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Abstract The virtual restoration of historic murals holds immense importance in the realm of cultural heritage preservation. Currently, there are three primary technical issues. First and foremost, it is imperative to delineate the precise location where the mural necessitates restoration. Second, the original color of the mural has changed over time, resulting in a difference from its current appearance. Then, while the method utilizing convolutional neural networks is effective in restoring small defaced areas of murals, its effectiveness significantly diminishes when applied to larger areas. The primary objectives of this paper are as follows: (1) To determine the large and small areas to be restored, the authors employ hyperspectral super-pixel segmentation and support vector machine-Markov random field (SVM-MRF) classification. (2) The authors transform the hyperspectral mural images into more realistic and accurate red-green-blue (RGB) images using the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) standard colorimetric system. (3) The authors restored the images respectively using convolutional neural network and matching image block-based approaches depending on the size of the areas to be mended. The proposed method has enhanced the image quality assessment (IQA) in terms of both color quality and restoration effects. In contrast to the pseudo-color fusion method, the color optimization algorithm described in this research enhances the multi-scale image quality (MUSIQ) by 8.42%. The suggested technique enhances MUSIQ by 2.41% when compared to the convolutional neural network-based image inpainting algorithm.

Abstract Objective The aim was to investigate the relationship between metabolic indices and abnormal bone mass (ABM), analyse the association between osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene mutations and ABM, and explore the interaction effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and OPG gene mutations on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women to provide a new supplementary index and a reliable basis for the early identification of osteoporosis (OP) in postmenopausal women in the clinical setting. Methods Postmenopausal women hospitalized within the Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Sanatorium of Shihezi University from June 2021 to March 2023 were retrospectively analysed, and the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebrae 1–4 (BMD (L1-4)) of the studied subjects was measured once via twin-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The studied subjects were divided into a normal bone mass (NBM) group and an ABM group according to their bone mineral density, and the general data of the studied subjects were recorded once. Blood biochemical indices were determined, and genotyping of the rs4355801 locus of the OPG gene was performed. Differences in the overall data and biochemical indices of the two groups were evaluated via the rank-sum test, and the relationship between blood glucose levels and mutations of the rs4355801 locus of the OPG gene and ABM or BMD (L1-4) was evaluated via binary logistic regression analysis or linear regression analysis. A bootstrap test was performed to test whether uric acid (UA) levels mediate the association between blood glucose levels and BMD (L1-4). Simple effect analysis was performed to analyse the interaction between T2DM and mutations at the rs4355801 locus of the OPG gene on BMD (L1-4). Results ① After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of ABM increased by 50% (95% CI 21–85%) for each unit increase in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and 31% (95% CI 2–69%) for each unit increase in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (both P

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the adaptive mechanisms of mulberry (Morus alba) to waterlogged conditions, with a specific focus on the development of adventitious roots (ARs), alteration of growth strategies, and adjustment of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. To achieve this goal, 4-year-old potted mulberry plants were selected for research, and a waterlogging simulation method was implemented. Four treatments were established to investigate the effects of varying water conditions on leaf waterlogging damage, the number of ARs, plant height, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and proton motive force (pmf) parameters in mulberry plants. These treatments included the control group (CK), shallow submerged group (SS), half-submerged group (HS) and deep submerged group (DS). Our results showed that (1) The number of ARs in each group increased with increasing waterlogging time. (2) Waterlogging stress inhibited the height growth of mulberry, and the changes in plant height in the HS and DS groups were significantly lower than those in the CK and SS groups. (3) The maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm) in the HS and DS groups decreased significantly under waterlogging stress. The nonphotochemical quenching (NPQt) of mulberry leaves in the submergence group increased significantly in the early stage of waterlogging stress, and the NPQt in the submergence group increased continuously with increasing waterlogging time. (4) Thylakoid conductivity to protons (gH +) in the leaves of mulberry decreased significantly under waterlogging stress, whereas the steady-state rate of proton flux (vH +) and total electrochromic shift (ECSt) increased significantly. The morphological, physiological, and ecological responses of mulberry plants to waterlogging stress include the timely generation of ARs at the stem base, the adjustment of plant growth strategies, and the repair of photosynthetic response centers in leaves through heat dissipation and thylakoid acidification mechanisms.

Abstract Epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is the most fatal among female reproductive system tumors. The immune tumor microenvironment and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway are closely related to the proliferation, invasion, and response to chemotherapy in EOC. However, their specific roles in EOC have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to recognize potential prognostic markers and novel therapeutic targets for EOC. We constructed the ubiquitin-related signature risk model comprising HSP90AB1, FBXO9, SIGMAR1, STAT1, SH3KBP1, EPB41L2, DNAJB6, VPS18, PPM1G, AKAP12, FRK, and PYGB, specifically for patients with EOC. The high-risk model presented a worse prognosis, primarily associated with the B-cell receptor signaling pathway, ECM receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and actin cytoskeleton regulations. Analysis of the immune landscape revealed a higher abundance of B cells, M2 macrophages, neutrophil CD4 T cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophage neutrophils, and fibroblasts in the high-risk group. It also exhibited lower tumor mutation burden, mRNAsi, and EREG-mRNAsi and reduced sensitivity to other chemotherapy drugs, except dasatinib. These findings serve as a valuable indicator for personalized treatment strategies and clinical stratification in managing patients with EOC. Additionally, our study will serve as a foundation for future mechanistic research to explore the association between the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and EOC.

The extant research evidence indicates that sensible exercise has a beneficial impact on the prevention and treatment of cancer. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of the field of sports oncology. Its objective is to synthesize and analyze the impact of exercise training on cancer, as well as to elucidate the mechanisms through which exercise affects cancer progression. Additionally, it offers valuable insights for advancing fundamental and clinical research in sports oncology. Firstly, this paper provides a summary of the relationship between exercise and various aspects of tumor progression, including tumor size, weight, metastasis, tumor vascularity, myokine production, immune response, and the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Secondly, due to the diversity of tumor properties, we also explore the fact that the specificity of exercise prescription should be tailored to the different tumor types and patient profiles. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of considering individual differences when determining the type of exercise, intensity, intervention, and duration of exercise. Finally, this paper emphasizes the necessity of evaluating the interaction between exercise and conventional or novel immunotherapies and pharmacodynamics in future preclinical studies.

Abstract The local ecosystems, fishery and human health are all threatened by water blooms, so effectively controlling water blooms has become an urgent and challenging issue. Biological control of water blooms is given priority due to its low cost, high efficiency and environmental friendliness. In this study, Pseudomonas ZY-1 and Bacillus FY-1, two highly-effective algicidal bacteria strains which are able to indirectly lyse algae by separating and screening from the vigorous water body in the paddy alga of Northeast China were obtained. The two bacterial strains have stronger ability to lyse alga in the bacterial liquid concentration of 106 CFU/ml, and the alga-lysing rate on 7 d reached 84.03% and 83.11% respectively. The active substance secreted by ZY-1 is not sensitive to the changes of temperature and pH value, while as FY-1 cell-free filtrate is not stable in high temperature above 50 ℃ and pH of 5, it requires the sun light to have the algaecidal effect. The cell-free filtrates of strains ZY-1 and FY-1 had the best lysis effect on Microcystis aeruginosa cells, and the chlorophyll a content of algae decreased to 0.13 ± 0.02 mg/L and 0.14 ± 0.03 mg/L respectively and the Fv/Fm of Microcystis aeruginosa decreased by 97.22% after 7 days. The algaecidal process of ZY-1 and FY-1 may be that the cell-free filtrate inhibits the photosynthesis of Microcystis aeruginosa, and meanwhile it avoids the regeneration and repair of photosynthesis of algal cells by affecting the gene expression and damaging the repair system of algal cells, so the membrane lipid peroxidation is exacerbated and then the membrane of algal cells is broken, the algal cells can’t do normal life activities, and finally the algal cell would be killed. The rice seedlings in the algal liquid treatment group are short and show root dysplasia, few roots and brown roots. After treated with cell-free filtrate of ZY-1 and FY-1, the oxidative damage of the rice is obviously reduced, and the harm from Microcystis aeruginosa is reduced, which has the repair effect to the roots of rice seedlings and its aboveground growth. The cell-free filtrate of FY-1 works better than ZY-1. The bacteria strains of ZY-1 and FY-1 have the indirect algaecide trait, which makes them the potential environmentally-friendly algaecidal bacteria and they show broad application in the agricultural production and the control of water blooms.

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop a medical imaging and comprehensive stacked learning-based method for predicting high- and low-risk thymoma. A total of 126 patients with thymomas and 5 patients with thymic carcinoma treated at our institution, including 65 low-risk patients and 66 high-risk patients, were retrospectively recruited. Among them, 78 patients composed the training cohort, while the remaining 53 patients formed the validation cohort. We extracted 1702 features each from the patients’ arterial-, venous-, and plain-phase images. Pairwise subtraction of these features yielded 1702 arterial-venous, arterial-plain, and venous-plain difference features each. The Mann‒Whitney U test and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and SelectKBest methods were employed to select the best features from the training set. Six models were built with a stacked learning algorithm. By applying stacked ensemble learning, three machine learning algorithms (XGBoost, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and random forest) were combined by XGBoost to produce the the six basic imaging models. Then, the XGBoost algorithm was applied to the six basic imaging models to construct a combined radiomic model. Finally, the radiomic model was combined with clinical information to create a nomogram that could easily be used in clinical practice to predict the thymoma risk category. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the combined radiomic model in the training and validation cohorts were 0.999 (95% CI 0.988–1.000) and 0.967 (95% CI 0.916–1.000), respectively, while those of the nomogram were 0.999 (95% CI 0.996–1.000) and 0.983 (95% CI 0.990–1.000). This study describes the application of CT-based radiomics in thymoma patients and proposes a nomogram for predicting the risk category for this disease, which could be advantageous for clinical decision-making for affected patients.

Objective(s): The material used for bone tissue repair needs to be simultaneously osteoconductive, osteoinductive, and osteogenic. To overcome this problem, researchers combine hydroxyapatite (HA) with natural materials to improve properties. This paper compares the effects of angiogenesis and osteogenesis with different composites through in vivo experiments and characterization analysis. Materials and Methods: Chitosan/nHA (CS/nHA) and sodium alginate/nHA (SA/nHA) microspheres were synthesized via reverse-phase emulsification crosslinking and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Implanted into mouse thigh muscles, their angiogenic and osteogenic potentials were assessed after 8 and 12 weeks through various staining methods and immunohistochemistry. Results: The mean vascular density (MVD) of CS/nHA, CaP/nHA, and SA/nHA groups was (134.92±35.30) n/mm2, (159.09±22.14) n/mm2, (160.31±42.23) n/mm2 at 12 weeks, respectively. The MVD of the CaP/nHA and SA/nHA groups were significantly higher than that of the CS/nHA group. The collagen volume fractions (CVF) were 34.13%, 51.53%, and 54.96% in the CS/nHA, CaP/nHA, and SA/nHA groups, respectively. In addition, the positive expression area ratios of OPN and CD31 in the CaP/nHA and SA/nHA groups were also significantly higher than those in the CS/nHA group.Conclusion: The ability of SA/nHA composite microspheres in osteogenesis and angiogenesis is clearly superior to that of the CS/nHA group and is comparable to that of CaP/nHA, which has superior osteogenesis ability, indicating that SA/nHA composite microspheres have greater application prospects in bone tissue engineering.

Abstract Particulate organic nitrates (pON) significantly contribute to the mass of organic aerosol and influence the nitrogen oxides cycle in the atmosphere, but their evolution and lifetime remain uncertain. This study performed simultaneous measurements on the anthropogenically affected surface site and the mountain site on top of the polluted planetary boundary layer (PBL). After aging in the PBL, organic nitrate was converted from primary sources (decreased from 8.7% to 4.3%) to secondary sources (increased from 6.3% to 36.1%), spanning from the surface to the mountain. The evaporation of more volatile inorganic nitrate and the production of secondary organic nitrate during aging in the PBL contributed to the enhanced pON fraction over the top of PBL. The contribution of light absorption by brown carbon increased by 57% at the top of PBL compared to the surface, consistent with the higher fraction of nitrogenous organic aerosols over the mountain. The results provide field evidence that the nitrogenous organic aerosols (OA) may be preserved by adding into secondary OA and significantly contribute to the enhanced importance of brown carbon after aging during vertical transport in the PBL.

The Da'anzhai Member of the Lower Jurassic on the eastern slope of the Western Sichuan Depression in the Sichuan Basin is a main target for the development of tight oil and gas. Fractures are essential for achieving high production in the Da'anzhai Member reservoirs. Due to their complex lithology, traditional methods for fracture prediction and evaluation have limited applicability and low prediction accuracy. Based on core fracture investigations and thin-section identification data, combined with geological statistics and numerical simulations, the lithological characteristics of various reservoirs were clarified, and the fracture development characteristics in the Da'anzhai Member were revealed. Considering both the fracture foundation and external fracturing forces, three fracture evaluation factors were proposed and constructed to predict and evaluate the planar distribution of fractures in each sub-member by distinguishing lithology and sub-members. The results showed that: (1) The Da'anzhai Member reservoirs had complex lithologies with interbedded (shell) limestone, sandstone, and shale. (2) Fully filled fractures were mainly developed, and (shell) limestone exhibited mainly structural fractures, while sandstone and shale mainly showed interlayer fractures with dissolution features on the fracture surfaces, which was beneficial for enhancing oil and gas flow. (3) Three fracture evaluation factors were proposed and constructed, which included lithologic thickness, tectonic deformation intensity, and fracture rupture intensity. A quantitative model for comprehensive prediction and evaluation of fractures was established to predict and evaluate the planar distribution of fractures in each sub-member comprehensively. The predicted fracture density aligned well with the fracture development index identified in individual wells, indicating the reliability of the prediction results. This method for fracture planar distribution prediction and evaluation offers a reference for similar oil and gas reservoirs.

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is an important veterinary pathogen and a noteworthy threat to human and animal health. Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of moose fatalities caused by this rare, endemic species in China. Currently, there is an increasing trend in conducting whole-genome analysis of C. perfringens strains originating from pigs and chickens, whereas fewer studies have been undertaken on Elaphurus davidianus-originating strains at the whole-genome level. Our laboratory has identified and isolated five C. perfringens type A from affected Elaphurus davidianus. The current study identified the most potent strain of C. perfringens, which originated from Elaphurus davidianus, and sequenced its genome to reveal virulence genes and pathogenicity. Our findings show that strain CX1-4 exhibits the highest levels of phospholipase activity, hemolytic activity, and mouse toxicity compared to the other four isolated C. perfringens type A strains. The chromosome sequence length of the CX1-4 strain was found to be 3,355,389 bp by complete genome sequencing. The current study unveils the genomic characteristics of C. perfringens type A originating from Elaphurus davidianus. It provides a core foundation for further investigation regarding the prevention and treatment of such infectious diseases in Elaphurus davidianus.

Abstract Background Many effective therapies for psoriasis are being applied in clinical practice in recent years, however, some patients still can’t achieve satisfied effect even with biologics. Therefore, it is crucial to identify factors associated with the treatment efficacy among psoriasis patients. This study aims to explore factors influencing the treatment efficacy of psoriasis patients based on decision tree model and logistic regression. Methods We implemented an observational study and recruited 512 psoriasis patients in Shanghai Skin Diseases Hospital from 2021 to 2022. We used face-to-face questionnaire interview and physical examination to collect data. Influencing factors of treatment efficacy were analyzed by using logistic regression, and decision tree model based on the CART algorithm. The receiver operator curve (ROC) was plotted for model evaluation and the statistical significance was set at P

Abstract Background The efficacy of optimal medical therapy (OMT) with or without revascularization therapy in patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared OMT with or without revascularization therapy for SCAD patients. Methods Studies were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials from January 1, 2005, to December 30, 2023. The main efficacy outcome was a composite of all-cause death, myocadiac infarction, revascularization, and cerebrovascular accident. Results were pooled using random effects model and fixed effects model and are presented as odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Ten studies involving 12,790 participants were included. The arm of OMT with revascularization compared with OMT alone was associated with decreased risks for MACCE (OR 0.55 [95% CI 0.38–0.80], I²=93%, P = 0.002), CV death (OR 0.84 [95% CI 0.73–0.97], I²=36%, P = 0.02), revascularization (OR 0.32 [95% CI 0.20–0.50], I²=92%, P

Abstract Removing texture while preserving the main structure of an image is a challenging task. To address this, this paper propose an image smoothing method based on global gradient sparsity and local relative gradient constraints optimization. To reduce the interference of complex texture details, adopting a multi-directional difference constrained global gradient sparsity decomposition method, which provides a guidance image with weaker texture detail gradients. Meanwhile, using the luminance channel as a reference, edge-aware operator is constructed based on local gradient constraints. This operator weakens the gradients of repetitive and similar texture details, enabling it to obtain more accurate structural information for guiding global optimization of the image. By projecting multi-directional differences onto the horizontal and vertical directions, a mapping from multi-directional differences to bi-directional gradients is achieved. Additionally, to ensure the consistency of measurement results, a multi-directional gradient normalization method is designed. Through experiments, we demonstrate that our method exhibits significant advantages in preserving image edges compared to current advanced smoothing methods.

Zinc (Zn) alloys have demonstrated significant potential in healing critical-sized bone defects. However, the clinical application of Zn alloys implants is still hindered by challenges including excessive release of zinc ions (Zn2+), particularly in the early stage of implantation, and absence of bio-functions related to complex bone repair processes. Herein, a biodegradable aliphatic polycarbonate drug-eluting coating was fabricated on zinc-lithium (Zn–Li) alloys to inhibit Zn2+ release and enhance the osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and bacteriostasis of Zn alloys. Specifically, the photo-curable aliphatic polycarbonates were co-assembled with simvastatin and deposited onto Zn alloys to produce a drug-loaded coating, which was crosslinked by subsequent UV light irradiation. During the 60 days long-term immersion test, the coating showed distinguished stable drug release and Zn2+ release inhibition properties. Benefiting from the regulated release of Zn2+ and simvastatin, the coating facilitated the adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, as well as the migration and tube formation of EA.hy926 cells. Astonishingly, the coating also showed remarkable antibacterial properties against both S. aureus and E. coli. The in vivo rabbit critical-size femur bone defects model demonstrated that the drug-eluting coating could efficiently promote new bone formation and the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) and osteocalcin (OCN). The enhancement of osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and bacteriostasis is achieved by precisely controlling of the released Zn2+ at an appropriate level, as well as the stable release profile of simvastatin. This tailored aliphatic polycarbonate drug-eluting coating provides significant potential for clinical applications of Zn alloys implants.

Abstract Dental caries is one of the most prevalent and costly biofilm‐induced oral diseases that causes the deterioration of the mineralized tooth tissue. Traditional antimicrobial agents like antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) struggle to effectively eradicate bacteria in biofilms without eliciting resistance. Herein, we demonstrate the construction of FeOOH@Fe‐Lysine@Au nanostructured AMPs (nAMPs) distinguished by their AMP‐like antibacterial activity and self‐producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) capacity for caries treatment. On the one hand, FeOOH@Fe‐Lysine@Au nAMPs can catalyze glucose oxidation to generate ROS within the cariogenic biofilm microenvironment, resulting in the disintegration of the extracellular polymeric substance matrix and the exposure of bacteria. On the other hand, FeOOH@Fe‐Lysine@Au nAMPs can attach to bacterial surfaces via electrostatic attractions, proceeding to damage membranes, disrupt metabolic pathways, and inhibit protein synthesis through the aggregated lysine and the generated ROS. Based on this antibacterial mechanism, FeOOH@Fe‐Lysine@Au nAMPs can effectively eradicate Streptococcus mutans and its associated biofilm, significantly impeding the progression of dental caries. Given the straightforward and cost‐efficient preparation of FeOOH@Fe‐Lysine@Au nAMPs compared to AMPs that require specific sequences, and their minimal adverse impacts on gingival/palatal tissues, major organs, and oral/gut microbiomes, our research may promote the development of novel therapeutic agents in dental health maintenance.

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV), a persistent threat to global cattle industry, has caused significant economic losses worldwide. In this study, a viral strain was isolated from the intestinal content of a diseased calve, and identified by cytopathic effects observation, indirect immunofluorescence assay and electron microscopy. Results showed that BCoV NXWZ2310 belonging to the GIIb genotype and has a three-amino-acid deletion in the serine-rich region of the N gene. Importantly, the BCoV NXWZ2310 strain exhibited strong pathogenicity, causing nasal discharge and watery diarrhea in calves for 8 and 10 days, respectively. Viral shedding was detected in nasal, throat and rectal swabs at levels reaching 106.228 copies/mL, 105.0 copies /mL and 106.692 copies/mL, respectively. Pathological examination showed that NXWZ2310 resulted in parenchymal lesions of the pulmonary lobe and significant intestinal lesions. Both the lungs and intestines displayed marked microscopic lesions with clear viral antigens present. BCoV NXWZ2310 strain with N-gene deletion mutations, caused severe respiratory and digestive disease in calves. Therefore, effective strategies are needed for the prevention and control of this isolate.

Abstract Nonlinear optical activities, especially second harmonic generation (SHG), are key phenomena in inversion-symmetry-broken two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). On the other hand, anisotropic nonlinear optical processes are important for unique applications in nano-nonlinear photonic devices with polarization functions, having become one of focused research topics in the field of nonlinear photonics. However, the strong nonlinearity and strong optical anisotropy do not exist simultaneously in common 2D materials. Here, we demonstrate strong second-order and third-order susceptibilities of 64 pm/V and 6.2×10−19 m2/V2, respectively, in the even-layer PdPSe, which has not been discovered in other common TMDCs (e.g., MoS2). Strikingly, it also simultaneously exhibited strong SHG anisotropy with an anisotropic ratio of ~45, which is the largest reported among all 2D materials to date, to the best of our knowledge. In addition, the SHG anisotropy ratio can be harnessed from 0.12 to 45 (375 times) by varying the excitation wavelength due to the dispersion of $${\chi }^{(2)}$$ χ ( 2 ) values. As an illustrative example, we further demonstrate polarized SHG imaging for potential applications in crystal orientation identification and polarization-dependent spatial encoding. These findings in 2D PdPSe are promising for nonlinear nanophotonic and optoelectronic applications.

Objectives This study examined the mechanism of fat mass and obesity‐related gene (FTO)‐mediated heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) m6A modification facilitating neurological recovery in spinal cord injury (SCI) mice. FTO/HO‐1 was identified as a key regulator of SCI as well as a potential target for treatment of SCI. Methods An SCI mouse was treated with pcDNA3.1‐FTO/pcDNA3.1‐NC/Dac51. An oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) cell model simulated SCI, with cells treated with pcDNA3.1‐FTO/si‐HO‐1/Dac51. Motor function and neurobehavioral evaluation were assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale and modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Spinal cord pathology and neuronal apoptosis were assessed. Further, FTO/HO‐1 mRNA and protein levels, HO‐1 mRNA stability, the interaction of YTHDF2 with HO‐1 mRNA, neuronal viability/apoptosis, and HO‐1 m6A modification were evaluated. Results Spinal cord injury mice exhibited reduced BBB, elevated mNSS scores, disorganized spinal cord cells, scattered nuclei, and severe nucleus pyknosis. pcDNA3.1‐FTO elevated FTO mRNA, protein expression, and BBB score; reduced the mNSS score of SCI mice; decreased neuronal apoptosis; improved the cell arrangement; and improved nucleus pyknosis in spinal cord tissues. OGD decreased FTO expression. FTO upregulation ameliorated OGD‐induced neuronal apoptosis. pcDNA3.1‐FTO reduced HO‐1 mRNA and protein and HO‐1 m6A modification, while increasing HO‐1 mRNA stability and FTO in OGD‐treated cells. FTO upregulated HO‐1 by modulating m6A modification. HO‐1 downregulation attenuated the effect of FTO. pcDNA3.1‐FTO/Dac51 increased the HO‐1 m6A level in mouse spinal cord tissue homogenate, reduced BBB, boosted mNSS scores of SCI mice, aggravated nucleus pyknosis, and increased neuronal apoptosis in spinal cord tissues, confirming that FTO mediated HO‐1 m6A modification facilitated neurological recovery in SCI mice. Conclusion The fat mass and obesity‐related gene modulates HO‐1 mRNA stability by regulating m6A modification levels, thereby influencing HO‐1 expression and promoting neurological recovery in SCI mice.

Background: Hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is intricately linked to insulin resistance (IR). This research aimed to elucidate the relationship of advanced indices, namely the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, the TyG adjusted for body mass index (TyG-BMI), the triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-c), and the metabolic score for IR (METS-IR), with LVH in hypertensive cohorts. Methods: This analytical case–control investigation encompassed 800 individuals aged 18 or above from the Cardiology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College over a span from January 2021 to April 2022. Data extraction was conducted from inpatient records. The nexus between the four metrics and LVH susceptibility was ascertained via logistic regression models. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve’s area (AUC) shed light on the discriminative capacities of the distinct IR indicators for LVH, considering other concomitant risk variables. Results: Post multifaceted covariate adjustments, the fourth quartile figures for TyG-BMI emerged as the most starkly significant (OR: 5.211, 95% CI: 2.861–9.492), succeeded by METS-IR (OR: 4.877, 95% CI: 2.693–8.835). In juxtaposition with other IR-derived indices (TyG and TG/HDL-c), TyG-BMI manifested the paramount AUC (AUC: 0.657; 95% CI: 0.606–0.708). Concurrently, METS-IR exhibited commendable predictive efficacy for LVH (AUC: 0.646; 95% CI: 0.595– 0.697). Conclusion: TyG-BMI and METS-IR displayed superior discriminative capabilities for LVH, underscoring their potential as supplementary indicators in gauging LVH peril in clinical settings and prospective epidemiological research.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising therapies for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). This study sought to explore the epigenetic mechanism of miR-26b-5p-enriched MSCs-EVs in SCI. MSCs and MSCs-EVs were isolated and characterized. The SCI rat model was established, followed by Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scoring and H&E staining. In vitro cell models were established in PC12 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, followed by cell viability evaluation using CCK-8 assay. The levels of miR-26b-5p, lysine demethylase 6A (KDM6A), NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inflammatory factors (TNF-α/IL-1β/IL-6) in tissues and cells were detected. The levels of cy3-lablled miR-26b-5p in tissues and cells were observed by confocal microscopy. The binding of miR-26b-5p to KDM6A 3′UTR and the enrichments of KDM6A and H3K27me3 at the NOX4 promoter were analyzed. MSCs-EVs attenuated motor dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress in SCI rats. MSCs-EVs delivered miR-26b-5p into PC12 cells to reduce LPS-induced inflammation and ROS production and enhance cell viability. miR-26b-5p inhibited KDM6A, and KDM6A reduced H3K27me3 at the NOX4 promoter to promote NOX4. Overexpression of KDM6A or NOX4 reversed the alleviative role of MSCs-EVs in SCI or LPS-induced cell injury. Overall, MSCs-EVs delivered miR-26b-5p into cells to target the KDM6A/NOX4 axis and facilitate the recovery from SCI.

Abstract The evaluation of Physical Education Teaching Methods in Colleges and Universities faces two main challenges: an excess of evaluating elements and a lack of assessment framework. Hence, the research proposes the multi-feature fuzzy evaluation model based on artificial intelligence to streamline the evaluation process and provide an efficient framework for accessing teaching methods. The framework integrates natural/human language using fuzzy instructions considering three evaluation perspectives, including the management stage, instructors, and students and employs the enhanced cuckoo search optimization algorithm. After the teaching expert has determined each parameter's ratings, they are fed into the improved cuckoo search algorithm and solved using an unbiased function to assess the assessment's final result. It incorporates the students' mobility mechanism and movement vector deconstruction designed based on functional criteria. A system for evaluating the quality of instruction has been developed utilizing the proposed model with enhanced cuckoo search optimization. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm has achieved the highest scores across multiple assessment categories, average skill performances of 97.01%, learning progress of 87.36%, physical fitness of 93.49%, participation rate of 95.04%, student satisfaction of 95.49%, and physical education of 96.8% teaching efficiency. The usefulness of the proposed framework in enhancing physical education teaching methods has been demonstrated by comparing the results with traditional methods. It contributes to advancing pedagogical practices in the field.

Abstract Objective To analyze the relationship between the polymorphism and mutation of rs7125942 and rs3736228 locus in the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) genotype and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women in Xinjiang, China, to provide a basis for prevention and treatment of the disease. Methods According to the results of dual-energy X-ray (DEXA) determination of BMD, the 136 subjects were divided into three groups: Group A: normal bone mass, Group B: osteopenia, Group C: osteoporosis. 1. Age, body, mass index (BMI), and menopause of all subjects were recorded. 2. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and clinical biochemical data were determined. 3. LRP5 locus polymorphisms were determined by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Results 1. Compared with group A, the age, ALP, Cr, and BUN levels in group B and group C were increased, but UA levels were lower (P 0.05). 3. The ROC curves for different BMD sites such as L1, L2, L3, L4, L total, and femoral neck were 0.929, 0.955, 0.901, 0.914, 0.885, and 0.873 (P

Because of stress shielding effects, traditional titanium (Ti) alloy scaffolds have a high elastic modulus, which might promote looseness and bone disintegration surrounding the implant, increasing the likelihood of a second surgery. In contrast, 3D-printed porous Ti alloy scaffolds can reduce the scaffold weight while enhancing biocompatibility. Further, these scaffolds’ porous nature allows bone tissue ingrowth as well as strong pore connectivity, which can improve nutrient absorption. Nevertheless, bare Ti alloy implants may fail because of inadequate bone integration; hence, adding a coating on the implant surface is an effective technique for improving implant stability. In this study, a composite coating comprising hydroxyapatite (HAP), chitosan (CS), tannic acid (TA) and copper ions (Cu2+) (Cu2+/TA/HAP composite coating) was prepared on the surface of 3D printed porous Ti alloy scaffolds using electrophoretic deposition. Using the standard plate count method, Live/Dead bacteria staining assay, FITC Phalloidin and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining assay, and live/dead staining of cells we determined that the composite coating has better antibacterial properties and cytocompatibility as well as lower cytotoxicity. The Alkaline Phosphatase assay revealed that the coating results showed good osteogenesis potential. Overall, the composite coatings produced in this investigation give new potential for the application of Ti alloys in clinics.

The core of geriatric medicine is not only to treat diseases,but also to maintain and restore the physical function of the elderly,pay attention to the mental health of the elderly,and then improve their quality of life.The Center of Gerontology and Geriatrics of West China Hospital of Sichuan University created six characteristic medical units around the core concept of geriatrics,and introduced narrative medicine to carry out humanistic education in the clinical practice education of featured medical units in order to allow the humanistic spirit to return to medical education and cultivate "warm" geriatric doctors.

Line commutated converter based high-voltage direct-current (LCC-HVDC) transmissions are prone to harmonic oscillation under weak grids. Impedance modeling is an effective method for assessing interaction stability. Firstly, this paper proposes an improved calculation method for the DC voltage and AC currents of commutation stations to address the complex linearization of the commutation process and constructs an overall harmonic state-space (HSS) model of an LCC-HVDC. Based on the HSS model, the closed-loop AC impedances on the LCC-HVDC sending and receiving ends are then derived and verified. The impedance characteristics of the LCC-HVDC are then analyzed to provide a physical explanation for the harmonic oscillation of the system. The effects of the grid strength and control parameters on system stability are also analyzed. To improve the impedance characteristics and operating stability of the LCC-HVDC system, a virtual impedance based stability enhancement control is proposed, and a parameter design method is considered to ensure satisfactory phase margins at both the sending and receiving ends. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the validity of the impedance model and virtual impedance based stability enhancement control.

Objective: To reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the compatibility of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge (S. miltiorrhiza, Dan Shen) and C. tinctorius L. (C. tinctorius, Hong Hua) as an herb pair through network pharmacology and subsequent experimental validation. Methods: Network pharmacology was applied to construct an active ingredient-efficacy target-disease protein network to reveal the unique regulation pattern of S. miltiorrhiza and C. tinctorius as herb pair. Molecular docking was used to verify the binding of the components of these herbs and their potential targets. An H9c2 glucose hypoxia model was used to evaluate the efficacy of the components and their synergistic effects, which were evaluated using the combination index. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of these targets. Results: Network pharmacology analysis revealed 5 pathways and 8 core targets of S. miltiorrhiza and C. tinctorius in myocardial protection. Five of the core targets were enriched in the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway. S. miltiorrhiza-C. tinctorius achieved vascular tone mainly by regulating the target genes of the HIF-1 pathway. As an upstream gene of the HIF-1 pathway, STAT3 can be activated by the active ingredients cryptotanshinone (Ctan), salvianolic acid B (Sal. B), and myricetin (Myric). Cell experiments revealed that Myric, Sal. B, and Ctan also exhibited synergistic myocardial protective activity. Molecular docking verified the strong binding of Myric, Sal. B, and Ctan to STAT3. Western blot further showed that the active ingredients synergistically upregulated the protein expression of STAT3. Conclusion: The pharmacodynamic transmission analysis revealed that the active ingredients of S. miltiorrhiza and C. tinctorius can synergistically resist ischemia through various targets and pathways. This study provides a methodological reference for interpreting traditional Chinese medicine compatibility.

Order execution is an extremely important problem in the financial domain, and recently, more and more researchers have tried to employ reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to solve this challenging problem. There are a lot of difficulties for conventional RL methods to tackle the order execution problem, such as the large action space including price and quantity, and the long-horizon property. As naturally order execution is composed of a low-frequency volume scheduling stage and a high-frequency order placement stage, most existing RL-based order execution methods treat these stages as two distinct tasks and offer a partial solution by addressing either one individually. However, the current literature fails to model the non-negligible mutual influence between these two tasks, leading to impractical order execution solutions. To address these limitations, we propose a novel automatic order execution approach based on the hierarchical RL framework (OEHRL), which jointly learns the policies for volume scheduling and order placement. OEHRL first extracts the state embeddings at both the macro and micro levels with a sequential variational auto-encoder model. Based on the effective embeddings, OEHRL generates a hindsight expert dataset, which is used to train a hierarchical order execution policy. In the hierarchical structure, the high-level policy is in charge of the target volume and the low-level learns to determine the prices for a series of the allocated sub-orders from the high level. These two levels collaborate seamlessly and contribute to the optimal order execution policy. Extensive experiment results on 200 stocks across the US and China A-share markets validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

To predict the behavior of aromatic contaminants (ACs) in complex soil–plant systems, this study developed machine learning (ML) models to estimate the root concentration factor (RCF) of both traditional (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls) and emerging ACs (e.g., phthalate acid esters, aryl organophosphate esters). Four ML algorithms were employed, trained on a unified RCF dataset comprising 878 data points, covering 6 features of soil–plant cultivation systems and 98 molecular descriptors of 55 chemicals, including 29 emerging ACs. The gradient-boosted regression tree (GBRT) model demonstrated strong predictive performance, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.75, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.11, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.22, as validated by five-fold cross-validation. Multiple explanatory analyses highlighted the significance of soil organic matter (SOM), plant protein and lipid content, exposure time, and molecular descriptors related to electronegativity distribution pattern (GATS8e) and double-ring structure (fr_bicyclic). An increase in SOM was found to decrease the overall RCF, while other variables showed strong correlations within specific ranges. This GBRT model provides an important tool for assessing the environmental behaviors of ACs in soil–plant systems, thereby supporting further investigations into their ecological and human exposure risks.

Objective: It's crucial to identify an easily detectable biomarker that is specific to radiation injury in order to effectively classify injured individuals in the early stage in large-scale nuclear accidents. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were subjected to whole-body and partial-body γ irradiation, as well as whole-body X-ray irradiation to explore the response of serum sSelectin-L to radiation injury. Then, it was compared with its response to lipopolysaccharide-induced acute infection and doxorubicin-induced DNA damage to study the specificity of sSelectin-L response to radiation. Furthermore, it was further evaluated in serum samples from nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients before and after radiotherapy. Simulated rescue experiments using Amifostine or bone marrow transplantation were conducted in mice with acute radiation syndrome to determine the potential for establishing sSelectin-L as a prognostic marker. The levels of sSelectin-L were dynamically measured using the ELISA method. Results: Selectin-L is mainly expressed in hematopoietic tissues and lymphatic tissues. Mouse sSelectin-L showed a dose-dependent decrease from 1 day after irradiation and exhibited a positive correlation with lymphocyte counts. Furthermore, the level of sSelectin-L reflected the degree of radiation injury in partial-body irradiation mice and in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. sSelectin-L was closely related to the total dose of γ or X ray. There was no significant change in the sSelectin-L levels in mice intraperitoneal injected with lipopolysaccharide or doxorubicin. The sSelectin-L was decreased slower and recovered faster than lymphocyte count in acute radiation syndrome mice treated with Amifostine or bone marrow transplantation. Conclusions: Our study shows that sSelectin-L has the potential to be an early biomarker to classify injured individuals after radiation accidents, and to be a prognostic indicator of successful rescue of radiation victims.

AbstractDual-specificity phosphatase 12 (DUSP12) is abnormally expressed under various pathological conditions and plays a crucial role in the pathological progression of disorders. However, the role of DUSP12 in cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury has not yet been investigated. This study explored the possible link between DUSP12 and cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury using an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model. Marked decreases in DUSP12 levels have been observed in cultured neurons exposed to OGD/R. DUSP12-overexpressed neurons were resistant to OGD/R-induced apoptosis and inflammation, whereas DUSP12-deficient neurons were vulnerable to OGD/R-evoked injuries. Further investigation revealed that DUSP12 overexpression or deficiency affects the phosphorylation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in neurons under OGD/R conditions. Moreover, blockade of ASK1 diminished the regulatory effect of DUSP12 deficiency on JNK and p38 MAPK activation. In addition, DUSP12-deficiency-elicited effects exacerbating neuronal OGD/R injury were reversed by ASK1 blockade. In summary, DUSP12 protects against neuronal OGD/R injury by reducing apoptosis and inflammation through inactivation of the ASK1-JNK/p38 MAPK pathway. These findings imply a neuroprotective function for DUSP12 in cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

IntroductionPatients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) often experience repeated withdrawal. Impulsivity is the most relevant factor influencing successful withdrawal. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are associated with impulsivity. Previous studies on the differential effects of BDNF or FGF21 on impulsivity have focused on single-gene effects and have inconsistent results. We aim to investigate the effects of BDNF rs6265 and FGF21 rs11665896, individually and together, on impulsivity during alcohol withdrawal in patients with AUD.MethodsWe recruited 482 adult Han Chinese males with AUD and assessed their impulsivity using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale. Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped from peripheral blood samples. Statistical analysis was conducted on the data.ResultsThe T-test and 2 × 2 analysis of variance were used to investigate the effects of the genes on impulsivity. There was a significant BDNF × FGF21 interaction on no-planning impulsiveness (F = 9.15, p = 0.003, η2p = 0.03). Simple main effects analyses and planned comparisons showed that BDNF rs6265 A allele × FGF21 rs11665896 T allele was associated with higher no-planning impulsiveness. Finally, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that only the interaction of BDNF and FGF21 accounted for a significant portion of the variance in no-planning impulsiveness.Conclusion and significanceThe combination of BDNF rs6265 A allele and FGF21 rs11665896 T allele may increase impulsivity and discourage alcohol withdrawal. Our study provides a possible genetic explanation for the effects of associated impulsivity in patients with AUD from the perspective of gene-gene interactions.

Abstract Astrocytic dysfunction contributes to the molecular pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the astrocytic subtype that mainly contributes to MDD etiology and whether dysregulated autophagy in astrocytes is associated with MDD remain unknown. Using a single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) atlas, three astrocyte subtypes were identified in MDD, while C2 State-1Q astrocytes showed aberrant changes in both cell proportion and most differentially expressed genes compared with other subtypes. Moreover, autophagy pathways were commonly inhibited in astrocytes in the prefrontal cortices (PFCs) of patients with MDD, especially in C2 State-1Q astrocytes. Furthermore, by integrating snRNA-seq and bulk transcriptomic data, we found significant reductions in LC3A expression levels in the PFC region of CUMS-induced depressed mice, as well as in postmortem PFC tissues and peripheral blood samples from patients with MDD. These results were further validated by qPCR using whole-blood samples from patients with MDD and healthy controls. Finally, LC3A expression in the whole blood of patients with MDD was negatively associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Overall, our results underscore autophagy inhibition in PFC astrocytes as a common molecular characteristic in MDD and might reveal a novel potential diagnostic marker LC3A.

Abstract Background As the most abundant fatty acid in plasma, oleic acid has been found to be associated with multiple neurological diseases; however, results from studies of the relationship between oleic acid and depression are inconsistent. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed 4,459 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014. The following covariates were adjusted in multivariable logistic regression models: age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, body mass index, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol status, metabolic syndrome, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and total cholesterol. Results Serum oleic acid levels were positively associated with depression. After adjusting for all covariates, for every 1 mmol/L increase in oleic acid levels, the prevalence of depression increased by 40% (unadjusted OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.16–1.57; adjusted OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03–1.90). Conclusions Our study suggests that oleic acid may play a role in depression. Further research is needed to investigate the potential benefits of changing oleic acid levels for the treatment and prevention of depression.

Abstract Solid polymer electrolytes with large-scale processability and interfacial compatibility are promising candidates for solid-state lithium metal batteries. Among various systems, poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based polymer electrolytes with residual solvent are appealing for room-temperature battery operations. However, their porous structure and limited ionic conductivity hinder practical application. Herein, we propose a phase regulation strategy to disrupt the symmetry of poly(vinylidene fluoride) chains and obtain the dense composite electrolyte through the incorporation of MoSe2 sheets. The electrolyte with high dielectric constant can optimize the solvation structures to achieve high ionic conductivity and low activation energy. The in-situ reactions between MoSe2 and Li metal generate Li2Se fast conductor in solid electrolyte interphase, which improves the Coulombic efficiency and interfacial kinetics. The solid-state Li||Li cells achieve robust cycling at 1 mA cm−2, and the Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 full cells show practical performance at high rate (3C), high loading (2.6 mAh cm−2) and in pouch cell.

Abstract Background Despite the close relationship between sleep–wake cycles and depression symptoms, the relationship between sleep midpoint and depression symptoms in adults remains understudied. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 18280 adults aged ≥ 18 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015–2020 were analyzed. Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, family income, body mass index, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, comorbid condition, sleep duration, and sleep disturbance were adjusted in multivariate regression models. Results Weighted restricted cubic spline based on the complex sampling design of NHANES showed that in participants with a sleep midpoint from 2:18 AM to 6:30 AM, the prevalence of depression symptoms increased by 0.2 times (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–1.33) per 1-h increment in sleep midpoint compared to the reference point of 2:18 AM. For participants with a sleep midpoint after 6:30 AM and before 2:18 AM the next day, the relationship between sleep midpoint and depression symptoms was not significant after adjusting for all covariates (adjusted OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.99–1.03). Conclusions The findings indicate a significant nonlinear association between sleep midpoint and depression symptoms in a nationally representative sample of adults.

Wind resources play a pivotal role in building sustainable energy systems, crucial for mitigating and adapting to climate change. With the increasing frequency of extreme events under global warming, effective prediction of extreme wind resource potential can improve the safety of wind farms and other infrastructure, while optimizing resource allocation and emergency response plans. In this study, we evaluate the seasonal prediction skill for summer extreme wind events over China using a 20-year hindcast dataset generated by a dynamical seamless prediction system designed by Shanghai Investigation, Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) (SIDRI-ESS V1.0). Firstly, the hindcast effectively simulates the spatial distribution of summer extreme wind speed thresholds, even though it tends to overestimate the thresholds in most regions. Secondly, high prediction skills, measured by temporal correlation coefficient (TCC) and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE), are observed in northeast China, central east China, southeast China, and the Tibetan Plateau (TCC is about 0.5 and the nRMSE is below 0.9 in these regions). The highest skills emerge in southeast China with a maximum TCC greater than 0.7, and effective prediction skill can extend up to a 5-month lead time. Ensemble prediction significantly enhances predictive skill and reduces uncertainty, with 24 ensemble members being sufficient to saturate TCC and 12–16 members for nRMSE in most key regions and lead times. Furthermore, we show that the prediction skill for extreme wind counts is strongly related to the prediction skill for summer mean wind speeds, particularly in southeast China. Overall, SIDRI-ESS V1.0 shows promising performance in predicting extreme winds and has great potential to provide services to the wind industry. It can effectively help to optimize wind farm operating strategies and improve power generation efficiency. However, further improvements are needed, particularly in areas where prediction skills for extreme winds are influenced by smaller-scale weather phenomena and areas with complex underlying surfaces and climate characteristics.

Residential biomass combustion emits a large amount of organic gases into ambient air, resulting in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and various environmental and health impacts. In this study, we investigated the emission characteristics of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) from residential biomass fuels during vigorous combustion (flaming) and stable combustion (smoldering) conditions. We quantified NMOC emission factors based on the CO concentration for different combustion phases and found that NMOC emissions were higher during the smoldering phase and approximately two to four times greater than those during flaming. NMOCs were categorized into volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) through the modeling of the organic compound volatility distribution. The photochemical aging of NMOCs revealed furans, phenolics, and certain IVOCs as significant non-traditional SOA precursors, with over half being consumed during a short aging period. A parametric function was established, indicating that accounting for non-traditional SOA precursors and IVOC yields improves the representation of the net enhancement of measured organic aerosol (OA). This study emphasizes the importance of differentiating emissions from various phases of residential biomass combustion and recognizing non-traditional SOA precursors and IVOCs for accurate SOA assessment and prediction.

Studying the temporal characteristics of earthquake activity contributes to enhancing earthquake prediction capabilities. The seismic b-value is a key indicator describing the relationship between seismic frequency and magnitude. This study investigates the correlation between the occurrence of major earthquakes and seismic b-values using earthquake activity records in Japan from 1990 to 2023. Local singularity analysis and wavelet analysis of earthquake frequency and b-value time series reveal significant 5-year periodic features in seismic activity in Japan. Furthermore, our research identifies that this periodicity is also prominent in major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7 and above. Additionally, through a detailed analysis of the cross-correlation between seismic b-values and the occurrence time of major earthquakes, we uncover a notable pattern: major earthquakes often occur approximately two years after the peak of seismic b-values. This discovery offers a new perspective on earthquake prediction and may play a crucial role in future earthquake early warning systems.

Abstract Background: Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that has a significant unmet needs for effective treatment options. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adult patients with PN refractory to traditional therapies. Methods: This ongoing, real-life study examined dupilumab treatment in 8 adult patients diagnosed with PN for at least 6 months. The included patients were prescribed 300 mg dupilumab biweekly for at least 16 weeks. Efficacy was the primary outcome by means of multiple standardized scale measurements while safety was also reported. Results: PN patients treated with dupilumab showed notable clinical improvement. After 16 weeks of dupilumab treatment, the mean Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score reduced from 3.75 to 1.50. Patients mean Numerical Rating Scale Itch Intensity (NRSI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ratings reduced from 8.625, 15.13, and 14.50 to 1.563, 4.625, and 1.000 respectively. The majority of the patients (87.5%) reported dupilumab as effective while no adverse events have been reported. Study limitations: This study was limited to a small cohort of adult PN patients and a short-time observation period. Conclusions: Dupilumab is effective and tolerable in adult PN patients with significant improvement in skin lesions, itching, and quality of life.

Background: Atelectasis is a commonly observed postoperative complication of general anesthesia in children. Pulmonary protective ventilation strategies have been reported to have a beneficial effect on postoperative atelectasis in children. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block technique in preventing the incidence of postoperative atelectasis in children. Materials and methods: This study enrolled 100 consecutive children undergoing elective laparoscopic bilateral hernia repair and randomly divided them into the control and TAP groups. Conventional lung-protective ventilation was initiated in both groups after the induction of general anesthesia. The children in the TAP group received an ultrasound-guided TAP block with 0.3 mL/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine after the induction of anesthesia. Results: Anesthesia-induced atelectasis was observed in 24% and 84% of patients in the TAP (n = 50) and control (n = 50) groups, respectively, before discharge from the post-anesthetic care unit (T3; PACU) (odds ratio [OR], 0.062; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.019–0.179; P

We evaluate the next-to-leading (NLO) corrections to the perturbative (PT) and 〈αsG2〉 condensate and the LO constant term of the 〈G3〉 contributions to the 2++ tensor di-gluonium two-point correlator. Using these results into the inverse Laplace transform sum rules (LSR) moments and their ratio, we estimate the mass and coupling of the lowest ground state. We obtain: MT=3028(429) MeV and the renormalization group invariant (RGI) coupling fˆT=167(40) MeV within a vacuum saturation estimate of the D=8 dimension gluon condensates (kG=1). We study the effect of kG on the result and find: MT=3188(405) MeV and fˆT=164(28) MeV for kG=(3±2). Absolute upper bounds for the mass and coupling from the positivity of the spectral function are also derived. Our result does not favour the pure gluonia/glueball nature of the observed f2(2010,2300,2340) states.

The development characteristics, scale and control factors of fractures are the core subjects of reservoir sweet spot prediction. The sandstone reservoir of the TX2 gas reservoir in the Zhongjiang Gas Field is a typical low porosity and low permeability tight reservoir with strong heterogeneity, but relatively high-quality reservoirs can be found in different well areas and well segments. In this paper, taking the second Member of the Xujiahe Formation (TX2) as an example, the control factors of fractures were systemically investigated via core observation, thin section, logging data, and fracture logging identifications. The results show that shear fractures are mainly developed in the cores, and they generally have high filling rate and poor effectiveness; microfractures can be found based on the vitrinite and cast thin section results. The intersection diagram (semi-quantitative) and the principal component and BP comprehensive identification (quantitative) methods can effectively identify different types of fractures. The combined application of principal component and BP comprehensive identification methods results in an 83.3 % fracture identification probability. Finally, we found that the development of fractures in TX2 is comprehensively affected by lithology, rock thickness, porosity, and faults.

Abstract Regulating the interfacial charge transfer behavior between cocatalysts and semiconductors remains a critical challenge for attaining efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation reactions. Herein, using bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) photoanode as a model, it introduces an Au binding bridge as holes transfer channels onto the surfaces of BiVO4, and the cyano‐functionalized cobalt cubane (Co4O4) molecules are preferentially immobilized on the Au bridge due to the strong adsorption of cyano groups with Au nanoparticles. This orchestrated arrangement facilitates the seamless transfer of photogenerated holes from BiVO4 to Co4O4 molecules, forming an orderly charge transfer pathway connecting the light‐absorbing layer to reactive sites. An exciting photocurrent density of 5.06 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (3.4 times that of BiVO4) is obtained by the Co4O4@Au(A)/BiVO4 photoanode, where the surface charge recombination is almost completely suppressed accompanied by a surface charge transfer efficiency over 95%. This work represents a promising strategy for accelerating interfacial charge transfer and achieving efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation reaction.

Abstract Background Current studies on the role of ARHGAP39 mainly focused on its effect on neurodevelopment. However, there are few studies on the comprehensive analysis of ARHGAP39 in breast cancer. Methods ARHGAP39 expression level was analyzed based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project (GTEx), and the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) database and validated by qPCR in various cell lines and tumor tissues. The prognostic value was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curve analysis. CCK-8 and transwell assays were conducted to identify the biological function of ARHGAP39 in tumorigenesis. Signaling pathways related to ARHGAP39 expression were identified by the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The correlations between ARHGAP39 and cancer immune infiltrates were investigated via TIMER, CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE and tumor-immune system interactions database (TISIDB). Results ARHGAP39 was overexpressed in breast cancer and associated with poor survival outcomes. In vitro experiments revealed that ARHGAP39 could facilitate the proliferation, migration, and invasion capability of breast cancer cells. GSEA analysis showed that the main enrichment pathways of ARHGAP39 was immunity-related pathways. Considering the immune infiltration level, ARHGAP39 was negatively associated with infiltrating levels of CD8 + T cell and macrophage, and positively associated with CD4 + T cell. Furthermore, ARHGAP39 was significantly negatively correlated with immune score, stromal score, and ESTIMATE score. Conclusions Our findings suggested that ARHGAP39 can be used as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in breast cancer. ARHGAP39 was indeed a determinant factor of immune infiltration.

Abstract Objectives To assess LRP5-/6 gene polymorphisms and its association with risk of abnormal bone mass (ABM) in postmenopausal women. Methods The study recruited 166 patients with ABM (case group) and 106 patients with normal bone mass (control group) based on bone mineral density (BMD) results. Multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was used to analyze the interaction between the Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) gene (rs41494349, rs2306862) and the Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) gene (rs10743980, rs2302685) and the subjects’ clinical characteristics of age and menopausal years. Results (1) Logistic regression analysis showed that the subjects with the CT or TT genotype at rs2306862 had a higher risk of ABM than those with the CC genotype (OR = 2.353, 95%CI = 1.039–6.186; OR = 2.434, 95%CI = 1.071, 5.531; P 0.9, r 2 > 0.3). AC and AT haplotypes were significantly more frequently distributed in the ABM group than in the control group, indicating that subjects carrying the AC and AT haplotypes were associated with an increased risk of ABM (P

Abstract Background Management of acute postoperative pain is one of the major challenges in pediatric patients. Oral oxycodone has shown good pain relief in postoperative pain relief in children, but no studies have investigated intravenous oxycodone in this context. Objective whether oxycodone PCIA can provide adequate and safe postoperative pain relief, in comparison to tramadol as reference opioid drug. Design a randomized, double-blind, parallel, multi-center clinical trial. Setting five university medical centers and three teaching hospitals in China. Participants patients aged 3-month-old to 6-year-old undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. Intervention patients were randomly allocated to either tramadol (n = 109) or oxycodone (n = 89) as main postoperative opioid analgesic. Tramadol or oxycodone were administered with a loading dose at the end of surgery (1 or 0.1 mg.kg–1, respectively), then with a parent-controlled intravenous device with fixed bolus doses only (0.5 or 0.05 mg.kg–1, respectively), and a 10-min lockout time. Outcomes the primary outcome was adequate postoperative pain relief, defined as a face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) score