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The discharge behaviors of AZ31 alloys, modified by the addition of In and Sm elements in conjunction with equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) processing, were systematically explored. The incorporation of In suppressed the formation of cathodic second phases. In contrast, Sm promoted the precipitation process and therefore led to higher microstructure uniformity following ECAP processing. The solid-solution In contributed to the activated dissolution of Mg matrix and the inhibited hydrogen evolution during discharge, while Sm was beneficial for the uniform dissolution and the alleviation of chunk effect. The results indicated that the 12-pass ECAP processed AZ31-In-Sm anode revealed the most enhanced discharge performance with a discharge voltage of 0.889 V and a utilization of 66.94% at 100 mA cm−2. This improvement can be primarily attributed to the combined effects of the decreased precipitations of cathodic phases by In addition and the enhanced microstructure homogeneity by Sm addition, collaborated with significant microstructure refinement.

Abstract Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are a serious global issue, with substantial evidence indicating that hydroclimate processes significantly contribute to these emissions. Forests, covering one-third of global land, are key in the water cycle and influence hydroclimate processes, which vary with climate, latitude, and forest types. The role of hydroclimate in regulating global forest N2O emission remains largely unknown. Our global analysis shows that hydroclimate factors dominate the latitudinal gradient of forest N2O fluxes, which decrease with latitude. N2O fluxes are highest in tropical forests, followed by temperate and boreal forests. Hydroclimate factors contribute 78.2% to N2O fluxes, while soil factors contribute 21.8%. Our results urgently call for future studies to investigate the relationship between N2O flux and hydroclimate factors like radiation, evapotranspiration, and vapor pressure deficits. Collectively, these findings highlight hydroclimate significant impact on N2O emissions and suggest incorporating these factors into predictive models for greater accuracy.

The leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) belongs to the family Epinephelinae, and genus Plectropomus. Vibrio harveyi is the main pathogen that causes "rot disease" in leopard coral grouper, which is a major threat to the sustainable development of its aquaculture industry. The disease is highly prevalent from June to August and severely affects aquaculture. Therefore, developing disease-resistant strains is a necessity. However, currently, artificial breeding techniques for leopard coral groupers cannot establish a family lineage through one-on-one artificial insemination, making traditional breeding methods that depend on a clear pedigree difficult. Considering the successful breeding of disease-resistant fish species with or without a pedigree, genome selection breeding technology are vital for cultivating disease-resistant leopard coral groupers.In genetic selection, the genetic parameters of target traits are important reference factors for specifying breeding programs. To evaluate the genetic parameters of leopard coral grouper resistance to V. harveyi, we constructed a genome-relatedness matrix based on high-density single-nucleotide polymorphisms using four models (binary linear model [BLM], binary threshold model [BTM], longitudinal linear model [LLM], and linear threshold model [LTM]) to fit two disease-resistant phenotypes (test-day trait, TDS; Bivariate survival trait, TS), and used restricted maximum likelihood [REML] to estimate variance components. Our findings illustrated that the genetic heritability of leopard coral grouper resistance to V. harveyi ranged from 0.182 to 0.486, which belongs to the medium-to-high genetic heritability range. The additive genetic variance ranged from 0.071 to 0.262. The genetic heritability estimated by the linear model was 0.382 and 0.476, whereas that estimated by the threshold model was 0.182 and 0.207, respectively. These results suggest that leopard coral groupers resistance to V. harveyi can be improved through genetic breeding.Herein, the linear models (BLM and LLM) obtained higher genetic heritability estimates and more accurate genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) predictions than the threshold models (BTM and LTM). However, despite the model used, the correlation coefficient between the GEBV rankings under the same phenotype definition > 0.9, indicating that their impact on the GEBV ranking was not significant. Compared to the cross-sectional models (BLM and BTM), numerous leopard coral grouper GEBVs were rearranged in the LLM results. There was a strong correlation between the LTM and phenotype (TS), indicating that LLM has an excellent prediction effect. Therefore, when breeding leopard coral groupers for V. harveyi-resistant traits, a LLM should be considered.The study observed that using longitudinal models (LLM and LTM) to estimate genetic heritability produced higher results than the cross-sectional models (BLM and BTM), which may be due to the death time explaining different components of fish disease resistance. In longitudinal models, the genetic component influenced by the time of death is effectively harnessed. However, in cross-sectional models, this effect is inadvertently subsumed within the residuals. Consistent with the genetic heritability findings, the longitudinal models produced more precise GEBVs compared to cross-sectional models. Our results suggest that TDS might offer a more accurate measure for assessing the resistance of leopard coral groupers to V. harveyi than the TS.Compared with the threshold models, linear models performed better in GEBV prediction, and higher genetic heritability estimates were obtained. Although, most previous studies on disease resistance traits have reported inconsistent genetic heritability estimates between threshold and linear models, some studies support these conclusions. This result may be due to differences in information processing between the different models, which leads to different results. In this study, the additive genetic variance obtained using threshold models (BTM and LTM) was 0.222–0.262, and additive genetic variance obtained using linear models (LLM and BLM) was 0.071–0.086. It is expected that the additive genetic variance obtained using threshold models was higher than that obtained using linear models. Furthermore, the residual variance resulting from fitting linear models was notably low. We posit that when threshold traits are erroneously treated as normally distributed data and linear models are employed for analysis, the residual variance may be underestimated. This underestimation is likely due to the model's underfitting, which consequently leads to an inflated heritability estimate for the linear model.This study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of leopard coral grouper resistance to V. harveyi using infection test data of leopard coral groupers injected with V. harveyi and to construct an individual genotype relationship matrix based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The genetic heritability of leopard coral grouper resistance to V. harveyi was estimated to be between 0.182 and 0.486 by comparing different models and phenotype definitions. The linear (0.382 and 0.476) and threshold models (0.182 and 0.207) were used to estimate genetic heritability. The estimated genetic heritability was within the medium genetic heritability range. Our findings were used to improve the target traits of leopard coral groupers, specifically their resistance to V. harveyi. This study supplements the genetic parameter estimation of leopard coral grouper resistance to V. harveyi and provides a reference for selecting V. harveyi-resistant leopard coral groupers for breeding.

Datapath synthesis is a crucial step in synthesis flow and aims at globally minimizing an area by identifying shareable logic structures. This paper introduces a novel Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG)-based datapath synthesis method based on graph isomorphism and gate reconfiguration. Unlike algorithms that identify common specification logic, our approach simplifies the problem by focusing on searching for common topology. Leveraging the concept of gate reconfiguration, our algorithm extends the applicability of DAG-based datapath synthesis by transforming a topology-equivalent network into a specification-equivalent network. Experimental results demonstrate up to 23.6% improvement when optimizing the adder–subtractor circuit, a scenario not addressed by existing DAG-based datapath synthesis algorithms.

Leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) is one of the most important cultured fish in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Vibrio harveyi is a serious pathogen causing serious skin ulceration and high mortality in P. leopardus. To gain more insight into the tissue-specific and dynamic immune regulation process of P. leopardus in response to V. harveyi infection, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to examine the transcriptome profiles in the spleen and liver at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-infection. The upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly involved in the immune response in the spleen and liver at the early infection stage (6–12 h), and downregulated DEGs were mainly involved in metabolic processes in the liver at the early and middle infection stage (6–48 h). Moreover, an overview of the immune response of P. leopardus against V. harveyi was exhibited including innate and adaptive immune-related pathways. Afterwards, the results of WGCNA analysis in the spleen indicated that TAP2, IRF1, SOCS1, and CFLAR were the hub genes closely involved in immune regulation in the gene co-expression network. This study provides a global picture of V. harveyi-induced gene expression profiles of P. leopardus at the transcriptome level and uncovers a set of key immune pathways and genes closely linked to V. harveyi infection, which will lay a foundation for further study the immune regulation of bacterial diseases in P. leopardus.

Deep learning models have made great accomplishments in space weather forecasting. The critical frequency of the ionospheric F2 layer (foF2) is a key ionospheric parameter, which can be understood and predicted by some advanced new deep learning technologies. In this paper, we utilized an Informer architecture model to predict foF2 for several hours up to 48 h and analyzed its variations during periods of quiet, moderate, and intense geomagnetic conditions. The Informer method forecasts the temporal variations of foF2 by processing and training the past and present foF2 data from the Haikou station, China, during 2006–2014. It is evident that the Informer–foF2 model achieves better prediction performance than the widely used long short-term memory model. The Informer–foF2 model captures the correlation features within the foF2 time series and better predicts the variations ranging for hours up to days during different geomagnetic activities.

Abstract Background Elderly patients suffering from osteoporotic fractures are more susceptible to delayed union or nonunion, and their bodies then are in a state of low-grade chronic inflammation with decreased antioxidant capacity. Tanshinone IIA is widely used in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in China and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We aimed to observe the antioxidant effects of Tanshinone IIA on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which play important roles in bone repair, and the effects of local application of Tanshinone IIA using an injectable biodegradable hydrogel on osteoporotic fracture healing. Methods MSCs were pretreated with or without different concentrations of Tanshinone IIA followed by H2O2 treatment. Ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6 mice received a mid-shaft transverse osteotomy fracture on the left tibia, and Tanshinone IIA was applied to the fracture site using an injectable hydrogel. Results Tanshinone IIA pretreatment promoted the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and antioxidant enzymes, and inhibited H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species accumulation in MSCs. Furthermore, Tanshinone IIA reversed H2O2-induced apoptosis and decrease in osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. After 4 weeks of treatment with Tanshinone IIA in OVX mice, the bone mineral density of the callus was significantly increased and the biomechanical properties of the healed tibias were improved. Cell apoptosis was decreased and Nrf2 expression was increased in the early stage of callus formation. Conclusions Taken together, these results indicate that Tanshinone IIA can activate antioxidant enzymes to protect MSCs from H2O2-induced cell apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation inhibition. Local application of Tanshinone IIA accelerates fracture healing in ovariectomized mice.

To better meet the requirements in loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA) and conventional operating conditions in nuclear applications, this work prepared Cr, FeCrAl, and Cr/FeCrAl composite coatings on Zr alloys using plasma spraying technology. The microstructures, hardness, and high-temperature oxidation resistance of coatings are examined. The high-temperature oxidation of coatings was conducted at 1200 °C in air for 20, 40, and 60 min. All coatings exhibited characteristic lamellar microstructures accompanied by small pores. The inner layers of the coatings, benefiting from the “compacting effect” of subsequently deposited particles, displayed lower porosity and higher hardness. The order of high-temperature oxidation resistance among the coatings was determined as follows: Cr/FeCrAl coating > Cr coating > FeCrAl coating. Notably, the Cr/FeCrAl composite coating demonstrated exceptional durability even after a 60-min exposure, with no ZrO2 formation and negligible Fe and Cr diffusion. However, oxygen could still reach the Zr substrate due to inherent pores and the lamellar structure in the as-sprayed coatings. Therefore, post-treatments are suggested to mitigate or eliminate these pores, thereby improving high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Remanufacturing worn parts by the laser cladding process has wide prospect. To repair the worn camshafts, the T15 alloy steel coatings with different content of Cr were fabricated by the preset-powder laser cladding (PPLC). The effect of Cr content (3, 6, 9 and 12 wt%) on the microstructure and the wear resistance of T15 alloy steel coatings was investigated from the aspects of solution element, grain size and phase composition. The results indicate that the microstructure of the coatings is composed of martensite, retained austenite (RA) and eutectic boron-carbides. The content of martensite increases first and then decreases, the content of RA decreases and the content of eutectic boron-carbides increases with the increment of Cr content. The wear resistance increased first and then decreased with the increment of Cr content, the T15 alloy steel coating with the 9 wt% Cr has the hardness of 880 HV0.2, exhibiting the lowest wear rate (2.85 × 10−8 mm3/N·mm). A modified relationship between the wear rate and the Cr content is built by the nonlinear fitting method based on the classical Archard wear mode, the fitted results showed that the T15 alloy steel coating with 10.04 wt% Cr content has the highest wear resistance, which can provide a reference for the composition optimization of high speed steel with desired wear resistance.

Obtaining high strength without sacrificing ductility in Mg alloys is of great importance. However, the hexagonal close-packed crystal structure critically limits the deformation of Mg alloys. In this work, novel Mg-1.5Zn-0.5Zr-0.5Sr (wt.%) alloys were fabricated through homogenization, direct extrusion (DE), and extrusion-shearing (ES) processes. The effects of three different processes on microstructures, texture, and mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated. The results show that the average grain size of the alloy was greatly refined after hot extrusion. The alloy after the DE process exhibited a typical bimodal microstructure with dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) grains showing a strong < 101‾0 > fiber texture parallel to extrusion direction (ED), while the small-sized unDRXed grains showed relatively weak basal texture. In addition, the strength was significantly improved, with the value of yield strength (YS) reaching ∼229 MPa and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) reaching ∼262 MPa. This is mainly attributed to grain boundary strengthening and dislocation strengthening. Compared to the DE-processed alloy, the basal texture intensity was significantly decreased and non-basal slip was activated after the ES process, which indicates that the shearing deformation during ES could improve the ductility, with the fracture elongation (FE) increased from ∼13.9 % to ∼21.4 %. This work aims to unveil the deformation mechanisms in Mg-1.5Zn-0.5Zr-0.5Sr alloy and provides an efficient way for preparing micro-alloying Mg alloys with low cost and significant improvement of comprehensive properties.

Abstract Background Chondrosarcoma (CHS), a bone malignancy, poses a significant challenge due to its heterogeneous nature and resistance to conventional treatments. There is a clear need for advanced prognostic instruments that can integrate multiple prognostic factors to deliver personalized survival predictions for individual patients. This study aimed to develop a novel prediction tool based on recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) to improve the estimation of overall survival for patients with CHS. Methods Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were analyzed, including demographic, clinical, and treatment details of patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2018. Using C5.0 algorithm, decision trees were created to predict survival probabilities at 12, 24, 60, and 120 months. The performance of the models was assessed through confusion scatter plot, accuracy rate, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under ROC curve (AUC). Results The study identified tumor histology, surgery, age, visceral (brain/liver/lung) metastasis, chemotherapy, tumor grade, and sex as critical predictors. Decision trees revealed distinct patterns for survival prediction at each time point. The models showed high accuracy (82.40%–89.09% in training group, and 82.16%–88.74% in test group) and discriminatory power (AUC: 0.806–0.894 in training group, and 0.808–0.882 in test group) in both training and testing datasets. An interactive web‐based shiny APP (URL: https://yangxg1209.shinyapps.io/chondrosarcoma_survival_prediction/) was developed, simplifying the survival prediction process for clinicians. Conclusions This study successfully employed RPA to develop a user‐friendly tool for personalized survival predictions in CHS. The decision tree models demonstrated robust predictive capabilities, with the interactive application facilitating clinical decision‐making. Future prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings and further refine the predictive model.

This article provides an overview of the development history and advantages and disadvantages of measurement methods for soft tissue properties of the plantar foot. The measurement of soft tissue properties is essential for understanding the biomechanical characteristics and function of the foot, as well as for designing and evaluating orthotic devices and footwear. Various methods have been developed to measure the properties of plantar soft tissues, including ultrasound imaging, indentation testing, magnetic resonance elastography, and shear wave elastography. Each method has its own strengths and limitations, and choosing the most appropriate method depends on the specific research or clinical objectives. This review aims to assist researchers and clinicians in selecting the most suitable measurement method for their specific needs.

Introduction: This study bridges traditional remedies and modern pharmacology by exploring the synergy between natural compounds and Ceritinib in treating Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), aiming to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicities.Methods: Using a combined approach of computational analysis, machine learning, and experimental procedures, we identified and analyzed PD173074, Isoquercitrin, and Rhapontin as potential inhibitors of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). Machine learning algorithms guided the initial selection, followed by Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling and molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the interaction dynamics and stability of Rhapontin. Physicochemical assessments further verified its drug-like properties and specificity.Results: Our experiments demonstrate that Rhapontin, when combined with Ceritinib, significantly suppresses tumor activity in NSCLC while sparing healthy cells. The molecular simulations and physicochemical evaluations confirm Rhapontin’s stability and favorable interaction with FGFR3, highlighting its potential as an effective adjunct in NSCLC therapy.Discussion: The integration of natural compounds with established cancer therapies offers a promising avenue for enhancing treatment outcomes in NSCLC. By combining the ancient wisdom of natural remedies with the precision of modern science, this study contributes to evolving cancer treatment paradigms, potentially mitigating the side effects associated with current therapies.

Numerous models have been proposed to describe and predict how human translations evolve in time. Some of these models suggest hierarchically embedded processes of fast and slow processing that unfold on different timelines. However, the assumed mental processes have often been conceptualized without a clear description of how they can be assessed, measured or retrieved in behavioral data. Other approaches suggest fragmenting behavioral data into various kinds of units, but the status of these units with respect to their cognitive reality is not always very clear.In this paper, we propose a novel annotation taxonomy for behavioral data, assuming three broad states that translators experience during translation production: A state of orientation (O) reflects the experience of epistemic foraging in which a translator reads or scans a piece of the source text (ST) or searches for information. In a flow state (F), a translator engages in fluent translation production that is characterized by focus and involvement in the production process. A state of hesitation (H) can be described in terms of uncertainty or doubt which results in patterns of re-reading, text modification and disfluent translation production. This novel HOF taxonomy aims at describing mental states that elicit different experiential qualities during the translation process, associated with typical behavioral patterns that can be retrieved in recorded translation process data (TPD, i.e., logged keystrokes and gaze data).We describe a manual annotation of a small set of TPD with the HOF taxonomy and we develop a method that ensures high inter-rater agreement (kappa 0.88). We show how our HOF translation states cluster into higher-level translation strategies (so-called policies). We discuss how these policies are optimized during the translation process and how translation states trigger off lower-level translation processes. We compare our taxonomy with other annotation approaches and propose a deep-temporal architecture that assumes a hierarchy of embedded translation processes that interact in various ways.

The absorption of laser energy by pure copper powders has a huge impact on the formation of high quality pure copper parts by selective laser melting. In this paper, surface modification technology was used to treat pure copper powder to improve the laser absorption effect of pure copper powder. It was found that modifying the surface of pure copper powder to generate a layer of CuO film effectively improved the absorption of laser energy by pure copper powder. Uniform and dense CuO films improved the quality of selective laser melting pure copper parts, which solved the problem of preparing pure copper powders for selective laser melting of high-density parts. The microstructure of selective laser melting high-density pure copper parts consisted of fine columnar and cellular crystals. The presence of subcrystals and dislocations was found in localized areas. The results of the physical phase analysis showed that the CuO phase existed in the parts prepared from the surface-modified pure copper powder, and the presence of the nano-CuO phase also enhanced, which effectively improved the microstructure and properties of the constituent selective laser melting pure copper parts.

Abstract Background To investigate the ideal trajectory for the S2AI screw and to clinically validate its safety feasibility. Methods The 3D model was reconstructed from CT data of the pelvis of 30 selected adults, and the 3D coordinate system was established with the first sacral superior endplate as the horizontal plane. A set of cutting planes was made at 3 mm intervals in the coronal plane, and the cross-sectional internal tangent circles were divided in the target area. Using the linear fitting function, the axis of 90 mm length was calculated by the least squares method for each inner tangent circle center. The diameter of the axis is gradually increased until the first contact with the cortex, and the cylindrical model is the ideal screw trajectory. The intersection of the axis and the dorsal cortex is the screw placement point, which is located by Horizon Distance (HD) and Vertical Distance (VD); the diameter of the screw trajectory (d) is the diameter of the cylindrical model; the direction of the screw trajectory is determined by Sagittal Angle (SA) and Transverse Angle (TA). The screw trajectory orientation is determined by Sagittal Angle (SA) and Transverse Angle (TA). Based on the ideal screw trajectory, the 3D printed surgical guide and freehand techniques were used to verify its safety feasibility, respectively. Results The screw placement points [HD (4.7 ± 1.0) mm, VD (19.7 ± 1.9) mm], screw placement directions [SA (31.3°±2.3°), TA (42.4°±2.3°)], and screw dimensions for the ideal screw trajectory of the S2AI were combined for analysis. (L is 90 mm, d is 13.2 ± 1.4 mm). The S2AI screw superiority rate [96.6% (56/58)] and reasonable rate [100%] were higher in the guide group than in the freehand group [90.0% (63/70), 97.1% (68/70)], but the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Although screws invaded the cortex in both groups, there were no associated adverse events in either group. Conclusion The S2AI screw-based ideal trajectory placement is a safe, feasible and accurate method of screw placement.

Abstract Background Soft tissue defects in the hand may result from trauma, oncological procedures, or severe infections. This study aimed to introduce an innovative method for repairing soft tissue defects on the palmar side of the distal segment of the affected finger or fingertip. We explored this surgical method and its curative effect on the volar rotation pedicled flap base on a perforator of the palmar digital artery (VRPF-PPDA) for repairing ventral or fingertip soft tissue defects of the distal segment of the affected finger without impairing its main blood vessels. Methods Between June 2019 and January 2021, 13 patients with finger pulp or fingertip soft tissue defects were treated with VRPF-PPDA. Flap survival rate, complication rate, two-point discrimination (2PD), and patient satisfaction were used to evaluate the efficacy of this method. The function of the affected finger was evaluated using the upper limb function evaluation method issued by the Trial Standards for Evaluation of Partial Function of the Upper Extremity of the Chinese Society for Surgery of the Hand of the Chinese Medical Association (CMA) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Head (DASH) score, 6–12 months after the flap-based operation. Results Thirteen patients (18 fingers) achieved complete flap survival. The finger pulp flap was full, and no complications occurred. 2PD checks of the flaps revealed that all of them were 4–10 mm in length. According to the Trial Standards for Evaluation of Partial Function of the Upper Extremity of the Chinese Society for Surgery of the Hand of the CMA, hand function was excellent in 12 patients (17 fingers) and good in one patient, with a mean DASH score of 26.05 ± 0.45. Eleven patients selected “excellent” on the subjective satisfaction survey, while the other two selected “good.” Conclusion VRPF-PPDA surgery is a simple, effective, minimally invasive, and reliable method for repairing soft tissue defects in the distal finger pulp or fingertips. Optimal esthetic reconstruction and anatomical and functional repair can be achieved in fingers repaired using the VRPF-PPDA surgical approach.

Abstract Pyopneumothorax with bronchopleural fistula is a rare complication of lung infection. We herein report a case of pyopneumothorax with bronchopleural fistula caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, a common pathogenic pathogen of periodontitis, in a 49‐year‐old man with periodontitis. The patient was admitted with respiratory failure. Pleural puncture yielded a lot of gas continually and foul‐smelling light brown pus, which was found to be caused due to infection with P. gingivalis by the metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) and anaerobic culture.

The runway detection algorithm for fixed-wing aircraft is a hot topic in the field of aircraft visual navigation. High accuracy, high fault tolerance, and lightweight design are the core requirements in the domain of runway feature detection. This paper aims to address these needs by proposing a lightweight runway feature detection algorithm named YOMO-Runwaynet, designed for edge devices. The algorithm features a lightweight network architecture that follows the YOMO inference framework, combining the advantages of YOLO and MobileNetV3 in feature extraction and operational speed. Firstly, a lightweight attention module is introduced into MnasNet, and the improved MobileNetV3 is employed as the backbone network to enhance the feature extraction efficiency. Then, PANet and SPPnet are incorporated to aggregate the features from multiple effective feature layers. Subsequently, to reduce latency and improve efficiency, YOMO-Runwaynet generates a single optimal prediction for each object, eliminating the need for non-maximum suppression (NMS). Finally, experimental results on embedded devices demonstrate that YOMO-Runwaynet achieves a detection accuracy of over 89.5% on the ATD (Aerovista Runway Dataset), with a pixel error rate of less than 0.003 for runway keypoint detection, and an inference speed exceeding 90.9 FPS. These results indicate that the YOMO-Runwaynet algorithm offers high accuracy and real-time performance, providing effective support for the visual navigation of fixed-wing aircraft.

This article focuses on investigating the effect of printing direction on the mechanical properties of Cu–10Sn alloys prepared by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology. Specimens with different forming angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°) were fabricated using LPBF technology, and their mechanical properties were systematically tested. During the testing process, we used an Instron 5985 electronic universal material testing machine to accurately evaluate the mechanical properties of the material at a constant strain rate of 10−3/s. The experimental results showed that the mechanical properties of the specimens were the best when the test direction was perpendicular to the growth direction (i.e., the 0° direction). As the angle between the test direction and the growth direction increased, the mechanical properties of the material exhibited a trend of first decreasing, then increasing, and then decreasing again, which was consistent with the direction of the microtexture of the specimens. The root cause of this trend lies in the significant change in the stress direction borne by the columnar crystals under different load directions. Specifically, as the load direction gradually transitions from being parallel to the columnar crystals to perpendicular to them, the stress direction of the columnar crystals also shifts from the radial direction to the axial direction. Due to the differences in the number and strength of grain boundaries in different stress directions, this directly leads to changes in mechanical properties. In particular, when the specimen is loaded in the radial direction of the columnar crystals, the grain boundary density is higher, and these grain boundaries provide greater resistance during dislocation migration, thus significantly hindering tensile deformation and enabling the material to exhibit superior tensile properties. Among all the tested angles, the laser powder bed fusion specimen with a forming angle of 0° exhibited the best mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 723 MPa, a yield strength of 386 MPa, and an elongation of 33%. In contrast, the specimen with a forming angle of 90° performed the worst in terms of tensile properties. These findings provide important insights for us to deeply understand the mechanical properties of Cu–10Sn alloys prepared by LPBF.

Edwardsiella tarda is a major causative pathogen of bacterial ascites in Japanese flounder, leading to massive economic losses, and the discovery of molecular markers linked to disease resistance is an effective strategy in resistance breeding programs. The Rho GTPase family comprises small proteins with a molecular weight of 20~30 kDa. Rho GTPase family members are involved in diverse cellular processes, such as cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, vesicle transport, and proliferation. In addition, they play pivotal roles in infection by different pathogens. Rho-related GTP-binding protein Rho6 (Rnd1), a member of the Rho-GTPase family, participates in various biological functions, including neural junction formation, axonal extension, tumorigenesis, neuronal function, and apoptosis. Some members of the Rho family, such as Rac1 and Rac2, regulate immune response in grass carp, large yellow croaker, zebrafish, and half-smooth tongue sole. However, the function of Rnd1 in fish is poorly understood. Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is greatly affected by E. tarda infections during the breeding process. In previous studies, whole-genome sequencing and assembly of Japanese flounder were performed, and subsequently, various disease resistance genes were screened to support the improvement of Japanese flounder germplasm resources. To study the role of Pornd1 in resistance against E. tarda infection in Japanese flounder, Pornd1 was cloned and identified using PCR. The full-length Pornd1 cDNA was 699 bp, containing an open reading frame encoding a 232-amino acid protein. The predicted molecular weight of PoRnd1 was 26 kDa. Sequence and homology analyses showed that the Rnd1 protein harbors a Rho-GTP superfamily structural domain, which is highly conserved in various species. PoRnd1 shares the highest homology with Rnd1 from Hippoglossus hippoglossus (98.28%). On phylogenetic tree, PoRnd1 was clustered with Rnd1 from other fish species. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) locus associated with E. tarda resistance is located at 4 575 720 bp on chromosome 14 of Japanese flounder. The frequency of the T allele in disease-resistant families (freqT=0.92) was significantly higher than that in susceptible families (freqT=0.20). The SNP was located at the 2nd intron of Pornd1. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to characterize the expression profiles of Pornd1 in the tissues of healthy and E. tarda-infected fish. Pornd1 expression was the highest in the heart, followed by the liver, kidney, head kidney, and spleen, but its expression was low in the skin, blood, gills, and muscle. In E. tarda-infected fish, the expression of Pornd1 mRNA decreased after 6 h, then gradually increased, and subsequently reached the highest level after 48 h in the liver, kidney, and spleen. Pornd1 expression in the kidney and spleen in the 48 h group was significantly higher than that in the 6 and 12 h groups. Furthermore, Pornd1 expression in the liver of resistant families was significantly higher than that in susceptible families. Based on its His tag, the PoRnd1 recombinant protein was purified using an Ni column and subjected to SDS-PAGE. The target band of PoRnd1 at 32 kDa was observed in the gel after Coomassie Blue staining. The PoRnd1 recombinant protein (0.5 mg/mL) was used to study antibacterial activity through the Oxford cup assay. PoRnd1 significantly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. tarda, and Vibrio harveyi. In summary, Pornd1 may be closely linked to disease resistance in Japanese flounder and can thus serve as an effective gene marker for disease resistance breeding. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of immunity in Japanese flounder.

The traditional view posits that bones and muscles interact primarily through mechanical coupling. However, recent studies have revealed that myokines, proteins secreted by skeletal muscle cells, play a crucial role in the regulation of bone metabolism. Myokines are widely involved in bone metabolism, influencing bone resorption and formation by interacting with factors related to bone cell secretion or influencing bone metabolic pathways. Here, we review the research progress on the myokine regulation of bone metabolism, discuss the mechanism of myokine regulation of bone metabolism, explore the pathophysiological relationship between sarcopenia and osteoporosis, and provide future perspectives on myokine research, with the aim of identify potential specific diagnostic markers and therapeutic entry points.

ABSTRACTA novel material processing method, friction stir-surface mechanical attrition treatment (FS-SMAT) was conducted on pure magnesium plate and AZ31 magnesium alloy plate. Two types of stir tools, spherical stir tool and plane stir tool, are designed to process FS-SMAT to reduce the heat input compared with the traditional friction stir processing (FSP). Microstructure evolution during FS-SMAT and its effect on mechanical property are investigated. FS-SMAT has different effect on microstructure and mechanical property when using the spherical and plane stir tools. Different heat input and plastic deformation can be produced due to the specific shapes of stir tools. Using a spherical stir tool, the grain size of pure magnesium plate was refined to 1.74 μm. The micro-hardness was improved from 40 HV to 63 HV. In contrast, after FS-SMAT with a plane stir tool, the grain size and micro-hardness of AZ31 magnesium alloy are 0.91 μm and 125 HV, respectively.

The microstructure and the mechanical properties of α-phase Cu–5Sn alloy, Cu–10Sn alloy, and Cu–15Sn alloy (wt.%) prepared by selective laser melting have been studied in this work. Under the same process condition, the laser absorption of the alloys increases continuously with the increase in Sn content. The optimal process parameters of the three alloys were obtained by Response Surface Method. The Sn content was found to have a significant effect on the relative density of the Cu–Sn alloys, as well as the laser power. The effect of laser power on the relative density of the alloys is weakened by the increase in laser absorption as the Sn content increases. Comparing the melt pool of the three alloys, they all show mainly columnar grains. As the Sn content increases, the size of the columnar grains becomes larger, and when the Sn content reaches 15 wt%, the columnar grains can penetrate through several melt pools. With the increase of Sn content from 5 wt% to 15 wt%, the tensile strength of the alloy increased from 382 MPa to 738 MPa, but the plasticity decreased significantly and the elongation decreased from 26% to 9%. As the Sn content increases from 5 to 15 wt%, the amount of solid-soluble Sn in the α-phase alloy increases, creating a lattice distortion stress field that effectively prevents dislocation movement. Thus, the stress field effectively increasing the yield and tensile strength of the alloy. Meanwhile, the increase in Sn content leads to the appearance of many brittle, hard and rich phases on the micron scale and precipitation from grain boundaries within the lattice, resulting in an increase in strength and a decrease in plasticity of the alloy. In conclusion, Cu–10Sn alloy has more excellent tensile properties and higher yield and tensile strengths with good ductility compared to Cu–5Sn and Cu–15Sn alloys.

Osteoporosis (OP), a common systemic bone metabolism disease with a high incidence rate, is a serious health risk factor. Osteogenic differentiation balance is regulated by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and plays a key role in OP occurrence and progression. Although, LIM homeobox 8 (Lhx8) has been identified to affect BMSCs osteogenic differentiation, its roles in OP and the associated mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of Lhx8 in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. BMSCs isolated from wild type and OP Sprague–Dawley rats were cultured and confirmed via flow cytometry and microscopy. Based on dual-luciferase reporter assay, BMSCs were transfected with miR-142-5p mimics and miR-NC (negative control). Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were performed to determine the role of Lhx8 in BMSCs osteogenic differentiation. Lhx8 expression was significantly reduced in OP, whereas that of miR-142-5p, a possible Lhx8 regulator, was significantly upregulated. Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-142-5p exerted a direct targeted regulatory effect on Lhx8. Moreover, miR-142-5p mimics significantly inhibited BMSCs osteogenic differentiation as well as Lhx8 expression in vitro, indicating that miR-142-5p may be involved in BMSCs osteogenic differentiation via Lhx8 expression regulation and may serve as a potential diagnostic target for OP. Overall, these findings indicated that miR-142-5p inhibits BMSCs osteogenic differentiation by suppressing Lhx8. These may serve as a foundation for further studies on OP treatment based on miR-142-5p targeting.

Objective Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three‐dimensional structural deformity of the spine caused by the disruption of the biomechanical balance of the spine. However, the current biomechanical modeling and analysis methods of scoliosis cannot really describe the real state of the spine. This study aims to propose a high‐precision biomechanical modeling and analysis method that can reflect the spinal state under gravity and provide a theoretical basis for therapeutics. Methods Combining CT and X‐ray images of AIS patients, this study constructed an adjusted three‐dimensional model and FE model of the spine corresponding to the patient's gravity position, including vertebral bodies, intervertebral discs, ribs, costal cartilage, ligaments, and facet cartilage. Then, the displacement and stress of the spine under gravity were analyzed. Results A model of the T1‐Sacrum with 1.7 million meshes was constructed. After adding the gravity condition, the maximum displacement point was at T1 of thoracic vertebra (20.4 mm). The analysis indicates that the stress on the lower surface of the vertebral body in thoracolumbar scoliosis tended to be locally concentrated, especially on the concave side of the primary curvature's vertebral body (the maximum stress on the lower surface of T9 is 32.33 MPa) and the convex side of the compensatory curvature's vertebral body (the maximum stress on the lower surface of L5 is 41.97 MPa). Conclusion This study provides a high‐precision modeling and analysis method for scoliosis with full consideration of gravity. The reliability of the method was verified based on patient data. This model can be used to analyze the biomechanical characteristics of patients in the treatment plan design stage.

Abstract Background Sarcopenia is defined as an age‐related progressive loss of muscle mass and/or strength. Although different factors can contribute to this disease, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We assessed transcriptional heterogeneity in skeletal muscles from sarcopenic and control mice at single‐cell resolution. Methods A mouse model was established to study sarcopenic skeletal muscles. Single‐cell RNA‐seq was performed on tibialis anterior (TA) muscle cells collected from sarcopenic and control mice. A series of bioinformatic analyses were carried out to identify and compare different cell types under different conditions. Immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used to validate the findings from single‐cell experiments. Tube formation assays were conducted to further evaluate the effects of Gbp2 on endothelial cells during angiogenesis. Results A murine sarcopenia model was successfully established using a senescence‐accelerated mouse strain (SAMP6, n = 5). Sarcopenia phenotype was induced by administration of dexamethasone (20 mg/kg) and reduced physical activity. Senescence‐resistant mice strain (SAMR1) and SAMP6 strain with similar activity but injected with PBS were recruited as two control groups. As signs of sarcopenia, body weight, muscle cell counts and cross‐sectional fibre area were all significantly decreased in sarcopenic mice (P value = 0.004, 0.03 and 0.035, respectively). After quality control, 13 612 TA muscle single‐cell transcriptomes were retained for analysis. Fourteen cell clusters were identified from the profiled cells. Among them, two distinct endothelial subtypes were found to be dominant in the sarcopenia group (42.2% cells) and in the two control groups (59.1% and 47.9% cells), respectively. 191 differentially expressed genes were detected between the two endothelial subtypes. Sarcopenia‐specific endothelial cell subtype exhibited a dramatic increase in the interferon family genes and the interferon‐inducible guanylate‐binding protein (GBP) family gene expressions. For example, Igtp and Gbp2 in sarcopenic endothelial cells were 5.4 and 13.3 times higher than those in the control groups, respectively. We further validated our findings in muscle specimens of sarcopenia patients and observed that GBP2 levels were increased in endothelial cells of a subset of patients (11 of 40 patients, 27.5%), and we identified significantly higher CD31 and GBP2 co‐localization (P value = 0.001128). Finally, we overexpressed Gbp2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. The endothelial cells with elevated Gbp2 expression displayed compromised tube formation. Conclusions Our single‐cell‐based results suggested that endothelial cells may play critical roles in sarcopenia development through interferon‐GBP signalling pathways, highlighting new therapeutic directions to slow down or even reverse age‐related sarcopenia.

Abstract Photocages are a class of substances containing photosensitive groups, also known as “photoremovable protecting groups”, from which target substances are released upon exposure to specific wavelengths of light. The substances released in the light‐promoted processes have chemical or biological properties that enable them to carry specifically designed functions. As a result, photocages can be utilized in various fields such as chemistry, biology, and medicine. In this paper, progress made in research carried out in recent years aimed at developing photocage molecules with different photosensitive moieties is reviewed.

Ferromagnetic debris in lubricating oil, serving as an important communication carrier, can effectively reflect the wear condition of mechanical equipment and predict the remaining useful life. In practice application, the detection signals collected by using inductive sensors contain not only debris signals but also noise terms, and weak debris features are prone to be distorted, which makes it a severe challenge to debris signature identification and quantitative estimation. In this paper, a debris signature extraction method established on segmentation entropy with an adaptive threshold was proposed, based on which five identification indicators were investigated to improve detection accuracy. The results of the simulations and oil experiment show that the proposed algorithm can effectively identify wear particles and preserve debris signatures.

The flattening behavior of in-flight particles during plasma spraying is a highly intricate process affected by numerous factors. Therefore, in this work, in-flight particles (spherical NiCrBSi powder) were collected with the water quenching process, and the morphology and composition differences between the original powder particles and the melted in-flight particles were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The particle size in various states was recorded and calculated. The internal structure of the particles was analyzed to elucidate their morphology and compositions under different flow rates of primary gas (FRPG). A coating with 1.25% porosity and a hardness of 767 HV0.5 was achieved at the FRPG of 80 L/min. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the microstructures of the obtained coatings. It was found that the as-sprayed coating had a certain amount of the amorphous phase. A noteworthy correlation was also established, wherein a decreased distance from the substrate, augmented spraying passes, and reduced amorphous phase content were interrelated. Concurrently, a noticeable influence of the tamping effect exerted by the in-flight particles on the coating was observed.

ObjectiveTo determine the oral health， related knowledge and behavior of 12-year-old children in Guoluo Prefecture， Qinghai Province， and provide scientific evidence for policy-making of oral health programs.MethodsSix counties were selected by using a multi-stage and stratified sampling strategy. Oral health examination and survey questionnaire were performed according to the instructions of the Fourth National Oral Epidemiology Study. The oral health examination included dental caries and periodontal status. The questionnaire investigated oral health knowledge and behavior.ResultsThe prevalence of caries was 71.6% （288/402）and their DMFT was 2.04±1.90. Approximately 1.2% of deciduous teeth were filled. In the children， 81.3% （327/402） had teeth brush every day， while only 42.0% （169/402） brushed twice or more per day. Moreover， 10.2% （41/402） used fluoride toothpaste； in contrast， 62.2% （250/402） did not use toothpaste appropriately. In addition， the survey on dietary habits showed that 41.3% of the children consumed sweetened food once or more per day.ConclusionOral health education should be further strengthened to promote oral health in children.

BackgroundOsteoporosis has already been a growing health concern worldwide. The influence of living area, lifestyle, socioeconomic, and medical conditions on the occurrence of osteoporosis in the middle-aged and elderly people in China has not been fully addressed.MethodsThe study was a multicenter cross-sectional study on the middle-aged and elderly permanent residents, which gathered information of 22,081 residents from June 2015 to August 2021 in seven representative regions of China. The bone mineral density of lumbar vertebrae and hip were determined using the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry densitometer instruments. Serum levels of bone metabolism markers were also measured. Information about education, smoking, and chronic diseases were also collected through face-to-face interviews. Age-standardized prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of osteopenia and osteoporosis by various criteria were estimated by subgroups and overall based on the data of China 2010 census. The relationships between the osteoporosis or osteopenia and sociodemographic variables or other factors were examined using univariate linear models and multivariable multinomial logit analyses.ResultsAfter screening, 19,848 participants (90%) were enrolled for the final analysis. The age-standardized prevalence of osteoporosis was estimated to be 33.49%(95%CI, 32.80–34.18%) in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese permanent residents, for men and women was 20.73% (95% CI, 19.58–21.87%) and 38.05% (95% CI, 37.22–38.89%), respectively. The serum concentrations of bone metabolic markers, and calcium and phosphorus metabolism were influenced by age, body mass index (BMI), gender, education level, regions, and bone mass status. Women, aged 60 or above, BMI lower than 18.5 kg/m2, low education level including middle school, primary school and no formal education as well as current regular smoking, a history of fracture were all significantly associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia in the middle-aged and elderly people.ConclusionsThis study revealed dramatic regional differences in osteoporosis prevalence in China, and female, aged 60 or older, low BMI, low education level, current regular smoking, and a history of fracture were associated with a high risk of osteoporosis. More prevention and treatment resources should be invested into particular population exposed to these risk factors.

Background: Total wrist arthroplasty is an effective treatment for end-stage wrist arthritis from all causes. However, wrist prostheses are still prone to complications such as prosthesis loosening and periprosthetic fractures after total wrist arthroplasty. This may be due to the wrist prosthesis imprecise matching with patient’s bone. In this study, we designed and developed a personalized three-dimensional printed microporous titanium artificial wrist prosthesis (3DMT-Wrist) for the treatment of end-stage wrist joint, and investigated its safety and effectiveness.Methods: Total wrist arthroplasty was performed using 3DMT-Wrist in 14 cases of arthritis between February 2019 and December 2021. Preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale scores, QuickDASH scores, wrist range of motion, and wrist grip strength were evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed using the paired samples t-test.Results: After 19.7 ± 10.7 months of follow-up, visual analog scale decreased from 66.3 ± 8.9 to 6.7 ± 4.4, QuickDASH scores decreased from 47.4 ± 7.3 to 28.2 ± 7.6, grip strength increased from 5.6 ± 1.4 to 17.0 ± 3.3 kg. The range of motion improved significantly in palmar flexion (30.1° ± 4.9° to 44.9° ± 6.5°), dorsal extension (15.7° ± 3.9° to 25.8° ± 3.3°), ulnar deviation (12.2° ± 3.9° to 20.2° ± 4.3°) and radial deviation (8.2° ± 2.3° to 16.2 ± 3.1). No dislocation or loosening of the prosthetic wrist joint was observed.Conclusion: Total wrist arthroplasty using 3DMT-Wrist is a safe and effective new treatment for various types of end-stage wrist arthritis; it offers excellent pain relief and maintains the range of motion.

Corneal transplantation constitutes one of the major treatments in severe cases of corneal diseases. The lack of cornea donors as well as other limitations of corneal transplantation necessitate the development of artificial corneal substitutes. Biosynthetic cornea model using 3D printing technique is promising to generate artificial corneal structure that can resemble the structure of the native human cornea and is applicable for regenerative medicine. Research on bioprinting artificial cornea has raised interest into the wide range of materials and cells that can be utilized as bioinks for optimal clarity, biocompatibility, and tectonic strength. With continued advances in biomaterials science and printing technology, it is believed that bioprinted cornea will eventually achieve a level of clinical functionality and practicality as to replace donated corneal tissues, with their associated limitations such as limited or unsteady supply, and possible infectious disease transmission. Here, we review the literature on bioprinting strategies, 3D corneal modelling, material options, and cellularization strategies in relation to keratoprosthesis design. The progress, limitations and expectations of recent cases of 3D bioprinting of artifial cornea are discussed. An outlook on the rise of 3D bioprinting in corneal reconstruction and regeneration is provided.

Water pollution due to heavy metals has become a universal environmental problem. Ni(II) is a common heavy metal ion in polluted wastewater, which has high toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, the structure of a calcium-iron layered double hydroxide (Ca-Fe-LDHs) was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM and XPS. Then, Ni(II) ion was effectively removed by Ca-Fe-LDHs and its mechanism for this materials was described. The maximum adsorption capacity of Ni(II) for Ca-Fe-LDHs was 418.9 mg‧g−1 when the initial concentration of Ni(II) was 1 g/L. The adsorption and removal of Ni(II) by Ca-Fe-LDHs was attributed to the action of hydroxyl groups on the hydrotalcite, generating surface capture. Ni(OH)2)0.75(H2O)0.16(NiCO3)0.09, Ni(OH)2, NiO, NiSO4 and other precipitates were generated on its surface. And a small amount of Ni-Fe-LDHs was generated through isomorphic transition before hydrolysis. Therefore, surface capture and isomorphic transition enhanced the removal efficiency of Ni(II) with Ca-Fe-LDHs, making Ca-Fe-LDHs as a potential material for effective removal of Ni(II).

Abstract Background In this study, we tried to access the efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin plus S-1 with intraperitoneal paclitaxel (PTX) for the treatment of Chinese advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases. Patients and methods Thirty patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer underwent laparoscopic exploration and were enrolled when macroscopic disseminated metastases (P1) were confirmed. PTX was diluted in 1 l of normal saline and IP administered through peritoneal port at an initial dose of 40 mg/m2 over 1 h on day1,8, respectively. Oxaliplatin was administered intravenously at an initial dose of 100 mg/m2 on day1, and S-1 was administered orally at an initial dose of 80 mg/m2 for 14 days followed by 7 days rest, repeated by every 3 weeks. Results Of all these 30 patients, the median number of cycles was 6 (range 2–16) due to the limitation of hematotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy by oxaliplatin. There were 11 (36.7%) patients received conversion surgery. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 6.6 months (95% CI = 4.7–8.5 months) and the median overall survival (OS) was 15.1 months (95% CI = 12.4–17.8 months). The grade 3–4 hematological toxicities were leucopenia (23.3%), neutropenia (23.3%), anemia (16.7%), and thrombocytopenia (20%), respectively. The grade 3–4 non-hematological toxicities were tolerated, most of which were peripheral sensory neuropathy (40%) due to oxaliplatin, diarrhea (20%), nausea and vomiting (26.7%). Conclusions SOX+ip PTX regimen was effective in advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. Survival time was significantly prolonged by conversion surgery. Grade 3–4 toxicities were uncommon. Large scale clinical trial is necessary to get more evidence to identify its efficacy. Trail registration ChiCTR, ChiCTR-IIR-16009802 . Registered 9 November 2016,

Hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN) is a common clinical complication of hyperuricemia. The pathogenesis of HN is directly related to urea metabolism in the gut microbiota. Febuxostat, a potent xanthine oxidase inhibitor, is the first-line drug used for the treatment of hyperuricemia. However, there have been few studies on the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat in HN animal models or in patients. In this study, a high-purine diet-induced HN rat model was established. The pharmacokinetics of febuxostat in HN rats was evaluated using LC-MS/MS. Astragaloside IV (AST) was used to correct the abnormal pharmacokinetics of febuxostat. Gut microbiota diversity analysis was used to evaluate the effect of AST on gut microbiota. The results showed that the delayed elimination of febuxostat caused drug accumulation after multiple administrations. Oral but not i. p. AST improved the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat in HN rats. The mechanistic study showed that AST could regulate urea metabolism in faeces and attenuate urea-ammonia liver-intestine circulation. Urease-related genera, including Eubacterium, Parabacteroides, Ruminococcus, and Clostridia, decreased after AST prevention. In addition, the decrease in pathogenic genera and increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) producing genera also contribute to renal function recovery. In summary, AST improved the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat in HN rats by comprehensive regulation of the gut microbiota, including urea metabolism, anti-calcification, and short-chain fatty acid generation. These results imply that febuxostat might accumulate in HN patients, and AST could reverse the accumulation through gut microbiota regulation.

The space hurricane is a newly discovered large-scale three-dimensional magnetic vortex structure that spans the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere. At the height of the ionosphere, it has a strong circular horizontal plasma flow with a nearly zero-flow center and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents. By analyzing the long-term optical observation onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F16 satellite from 2005 to 2016, we found that space hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere occur in summer and have a maximum occurrence rate in the afternoon sector around solar maximum. In particular, space hurricanes are more likely to occur in the dayside polar cap at magnetic latitudes greater than 80°, and their MLT (magnetic local time) dependence shows a positive relationship with the IMF (interplanetary magnetic field) clock angle. We also found that space hurricanes occur mainly under dominant positive IMF By and Bz and negative Bx conditions. It is suggested that the stable high-latitude lobe reconnection, which occurs under the conditions of a large Earth’s dipole tilt angle and high ionosphere conductivity in summer, should be the formation mechanism of space hurricanes. The result will give a better understanding of the solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling process under northward IMF conditions.

Variable stiffness joints have been gradually applied in rehabilitation robots because of their intrinsic compliance and greater ability to adjust mechanical stiffness. This paper designs a variable stiffness joint for upper limb rehabilitation training. The joint adopts the variable stiffness principle based special curved surface. The trapezoidal lead screw in the variable stiffness module has a self-locking function, and the stiffness can be maintained without the continuous output torque of the motor. In the aspect of control, back propagation (BP) neural network PID control strategy is used to control the torque of variable stiffness joint. Experiments show that this control method can effectively improve the torque control performance of variable stiffness joints in the case of low stiffness, and the isotonic centripetal resistance training can be realized by using the joints and control methods designed in this paper.

Abstract Background Dimensional measurements have been implemented on a variety of entities in morphological studies of the sub-axial cervical vertebral endplate. Despite great progress, little information between the mid-sagittal plane and bilateral uncinate processes has been acquired due to the lack of a reliable method to determine the para-sagittal planes. Also, few studies of this region are available. We proposed a new approach to defining the para-sagittal planes on a 3D cervical vertebral body model; in this approach, dimensions can be measured in a specific plane. The aim of this study was to assess the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of the measurements in different sagittal planes on sub-axial cervical vertebral endplates of 3D models. Methods We established mid-sagittal and bilateral quarter para-sagittal planes on the 3D model of a sub-axial cervical vertebral body based on landmarks labeled on the surface. By intersecting the vertebral body with the planes, three curves located at the three para-sagittal planes were generated. Linear dimensions were measured on every curve by two observers separately, and in total, 24 sub-axial cervical spines were included in the study. The first observer (O1) performed the procedure twice with an interval of 2 weeks. The paired t test, Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were employed to evaluate the inter- and intra-observer reliability of the proposed method. Results There were no significant differences in most intra- and inter-observer comparisons, and higher non-significant proportions were found in the intra-observer comparisons than in comparisons between different observers. The interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) in the measurements were excellent (> 0.75) in most circumstances, and the values in intra-observer comparisons were higher than those in inter-observer comparisons. Conclusions In this study, we proposed an approach to determine the bilateral quarter para-sagittal planes in a 3D cervical vertebral body model; the results demonstrated that the method is reproducible with high intra- and inter-observer agreement.

BackgroundNeoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy (NIPS) has shown promising results in gastric cancer (GC) with peritoneal metastasis. However, clinical practice experience of NIPS is still lacking in China. In this study, we investigate the efficacy and safety of NIPS in Chinese patients.MethodsEligible patients received NIPS every 3 weeks. Gastrectomy was performed for patients who met the criteria of conversion surgery. The primary end point was 1-year overall survival (OS) rate. Secondary end points were the response rate, toxic effects, conversion surgery outcomes and median survival time (MST).ResultsSixty-seven patients were enrolled. The primary endpoint was achieved with 1-year OS rate reached 67.2% (95% CI, 56.8%-79.4%). Conversion surgery was performed in 42 patients (62.9%), and R0 resection was achieved in 23 patients (54.8%) with the MST of 31.3 months (95% CI, 24.3-38.3). And the MST was 19.3 months (95% CI, 16.4-22.2) for all patients. Toxicity and surgical complications were well-tolerated. Moreover, sex, R0 resection, pathological nodal stage and tumor regression grade (TRG) were independent prognostic factors for patients who underwent conversion surgery.ConclusionThe NIPS is effective and safe in treating GC patients with peritoneal metastasis. Male patients, patients who underwent R0 resection, patients with ypN0-1 or TRG 1 after conversion surgery are more likely to benefit from the NIPS.Clinical Trial Registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ().

The development of functional materials for osteoporosis is ultimately required for bone remodeling. However, grafts were accompanied by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines that impaired bone formation. In this work, nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA)/resveratrol (Res)/chitosan (CS) composite microspheres were designed to create a beneficial microenvironment and help improve the osteogenesis by local sustained release of Res. Study of in vitro release confirmed the feasibility of n-HA/Res/CS microspheres for controlled Res release. Notably, microspheres had anti-inflammatory activity evidenced by the decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and iNOS in RAW264.7 cells in a dose dependent manner. Further, enhanced adhesion and proliferation of BMSCs seeded onto microspheres demonstrated that composite microspheres were conducive to cell growth. The ability to enhance osteo-differentiation was supported by up-regulation of Runx2, ALP, Col-1 and OCN, and substantial mineralization in osteogenic medium. When implanted into bone defects in the osteoporotic rat femoral condyles, enhanced entochondrostosis and bone regeneration suggested that the n-HA/Res/CS composite microspheres were more favorable for impaired fracture healing. The results indicated that optimized n-HA/Res/CS composite microspheres could serve as promising multifunctional fillers for osteoporotic bone defect/fracture treatment.

Abstract Background Macrophages and inflammatory cytokines play important roles in bone fracture healing. However, the expression patterns of macrophages and inflammatory cytokines during fracture healing under the condition of postmenopausal osteoporosis have not been fully revealed. Methods Tibia transverse fracture was established 12 weeks after ovariectomy or sham operation in 16-week old female mice. Tibias were harvested before fracture or 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28 days after fracture for radiological and histological examinations. M1/M2 inflammatory macrophages, osteal macrophages and gene expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β and macrophage conversion related molecules in the fracture haematoma or callus were also detected. Results The processes of fracture healing, especially the phases of endochondral ossification and callus remodeling, were delayed in ovariectomized mice. The expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, but not interleukin-1β, in the fracture haematoma or callus were disturbed. Expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α were decreased at 1, 14 and 21 days post-fracture (DPF), and were increased at 3, 5 and 7 DPF. Interleukin-6 expressions at 1, 3 and 21 DPF were significantly increased. We found the decreases in M1 and M2 macrophages at 1 DPF of the initial inflammatory stage. M2 macrophages at 14 DPF of the middle stage and osteal macrophages at 14, 21 and 28 DPF of the middle and late stages of fracture healing were also reduced in ovariectomized mice. Conclusions The expressions of macrophages and inflammatory cytokines were impaired in ovariectomized mice, which might contribute partially to poor fracture healing.

Abstract Objective To develop and validate a nomogram useful in predicting recurrent lumbar disk herniation (rLDH) within 6 months after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). Methods Information on patients’ lumbar disk herniation (LDH) between January 2018 and May 2019 in addition to 26 other features was collected from the authors’ hospital. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was used to select the most important risk factors. Moreover, a nomogram was used to build a prediction model using the risk factors selected from LASSO regression. The concordance index (C-index), the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and calibration curve were used to assess the performance of the model. Finally, clinical usefulness of the nomogram was analyzed using the decision curve and bootstrapping used for internal validation. Results Totally, 352 LDH patients were included into this study. Thirty-two patients had recurrence within 6 months while 320 showed no recurrence. Four potential factors, the course of disease, Pfirrmann grade, Modic change, and migration grade, were selected according to the LASSO regression model. Additionally, the C-index of the prediction nomogram was 0.813 (95% CI, 0.726-0.900) and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was 0.798 while the interval bootstrapping validation C-index was 0.743. Hence, the nomogram might be a good predictive model. Conclusion Each variable, the course of disease, Pfirrmann grade, Modic change, and migration grade in the nomogram had a quantitatively corresponding risk score, which can be used in predicting the overall recurrence rate of rLDH within 6 months.

Abstract Background To improve the strength of posterior spine fixation in patients with osteoporosis, some scholars have proposed a method of simultaneously inserting traditional pedicle screws and cortical bone trajectory screws into the pedicle. However, due to the difficulty of the operation and few clinical applications, the safety and accuracy of this method are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and accuracy of double-trajectory lumbar screw placement guided by surgical guide templates. Methods Six wet lumbar specimens were selected for computed tomography (CT) scanning, a three-dimensional (3D) model of the lumbar spine was established using computer software, and surgical guide templates for double-trajectory [traditional pedicle trajectory (TPT) and cortical bone trajectory (CBT)] lumbar screw placement at various segments of the lumbar spine were designed and printed using a 3D printer. Screw placement was guided only by the surgical guide template, with no fluoroscopy. Postoperative CT examination was performed to determine whether the screw penetrated the screw path and the location and depth of penetration of the cortex. The preoperative and postoperative sagittal and axial angles of CBT screws or TPT screws were also measured and compared. Results Four screws were placed in each vertebral body of six lumbar specimens for a total of 120 screws. Screw grades: 99 screws as grade 0, 15 as grade 1, six as grade 2, and zero as grade 3. Thus, grade 0 accounted for 82.5% of the screws. No significant differences in the preoperative and postoperative angles of the screws were found (P > 0.05). Conclusions 3D-printed surgical guide templates for double-trajectory screw placement can reduce the difficulty of surgery and the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy. Using such templates is a safe, feasible, and accurate screw placement method.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays are a powerful genotyping tool used in genetic research and genomic breeding programs. Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is an economically-important aquaculture flatfish in many countries. However, the lack of high-efficient genotyping tools has impeded the genomic breeding programs for Japanese flounder. We developed a 50K Japanese flounder SNP array, “Yuxin No. 1,” and report its utility in genomic selection (GS) for disease resistance to bacterial pathogens. We screened more than 42.2 million SNPs from the whole-genome resequencing data of 1099 individuals and selected 48 697 SNPs that were evenly distributed across the genome to anchor the array with Affymetrix Axiom genotyping technology. Evaluation of the array performance with 168 fish showed that 74.7% of the loci were successfully genotyped with high call rates (> 98%) and that the polymorphic SNPs had good cluster separations. More than 85% of the SNPs were concordant with SNPs obtained from the whole-genome resequencing data. To validate “Yuxin No. 1” for GS, the arrayed genotyping data of 27 individuals from a candidate population and 931 individuals from a reference population were used to calculate the genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for disease resistance to Edwardsiella tarda. There was a 21.2% relative increase in the accuracy of GEBV using the weighted genomic best linear unbiased prediction (wGBLUP), compared to traditional pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (ABLUP), suggesting good performance of the “Yuxin No. 1” SNP array for GS. In summary, we developed the “Yuxin No. 1” 50K SNP array, which provides a useful platform for high-quality genotyping that may be beneficial to the genomic selective breeding of Japanese flounder.

The nuclear reactor coolant pump (RCP) is the core piece of equipment of a nuclear power plant (NPP). The energy performance and internal flow characteristics of RCPs are revealed by effective measurement methods, which are helpful to understand the flow mechanism of RCPs. The present work is intended to conduct an integrated study based on the energy performance test and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) flow-field non-contact measurement of the RCP. In addition, the prediction results of different turbulence models are compared with experimental results in detail. Through energy performance measurement and numerical calculation analysis, it can be found that various turbulence models have the ability to predict the performance of RCPs in engineering applications. At 0.8~1.2 Φd operating conditions, the maximum error is less than 10% and the minimum error is less than 0.1% by analyzing the energy performance of numerical calculations and experimental results. The PIV results show that the velocity of the discharge nozzle varies greatly from right (outlet of diffuser channel 2) to left (outlet of diffuser channel 12) due to different flow structures. Through the qualitative and quantitative comparison of the internal flow field, it can be concluded that, except for the low flow rate, compared with other computational models, the Realizable k-ε model can better predict the internal flow field of an RCP. The reasons for the experimental error and numerical calculation error are analyzed in detail, and the results can provide a reference for forecasting an RCP internal flow field with a special and complex structure.