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Developing photocatalysts with desired activity and stability toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline seawater is of prime significance but still pressingly challenging. Herein, cuprum nanoclusters (CuNCs) are anchored on the surface of cadmium sulphide homojunctions (CdS‐H) with unsaturated edge sulphur (S) by an in situ photoreduction technique, which promotes the stability and hydrogen evolution of photocatalyst in the process of alkaline seawater hydrogen (H2) evolution (15.5 mmol g−1 h−1) with an apparent quantum yield of 11.0% at 450.0 nm. It is comprehensively confirmed that the unsaturated edge S not only effectively anchored Cu NCs but also promoted the adsorption of chloride ion (Cl−) ions, which suppressed the oxidation of lattice S and modulated the stability of the photocatalyst in alkaline seawater. The photothermal effect induced by the anchored Cu NCs accelerated the reaction kinetics, and the directional migration of the photocarrier at the metal‐semiconductor interface is demonstrated via the in situ method. This work affords a new perspective to rational design photocatalysts with high stability and superior performance in alkaline seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is a prominent abiotic factor that adversely influences the growth and development of Bupleurum chinense during its seedling stage, negatively impacting biomass and secondary metabolite production, thus affecting yield and quality. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the response of B. chinense seedlings under drought stress, this study employed comprehensive physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. The results revealed that under drought stress, the root soluble sugar and free proline content in B. chinense seedlings significantly increased, while the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT increased in the leaves. These findings indicate the presence of distinct response mechanisms in B. chinense to cope with drought stress. Integrated analysis further identified significant correlations between genes and metabolites related to amino acid biosynthesis in the leaves, as well as genes and metabolites associated with acetaldehyde and dicarboxylic acid metabolism. In the roots, genes and metabolites related to plant hormone signaling and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle showed significant correlations. These findings provide vital views into the molecular-level response mechanisms of B. chinense under drought stress. Moreover, this study establishes the groundwork for identifying drought-tolerant genes and breeding drought-resistant varieties, which could improve the drought tolerance of medicinal plants and have broader implications for agriculture and crop production in water-scarce areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi beam forward looking sonar plays an important role in underwater detection. However, due to the complex underwater environment, unclear features, and susceptibility to noise interference, most forward looking sonar systems have poor recognition performance. The research on MFLS for underwater target detection faces some challenges. Therefore, this study proposes innovative improvements to the YOLOv5 algorithm to address the above issues. On the basis of maintaining the original YOLOv5 architecture, this improved model introduces transfer learning technology to overcome the limitation of scarce sonar image data. At the same time, by incorporating the concept of coordinate convolution, the improved model can extract features with rich positional information, significantly enhancing the model's detection ability for small underwater targets. Furthermore, in order to solve the problem of feature extraction in forward looking sonar images, this study integrates attention mechanisms. This mechanism expands the receptive field of the model and optimizes the feature learning process by highlighting key details while suppressing irrelevant information. These improvements not only enhance the recognition accuracy of the model for sonar images, but also enhance its applicability and generalization performance in different underwater environments. In response to the common problem of uneven training sample quality in forward looking sonar imaging technology, this study made a key improvement to the classic YOLOv5 algorithm. By adjusting the bounding box loss function of YOLOv5, the model's over sensitivity to low-quality samples was reduced, thereby reducing the punishment on these samples. After a series of comparative experiments, the newly proposed CCW-YOLOv5 algorithm has achieved detection accuracy in object detection mAP@0.5 Reached 85.3%, and the fastest inference speed tested on the local machine was 54 FPS, showing significant improvement and performance improvement compared to existing advanced algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence is closely related to DNA damage, proteasome inactivity, histone loss, epigenetic alterations, and tumorigenesis. The mammalian proteasome activator PA200 (also referred to as PSME4) or its yeast ortholog Blm10 promotes the acetylation-dependent degradation of the core histones during transcription, DNA repair, and spermatogenesis. According to recent studies, PA200 plays an important role in senescence, probably because of its role in promoting the degradation of the core histones. Loss of PA200 or Blm10 is a major cause of the decrease in proteasome activity during senescence. In this paper, recent research progress on the association of PA200 with cellular senescence is summarized, and the potential of PA200 to serve as a therapeutic target in age-related diseases is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding gain bandwidth into the L-band for erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) is a crucial strategy to overcome limitations in prevalent C-band focused commercial silica-based EDFAs, significantly boosting optical network transmission capacity. Herein, we synthesized Er3+-doped broadband near-infrared emission tellurite glasses utilizing the melt quenching process, systematically exploring the impact of ZnCl 2 on the glass structure and optical properties. The 82TeO 2 –3Nb 2 O 5 –15ZnCl 2 –3Er 2 O 3 (TNZ15) glass emerged as a standout candidate for broadband amplifiers around wavelength at 1.55 μm. With escalating ZnCl 2 concentration, a discernible red shift in the emission peak wave lines was observed, accompanied by an expansion of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) from 98 nm to 106 nm. Noteworthy characteristics of all samples included exceptional thermal stability and elevated near-infrared (NIR) transmittance. Application of the Judd-Ofelt (J-O) theory facilitated the calculation of J-O parameter intensity, providing deeper insights into the optical behavior of the materials. Finally, the evaluation of TNZ15 planar optical waveguides, employing the vertical top pumping mode of two 980 nm LEDs, encompassed both the C-band (1530–1565 nm) and the L-band (1565–1625 nm). The results underscore the potential of TNZ15 glass as a promising gain material for broadband optical amplifiers and lasers, offering valuable insights into the development of next-generation optical amplification technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we study the mechanisms of X‐ray induced darkening in the Dy/Al/P co‐doped silica glasses at visible wavelengths and explore the role of P/Al ratio played in the enhancement of irradiation resistance. The absorption, emission spectra and lifetime, Raman, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of pristine and irradiated Dy‐silica glasses as a function of P/Al ratio were measured and analyzed. The Si‐related defects (Si‐E′ and non‐bridge oxygen hole center), Al‐related defects (Al‐E′ and Al‐related oxygen hole center), P‐related defects (P‐OHC and P2), and Dy2+ ions were studied and analyzed. Results demonstrate that increasing P/Al is efficient to suppress the photodarkening in Dy‐silica glasses at visible wavelengths. Results imply that Dy‐silica glasses with P/Al > 1 may be a promising candidate for efficient visible fiber lasers operated at around 575 nm wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type IV collagen is an integral component of basement membranes. Mutations in COL4A1, one of the key genes encoding Type IV collagen, can result in a variety of diseases. It is clear that a significant proportion of mutations that affect splicing can cause disease directly or contribute to the susceptibility or severity of disease. Here, we analyzed exonic mutations and intronic mutations described in the COL4A1 gene using bioinformatics programs and identified candidate mutations that may alter the normal splicing pattern through a minigene system. We identified seven variants that induce splicing alterations by disrupting normal splice sites, creating new ones, or altering splice regulatory elements. These mutations are predicted to impact protein function. Our results help in the correct molecular characterization of variants in COL4A1 and may help develop more personalized treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Elastic band resistance training in elderly individuals can improve physical fitness and promote mental health in addition to other benefits. This systematic review aimed to review, summarize, and evaluate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological studies on the use of elastic band resistance training in elderly individuals, and to investigate the influence of elastic band resistance training on the physical and mental health of elderly individuals, as well as their preferences and obstacles in training. Methods: A convergent separation approach was used to synthesize and integrate the results, specifically the mixed systematic review approach recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The extensive search strategy included electronic database searches in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. The researchers rigorously screened the literature, extracted and analyzed the data, and evaluated the quality of the included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: Twenty-eight studies were included, of which 25 were quantitative studies, 2 were qualitative studies, and 1 was a mixed-methods study. A total of 1,697 subjects were investigated across all studies. Quantitative evidence supports the notion that elastic band resistance training can improve upper and lower limb flexibility, endurance, upper strength, physical balance, and cardiopulmonary function and enhance the mental health of elderly individuals. Participants in the qualitative study reported some preferences and obstacles with band resistance training, but most participants reported physical benefits. Conclusions: Despite the heterogeneity between studies, this review is the first systematic review to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of elastic band resistance training in older adults. It not only shows the influence of elastic band resistance training on the physical and mental health of the elderly, but also emphasizes the preference and obstacles of elderly individuals face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response styles present a threat to the validity of data from Likert scales. This study evaluates a brief personality test administered by interviewers to a diverse Chinese sample, focusing on two factors with direct impacts on response styles, the midpoint designs and the inclusion of reversely-worded items. We randomly assign respondents into three midpoint designs: masked midpoint, explicit midpoint and removed midpoint. Cronbach's alpha tends to be low and is not drastically affected by midpoint designs. Score reliability estimates from the removed and explicit midpoint designs are above or close to.60 along the whole score range for openness, but not the other subscales. The masked midpoint design presents some advantages in criterion relationship validity evidence based on correlations with demographic, behavioral, subjective and cognitive variables. Dropping reversely-worded items increases the estimates of Cronbach's alpha, but shows no positive effects on the criterion relationship validity. In conclusion, for interviewer-administered brief personality scales applied to Chinese respondents, masked midpoint design that aims to reduce a possible overuse of midpoint presents some advantages in the overall psychometric properties, but the inclusion of reversely-worded items shows mixed effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep disorders are a prevalent non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), although reliable biological markers are presently lacking. Objectives: To explore the associations between sleep disorders and serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in individuals with prodromal and early PD. Methods: The study contained 1113 participants, including 585 early PD individuals, 353 prodromal PD individuals, and 175 healthy controls (HCs). The correlations between sleep disorders (including rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)) and serum NfL levels were researched using multiple linear regression models and linear mixed-effects models. We further investigated the correlations between the rates of changes in daytime sleepiness and serum NfL levels using multiple linear regression models. Results: In baseline analysis, early and prodromal PD individuals who manifested specific behaviors of RBD showed significantly higher levels of serum NfL. Specifically, early PD individuals who experienced nocturnal dream behaviors (β = 0.033; P = 0.042) and movements of arms or legs during sleep (β = 0.027; P = 0.049) showed significantly higher serum NfL levels. For prodromal PD individuals, serum NfL levels were significantly higher in individuals suffering from disturbed sleep (β = 0.038; P = 0.026). Our longitudinal findings support these baseline associations. Serum NfL levels showed an upward trend in early PD individuals who had a higher total RBDSQ score (β = 0.002; P = 0.011) or who were considered as probable RBD (β = 0.012; P = 0.009) or who exhibited behaviors on several sub-items of the RBDSQ. In addition, early PD individuals who had a high total ESS score (β = 0.001; P = 0.012) or who were regarded to have EDS (β = 0.013; P = 0.007) or who exhibited daytime sleepiness in several conditions had a trend toward higher serum NfL levels. Conclusion: Sleep disorders correlate with higher serum NfL, suggesting a link to PD neuronal damage. Early identification of sleep disorders and NfL monitoring are pivotal in detecting at-risk PD patients promptly, allowing for timely intervention. Regular monitoring of NfL levels holds promise for tracking both sleep disorders and disease progression, potentially emerging as a biomarker for evaluating treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current nursing procedure after fractional carbon dioxide (fCO2) is complex and needs to be optimized. The present study was conducted to evaluate the assisting effect of filament coating system after fCO2 laser treatment. Methods: Chinese individuals aged from 18 to 65 years diagnosed as photoaging or atrophic acne scar were recruited and each participant was treated with one single pass of fCO2 laser. A split face was randomly assigned as treatment side or control side. For control side, conventional procedure was topically applied respectively, including desonide cream two times for 3 days, fusidic acid cream two times for 7 days, and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (RhEGF) gel four times for 7 days; for treating side, a filament coating system was applied immediately after one application of fusidic acid cream, desonide cream and RhEGF, and removed 3 h later, for 3 days. Erythema, edema, crust, and pain on both sides were scored from 0 to 10 before and 1, 2, 4, and 7 days after fCO2 laser treatment. Stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and sebum of forehead and cheek on both sides were also measured by using Corneometer‐Sebumeter. Results: Twenty photoaging and 11 atrophic acne scar participants finished the observation. All of them complained of erythema, edema, crust, and pain after fCO2 laser treatment, and the scores decreased as time passed by. There were no statistical significances of erythema, edema, crust, pain, SCH, and sebum between treating side and control side at each observation time. Conclusion: Filament coating system was effective, safe, convenient, and economic in assisting recovery of ablative fCO2 laser, which might be a new option for additional nursing procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait recognition is one of the most promising video-based biometric technologies. The edge of silhouettes and motion are the most informative feature and previous studies have explored them separately and achieved notable results. However, due to occlusions and variations in viewing angles, their gait recognition performance is often affected by the predefined spatial segmentation strategy. Moreover, traditional temporal pooling usually neglects distinctive temporal information in gait. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose a novel gait recognition framework, denoted as GaitASMS, which can effectively extract the adaptive structured spatial representations and naturally aggregate the multi-scale temporal information. The Adaptive Structured Representation Extraction Module (ASRE) separates the edge of silhouettes by using the adaptive edge mask and maximizes the representation in semantic latent space. Moreover, the Multi-Scale Temporal Aggregation Module (MSTA) achieves effective modeling of long-short-range temporal information by temporally aggregated structure. Furthermore, we propose a new data augmentation, denoted random mask, to enrich the sample space of long-term occlusion and enhance the generalization of the model. Extensive experiments conducted on two datasets demonstrate the competitive advantage of proposed method, especially in complex scenes, i.e., BG and CL. On the CASIA-B dataset, GaitASMS achieves the average accuracy of 93.5% and outperforms the baseline on rank-1 accuracies by 3.4% and 6.3%, respectively, in BG and CL. The ablation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of ASRE and MSTA. The source code is available at https://github.com/YanSun-github/GaitASMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document summarizes a study on prenatal screening for copy number variants (CNVs) in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene using non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) data. The study analyzed data from a large population of reproductive-age women in China and identified 33 different pathogenic/likely pathogenic maternal CNVs in the DMD gene. The study found that approximately 40% of offspring inherited true-positive maternal CNVs, and 1.63% of male offspring could potentially be prenatally diagnosed and managed using this method. The study provides important information for genetic counseling and DMD/BMD screening worldwide. [Extracted from the article]

Reflux hypersensitivity (RH) is a subtype of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The Rome IV criteria separated RH from the original nonerosive reflux disease subgroup and classified it as a new functional oesophageal disease. Recently, the pathogenesis of RH has become the focus of research. According to the latest research reports, upregulation of acid-sensitive receptors, distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive nerve fibres, and psychiatric comorbidity have key roles in the pathogenesis of RH. This work reviews the latest findings regarding RH mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the safe and stable operation of 5G base stations, it is essential to accurately predict their power load. However, current short‐term prediction methods are rarely applied rationally in pertinent circumstances to the features of base station power load over time. For high accuracy and generalization capabilities, this work proposes a hybrid approach that combines gated recurrent unit (GRU) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and completes ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN). The complex load is decomposed into multiple components to improve the fit of the neural network. To deal with the nonlinearity that constrains the modal aliasing and data noise, CEEMDAN is used to reconstruct the trend and noise sequences. The GRU network is utilized to improve the neural network fitness and obtain long‐term features. In addition, PSO is used to optimize the number of neurons and the learning rate of the GRU. Compared with existing neural network GRUs, the RMSE is reduced by 16.6, the mean absolute error is reduced by 11.97, and the coefficient of R2 is improved by 0.13, indicating that the model has a better fitting effect. The comparisons prove that the proposed model has better accuracy than the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moslae Herba (MH) can be used for both medicine and food and has a long history of medicine. MH has the effects of sweating and relieving the exterior, removing dampness and harmonizing, and is mainly used for colds caused by damp heat in summer. It is called "Xiayue Zhi Mahuang" in China. So far, 123 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from MH, including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, and other chemical compounds. Its chemical components have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic sedation, antipyretic, immune regulation, insecticidal, and other effects. In addition, because of its aromatic odor and health care function, MH also has development and utilization value in food, chemical, and other fields. This paper reviewed the research progress of MH in botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology and provided a possible direction for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study models a container routing problem using multimodal transportation to improve its economy, timeliness, and reliability. Pickup and delivery time windows are simultaneously formulated in optimization to provide the shipper and the receiver with time-efficient services, in which early pickup and delayed delivery can be avoided, and nonlinear storage periods at the origin and the destination can be minimized. Furthermore, the capacity uncertainty of the multimodal network is incorporated into the advanced routing to enhance its reliability in practical transportation. The LR triangular fuzzy number is adopted to model the capacity uncertainty, in which its spread ratio is defined to measure the uncertainty level of the fuzzy capacity. Due to the nonlinearity introduced by the time windows and the fuzziness from the network capacity, this study establishes a fuzzy nonlinear optimization model for optimization problem. A chance-constrained linear reformulation equivalent to the proposed model is then generated based on the credibility measure, which makes the global optimum solution attainable by using Lingo software. A numerical case verification demonstrates that the proposed model can effectively solve the problem. The case analysis points out that the formulation of pickup and delivery time windows can improve the timeliness of the entire transportation process and help to achieve on-time transportation. Furthermore, improving the confidence level and the uncertainty level increases the total costs of the optimal route. Therefore, the shipper and the receiver must prepare more transportation budget to improve reliability and address the increasing uncertainty level. Further analysis draws some insights to help the shipper, receiver, and multimodal transport operator to organize a reliable and cost-efficient multimodal transportation under capacity uncertainty through confidence level balance and transportation service and transfer service selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence is the terminal stage of leaf development, and its initiation and progression are closely controlled by the integration of a myriad of endogenous signals and environmental stimuli. It has been documented that WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play essential roles in regulating leaf senescence, yet the molecular mechanism of WRKY-mediated leaf senescence still lacks detailed elucidation in crop plants. In this study, we cloned and identified a tobacco WRKY TF gene, designated NtWRKY70b, acting as a positive regulator of natural leaf senescence. The expression profile analysis showed that NtWRKY70b transcript levels were induced by aging and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and downregulated upon hydrogen sulfide (H2S) treatment. The physiological and biochemical assays revealed that overexpression of NtWRKY70b (OE) clearly promoted leaf senescence, triggering increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased H2S content, while disruption of NtWRKY70b by chimeric repressor silencing technology (SRDX) significantly delayed the onset of leaf senescence, leading to a decreased accumulation of ROS and elevated concentration of H2S. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of various senescence-associated genes and ROS biosynthesis-related genes (NtRbohD and NtRbohE) were upregulated in OE lines, while the expression of H2S biosynthesis-related genes (NtDCD and NtCYSC1) were inhibited in OE lines. Furthermore, the Yeast one-hybrid analysis (Y1H) and dual luciferase assays showed that NtWRKY70b could directly upregulate the expression of an ROS biosynthesis-related gene (NtRbohD) and a chlorophyll degradation-related gene (NtPPH) by binding to their promoter sequences. Accordingly, these results indicated that NtWYKY70b directly activated the transcript levels of NtRbohD and NtPPH and repressed the expression of NtDCD and NtCYCS1, thereby promoting ROS accumulation and impairing the endogenous H2S production, and subsequently accelerating leaf aging. These observations improve our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of WRKY TFs controlling leaf senescence and provide a novel method for ensuring high agricultural crop productivity via genetic manipulation of leaf senescence in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended energy levels and transition data for the Yb LVII are calculated with the GRASP2018 package, which is based on the multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock and relativistic configuration methods. Complete and consistent data sets of energy levels, transition rates and lifetimes for electric-dipole (E1), electric-quadrupole (E2), magnetic-dipole (M1), and magnetic-quadrupole (M2) transitions among all these levels are given in this calculation. Three methods of uncertainty estimators are used to evaluate the accuracy of transition data. The computed results are also compared with other theoretical computations. The present results are reported as benchmarks for future calculations and measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean (Glycine max), caused by the oomycete Phytophthora sojae, is an extremely destructive disease worldwide. In this study, we identified GmEIL1, which encodes an ethylene‐insensitive3 (EIN3) transcription factor. GmEIL1 was significantly induced following P. sojae infection of soybean plants. Compared to wild‐type soybean plants, transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmEIL1 showed enhanced resistance to P. sojae and GmEIL1‐silenced RNA‐interference lines showed more severe symptoms when infected with P. sojae. We screened for target genes of GmEIL1 and confirmed that GmEIL1 bound directly to the GmERF113 promoter and regulated GmERF113 expression. Moreover, GmEIL1 positively regulated the expression of the pathogenesis‐related gene GmPR1. The GmEIL1‐regulated defence response to P. sojae involved both ethylene biosynthesis and the ethylene signalling pathway. These findings suggest that the GmEIL1‐GmERF113 module plays an important role in P. sojae resistance via the ethylene signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression levels is intricately linked to a myriad of human diseases, and the precise and delicate detection thereof holds paramount significance in the realm of clinical diagnosis and therapy. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR) light-mediated homogeneous photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was constructed for miRNA-155 detection based on NaYF 4 : Yb, Tm@ZnIn 2 S 4 (NYF@ ZIS) coupled with a three-dimensional (3D) walking nanomotor-assisted CRISPR/Cas12a strategy. The upconverted light emitted by the NYF in the visible and UV region upon NIR light excitation could be utilized to excite ZIS to produce a photocurrent response. The presence of target miRNA-155 initiated an amplification reaction within the 3D walking nanomotor, resulting in the production of multiple nucleic acid fragments. These fragments could activate the collateral cleavage capability of CRISPR/Cas12a, leading to the indiscriminate cleavage of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) on ALP-ssDNA-modified magnetic beads and the subsequent liberation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The released ALP facilitated the catalysis of ascorbic acid 2-phosphate to generate ascorbic acid as the electron donor to capture the photogenerated holes on the NYF@ZIS surface, resulting in a positively correlated alteration in the photocurrent response. Under optimal conditions, the NIR light-initiated homogeneous PEC biosensor had the merits of good linear range (0.1 fM to 100 pM), an acceptable limit of detection (65.77 aM) for miRNA-155 detection. Considering the pronounced sensitivity, light stability, and low photodamage, this strategy presents a promising platform for detecting various other miRNA biomarkers in molecular diagnostic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a form of dementia that frequently displays significant visual dysfunction and relatively preserved cognitive and executive functions, thus hindering early diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to investigate possible fundus markers in PCA patients and compare them with those of typical Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients to seek potential diagnostic patterns. Methods: Age-matched PCA and AD patients and healthy controls (HC) completed optometry, intraocular pressure measurement, neuropsychologic assessments, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examination in one visit. Overall, six outcomes of thicknesses of various retinal layers and seven outcomes of the retinal microvascular network were calculated. After adjusting for age, sex, and years of education, the OCT and OCTA results were analyzed using analysis of covariance and generalized linear models. Correlation analyses were performed using Spearman correlation, and ROC curves were plotted. Results: Twelve PCA patients, nineteen AD patients, and thirty HC, aged 45–80 years were included. Fifty HC, thirty AD, and twenty PCA eyes were available for foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area analysis; forty-nine HC, thirty-four AD, and eighteen PCA eyes were available for OCT and OCTA assessments. PCA patients had thinner retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer than HC in the 0–3 mm circle and 1–3 mm ring. Few structural differences were observed between the AD group and the other two groups. The flow area of the superficial capillary plexus and the intermediate capillary plexus was smaller in the PCA group than in the HC group in the 0–1 mm circle, 0–3 mm circle. MMSE performed better than any combination of optical parameters in identifying AD and PCA from HC (AUC = 1), while the combination of MoCA, retinal thickness and vascular density of ICP in the 1-3 mm ring, with flow area of ICP in the 0-1 mm circle showed the strongest ability to distinguish PCA from AD (AUC = 0.944). Conclusions: PCA patients exhibited similar impairment patterns to AD patients in the fundus structure and microvascular network. OCTA may aid in the non-invasive detection of AD and PCA, but still remains to be substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is a generalized form of the Fourier transform (FT), it is another important class of time–frequency analysis tool in signal processing. In this paper, we study the two-dimensional (2D) FRFT in the polar coordinates setting. First, Parseval theorem of the 2D FRFT in the polar coordinates is obtained. Then, according to the relationship between 2D FRFT and fractional Hankel transform (FRHT), the convolution theorem for the 2D FRFT in polar coordinates is obtained. It shows that the FRFT of the convolution of two functions is the product of their respective FRFTs. Moreover, the fast algorithm for the convolution theorem of the 2D FRFT is discussed. Finally, the sampling theorem for signal is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Drug–target interaction (DTI) prediction aims to identify interactions between drugs and protein targets. Deep learning can automatically learn discriminative features from drug and protein target representations for DTI prediction, but challenges remain, making it an open question. Existing approaches encode drugs and targets into features using deep learning models, but they often lack explanations for underlying interactions. Moreover, limited labeled DTIs in the chemical space can hinder model generalization. Results We propose an interpretable nested graph neural network for DTI prediction (iNGNN-DTI) using pre-trained molecule and protein models. The analysis is conducted on graph data representing drugs and targets by using a specific type of nested graph neural network, in which the target graphs are created based on 3D structures using Alphafold2. This architecture is highly expressive in capturing substructures of the graph data. We use a cross-attention module to capture interaction information between the substructures of drugs and targets. To improve feature representations, we integrate features learned by models that are pre-trained on large unlabeled small molecule and protein datasets, respectively. We evaluate our model on three benchmark datasets, and it shows a consistent improvement on all baseline models in all datasets. We also run an experiment with previously unseen drugs or targets in the test set, and our model outperforms all of the baselines. Furthermore, the iNGNN-DTI can provide more insights into the interaction by visualizing the weights learned by the cross-attention module. Availability and implementation The source code of the algorithm is available at https://github.com/syan1992/iNGNN-DTI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates a green multimodal routing problem with soft time window. The objective of routing is to minimize the total costs of accomplishing the multimodal transportation of a batch of goods. To improve the feasibility of optimization, this study formulates the routing problem in an uncertain environment where the capacities and carbon emission factors of the travel process and the transfer process in the multimodal network are considered fuzzy. Taking triangular fuzzy numbers to describe the uncertainty, this study proposes a fuzzy nonlinear programming model to deal with the specific routing problem. To make the problem solvable, this study adopts the fuzzy chance-constrained programming approach based on the possibility measure to remove the fuzziness of the proposed model. Furthermore, we use linear inequality constraints to reformulate the nonlinear equality constraints represented by the continuous piecewise linear functions and realize the linearization of the nonlinear programming model to improve the computational efficiency of problem solving. After model processing, we can utilize mathematical programming software to run exact solution algorithms to solve the specific routing problem. A numerical experiment is given to show the feasibility of the proposed model. The sensitivity analysis of the numerical experiment further clarifies how improving the confidence level of the chance constraints to enhance the possibility that the multimodal route planned in advance satisfies the real-time capacity constraint in the actual transportation, i.e., the reliability of the routing, increases both the total costs and carbon emissions of the route. The numerical experiment also finds that charging carbon emissions is not absolutely effective in emission reduction. In this condition, bi-objective analysis indicates the conflicting relationship between lowering transportation activity costs and reducing carbon emissions in routing optimization. The sensitivity of the Pareto solutions concerning the confidence level reveals that reliability, economy, and environmental sustainability are in conflict with each other. Based on the findings of this study, the customer and the multimodal transport operator can organize efficient multimodal transportation, balancing the above objectives using the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angelicae sinensis radix is commonly used in Chinese medicine and is also widely used as a spice and condiment in many countries. Due to the different geographical sources and processing methods, the contents of chemical components are different and affect the quality of Angelica sinensis radix. A simple and efficient method was established to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Angelica sinensis radix by combining HPLC fingerprint and single-standard multi-component quantitative analysis. With ferulic acid as a single marker, the contents of eight main active ingredients, including ferulic acid, senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, coniferyl ferulate, E-ligustilide, E-butylidenephthalide, Z-ligustilide, and Z-butylidenephthalide, were simultaneously determined in 30 min by reliable relative correction factor. The overall chemical profiles of Angelica sinensis radix were compared by fingerprint similarity evaluation, the specific content level of each component was compared by simultaneous content determination of multiple components of a single standard, and the specific different components of Angelica sinensis radix before and after processing were analyzed by chemometrics. The established method was successfully applied to the quality evaluation of 44 batches of Angelica sinensis radix from 4 different origins and 45 batches of Angelica sinensis radix with different processing methods. This study proposed a simple, rapid, low-cost, and reliable quality comprehensive evaluation method for ASR from different origins and processing methods, which may be readily transferred and applied to other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the durability of two kinds of fiber-reinforced composite materials, and obtain the degradation mechanism and failure model in a hygrothermal environment, E-glass- fiber-reinforced composite materials, glass fiber-reinforced epoxy vinyl ester and glass fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester (named GF/VE and GF/UP, respectively) were chosen to suffer rigorous hygrothermal aging. Their mechanical performance was monitored during the aging process to evaluate their durability. The cause of deterioration of the composite was comprehensively analyzed. Based on the analysis results of attenuated total-reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the change mechanism of chain structure of the resin molecule was proposed. SEM (scanning electron microscopy), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the microstructure and degradation mechanism of the fiber and the interface between fiber and matrix. The degradation mechanism of the composite system, including the resin, the fiber and the interface, was obtained, and it was found that the deterioration of the matrix resin caused by the hygrothermal environment was the main factor leading to the decline in composites performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) play an important role in neurodegenerative pathology. Objective: The present study aims to test whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) level is linked to CMBs in elderly people. Methods: A total of 750 participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) who had measurements of GAP-43 and CMBs were included in the study. According to the presence and extent of CMBs, participants were stratified into different groups. Regression analyses were used to assess cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between GAP-43 and CMBs. Results: Participants with CMB were slightly older and had higher concentrations of CSF GAP43. In multivariable adjusted analyses for age, gender, APOEɛ4 status, and cognitive diagnoses, higher CSF GAP-43 concentrations were modestly associated with CMB presence (OR = 1.169, 95% CI = 1.001–1.365) and number (β= 0.020, SE = 0.009, p = 0.027). Similarly, higher CSF GAP43 concentrations were accrual of CMB lesions, associated with higher CMB progression (OR = 1.231, 95% CI = 1.044–1.448) and number (β= 0.017, SE = 0.005, p = 0.001) in the follow up scan. In stratified analyses, slightly stronger associations were noted in male participants, those 65 years and older, carriers of APOEɛ4 alleles, and with more advanced cognitive disorders. Conclusions: CSF GAP-43 was cross-sectionally associated with the presence and extent of CMBs. GAP-43 might be used as a biomarker to track the dynamic changes of CMBs in elderly persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium is an essential nutrient required to maintain brain health throughout life, and adequate magnesium intake is positively associated with cognitive performance in older adults. However, sex differences in magnesium metabolism have not been adequately assessed in humans. We investigated sex differences in the effect of dietary magnesium intake and the risk of different types of cognitive impairment in older Chinese adults. We collected and assessed dietary data and cognitive function status in people aged 55 years and older in northern China who participated in the Community Cohort Study of Nervous System Diseases from 2018 to 2019 to explore the relationship between dietary magnesium intake and the risk of each type of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in sex-specific cohorts of older adults. The study included 612 people: 260 (42.5%) men and 352 (57.5%) women. Logistic regression results showed that for the total sample and women's sample, high dietary magnesium intake reduced the risk of amnestic MCI (ORtotal = 0.300; ORwomen = 0.190) and multidomain amnestic MCI (ORtotal = 0.225; ORwomen = 0.145). The results of restricted cubic spline analysis showed that the risk of amnestic MCI (ptotal = 0.0193; pwomen = 0.0351) and multidomain amnestic MCI (ptotal = 0.0089; pwomen = 0.0096) in the total sample and women's sample gradually decreased with increasing dietary magnesium intake. The results suggest that adequate magnesium intake may have a preventive effect against the risk of MCI in older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the drawbacks of the slow convergence speed and lack of individual information exchange in the cuckoo search (CS) algorithm, this study proposes an improved cuckoo search algorithm based on a sharing mechanism (ICSABOSM). The enhanced algorithm reinforces information sharing among individuals through the utilization of a sharing mechanism. Additionally, new search strategies are introduced in both the global and local searches of the CS. The results from numerical experiments on four standard test functions indicate that the improved algorithm outperforms the original CS in terms of search capability and performance. Building upon the improved algorithm, this paper introduces a numerical solution approach for differential equations involving the coupling of function approximation and intelligent algorithms. By constructing an approximate function using Fourier series to satisfy the conditions of the given differential equation and boundary conditions with minimal error, the proposed method minimizes errors while satisfying the differential equation and boundary conditions. The problem of solving the differential equation is then transformed into an optimization problem with the coefficients of the approximate function as variables. Furthermore, the improved cuckoo search algorithm is employed to solve this optimization problem. The specific steps of applying the improved algorithm to solve differential equations are illustrated through examples. The research outcomes broaden the application scope of the cuckoo optimization algorithm and provide a new perspective for solving differential equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationship between the vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) and patient outcomes in surgical settings. Methods: Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and CNKI databases from November 2010, when the VIS was first published, to December 2022. Additional studies were identified through hand-searching the reference lists of included studies. Eligible studies were those published in English that evaluated the association between the VIS and short- or long-term patient outcomes in both pediatric and adult surgical patients. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan Manager version 5.3, and quality assessment followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklists. Results: A total of 58 studies comprising 29,920 patients were included in the systematic review, 34 of which were eligible for meta-analysis. Early postoperative VIS was found to be associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (OR 5.20, 95% CI 3.78–7.16), mortality (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.12), acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13–1.41), poor outcomes (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.04), and length of stay (LOS) in the ICU (OR 3.50, 95% CI 2.25–5.44). The optimal cutoff value for the VIS as an outcome predictor varied between studies, ranging from 10 to 30. Conclusion: Elevated early postoperative VIS is associated with various adverse outcomes, including acute kidney injury (AKI), mechanical ventilation duration, mortality, poor outcomes, and length of stay (LOS) in the ICU. Monitoring the VIS upon return to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) could assist medical teams in risk stratification, targeted interventions, and parent counseling. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022359100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop an ultrasound-driven clinical deep learning radiomics (CDLR) model for stratifying the risk of testicular masses, aiming to guide individualized treatment and minimize unnecessary procedures. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 275 patients with confirmed testicular lesions (January 2018 to April 2023) from two hospitals, split into training (158 cases), validation (68 cases), and external test cohorts (49 cases). Radiomics and deep learning (DL) features were extracted from preoperative ultrasound images. Following feature selection, we utilized logistic regression (LR) to establish a deep learning radiomics (DLR) model and subsequently derived its signature. Clinical data underwent univariate and multivariate LR analyses, forming the "clinic signature." By integrating the DLR and clinic signatures using multivariable LR, we formulated the CDLR nomogram for testicular mass risk stratification. The model’s efficacy was gauged using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), while its clinical utility was appraised with decision curve analysis(DCA). Additionally, we compared these models with two radiologists' assessments (5–8 years of practice). Results: The CDLR nomogram showcased exceptional precision in distinguishing testicular tumors from non-tumorous lesions, registering AUCs of 0.909 (internal validation) and 0.835 (external validation). It also excelled in discerning malignant from benign testicular masses, posting AUCs of 0.851 (internal validation) and 0.834 (external validation). Notably, CDLR surpassed the clinical model, standalone DLR, and the evaluations of the two radiologists. Conclusion: The CDLR nomogram offers a reliable tool for differentiating risks associated with testicular masses. It augments radiological diagnoses, facilitates personalized treatment approaches, and curtails unwarranted medical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-axis electrical discharging machining (EDM) is the most commonly used manufacturing method for shrouded blisks. The discharge points and discharge gap distance are time-varying in a multi-axis EDM process. It is difficult to obtain an optimal servo feedrate. In traditional multi-axis EDM servo control systems, servo sensitivity is usually chosen as a smaller constant to avoid arc discharges. Thus, the servo feedrate is lower than the material removal rate in a machining process. The open circuit rate is high and the machining efficiency is decreased. This paper proposes an adaptive servo sensitivity control algorithm for multi-axis EDM of shrouded blisks. Servo sensitivity is adjusted according to discharge status, so as to decrease the open circuit rate and to improve the machining efficiency. Experiment results show that the proposed adaptive servo sensitivity control algorithm can improve the machining efficiency of shrouded blisks by 28.02% without deteriorating surface integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This investigation delves into the intricate mechanisms of autophagy-dependent cisplatin resistance in bladder cancer. Our primary objective is to unveil the precise role of SIRT1, a deacetylase enzyme, in orchestrating cisplatin resistance through autophagic pathways in the cisplatin-resistant T24/DDP cell line. The findings demonstrate that inhibiting autophagy diminishes drug resistance, while SIRT1 overexpression intensifies this resistance by stimulating autophagy. Significantly, silencing SIRT1 elevates Beclin1 acetylation, suppressing autophagy and attenuating cisplatin resistance. This nuanced understanding of SIRT1-mediated cisplatin resistance not only furthers our theoretical foundation, but also furnishes potential therapeutic targets. Autophagy-dependent cisplatin resistance poses a challenge in bladder cancer treatment. SIRT1, a protein deacetylase, is involved in autophagy regulation. However, the precise mechanism through which SIRT1 mediates cisplatin resistance in bladder cancer via autophagy remains unclear. In this study, we developed a cisplatin-resistant T24/DDP cell line to investigate this mechanism. The apoptosis rate and cell viability were assessed using flow cytometry and the CCK8 method. The expression levels of the relevant RNA and protein were determined using RT-qPCR and a Western blot analysis, respectively. Immunoprecipitation was utilized to validate the interaction between SIRT1 and Beclin1, as well as to determine the acetylation level of Beclin1. The findings indicated the successful construction of the T24/DDP cell line, which exhibited autophagy-dependent cisplatin resistance. Inhibiting autophagy significantly reduced the drug resistance index of these cells. The T24/DDP cell line showed a high SIRT1 expression level. The overexpression of SIRT1 activated autophagy, thereby further promoting cisplatin resistance in the T24/DDP cell line. Conversely, inhibiting autophagy counteracted the cisplatin-resistance-promoting effects of SIRT1. Silencing SIRT1 led to increased acetylation of Beclin1, the inhibition of autophagy, and a reduction in the cisplatin resistance of the T24/DDP cell line. Introducing a double mutation (lysine 430 and 437 to arginine, 2KR) in Beclin-1 inhibited acetylation and activated autophagy, effectively reversing the decreased cisplatin resistance resulting from SIRT1 silencing. In summary, our study elucidated that SIRT1 promotes cisplatin resistance in human bladder cancer T24 cells through Beclin1-deacetylation-mediated autophagy activation. These findings suggest a potential new strategy for reversing cisplatin resistance in bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The associations between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been well-studied, yet gaps remain. Objective: We aimed to examine the associations of four subsyndromes (hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms, and apathy) of NPSs with cognition, neurodegeneration, and AD pathologies. Methods: Totally 1,040 non-demented elderly (48.07% males) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were included. We assessed the relationships between NPSs and AD neuropathologies, cognition, neurodegeneration, and clinical correlates in cross-sectional and longitudinal via multiple linear regression, linear mixed effects, and Cox proportional hazard models. Causal mediation analyses were conducted to explore the mediation effects of AD pathologies on cognition and neurodegeneration. Results: We found that individuals with hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms, or apathy displayed a poorer cognitive status, a lower CSF amyloid-β (Aβ) level and a higher risk of clinical conversion (p < 0.05). Hyperactivity and affective symptoms were associated with increasing cerebral Aβ deposition (p < 0.05). Except psychosis, the other three subsyndromes accompanied with faster atrophy of hippocampal volume (p < 0.05). Specific NPSs were predominantly associated with different cognitive domains decline through an 8-year follow-up (p < 0.05). Moreover, the relationships between NPSs and cognitive decline, neurodegeneration might be associated with Aβ, the mediation percentage varied from 6.05% to 17.51% (p < 0.05). Conclusions: NPSs could be strongly associated with AD. The influences of NPSs on cognitive impairments, neurodegeneration might be partially associated with Aβ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Depressive tendency refers to the early stage of the onset of depression disorder, which can also have a negative impact on individuals' quality of life. However, there are many numerous depression-related scales that are primarily used to evaluate depression disorders with relatively severe symptom severity. And considering the characteristics of the Chinese cultural background, relatively few corresponding scales are currently developed. This study aimed to develop and validate a depressive tendency questionnaire for Chinese middle school students, based on the psychological structure of depressive tendency in the context of Chinese culture.Methods: The initial version of the questionnaire was developed through literature reviews, open surveys, and in-depth interviews. The questionnaire was revised based on the predictions made from 865 middle school students (M=15.84, SD=1.50). Finally, the formal questionnaire was developed through valid administration to 1205 students (M=15.63, SD=1.82), using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, and validity testing, as well as measurement invariance analysis.Results: The questionnaire consisted of 30 items, including negative self, cognitive function, personal reserve, and social support. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the questionnaire fitted the data with well construct validity. Measurement invariance indicates no gender and grade differences in the questionnaire scores. The questionnaire demonstrates good reliability and validity, meeting the requirements of psychometrics.Conclusion: From a theoretical point of view, we clarified the psychological structure of depressive tendencies among Chinese middle school students, providing a theoretical and empirical basis for subsequent related research. From a practical point of view, the formal questionnaire plays a positive role in the smooth development of mental health counseling, education, and other work in middle schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment pointed out that during the period of the 14th Five-Year Plan, local governments should make a breakthrough in goal-setting for water environment governance and promote scientific and reasonable evolution of the goals. As collaborative governance is gradually becoming the primary model for local governments to deal with water environment problems, it is necessary and meaningful to analyze the evolution of the goals of collaborative governance. However, existing research on such goals focuses on exploring their structural classifications, making it difficult to effectively explain how these goals have evolved. Based on the above consideration, this study systematically described the microscopic process of the evolution of the goals of collaborative governance in the governance of Nanming River and Qilu Lake during the period of the Central Environmental Protection Inspectorate. A case study was used to explore how intractable issues, external pressures, collaborative processes, and interim performance affected the evolution of these goals and why there were differences in the evolution of them. The findings suggested that: (J) The evolution of the goals of collaborative governance was a process involving the setting, adaptation, strengthening, and reshaping of the goals, in which intractable issues and external pressures drove the setting and reshaping of collaborative goals, and collaborative processes and interim performance drove the adaptation and strengthening of individual goals. © The consistency of individual goals and collaboration goals influenced the evolution direction of these goals, and the external feedback of interim performance ultimately determined the differences. © The unique characteristics of the evolution of the goals of collaborative governance in the Chinese context were identified as the differentiated matching of control and responsiveness and the embedment of institutional scenarios in the evolution of goals. This study provides a procedural perspective on the management of the goals of collaborative governance, identifies the key influencing factors that affect these goals, and provides policy guidance for local governments to promote their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic donkeys (Equus asinus) have been maintained mainly for service purposes in the past. Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in donkey milk and meat production in several countries, including China. Donkey meat is highly consumed because of its nutritional value and unique flavor. However, genomic studies on donkey meat are limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the molecular difference of longissimus dorsi muscles of donkey, cow, and goat. RNA sequencing and Proteome sequencing technology were used to analyze the transcriptome and proteome of the longissimus dorsi muscle of donkey, cow, and goat. A total of 1338 and 1780 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in donkey meat compared with that in cow and goat meat, respectively. Most of the DEGs were involved in biological processes, including small GTPase-mediated signal transduction, protein ubiquitination, protein glycosylation, and MAP kinase tyrosine/serine/threonine phosphatase activity. Additionally, 764 and 1024 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in cow vs. donkey, and goat vs. donkey, respectively; these DEPs were mainly involved in metabolism. Genetic variation and regulatory factors can combine as a database to provide more valuable molecular information for further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal fistula (PGF) is one of the main causes of abdominal infection and perioperative death. This study was designed to investigate the risk factors of PGF, anastomotic fistula (AF), and duodenal stump fistula (DSF) for patients who underwent radical distal gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 2652 gastric cancer cases who received radical distal gastrectomy from 2010 to 2020 were selected as research subjects. Subsequently, we adopted the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis as statistical method to screen the risk factors for PGF, AF, and DSF, respectively. Results: In univariate analysis, gender (P = .022), operative time (P = .013), intraoperative blood loss (P < .001), tumor diameter (P = .002), and tumor stage (P < .001) were related to PGF. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the male (odds ratio [OR] = 2.691, P = .042), massive intraoperative hemorrhage (OR = 1.002, P = .008), and advanced tumor (OR = 2.522, P = .019) as independent predictors for PGF. Moreover, diabetes (OR = 4.497, P = .008) and massive intraoperative hemorrhage (OR = 1.003, P = .010) were proved to be associated with AF, while massive intraoperative hemorrhage (OR = 1.001, P = .050) and advanced tumor (OR = 6.485, P = .005) were independent risk factors of DSF. Conclusions: The gender, intraoperative hemorrhage, tumor stage, and diabetes were expected to be used as predictors of PGF for radical distal gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we found Alisma orientalis beverage (AOB), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation, had the potential effect of treating atherosclerosis (AS). The underlying mechanism was still unclear. As an extention of our previous work, to investigate the underlying mechanism of action of AOB in the treatment for AS. Network pharmacology was conducted using SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards, DrugBank, Metascape, etc., to construct component-target-pathway networks. In vivo, AS models were induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 consecutive weeks in APOE−/− mice. After the administration of AOB (3.8 g/kg, i.g.) for 8 weeks, we assessed the aortic plaque, four indicators of blood lipids, and expression of the PI3K/AKT/SREBP-1 pathway in liver. Network pharmacology showed that PI3K/AKT/SREBP-1 played a role in AOB's treatment for AS (PI3K: degree = 18; AKT: degree = 17). Moreover, we found that the arterial plaque area and four indicators of blood lipids were all significantly reversed by AOB treatment in APOE−/− mice fed with HFD (plaque area reduced by about 37.75%). In addition, phosphorylated expression of PI3K/AKT and expression of SREBP-1 were obviously increased in APOE−/− mice fed with HFD, which were all improved by AOB (PI3K: 51.6%; AKT: 23.6%; SREBP-1: 40.0%). AOB had therapeutic effects for AS by improving blood lipids and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/SERBP-1 pathway in the liver. This study provides new ideas for the treatment of AS, as well as new evidence for the clinical application of AOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hippo signaling axis is a tumor suppressor pathway that is activated by various extra‐pathway factors to regulate cell differentiation and organ development. Recent studies have reported that autophosphorylation of the core kinase cassette stimulates activation of the Hippo signaling cascade. Here, we demonstrate that protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) contributes to inactivation of the Hippo signaling pathway in pancreatic cancer. We show that the Hippo pathway initiator serine/threonine kinase 3 (STK3, also known as MST2) of Hippo signaling pathway can be symmetrically di‐methylated by PRMT5 at arginine‐461 (R461) and arginine‐467 (R467) in its SARAH domain. Methylation suppresses MST2 autophosphorylation and kinase activity by blocking its homodimerization, thereby inactivating Hippo signaling pathway in pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we also show that the specific PRMT5 inhibitor GSK3326595 re‐activates the dysregulated Hippo signaling pathway and inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer xenografts in immunodeficient mice, thus suggesting potential clinical application of PRMT5 inhibitors in pancreatic cancer. Synopsis: Activation of the YAP transcriptional co‐activator, frequently occurring in pancreatic cancer, is suppressed by the Hippo pathway initiated by the MST2 kinase. Here, arginine methylation via PRMT5 is found to inhibit MST2 activation and may present a target for cancer treatment. MST2 is dimethylated at R461 and R467 in its C‐terminal SARAH domain.MST2 dimethylation decreases its homodimerization, suppressing MST2 autophosphorylation and kinase activity.PRMT5 catalyzes the symmetrical SARAH domain dimethylation of MST2.The PRMT5 inhibitor GSK3326595 re‐activates Hippo signaling in human pancreatic cancer‐derived xenografts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A special case study of a rail transport consist comprised of 11 wagons on three-piece bogies was carried out using advanced multi-body vehicle simulations to evaluate if the safety and stability of the wagons would be compromised by loading 39 continuous welded rails on the wagon decks. Each rail was 139 m long and laterally fastened to the wagon decks. The wagon model components, including a car body, two bolsters, 4 sideframes and 4 wheelsets, were connected by non-linear spring and damping elements. A non-linear coupler was used to connect the adjacent wagon models. A twist simulation for a single wagon model was conducted and the results were compared with experimental data for validation. The lateral stability analysis found that the lowest critical hunting speed was 90 km/h for the empty wagon model, which satisfies the current operational speed range from 0 to 70 km/h. Safety simulations were conducted on the curved track geometry modelled from the actual track alignment and included FRA Class 4 track irregularities. The safety simulation results indicated that the 11-wagon consist performed within the maximum safety criteria limits as stipulated in the AS7509:2017 standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of most distributed energy resources or loads managed by aggregators into the distribution systems, a deviation will be observed between the bids of the aggregators and the actual power output in the electricity market if the constraints of the distribution systems are not taken into consideration by the aggregators, which will bring deviation penalties. To this end, a bi-level bidding model is hereby proposed for aggregators considering the safety check of the distribution system. The upper level considers bidding to maximize the profit of each aggregator and introduces the safety check of the distribution system as the lower-level problem. To ensure the safe operation of the distribution system and reduce the power deviation of the bidding plan of the aggregator, the node voltage deviation, active power margin of transmission, and the bidding ratio deviation rate of each aggregator are taken as the optimization goals of the distribution system. Additionally, the data privacy of each aggregator is preserved by using the alternating direction method of multipliers to decompose a bidding problem of aggregators considering the safety check of the distribution network into subproblems solved separately and in parallel. Finally, the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed method are illustrated using a modified IEEE33-bus system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiitake mushrooms are an important edible fungus, and their nutrient content is related to their quality. With the acceleration of urbanization, there has been a serious loss of population and shortage of labor in rural areas. The problem of harvesting agricultural products after maturity is becoming more and more prominent. In recent years, deep learning techniques have performed well in classification tasks using image data. These techniques can replace the manual labor needed to classify the quality of shiitake mushrooms quickly and accurately. Therefore, in this paper, a MobileNetV3_large deep convolutional network is improved, and a mushroom quality classification model using images with complex backgrounds is proposed. First, captured image data of shiitake mushrooms are divided into three categories based on the appearance characteristics related to shiitake quality. By constructing a hybrid data set, the model's focus on shiitake mushrooms in images with complex backgrounds is improved. And the constructed data set is expanded using data enhancement methods to improve the generalization ability of the model. The total number of images after expansion is 10,991. Among them, the number of primary mushroom images is 3758, the number of secondary mushroom images is 3678, and the number of tertiary mushroom images is 3555. Subsequently, the SE module in MobileNetV3_large network is improved and processed to enhance the model recognition accuracy while reducing the network size. Finally, PolyFocalLoss and migration learning strategies are introduced to train the model and accelerate model convergence. In this paper, the recognition performance of the improved MobileNetV3_large model is evaluated by using the confusion matrix evaluation tool. It is also compared with other deep convolutional network models such as VGG16, GoogLeNet, ResNet50, MobileNet, ShuffleNet, and EfficientNet using the same experimental conditions. The results show that the improved MobileNetV3_large network has a recognition accuracy of 99.91%, a model size of 11.9 M, and a recognition error rate of 0.09% by the above methods. Compared to the original model, the recognition accuracy of the improved model is increased by 18.81% and the size is reduced by 26.54%. The improved MobileNetV3_large network model in this paper has better comprehensive performance, and it can provide a reference for the development of quality recognition and classification technologies for shiitake mushrooms cultivated in greenhouse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Common warts are most common complaint among children and adults caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Cryotherapy and topical salicylic acid are common therapies. Objective. To compare the efficacy and safety of cryotherapy and topical salicylic acid in common warts. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing cryotherapy and topical salicylic acid treatment in patients with common warts were searched by using PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews up to Oct 20, 2021. The keywords were "common warts/verruca," "cryotherapy," and "salicylic acid." The language was restrained to English. No age or gender limitation was conducted. The outcomes were complete remission of all warts at different observation times, recurrence rates, and side effects. Study-specific effect sizes were pooled by using the fixed-effects model and the Mantel–Haenszel method. I2 was used to assess heterogeneity of studies. Results. Seven articles involving 976 patients randomized into the cryotherapy group or salicylic acid group were included. Of whom, 487 patients received cryotherapy, while 489 received salicylic acid treatment. With the fixed-effects model, the pool effect of complete clearance of warts at 12 weeks comparing cryotherapy and salicylic acid was not statistically significant (RR = 0.99 (0.84–1.17), I2 = 0%). Conclusion. Comparable efficacy of cryotherapy and topical salicylic acid was conducted in common wart treatment. More high-quality pieces of evidence with more samples are needed to confirm the results for further recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since late 2016, Ningxia has drawn attention as a new target in Beijing's drive to 'Sinicize Islam.' The removal of overt signs of the Islamic faith and Arab influences is viewed as representing a new front in the CCP's sweeping rollback of religious freedom. Is Ningxia another Xinjiang as both the party and its critics fear? This paper argues that it is not at the empirical level but shares with Xinjiang key underlying dynamics at the systemic level. At the empirical level, Ningxia's 'Islamization' stemmed largely from local authorities' use of the Islamic part of Ningxia's heritage as a developmental strategy, leading to so-called pan-Halalfication, Saudization and Arabization. In contrast to more complex social dynamics in Xinjiang, Ningxia's 'Islamization' can be more easily dealt with by withdrawing the local state's own promotion. At the systemic level, the rise and fall of Islamization in Ningxia share with Xinjiang's case the critical role of the state in affecting the fate of religion for significant ethno-religious communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite toxicity poses a significant threat to aquatic organisms, including largemouth bass (LMB) and Micropterus salmoides. This study aimed to elucidate the role of bZIP transcription factors in mediating the molecular responses to nitrite stress in the LMB spleen. We identified 120 bZIP genes in the LMB genome using bioinformatics analysis and divided them into 11 subgroups based on phylogenetic relationships. Under nitrite stress, the bZIP_XI subgroup was upregulated, suggesting the activation of the stress response in the LMB spleen. Cellular pathway analysis revealed enrichment of pathways related to stress response, DNA repair, apoptosis, and autophagy. Co-expression network analysis highlighted bZIP_XI members such as msabZIP_49, msabZIP_12, msabZIP_39, and msabZIP_116 as potential key regulators. These transcription factors likely modulated the expression of stress-related genes like VCAM1, POLE3, and BMP1. Conserved binding motifs in the promoters of these genes may support regulation by bZIP_XI. Furthermore, bZIP_XI members correlated with immune cell infiltration in the spleen, potentially regulating immune-related genes like BCL2L1 and SELE. Homologs of bZIP_XI in other fish species exhibited similar expression patterns under stress. Overall, this study implicates the bZIP transcription factor family, notably the bZIP_XI subgroup, in orchestrating the molecular response of the LMB spleen to nitrite toxicity by regulating stress response pathways and immune function. These findings provide insights into nitrite stress adaptation in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limitation of traditional comparison protocols lies in the plaintext transmission of data or the sharing of encryption keys, which may lead to the risk of privacy disclosure. Compared with traditional comparison protocols, quantum private comparison (QPC) protocols utilize the characteristics of quantum computing and communication to provide higher security and privacy protection. Users in different domains often cannot communicate directly or find it difficult to choose the same trusted third party. Previous QPC protocols often had the same trusted or semi-honest third party and were unable to cope with private data comparison in cross-domain environments. We use product states of three-particle GHZ state and four-particle cluster state to realize QPC in cross-domain environment, and users only need to select the nodes they trust in their own domain. Then, we analyze the security of the protocol under various attacks, and show the security under channel node collusion attacks. Finally, we compare this protocol with other protocols to show that our protocol can be adapted to cross-domain environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are part of the three elements of general anaesthesia (sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation), which can relax muscles and facilitate intubation and surgery. It has been reported that cancer cells are prone to invasion or metastasis during surgery, but various anaesthetics are currently used in cancer resection, particularly NMBA, and the effects on cancer cell behavior are poorly understood. Guidelines for the correct application of NMBA in cancer surgery have not been reported; therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between NMBA and cancer. Methods. Two investigators independently searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CBM for articles of NMBA and cancer. Results. The available evidence suggests that cisatracurium may be more appropriate for use in anaesthesia for cancer surgery, while rocuronium deserves further attention, particularly for breast and gastric cancer surgery, and vecuronium is suitable for breast cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer, while it is used with caution in gastric cancer. Also, the relationship between NMBA (mivacurium, succinylcholine, gantacurium, and decamethonium bromide) and cancer is unclear and deserves further study. Conclusion. The effect of different NMBAs on cancer cells varies, and the effect of some NMBAs on cancer cells is unclear, and most of the current findings are only from in vitro studies, which need to be validated by further clinical studies in the future to better guide the clinical application of NMBAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the prognostic value of the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) for adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) varied across different BMI groups. (2) Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of a prospective registry involving 1725 ACS patients undergoing PCI. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal ischemic stroke, non-fatal spontaneous myocardial infarction (MI), and unplanned repeat revascularization. (3) Results: The study population finally consisted of 526 patients with BMI < 24 kg/m2 (age 62 ± 10 years; male 64.3%), 827 patients with 24 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2 (age 60 ± 10 years; male 81.8%), and 372 patients with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 (age 57 ± 11 years; male 81.2%). The AIP as a continuous variable increased the risk for the primary endpoint in ACS patients undergoing PCI with BMI < 24 kg/m2 (HR 2.506; 95% CI 1.285–4.885; p = 0.007), while it did not increase the risk in patients with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.747; 95% CI 0.921–3.316; p = 0.088 for patients with 24 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2; and HR: 2.096; 95% CI 0.835–5.261; p = 0.115 for patients with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2, respectively). Compared with the lowest AIP tertile, the top AIP tertile was associated with a significantly increased risk of the primary endpoint in BMI < 24 kg/m2 group (HR: 1.772, 95% CI: 1.110 to 2.828, p = 0.016). (4) Conclusions: The AIP was significantly associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events in ACS patients undergoing PCI with BMI < 24 kg/m2, but not in the patients with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]