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Acoustic signaling among birds is central to intra-species communication, courtship, and reproductive success, and so habitat suitability is partially dependent upon the availability of a suitable acoustic niche. It is well documented that birds may modify their vocal behavior to avoid overlap with anthropogenic noise pollution, but responses to biotic signal making are less well understood. This study uses more than 50,000 h of audio recorded in tropical forest, and machine learning methods for the detection of the vocalizations of nine species of bird and tymbalizations of three species of cicada to examine patterns of signal masking and co-chorusing avoidance among species pairs. Among these focal species, no bird avoided co-chorusing with any other bird. Birds avoided co-chorusing with cicadas only and always when (1) the bird vocalized in a frequency band completely overlapped by the cicada tymbalization, and (2) the cicada tymbalization saturated the majority of that frequency band. These results indicate that avian behavioral modifications in response to biotic noise in longstanding species communities is similar to behavioral modifications observed in populations subjected to high levels of anthropogenic noise pollution—in all cases overlap avoidance is species-specific and dependent upon both frequency and intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most birds are characterized by a seasonal phenology closely adapted to local climatic conditions, even in tropical habitats where climatic seasonality is slight. In order to better understand the phenologies of resident tropical birds, and how phenology may differ among species at the same site, we used ~70 000 hours of audio recordings collected continuously for two years at four recording stations in Singapore and nine custom‐made machine learning classifiers to determine the vocal phenology of a panel of nine resident bird species. We detected distinct seasonality in vocal activity in some species but not others. Native forest species sang seasonally. In contrast, species which have had breeding populations in Singapore only for the last few decades exhibited seemingly aseasonal or unpredictable song activity throughout the year. Urbanization and habitat modification over the last 100 years have altered the composition of species in Singapore, which appears to have influenced phenological dynamics in the avian community. It is unclear what is driving the differences in phenology between these two groups of species, but it may be due to either differences in seasonal availability of preferred foods, or because newly established populations may require decades to adjust to local environmental conditions. Our results highlight the ways that anthropogenic habitat modification may disrupt phenological cycles in tropical regions in addition to altering the species community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of T1 substaging in patients treated with bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) or immediate radical cystectomy (iRC). Materials and Methods: We performed an institutional review board‐approved retrospective study analysing non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients with pT1 disease treated with either BCG or iRC between 2000 and 2020. Lamina propria (LP) invasion characteristics were extracted from the pathology report. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS), cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and metastasis‐free survival (MFS). Multivariable Cox models were used to determine the association between progression‐free survival (PFS) and characteristics in the BCG cohort. A logistic regression model explored the relationship between T1 substaging and upstaging to >pT2 at iRC. Results: A total of 411 T1 high‐grade patients were identified. LP invasion characteristics were as follows: not specified: 115 (28%); focal/superficial (F/S): 147 (35.8%); and extensive/multifocal (E/M): 149 (36.2%). Overall, 303 patients (73.7%) received BCG, and 108 patients (26.3%) underwent iRC. The median (interquartile range) follow‐up was 53 (32–96) months. Patients with E/M LP invasion were significantly more likely to undergo iRC (34% vs. 19%; P = 0.003). Patients with E/M LP invasion showed poorer MFS and CSS compared to those with F/S LP invasion when treated with BCG but not when treated with iRC. Among BCG‐treated patients, progression occurred in 41 patients and E/M LP invasion was independently associated with progression after BCG (hazard ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2–13.1; P < 0.001). T1 substaging was not associated with upstaging at RC (odds ratio 3.15, 95% CI 0.82–12.12; P = 0.095). Conclusions: Extensive/multifocal LP invasion was associated with poor PFS, MFS and CSS in patients treated with BCG. T1 substaging provides valuable prognostic information and should be reported in pathology reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a bilevel programming model for optimizing transit network departure frequency. In the upper-level model, user satisfaction is reflected by considering congestion effects in the cost function. The lower-level assignment model simulates passenger travel behavior more realistically by incorporating congestion effects. This problem is solved by a heuristic gradient descent algorithm, where an approximation of the gradient is obtained at each iteration by using sensitivity analysis for transit equilibrium problems. The effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm is demonstrated through two test examples, one of which involves a real-world scenario comprising over 130 transit lines. Numerical results conclusively indicate that the incorporation of congestion effects in the proposed model leads to improved transit system performance and enhanced user satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal El Niño is an extreme situation of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with sea surface temperature warming confined in the far‐eastern equatorial Pacific. Some coastal El Niños evolve into a basin scale El Niño, and some don't, implying a diversity in ENSO evolutions after a coastal El Niño event. In this study, the coastal El Niños in 2017 and 2023 are selected to examine their subsequent evolution. Both coastal El Niños developed after a La Niña, with the former followed by a La Niña and the latter by a basin‐scale El Niño. The cold (warm) subsurface temperatures in 2017 (2023) were key factors leading to the divergent ENSO evolution. Convection over the western tropical Pacific and the atmospheric circulation anomalies across the equatorial Pacific also contributed to the differences. Model predictions suggest that differences in ENSO evolution after a coastal El Niño are associated with differences in ENSO predictability. Plain Language Summary: Compared with the global impact of basin‐scale El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, coastal El Niño impacts are mainly focused along the South American coast. They are less studied, especially, in terms of temporal evolution and longer‐term development. Here, we examine the divergent evolution of ENSO conditions in the tropical Pacific after the coastal El Niños in 2017 and 2023. This subsequent divergent evolution of these events was associated with both preceding subsurface ocean heat content levels, convection over the western tropical Pacific, and concurrent atmospheric circulation. Specifically, preceding subsurface ocean cooling combined with low‐level easterly wind anomalies led to the growth of La Niña after the coastal El Niño in 2017, while strong preceding subsurface ocean warming led to the growth of El Niño after the coastal El Niño in 2023. These differences in the evolution of tropical Pacific Ocean conditions after a coastal El Niño were associated with different levels of ENSO predictability. Key Points: The coastal El Niño in 2017 was followed by a La Niña, while the coastal El Niño in 2023 evolved into a basin‐scale El NiñoSubsurface ocean heat content levels, western Pacific convection, and off‐equatorial circulation differences affect El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) evolutionDivergent evolution of conditions in the tropical Pacific after a coastal El Niño is associated with differences in ENSO predictability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is highly prevalent in haemodialysis (HD) patients and is associated with an increased risk of death. Roxadustat and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, abbreviated as EPO) are the main treatment strategies for renal anaemia in HD patients, but it has not been clear whether there is a difference in their effect on LVH. Methods: In this multi‐centre, prospective, randomized trial of 12‐month duration, study participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the roxadustat group or the EPO group. The doses of both treatment regimens were adjusted so that the patients had a haemoglobin level of 10.0–12.0 g per dL. The primary study endpoint was the change from baseline to 12 months in the left ventricular mass index (LVMI, g/m2) measured by echocardiography. Results: In total, 114 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 50 years, and the median dialysis duration was 33 months. Sixty‐one patients were men, and 24 were diabetic. LVMI decreased from 116.18 ± 27.84 to 110.70 ± 25.74 g/m2 in the roxadustat group. However, it increased from 109.35 ± 23.41 to 114.99 ± 28.46 g/m2 in the EPO group, with a significant difference in the change in LVMI between the two groups [−5.48 (−11.60 to 0.65) vs. 5.65 (0.74 to 10.55), p < 0.05]. Changes in left ventricular mass, end‐diastolic volume and 6‐min walk test seemed superior in the roxadustat group. There were no significant differences in other cardiac geometry, biochemical parameters and major adverse cardiovascular events between the two groups. Conclusions: Compared to EPO, roxadustat is more helpful in the regression of LVH in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using seven indicator traits, we investigated the genetic basis of bull fertility and predicted gene interactions from SNP associations. We used percent normal sperm as the key phenotype for the association weight matrix–partial correlation information theory (AWM‐PCIT) approach. Beyond a simple list of candidate genes, AWM‐PCIT predicts significant gene interactions and associations for the selected traits. These interactions formed a network of 537 genes: 38 genes were transcription cofactors, and 41 genes were transcription factors. The network displayed two distinct clusters, one with 294 genes and another with 243 genes. The network is enriched in fertility‐associated pathways: steroid biosynthesis, p53 signalling, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Enrichment analysis also highlighted gene ontology terms associated with ‘regulation of neurotransmitter secretion’ and ‘chromatin formation’. Our network recapitulates some genes previously implicated in another network built with lower‐density genotypes. Sequence‐level data also highlights additional candidate genes relevant to bull fertility, such as FOXO4, FOXP3, GATA1, CYP27B1, and EBP. A trio of regulatory genes—KDM5C, LRRK2, and PME—was deemed core to the network because of their overarching connections. This trio probably influences bull fertility through their interaction with genes, both known and unknown as to their role in male fertility. Future studies may target the trio and their target genes to enrich our understanding of male fertility further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methods of QCD sum rules and light-cone sum rules within the framework of heavy quark effective theory have been widely applied to study the singly heavy baryons, and especially, we have applied these methods to predict not only the mass and width of the Ξ b (6087) 0 recently discovered by LHCb, but also its observation channel and its mass difference from the Ξ b (6100) - . We apply the same approach to perform a complete study on the P-wave bottom baryons of the SU(3) flavor 3 ¯ F and investigate their fine structure. Besides the Λ b (5912) 0 , Λ b (5920) 0 , Ξ b (6087) 0 , and Ξ b (6100) - , our results suggest the existence of the other two Λ b and two Ξ b baryons, whose widths are limited. They are the Λ b (J P = 3 / 2 -) with the mass and width about (5. 93 - 0.13 + 0.13 GeV , 0. 0 - 0.0 + 12.0 MeV) , the Λ b (5 / 2 -) with (5. 94 - 0.13 + 0.13 GeV , ≈ 0 MeV) , the Ξ b (3 / 2 -) with (6. 10 - 0.10 + 0.15 GeV , 1.4 - 1.4 + 11.6 MeV) , and the Ξ b (5 / 2 -) with (6. 11 - 0.10 + 0.15 GeV , 1.0 - 1.0 + 7.4 MeV) . Their mass splittings are calculated to be M Λ b (5 / 2 -) - M Λ b (3 / 2 -) = 17 ± 7 MeV and M Ξ b (5 / 2 -) - M Ξ b (3 / 2 -) = 14 ± 7 MeV . All these baryons are explained as the P-wave bottom baryons of the ρ -mode, where the orbital excitation is between the two light quarks. However, the existence of this mode is still controversial, so their experimental searches can verify both our approach and the existence of the ρ -mode, which can significantly improve our understanding on the internal structure of hadrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent vehicle trajectory tracking exhibits problems such as low adaptability, low tracking accuracy, and poor robustness in complex driving environments with uncertain road conditions. Therefore, an improved method of adaptive model predictive control (AMPC) for trajectory tracking was designed in this study to increase the corresponding tracking accuracy and driving stability of intelligent vehicles under uncertain and complex working conditions. First, based on the unscented Kalman filter, longitudinal speed, yaw speed, and lateral acceleration were considered as the observed variables of the measurement equation to estimate the lateral force of the front and rear tires accurately in real time. Subsequently, an adaptive correction estimation strategy for tire cornering stiffness was designed, an AMPC method was established, and a dynamic prediction time-domain adaptive model was constructed for optimization according to vehicle speed and road adhesion conditions. The improved AMPC method for trajectory tracking was then realized. Finally, the control effectiveness and trajectory tracking accuracy of the proposed AMPC technique were verified via co-simulation using CarSim and MATLAB/Simulink. From the results, a low lateral position error and heading angle error in trajectory tracking were obtained under different vehicle driving conditions and road adhesion conditions, producing high trajectory-tracking control accuracy. Thus, this work provides an important reference for improving the adaptability, robustness, and optimization of intelligent vehicle tracking control systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of exosomes derived from endothelial progenitor cells (EPC-Exo) on neointimal formation induced by balloon injury in rats. Furthermore, the study aims to investigate the potential of EPC-Exo to promote proliferation, migration, and anti-apoptotic effects of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in vitro. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these observed effects will also be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was isolated aseptically from Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats and cultured in complete medium. The cells were then identified using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The EPC-Exo were isolated and confirmed the identities by western-blot, transmission electron microscope, and nanoparticle analysis. The effects of EPC-Exo on the rat carotid artery balloon injury (BI) were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. LPS was used to establish an oxidative damage model of VECs. The mechanism of EPC-Exo repairing injured vascular endothelial cells was detected by measuring the proliferation, migration, and tube function of VECs, actin cytoskeleton staining, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. In vivo, EPC-Exo exhibit inhibitory effects on neointima formation following carotid artery injury and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α and IL-6. Additionally, EPC-Exo downregulate the expression of adhesion molecules on the injured vascular wall. Notably, EPC-Exo can adhere to the injured vascular area, promoting enhanced endothelial function and inhibiting vascular endothelial hyperplasia Moreover, they regulate the expression of proteins and genes associated with apoptosis, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2), Bcl2-associated x (Bax), and Caspase-3. In vitro, experiments further confirmed that EPC-Exo treatment significantly enhances the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of VECs. Furthermore, EPC-Exo effectively attenuate lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced apoptosis of VECs and regulate the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway. This study demonstrates that exosomes derived from EPCs have the ability to inhibit excessive carotid intimal hyperplasia after BI, promote the repair of endothelial cells in the area of intimal injury, and enhance endothelial function. The underlying mechanism involves the suppression of inflammation and anti-apoptotic effects. The fundamental mechanism for this anti-apoptotic effect involves the regulation of the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of exosomes derived from endothelial progenitor cells (EPC-Exo) on neointimal formation induced by balloon injury in rats. Furthermore, the study aims to investigate the potential of EPC-Exo to promote proliferation, migration, and anti-apoptotic effects of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in vitro. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these observed effects will also be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was isolated aseptically from Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats and cultured in complete medium. The cells were then identified using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The EPC-Exo were isolated and confirmed the identities by western-blot, transmission electron microscope, and nanoparticle analysis. The effects of EPC-Exo on the rat carotid artery balloon injury (BI) were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. LPS was used to establish an oxidative damage model of VECs. The mechanism of EPC-Exo repairing injured vascular endothelial cells was detected by measuring the proliferation, migration, and tube function of VECs, actin cytoskeleton staining, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, western-blot and qPCR. In vivo, EPC-Exo exhibit inhibitory effects on neointima formation following carotid artery injury and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α and IL-6. Additionally, EPC-Exo downregulate the expression of adhesion molecules on the injured vascular wall. Notably, EPC-Exo can adhere to the injured vascular area, promoting enhanced endothelial function and inhibiting vascular endothelial hyperplasia Moreover, they regulate the expression of proteins and genes associated with apoptosis, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2), Bcl2-associated x (Bax), and Caspase-3. In vitro, experiments further confirmed that EPC-Exo treatment significantly enhances the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of VECs. Furthermore, EPC-Exo effectively attenuate lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced apoptosis of VECs and regulate the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway. This study demonstrates that exosomes derived from EPCs have the ability to inhibit excessive carotid intimal hyperplasia after BI, promote the repair of endothelial cells in the area of intimal injury, and enhance endothelial function. The underlying mechanism involves the suppression of inflammation and anti-apoptotic effects. The fundamental mechanism for this anti-apoptotic effect involves the regulation of the Bcl2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a rare case of ependymoma, a type of tumor, arising from the urinary bladder in a young female patient. Bladder tumors typically originate from urothelial cells, but non-urothelial tumors are less common. The patient underwent a complete evaluation and was diagnosed with ependymoma through pathological examination. A multidisciplinary team was assembled to determine the best treatment plan, and the patient ultimately underwent radical cystectomy. The article emphasizes the importance of leveraging collective knowledge, engaging in multidisciplinary discussions, and transparent communication with patients when faced with rare cases and limited evidence. [Extracted from the article]

In Meiji-era Japan (1868–1912), the regime launched a vigorous national campaign to vaccinate the population against smallpox. This unfolded in the contexts of the persistent threat of smallpox, the growing science of public health, and the complex politics of vaccination. This article provides new perspectives on how Meiji Japan developed ideas of disease and disability around smallpox. For disability historians, this means an opportunity to examine how the contours of disability history took shape around social and medical discourses in modern Japan. More broadly, this article argues that by reorienting our historical methods toward including medical perspectives in the social analysis of disability, we can consider disability history (especially the disability history of Japan) in a new light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study selected 5, 5′-((6-(ethylamino)-1, 3, 5-triazine-2, 4-diyl) bis(azanediyl))diisophthalic acid (H4EATDIA) as ligand and an amino-functionalized cuprum-based MOF (EA-JUC-1000), successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted method, for proton conduction and dopamine sensing applications. In order to enhance the proton-conducting potential of EA-JUC-1000, the Brönsted acid (BA) encapsulated composites (BA@EA-JUC-1000) are dopped into chitosan (CS) to form a series of hybrid membranes (BA@EA-JUC-1000/CS). The impedance results display that the best proton conductivity of CF3SO3H@EA-JUC-1000/CS-8% reaches up to 1.23 × 10–3 S∙cm−1 at 338 K and ~ 98% RH, 2.6-fold than that of CS. Moreover, the EA-JUC-1000 is in-situ combined with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (rGO/EA-JUC-1000), which makes EA-JUC-1000 have a wide detection range (0.1 ~ 500 μM) and a low limit of detection (50 nM), together with good anti-interference performance, reproducibility and repeatability. In addition, the electrochemical sensing method has been successfully applied to detect DA in bovine serum samples. The dual-functional MOF-based hybrid membrane and composites including proton conduction and DA sensing would provide an example of practical application for MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysregulation of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) is associated with several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Consequently, understanding the roles of nuclear and cytoplasmic HDAC4 along with the mechanisms that regulate nuclear entry and exit is an area of concerted effort. Efficient nuclear entry is dependent on binding of the transcription factor MEF2, as mutations in the MEF2 binding region result in cytoplasmic accumulation of HDAC4. It is well established that nuclear exit and cytoplasmic retention are dependent on 14–3-3-binding, and mutations that affect binding are widely used to induce nuclear accumulation of HDAC4. While regulation of HDAC4 shuttling is clearly important, there is a gap in understanding of how the nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of HDAC4 impacts its function. Furthermore, it is unclear whether other features of the protein including the catalytic site, the MEF2-binding region and/or the ankyrin repeat binding motif influence the distribution and/or activity of HDAC4 in neurons. Since HDAC4 functions are conserved in Drosophila, and increased nuclear accumulation of HDAC4 also results in impaired neurodevelopment, we used Drosophila as a genetic model for investigation of HDAC4 function. Results: Here we have generated a series of mutants for functional dissection of HDAC4 via in-depth examination of the resulting subcellular distribution and nuclear aggregation, and correlate these with developmental phenotypes resulting from their expression in well-established models of neuronal morphogenesis of the Drosophila mushroom body and eye. We found that in the mushroom body, forced sequestration of HDAC4 in the nucleus or the cytoplasm resulted in defects in axon morphogenesis. The actions of HDAC4 that resulted in impaired development were dependent on the MEF2 binding region, modulated by the ankyrin repeat binding motif, and largely independent of an intact catalytic site. In contrast, disruption to eye development was largely independent of MEF2 binding but mutation of the catalytic site significantly reduced the phenotype, indicating that HDAC4 acts in a neuronal-subtype-specific manner. Conclusions: We found that the impairments to mushroom body and eye development resulting from nuclear accumulation of HDAC4 were exacerbated by mutation of the ankyrin repeat binding motif, whereas there was a differing requirement for the MEF2 binding site and an intact catalytic site. It will be of importance to determine the binding partners of HDAC4 in nuclear aggregates and in the cytoplasm of these tissues to further understand its mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) poses serious threats to human health. TikTok (Douyin in Chinese), a major social media platform focused on sharing short videos, has demonstrated great potential in spreading health information, including information related to H. pylori infection. This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of the information shared in TikTok videos about H. pylori infection in mainland China. Methods: We collected a sample of 116 videos in Chinese related to H. pylori infection from TikTok. Video contents were evaluated by the coding schema proposed by Goobie et al., and the Hexagonal Radar Schema was used to intuitively display the spotlight and weight of each aspect of the videos. The DISCERN questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of the videos. Results: We identified two major sources of videos related to H. pylori: individual users (n = 89) and organizational users (n = 27). Regarding content, the Hexagonal Radar Charts showed that more than 35% of the videos delivered moderate to high quality content (>1 point) in terms of definition, symptoms and management of the disease, whereas risk factors, evaluation and outcomes of the disease were less discussed. The DISCERN classification data showed that 0.9% of the videos were "very poor," 5.2% "poor," 68.7% "fair," 20.0% "good," and only 5.2% "excellent". Regarding total DISCERN scores, videos published by nonprofit organizations had the highest scores, followed by videos uploaded by health professionals. Conclusion: Although the overall quality of TikTok videos related to H. pylori infection was medium, users should be careful when obtaining information related to H. pylori infection on TikTok and opt for videos uploaded by nonprofit organizations and health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atlantic Niño is a leading mode of climate variability in the tropical Atlantic Ocean with important regional impacts. Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SSTs) connected with Atlantic Niño exhibit notable multi‐time scale variations, including a quasi‐linear warming trend and sub‐annual to interdecadal variability associated with different physical processes. Contrasting the tropical Pacific SST associated with the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which has a weak trend and quasi‐periodic oscillatory variability with a period of 2–7 years, the ATL3 index, the primary index for monitoring the Atlantic Niño, has no dominant time scale, that is likely responsible for its low prediction skills. Following the same spirit as the relative Niño3.4 index, we demonstrate that a relative ATL3 index, which is defined as the difference between the raw ATL3 index and the global SST anomaly, provides distinct advantages for monitoring the sub‐annual‐to‐interdecadal variations for Atlantic Niño in real time. Plain Language Summary: As El Niño's little brother, Atlantic Niño affects the climate variability in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the South American and West African coastal countries. Different from the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, a unique feature of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SSTs) connected with Atlantic Niño is the distinct variations at different time scales, ranging from monthly to multi‐decadal. Interestingly, the amplitudes of the variations for the primary SST index for monitoring Atlantic Niño (ATL3) are comparable at sub‐annual and interannual time scales, making Atlantic Niño's prediction more challenging and with much lower skill than ENSO. Despite the inherent prediction and monitoring challenges for Atlantic Niño, we proposed a relative Atlantic Niño index, which is defined as the difference between the raw ATL3 index and the global averaged SST anomaly, as an improved metric to monitor the sub‐annual‐to‐interdecadal variations superimposed on the warming trend in real time. Key Points: The ATL3 index has no dominant time scales with an appreciable contribution from the linear trendCompared with El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, Atlantic Niño has lower prediction skills with different seasonal variationA relative ATL3 index can be used to monitor the sub‐annual‐to‐interdecadal variations in Atlantic Niño in real time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the effect of CO2 on climate change, significant efforts have been made in the past few decades to capture CO2, which can then be further sequestered or converted into value-added compounds, such as methanol and hydrocarbons, by using thermochemical or electrocatalytic processes. However, CO2 capture and conversion have primarily been studied independently, resulting in individual processes that are highly energy-intensive and less economically viable due to high capital and operation costs. To enhance the overall process efficiency, integrating CO2 capture and conversion into a single system offers an opportunity for a more streamlined process that can reduce energy and capital costs. This strategy can be achieved by employing dual function materials (DFMs), which possess the unique capability to simultaneously adsorb and convert CO2. These materials combine basic metal oxides with active metal catalytic sites that enable both sorption and conversion functions. In this review paper, we focus on the recent strategies that utilize mixed metal oxides as DFMs. Their material design and characteristics, reaction mechanisms, as well as performance and limitations will be discussed. We will also address the challenges associated with this integrated system and attempt to provide insights for future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the study of higher-order soliton solutions and some hybrid behaviours between them in the ( 2 + 1 )-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili–Benjamin–Bona–Mahony (KP-BBM) equation. Firstly, we obtain a new lump solution by studying the degenerate behaviour of the breathers. Secondly, we focus on studying the N-soliton solutions, higher-order breathers and higher-order lump solutions by using the long-wave limit method. Some novel higher-hybrid behaviours are studied to show the effect of the superposition of different solitons on the structure of the solution, such as the hybrid behaviours between the m-lump solution and n-soliton, the hybrid behaviours between the 1-breather solution and n-soliton. Finally, many three-dimensional images and density projections of spatial structures are displayed to reflect the evolutionary behaviour of the higher-order soliton solutions with the increase of order number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on the influence of patient characteristics on HbA1c treatment response for add-on medications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is unclear. This study aims to investigate the predictors of HbA1c treatment response for three add-on medications (sulfonylureas (SU), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor) in metformin monotherapy treated patients with T2D. This retrospective cohort study was conducted using the electronic health record data from six primary care clinics in Singapore. A total of 9748 adult patients with T2D on metformin monotherapy receiving SU, DPP-4 or SGLT-2 add-on were 1:1 propensity score matched to patients receiving other add-on medications. Patient demographics, laboratory results, diabetes related complications, comedications, and treatment response at two endpoints (HbA1c reduction ≥ 1% at 6th month, HbA1c goal attainment < 7% at 12th month) were examined. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify patient characteristics associated with the treatment responses. After matching, there were 1073, 517, and 290 paired cohorts of SU, DPP-4 and SGLT-2 respectively. Besides baseline HbA1c, patients with longer hypertension disease duration and higher cholesterol HDL were associated with better treatment response to SU medication add-on. Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and angiotensin-II receptor medications were associated with better treatment response to DPP-4 add-on. Lower cholesterol HDL, higher creatinine serum, absence of renal complications and beta-blockers medications were associated with better treatment response to SGLT-2 add-on. The cholesterol HDL, creatinine serum, eGFR, hypertension disease duration, angiotensin-II receptors and beta-blockers class of medications can influence the HbA1c treatment response for SU, DPP-4 and SGLT-2 add-on medications. Knowing the patients' characteristics that influence treatment response can assist in guiding clinical decisions when selecting the appropriate add-on medication, ultimately helping to prevent the development of diabetes-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis involves epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process that is regulated by complex gene networks, where their deliberate disruption may yield a promising outcome. However, little is known about mechanisms that coordinate these metastasis‐associated networks. To address this gap, hub genes with broad engagement across various human cancers by analyzing the transcriptomes of different cancer cell types undergoing EMT are identified. The oncogenic signaling adaptor protein tyrosine 3‐monooxygenase/tryptophan 5‐monooxygenase activation protein gamma (YWHAG) is ranked top for its clinical relevance and impact. The cellular kinome and transcriptome data are surveyed to construct the regulome of YWHAG, revealing stress responses and metabolic processes during cancer EMT. It is demonstrated that a YWHAG‐dependent cytoprotective mechanism in the regulome is embedded in EMT‐associated networks to protect cancer cells from oxidative catastrophe through enhanced autophagy during EMT. YWHAG deficiency results in a rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), delayed EMT, and cell death. Tumor allografts show that metastasis potential and overall survival time are correlated with the YWHAG expression level of cancer cell lines. Metastasized tumors have higher expression of YWHAG and autophagy‐related genes than primary tumors. Silencing YWHAG diminishes primary tumor volumes, prevents metastasis, and prolongs the median survival period of the mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the sound absorption properties of a bio-composite microperforated panel (BC-MPP) with a combination of backed-structure and several types of natural fibers such as loofah, kapok, and coconut coir. The sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of different combinations of natural fibers samples was obtained by using a two-microphone impedance tube. In addition, three models, including Delany-Bazley model, Maa theory, and electroacoustical analogy, were employed to estimate the SAC value of natural fiber, BC-MPP, and BC-MPP with a backed structure, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the SAC value was increased to almost 0.99 as compared to BC-MPP alone when natural fiber was introduced at the back of BC-MPP either by insertion in the hole of backed structure or attached directly at the back of BC-MPP. The SAC peak also shifted to a lower frequency bandwidth with the highest peak obtained at 930 Hz, 800 Hz and 640 Hz for MPP with coconut husk, BC-MPP with kapok and BC-MPP with loofah, respectively. The absorption frequency was also observed slightly wider than BC-MPP without natural fiber. In comparison of BC-MPP with loofah and BC-MPP with others natural fibers, the insertion of kapok and coconut coir in the hole of backed structure provides a wider effective sound absorption coefficient. The comparison of experimental result with the theoretical calculation shows that the SAC obtained from experiment provides higher SAC value over the theoretical model for both BC-MPP and BC-MPP backed structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of stone oak, Lithocarpus tapanuliensis Harapan, W.H.Tan, Nurainas & Strijk from South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia is described. We provide colour photographs, a distribution map and a new IUCN conservation status assessment for inclusion on the global Red List. The unique cupule morphology, particularly the shape, placement and distinctness of the cupule protuberances, are distinctive from other Lithocarpus species in the region. Ecological interactions (e.g. consumption and nesting) with Tapanuli orangutans were recorded in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different timescale contributions to the sea‐level variation in the South China Sea (SCS) are evaluated in this paper. On seasonal timescale, the large variance of the sea‐level anomaly (SLA) could account for more than 70% of the monthly sea‐level variation in the western shallow continental shelf and the area of Luzon cold eddy. Besides, the seasonal explained variance percentage (skill) has 2 weak centres (50%–70%) off eastern Vietnam, which is related to the summertime eddy pair in the SCS. On interannual‐to‐decadal (low‐frequency) timescale, the skill has two large‐value regions (Zone A and Zone B). Zone A is characterized by double centres off eastern Vietnam, but the meridional position of the double centres is farther north than that of the eddy pair. The skill in Zone A is in the range of 35%–55%, and about 50%–70% of the low‐frequency variation comes from the steric effect. Zone B is off the west coast of the Philippines. The skill in Zone B increases southward, and it is dominated by the wind‐induced dynamic process which is attributed to the remote Rossby wave from the tropical Pacific. Based on the S‐EOF analysis, the SEOF‐1 mode mainly portrays the decadal variation of the SLA, while the SEOF‐2 mode reflects the interannual variation of the SLA. In Zone B, almost all of the low‐frequency variation could be attributed to ENSO and PDO, especially to PDO which has a larger contribution. However, the double centres in Zone A are governed by the SCS summer monsoon, instead of ENSO and PDO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: ​Develop and validate a nomogram prediction model for hypertension-diabetes comorbidities based on chronic disease management in the community. Patients and methods: The nomogram prediction model was developed in a cohort of 7200 hypertensive patients at a community health service center in Hongshan District, Wuhan City. The data were collected from January 2022 to December 2022 and randomly divided into modeling and validation groups at a 7:3 ratio. The Lasso regression model was used for data dimensionality reduction, feature selection, and clinical test feature construction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to build the prediction model. Results: The application of the nomogram in the verification group showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.9205 (95% CI: 0.8471–0.9527) and a good calibration effect. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the predictive model was clinically useful. Conclusion: This study presents a nomogram prediction model that incorporates age, waist-height ratio and elevated density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CHOLESTEROL), which can be used to predict the risk of codeveloping diabetes in hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches had proven that the occurrence of bladder cancer (BC) is much higher in men than those in women, which induced us to explore whether androgen plays a role in BC. A total of 147 patients who were diagnosed with primary BC by histopathological biopsy were included. Meanwhile 154 non-tumor patients were matched as the control group. The continuous variables were expressed as median (interquartile range, IQR) and compared by Mann–Whitney U test, for the reason that the data were not matched the requirementsthe of normal test. A Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables, which were expressed as frequency (percentage). Meanwhile univariate and multivariate logistic regression was done to further evaluating the potential independent factor of BC. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Univariate multivariate analyse showed significant difference between two groups in hemoglobin (OR 0.979, 95% CI 0.968–0.991, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR 3.026, 95% CI 1.731–5.288, P < 0.001), diabetes (OR 4.294, 95% CI 1.887–9.771, P = 0.001) and smoking (OR 1.729, 95% CI 1.096–2.729, P = 0.019). Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to eliminate the interference of confounding factors, which showed that testosterone seems to be great correlated with the BC (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.000–1.003, P = 0.017). Similar results were also found in hemoglobin (OR 0.981, 95% CI 0.968–0.993, P = 0.002), hypertension (OR 2.780, 95% CI 1.509–5.120, P = 0.001), diabetes (OR 3.313 95% CI 1.373–7.991, P = 0.008) and smoking (OR 1.938, 95% CI 1.184–3.174, P = 0.009). As a conclusion, our study showed that there was significant correlation between serum total testosterone levels and the occurrence of BC, similar results were shown in hemoglobin, hypertension, diabetes and smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hysterectomy is one of the most common types of gynecological operations and it is associated with numerous postoperative complications. Few studies have reported a definitive association between hysterectomy and kidney stone disease (KSD). This study aimed to explore whether hysterectomy increases the risk of KSD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that used six continuous cycles of data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2018. The correlations between hysterectomy or age at hysterectomy and the prevalence of KSD were assessed using weighted multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. Further, five methods of two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) were applied to decrease bias and infer causality in the observational study. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, hysterectomy (OR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.04–1.81) was found to be positively associated with the prevalence of KSD, whereas age at hysterectomy was found to be negatively associated with the prevalence of KSD (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.98). In the inverse-variance weighted method, MR analyses suggested that genetically predicted hysterectomy is causally associated with a higher risk of KSD (OR: 11.961, 95% CI 1.12–1.28E2). Conclusions: Hysterectomy could increase the risk of KSD. Younger age at hysterectomy is associated with a higher risk of KSD. Further prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) show limited efficacy or have adverse effects. Numerous genetic variants associated with T2DM have been identified, but progress in translating these findings into potential drug targets has been limited. Here, we describe the tools and platforms available to identify effector genes from T2DM-associated coding and non-coding variants and prioritize them for functional studies. We discuss QSER1 and SLC12A8 as examples of genes that have been identified as possible T2DM candidate genes using these tools and platforms. We suggest further approaches, including the use of sequencing data with increased sample size and ethnic diversity, single-cell omics data for analyses, glycaemic trait associations to predict gene function and, potentially, human induced pluripotent stem cell 'village' cultures, to strengthen current gene functionalization workflows. Effective prioritization of T2DM-associated genes for experimental validation could expedite our understanding of the genetic mechanisms responsible for T2DM to facilitate the use of precision medicine in its treatment. More genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus are being identified. This Perspective article outlines various tools and platforms that can be applied to prioritize candidate genes associated with an increased risk of disease for functional validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thrust from corona discharge might be a promising propulsion technology in future aviation due to its advantage of not requiring mechanical moving parts. Although the thrust from corona discharge has been researched by many scholars, the effect of the applied voltage's polarity on the thrust has received little attention. This polarity effect might be very important for some special electrohydrodynamic thrusters. This paper firstly built a test platform to reveal the effect of the applied voltage's polarity on both the thrust and the corona current from a pair of symmetrically distributed needle electrodes. Then the applied voltage's polarity on the electrical field distribution between a pair of needle-plate electrodes was simulated. Finally, the relationship between the space ions at the tip of the needle electrode and the thrust are discussed. The results show that a negative needle electrode with a smaller curvature radius has a stronger thrust than a positive one with a larger curvature radius, and a stronger thrust corresponds to a higher corona current. The local electric field is enhanced by the space ions at the tip of a negative needle electrode, while it is weakened by a positive needle electrode. This results in the polarity of thrust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sound absorption performance of bio-composite micro-perforated panel (BC-MPP) made from composite polypropylene (PP) filled rice husk (PP/RH), and coconut coir (PP/CC) is presented. The sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of BC-MPP was obtained via the impedance tube two-microphone method, and the investigation was according to types of fillers, filler compositions, perforation ratio, and the air gap size. It was found that the SAC of BC-MPP PP/RH provides a higher SAC value than BC-MPP PP/CC. Furthermore, the SAC peak was observed to shift to the lower frequency spectrum when there was an increment in filler content, the distance between the perforation, and the air gap size. The SAC value from the simulation also shows a good agreement with the experimental result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have shown that the insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) pathway is highly associated with tumor initial and progression in several tumors. However, compared with IGF1/1R and IGF2/2R, insufficient studies have focused on IGF‐binding proteins (IGFBPs). Methods: The GDC TCGA and GTEx data of 33 cancers, TCGA pan‐cancer immune phenotypes, tumor mutation burdens, and the copy number alterations of IGFBPs were extracted. Next, the prognostic value of IGFBPs was analyzed based on a univariate Cox analysis. Additionally, the ESTIMATE algorithm was used to calculate stromal and immune scores and tumor purity, and the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate tumor‐infiltrating immunocyte levels. Ultimately, the correlation between IGFBP expression and cancer hallmark pathways was estimated with a Spearman analysis. Results: The expression of IGFBPs was differentially expressed and correlated with prognosis in specific cancers. IGFBPs may operate as biological markers for carcinogenesis and progression and as prognostic biomarkers. Additionally, IGFBP5 has been proved that promotes the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer. Conclusions: In general, IGFBPs can serve as predictable biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for specific tumors. Our results could provide underlying targets for the design of laboratory experiments to elucidate the mechanism of IGFBPs in cancers and identify IGFBP5 as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As El Niño's little brother in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Niño affects the climate variability in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the vicinity. In 2019–2021, two extremely strong Atlantic Niños occurred with peaks in January 2020 and July 2021, respectively. The coupling between the ocean and atmosphere associated with the Atlantic Niños is similar to that associated with El Niño‐Southern Oscillation. Both the Atlantic Niños were triggered and modulated by a Benguela Niño‐like warming, through inducing wind stress anomalies in the South and equatorial Atlantic Ocean. In addition to the atmosphere‐ocean coupling at intraseasonal‐interseasonal time scales, interdecadal and longer time scale variation amplified the Atlantic Niños. Model predictions only capture the evolution of the Atlantic Niños at a 1‐month lead, consistent with the low prediction skill for sea surface temperature anomalies in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Plain Language Summary: Two extremely strong Atlantic Niños, characterized by anomalous warming in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean surface, occurred in January 2020 and July 2021. The development of these two events resulted from the coupling between the atmosphere and ocean in a way that is analogous to the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation in the equatorial Pacific. A unique feature of these two Atlantic events is the prominent role of anomalous warming in the vicinity of the Benguela coast that preceded the equatorial Atlantic warming. Both intraseasonal‐interseasonal and interdecadal and longer time scale variations contribute to the strength of the Atlantic Niños. In prediction, the evolution of the Atlantic Niños is captured only in the near‐term and failed beyond 1 month. That may partially be due to the low predictability of the Benguela Niño‐like warming, an indication of prediction challenge. Key Points: The two extremely strong Atlantic Niños in 2019–2021 are associated with a basin‐wide atmosphere‐ocean couplingThe two Atlantic Niños are triggered by Benguela warming and predicted in the near term by modelsThe events are amplified by the in‐phase variations of the intraseasonal‐interseasonal and interdecadal‐trend variations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genetics of male fertility is complex and not fully understood. Male subfertility can adversely affect the economics of livestock production. For example, inadvertently mating bulls with poor fertility can result in reduced annual liveweight production and suboptimal husbandry management. Fertility traits, such as scrotal circumference and semen quality are commonly used to select bulls before mating and can be targeted in genomic studies. In this study, we conducted genome-wide association analyses using sequence-level data targeting seven bull production and fertility traits measured in a multi-breed population of 6,422 tropically adapted bulls. The beef bull production and fertility traits included body weight (Weight), body condition score (CS), scrotal circumference (SC), sheath score (Sheath), percentage of normal spermatozoa (PNS), percentage of spermatozoa with mid-piece abnormalities (MP) and percentage of spermatozoa with proximal droplets (PD). Results: After quality control, 13,398,171 polymorphisms were tested for their associations with each trait in a mixed-model approach, fitting a multi-breed genomic relationship matrix. A Bonferroni genome-wide significance threshold of 5 × 10− 8 was imposed. This effort led to identifying genetic variants and candidate genes underpinning bull fertility and production traits. Genetic variants in Bos taurus autosome (BTA) 5 were associated with SC, Sheath, PNS, PD and MP. Whereas chromosome X was significant for SC, PNS, and PD. The traits we studied are highly polygenic and had significant results across the genome (BTA 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23, 28, and 29). We also highlighted potential high-impact variants and candidate genes associated with Scrotal Circumference (SC) and Sheath Score (Sheath), which warrants further investigation in future studies. Conclusion: The work presented here is a step closer to identifying molecular mechanisms that underpin bull fertility and production. Our work also emphasises the importance of including the X chromosome in genomic analyses. Future research aims to investigate potential causative variants and genes in downstream analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results from HIVEC-II show no oncological benefit from chemohyperthermia over the control treatment. Adverse events following chemohyperthermia were low of grade and short-lived, although these patients were less likely to complete their treatment. Adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy following tumour resection is recommended for intermediate-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). To assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant intravesical chemohyperthermia (CHT) for intermediate-risk NMIBC. HIVEC-II is an open-label, phase 2 randomised controlled trial of CHT versus chemotherapy alone in patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC recruited at 15 centres between May 2014 and December 2017 (ISRCTN 23639415). Randomisation was stratified by treating hospital. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to adjuvant CHT with mitomycin C at 43°C or to room-temperature mitomycin C (control). Both treatment arms received six weekly instillations of 40 mg of mitomycin C lasting for 60 min. The primary endpoint was 24-mo disease-free survival as determined via cystoscopy and urinary cytology. Analysis was by intention to treat. A total of 259 patients (131 CHT vs 128 control) were randomised. At 24 mo, 42 patients (32%) in the CHT group and 49 (38%) in the control group had experienced recurrence. Disease-free survival at 24 mo was 61% (95% confidence interval [CI] 51–69%) in the CHT arm and 60% (95% CI 50–68%) in the control arm (hazard ratio [HR] 0.92, 95% CI 0.62–1.37; log-rank p = 0.8). Progression-free survival was higher in the control arm (HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.09–10.82; log-rank p = 0.02) on intention-to-treat analysis but was not significantly higher on per-protocol analysis (HR 2.87, 95% CI 0.83–9.98; log-rank p = 0.06). Overall survival was similar (HR 2.55, 95% CI 0.77–8.40; log-rank p = 0.09). Patients undergoing CHT were less likely to complete their treatment (n =75, 59% vs n = 111, 89%). Adverse events were reported by 164 patients (87 CHT vs 77 control). Major (grade III) adverse events were rare (13 CHT vs 7 control). CHT cannot be recommended over chemotherapy alone for intermediate-risk NMIBC. Adverse events following CHT were of low grade and short-lived, although patients were less likely to complete their treatment. The HIVEC-II trial investigated the role of heated chemotherapy instillations in the bladder for treatment of intermediate-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We found no cancer control benefit from heated chemotherapy instillations over room-temperature chemotherapy. Adverse events following heated chemotherapy were low grade and short-lived, although these patients were less likely to complete their treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) plays an essential role in maintaining normal cellular activities. Its heteroplasmic mutations are known to cause various genetic diseases. Current genetic engineering strategies, such as those based on RNA interference (RNAi) and antisense technology, are difficult to genetically alter mtDNA, however, due to the inability of highly negatively charged oligonucleotides to translocate across the double‐membrane mitochondria. We report herein a universal mitochondria‐targeted gene‐delivery approach by using cell‐penetrating poly(disulfide)s (CPDs). Novel CPD‐based mitochondrial transporters, named Mito‐CPDs, were synthesized by using triphenylphosphonium (TPP)‐fused propagating monomers containing either disulfide or diselenide backbones. Upon spontaneous complex formation with an oligonucleotide (single‐ or double‐stranded), the resulting nanoscale Mito‐CPD@Oligo exhibited excellent properties in common biological media. While the intracellular gene‐delivery efficiency of these Mito‐CPDs was comparable to that of commercial transfection agents, their unique mitochondria‐localized properties enabled effective release of the loaded cargo inside these organelles. Subsequent mitochondrial delivery of siRNA and antisense oligonucleotides against suitable mtDNA‐encoded proteins showed successful down‐regulation of target protein expression, leading to profound effects on mitochondrial functions. Mito‐CPDs thus provide a useful tool for future investigations of mitochondrial biology and treatment of mitochondria‐related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to establishing the global regularity involving magnetic fields and partial components of the velocity for the 3D generalized magnetohydrodynamic equations with dissipation terms −(−Δ)αu and −(−Δ)βb. We assume 1 ≤ α = β ≤ 3 2 and prove that if b , u 3 ∈ L w (0 , T ; L q ( R 3 )) with 2 α w + 3 q ≤ 3 (2 α − 1) 4 + 3 (1 − ϵ) 4 q , 3 + ϵ 2 α − 1 < q ≤ ∞ , and 0 < ϵ ≤ 1 3 , then the local strong solution is smooth on [0, T]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present experiments measuring the electron density of a blown-off aluminum plasma created by a 2 ω (532 nm) laser using dual-angle Thomson scattering diagnosis. By fitting two ion-acoustic-wave feature spectra collected from two angles simultaneously, in a typical shot, the electron density obtained 400 μ m in front of the target as given by Thomson scattering diagnosis was (5.9 ± 0.6) × 10 18 cm − 3 , which is 35% higher than the average result of (4.4 ± 0.7) × 10 18 cm − 3 as measured by digital holography diagnosis. The distribution of the electron density along the laser axis from 400 μ m to 700 μ m as given by dual-angle Thomson scattering was broadly consistent with that obtained from digital holography diagnosis. At a location of 250 μ m in front of the target, a unique set of plasma parameters cannot be obtained by dual-angle Thomson scattering diagnosis. This may be a result of the steep density gradient visible in the hologram in this region. Dual-angle Thomson scattering diagnosis can provide a good estimation of the electron density in plasma parameter regimes similar to those in these experiments, in which the scattering parameter α < 2. This technique may be useful for small laser facilities that cannot afford a second probe laser with a different wavelength and for measuring electron density with 4 ω Thomson scattering on large laser facilities. This article presents several factors that need to be considered when employing this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: bacillus Calmette-Guérin; bladder cancer; bladder-sparing treatment; refractory; relapsing; outcomes EN bacillus Calmette-Guérin bladder cancer bladder-sparing treatment refractory relapsing outcomes 384 386 3 09/25/23 20231001 NES 231001 Abbreviations BST bladder-sparing treatment CIS carcinoma in situ FDA United States Food and Drug Administration HG high grade HR hazard ratio (N)MIBC (non-)muscle-invasive bladder cancer In recent years, BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has gained recognition and acceptance as a disease entity in which single-arm studies are allowed by regulatory bodies, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for the evaluation of novel therapies [[1]]. The definition adopted by the FDA includes patients who are refractory as well as those who are disease free but relapse early following adequate BCG; however, it is well known that the natural history of patients with disease recurrence after BCG immunotherapy can vary [[4]]. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: are the subgroups equal?. [Extracted from the article]

The experiment was to simultaneously determine the content of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in liquid acidifiers by high performance liquid chromatography. After optimization and comparison of different chromatographic conditions, the optimal chromatographic conditions were determined as follows: Atlantis T3 column (250 mmx4.6 mm, 5 µm) as the chromatographic column, the column temperature was 30 °C, the mobile phase was gradient eluted with acetonitrile and 20 mmol/L KH2PO4 buffered salt solution (pH value of 2.9), the flow rate was 1 mL/min, the UV detection wavelength was 220 nm, the injection volume was 20 µL. The results showed that the four organic acids were well separated, the linear range was wide, the correlation coefficient was 0.999 7~1.000 0, the detection limit was 0.26~0.53 mg/L, the quantitative limit was 0.70~2.65 mg/L, the scaling recovery rate was between 94.1%~ 101.2%, RSD was less than 1.93%. The experiment indicates that the high performance liquid chromatography is efficient, fast, quantitative and accurate, which was suitable for the detection of organic acids in liquid acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 40 million people need palliative care each year. In the year 2020, an estimated 56.8 million adults and children experienced unnecessary suffering that can be managed and treated by palliative care. In the Malaysian context, the number of people requiring palliative care is estimated to be 56,000 yearly, including all diseases. This increasing need for care requires study and increasing education of all healthcare professionals. There is a lack of studies on the medical students' knowledge of palliative care conducted in Malaysia and this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of palliative care among final-year undergraduate medicine and health science students. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study targeted the final year students who are currently studying at universities in Klang Valley. The respondents were recruited using convenience sampling methods. Results: A total of 102 responses were collected from the medical, physiotherapy, and nursing students, and the results showed that the participants had attained at least an average knowledge of palliative care. Limitation: Small sample size, therefore, unable to represent the study population as a whole. Conclusion: All healthcare professionals should receive training in the basic knowledge and skill that they need as the healthcare institution should provide workshops or e-learning modules for students in their clinical postings and expose them to the principles of palliative care, to increase their knowledge and behaviour to dying patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the creep and aging behavior under the combined effect of temperature, humidity and static load, polyurethane adhesive was selected to make butt joints. The creep properties of the joint were analyzed experimentally under different static loads in hygrothermal environment. At the same time, an aging test under the combined effect of temperature, humidity and static load was carried out, and the variation law of the residual strength of the joint with the load and loading time was obtained. The complex fracture behavior of polyurethane adhesive joints was studied from macro to microscale. The results show that the hygrothermal environment had a significant effect on the creep properties of polyurethane adhesive joints. The creep strain rate of the joint was significantly higher, and the failure fracture time was shorter in the high temperature and humidity environment. When the temperature, humidity and static load were coupled, the joint failure strength decreased with time. With increasing load, the decline rate of the failure strength increased significantly. The interface failure of the joints and the hydrolysis reaction of the polyurethane adhesive were the main reasons for reducing the failure strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infection is currently considered to be one of the major reasons that leads to the failure of guided bone regeneration (GBR) therapy. Under the normal condition, the pH is neutral, while the microenvironment will become acid at the sites of infection. Here, we present an asymmetric microfluidic/chitosan device that can achieve pH-responsive drug release to treat bacterial infection and promote osteoblast proliferation at the same time. On-demand release of minocycline relies on a pH-sensitive hydrogel actuator, which swells significantly when exposed to the acid pH of an infected region. The PDMAEMA hydrogel had pronounced pH-sensitive properties, and a large volume transition occurred at pH 5 and 6. Over 12 h, the device enabled minocycline solution flowrates of 0.51–1.63 µg/h and 0.44–1.13 µg/h at pH 5 and 6, respectively. The asymmetric microfluidic/chitosan device exhibited excellent capabilities for inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans growth within 24 h. It had no negative effect on proliferation and morphology of L929 fibroblasts and MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, which indicates good cytocompatibility. Therefore, such a pH-responsive drug release asymmetric microfluidic/chitosan device could be a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of infective bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To assess the co-transmission risk of phenotypic and genetic resistance to cephalosporins, colistin, and fosfomycin in Salmonella strains collected along the whole pork production chain. Methods and Results From a total of 107 Salmonella isolates from samples collected in pig slaughterhouses and markets, 15 ESBL-producing Salmonella strains resistant to cefotaxime were identified by broth microdilution method and clavulanic acid inhibition test, including 14 monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium strains and one Salmonella Derby strain. Whole genome sequence analysis showed that nine monophasic S. Typhimurium strains coresistant to colistin and fosfomycin carried the resistance genes bla CTX-M-14, mcr-1 , and fosA3. Conjugational transfer tests demonstrated that the phenotypic and genetic resistance to cephalosporins, colistin, and fosfomycin could cotransfer back and forth between Salmonella and Escherichia coli via an IncHI2/pSH16G4928-like plasmid. Conclusions This study reports the cotransmission of phenotypic and genetic resistance to cephalosporins, colistin, and fosfomycin via an IncHI2/pSH16G4928-like plasmid in Salmonella strains of animal origin, giving an alarm for the prevention of the development and spread of bacterial multidrug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study was to construct a risk score model based on m6A-related targets to predict overall survival and immunotherapy response in ovarian cancer. Methods: The gene expression profiles of 24 m6A regulators were extracted. Survival analysis screened 9 prognostic m6A regulators. Next, consensus clustering analysis was applied to identify clusters of ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, 47 phenotype-related differentially expressed genes, strongly correlated with 9 prognostic m6A regulators, were screened and subjected to univariate and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. Ultimately, a nomogram was constructed which presented a strong ability to predict overall survival in ovarian cancer. Results: CBLL1, FTO, HNRNPC, METTL3, METTL14, WTAP, ZC3H13, RBM15B and YTHDC2 were associated with worse overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer. Three m6A clusters were identified, which were highly consistent with the three immune phenotypes. What is more, a risk model based on seven m6A-related targets was constructed with distinct prognosis. In addition, the low-risk group is the best candidate population for immunotherapy. Conclusion: We comprehensively analyzed the m6A modification landscape of ovarian cancer and detected seven m6A-related targets as an independent prognostic biomarker for predicting survival. Furthermore, we divided patients into high- and low-risk groups with distinct prognosis and select the optimum population which may benefit from immunotherapy and constructed a nomogram to precisely predict ovarian cancer patients' survival time and visualize the prediction results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the creep and property degradation behavior of adhesive joints under the coupling action of temperature, humidity and load, polyurethane shear joints were prepared and tested. Different static loads were applied to joints at high temperature (80 °C) and high temperature and humidity (80 °C/95% RH) to test and analyze the creep deformation, and a suitable creep model was established. At the same time, the performance degradation test of the joints under the effect of multifactor coupling was carried out to obtain the variation law of the failure load, and the failure mechanism was discussed based on the failure section. The research shows that the creep strain of the joint at high temperature and humidity was significantly larger than that at high temperature, and the failure fracture time was shorter, in which water molecules played a role of softening and hydrolysis. The viscoelastic multi-integral creep model was used to analyze and predict the creep behavior of the joints. It was found that the creep model could better describe the creep behavior of the joints under uniaxial constant loading. Under the coupling effect of temperature, humidity and load, the failure load decreased with time, and with the increase in static load, the decline range and rate of failure load increased. It was found that the mechanical properties in the high temperature and humidity environment decreased significantly more than those in the high temperature environment. When a static load was applied during creep, cracks easily occurred inside the adhesive layer, and water molecules easily diffused inside the cracks, which increased the decay rate of the mechanical properties. This study provides good theoretical significance and engineering value for the application of polyurethane adhesion structures in rail vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) TUG1 plays a critical role in the development of human cancers. This study explored whether TUG1 is involved in the cytotoxicity of dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells (DCs-CIK), an immunotherapy approach, in neuroblastoma. METHODS: A TUG1 expression plasmid was transfected into DCs. Neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells were incubated with CIK cells, DCs-CIK cells, and TUG1-overexpressing DCs-CIK cells, with or without irradiation. SK-N-SH cell viability, colony formation, migration, and apoptosis were analyzed using CCK-8, colony formation assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. Production of IL-12, IL-2 and IFN- γ in the supernatants was determined using ELISA. A dual luciferase activity assay was performed to confirm the molecular interactions between TUG1 and miR-204. Tumor-bearing mice were established by injection of SK-N-SH cells followed by stimulation with CIK cells, DC-CIK cells, and TUG1-overexpressing DCs-CIK cells. RESULTS: Compared to CIK alone or DC-CIK therapy, overexpression of TUG1 significantly suppressed tumor cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration of neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, upregulation of TUG1 robustly induced apoptosis and altered key molecules associated with apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Contents of IL-12, IL-2 and IFN- γ were dramatically elevated in the supernatants in the coculturing system upon transfection with TUG1. In addition, TUG1 was found to be act as miR-204 sponge. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that upregulation of TUG1 potentiated the antitumor activity of DC-CIK immunotherapy. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of TUG1 promotes DC maturation and enhances CIK cytotoxicity, suggesting that TUG1 may be a novel target for enhancing DC-CIK based immunotherapy for neuroblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has abundant germplasm resources of pomegranate. Previous studies have analyzed the fruit quality of the cultivated and wild pomegranates collected from different regions of China. In this study, 45 pomegranate cultivars from Yicheng, Shandong province, China were used as materials. Principal component and cluster analysis was performed based on 18 fruit quality traits. There were significant differences in 18 fruit traits among 45 pomegranate cultivars. Nine principal components (PCs) were extracted by principal component analysis, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 84.9%. PC1 and PC2 represented 20.9%, 14.3% of total variance respectively. The former was highly positively contributed by total flavonoid and phenolic content of juice, pericarp (FCJ, PCJ, FCP and PCP), and Vitamin C content of juice, while the latter was highly positively correlated with proanthocyanidins and total flavonoid content of seeds (PAS and FCS) and titratable acid content. According to the comprehensive scores, Yushiliu, Gangliu, Mantianhongsuan, Tianlvzi, Xinjianghongpi, Huaiyuanerbenzi, Xiaoqingpi, Damaya, Yichengheshunzhuangwuci, Taishanhong ranked as the top ten. The 45 pomegranate cultivars were clustered into four categories according to 18 fruit quality indicators, each group had unique characteristics. Most cultivars of group III had higher PCJ and proanthocyanidins content of pericarp, while most members of group Ⅳ had higher total anthocyanin contents, FCP and PCP, which suggested that the two groups were rich in functional substances and can be used for further processing. Therefore, the results would provide a method to comprehensively evaluate different cultivars and provide a reference for agricultural cultivation, industrial utilization and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]