness by reducing the expression of target gene AP‐1 transcription factor subunit (FOS). Methylated FOS mRNA was specifically recognized by the m6A ‘reader’ insulin‐like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 1/2 (IGF2BP1/2), which enhanced its transcripts stability. Moreover, MYC activated by EBV in EBVaGC elevated FTO expression by binding to a specific region of the FTO promoter. Conclusions Mechanistically, our work uncovered a crucial suppressive role of FTO in EBVaGC metastasis and invasiveness via an m6A‐FOS‐IGF2BP1/2‐dependent manner, suggesting a promising biomarker panel for GC metastatic prediction and therapy.

Spectrum of the doubly heavy tetraquarks is studied in a constituent quark model including one-pion exchange (OPE) potential. Central and tensor forces induced by OPE between two light quarks are considered. Our results show that I(JP)=0(1+) compact bound states are shifted up because of the repulsive central force between q¯q¯. This effect possibly leads to the small binding energy in Tcc. In addition, a I(JP)=1(1+) resonant state is reported with E=10641MeV,Γ=15MeV and E=10640 MeV,Γ=15 MeV, without and with including OPE potential, respectively. The repulsive central force and attractive tensor force almost cancel with each other and leave a small energy difference when OPE potential is included.

BackgroundThe relationship between normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and thyroid disease in adults remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum TSH levels, particularly those falling within the normal range, and thyroid diseases in Chinese adults, including thyroid nodules (TN), goiter (GR), and thyroid antibody positivity.Materials and methodsThis research was a cross-sectional study conducted in an adult population in Tianjin, China. Thyroid volume (Tvol) and TN were assessed using thyroid ultrasonography. Fasting venous blood and spot urine samples were collected to evaluate thyroid function and iodine status.ResultsA total of 2460 subjects participated in the survey. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 9.76%, and abnormal TSH levels were found to potentially increase the risk of GR and thyroid antibody positivity in adults. A total of 2220 subjects with TSH within the normal reference range were included in the further study. In these patients, Tvol decreased as TSH levels increased, in both men and women (P < 0.0001). Low TSH levels (0.27–1.41 IU/mL) were identified as a risk factor for TN (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% CI: 1.14-1.87) and GR (OR 5.90, 95% CI 2.27-15.3). Upon stratification by sex and age, the risk of TN was found to be higher in women and elderly individuals (≥60 years old), while the risk of GR was found to be higher in men and younger individuals (

Urban green space sound sources play an important role in providing people with high quality recreation experiences. However, the evaluation index for urban green space sound sources is still limited. The main purpose of this study is to propose indices for soundscape diversity in urban green spaces, compare soundscape diversity with acoustic diversity, and understand the role of soundscape diversity in urban green spaces. In our field investigation, the sound sources of 30 sample sites were recorded over a five-minute period, and the soundscape diversity index (SDI), soundscape richness index (SRI), soundscape dominance index (SDO), and soundscape evenness index (SEI) were calculated. The results showed that soundscape diversity indices are more suitable for the evaluation of urban green space sound diversity than acoustic diversity indices. There is a significant correlation between soundscape diversity and urban green space landscape patterns, and there is a varied relationship between soundscape diversity and sound perception in different urban green spaces. Soundscape diversity can be explained by existing objective acoustic indicators, which can explain 55% of SDI model variations, 71% of SRI model variations, 43% of SDO model variations, and 32% of SEI model variations. Soundscape diversity can be applied to future urban green space planning and acoustic environment design.

Abstract Metastasis constitutes one of the major causes of tumor-related death in gastric cancer (GC), and understanding key events in the initiation of this phenotypic switch may provide therapeutic opportunities. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as molecules that play vital roles in tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we aimed to identify metastasis-related lncRNAs in the context of GC. The lncRNAs overexpressed in tumor tissues and positively associated with overall survival were screened out using the TCGA database. qPCR assays in clinical samples showed that LINC00858 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues compared with normal counterparts. Functional analysis suggested that LINC00858 depletion attenuated the migration, and invasion of cancer cells in vitro and suppressed the metastasis of xenografted tumors in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC00858 could interact with the metastasis-associated RAN and stabilize its protein expression by decreasing posttranslational ubiquitination. The transcription factor YY1 could bind to the promoter of LINC00858 to upregulate its expression in GC cells. Moreover, overexpression of YY1 and RAN was positively associated with upregulation of LINC00858 in GC tissues. Our results suggest that LINC00858 might play a role in GC metastasis, and be a diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target.

Abstract Urbanization has exposed people to extreme sound levels. Although researchers have investigated the ability of people to listen, analyze, and distinguish sound, the concept of noise has not been clearly articulated from a human perspective. The lack of knowledge on how people perceive noise limits our capacity to control it in a targeted manner. This study aimed to interpret the definition of noise from the public perspective based on a grounded theory approach. Seventy-eight participants were interviewed about noise, and four categories of perceived understanding of noise were identified: challenges, definitions of noise, opportunities, and action. As one of the challenges, urbanization is associated with increased noise levels around the human environment. In terms of definition, perceiving sound as noise is considered to be a result of the complex and dynamic process that includes sound, the environment, and humans. Sound and humans interact with the environment. In terms of opportunities, noise may have positive roles on certain occasions, dispelling the misconception that noise is exclusively negative. In addition, we found that noise perception has gradually shifted from noise control to noise utilization. In terms of action, noise can be controlled at the sound sources, susceptible target groups, susceptible behaviors and states, locations, and times where noise is perceived with high frequency. In this study, we investigated several aspects of noise, ranging from noise control, soundscape definition, and ‘soundscape indices’ (SSID) integration and application. Our findings provide an additional basis for developing better definitions, control, and utilization strategies of noise in the future, thereby improving the quality of the sound environment.

Abstract Since socio-economic development is associated with artificial construction, heritage environments must be protected and renewed while adapting to such development. Many World Heritage Sites’ visual integrity is endangered by new construction. The paper aims to explore people’s visual focus patterns concerning the integrity of heritage to ensure that traditional culture is not endangered by the construction and development of modern life, and to protect Outstanding Universal Values. In this study, visual heatmaps are generated to investigate people’s visual integrity in the Historic Centre of Prague from micro to macro viewpoints using an eye tracker. We found that humans’ perspectives are unobstructed or concentrated, and the view of main attractions is generally maintained by a buffer zone. However, newly constructed high-rise buildings can result in major visual concerns. Therefore, new buildings with large heights and strong contrasting colours should be restricted to World Heritage Sites. Moreover, complex artistic effects (facade midline, domes, mural painting, faces of sculptures) will likely attract people’s attention. In contrast, visual focus is not concentrated on greenery, roofs and floors. Accordingly, greenery could become a flexible space to serve as a background for buildings and landscape nodes. Furthermore, visual focal factors are associated with two significant aspects: people and the environment. Since people and transportation could pose visual concerns, tourism managers should optimise for characteristics such as controlling the density of pedestrian flow and planning parking spaces. The visual patterns identified could be useful for the design, conservation, and management of visual integrity in cultural heritage sites to avoid the spread of artificial constructions within the boundaries of heritage sites, which may lead to their being endangered or delisted.

Germline variations in the DNA polymerase genes, POLE and POLD1, can lead to a hereditary cancer syndrome that is characterized by frequent gastrointestinal polyposis and multiple primary malignant tumors. However, because of its rare occurrence, this disorder has not been extensively studied. In this report, we present the case of a 22-year-old female patient who had been diagnosed with gastrointestinal polyposis, breast fibroadenoma, multiple primary colorectal cancers, and glioblastoma (grade IV) within a span of 4 years. Next-generation sequencing analysis revealed a germline variant in POLD1 (c.1816C>A; p.L606M). In silico analysis using protein functional predicting software, including SIFT, Polyphen, GERP++, and CADD, further confirmed the pathogenicity of POLD1 p.L606M (classified as ACMG grade Class 4). In line with polymerase deficiency, both rectal cancer and glioblastoma tissues exhibited a high tumor mutation burden, with 16.9 muts/Mb and 347.1 muts/Mb, respectively. Interestingly, the patient has no family history of cancer, and gene examination of both parents confirms that this is a de novo germline variant. Therefore, molecular screening for POLD1 may be necessary for patients with such a cancer spectrum, regardless of their family history.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular microsporidian parasite with a worldwide distribution. As a zoonotic pathogen, E. bieneusi can infect a wide range of wildlife hosts through the fecal-oral route. Although the feces of flying squirrels (Trogopterus xanthipes) are considered a traditional Chinese medicine (as “faeces trogopterori”), no literature is available on E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels to date. In this study, a total of 340 fresh flying squirrel fecal specimens from two captive populations were collected in Pingdingshan city, China, to detect the prevalence of E. bieneusi and assess their zoonotic potential. By nested PCR amplification of the ITS gene, six specimens tested positive, with positive samples from each farm, with an overall low infection rate of 1.8%. The ITS sequences revealed three genotypes, including known genotype D and two novel genotypes, HNFS01 and HNFS02. Genotype HNFS01 was the most prevalent (4/6, 66.7%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that all genotypes clustered into zoonotic Group 1, with the novel genotypes clustering into different subgroups. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. bieneusi infection in flying squirrels, suggesting that flying squirrels could act as a potential reservoir and zoonotic threat for E. bieneusi transmission to humans in China.

Road traffic is a significant source of particulate matter pollution, whose exposure is a significant risk factor in pregnancy-related health outcomes. The exact mechanisms behind the relationship between traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes remain unclear. We aim to assess the relationship between exposure to brake and tire wear-associated metals and oxidative potential and ischemic placental disease (IPD). Data were assembled from a final population of 178 women who sought specialized prenatal care at UCLA between 2016 and 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. Modeled first trimester exposures to chemical constituents and oxidative stress potential of PM _2.5 , black carbon, and PM _2.5 mass concentration. Speciated measurements included tracers of brake wear (barium), tire wear (zinc), and oxidative potential markers based on metal concentrations (KM-SUB-ELF ROS) or laboratory assays (DTT loss, OH radical formation). Exposures were modeled by integrating data from filter samples, a low-cost PM _2.5 sensor network, and land-use data. We used logistic regression to estimate the associations between air pollution exposures and IPD, adjusting for covariates assessed through medical records and interviews. Scaled to the interquartile range, odds ratios (95% CI) were as follows: barium OR: 1.7 (1.1, 2.7), zinc OR: 1.4 (.86, 2.4), and oxidative potential markers, both modeled as well as measured through DTT loss and OH formation assays (ORs ranging from 1.1-2.0). Point estimates of effect sizes for PM _2.5 and black carbon were lower than most measurements (ORs: 1.3-1.4). mass and black carbon. Our findings suggest two key points: (i) metals associated with brake and tire wear, currently unregulated, may play a role in the relationship between TRAP and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and (ii) reducing tailpipe emissions may not be sufficient to protect pregnant women from TRAP.

Introduction: Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) is a well-established oncogene in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The methylation status of oncogene promoters has emerged as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Objective: This study aims to investigate the biological and clinical significance of JAK3 promoter methylation in ccRCC. Methods: We analyzed the relationship of JAK3 promoter methylation with its mRNA expression, overall survival, and immune cell infiltration in a cohort obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which was further validated by another independent cohort. We further validated correlations of JAK3 promoter methylation with JAK3 expression, overall survival, and immune cell infiltration in an independent ccRCC cohort (Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) cohort) by methods of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and pyrosequencing. Results: We found JAK3 promoter was significantly hypomethylated in tumor tissues compared to normal adjacent tissues in ccRCC, and JAK3 promoter hypomethylation was strongly correlated with high JAK3 mRNA expression in all three ccRCC cohorts we examined. JAK3 promoter hypomethylation predicted advanced clinicopathological characteristics and shorter overall survival (TCGA cohort and SYSUCC cohort). Furthermore, we found that JAK3 promoter methylation was significantly associated with immune cell infiltration and expression of immune checkpoint molecules (TCGA cohort and CPTAC cohort). Finally, our SYSUCC cohort validated that JAK3 promoter methylation was correlated with CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration in ccRCC tumor tissues. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that the crucial role of JAK3 promoter methylation in its expression regulation and tumor microenvironment. JAK3 promoter methylation and expression are associated with clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival, and immune cell infiltration in ccRCC. We propose a rationale for further validation of JAK3 promoter methylation as a molecular biomarker for predicting responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors in ccRCC.

Abstract Deep learning methods have been increasingly adopted to study jets in particle physics. Since symmetry-preserving behavior has been shown to be an important factor for improving the performance of deep learning in many applications, Lorentz group equivariance — a fundamental spacetime symmetry for elementary particles — has recently been incorporated into a deep learning model for jet tagging. However, the design is computationally costly due to the analytic construction of high-order tensors. In this article, we introduce LorentzNet, a new symmetry-preserving deep learning model for jet tagging. The message passing of LorentzNet relies on an efficient Minkowski dot product attention. Experiments on two representative jet tagging benchmarks show that LorentzNet achieves the best tagging performance and improves significantly over existing state-of-the-art algorithms. The preservation of Lorentz symmetry also greatly improves the efficiency and generalization power of the model, allowing LorentzNet to reach highly competitive performance when trained on only a few thousand jets.

BackgroundLung cancer is the deadliest and most diagnosed type of cancer worldwide. The 5-year survival rate of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) dropped significantly when tumor stages advanced. Patients who received surgically resecting at the pre-invasive stage had a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. However, the study on the differences in gene expression profiles and immune microenvironment among pre-invasive LUAD patients is still lacking.MethodsIn this study, the gene expression profiles of three pre-invasive LUAD stages were compared using the RNA-sequencing data of 10 adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) samples, 12 minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) samples, and 10 invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) samples.ResultsThe high expression levels of PTGFRN (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.45; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.08-1.94; log-rank P = 0.013) and SPP1 (HR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.07-1.93; log-rank P = 0.015) were identified to be associated with LUAD prognosis. Moreover, the early LUAD invasion was accompanied by the enhancement of antigen presentation ability, reflected by the increase of myeloid dendritic cells infiltration rate (Cuzick test P < 0.01) and the upregulation of seven important genes participating in the antigen presentation, including HLA-A (Cuzick test P = 0.03), MICA (Cuzick test P = 0.01), MICB (Cuzick test P = 0.01), HLA-DPA1 (Cuzick test P = 0.04), HLA-DQA2 (Cuzick test P < 0.01), HLA-DQB1 (Cuzick test P = 0.03), and HLA-DQB2 (Cuzick test P < 0.01). However, the tumor-killing ability of the immune system was inhibited during this process, as there were no rising cytotoxic T cell activity (Cuzick test P = 0.20) and no increasing expression in genes encoding cytotoxic proteins. ConclusionIn all, our research elucidated the changes in the immune microenvironment during early-stage LUAD evolution and may provide a theoretical basis for developing novel early-stage lung cancer therapeutic targets.

Microfluidic systems have been widely utilized in high-throughput biology analysis, but the difficulties in liquid manipulation and cell cultivation limit its application. This work has developed a new digital microfluidic (DMF) system for on-demand droplet control. By adopting an extending-depth-of-field (EDoF) phase modulator to the optical system, the entire depth of the microfluidic channel can be covered in one image without any refocusing process, ensuring that 95% of the particles in the droplet are captured within three shots together with shaking processes. With this system, suspension droplets are generated and droplets containing only one yeast cell can be recognized, then each single cell is cultured in the array of the chip. By observing their growth in cell numbers and the green fluorescence protein (GFP) production via fluorescence imaging, the single cell with the highest production can be identified. The results have proved the heterogeneity of yeast cells, and showed that the combined system can be applied for rapid single-cell sorting, cultivation, and analysis.

The effects of Xiao-Ban-Xia-Tang (XBXT) formula on cisplatin and 1-PBG induced emesis and gut microbiota were studied in this experiment. Cisplatin and 1-PBG induced pica rat models were established, the amount of kaolin intake was observed, and the effects of XBXT and ondansetron on the gut microbiota were studied by 16S rDNA gene analysis. The results showed that XBXT and ondansetron could ameliorate the acute and delayed pica induced by cisplatin and 1-PBG. XBXT decreased Firmicutes in the cisplatin treated rats. Ondansetron decreased the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota, and it decreased Firmicutes and increased Bacteroidetes in the cisplatin and 1-PBG treated rats. XBXT was as effective as ondansetron in the treatment of pica, while ondansetron was more likely to cause gut microbiota dysbiosis than XBXT. Our study provided new avenues for the roles and mechanisms of XBXT on the prevention and treatment of CINV.

ObjectiveTo discuss the relationship between objective sleep quality and cognitive function in remission depression patients with insomnia.MethodsA total of 47 patients with depression in remission in Beijing Huilongguan Hospital were enrolled. Insomnia Severity Index （ISI） and the sleep efficiency calculated by the first four items of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI） were defined as insomnia. Among the selected patients， 22 subjects were classified into insomnia group， and 25 subjects in non-insomnia group. The objective sleep status of all subjects was evaluated by polysomnography （PSG）， and the cognitive function was evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status （RBANS）. A regression model was established to explore the relationship between objective sleep quality and cognitive function in remission depression patients with insomnia.ResultsThere was statistically significant difference in immediate memory factor scores of RBANS between depression patients in remission with and without insomnia （t=-2.102， P

Relationship extraction is a crucial step in the construction of a knowledge graph. In this research, the grid field entity relationship extraction was performed via a labeling approach that used span representation. The subject entity and object entity were used as training instances to bolster the linkage between them. The embedding layer of the RoBERTa pre-training model included word embedding, position embedding, and paragraph embedding information. In addition, semantic dependency was introduced to establish an effective linkage between different entities. To facilitate the effective linkage, an additional lexically labeled embedment was introduced to empower the model to acquire more profound semantic insights. After obtaining the embedding layer, the RoBERTa model was used for multi-task learning of entities and relations. The multi-task information was then fused using the parameter hard sharing mechanism. Finally, after the layer was fully connected, the predicted entity relations were obtained. The approach was tested on a grid field dataset created for this study. The obtained results demonstrated that the proposed model has high performance.

Abstract Educational designers are working to embed computation in required classes outside of computer science (CS) courses, to promote equitable access for all students. While many studies embed computation in one discipline, few include projects that substantively involve many disciplines. We conducted a mixed methods case study with a sequential design to explore adolescents’ self-efficacy and engagement in computational practices, along with practices in several disciplines of science and engineering. In partnership with two eighth-grade environmental science teachers in a culturally and linguistically diverse urban-ring city of the Northeast US, students (N = 199) worked in teams to design, assemble, and code for “smart”, or automated, miniature greenhouses. We report on successes in engagement, along with tensions in self-efficacy, namely relating to generality, social factors, and emotive sources. Specifically, we elaborate on tensions related to (1) engagement via fun and camaraderie vs. disaffection per anxiety and stress; (2) practices as sequential vs. simultaneous; (3) prior experience with coding vs. present application; and (4) disciplinary pre-conceptions vs. expansion. We conclude with implications for educational design of pluridisciplinary spaces, especially for those including computation, and which seek to leverage interest and engagement to develop self-efficacy. Also, we discuss how our study extends self-efficacy theory through its finer-grained analyses with more diverse participants. Ultimately, our work builds on and extends current educational designs for embedding computational practices in required, non-CS classes, a vital concern for adolescents’ present and future civic participation, in personal, social, and professional ways.

Abstract Metabolic enzymes have an indispensable role in metabolic reprogramming, and their aberrant expression or activity has been associated with chemosensitivity. Hence, targeting metabolic enzymes remains an attractive approach for treating tumors. However, the influence and regulation of cysteine desulfurase (NFS1), a rate-limiting enzyme in iron–sulfur (Fe–S) cluster biogenesis, in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain elusive. Here, using an in vivo metabolic enzyme gene-based clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 library screen, we revealed that loss of NFS1 significantly enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin. In vitro and in vivo results showed that NFS1 deficiency synergizing with oxaliplatin triggered PANoptosis (apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis) by increasing the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, oxaliplatin-based oxidative stress enhanced the phosphorylation level of serine residues of NFS1, which prevented PANoptosis in an S293 phosphorylation-dependent manner during oxaliplatin treatment. In addition, high expression of NFS1, transcriptionally regulated by MYC, was found in tumor tissues and was associated with poor survival and hyposensitivity to chemotherapy in patients with CRC. Overall, the findings of this study provided insights into the underlying mechanisms of NFS1 in oxaliplatin sensitivity and identified NFS1 inhibition as a promising strategy for improving the outcome of platinum-based chemotherapy in the treatment of CRC.

Aseptic loosening (AL) is the most common complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Both local inflammatory response and subsequent osteolysis around the prosthesis are the fundamental causes of disease pathology. As the earliest change of cell behavior, polarizations of macrophages play an essential role in the pathogenesis of AL, including regulating inflammatory responses and related pathological bone remodeling. The direction of macrophage polarization is closely dependent on the microenvironment of the periprosthetic tissue. When the classically activated macrophages (M1) are characterized by the augmented ability to produce proinflammatory cytokines, the primary functions of alternatively activated macrophages (M2) are related to inflammatory relief and tissue repair. Yet, both M1 macrophages and M2 macrophages are involved in the occurrence and development of AL, and a comprehensive understanding of polarized behaviors and inducing factors would help in identifying specific therapies. In recent years, studies have witnessed novel discoveries regarding the role of macrophages in AL pathology, the shifts between polarized phenotype during disease progression, as well as local mediators and signaling pathways responsible for regulations in macrophages and subsequent osteoclasts (OCs). In this review, we summarize recent progress on macrophage polarization and related mechanisms during the development of AL and discuss new findings and concepts in the context of existing work.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 6 different imaging modalities for differentiating glioma recurrence from postradiotherapy changes by performing a network meta-analysis (NMA) using direct comparison studies with 2 or more imaging techniques.Data sources PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, the Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to August 2021. The Confidence In Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies with the criterion for study inclusion being direct comparison using 2 or more imaging modalities.Data extraction and synthesis The consistency was evaluated by examining the agreement between direct and indirect effects. NMA was performed and the surface under the the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values was obtained to calculate the probability of each imaging modality being the most effective diagnostic method. The CINeMA tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies.Main outcomes and measures Direct comparison, inconsistency test, NMA and SUCRA values.Results A total of 8853 potentially relevant articles were retrieved and 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. 18F-FET showed the highest SUCRA values for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and accuracy, followed by 18F-FDOPA. The quality of the included evidence is classified as moderate.Conclusion and relevance This review indicates that 18F-FET and 18F-FDOPA may have greater diagnostic value for glioma recurrence relative to other imaging modalities (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations B).PROSPERO registration number CRD42021293075.

Green finance is closely related to sustainable energy development. Using the NVivo12plus software, a governance model of China's green finance policy was constructed using 22 green finance policy texts at the central level as research objects. Furthermore, based on the csQCA method, Tosmana software was used to develop and verify a theoretical model of 19 policy text cases. The research results demonstrate that policy belief, policy objectives, policy tools, policy feedback, and policy cycle are the main components of China's green finance policy governance. Furthermore, policy instruments are the fundamental factors affecting the governance effectiveness of China's green finance policy. Policy goals and policy feedback dominate the influence pattern of green finance policy in China. There are three modes driving the influence of green finance policies: regulation-oriented, collaborative-driven, and tool-guided. Finally, for the optimization and improvement of green finance policies, three forces must be improved: stimulus force, driving force, and promotion force.

IntroductionPrevious soundscape studies focused on sound perception and acoustic comfort in sampled sites and ignored the characteristics of the experiential process along the paths. Therefore, the effects of soundwalk paths on soundscape assessment should be explored.MethodsIn this study, a typical urban park was selected as a case study. The differences, characteristics, and effects of soundwalk paths on the soundscapes were explored, based on a soundwalk survey and laboratory study.ResultsThe results are as follows: first, in the soundwalk, different soundwalk paths in the urban park had significant effects on the perceived extent of individual sound and soundscape assessment. Second, the soundscape assessment was consistent with the peak-end rule. In the laboratory experiments, the peak assessment of soundscape appeared at the end location of the soundwalk paths, it was critical to the overall soundscape assessment. Furthermore, in the soundwalk, the overall perceived extent of individual sound was strongly affected by the perceived extent of dominant sounds at the end location of the soundwalk paths. Third, in the soundwalk, the sound loudness contrast path (noise-quiet/quiet-noise) and sound source contrast path (natural-artificial sound/artificial-natural sound) were compared. In the noise-quiet path, the assessment of acoustic comfort was higher than that in the quiet-noise path, and the assessment of subjective loudness was lower than that in the quiet-noise path (p

Abstract Background The prognostic value of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in colorectal cancer patients has remained inconsistent between nonmetastatic and metastatic settings. So far, very few studies have included LDH in the prognostic analysis of curative‐intent surgery for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Patients and Methods Five hundred and eighty consecutive metastatic colorectal cancer patients who underwent curative‐intent CRLM resection from Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center (434 patients) and Sun Yat‐sen University Sixth Affiliated Hospital (146 patients) in 2000–2019 were retrospectively collected. Overall survival (OS) was the primary end point. Cox regression model was performed to identify the prognostic values of preoperative serum LDH levels and other clinicopathology variables. A modification of the established Fong CRS scoring system comprising LDH was developed within this Chinese population. Results At the median follow‐up time of 60.5 months, median OS was 59.5 months in the pooled cohort. In the multivariate analysis, preoperative LDH >upper limit of normal (250 U/L) was the strongest independent prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22–2.44; p