Search

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology provides a means for studying biology from a cellular perspective. The fundamental goal of scRNA-seq data analysis is to discriminate single-cell types using unsupervised clustering. Few single-cell clustering algorithms have taken into account both deep and surface information, despite the recent slew of suggestions. Consequently, this article constructs a fusion learning framework based on deep learning, namely scGASI. For learning a clustering similarity matrix, scGASI integrates data affinity recovery and deep feature embedding in a unified scheme based on various top feature sets. Next, scGASI learns the low-dimensional latent representation underlying the data using a graph autoencoder to mine the hidden information residing in the data. To efficiently merge the surface information from raw area and the deeper potential information from underlying area, we then construct a fusion learning model based on self-expression. scGASI uses this fusion learning model to learn the similarity matrix of an individual feature set as well as the clustering similarity matrix of all feature sets. Lastly, gene marker identification, visualization, and clustering are accomplished using the clustering similarity matrix. Extensive verification on actual data sets demonstrates that scGASI outperforms many widely used clustering techniques in terms of clustering accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Because of cervical cancer (CC) metastasis, the prognosis of diagnosed patients is poor. However, the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic approach for metastatic CC remain elusive. Experimental Approach: In this study, we first evaluated the effect of resveratrol (RSV) on CC cell migration and metastasis. Via an activity‐based protein profiling (ABPP) approach, a photoaffinity probe of RSV (RSV‐P) was synthesized, and the protein targets of RSV in HeLa cells were identified. Based on target information and subsequent in vivo and in vitro validation experiments, we finally elucidated the mechanism of RSV corresponding to its antimetastatic activity. Key Results: The results showed that RSV concentration‐dependently suppressed CC cell migration and metastasis. A list of proteins was identified as the targets of RSV, through the ABPP approach with RSV‐P, among which fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) attracted our attention based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database analysis. Subsequent knockout and overexpression experiments confirmed that RSV directly interacted with FABP5 to inhibit fatty acid transport into the nucleus, thereby suppressing downstream matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP9) expression, thus inhibiting CC metastasis. Conclusions and Implications: Our study confirmed the key role of FABP5 in CC metastasis and provided important target information for the design of therapeutic lead compounds for metastatic CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the monotonicity of the functions t \mapsto \frac {\sum _{k=0}^\infty a_k w_k(t)}{\sum _{k=0}^\infty b_k w_k(t)} and x \mapsto \frac {\int _\alpha ^\beta f(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}{\int _\alpha ^\beta g(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}, focusing on case where the monotonicity of a_k/b_k and f(t)/g(t) change once. The results presented also provide insights into the monotonicity of the ratios of two power series, two \mathcal {Z}-transforms, two discrete Laplace transforms, two discrete Mellin transforms, two Laplace transforms, and two Mellin transforms. Finally, we employ these monotonicity rules to present several applications in the realm of special functions and stochastic orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA set is called a general position set of a graph G if any triple set V0 of R is non-geodesic, that is, three elements of V0 cannot lie on the same geodesic of G. The general position number gp(G) of a graph G is the cardinality of a largest general position set of G. The k-th power, Gk, of a graph G is obtained from G by adding a new edge between each pair of vertices with a distance of at most k in G. In this paper we establish the bounds for gp(Gk) and and give an explicit formula of . Also we consider the relation between gp(G2) and gp(G). We deduce a formula of and provide the upper bound on gp(G2)−gp(G) for general block graphs G. Moreover, we determine the gp-number for the square of trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing images carry crucial ground information, often involving the spatial distribution and spatiotemporal changes of surface elements. To safeguard this sensitive data, image encryption technology is essential. In this paper, a novel Fibonacci sine exponential map is designed, the hyperchaotic performance of which is particularly suitable for image encryption algorithms. An encryption algorithm tailored for handling the multi-band attributes of remote sensing images is proposed. The algorithm combines a three-dimensional synchronized scrambled diffusion operation with chaos to efficiently encrypt multiple images. Moreover, the keys are processed using an elliptic curve cryptosystem, eliminating the need for an additional channel to transmit the keys, thus enhancing security. Experimental results and algorithm analysis demonstrate that the algorithm offers strong security and high efficiency, making it suitable for remote sensing image encryption tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wallis power function is defined on \left (-\min \left \{ p,q\right \},\infty \right) by \begin{equation*} W_{p,q}\left (x\right) =\left (\dfrac {\Gamma \left (x+p\right) }{\Gamma \left (x+q\right) }\right) ^{1/\left (p-q\right) }\text { if }p\neq q\text { and }W_{p,p}\left (x\right) =e^{\psi \left (x+p\right) }. \end{equation*} Let p_{i},q_{i}\in \mathbb {R} with 0<\delta _{i}=p_{i}-q_{i}\leq 1, \theta _{i}=\left (1-\delta _{i}\right) /2 for i=1,2 and p_{1}+q_{1}=p_{2}+q_{2}=2\sigma +1. We prove that, if q_{1}>q_{2} then for any integer m\in \mathbb {N}, the function \begin{equation*} x\mapsto \left (-1\right) ^{m}\left [ \ln \frac {W_{p_{1},q_{1}}\left (x\right) }{W_{p_{2},q_{2}}\left (x\right) }-\sum _{k=1}^{m}\frac {a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) }{\left (2k+1\right) \left (2k\right) \left (x+\sigma \right) ^{2k}}\right ] \end{equation*} is completely monotonic on \left (-\sigma,\infty \right), where \begin{equation*} a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) =\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{2}\right) }{\theta _{2}-1/2}-\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{1}\right) }{\theta _{1}-1/2}. \end{equation*} This extends and generalizes some known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-shaft bearings are an essential component of aircraft engines, and their operational status determines the safety of aircraft engine operation. Therefore, to improve the accuracy of fault type prediction and enrich the feature information in vibration signals of aircraft engine inter-shaft bearings, this paper proposes an STFT-CNN model based on the AlexNet architecture, extending its application to the research of aircraft engine inter-shaft bearing fault diagnosis. This approach addresses the common reliance on personnel experience for fault type diagnosis in traditional aircraft engine inter-shaft bearing fault diagnosis. Firstly, real vibration fault signals from inter-shaft bearings are collected through experiments to enrich feature information in non-stationary signals using STFT time-frequency methods. Secondly, utilizing the high interpretability of the STFT-CNN model, fault feature data from inter-shaft bearings under various operating conditions are extracted to refine our understanding of fault feature information. Finally, leveraging the robustness of the STFT-CNN model, fault types are classified and predicted. The training process involves comparative analysis using different pooling algorithms, time-frequency analysis methods, and various deep learning network models. The results demonstrate that the STFT-CNN model, employing the maximum pooling algorithm, outperforms other models in predicting inter-shaft bearing faults, achieving an average fault prediction accuracy of 98.8% . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health problems among children at preschool age are a common issue across the world. As shown in literature, a caregiver's parenting style can play a critical role in child development. This study aims to examine the associations between a caregiver's parenting style and the mental health problems (or not) of their child when he/she is at preschool age in rural China. Methods: Participants were children, aged 49 to 65 months, and their primary caregivers. The primary caregivers of the sample children completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, Short Version, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and a questionnaire that elicited their socio-demographic characteristics. The level of cognitive development of each sample child was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition. Pearson correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, and multivariable regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of mental health problems among sample children at preschool age was high (31.6%). If a caregiver practices an authoritative parenting style, it was found to be negatively associated with the mental health problems of their child. In contrast, a caregiver's authoritarian parenting style was positively associated with the mental health problems of their child. Compared to those in a subgroup of primary caregivers that used a combination of low authoritative and low authoritarian parenting style, primary caregivers that used a combination of high authoritarian and low authoritative or a combination of high authoritative and high authoritarian were found to have positive association with child health problems. A number of demographic characteristics were found to be associated with the adoption of different parenting styles. Conclusion: Different parenting styles (including authoritative, authoritarian, and combination of authoritative and authoritarian) of the sample caregivers had different associations with the mental health problems of the sample children. Parenting programs that aim to improve the parenting styles (favoring authoritative parenting styles) should be promoted in an effort to improve the status of child mental health in rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Autokinesis results in an apparent motion of a small visual stimulus in the dark. • In this study optical tracking was used to manually report perceived motion. • At low speeds of stimulus motion, perception was more aligned with autokinesis. • At high speeds, perception was more aligned with the actual motion direction. • These results suggest a perceptual threshold for accurate detection of motion signals. In natural viewing conditions, the brain can optimally integrate retinal and extraretinal signals to maintain a stable visual perception. These mechanisms, however, may fail in circumstances where extraction of a motion signal is less viable such as impoverished visual scenes. This can result in a phenomenon known as autokinesis in which one may experience apparent motion of a small visual stimulus in an otherwise completely dark environment. In this study, we examined the effect of autokinesis on visual perception of motion in human observers. We used a novel method with optical tracking in which the visual motion was reported manually by the observer. Experiment results show at lower speeds of motion, the perceived direction of motion was more aligned with the effect of autokinesis, whereas in the light or at higher speeds in the dark, it was more aligned with the actual direction of motion. These findings have important implications for understanding how the stability of visual representation in the brain can affect accurate perception of motion signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of edges X ⊆ E (G) of a graph G is an edge general position set if no three edges from X lie on a common shortest path. The edge general position number gp e (G) of G is the cardinality of a largest edge general position set in G. Graphs G with gp e (G) = | E (G) | - 1 and with gp e (G) = 3 are respectively characterized. Sharp upper and lower bounds on gp e (G) are proved for block graphs G and exact values are determined for several specific block graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with brain frailty and the effect of brain frailty in patients with anterior circulation large artery occlusion (AC-LAO). Methods: 1100 patients with AC-LVO consecutively admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, North China between June 2016 and April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The variables associated with brain frailty and stroke outcome were analyzed by ANOVA analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression. Based on previous research. Brain frailty score comprises 1 point each for white matter hyperintensity (WMH), old infarction lesions, and cerebral atrophy among 983 participants with baseline brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Results: Among AC-LAO participants, baseline brain frailty score ≥ 1 was common (750/983, 76.3%). Duration of hypertension > 5 years (mean difference [MD] 0.236, 95% CI 0.077, 0.395, p = 0.004), multiple vessel occlusion (MD 0.339, 95% CI 0.068, 0.611, p = 0.014) and basal ganglia infarction (MD -0.308, 95% CI -0.456, -0.160, p < 0.001) were independently associated with brain frailty score. Brain frailty score was independently associated with stroke events, and higher brain frailty scores were associated with higher rates of stroke events (p < 0.001). However, brain frailty has no independent effect on short-term outcome of ACI in AC-LAO patients. Conclusions: In AC-LAO patients, older age, duration of hypertension > 5 years, and multiple vessel occlusion influenced the brain frailty score. Brain frailty score was independently associated with the occurrence of stroke events in AC-LAO patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics are considered as an alternative to commodity non-biodegradable plastics, but they still degrade slowly in the environment. Current strategies to promote their degradation rates often compromise their utility. Here, we enhance the degradation properties of poly(butylene terephthalate/adipate) (PBAT) by embedding an esterase mimic inside the polyester without compromising its processing and mechanical properties. This esterase mimic contains a binuclear zinc site and catalyzes the depolymerization of PBAT with a turnover frequency (TOF) an order of magnitude higher than that of conventional additives (ZnO). With 1 wt% of this enzyme mimic embedded, PBAT exhibits a 3.7-fold enhancement of the degradation rate under composting conditions. Mechanistic investigation indicates that the binuclear zinc binding center polarizes the ester carbonyl group and increases hydroxide uptake, thus leading to faster degradation. This work provides a possible approach to designing polymers that meet requirements of stability during use and fast degradation after use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to investigate the association between thyroid hormone changes within normal range and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Materials and methods: A total of 661 T2DM patients with normal thyroid function were included in our study, and they were classified into three groups: normal group, osteopenia group, and osteoporosis group. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the differences in variables between the three groups. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to assess the association between clinical parameters and BMD, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the potential risk factors for osteoporosis. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of thyroid hormone by ROC curves to determine more reliable thresholds for experimental indicators. Results: The three groups showed significantly different population groups (male and female groups) (p < 0.05). Age, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) were higher in the osteoporosis group (p < 0.05). In contrast, body mass index (BMI), serum uric acid (SUA), and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were lower in osteoporosis group (p < 0.05). Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and anti-thyroid globulin antibodies (TgAb) positive proportion was significantly higher in osteoporosis group. BMD of lumbar vertebrae was positively correlated with BMI, SUA, and FT3 (p < 0.05), while it was negatively correlated with age and FBG (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that TPOAb positive and TgAb positive levels were associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis (p < 0.05), while higher SUA and FT3 levels were associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis (p < 0.05). The ROC curves demonstrated that FT3, FT4, and TSH had a good discriminative ability, with AUC values of 0.840, 0.602, and 0.522. Conclusion: The circulating concentration of FT3 was positively correlated with BMD. Maintaining normal and slightly higher levels of FT3 and SUA may prevent the reduction of BMD and the incidence of osteoporosis in T2DM patients. Besides, T2DM patients with TPOAb positive and TGAb positive levels should be routinely checked for BMD to prevent osteoporosis development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate the immunological effect of MENK by analyzing the protein spectrum and bioinformatics of macrophage RAW264.7, and to explore the relationship between macrophage and ferroptosis. Result: We employed proteomic analysis to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between macrophages and macrophages intervened by MENK. A total of 208 DEPs were identified. Among these, 96 proteins had upregulated expression and 112 proteins had downregulated expression. Proteomic analysis revealed a significant enrichment of DEPs associated with iron metabolism. The identification of hub genes was conducted using KEGG pathway diagrams and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. The hub genes identified in this study include HMOX1 and Ferritin (FTH and FTL). A correlation was established between HMOX1, FTH, and FTL in the GO and KEGG databases. The results of PCR, WB and immunofluorescence showed that MENK downregulated the level of HMOX1 and FTH. Conclusion: MENK had the potential to become an adjuvant chemotherapy drug by regulating iron metabolism in macrophages, reducing levels of HMOX1 and ferritin. We proposed an innovative research direction on the therapeutic potential of MENK, focusing on the relationship between ferroptosis and macrophage activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the application effect of Bacillus licheniformis viable capsules on ulcerative colitis (UC) and its influence on intestinal mucosal permeability and intestinal flora of patients. Methods: Total 200 patients with UC from January 2019 to May 2021 were selected and divided into observation group and control group according to random number table method, with 100 cases in each group. Observation group was given Mesalazine enteric-coated tablets+Bacillus licheniformis viable capsules for oral administration, and control group was given Mesalazine enteric-coated tablets for oral administration. After 12 weeks of continuous treatment, clinical efficacy of two groups were evaluated, and activity classification and intestinal mucosal permeability indexes [endotoxin (ETX), diamine oxidase (DAO)], colony counts and 16SrDNA sequencing quantification of intestinal flora (Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) and levels of serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the adverse drug reactions were recorded. Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, total effective rate in observation group was higher than that in control group (89.00% vs 77.00%, P<0.05); activity classification in two groups were significantly better than that before treatment (P<0.05), and the classification in observation group was better than that in control group (P<0.05) . Serum ETX and DAO levels in two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and levels of serum ETX and DAO in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05) . Colony count and 16SrDNA copy count of Escherichia coli in observation group were significantly lower than those in before treatment group and control group after treatment (P<0.05), while colony counts and 16SrDNA copy counts of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were higher than those in before treatment group and control group after treatment (P<0.05) . Levels of serum IgA and IgM in observation group were significantly higher than those in before treatment group and control group after treatment (P<0.05); incidence rate of adverse reactions in observation group was not statistically different from that in control group (9.00% vs 13.00%, P>0.05). Conclusion: Bacillus licheniformis viable capsules for UC adjuvant therapy can improve clinical efficacy, reduce disease activity, and help to improve intestinal mucosal permeability, adjust intestinal flora, and regulate immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monotonicity rules for the quotient of two functions play foundational roles in the fields of mathematics and applied mathematics. In this paper, we establish monotonicity rules for the L'Hospital type, the quotient of two Laplace transforms, and the quotient of two variable limit integrals with delta derivatives and delta integrals on time scales. Some generalized forms for these monotonicity rules are also considered in detail. As an application, we utilize monotonicity rules to demonstrate that a function is strictly decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging evidence has revealed that dysregulation of the hormone ghrelin and its receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, defective GHSR function and resultant hippocampal ghrelin resistance are linked to hippocampal synaptic injury in AD paradigms. Also, AD patients exhibit elevated ghrelin activation. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of hippocampal GHSR dysfunction and the relevance of ghrelin elevation to hippocampal ghrelin resistance in AD-relevant pathological settings are not fully understood. Objective: In the current study, we employed a recently established mouse line of AD risk [humanized amyloid beta knockin (hAβ KI mice), also referred to as a mouse model of late-onset AD in previous literature] to further define the role of ghrelin system dysregulation in the development of AD. Methods: We employed multidisciplinary techniques to determine the change of plasma ghrelin and the functional status of GHSR in hAβ KI mice as well as primary neuron cultures. Results: We observed concurrent plasma ghrelin elevation and hippocampal GHSR desensitization with disease progression. Further examination excluded the possibility that ghrelin elevation is a compensatory change in response to GHSR dysfunction. In contrast, further in vitro and in vivo results show that agonist-mediated overstimulation potentiates GHSR desensitization through enhanced GHSR internalization. Conclusions: These findings suggest that circulating ghrelin elevation is a pathological event underlying hippocampal GHSR dysfunction, culminating in hippocampal ghrelin resistance and resultant synaptic injury in late-onset AD-related settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the transmission path of inter-shaft bearing-fault signal is complex, a fault feature extraction method based on hierarchical permutation entropy (HPE) and locally linear embedding (LLE) algorithm is proposed in this paper. In this method, HPE is utilized to extract fault information of signals, and LLE is utilized to reduce and fuse high-dimensional fault features of multi-sensors to construct fault samples. Then, the random forest (RF) model is established to diagnose the faults of the inter-shaft bearings. The fault simulation test rig with the inter-shaft bearing is built to simulate the normal bearing, inner ring fault, outer ring fault, and rolling ball fault, and the data are collected to verify the HPE-LLE-RF fault diagnosis algorithm of inter-shaft bearings established in this paper. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can extract the fault features of inter-shaft bearings effectively with a fault diagnosis accuracy of 93.3% without overfit phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease, accompanied by liver lipid accumulation and inflammation. JianPi-QingHua formula (JPQH), a Chinese herbal formula, exhibits effects on obesity and T2DM. However, the hepatoprotective effect of JPQH has not been elucidated. To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of JPQH in NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups and fed a normal-fat diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + JPQH (2.5 g/kg), or HFD + metformin (300 mg/kg) for 6 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, the body weight, epididymal fat mass, blood glucose, and liver weight were measured. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were performed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Oil Red O staining were observed in hepatic histopathological changes. Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were utilized to assess the key protein expression of hepatic lipid metabolism and inflammation. Compared with the HFD group, JPQH could reduce body weight, epididymal fat mass, blood glucose and liver weight (p < 0.05), and markedly decreased the levels of serum TC, TG, ALT, AST (p < 0.05). Additionally, JPQH improved liver pathological changes. Consistent with the hepatic histological analysis, JPQH intervention suppressed lipid accumulation and inflammatory responses. Mechanistically, JPQH boosted SIRT1/AMPK signalling, and attenuated NF-κB pathway, which suppressed inflammatory responses. These findings indicate that JPQH supplementation protected against HFD-induced NAFLD by regulating SIRT1/AMPK/NF-κB pathway, which provides a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of patients with NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we review the clinical value of a video‐oculography test for clinical evaluation of vestibular otolith function. This test is known as the video ocular counter roll (vOCR) and is based on measurement of torsional vestibulo‐ocular reflex with a lateral head tilt. The vOCR test consists of a simple maneuver during which the head and torso are tilted en bloc by the examiner. The pattern of vOCR deficit among patients highlights its clinical value in identifying the stage of vestibular loss and recovery. The quick application of vOCR allows examination of otolith‐ocular function and assessment of vestibular recovery at the bedside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced transcriptional changes are considered a potential biodosimetry for dose evaluation and health risk monitoring of acute or chronic radiation exposure. It is crucial to understand the impact of confounding factors on the radiation-responsive gene expressions for accurate and reproducible dose assessment. This study aims to explore the potential influence of exposures to chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide (CP) and mitomycin C (MMC) on IR-induced transcriptional biomarkers. The human B lymphoblastoid cells (AHH-1) were exposed to 0, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 μg/ml CP or 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 1 μg/ml MMC, respectively. The appropriate concentrations of CP and MMC were added for 1 h before irradiation with 0, 2, 4 and 6 Gy of 60Co γ-rays at a dose rate of 1 Gy/min. Cell viability was evaluated by CCK-8 assay. The gene expression responses of 18 radiation-induced transcriptional biomarkers were examined at 24 h after exposures to CP and MMC, respectively. The expression levels of five crucial DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) repair genes were also evaluated. The biodosimetry models were established based on the specific radiation-responsive gene combinations. The baseline transcriptional levels of the 18 selected genes were slightly affected by CP treatment in the absence of IR, while the transcript responses to IR could be inhibited as the concentration of CP up to 50 μg/ml. MMC treatment up-regulated the background levels in most radiation-responsive gene expressions. Of 18 genes, only the relative mRNA expression levels of CDKN1A and BBC3 were repressed after treatment with IR and MMC in combination. The relative mRNA level of RAD51 was significantly up-regulated after exposure to CP, while the expression of FANCD2, RAD51 and BLM showed an overall increase in response to MMC treatment. After irradiation, the relative mRNA expression levels of FANCD2, BRCA2 and RAD51 exhibited dose-dependent increases in IR alone and MMC treatment groups. In addition, the biodosimetry models were established using 2-4 radiation-responsive genes based on different radiation exposure scenarios. Our findings suggested that IR-induced gene expression changes were slightly affected after exposure to a relatively low concentration of CP and MMC. Gene expression combinations might improve the broad applicability of transcriptional biodosimetry across diverse radiation exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission of a vertex v of a (chemical) graph G is the sum of distances from v to other vertices in G. If any two vertices of G have different transmissions, then G is a transmission irregular graph. It is shown that for any odd number n ≥ 7 there exists a transmission irregular chemical tree of order n. A construction is provided which generates new transmission irregular (chemical) trees. Two additional families of chemical graphs are characterized by property of transmission irregularity and two sufficient condition provided which guarantee that the transmission irregularity is preserved upon adding a new edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most studies regarding the association of obesity with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have assessed obesity at only one or two time points. We aimed to examine the associations of life course body mass index (BMI) from childhood with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in mid-adulthood. Methods: Data were from a cohort study of Australian children (n = 2254, mean baseline age 12.0 (2.0) years in 1985, 46.8% male). Weight and height were measured at baseline and measured or self-reported on average 20, 25, and 30 years later. Age and sex-standardised BMI-z score was calculated at each time point. Physical and mental HRQoL and health state utilities (HSUs) were measured by SF-12 and SF-6D at the last adult follow-up. Linear regression was used to examine the associations adjusting for age, sex, and childhood health status. Results: Higher BMI-z score in childhood (βadjusted − 1.39, 95% CI − 1.73 to − 1.05) and increasing BMI-z score from childhood to young adulthood (βadjusted − 1.82, 95% CI − 2.17 to − 1.46) and from young to mid-adulthood (βadjusted − 1.77, 95% CI − 2.28 to − 1.26) were associated with lower physical HRQoL in mid-adulthood. Similar results were found for mid-adulthood HSUs (βadjusted ranged − 0.006 to − 0.014, all P < 0.05). Only increasing BMI-z score from young to mid-adulthood significantly related to poorer mental HRQoL (βadjusted − 0.74, 95% CI − 1.29 to − 0.19) in mid-adulthood. Conclusion: High BMI from childhood to mid-adulthood had only modest associations with HRQoL and HSUs, with effects on physical HRQoL most apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set R ⊆ V (G) of a graph G is a general position set if any triple set R 0 of R is non-geodesic, that is, no vertex of R 0 lies on any geodesic between the other two vertices of R 0 in G. Let R be the set of general position sets of a graph G. The general position number gp (G) of a graph G is defined as gp (G) = max { | R | : R ∈ R } . In this paper, for an arbitrary maximal outerplane graph G of order at least 7, we prove that gp (G) = 3 if and only if G is a straight linear 2-tree. Moreover, we determine the upper bound on the gp-numbers for any maximal outerplane graph and characterize the corresponding extremal graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel prophylactic drugs and vaccination strategies for protection against influenza virus should induce specific effector T-cell immune responses in pulmonary airways and peripheral lymphoid organs. Designing approaches that promote T-cell-mediated responses and memory T-cell differentiation would strengthen host resistance to respiratory infectious diseases. The results of this study showed that pulmonary delivery of MENK via intranasal administration reduced viral titres, upregulated opioid receptor MOR and DOR, increased the proportions of T-cell subsets including CD8+ T cells, CD8+ TEM cells, NP/PA-effector CD8+ TEM cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lungs, and CD4+/CD8+ TCM cells in lymph nodes to protect mice against influenza viral challenge. Furthermore, we demonstrated that, on the 10th day of infection, the proportions of CD4+ TM and CD8+ TM cells were significantly increased, which meant that a stable TCM and TEM lineage was established in the early stage of influenza infection. Collectively, our data suggested that MENK administered intranasally, similar to the route of natural infection by influenza A virus, could exert antiviral activity through upregulating T-cell-mediated adaptive immune responses against influenza virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the operation of service-sharing platforms, online review information is crucial to attracting consumers. Considering consumers' preference for online review information, this paper discusses the pricing policy selection for a service-sharing platform providing vertically differentiated services in sharing economy, which is worth studying. In this paper, a platform service supply chain composed of a high-quality service provider, a low-quality service provider, and a service-sharing platform is considered. For the two pricing policies of a platform: service provider pricing and platform pricing, the profit-maximizing models are constructed, and the optimal high-quality and the low-quality service prices are obtained. This paper also analyzes the effects of online review information on the profits of service providers, platform profits, consumer surplus, and social welfare under the two policies. The results show that under the platform pricing policy, the platform can gain more profits, while the surplus of consumers and service providers may decrease. When the online review information exceeds a threshold, the high-quality service provider profit under the service provider pricing policy is larger than that under the platform pricing policy. Under the platform pricing policy, the low-quality service provider can earn more profit. We also find that the low-quality service provider is more motivated to encourage consumers to provide online reviews regardless of the pricing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we determine the monotonicity of three classes of functions involving modified Bessel functions of the second kind. We also presented some inequalities and bounds for modified Bessel functions of the second kind. In particular, our results derive bounds for the Airy function and its derivative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has shown that the home learning environment (HLE) is critical in the development of spatial skills and that various parental beliefs influence the HLE. However, a comprehensive analysis of the impact of different parental beliefs on the spatial HLE remains lacking, leaving unanswered questions about which specific parental beliefs are most influential and whether inducing a growth mindset can enhance the spatial HLE. To address these gaps, we conducted an online study with parents of 3- to 5-year-olds. We found that parents' growth mindset about their children's ability strongly predicted the spatial HLE after controlling for parents' motivational beliefs about their children, beliefs about their own ability, children's age, children's gender, and family SES. Further, reading an article about growth mindset led parents to choose more challenging spatial learning activities for their children. These findings highlight the critical role of parents' growth mindset in the spatial HLE. Crucially, these findings demonstrate that general growth mindset messages without specific suggestions for parental practices can influence parental behavior intentions. Further, these effects were also observed in the control domain of literacy, underscoring the broad relevance of the growth mindset in the HLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low phosphorus (P) is a major limiting factor for plant growth in acid soils, which are preferred by tea plants. This study aims to investigate the unique mechanisms of tea plant roots adaptation to low-P conditions. Tea plant roots were harvested for multi-omics analysis after being treated with 0 µmol·L−1 P (0P) and 250 µmol·L−1 P (250P) for 30 days. Under 250P conditions, root elongation was significantly inhibited, and the density of lateral roots was dramatically increased. This suggests that 250P may inhibit the elongation of tea plant roots. Moreover, the P concentration in roots was about 4.58 times higher than that under 0P, indicating that 250P may cause P toxicity in tea plant roots. Contrary to common plants, the expression of CsPT1/2 in tea plant roots was significantly increased by four times at 250P, which indicated that tea plant roots suffering from P toxicity might be due to the excessive expression of phosphate uptake-responsible genes under 250P conditions. Additionally, 94.80% of P-containing metabolites accumulated due to 250P stimulation, most of which were energy-associated metabolites, including lipids, nucleotides, and sugars. Especially the ratio of AMP/ATP and the expression of energy sensor CsSnRKs were inhibited by P application. Therefore, under 250P conditions, P over-accumulation due to the excessive expression of CsPT1/2 may inhibit energy metabolism and thus the growth of tea plant roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with depression have a higher risk of complications and mortality than T2DM without depression. However, the exact neuropathophysiological mechanism remains unclear. Consequently, the current study aimed to investigate the alteration of cortical and subcortical spontaneous neural activity in T2DM patients with and without depression. Methods: The demographic data, clinical variables, neuropsychological tests, and functional and anatomical magnetic resonance imaging of depressed T2DM (n = 47) of non-depressed T2DM (n = 59) and healthy controls (n = 41) were collected and evaluated. The correlation analysis, stepwise multiple linear regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve were performed for further analysis. Results: Abnormal neural activities in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and hippocampus were observed in depressed and non-depressed T2DM and the right putamen of the depressed T2DM. Interestingly, the subcortical degree centrality (DC) of the right hippocampus and putamen were higher in depressed than non-depressed T2DM. Furthermore, the cortical amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in PCC, subcortical DC in the putamen of depressed T2DM, and hippocampus of non-depressed T2DM was correlated with cognitive scores. In contrast, the cortical fractional ALFF in PCC of non-depressed T2DM was correlated with depression scores. Conclusions: The abnormalities of spontaneous cortical activity in PCC and subcortical activity in the hippocampus might represent the neurobiological feature of cerebral dysfunction in T2DM. Notably, the altered subcortical activity in the right putamen might mainly associate with negative emotion in T2DM, which could be a promising biomarker for recognizing early cerebral dysfunction in depressed T2DM. This study provided a novel insight into the neuropathophysiological mechanism of brain dysfunction in T2DM with and without depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, layered chalcogenides have attracted interest for their appealing thermoelectric properties. We investigated the Ge2Sb2Te5 compound in two different stacking sequences, named stacking 1 (S1) and stacking 2 (S2), wherein the Ge and Sb atomic positions can be interchanged in the structure. The compound unit cell, comprising nine atoms, is made of two layers separated by a gap. We show, using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, that the bonding across the layers has characteristics of transit region bonding, though with a close resemblance to closed-shell bonding. Both S1 and S2 are shown to bear a similar small gap. The full determination of their thermoelectric properties, including the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and electronic and lattice thermal conductivities, was carried out by solving the Boltzmann transport equation. We show that stacking 1 exhibits a larger Seebeck coefficient and smaller electrical conductivity than stacking 2, which is related to their small electronic gap difference, and that S1 is more suitable for thermoelectric application than S2. Moreover, under certain conditions of temperature and doping level, it could be possible to use S1-Ge2Sb2Te5 as both a p and n leg in a thermoelectric converter. Under biaxial, tensile and compressive strains, we observe that the thermoelectric properties are improved for both S1 and S2. Furthermore, the increase in the power factor of S1 in the cross-plane direction, namely perpendicular to the gap between the layers, shows that strains can counteract the electronic transport hindrance due to the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of time scale was proposed to unite continuous and discrete statements. In this paper, we introduce the concepts of complete monotonicity, logarithmic complete monotonicity, and absolute monotonicity of multivariate functions on time scales utilizing the delta derivative. Following that, we investigate the properties of delta complete monotonicity on time scales and present some judgment rules. Using judgment rules, three functions are shown to be delta complete monotonicity on time scales. And then, in order to quantitatively measure two delta completely monotonic functions on time scales, we present the concept of completely monotonic degree of univariate and multivariate functions on time scales and explore some properties of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread use of the location-based social networks (LBSNs), the next point-of-interest (POI) recommendation has become an essential service, which aims to understand the user's check-in behavior at the current moment by analyzing and mining the correlations between the user's check-in behaviors within his/her historical trajectory and then recommending the POI that the user is most likely to visit at the next time step. However, the user's check-in trajectory presents extremely irregular sequential patterns, such as spatial–temporal patterns, semantic patterns, etc. Intuitively, the user's visiting behavior is often accompanied by a certain purpose, which makes the check-in data in LBSNs often have rich semantic activity characteristics. However, existing research mainly focuses on exploring the spatial–temporal sequential patterns and lacks the mining of semantic information within the trajectory, so it is difficult to capture the user's visiting intention. In this paper, we propose a self-attention- and multi-task-based method, called MSAN, to explore spatial–temporal and semantic sequential patterns simultaneously. Specifically, the MSAN proposes to mine the user's visiting intention from his/her semantic sequence and uses the user's visiting intention prediction task as the auxiliary task of the next POI recommendation task. The user's visiting intention prediction uses hierarchical POI category attributes to describe the user's visiting intention and designs a hierarchical semantic encoder (HSE) to encode the hierarchical intention features. Moreover, a self-attention-based hierarchical intention-aware module (HIAM) is proposed to mine temporal and hierarchical intention features. The next POI recommendation uses the self-attention-based spatial–temporal-aware module (STAM) to mine the spatial–temporal sequential patterns within the user's check-in trajectory and fuses this with the hierarchical intention patterns to generate the next POI list. Experiments based on two real datasets verified the effectiveness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the Influence of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODE) on particulate matter (PM) chemical features, PM samples emitted from diesel fuel and PODE/diesel blends at volume ratios of 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % (P10, P20, and P30) were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR). Results showed that adding PODE in diesel fuel could increase the proportions of the lower carbon-atom-number components and the contents of oxygen-containing compounds in the soluble organic fractions extracted from PM samples. The ratio of oxygen to carbon (O/C), the functional groups, and the nanostructure of dry soot obtained from XPS showed that the O/C rose as the PODE volume ratio increased. The graphitization degree of dry soot decreased in the order: diesel fuel > P10 > P30 > P20. The relative content of hydroxyl functional groups exhibited the same trend, while the relative content of carbonyl functional groups exhibited an opposite trend with the graphitization degree. Moreover, according to FT-IR, both the branching degree and the relative content of hydrocarbon functional groups of aliphatics are influenced by the graphitization degree of dry soot. A turning point at P20 observed by analysis results above indicated that the chemical characteristics of PM could be affected not only by fuel properties but also by the process of fuel combustion and PM formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deprivation of extracellular serotonin has been linked to cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric disturbances in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, despite degeneration of serotonin-producing neurons, whether serotonin release is affected in AD-sensitive brain regions is unknown. Objective: This study investigated the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in decreased hippocampal serotonin release in AD amyloidosis mouse model 5xFAD mice. Methods: Electrochemical assays were applied to examine hippocampal serotonin release. We also employed multidisciplinary techniques to determine the role of oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ) in hippocampal mitochondrial deficits and serotonin release deficiency. Results: 5xFAD mice exhibited serotonin release decrease and relatively moderate downregulation of serotonergic fiber density as well as serotonin content in the hippocampal region. Further experiments showed an inhibitory effect of oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ) on hippocampal serotonin release without affecting the density of serotonergic fibers. Pharmaceutical uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) disrupted hippocampal serotonin release in an ex vivo setting. This echoes the mitochondrial defects in serotonergic fibers in 5xFAD mice and oligomeric Aβ-challenged primary serotonergic neuron cultures and implicates a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and serotonin transmission defects in AD-relevant pathological settings. Conclusion: The most parsimonious interpretation of our findings is that mitochondrial dysfunction is a phenotypic change of serotonergic neurons, which potentially plays a role in the development of serotonergic failure in AD-related conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to overcome the challenges of high-value utilization of technical lignins that encounters chemical complexity, heterogeneity and broad molecular mass distribution. Kraft lignin was fractionated through a practical strategy involving sequential dissolution in solvents of different polarities (water, tetrahydrofuran, and water/tetrahydrofuran v/v = 3/7). Lignin self-assembled drawing on the anti-solvent method, generating particles of controllable surface energy. Considering the governing factors in multiphase stabilization, the morphology, wetting characteristics and chemical composition of the kraft lignin particles (KLPs) were examined as a means to achieve controllable Pickering stabilization of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. The most anionic and hydrophilic KLPs formed aggregated networks (∼185 nm), which acted as a surfactant-type emulsifier following reversible adsorption at the O/W interfaces. Notably, the particles of the least hydrophilicity (∼146 nm) displayed a characteristic hollow structure. Such particles adsorbed slowly and weakly at the O/W interface, forming a viscoelastic layer around the oil droplets. The smallest lignin particles (∼39 nm) presented an intermediate hydrophilic character. They were uniform in size and formed rigid interfacial layers on the oil droplets. Accordingly, the devised relationship between particle morphogenesis and O/W stabilization capacity enabled the customization of lignin (size and wetting characteristics), allowing broader utilization in multiphase systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chickens provide globally important livestock products. Understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning chicken economic traits is crucial for improving their selective breeding. Influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, metabolites are the ultimate expression of physiological processes and can provide key insights into livestock economic traits. However, the serum metabolite profile and genetic architecture of the metabolome in chickens have not been well studied. Results: Here, comprehensive metabolome detection was performed using non-targeted LC–MS/MS on serum from a chicken advanced intercross line (AIL). In total, 7,191 metabolites were used to construct a chicken serum metabolomics dataset and to comprehensively characterize the serum metabolism of the chicken AIL population. Regulatory loci affecting metabolites were identified in a metabolome genome-wide association study (mGWAS). There were 10,061 significant SNPs associated with 253 metabolites that were widely distributed across the entire chicken genome. Many functional genes affect metabolite synthesis, metabolism, and regulation. We highlight the key roles of TDH and AASS in amino acids, and ABCB1 and CD36 in lipids. Conclusions: We constructed a chicken serum metabolite dataset containing 7,191 metabolites to provide a reference for future chicken metabolome characterization work. Meanwhile, we used mGWAS to analyze the genetic basis of chicken metabolic traits and metabolites and to improve chicken breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic musculoskeletal pain has been linked to dementia; however, chronic pain typically occurs in multiple sites; therefore, this study was to investigate whether greater number of chronic pain sites is associated with a higher risk of dementia and its subtypes. Methods: Participants (N = 356,383) in the UK Biobank who were dementia-free at baseline were included. Pain in the hip, knee, back, and neck/shoulder or 'all over the body' and its duration were assessed. Participants were categorised into six groups: no chronic pain; chronic pain in 1, 2, 3, and 4 sites, and 'all over the body'. All-cause dementia and its subtypes were ascertained using hospital inpatient and death registry records. Cox regression was used to investigate the associations between the number of chronic pain sites and the incidence of all-cause dementia and its subtypes. Results: Over a median follow-up of 13 years, 4959 participants developed dementia. After adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle, comorbidities, pain medications, psychological problems, and sleep factors, greater number of chronic pain sites was associated with an increased risk of incident all-cause dementia (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.08 per 1 site increase, 95% CI 1.05–1.11) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) (HR = 1.09 per 1-site increase, 95% CI 1.04–1.13) in a dose–response manner but not vascular and frontotemporal dementia. No significant association was found between the number of chronic pain sites and the risk of incident all-cause dementia among a subsample that underwent a fluid intelligence test. Conclusions: Greater number of chronic pain sites was associated with an increased risk of incident all-cause dementia and AD, suggesting that chronic pain in multiple sites may contribute to individuals' dementia risk and is an underestimated risk factor for dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carotid stiffening is found to be present in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) together with endothelial dysfunction and it remains unclear about the role of carotid elasticity in the development of diabetic vascular damage. The aim of the study was to investigate changes and significance of carotid artery elasticity in diabetic patients with or without microvascular complications using velocity vector imaging (VVI) analysis. Methods: Fifty participants were enrolled and divided into health Control group, the uncomplicated DM (uDM) group and the complicated DM (cDM) group. All of them underwent carotid ultrasound examinations. VVI was used to evaluate the common carotid artery (CCA) elasticity and intima‐media thickness (IMT) was also measured. Flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) was performed to detect the vascular endothelial function. Then differences and correlations of variables between three groups were compared and analyzed. Results: CCA elasticity measured by VVI decreased significantly between three groups (p < 0.05), while FMD decreased significantly only in cDM group (p < 0.01) and only IMT in cDM group was significantly thicker than that of Control group (p < 0.05). Representative VVI variables were independently, negatively related to the known duration and microalbuminuria (p < 0.05). All VVI variables were significantly correlated with FMD (0.5 ≤ |r | <0.8, p < 0.001), and just a small part of VVI variables were significantly correlated with IMT (0.3 ≤ |r | <0.5, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with FMD, CCA elasticity measured by VVI showed more obvious changes in diabetic patients with different levels of vascular damage and may be considered as an alternative indicator in evaluating arterial status of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can be obtained outside hospitals and are of great significance for evaluation of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study was to establish a prediction model using PROs for out-of-hospital patients. Methods: CHF-PRO were collected in 941 patients with CHF from a prospective cohort. Primary endpoints were all-cause mortality, HF hospitalization, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). To establish prognosis models during the two years follow-up, six machine learning methods were used, including logistic regression, random forest classifier, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), light gradient boosting machine, naive bayes, and multilayer perceptron. Models were established in four steps, namely, using general information as predictors, using four domains of CHF-PRO, using both of them and adjusting the parameters. The discrimination and calibration were then estimated. Further analyze were performed for the best model. The top prediction variables were further assessed. The Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was used to explain black boxes of the models. Moreover, a self-made web-based risk calculator was established to facilitate the clinical application. Results: CHF-PRO showed strong prediction value and improved the performance of the models. Among the approaches, XGBoost of the parameter adjustment model had the highest prediction performance with an area under the curve of 0.754 (95% CI: 0.737 to 0.761) for death, 0.718 (95% CI: 0.717 to 0.721) for HF rehospitalization and 0.670 (95% CI: 0.595 to 0.710) for MACEs. The four domains of CHF-PRO, especially the physical domain, showed the most significant impact on the prediction of outcomes. Conclusion: CHF-PRO showed strong prediction value in the models. The XGBoost models using variables based on CHF-PRO and the patient's general information provide prognostic assessment for patients with CHF. The self-made web-based risk calculator can be conveniently used to predict the prognosis for patients after discharge. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2100043337. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) is an important metal-free photocatalyst for visible light-driven hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) production from O 2 reduction. Herein, we synthesized the DPCN catalysts possessing nitrogen defects by one-step thermal polymerization of urea in N 2 stream. As compared to the PCN conventionally synthesized in static air, X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS) characterization disclosed that there are more pyridinic N defects in the DPCN catalysts, which is attributed to the removal of a proportion of NH 3 released from urea pyrolysis by flowing N 2. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), Mott–Schottky, steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) characterizations revealed that the introduction of the nitrogen defects narrows down the band gap, improves the density of the photoexcited charge carriers, prolongs the lifetime of the charge carriers, and enhances the charge transfer efficiency. In visible light-driven photocatalytic O 2 reduction to H 2 O 2 , the optimal DPCN catalyst afforded an activity of 4.35 times that of the PCN catalyst and a H 2 O 2 concentration of 2.83 mmol L–1 after 10 h of visible light irradiation. This one-step thermal polymerization approach is valid when replacing N 2 stream with Ar and He streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite some gains, women continue to be underrepresented in many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Using a national longitudinal dataset of 690 participants born in 1991, we tested whether spatial skills, measured in middle childhood, would help explain this gender gap. We modeled the relation between 4th‐grade spatial skills and STEM majors while simultaneously accounting for competing cognitive and motivational mechanisms. Strong spatial skills in 4th grade directly increased the likelihood of choosing STEM college majors, above and beyond math achievement and motivation, verbal achievement and motivation, and family background. Additionally, 4th‐grade spatial skills indirectly predicted STEM major choice via math achievement and motivation in the intervening years. Further, our findings suggest that gender differences in 4th‐grade spatial skills contribute to women's underrepresentation in STEM majors. Research Highlights: Using a national longitudinal dataset, we found 4th‐grade spatial skills directly predicted STEM college major choice after accounting for multiple cognitive and motivational mechanisms.Strong spatial skills in 4th grade also elevated STEM major choice via enhanced math achievement and motivation in the intervening years.Gender differences in 4th‐grade spatial skills contributed to women's underrepresentation in STEM college majors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a serious worldwide pandemic. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)–based methods were recommended for routine detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Because the reaction time and analytical sensitivity of qRT-PCR limits the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, development of a quick process of SARS-CoV-2 detection technology with high analytical sensitivity remains urgent. Methods We combined isothermal amplification and fluorescence detection technology to develop a new auto-recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-fluorescence platform that could be used in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Results By optimization of primers and probes, the RPA platform could detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleotides within 15 min. The limits of detection and specificity of the auto-RPA-fluorescence platform were 5 copies/µL and 100%, respectively. The accuracy of detection of the auto-RPA-fluorescence platform in the 16 positive samples was 100%. Conclusion The RPA platform is a potential technology for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is associated with systemic oxidative stress, cardiac mitochondrial homeostasis, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Metformin has been recognized to attenuate cardiomyocyte apoptosis. However, the longitudinal effects and pathomechanism of metformin on the regulation of myocardial mitohormesis following I/R treatment remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal effects and mechanism of metformin in regulating cardiac mitochondrial homeostasis by serial imaging with the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO)–targeted positron emission tomography (PET) tracer 18F-FDPA. Methods: Myocardial I/R injury was established in Sprague–Dawley rats, which were treated with or without metformin (150 mg/kg per day). Serial gated 18F-FDG and 18F-FDPA PET imaging were performed at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery, followed by analysis of ventricular remodelling and cardiac mitochondrial homeostasis. The correlation between Hsp60 and 18F-FDPA uptake was analyzed. After PET imaging, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, immunostaining, and western blot analysis were performed to analyze the spatio-temporal effects and pathomechanism of metformin for cardiac protection after myocardial I/R injury. Results: Oxidative stress and apoptosis increased 1 week after myocardial I/R injury (before significant progression of ventricular remodelling). TSPO expression was correlated with Hsp60 expression and was co-localized with inflammatory CD68+ macrophages in the infarct area, and TSPO uptake was associated with an upregulation of AMPK-p/AMPK and a downregulation of Bcl-2/Bax. However, these effects were reversed with metformin treatment. Eight weeks after myocardial I/R injury (representing the advanced stage of heart failure), 18F-FDPA uptake in myocardial cells in the distal non-infarct area increased without CD68+ expression, whereas the activity decreased with metformin treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these results show that a prolonged metformin treatment has pleiotropic protective effects against myocardial I/R injury associated with a regional and temporal dynamic balance between mitochondrial homeostasis and cardiac outcome, which were assessed by TSPO-targeted imaging during cardiac remodelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a patient with spontaneous upbeat nystagmus (UBN) due to an ischemic lesion involving the paramedian tract (PMT) in the medulla. Eye movement recordings, using an infrared video-oculography (VOG) system, showed that the slow phase of the nystagmus was initially velocity-decreasing but gradually became velocity-increasing. Simulation of the nystagmus with a mathematical model supports a role for the PMT in relaying premotor signals for vertical gaze holding to the cerebellum. Our model shows that the disruption in cerebellar input from PMT can lead to the velocity-increasing waveform of the nystagmus, whereas the velocity-decreasing waveform could be related to a mismatch between the innervational commands to the ocular muscles (the pulse and step) needed to hold gaze steady. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root zone soil moisture (RZSM) is a critical parameter for drought monitoring, agriculture, and vegetation growth. In situ measurements of RZSM are scarce, and therefore, RZSM products are derived mainly through modeling approaches. This study evaluated seven RZSM products, including ERA5, MERRA2, CFSR, SMAP level 4, GLDAS-NOAH2.1, GLDAS-Catchment2.2, and SMOS CATDS Level 4, using 1153 ground sites across China. The evaluations aimed to address which products perform better, how well they capture the seasonal variations, and how they perform under different land surface and climate conditions. Results showed that MERRA2 and NOAH had the best performance, with MERRA2 having a better ability to capture surplus and deficit soil moisture conditions. The study also revealed that precipitation forcing plays a vital role in improving RZSM simulations. Conversely, ERA5 overestimates RZSM, and SMOS exhibits a dry bias. From the time series variability, all datasets except SMOS can capture the temporal dynamics of RZSM well. Moreover, the accuracy of the RZSM products varies significantly in tropical climate zones. This study provides crucial insights for improving land surface and hydrological models in estimating RZSM, which will help in drought management and agriculture production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTCL-NT), is a rare, aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and it usually presents as a destructive sinus mass that may attend epistaxis. However, ENKTCL-NT with the manifestation of peripheral neuropathy is pretty unusual. Case presentation: A 17-year-old Chinese patient presented with peripheral neuropathy and positive auto-antibodies. However, she failed methylprednisolone pulse therapy and developed hemophagocytic syndrome. The diagnosis of CD30-positive primary cutaneous ENKTCL-NT was confirmed by pathological biopsy. Her disease was brought under control after five cycles of chemotherapy. Conclusions: The report findings are helpful in the differential diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy and autoimmune disease. We should be alert for the development of ENKTCL-NT when the rash and peripheral neuropathy are the first symptoms and are accompanied by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Although the significance of primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is supported by an increasing amount of evidence, the clinical and genetic characteristics of this condition are still poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the underlying genetic etiologies in a cohort of primary CH patients. Subjects and Methods: The clinical data of 33 patients with primary CH were collected and analyzed via a cross-sectional study. Genetic analysis was performed by high-throughput sequencing and Sanger verification, and the pathogenicity of the novel missense variants was predicted using a variety of comprehensive bioinformatic tools. Results: Among the 33 patients, 22 (22/33, 66.7%) harbored pathogenic variants in the causative genes of thyroid dysgenesis or dyshormonogenesis, with DUOX2 (15/33, 45.5%) topping the list, followed by TG, TPO, DUOXA2 and PAX8. Four novel genetic variants were detected, including a pathogenic frameshift and three likely pathogenic missense variants. Positive neonatal screening for TSH, neonatal jaundice and abnormal thyroid morphology were the main positive findings among all cases. Although 31 of the total 33 CH patients exhibited normal anthropometric and social performance, the other 2 had poor prognosis in this study. Conclusions: This study reported 33 new CH patients bearing four novel genetic variants, which enriched the variant spectrum of CH genes. In this cohort, genetic factors causing thyroid dyshormonogenesis were the main etiologies of CH development. Most patients exhibited a favorable prognosis; however, systematic management remains a challenge in achieving improved clinical outcomes for CH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora japonica L. (SJL) and Robinia pseudoacacia L. (RPL) are widely cultivated in China. However, the utilization of their main by-products are limited due to a lack of comprehensive nutritional attributes. Herein, the proximate composition, mineral elements, fatty acids, amino acids, monosaccharides, and phenolics were analyzed to investigate the nutritional attributes of SJL and RPL. Dietary fiber was the main ingredient in SJL and RPL, followed by protein and lipids. The content of Fe in SJL and RPL was highest, especially in flowers of SJL, reaching about 1179.51 mg/kg. The total unsaturated fatty acids accounted for 89.67% of the bud of SJL. Meanwhile, the essential amino acids contents of the flower and bud of SJL and RPL accounted for 35.95–40.59% of total amino acids. The flower of SJL (373.75 mg/g) exhibited the most abundant monosaccharides. Meanwhile, the total phenolics and flavonoid contents in the buds of SJL and RPL were significantly higher than that of the flower, implying the buds possessed better biological activity. Moreover, the bud of SJL possessed the most abundant phenolics. The results provided a reference for the development of functional food derived from SJL and RPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterojunction can effectively improve the charge separation efficiency and facilitate electron transfer, producing a strong photoelectric signal. By using 3D-TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti foil as support, CdS–TiO 2 heterojunction electrodes with different CdS proportions were fabricated as photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor to respond the visible irradiation and improve the PEC performance of TiO 2 nanotubes. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation was conducted to clarify the PEC process of CdS–TiO 2 NTs and revealed the important role of CdS in enhancing electron–hole separation on TiO 2 nanotubes. Owing to the 3D tubular structure of the support, 2 mM CdS–TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti PEC electrode exhibited low detection limit of 0.27 μM and good sensitivity of 328.87 μA mM−1 cm−2 for glucose in the range of 2–9 μM under visible illumination. The fabricated CdS–TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti biosensor also showed high selectivity and good stability, which indicated a new candidate for biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]