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Abstract Accurate treatment response assessment using serial CT scans is essential in oncological clinical trials. However, oncologists’ assessment following the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) guideline is subjective, time-consuming, and sometimes fallible. Advanced liver cancer often presents multifocal hepatic lesions on CT imaging, making accurate characterization more challenging than with other malignancies. In this work, we developed a tumor volume guided comprehensive objective response evaluation based on deep learning (RECORD) for liver cancer. RECORD performs liver tumor segmentation, followed by sum of the volume (SOV)-based treatment response classification and new lesion assessment. Then, it can provide treatment evaluations of response, stability, and progression, and calculates progression-free survival (PFS) and response time. The RECORD pipeline was developed with both CNN and ViT backbones. Its performance was evaluated in three longitudinal cohorts involving 60 multi-national centers, 206 patients, 891 CT scans, using internal five-fold cross-validation and external validations. RECORD with the most effective backbone achieved an average AUC-response of 0.981, AUC-stable of 0.929, and AUC-progression of 0.969 for SOV-based disease status classification, F1-score of 0.887 for new lesion identification, and accuracy of 0.889 for final treatment outcome assessments across all cohorts. RECORD’s PFS and response time predictions strongly correlated with clinician’s assessments (P

Abstract Due to the importance of medical students in the buildup of the health system and the influence of professional identity in their study, the aim of the study is to focus on the impact of academic satisfaction and professional identity on Chinese medical students during their career transformation, taking into consideration other factors that play a role in this relationship. 735 junior and senior medical university students from two training hospital were surveyed by using a cluster sampling method. The questionnaire included academic satisfaction scale, career transition psychological scale, simple coping style questionnaire and professional identity questionnaire. Pearson correlation and process plug-in model 6 were used for chain mediation analysis. The results show that in the career transition period, there is a direct relationship between academic satisfaction and career identity, and a chain intermediary relationship between academic satisfaction and self-confidence and coping style. In addition to our findings, we also assert that academic satisfaction has a direct impact on self-confidence and positive coping style in the transition period, and is a predictor of professional identity, whether directly or through the chain intermediary of self-confidence and coping style in the transition period. The results showed that academic satisfaction was sequentially associated with increased self-confidence, and then increased positive coping styles, which resulted in higher professional identity among medical students.

To meet the service conditions and strength requirements of turbine stator blades and the inner and outer rings of aero engine casings, CoFeNiCrMn high-entropy alloy filler was used to braze SiCf/SiC/GH536 joints. This study investigated the effects of holding time on the joints' microstructure and mechanical properties. Key phases identified in the welded joints include MoNiSi, FCC, and Cr23C6 near the composites, with brittle Ni3Si and Fe2Si intermetallic compounds forming due to filler diffusion. Optimal brazing parameters were found to be 1220 °C for 30 min with a shear strength of 64.28 MPa. The study also highlighted that increased holding time at the same temperature enhances diffusion at the joint, increasing brittle intermetallic compounds, initially improving shear strength, which then declines. Microstructural and fracture morphology analyses revealed that insufficient insulation time leads to poor welding and stress concentration at pores, causing cracks. Excessive insulation time results in joint fractures due to the brittleness of Ni3Si and Fe2Si intermetallic. Thus, joint shear strength correlates with welding quality and intermetallic compound distribution.

Abstract Objectives To develop and validate a quantitative model for predicting serosal invasion based on multi-parameters in preoperative dual-energy CT (DECT). Materials and methods A total of 342 LAGC patients who underwent gastrectomy and DECT from six centers were divided into one training cohort (TC), and two validation cohorts (VCs). Dual-phase enhanced DECT-derived iodine concentration (IC), water concentration, and monochromatic attenuation of lesions, along with clinical information, were measured and collected. The independent predictors among these characteristics for serosal invasion were screened with Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression (LR) analysis. A quantitative model was developed based on LR classifier with fivefold cross-validation for predicting the serosal invasion in LAGC. We comprehensively tested the model and investigated its value in survival analysis. Results A quantitative model was established using IC, 70 keV, 100 keV monochromatic attenuations in the venous phase, and CT-reported T4a, which were independent predictors of serosal invasion. The proposed model had the area-under-the-curve (AUC) values of 0.889 for TC and 0.860 and 0.837 for VCs. Subgroup analysis showed that the model could well discriminate T3 from T4a groups, and T2 from T4a groups in all cohorts (all p

Abstract Objectives The study aimed to investigate the interaction of intraoperative stress hyperglycemia with monocyte functions and their impact on major adverse events (MAEs) in acute aortic dissection (AAD) patients who underwent open repair surgery. Methods A total of 321 adults who underwent open surgery for AAD at two tertiary medical centers in China were enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint was defined as the incidence and characteristics of perioperative stress hyperglycemia. The secondary endpoints included the incidence of postoperative MAEs, postoperative monocyte counts and inflammatory cytokine expression. Multi-logistic, linear regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to establish relationships between intraoperative time-weighted average glucose (TWAG), day-one postoperative monocyte counts, serum inflammatory cytokines and postoperative outcomes. In addition, in vitro experiments were conducted to evaluate changes in the inflammatory features of monocytes under high glucose conditions. Results Intraoperative hyperglycemia, as indicated by a TWAG level over 142 mg/dL, was associated with elevated postoperative monocyte counts and inflammatory cytokines, which correlated with extended intensive care unit (ICU) stays and worsened outcomes. In vitro, high glucose treatment induced mitochondrial impairment in monocytes, increased the release of inflammatory cytokines and the proportion of classical monocytes from AAD patients. Conclusions Intraoperative stress hyperglycemia, in combination with day-one postoperative monocyte counts, were clinically significant for predicting adverse outcomes in AAD patients undergoing open repair surgery. Elevated glucose concentrations shaped the inflammatory features of monocytes in AAD by impairing mitochondrial functions. Graphical abstract High glucose-driven mitochondrial functional impairment mediates a more pronounced monocytic inflammatory state in Stanford type-A AAD.

Ammopiptanthus mongolicus is an ancient remnant species from the Mediterranean displaying characteristics such as high-temperature tolerance, drought resistance, cold resistance, and adaptability to impoverished soil. In the case of high-temperature tolerance, heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) are integral transcriptional regulatory proteins exerting a critical role in cellular processes. Despite extensive research on the HSF family across various species, there has been no analysis specifically focused on A. mongolicus. In this study, we identified 24 members of the AmHSF gene family based on the genome database of A. mongolicus, which were unevenly distributed over 9 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these 24 members can be categorized into 5 primary classes consisting of a total of 13 subgroups. Analysis of the physical and chemical properties revealed significant diversity among these proteins. With the exception of the AmHSFB3 protein, which is localized in the cytoplasm, all other AmHSF proteins were found to be situated in the nucleus. Comparison of amino acid sequences revealed that all AmHSF proteins contain a conserved DNA-binding domains structure, and the DNA-binding domains and oligomerization domains of the AmHSF gene exhibit conservation with counterparts across diverse species; we investigated the collinearity of AmHSF genes in relation to those of three other representative species. Through GO enrichment analysis, evidence emerged that AmHSF genes are involved in heat stress responses and may be involved in multiple transcriptional regulatory pathways that coordinate plant growth and stress responses. Finally, through a comprehensive analysis using transcriptome data, we examined the expression levels of 24 AmHSFs under 45 °C. The results revealed significant differences in the expression profiles of AmHSFs at different time intervals during exposure to high temperatures, highlighting their crucial role in responding to heat stress. In summary, these results provide a better understanding of the role and regulatory mechanisms of HSF in the heat stress response of A. mongolicus, meanwhile also establishing a foundation for further exploration of the biological functions of AmHSF in the adversity response of A. mongolicus.

For 4Mn steel, the deterioration of austenite stability caused by insufficient Mn content and the neglect of strength in intercritical annealing (IA) process are the main reasons limiting its application. In this study, based on the IA and quenching + partitioning (Q&P) process, a more suitable intercritically annealed quenching and partitioning (IQ&P) process for 4Mn steel was proposed. It is found that the IQ&P process can combine the advantages of IA and Q&P, and can obtain more austenite with sufficient stability by using quenching + partitioning process while maintaining ultra-fine grain size. While maintaining high plasticity (total elongation: 23.4%), the ultimate tensile strength of 4Mn steel is increased to more than 1200 MPa with the Lüders effect eliminated.

Abstract Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a lethal pathological process within the aorta with high mortality and morbidity. T lymphocytes are perturbed and implicated in the clinical outcome of ATAAD, but the exact characteristics of T cell phenotype and its underlying mechanisms in ATAAD remain poorly understood. Here we report that CD4+ T cells from ATAAD patients presented with a hypofunctional phenotype that was correlated with poor outcomes. Whole transcriptome profiles showed that ferroptosis and lipid binding pathways were enriched in CD4+ T cells. Inhibiting ferroptosis or reducing intrinsic reactive oxygen species limited CD4+ T cell dysfunction. Mechanistically, CD36 was elevated in CD4+ T cells, whose blockade effectively alleviated palmitic acid-induced ferroptosis and CD4+ T cell hypofunction. Therefore, targeting the CD36-ferroptosis pathway to restore the functions of CD4+ T cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcomes in ATAAD patients.

Abstract Using surfactants to extract oil, the anionic surfactant Karamay petroleum sulfonate (KPS), the zwitterionic surfactant octadecyl betaine (BS-18) and the nonionic surfactant coconut oil fatty acid diethanolamide (6501) were selected for adsorption experiments with minerals contained in the conglomerate reservoir with different mineral compositions to study the adsorption law of different types of surfactants. Zeolite and montmorillonite, which have the highest specific surface area and zeta potential among the minerals in the conglomerate reservoir, have the most obvious adsorption effect on surfactants, resulting in a large amount of adsorption of KPS and BS-18. The three types of surfactants were then used to conduct physical simulation oil recovery experiments with conglomerate core samples, and the results showed that 6501 had better overall performance, the best adsorption resistance, and a higher degree of recovery in oil recovery experiments, which provided a basis for the selection of surfactants in the process of chemical drive in conglomerate reservoirs.

Abstract Halophyte shrubs, prevalent in arid regions globally, create saline fertile islands under their canopy. This study investigates the soil microbial communities and their energy utilization strategies associated with tamarisk shrubs in arid ecosystems. Shotgun sequencing revealed that high salinity in tamarisk islands reduces functional gene alpha-diversity and relative abundance compared to bare soils. However, organic matter accumulation within islands fosters key halophilic archaea taxa such as Halalkalicoccus, Halogeometricum, and Natronorubrum, linked to processes like organic carbon oxidation, nitrous oxide reduction, and sulfur oxidation, potentially strengthening the coupling of nutrient cycles. In contrast, bare soils harbor salt-tolerant microbes with genes for autotrophic energy acquisition, including carbon fixation, H2 or CH4 consumption, and anammox. Additionally, isotope analysis shows higher microbial carbon use efficiency, N mineralization, and denitrification activity in tamarisk islands. Our findings demonstrate that halophyte shrubs serve as hotspots for halophilic microbes, enhancing microbial nutrient transformation in saline soils.

Abstract The traditional rendering technology creates virtual scenes with insufficient fidelity, which are quite different from real scenes. To address this issue, a super-resolution virtual scene rendering technology based on generalized Huber-MRF image modeling has been studied. This study preprocesses the original image through three steps: graying, filtering, and enhancement. The generalized Huber-MRF is employed for super-resolution image restoration to enhance image clarity. Corner features are extracted from the super-resolution image, and the Delaunay triangular grid method is used to construct the image's 3D model. Texture and lighting conditions of the virtual scene are then set through texture mapping, shadow rendering, and other technologies to achieve realistic scene effects. The results indicate that, when applied, the research technology yields a relatively small chamfer distance in virtual scene modeling, suggesting that the design method preserves the details and shape information of the original image, reducing the difference between the virtual scene and the real scene and increasing the fidelity of the virtual scene. Furthermore, this method achieves maximum PSNR and SSIM values of 17.54 and 0.978, respectively, with an image preprocessing time of only 1.21 s and a CPU utilization rate of only 35.5%. This method demonstrates excellent performance across multiple aspects.

Abstract Background The cranial-caudal-medial approach (CCMA) has been proposed for laparoscopic right hemicolectomy nowadays. This study aimed to investigate the safety and oncological efficacy of CCMA in the treatment of right-sided colon cancer compared to the medial–lateral approach (MLA). Methods Patients diagnosed with right-sided colon cancer were included from February 2015 to June 2018, retrospectively, dividing into the CCMA group and the MLA group. We compared the basic characteristics and the short-term and long-term outcomes in two groups. Results Two hundred and ninety-six patients were included in this study. The baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. Compared with MLA group, CCMA group exhibited shorter operation time (136.3 ± 25.3 min vs. 151.6 ± 21.5 min, P

Abstract Filamentous fungi produce polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, which is controlled by poorly understood transcriptional circuits. Here we show that a circuit comprising RsrC-RsrA-RsrB (Rsr: production of raw-starch-degrading enzyme regulator) that positively regulates production of raw starch-degrading enzymes in Penicillium oxalicum. Transcription factor (TF) RsrA is essential for biosynthesis of raw starch-degrading enzymes. RsrB and RsrC containing Zn2Cys6- and C2H2-zinc finger domains, act downstream and upstream of RsrA, respectively. RsrA activates rsrB transcription, and three nucleotides (G-286, G-287 and G-292) of rsrB promoter region are required for RsrA, in terms of TF, for binding. RsrB165−271 binds to DNA sequence 5’-TCGATCAGGCACGCC-3’ in the promoter region of the gene encoding key raw-starch-degrading enzyme PoxGA15A. RsrC specifically binds rsrA promoter, but not amylase genes, to positively regulate the expression of rsrA and the production of raw starch-degrading enzymes. These findings expand complex regulatory network of fungal raw starch-degrading enzyme biosynthesis.

Limited by the poor transient response performance of turbochargers, the dynamic performance of aviation piston engines tends to deteriorate. In a bid to enhance the turbocharger's acceleration capabilities, this study scrutinizes various factors impacting its performance. Based on the operational principles and transient response process of the turbocharger, three types of inertia—namely, aerodynamic inertia (ADI), thermal inertia (TI), and mechanical inertia (MI) — are identified and addressed for design. To begin, this paper pioneers the innovative definition of a method for evaluating the transient response performance of the turbocharger. This method incorporates the introduction of an ADI parameter, inspired by the definition of MI. Subsequently, a thin-walled volute design with a low Biot number and a lightweight turbine impeller is introduced to reduce the turbocharger's TI and MI. The simulation results of the flow field distribution within the volute and diffuser demonstrate the comprehensive design method's effectiveness in improving gas pressure and temperature distributions in these components. Notably, the pressure distribution fluctuation in the constant moment-of-momentum volute (CMV) is 62.8% lower than that in the constant velocity moment volute (CVMV). The low-TI thin-walled volute not only enhances the turbocharger's response speed but also reduces its weight by approximately 40%. The impact of three types of inertia on the engine's response speed is quantified as follows: ADI (94%) > MI (5%) > TI (1%). This conclusion has been verified through test results of both the turbocharger and the engine. This design method not only significantly improves the turbocharger's response performance but also offers valuable insights for the optimal design of other blade mechanical systems.

Abstract This study investigates the longitudinal dynamic changes in immune cells in COVID-19 patients over an extended period after recovery, as well as the interplay between immune cells and antibodies. Leveraging single-cell mass spectrometry, we selected six COVID-19 patients and four healthy controls, dissecting the evolving landscape within six months post-viral RNA clearance, alongside the levels of anti-spike protein antibodies. The T cell immunophenotype ascertained via single-cell mass spectrometry underwent validation through flow cytometry in 37 samples. Our findings illuminate that CD8 + T cells, gamma-delta (gd) T cells, and NK cells witnessed an increase, in contrast to the reduction observed in monocytes, B cells, and double-negative T (DNT) cells over time. The proportion of monocytes remained significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to controls even after six-month. Subpopulation-wise, an upsurge manifested within various T effector memory subsets, CD45RA + T effector memory, gdT, and NK cells, whereas declines marked the populations of DNT, naive and memory B cells, and classical as well as non-classical monocytes. Noteworthy associations surfaced between DNT, gdT, CD4 + T, NK cells, and the anti-S antibody titer. This study reveals the changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COVID-19 patients within 6 months after viral RNA clearance and sheds light on the interactions between immune cells and antibodies. The findings from this research contribute to a better understanding of immune transformations during the recovery from COVID-19 and offer guidance for protective measures against reinfection in the context of viral variants.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to develop and validate a prediction model for classification of pulmonary nodules based on preoperative CT imaging.Materials and methodsA data set of Centers 1 (training set: 2633; internal testing set: 1129); Center 2 and Center 3 (external testing set: 218) of patients with pulmonary nodule cases was retrospectively collected. Handcrafted features were extracted from noncontrast chest CT scans by three senior radiologists. A total of 22 clinically handcrafted parameters (age, gender, L-RADS, and PNI-GARS et al.) were used to construct machine learning models (random forest, gradient boosting, and explainable boosting) for the classification of preoperative pulmonary nodules, and the parameters of the model were adjusted to achieve optimal performance. To evaluate the prediction capacity of each model. Both 5-fold cross-validation and 10-fold cross-validation were used to test the robustness of the models.ResultsThe explainable boosting model had the best performance on our constructed data. The model achieves an accuracy of 89.9%, a precision of 97.48%, a specificity of 89.5%, a sensitivity of 91.1%, and an AUC of 90.3%. In human-machine comparison, the AUC of machine learning models (90.4%, 95% CI: 85.5%–94.8%) was significantly improved compared to radiologists (60%, 95% CI: 50%–71.4%).ConclusionsThe explainable boosting model exhibited superior performance on our dataset, achieving high accuracy and precision in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules compared to experienced radiologists.

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MS) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, primarily driven by insulin resistance (IR). Although the herbal compound Chaihu Shugan powder (CSP) has demonstrated the potential to improve IR in animal models of MS, its mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biological pathways through which CSP exerts its therapeutic effects on IR in MS using both in vitro and in vivo methods.MethodsThe primary metabolites of CSP aqueous extract and CSP-containing serum were measured by LC-MS/MS. A mouse model of MS-related IR was induced by a high-fat, high-fructose diet combined with chronic immobilization stress. The CSP’s therapeutic potential was evaluated through glucose and insulin tolerance tests and hepatic insulin signaling molecules (p-IRS-1, IRS-1, p-Akt, and Akt). The expression of lipid metabolism-related factors (FFA, DAG, LXRα, SREBP-1, FASN, and ACC) in the liver was also measured. Hepatocyte IR was modeled using high-glucose and high-insulin conditions, and CSP impact was evaluated using 2-NBDG uptake and insulin signaling molecule expression. The specific mechanism of CSP was explored using the LXRα agonist T0901317.ResultsThe MS-related IR model exhibited a decreased p-Akt/Akt ratio and increased fasting glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of IR, and hepatic lipid metabolism factors. Treatment with CSP mitigated these effects. In the hepatocyte IR model, CSP-containing serum improved glucose uptake and modulated the expression of insulin signaling and lipid metabolism factors. Furthermore, T0901317 reversed the beneficial effects of CSP, indicating the role of LXRα in CSP’s therapeutic action.ConclusionThe CSP ameliorated IR in MS by restoring fatty acid metabolism through the regulation of the LXRα/SREBP-1 signaling pathway.

Background HBM4003 is a novel anti-CTLA-4 heavy chain-only antibody, designed to enhance Treg ablation and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity while ensuring a manageable safety profile. This phase I trial investigated the safety, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity and preliminary efficacy of HBM4003 plus with anti-PD-1 antibody toripalimab in patients with advanced solid tumors, especially focusing on melanoma.Methods The multicenter, open-label phase I trial was divided into two parts: dose-escalation phase (part 1) and dose-expansion phase (part 2). In part 1, HBM4003 was administered at doses of 0.03, 0.1, 0.3 mg/kg in combination with toripalimab with fixed dosage of 240 mg every 3 weeks. The recommended phase II dose (RP2D) was used in the expansion phase. Primary endpoints were safety and RP2D in part 1 and objective response rate (ORR) in part 2. Biomarkers based on cytokines and multiplex immunofluorescence staining were explored.Results A total of 40 patients received study treatment, including 36 patients treated with RP2D of HBM4003 0.3 mg/kg plus toripalimab 240 mg every 3 week. 36 participants (90.0%) experienced at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE), of which 10 (25.0%) patients experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs and 5 (12.5%) experienced immune-mediated adverse events (irAEs) with maximum severity of grade 3. No grade 4 or 5 irAEs occurred. Efficacy analysis set included 32 melanoma patients treated with RP2D and with available post-baseline imaging data. The ORRs of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment-naïve subgroup and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment-failed subgroup were 33.3% and 5.9%, respectively. In mucosal melanoma, the ORR of the two subgroups were 40.0% and 10.0%, respectively. Baseline high Treg/CD4+ratio in the tumor serves as an independent predictive factor for the efficacy of immunotherapy.Conclusions HBM4003 0.3 mg/kg plus toripalimab 240 mg every 3 week demonstrated manageable safety in solid tumors and no new safety signal. Limited data demonstrated promising antitumor activity, especially in PD-1 treatment-naïve mucosal melanoma.Trial registration number NCT04727164.

Abstract High‐nickel cathode materials are widely used in lithium‐ion batteries because of their advantages of high energy density and high safety. High‐nickel cathode materials need to further improve cycling stability because they are prone to structural changes and capacity degradation. This paper proposes a method to improve high‐nickel cathode materials by Mg doping. XRD proves that Mg‐doped high‐nickel materials still have R‐3 m spatial structural characteristics; Rietveld refinement confirms that the c‐axis gradually increases with the increase of Mg content. Combined with DFT calculations, the presence of Mg can inhibit structural collapse during charge and discharge, reduce Li/Ni antisite defects, improve the electronic conductivity of the material, and improve the cyclic stability of the material. The 0.6 mol % Mg‐doped sample has an initial discharge capacity of 233 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C in the range of 2.7–4.3 V, a capacity retention rate of 91.0 % after 50 cycles at 1 C, still retains 79.9 % after 100 cycles. The dQ/dV curves further indicate that the presence of Mg improves the structural stability of the material.

IntroductionAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, and currently, no effective treatments are available to reverse or halt its progression in clinical practice. Although a plethora of studies have highlighted the benefits of physical exercise in combating AD, elder individuals often have limited exercise capacity. Therefore, mild physical exercise and nutritional interventions represent potential strategies for preventing and mitigating neurodegenerative diseases. Our research, along with other studies, have demonstrated that platycodin D (PD) or its metabolite, platycodigenin, derived from the medicinal plant Platycodon grandiflorus, exerts neuroprotective effects against amyloid β (Aβ)-induced neuroinflammation. However, the combined effects of PD and physical exercise on alleviating AD have yet to be explored. The current study aimed to investigate whether combined therapy could synergistically ameliorate memory deficits and AD pathology in 5 × FAD mice.MethodsFive-month-old 5 × FAD mice were randomly assigned to four groups, and received either PD (5 mg/kg/day, p.o.), voluntary running, or a combination of both for 47 days. Nest building test, locomotion test, and Morris water maze test were used to evaluate the cognitive function. Immunohistochemical and ELISA analysis was performed to determine Aβ build-up, microglia and astrocytes hyperactivation, and survival neurons in the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis was used to assess the polarization of microglia and astrocytes. HPLC analysis was performed to measure monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus.Results and discussionThe combination of PD and voluntary running synergistically restored nest-building behavior, alleviated recognition and spatial memory deficits, and showed superior effects compared to monotherapy. In addition, the PD and voluntary running combination reduced Aβ build-up, decreased hyperactivation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex, promoted the polarization of inflammatory M1 microglia and reactive astrocytes toward beneficial phenotypes, and lowered systemic circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines in 5 × FAD mice. Furthermore, combined therapy effectively protected neurons and increased levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in the hippocampus of 5 × FAD mice. In conclusion, the combination of PD and voluntary running holds great potential as a treatment for AD, offering promise for delaying onset or progression of AD.

Material design is essential for the development and preparation of new materials. In this paper, a new two-dimensional heterostructure material (B@Si) consisting of boronene and silicene is designed and used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries in order to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, and the structural properties, stability, electronic properties, and performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries are systematically investigated by first-principle calculations of the B@Si heterostructure. The results show that the B@Si heterostructure is energetically, thermodynamically and dynamically stable, and although the Dirac cone in the energy band structure of silicene disappears after the formation of the heterojunction, the overall electrical conductivity of the material improves considerably and the electron transport rate is faster. Due to the synergistic effect, Li has more stable adsorption sites and lower diffusion barriers than boronene and silicene in the B@Si heterostructure, higher theoretical specific capacity (1208 mAhg−1), and stronger mechanical properties (C11 = 296.6 N/m, C22 = 142.8 N/m). The volume expansion in the fully lithiated state is also only 8 %. These advantages indicate that B@Si heterostructures are good potential anode materials for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

BackgroundLimbic structures have recently garnered increased attention in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. This study aims to explore changes at the whole-brain level in the structural network, specifically the white matter fibres connecting the thalamus and limbic system, and their correlation with the clinical characteristics of patients with PD.MethodsBetween December 2020 and November 2021, we prospectively enrolled 42 patients with PD and healthy controls at the movement disorder centre. All participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), 3D T1-weighted imaging (3D-T1WI), and routine brain magnetic resonance imaging on a 3.0 T MR scanner. We employed the tract-based spatial statistical (TBSS) analytic approach, examined structural network properties, and conducted probabilistic fibre tractography to identify alterations in white matter pathways and the topological organisation associated with PD.ResultsIn patients with PD, significant changes were observed in the fibrous tracts of the prefrontal lobe, corpus callosum, and thalamus. Notably, the fibrous tracts in the prefrontal lobe and corpus callosum showed a moderate negative correlation with the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q) scores (r = −0.423, p = 0.011). The hippocampus and orbitofrontal gyrus exhibited more fibre bundle parameter changes than other limbic structures. The mean streamline length between the thalamus and the orbitofrontal gyrus demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) III (r = −0.435, p = 0.006). Topological parameters, including characteristic path length (Lp), global efficiency (Eg), normalised shortest path length (λ) and nodal local efficiency (Nle), correlated moderately with the MDS-UPDRS, HAMA, MoCA, PDQ-39, and FOG-Q, respectively.ConclusionDTI is a valuable tool for detecting changes in water molecule dispersion and the topological structure of the brain in patients with PD. The thalamus may play a significant role in the gait abnormalities observed in PD.

The poppet valves two-stroke (PV2S) aircraft engine fueled with sustainable aviation fuel is a promising option for general aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle propulsion due to its high power-to-weight ratio, uniform torque output, and flexible valve timings. However, its high-altitude gas exchange performance remains unexplored, presenting new opportunities for optimization through artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This study uses validated 1D + 3D models to evaluate the high-altitude gas exchange performance of PV2S aircraft engines. The valve timings of the PV2S engine exhibit considerable flexibility, thus the Latin hypercube design of experiments (DoE) methodology is employed to fit a response surface model. A genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to iteratively optimize valve timings for varying altitudes. The optimization process reveals that increasing the intake duration while decreasing the exhaust duration and valve overlap angles can significantly enhance high-altitude gas exchange performance. The optimal valve overlap angle emerged as 93 °CA at sea level and 82 °CA at 4000 m altitude. The effects of operating parameters, including engine speed, load, and exhaust back pressure, on the gas exchange process at varying altitudes are further investigated. The higher engine speed increases trapping efficiency but decreases the delivery ratio and charging efficiency at various altitudes. This effect is especially pronounced at elevated altitudes. The increase in exhaust back pressure will significantly reduce the delivery ratio and increase the trapping efficiency. This study demonstrates that integrating DoE with AI algorithms can enhance the high-altitude performance of aircraft engines, serving as a valuable reference for further optimization efforts.

Abstract It was demonstrated that the lattice simulation of B-meson light-cone distribution amplitude (LCDA) is feasible via the quasi-distribution amplitude (quasi-DA) in large momentum effective theory (LaMET). The structures of logarithmic moments (LMs) of B-meson quasi-DA are explored in this work. The one-loop results indicate mixing in the matching: the n-th LM would be not only factorized into the n-th LM of LCDA, but also other moments with different power, accompanied by short distance coefficients. These results supply the understanding of the matching in LaMET and may provide guidance to the lattice study of LMs or other parameters of B-meson LCDA.

Abstract Objective This study introduced the modified Q-type purse-string suture duodenal stump embedding method, a convenient way to strengthen the duodenum, and compared it to the conventional one to assess its efficacy and safety. Methods This retrospective analysis examined 612 patients who received laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric Cancer at a single center. The patients were divided into Not Reinforced Group (n = 205) and Reinforced Group (n = 407) according to the surgical approach to the duodenal stump. The reinforced group was further divided into a modified Q-type purse-string suture embedding method group (QM, n = 232) and a conventional suture duodenal stump embedding method group (CM, n = 175) according to the methods of duodenal stump enhancement. Clinicopathological characteristics, operative variables, and short-term complications were documented and analyzed. Results The incidence of duodenal stump leakage(DSL) in the Not Reinforced Group was higher compared to the Reinforced Group, although the difference was not statistically significant [2.4% (5/205) vs 0.7% (3/407), p = 0.339]. Additionally, the Not Reinforced Group exhibited a higher rate of Reoperation due to DSL compared to the Reinforced Group [2 (1.0%) vs. 0, p = 0.046], with one patient in the Not Reinforced Group experiencing mortality due to DSL [1 (0.5%) vs 0, p = 0.158]. Subgroup analysis within the Reinforced Group revealed that the modified Q-type purse-string suture embedding group (QM) subgroup demonstrated statistically significant advantages over the conventional suture embedding group (CM) subgroup. QM exhibited shorter purse-string closure times (4.11 ± 1.840 vs. 6.05 ± 1.577, p = 0.001), higher purse-string closure success rates (93.1% vs. 77.7%, p = 0.001), and greater satisfaction with purse-string closure [224 (96.6%) vs 157 (89.7%), p = 0.005]. No occurrences of duodenal stump leakage were observed in the QM subgroup, while the CM subgroup experienced two cases [2 (1.1%)], though the difference was not statistically significant. Both groups did not exhibit statistically significant differences in secondary surgery or mortality related to duodenal stump leakage. Conclusion Duodenal Stump Leakage (DSL) is a severe but low-incidence complication. There is no statistically significant relationship between the reinforcement of the duodenal stump and the incidence of DSL. However, laparoscopic reinforcement of the duodenal stump can reduce the severity of fistulas and the probability of Reoperation. The laparoscopic Q-type purse-string suture duodenal stump embedding method is a simple and effective technique that can, to some extent, shorten the operation time and enhance satisfaction with purse-string closure. There is a trend towards reducing the incidence of DSL, thereby improving patient prognosis to a certain extent.

Abstract Background Combining conventional radiomics models with deep learning features can result in superior performance in predicting the prognosis of patients with tumors; however, this approach has never been evaluated for the prediction of metachronous distant metastasis (MDM) among patients with retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma (RLS). Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT)-based deep learning radiomics model for predicting the occurrence of MDM in patients with RLS undergoing complete surgical resection. Methods A total of 179 patients who had undergone surgery for the treatment of histologically confirmed RLS were retrospectively recruited from two tertiary sarcoma centers. Semantic segmentation features derived from a convolutional neural network deep learning model as well as conventional hand-crafted radiomics features were extracted from preoperative three-phase CECT images to quantify the sarcoma phenotypes. A conventional radiomics signature (RS) and a deep learning radiomics signature (DLRS) that incorporated hand-crafted radiomics and deep learning features were developed to predict the risk of MDM. Additionally, a deep learning radiomics nomogram (DLRN) was established to evaluate the incremental prognostic significance of the DLRS in combination with clinico-radiological predictors. Results The comparison of the area under the curve (AUC) values in the external validation set, as determined by the DeLong test, demonstrated that the integrated DLRN, DLRS, and RS models all exhibited superior predictive performance compared with that of the clinical model (AUC 0.786 [95% confidence interval 0.649–0.923] vs. 0.822 [0.692–0.952] vs. 0.733 [0.573–0.892] vs. 0.511 [0.359–0.662]; both P

Boron is an ambitious fuel in energetic materials since its high heat release values, but its application is prohibited by low combustion efficiency and oxidization during storage. The polydopamine (PDA) was introduced into boron particles, investigating the impact of PDA content on the energetic behavior of boron. The results indicated that the PDA coating formed a fishing net structure on the surface of boron particles. The heat release results showed that the combustion calorific value of B@PDA was higher than that of the raw boron. Specifically, the actual combustion heat of boron powder in B@10%PDA increased by 38.08%. Meanwhile, the DSC peak temperature decreased by 100.65 °C under similar oxidation rate compared to raw boron. Simultaneously, the B@PDA@AP and B@AP composites were prepared, and their combustion properties were evaluated. It was demonstrated that B@10%PDA@AP exhibited superior performance in terms of peak pressure and burning time, respectively. The peak pressure is 12.43 kPa more than B@AP and burning time is 2.22 times higher than B@AP. Therefore, the coating of PDA effectively inhibits the oxidization of boron during storage and enhances the energetic behavior of boron and corresponding composites.

ABSTRACT: Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae convert wastes into protein, playing a vital role in addressing the challenge of sustainable poultry production. These larvae accumulate toxic substances, posing a risk to feed and food safety. This study investigates the effects of substituting soybean meal with different levels of BSF larvae meal on laying performance, egg quality, serum analysis, and the deposition of various metals in eggs, meat, and excreta. A total of 1,008 Lohmann hens (age 48 wk) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments. The treatments consisted of corn-soybean meal (CK) diet replaced with 7% (BSF7), 14% (BSF14), and 21% (BSF21) BSF larvae meal. Each treatment consisted of 6 replicates with 42 hens each and the trial lasted for 8 wk. Dietary BSF larvae meal treatments increased (linear, P < 0.05) the laying rate (1.52 to 1.95%) and decreased (linear, P < 0.01) the feed intake (3.64–3.86 g) during the entire experiment. During 48 to 52 wk, egg weight was decreased (P < 0.001) 0.93 g for the BSF21 group compared to CK group, however, during 52-56 wk, no differences in egg weight were observed among treatments. The addition of BSF larvae meal enhanced the eggshell strength (linear, P < 0.05), with no effect on the albumen height and yolk weight (P > 0.05). Low transfer of arsenic, lead, and cadmium concentration was observed in the egg yolk and egg white across different treatments (P > 0.05). Conversely, the concentrations of these metals and iron showed an increase, while Zinc exhibited a decrease in excreta as the dietary intake of BSF larvae meal increased. The chromium and iron increased linearly (P < 0.001) in the egg white with the inclusion of BSF larvae meal. Egg white iron and chromium showed a strong positive correlation with the dietary zinc and copper. Taken together, BSF larvae can replace soybean meal completely in laying diet, however, careful attention requires to elevated metal levels in diet and excreta.

ABSTRACTMachine learning has become an important approach for land use change modeling. However, conventional machine learning algorithms are limited in their ability to capture causal relationships in land use change, which are important knowledge for planners and decision makers. In this study, we showcase the usefulness of causal machine learning to understand the heterogeneous causal effect of changing land use on building height through a case study in Shenzhen, China. Also, by leveraging the power of causal machine learning, we identify the key conditions under which greater building height change would occur after land use interventions. The results suggest that building height would increase by 3.68 floors and 1.61 floors on average if industrial land is converted to residential and commercial, respectively, and 2.35 floors if commercial land is changed to residential land. The heterogeneity of causal effect is also captured for different land use change scenarios. The factor analysis based on the decision tree algorithm reveals the key conditions on which greater building height increase would occur by changing land use. Overall, this study can contribute to literature by providing an effective approach to counterfactual land use change modeling with enhanced explainability.

MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7, a part of the membrane palmitoylated protein subfamily, is an essential adapter that promotes epithelial cell polarity and has increasing significance in multiple cancers, including esophageal cancer, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This paper aims to determine the effect of the MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 in various tumor types using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression database. A variety of software and web platforms, such as cBioPortal, GEPIA2, TIMER2, UALCAN, R, STRING, and DAVID, were used to obtain and analyze data. Notably, low expression of MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 was observed in most cancers. In addition, low expression of MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 predicted poor prognoses in cancer patients. Mutation was the most frequent genetic alteration type in MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7, with the phosphorylation sites identified as S412 and S490 in various cancers. Furthermore, expression of MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 was associated with cancer-related fibroblasts and CD8+ T cells. Gene enrichment analysis indicated that MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 influences cancer through the Rap1 signaling pathway. This paper elucidates the biological significance of MAGUK p55 subfamily member 7 in human pan-cancer prognosis and immune response.

Summary: Myocardial remodeling (MR) following myocardial infarction (MI) contributes to heart failure. Inflammation is a key determinant in cardiac remodeling, with potential prognostic improvements by inhibiting inflammatory factors. Pattern recognition receptors, including interferon gamma-inducible protein-16 (IFI-16), play significant roles in this process, yet its specific involvement remains underexplored. This study investigates IFI-16’s role in initiating inflammation via the inflammasome and its direct interaction with galectin-3 protein post-MI. Elevated IFI-16 levels were observed in human and rat myocytes and a mouse MI model under hypoxic, nutrient-deprived conditions, correlating with increased inflammation-associated proteins. Suppression of IFI-16/IFI-204 using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus or adeno-associated virus decreased inflammatory factor activation, thereby mitigating remodeling and enhancing cardiac function post-MI. Co-immunoprecipitation (coIP) and double-fluorescence staining confirmed IFI-16’s ability to interact directly with galectin-3. These findings underscore IFI-16’s critical role as a pro-inflammatory factor in post-MI MR, suggesting its inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy.

BackgroundSeveral image-based diagnostic methods have been developed to examine the features of breast lesions among women, while the value of combining palpation imaging and ultrasound by a bimodal breast examination system is still unknown.MethodsA real-world study was conducted among 424 patients who visited Fujian Maternal and Child Health Hospital and Fujian Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, and used the Bimodal Breast Exam (BBE) systems which combines palpation imaging and ultrasound imaging. Among them, 97 patients had additional ultrasound, mammogram, or pathological examination. These patients were used to evaluate the consistency and efficacy of the BBE in interpreting the features of breast lesions as compared to results of ultrasound, mammogram, and pathological examinations.ResultsThe BBE system detected 1517 lesions with palpation imaging, 1126 lesions with ultrasound examination (950 solid lesions and 176 cysts), and 391 non mass lesions. Among them, 404 patients were diagnosed as benign and 20 were diagnosed as malignant tumor. However, 12, 9 and 4 cases were diagnosed as malignant tumors by ultrasound, mammogram and pathological examination, respectively. Compared with the integrative results of ultrasound, mammogram and pathology, the sensitivity of BBE is 55.6%, and the specificity is 90.9%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.387 (0.110, 0.665), indicating moderate consistency.ConclusionsIn clinical practice, BBE can be used to evaluate features of breast lesions with a high specificity. The diagnostic efficacy is comparable to the integrative results of ultrasound, mammography, and pathological examination.

BackgroundThe effect of combining prone ventilation with traditional Chinese medicine on severe pneumonia remains unclear.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of Fu Zheng Jie Du Formula (FZJDF) combined with prone ventilation on clinical outcomes in patients with severe pneumonia.MethodsThis single-center retrospective cohort study included 188 severe pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU from January 2022 to December 2023. Patients were divided into an FZJD group (receiving FZJDF for 7 days plus prone ventilation) and a non-FZJD group (prone ventilation only). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was the change in PaO2/FiO2 ratio after treatment. Secondary outcomes included 28-day mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, PaCO2, lactic acid levels, APACHE II score, SOFA score, Chinese Medicine Score, inflammatory markers, and time to symptom resolution.ResultsAfter PSM, 32 patients were included in each group. Compared to the non-FZJD group, the FZJD group showed significantly higher PaO2/FiO2 ratios, lower PaCO2, and lower lactic acid levels after treatment (p < 0.05 for all). The FZJD group also had significantly lower APACHE II scores, SOFA scores, Chinese Medicine Scores, and levels of WBC, PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 (p < 0.05 for all). Time to symptom resolution, including duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, time to fever resolution, time to cough resolution, and time to resolution of pulmonary rales, was significantly shorter in the FZJD group (p < 0.05 for all). There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups.ConclusionFZJDF as an adjuvant therapy to prone ventilation can improve oxygenation and other clinical outcomes in severe pneumonia patients. Prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Residual stress is the main hindrance to achieve a robust ceramic/metal brazed joint. In this study, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles was fabricated into solid-state transformation composite filler, which was proposed as a new strategy to strengthen Ti3SiC2/Cu brazed joint. After detailed characterization conducted on YSZ particles and brazed joint, the abnormal expansion properties of YSZ and its strengthening brazed joint mechanism were clarified. The content of Y2O3 in YSZ had significant effects on the phase transformation of ZrO2 from tetragonal to monoclinic. When 3 mol.% Y2O3 was added, the maximum phase transformation occurred at about 500 ◦C, half of brazing temperature, during the cooling process. The phase transformation of ZrO2 effectively released residual stress in the joint, which was induced by both temperature changes and residual stress. The abnormal volume expansion during phase transformation decreased the thermal mismatch of brazed joint further to strengthen brazed joint.

Abstract Objective We analyzed the influence of the location of the upper and lower cement on the sandwich vertebrae (SV) by computer finite element analysis. Materials and Methods A finite element model of the spinal segment of T11‐L1 was constructed and 6 mL of cement was built into T11 and L1 simultaneously. According to the various distributions of bone cement at T11 and L1, the following four groups were formed: (i) Group B‐B: bilateral bone cement reinforcement in both T11 and L1 vertebral bodies; (ii) Group L‐B: left unilateral reinforcement in T11 and bilateral reinforcement in L1; (iii) Group L‐R: unilateral cement reinforcement in both T11 and L1 (cross); (iv) Group L‐L: unilateral cement reinforcement in both T11 and L1 (ipsilateral side). The maximum von Mises stress (VMS) and maximum displacement of the SV and intervertebral discs were compared and analyzed. Results The maximum VMS of T12 was in the order of size: group B‐B

BackgroundIschemic stroke is a serious and sudden cerebrovascular condition that significantly affects individual’s health and imposes a substantial economic burden on medical management. Despite its widespread use in China, there is still a lack of reliable evidence regarding the efficacy of Shenmai injection (SMI) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to comprehensively assess the effectiveness and safety of SMI in treating AIS through a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsRandomized controlled studies (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of SMI in treating AIS were searched for in eight databases from the inception of each database till January 2024. We utilized the ROB 2.0 to assess the risk of bias. A meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4, while sensitivity analyses and publication bias assessments were conducted using Stata 16.1.ResultsA total of 17 studies involving 1,603 AIS patients were included in our meta-analysis. Our results showed that SMI plus conventional treatments (CTs) was more effective than CTs alone in improving the total effective rate (RR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.30, p < 0.00001), the Barthel index (BI) (MD 12.18, 95% CI: 10.30 to 14.06, p < 0.00001), and reducing the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Score (NIHSS) score (MD -3.05, 95% CI: 3.85 to −2.24, p < 0.00001) and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) (MD -0.68, 95% CI: 0.86 to-0.49, p < 0.00001). In addition, SMI combination therapy was better than CTs alone in decreasing the levels of IL-6, IL-18, and hs-CRP. SMI therapy also enhanced the cerebral hemorheology of patients by reducing levels of fibrinogen and plasma viscosity. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events, including elevated transaminase, rash, nausea, bleeding, urticaria, headache, vomiting, chest tightness, and facial flushes. Moreover, no serious adverse effects or life-threatening events were reported.ConclusionOur study shows that combining SMI with CTs effectively enhances the neurological function of patients with acute cerebral infarction. However, our findings should be interpreted considering the significant heterogeneity and suboptimal quality of the analyzed trials.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024504675, Identifier PROSPERO, CRD42024504675

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prolonged exposure to varying levels of music or noise on the behavioral, physiological, and immune responses of pullets following their transfer to an egg-laying facility. A total of 240 one-day-old Hy-Line Brown pullets were randomly assigned to five groups: 0 dB sound stimulation, low-decibel music (65–75 dB), high-decibel music (85–95 dB), low-decibel noise (65–75 dB), and high-decibel noise (85–95 dB) stimuli. Pullets received music or noise stimuli 10 h per d from 1-day-old to 16-wk-old and were then transferred to the egg-laying facility. The results indicated that feeding and drinking behaviors significantly decreased (P < 0.05), whereas feather pecking, aggression, and preening behaviors significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the pullets after transfer. Pullets also had higher serum cortisol (COR) levels (P < 0.05), whereas immunoglobulin Y (IgY), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (INF-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels significantly increased (P < 0.05). Low-decibel sound stimuli increased aggressive behavior and decreased pecking behavior (P < 0.05). High-decibel sound stimuli decreased feather pecking, cage pecking, aggression, and sham dustbathing behaviors (P < 0.05). In addition, a low-decibel sound stimulus decreased the serum COR content, and increased the serum IL-6 level in the transferred pullets. A high-decibel sound stimulus also induced shorter tonic immobility (TI) durations in pullets on d 7 after transport stress. Meanwhile, high-decibel sound stimulus decreased the serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels of pullets. In conclusion, the transfer has detrimental effects on the pullets. Long-term sound stimulation effectively mitigated the negative impact of transportation stress on pullets. Among them, the high-decibel sound stimulus showed more promise in relieving transport stress.

Abstract Background In our previous investigation, we revealed a significant increase in the expression of microRNA-6881-3p (miR-6881-3p) in follicular fluid granulosa cells (GCs) from women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) compared to those with normal ovarian reserve (NOR). However, the role of miR-6881-3p in the development of DOR remains poorly understood. Objective This study aimed to elucidate the involvement of miR-6881-3p in the regulation of granulosa cells (GCs) function and the pathogenesis of DOR. Materials and methods Initially, we assessed the expression levels of miR-6881-3p in GCs obtained from human follicular fluid in both NOR and DOR cases and explored the correlation between miR-6881-3p expression and clinical outcomes in assisted reproduction technology (ART). Bioinformatic predictions and dual-luciferase reporter assays were employed to identify the target gene of miR-6881-3p. Manipulation of miR-6881-3p expression was achieved through the transfection of KGN cells with miR-6881-3p mimics, inhibitor, and miRNA negative control (NC). Following transfection, we assessed granulosa cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression via flow cytometry and quantified target gene expression through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB) analysis. Finally, we examined the correlation between target gene expression levels in GCs from NOR and DOR patients and their association with ART outcomes. Results Our findings revealed elevated miR-6881-3p levels in GCs from DOR patients, which negatively correlated with ovarian reserve function and ART outcomes. We identified a direct binding interaction between miR-6881-3p and the 3’-untranslated region of the SMAD4. Transfection with miR-6881-3p mimics induced apoptosis in KGN cell. Furthermore, miR-6881-3p expression negatively correlated with both mRNA and protein levels of the SMAD4. The mRNA and protein levels of SMAD4 were notably reduced in GCs from DOR patients, and SMAD4 mRNA expression positively correlated with ART outcomes. In addition, the mRNA levels of FSHR, CYP11A1 were notably reduced after transfection with miR-6881-3p mimics in KGN cell, while LHCGR notably increased. The mRNA and protein levels of FSHR, CYP11A1 were notably reduced in GCs from DOR patients, while LHCGR notably increased. Conclusion This study underscores the role of miR-6881-3p in directly targeting SMAD4 mRNA, subsequently diminishing granulosa cell viability and promoting apoptosis, and may affect steroid hormone regulation and gonadotropin signal reception in GCs. These findings contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis of DOR.

This manuscript attempts to explore the macroscopic morphology microstructural aspects and mechanical properties of different laser welding speed and power on the 2.5 mm thick DSS welding joint. Through the evaluation of 12 groups samples with different welding parameters, we found that the optimal laser welding process parameters were a welding speed of 6mm/s, laser power of 1.6 kW and welding speed of 8 mm/s, laser power of 1.7 kW. When the heat input was 2.125 kJ/cm, the content of ferrite and austenite was relatively uniform, and the ratio was close to 1:1. We found that the hardness of the weld metal zone was slightly higher than that of the base metal, with an average value of 330 HV. When the heat input was 2.125 kJ/cm, the microhardness of welded joint was better than other parameters, reaching 400 HV in the welding metal zone. The tensile strength of the weld was enhanced with the increase of heat input, and the maximum was 900 MPa. Through SEM analysis, the fracture locations of tensile specimens were all in the weld zone, and the fracture morphology had a large number of dimples, belonging to the ductile fracture.

With the advancements in deep learning and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, an increasing number of individuals are utilizing deep-learning techniques to detect ships in SAR images. However, the efficiency of SAR ship detection is affected by complex background interference and various ship sizes. Addressing these challenges, this article proposes a balanced feature enhanced attention model. First, we introduce a novel attention feature fusion network (WEF-Net) tailored for SAR multiscale ship detection. WEF-Net effectively balances the information across different backbone layers and harmonizes semantic information from various levels of the feature pyramid through aggregation and averaging. Next, we embed the receiving field extension module in WEF-Net to learn the context information and generate the global characteristics of the receiving field balance. In addition, it can extract features from multiple scales to enhance the detection capability of the model for ships of different scales. At the same time, acknowledging the impact of surrounding complex background interference on the detector, we redesigned the ELAN module by combining convolution and attention. This enhancement enables the model to better attend to target position information during feature fusion, suppress the surrounding complex background interference, and highlight the ship's feature information. Finally, owing to the prevalence of small targets in SAR images, we employ an optimized loss function to bolster the model's performance in detecting small targets. This approach accelerates training convergence, reduces instances of missed detection on small targets, and enhances overall detection performance across multiple scales. Experimental results demonstrate that our model achieves detection accuracies of 98%, 93.1%, and 76.9% on the SAR ship detection dataset, high-resolution SAR image dataset, and large-scale SAR ship detection dataset, respectively, effectively discerning ship targets amid complex backgrounds in SAR images.

Abstract Biochar has shown potential as a sorbent for reducing Cd levels in water. Euhalophytes, which thrive in saline-alkali soils containing high concentrations of metal ions and anions, present an intriguing opportunity for producing biochar with inherent metal adsorption properties. This study focused on biochar derived from the euhalophyte Salicornia europaea and aimed to investigate its Cd adsorption capacity through adsorption kinetics and isotherm experiments. The results demonstrated that S. europaea biochar exhibited a high specific surface area, substantial base cation content, and a low negative surface charge, making it a highly effective adsorbent for Cd. The adsorption data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm model, revealing a maximum adsorption capacity of 108.54 mg g−1 at 25 °C. The adsorption process involved both surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion. The Cd adsorption mechanism on the biochar encompassed precipitation, ion exchange, functional group complexation, and cation-π interactions. Notably, the precipitation of Cd2+ with CO3 2− in the biochar played a dominant role, accounting for 73.7% of the overall removal mechanism. These findings underscore the potential of euhalophytes such as S. europaea as a promising solution for remediating Cd contamination in aquatic environments.

ObjectiveTo analyze influencing factors of antiretroviral therapy (ART) resistance among human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients in Shandong province.MethodsDuring 2020 in Shandong province, viral load detection was conducted among 12 608 HIV/AIDS patients aged ≥ 15 years and receiving ART more than 6 months and HIV drug resistance genotyping was performed for the 564 patients with ART failure (viral load > 1 000 copies/mL). Of the 477 ART failure patients with successful PCR amplification and HIV sequencing, 218 were assessed as having resistance to one or more antiretroviral drugs based on the results of HIV sequencing referring to the Stanford HIV Resistance Database. Then, a face-to-face interview with a self-designed questionnaire was carried out among 100 of the 218 ART resistance cases and 131 gender-, age-, current address-matched controls selected from the HIV patients sensitive to ART. Chi-square test, Fisher′s exact probability test and logistic regression model were used to analyze factors related to ART resistance.ResultsFor the 12 521 HIV/AIDS patients completing the viral load detection, 218 (1.74%) were resistant to ART. Valid responses were obtained from 97 cases and 126 controls in the questionnaire interview. Logistic regression analysis revealed following risk factors of ART resistance: with delayed treatment of 1 – 12 months compared to the treatment in time (adjusted odd ratio [aOR] = 2.74，95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.18 – 6.33), frequency of ART regimen change (once: aOR = 12.62, 95%CI: 5.44 – 29.23; twice: aOR = 39.96, 95%CI: 10.10 – 158.15; and thrice: aOR = 12.01, 95%CI: 1.60 – 90.40), and without supervision on ART (aOR = 3.08, 95%CI: 1.39 – 6.84); the analysis also showed that moderate adherence (aOR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.04 – 0.27) and high adherence (aOR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.02 – 0.19) to ART were protective factors against ART resistance.ConclusionDelayed time of ART, changing ART regimen and without supervision on ART are risk factors but high compliance to ART is a protective factor for ART resistance among HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART in Shandong province.

This research developed a hybrid position-channel network (named PCNet) through incorporating newly designed channel and position attention modules into U-Net to alleviate the crack discontinuity problem in channel and spatial dimensions. In PCNet, the U-Net is used as a baseline to extract informative spatial and channel-wise features from shield tunnel lining crack images. A channel and a position attention module are designed and embedded after each convolution layer of U-Net to model the feature interdependencies in channel and spatial dimensions. These attention modules can make the U-Net adaptively integrate local crack features with their global dependencies. Experiments were conducted utilizing the dataset based on the images from Shanghai metro shield tunnels. The results validate the effectiveness of the designed channel and position attention modules, since they can individually increase balanced accuracy (BA) by 11.25% and 12.95%, intersection over union (IoU) by 10.79% and 11.83%, and F1 score by 9.96% and 10.63%, respectively. In comparison with the state-of-the-art models (i.e. LinkNet, PSPNet, U-Net, PANet, and Mask R–CNN) on the testing dataset, the proposed PCNet outperforms others with an improvement of BA, IoU, and F1 score owing to the implementation of the channel and position attention modules. These evaluation metrics indicate that the proposed PCNet presents refined crack segmentation with improved performance and is a practicable approach to segment shield tunnel lining cracks in field practice.

Highlights A Cr5Te8@expanded graphite heterostructure is fabricated by chemical vapor deposition, exhibiting remarkable microwave absorption performance with a minimum reflection loss of up to − 57.6 dB at a thin thickness of only 1.4 mm under a low filling rate of 10%. Density functional theory calculations deeply reveal the polarization loss mechanism triggered by heterogeneous interfaces. The heterostructure coating displays a remarkable radar cross section reduction of 31.9 dB m2, demonstrating a great electromagnetic microwave scattering ability and radar stealth capability.

In this study some soil phosphorous sorption parameters (PSPs) by using different machine learning models (Cubist (Cu), random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVM) and Gaussian process regression (GPR)) were predicted. The results showed that using the topographic attributes as the sole auxiliary variables was not adequate for predicting the PSPs. However, remote sensing data and its combination with soil properties were reliably used to predict PSPs (R2 =0.41 for MBC by RF model, R2=0.49 for PBC by Cu model, R2=0.37 for SPR by Cu model, and R2=0.38 for SBC by RF model). The lowest RMSE values were obtained for MBC by RF model, PBC by SVM model, SPR by Cubist model and SBC by RF model. The results also showed that remote sensing data as the easily available datasets could reliably predict PSPs in the given study area. The outcomes of variable importance analysis revealed that among the soil properties cation exchange capacity (CEC) and clay content, and among the remote sensing indices B5/B7, Midindex, Coloration index, Saturation index, and OSAVI were the most imperative factors for predicting PSPs. Further studies are recommended to use other proximally sensed data to improve PSPs prediction to precise decision-making throughout the landscape.

AbstractBackground Circadian rhythm involved with physiology has been reported to affect pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. We hypothesized that circadian variations in physiology disturb anesthesia and eventually affect recovery after anesthesia.Methods A retrospective cohort study initially included 107,406 patients (1 June 2016–6 June 2021). Patients were classified into morning or afternoon surgery groups. The primary outcome was daytime variation in PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) recovery time and Steward score. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) approach based on propensity score and univariable/multivariable linear regression were used to estimate this outcome.Results Of 28,074 patients, 13,418 (48%) patients underwent morning surgeries, and 14,656 (52%) patients underwent afternoon surgeries. LOWESS curves and IPW illustrated daytime variation in PACU recovery time and Steward score. Before adjustment, compared to morning surgery group, afternoon surgery group had less PACU recovery time (median [interquartile range], 57 [46, 70] vs. 54 [43, 66], p

Trichoderma species have been reported as masters in producing cellulolytic enzymes for the biodegradation of lignocellulolytic biomass and biocontrol agents against plant pathogens and pests. In our previous study, a novel Trichoderma strain LZ117, which shows potent capability in cellulase production, was isolated. Herein, we conducted multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on DNA barcodes and performed time-scaled phylogenomic analyses using the whole genome sequences of the strain, annotated by integrating transcriptome data. Our results suggest that this strain represents a new species closely related to T. atrobrunneum (Harzianum clade). Genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), transporters, and secondary metabolites were annotated and predicted secretome in Trichoderma sp. LZ117 was also presented. Furthermore, genetic manipulation of this strain was successfully achieved using PEG-mediated protoplast transformation. A putative transporter gene encoding maltose permease (Mal1) was overexpressed, which proved that this transporter does not affect cellulase production. Moreover, overexpressing the native Cre1 homolog in LZ117 demonstrated a more pronounced impact of glucose-caused carbon catabolite repression (CCR), suggesting the importance of Cre1-mediated CCR in cellulase production of Trichoderma sp. LZ117. The results of this study will benefit further exploration of the strain LZ117 and related species for their applications in bioproduction.