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Abstract Background Whether endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (EB-RFA) changes the standard role of stent placement in treating unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to compare percutaneous EB-RFA and metal stent placement (RFA-Stent) with metal stent placement alone (Stent) in treating unresectable MBO using a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Methods From June 2013 to June 2018, clinical data from 163 patients with malignant biliary obstruction who underwent percutaneous RFA-Stent or stenting alone were retrospectively analyzed using a nearest-neighbor algorithm to one-to-one PSM analysis to compare primary and secondary stent patency (PSP, SSP), overall survival (OS) and complications between the two groups. Results Before matching, for whole patients, RFA-Stent resulted in longer median PSP (8.0 vs. 5.1 months, P = 0.003), SSP (9.8 vs. 5.1 months, P

Abstract Background At present, the guidelines for urology recommend percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) as the preferred treatment for staghorn renal calculi (SRC). However, for complete SRC, it has been questioned by clinicians and patients due to high residual stone rate, complications, repeated hospitalizations and high treatment cost. Anatrophic nephrolithotomy (ANL) is a traditional and classic method for the treatment of SRC. Due to its high trauma and high technical requirements, it is difficult to carry out in primary hospitals, and gradually replaced by PCNL. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of PCNL and ANL in the treatment of complete SRC. Methods Overall, 238 patients with complete SRC were divided into mini-PCNL in lateral supine position group, (n = 190) and ANL group (n = 94) according to treatment for a retrospective cohort study. The calculi parameters, renal function index, comorbidities of calculi, surgical complications, length and frequency of hospitalization, treatment costs, results of postoperative satisfaction survey were compared between the two groups. Results The risk of the residual stone rate after mini-PCNL in lateral supine position was 239 times (OR = 238.667, P

Abstract Background Cervical spondylosis (CS), including myelopathy and radiculopathy, is the most common degenerative cervical spine disease. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) compared to those of conventional anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for treating unilateral cervical radiculopathy or coexisting cervical myelopathy induced by unilateral cervical herniated discs. Methods A prospective, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial was conducted. The sample consisted of 131 patients who underwent UBE or ACDF was conducted between September 2021 and September 2022. Patients with cervical nerve roots or coexisting spinal cord compression symptoms and imaging-defined unilateral cervical radiculopathy or coexisting cervical myelopathy induced by unilateral cervical herniated discs were randomized into two groups: a UBE group (n = 63) and an ACDF group (n = 68). The operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay after surgery, and perioperative complications were recorded. Preoperative and postoperative modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scale scores, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, neck disability index (NDI) scores, and recovery rate (RR) of the mJOA were utilized to evaluate clinical outcomes. Results The hospital stay after surgery was significantly shorter in patients treated with UBE than in those treated with ACDF (p

Abstract Purpose Awake extubation and deep extubation are commonly used anesthesia techniques. In this study, the safety of propofol-assisted deep extubation in the dental treatment of children was assessed. Materials and methods Children with severe caries who received dental treatment under general anesthesia and deep extubation between January 2017 and June 2023 were included in this study. Data were collected on the following variables: details and time of anesthesia, perioperative vital signs, and incidence of postoperative complications. The incidence of laryngeal spasm (LS) was considered to be the primary observation indicator. Results The perioperative data obtained from 195 children undergoing dental treatment was reviewed. The median age was 4.2 years (range: 2.3 to 9.6 years), and the average duration of anesthesia was 2.56 h (range 1 to 4.5 h). During intubation with a videoscope, purulent mucus was found in the pharyngeal cavity of seven children (3.6%); LS occurred in five of them (2.6%), and one child developed a fever (T = 37.8 °C) after discharge. Five children (2.6%) experienced emergence agitation (EA) in the recovery room. Also, 13 children (6.7%) experienced epistaxis; 10 had a mild experience and three had a moderate experience. No cases of airway obstruction (AO) and hypoxemia were recorded. The time to open eyes (TOE) was 16.3 ± 7.2 min. The incidence rate of complications was 23/195 (11.8%). Emergency tracheal reintubation was not required. Patients with mild upper respiratory tract infections showed a significantly higher incidence of complications (P

Abstract Study design A systematic review and meta-analysis. Background The complexity of human anatomical structures and the variability of vertebral body structures in patients with scoliosis pose challenges in pedicle screw placement during spinal deformity correction surgery. Through technological advancements, robots have been introduced in spinal surgery to assist with pedicle screw placement. Methods A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and CNKI databases and comparative studies assessing the accuracy and postoperative efficacy of pedicle screw placement using robotic assistance or freehand techniques in patients with scoliosis were included. The analysis evaluated the accuracy of screw placement, operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, length of postoperative hospital stay, and complications. Results Seven studies comprising 584 patients were included in the meta-analysis, with 282 patients (48.3%) in the robot-assisted group and 320 (51.7%) in the freehand group. Robot-assisted placement showed significantly better clinically acceptable screw placement results compared with freehand placement (odds ratio [OR]: 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.75–3.91, P

Abstract Background Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) in the elderly increase refracture risk post-surgery, leading to higher mortality rates. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified susceptibility genes for osteoporosis, but the phenotypic variance explained by these genes has been limited, indicating the need to explore additional causal factors. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, may influence osteoporosis and refracture risk. However, prospective cohorts for assessing epigenetic alterations in Chinese elderly patients are lacking. Here, we propose to conduct a prospective cohort study to investigate the causal network of DNA polymorphisms, DNA methylation, and environmental factors on the development of osteoporosis and the risk of refracture. Methods We will collect vertebral and peripheral blood from 500 elderly OVCF patients undergoing surgery, extract DNA, and generate whole genome genotype data and DNA methylation data. Observation indicators will be collected and combined with one-year follow-up data. A healthy control group will be selected from a natural population cohort. Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of osteoporosis and bone mineral density will be conducted. Differential methylation analysis will compare candidate gene methylation patterns in patients with and without refracture. Multi-omics prediction models using genetic variants and DNA methylation sites will be built to predict OVCF risk. Discussion This study will be the first large-scale population-based study of osteoporosis and bone mineral density phenotypes based on genome-wide data, multi-time point methylation data, and phenotype data. By analyzing methylation changes related to osteoporosis and bone mineral density in OVCF patients, the study will explore the feasibility of DNA methylation in evaluating postoperative osteoporosis intervention effects. The findings may identify new molecular markers for effective anti-osteoporosis treatment and inform individualized prevention and treatment strategies. Trial registration chictr.org.cn ChiCTR2200065316, 02/11/2022.

Neuromorphic computing has the potential to achieve the requirements of the next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) systems, due to its advantages of adaptive learning and parallel computing. Meanwhile, biocomputing has seen ongoing development with the rise of synthetic biology, becoming the driving force for new generation semiconductor synthetic biology (SemiSynBio) technologies. DNA-based biomolecules could potentially perform the functions of Boolean operators as logic gates and be used to construct artificial neural networks (ANNs), providing the possibility of executing neuromorphic computing at the molecular level. Herein, we briefly outline the principles of neuromorphic computing, describe the advances in DNA computing with a focus on synthetic neuromorphic computing, and summarize the major challenges and prospects for synthetic neuromorphic computing. We believe that constructing such synthetic neuromorphic circuits will be an important step toward realizing neuromorphic computing, which would be of widespread use in biocomputing, DNA storage, information security, and national defense.

Objective There are more and more cases of metro tunnel engineering crossing through miscellaneous fill strata featured by high porosity, low strength, and easy deformation, resulting in unclear land subsidence mechanism of the above metro tunnel construction, an in-depth analysis on the deformation characteristics of this strata is required. Method Leveraging the underground-excavated metro tunnel project at Kandan Sta. to Yushuzhuang Sta. interval on Beijing Subway Line 16, and based on an introductive description of the interval engineering, a layout scheme of monitoring profiles (three typical profiles are selected) and monitoring points is elaborated. The monitored data at each measuring point on the three profiles are analyzed, forming the land subsidence time-history curve and the subsidence rate time-history curve for each profile. The subsidence trough curves of profile I under five values of formation loss rate are calculated, and the field-measured land subsidence trough curves of profile I are compared with three theoretically calculated subsidence trough curves. In turn, the characteristics of construction stratum deformation of underground-excavated metro tunnel in construction waste backfill layer are obtained. Result & Conclusion The miscellaneous fill is prone to collapsible subsidence, and the stratum can undergo overall subsidence under the disturbance of metro construction, further resulting in stratum deformation characterized by larger subsidence amount and wide subsidence trough. When the tunnel full-profile is within the range of miscellaneous fill, the disturbance degree of stratum by tunnel excavation is amplified, at which point grouting reinforcement under inverted arch is an effective measure to control land subsidence.

Abstract We investigate the proposed holographic duality between the TsT transformation of IIB string theory on AdS3 × $$\mathcal{N}$$ with NS-NS flux and a single-trace $$T\overline{T }$$ deformation of the symmetric orbifold CFT. We present a non-perturbative calculation of two-point correlation functions using string theory and demonstrate their consistency with those of the $$T\overline{T }$$ deformation. The two-point correlation function of the deformed theory on the plane, written in momentum space, is obtained from that of the undeformed theory by replacing h with $$h+2\frac{\widetilde{\lambda }}{w}p\overline{p }$$ , where h is the spacetime conformal weight, $$\widetilde{\lambda }$$ is a deformation parameter, p and $$\overline{p }$$ are the momenta, and w labels the twisted sectors in the deformed symmetric product. At w = 1, the non-perturbative result satisfies the Callan-Symanzik equation for double-trace $$T\overline{T }$$ deformed CFT derived in [1]. We also perform conformal perturbations on both the worldsheet CFT and the symmetric orbifold CFT as a sanity check. The perturbative and non-perturbative matching between results on the two sides provides further evidence of the conjectured $${\text{TsT}}/T\overline{T }$$ correspondence.

Abstract The disintegration of red-bed soft rock exhibits a strong correlation with various geological disasters. However, the investigation into the evolutionary mechanisms underlying disintegration breakage has not yet received extensive exploration. In order to comprehensively examine the disintegration characteristics of red-bed soft rock, the slake durability tests were conducted to red-bed soft rocks of varying burial depths. Subsequently, an investigation was carried out to examine the disintegration characteristics and the evolution of disintegration parameters, including the coefficient of uniformity (Cu), coefficient of curvature (Cc), disintegration rate (DRE), disintegration ratio (Dr), and fractal dimension (D), throughout the disintegration process. Finally, employing the energy dissipation theory, an energy dissipation model was developed to predicate the disintegration process of samples at various burial depths. The findings demonstrate a decrease in the abundance of large particles and a concurrent increase in the abundance of small particles as the number of drying-wetting cycles increases. Furthermore, as the number of drying-wetting cycles increases, a significant alteration is observed in the content of particles larger than 10 mm, whereas the content of particles smaller than 10 mm undergoes only minor changes. The disintegration parameters, including the curvature coefficient, non-uniformity coefficient, disintegration rate, and fractal dimension, exhibit a positive correlation with the number of drying-wetting cycles. Conversely, the disintegration index demonstrates a decreasing trend with the increasing number of cycles. Nevertheless, as the burial depth increases, a notable trend emerges in the disintegration process, characterized by a gradual increase in the content of large particles alongside a progressive decrease in the content of small particles. Concurrently, the curvature coefficient, non-uniformity coefficient, disintegration rate, and fractal dimension exhibit a gradual decline, while the durability index experiences a gradual increase. In addition, based on the principle of energy dissipation, it is revealed that the surface energy increment of red-bed soft rock increases with the increase of the number of drying-wetting cycles, but decreases with the increase of burial depth. Ultimately, by leveraging the outcomes of energy dissipation analyses, a theoretical model is constructed to elucidate the correlation between surface energy and both the number of drying-wetting cycles and burial depth. This model serves as a theoretical reference for predicting the disintegration behavior of samples, offering valuable insights for future research endeavors.

Abstract Background To investigate the feasibility of Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) in assessing renal interstitial fibrosis induced by hyperuricemia. Methods A hyperuricemia rat model was established, and the rats were randomly split into the hyperuricemia (HUA), allopurinol (AP), and AP + empagliflozin (AP + EM) groups (n = 19 per group). Also, the normal rats were selected as controls (CON, n = 19). DKI was performed before treatment (baseline) and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days after treatment. The DKI indicators, including mean kurtosis (MK), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) of the cortex (CO), outer stripe of the outer medulla (OS), and inner stripe of the outer medulla (IS) were acquired. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson trichrome staining, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) immunostaining were used to reveal renal histopathological changes at baseline, 1, 5, and 9 days after treatment. Results The HUA, AP, and AP + EM group MKOS and MKIS values gradually increased during this study. The HUA group exhibited the highest MK value in outer medulla. Except for the CON group, all the groups showed a decreasing trend in the FA and MD values of outer medulla. The HUA group exhibited the lowest FA and MD values. The MKOS and MKIS values were positively correlated with Masson’s trichrome staining results (r = 0.687, P

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic liver condition of increasing prevalence, is closely related to various metabolic disorders. Hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen in red blood cells, is the focus of this study, which seeks to investigate its potential association with NAFLD. Methods: We selected 6,516 eligible adult participants from the United States using the 2017–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database for cross-sectional analyses. We analyzed the association of hemoglobin with NAFLD using weighted logistic regression models. Results: The study performed a weighted logistic regression modeling analysis, which verified that hemoglobin levels were positively associated with NAFLD, especially in the higher hemoglobin quartile groups. Subgroup analyses revealed no significant interactions, demonstrating the robustness of the model. The analysis of mediation effects showed that Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase, Alanine Aminotransferase, and triglycerides were important mediating variables in the relationship between hemoglobin and NAFLD. Conclusion: Increased hemoglobin levels were found to be significantly and independently associated with an increased NAFLD risk. This insight is crucial for the risk assessment and early detection of NAFLD, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance in individuals with higher hemoglobin levels.

Sulfate-reducing Bacteria (SRB) corrosion is a serious threat to the safety of marine pipelines.To reveal the influence of the corrosion behavior of X60 pipeline steel in the presence of SRB cultured in seawater and mud from the East China Sea The corrosion behavior of X60 pipeline steel was studied with weight loss measurements, microstructure and membrane composition analysis, electrochemical measurements The corrosion rate in sterile seawater is 0.11 mm/y, whereas, in SRB-infested seawater, it increases by 245 % to 0.38 mm/y. In sterile sea mud, the corrosion rate is 0.15 mm/y, but in SRB-infested sea mud, it increases by 87 % to 0.28 mm/y. In the corrosive environment of seawater and mud in the East China Sea, SRB significantly accelerates the microbial corrosion of X60 pipeline steel. These findings provide theoretical guidance for further research on SRB corrosion mechanisms and corrosion control of marine pipelines.

Background: The course of organ dysfunction (OD) in Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is unknown. Herein, we analyze the temporal patterns of OD in intensive care unit-admitted COVID-19 patients. Methods: Sequential organ failure assessment scores were evaluated daily within 2 weeks of admission to determine the temporal trajectory of OD using group-based multitrajectory modeling (GBMTM). Results: A total of 392 patients were enrolled with a 28-day mortality rate of 53.6%. GBMTM identified four distinct trajectories. Group 1 (mild OD, n = 64), with a median APACHE II score of 13 (IQR 9-21), had an early resolution of OD and a low mortality rate. Group 2 (moderate OD, n = 140), with a median APACHE II score of 18 (IQR 13-22), had a 28-day mortality rate of 30.0%. Group 3 (severe OD, n = 117), with a median APACHR II score of 20 (IQR 13-27), had a deterioration trend of respiratory dysfunction and a 28-day mortality rate of 69.2%. Group 4 (extremely severe OD, n = 71), with a median APACHE II score of 20 (IQR 17-27), had a significant and sustained OD affecting all organ systems and a 28-day mortality rate of 97.2%. Conclusions: Four distinct trajectories of OD were identified, and respiratory dysfunction trajectory could predict nonpulmonary OD trajectories and patient prognosis.

Introduction: Clostridium perfringens sepsis is a rare but serious clinical syndrome that is typically triggered by gastrointestinal disorders. We present a case of bloodstream infection caused by Clostridium perfringens in a liver cancer patient after comprehensive multicourse treatment. Case presentations: The patient, a 68-year-old male, experienced nausea, decreased appetite, and abdominal distension on the 15th day after receiving comprehensive multicourse treatment and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). During admission, he developed fever, and blood culture results confirmed the presence of Clostridium perfringens. The patient was discharged with improved symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the rarity of Clostridium perfringens sepsis. For liver cancer patients, particularly those who have undergone TACE or radiofrequency ablation and who experience post treatment fever, vigilance for Clostridium perfringens bloodstream infection is crucial. Timely diagnostic assessments and proactive treatment can significantly enhance the survival prospects of these patients.

Introduction: Chronic insomnia in adults affects the health and quality of life of patients. Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) combined with benzodiazepines/non-benzodiazepines (BZDs/N-BZDs) are used frequently in routine clinical practice. However, evidence on the efficacy and safety of these combined interventions is lacking. A multiple treatment meta-analysis (MTMA) was conducted to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of 16 CPMs combined with BZDs/N-BZDs for the treatment of chronic insomnia in adults. Methodology: We systematically reviewed 171 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 16,874 participants (8506 in intervention groups and 8368 in control groups) from the inception of several databases to 2023. This review encompassed electronic databases, regulatory-agency websites, and international registers of published trials involving adult patients with chronic insomnia who received CPM + BZDs/N-BZDs therapies. A random-effects MTMA was undertaken using Stata/MP17, RevMan (5.3), and R. Outcome measures were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), overall efficacy rate, as well as the incidence of dry mouth, dizziness, and somnolence. Results: Our MTMA showed that BZD/N-BZD therapy as a co-intervention for Tianmengjiaonang (TMJN) was likely to be the optimal option for improving the PSQI (surface under the cumulative sorting curve (SUCRA) = 95.00 %), whereas shensongyangxinjiaonang (SSYXJN) had the highest probability of improving overall effectiveness (SUCRA = 88.20 %). Jiaotaiwan (JTW), Bailemian (BLMJN), and Wulinjiaonang (WLJN) had the highest probability of reducing the incidence of somnolence (SUCRA = 90.00 %), dry mouth (SUCRA = 72.90 %), and dizziness (SUCRA = 84.40 %). Conclusions: All CPMs in combination with BZDs/N-BZDs were more efficacious and safer than using BZDs/N-BZDs alone in adults with chronic insomnia. SSYXJN + BZDs/N-BZDs and TMJN + BZDs/N-BZDs are likely to be optimal CPMs because they improve overall efficacy and sleep quality and reduce the risk of adverse effects. However, the effects of these interventions may vary from person to person. Hence, patients, carers, and clinicians should carefully consider the efficacy, safety, and risk–benefit profile of all active interventions for patients with insomnia based on real-world data.

Abstract Objectives The timing of tracheostomy for critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) is a topic of controversy. Our objective was to determine the most suitable timing for tracheostomy in patients undergoing MV. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting and participants One thousand eight hundred eighty-four hospitalisations received tracheostomy from January 2011 to December 2020 in a Chinese tertiary hospital. Methods Tracheostomy timing was divided into three groups: early tracheostomy (ET), intermediate tracheostomy (IMT), and late tracheostomy (LT), based on the duration from tracheal intubation to tracheostomy. We established two criteria to classify the timing of tracheostomy for data analysis: Criteria I (ET ≤ 5 days, 5 days 10 days) and Criteria II (ET ≤ 7 days, 7 days 14 days). Parameters such as length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, and duration of MV were used to evaluate outcomes. Additionally, the outcomes were categorized as good prognosis, poor prognosis, and death based on the manner of hospital discharge. Student’s t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test were employed as appropriate to assess differences in demographic data and individual characteristics among the ET, IMT, and LT groups. Univariate Cox regression model and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model were utilized to determine whether delaying tracheostomy would increase the risk of death. Results In both of two criterion, patients with delayed tracheostomies had longer hospital stays (p

The effective disposal of healthcare waste is a highly concerned issue. Healthcare waste collection poses transport risks and temporary storing risks, and the deliberation undertaken by decision-makers concerning waste collection entails potential scenario wherein some hospitals have not yet submitted their service requests and may submit their requests during the healthcare waste collection procedure. A routing optimisation problem for healthcare waste collection with temporary storing risks and sequential uncertain service requests is introduced. A two-stage decision-making is proposed and mathematical models corresponding to each stage are developed. Different solution algorithms are developed for different stages or different scales of instances, including the improved $\varepsilon $ -constraint method and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II for the solution procedure in Stage 1, and the Compare-choose-move algorithm for the solution procedure in Stage 2. Finally, the models and algorithms are tested by numerical instances and several suggestions for healthcare waste collection have been proposed based on sensitivity analysis.

Abstract Purpose Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has been implemented in Tianjin, China since 2012. The objective was to estimate the neoplasia detection rate in a high-risk population by age and sex and to investigate the potential factors associated with colorectal neoplasia. Patients and methods This study is based on data of the Tianjin CRC screening program from 2012 to 2020. Residents with a positive high-risk factors questionnaire (HRFQ) or a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) were identified as high-risk participants and were subsequently recommended for a free colonoscopy. Results A total of 4,117,897 eligible participants aged 40–74 years completed both a HRFQ and FIT, and 217,164 (5.3%) of them were identified as high-risk participants. Positive rates of preliminary screening increased with age and were higher in females than in males. For 57,971 participants undertaking colonoscopy, the detection rates of nonadvanced adenoma, advanced adenoma and CRC were 37.8%, 5.7% and 1.6%, respectively. Detection rates of advanced neoplasia increased from the age of 50 and were higher in males. For nonadvanced neoplasia, a strong increase was observed in males from the age of 40 and in females from the age of 50. Male sex had a greater impact on individuals aged 40–49 than on older individuals. Several factors including current smoking, drinking, and higher body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with the presence of neoplasia, whereas, these associations were mainly restricted to individuals aged above 50 but not those aged 40–49 years. Conclusions These findings support that age-specific risk stratification and sex-specific initiating ages for CRC screening should be recommended to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of current screening strategy.

AbstractIntroduction There is a dearth of comprehensive studies on the association between serum electrolyte and adverse short-term prognosis of Chinese patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).Patients and methods A total of 5166 patients with ADHF were divided into four serum electrolyte-related study populations (potassium (n = 5145), sodium (n = 5135), chloride (n = 4966), serum total calcium (STC) (n = 4143)) under corresponding exclusions. Different logistic regression models were utilized to gauge the association between these electrolytes or the number of electrolyte abnormalities and the risk of a composite of all-cause mortality or 30-day heart failure (HF) readmission.Results In multivariable adjusted analysis, patients with potassium below 3.5 mmol/L (odds ratios (ORs) 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.07–1.95), 4.01–4.50 mmol/L (OR: 1.29, CI: 1.02–1.62), 4.51–5.00 mmol/L (OR: 1.43, CI: 1.08–1.90) and above 5.00 mmol/L (OR: 1.74, CI: 1.21–2.51) had an increased risk of outcome when compared with potassium at 3.50–4.00 mmol/L. Sodium levels were inversely related to the risk of a composite outcome (

Objectives: The positive effects of tea on Alzheimer's disease (AD) have increasingly captured researchers' attention. Nevertheless, the quantitative comprehensive analysis in the relevant literatur is lack. This paper aims to thoroughly examine the current research status and hotspots from 2014 to 2023, providing a valuable reference for subsequent research. Methods: Documents spanning from 2014 to 2023 were searched from the Web of Science, and the R software, VOSviewer, and Citespace software were used for analysis and visualization. Results: A total of 374 documents were contained in the study. The rate of article publications exhibited a consistent increase each year from 2014 to 2023. Notably, China emerged as the leading country in terms of published articles, followed by the United States and India. Simultaneously, China is also in a leading position in cooperation with other countries. Molecules emerged as the most frequently published journal, while the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease secured the top spot in terms of citations. The identified main keywords included oxidative stress, amyloid, epigallocatechin gallate, and green tea polyphenol, among others. These focal areas delved into the antioxidative and anti-amyloid aggregation actions of tea's polyphenolic components. Furthermore, the particularly way in which epigallocatechin gallate delivers neuroprotective outcomes by influencing molecules related to AD represents a focal point of research. Conclusion: The increasing attention from researchers on the role of tea in ameliorating AD positions it as a hot spot in the development of anti-AD drugs in the development of future. Through our generalized analysis of the current landscape and hotspots regarding tea's application in AD, this study provides an estimable reference for future research endeavors.

BackgroundAcute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or its earlier stage Acute lung injury (ALI), is a worldwide health concern that jeopardizes human well-being. Currently, the treatment strategies to mitigate the incidence and mortality of ARDS are severely restricted. This limitation can be attributed, at least in part, to the substantial variations in immunity observed in individuals with this syndrome.MethodsBulk and single cell RNA sequencing from ALI mice and single cell RNA sequencing from ARDS patients were analyzed. We utilized the Seurat program package in R and cellmarker 2.0 to cluster and annotate the data. The differential, enrichment, protein interaction, and cell-cell communication analysis were conducted.ResultsThe mice with ALI caused by pulmonary and extrapulmonary factors demonstrated differential expression including Clec4e, Retnlg, S100a9, Coro1a, and Lars2. We have determined that inflammatory factors have a greater significance in extrapulmonary ALI, while multiple pathways collaborate in the development of pulmonary ALI. Clustering analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in the relative abundance of immune cells in different ALI models. The autocrine action of neutrophils plays a crucial role in pulmonary ALI. Additionally, there was a significant increase in signaling intensity between B cells and M1 macrophages, NKT cells and M1 macrophages in extrapulmonary ALI. The CXCL, CSF3 and MIF, TGFβ signaling pathways play a vital role in pulmonary and extrapulmonary ALI, respectively. Moreover, the analysis of human single-cell revealed DCs signaling to monocytes and neutrophils in COVID-19-associated ARDS is stronger compared to sepsis-related ARDS. In sepsis-related ARDS, CD8+ T and Th cells exhibit more prominent signaling to B-cell nucleated DCs. Meanwhile, both MIF and CXCL signaling pathways are specific to sepsis-related ARDS.ConclusionThis study has identified specific gene signatures and signaling pathways in animal models and human samples that facilitate the interaction between immune cells, which could be targeted therapeutically in ARDS patients of various etiologies.

Mesoscale eddies can significantly influence the surface and deep layers of the ocean, leading to diverse outcomes. Particularly, high-amplitude mesoscale eddies possess vertical structures that can reach thousands of meters, carrying greater kinetic energy. Accurately detecting such eddies is crucial for various applications, ranging from promoting marine economic development to ensuring navigational safety. This study presents a cutting-edge algorithm for mesoscale eddy identification, leveraging multi-task learning and multi-source data. Initially, we investigated the impacts of mesoscale eddies of different amplitudes on their surrounding environments. Following this, we compiled a multi-source dataset of mesoscale eddies in the South China Sea by leveraging the diverse attributes presented by eddies in various surface layers of the sea. Our approach involves extracting multiple features of mesoscale eddies from multi-source data and fusing them, along with designing a mix residual module to enhance feature extraction capabilities. Finally, we propose a novel method based on multi-task learning, which concurrently learns the segmentation and contour of mesoscale eddies. This is supported by an optimized loss function for simultaneous learning. Strict validation of mesoscale eddy detection in the South China Sea region demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method. The empirical results emphasize the algorithm’s capabilities in mitigating contour loss (a common challenge in deep network architectures), improving detection accuracy, and efficiently generating results for eddy contour and categorical segmentation tasks.

PurposeThis study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of male breast cancer (MBC) patients and the factors influencing their prognosis.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective case series analysis of 117 MBC cases who were treated at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from 2009 to 2022. Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify prognostic factors of MBC. Nomogram was constructed based on these factors, which was further evaluated by C-index and calibration curves.ResultsA total of 115 MBC cases were finally included in our analyses, with median diagnosis age of 59 years. Of these cases, 80.0% were estrogen receptor (ER) positive, 79.2% were progesterone receptor (PR) positive, 48.7% were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative, and 42.6% had Ki67 levels higher than 15%. 108 (93.9%) cases underwent radical mastectomy, while only 3 (2.6%) received breast-conserving surgery. The Logrank test suggested that lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) was negatively associated with both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of MBC, while platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were only positively associated with OS (all P-values < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.13) was significant prognostic factors for OS. Meanwhile, age (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10), histological differentiation grade (poorly differentiated/undifferentiated vs. well-differentiated: HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.05-6.17), and TNM stage (IV vs. I: HR 31.59, 95% CI 6.01-165.93) were also significant prognostic factors for DFS. Nomograms were developed for DFS, with C-indexes of 0.782, indicating good predictive performance.ConclusionIncreased age, bigger tumor size, higher TNM stage, and lower histological differentiation grade were associated with poor MBC prognosis, and LMR, PLR, and NLR might be potential predictors for MBC prognosis.

Abstract Background Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) can provide a valuable in vitro model for disease modelling and drug development. However, generating HLCs with characteristics comparable to hepatocytes in vivo is challenging. Extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in supporting liver development and hepatocyte functions, but their impact on hepatocyte differentiation and maturation during hPSC differentiation remains unclear. Here, we investigate the effects of two ECM components—Matrigel and type I collagen on hepatic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Methods hESC-derived HLCs were generated through multistage differentiation in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures, incorporating either type I collagen or Matrigel during hepatic specification and maturation. The resulting HLCs was characterized for their gene expression and functionality using various molecular and cellular techniques. Results Our results showed that HLCs cultured with collagen exhibited a significant increase in albumin and alpha-1 anti-trypsin expression with reduced AFP compared to HLCs cultured with Matrigel. They also secreted more urea than Matrigel cultures. However, these HLCs exhibited lower CYP3A4 activity and glycogen storage than those cultured with Matrigel. These functional differences in HLCs between collagen and Matrigel cultures closely resembled the hepatocytes of periportal and pericentral zones, respectively. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that Matrigel and collagen have differential effects on the differentiation and functionality of HLCs, which resemble, to an extent, hepatic zonation in the liver lobules. Our finding has an important impact on the generation of hPSC-HLCs for biomedical and medical applications.

Abstract In this work we study particular TQFTs in three dimensions, known as Symmetry Topological Field Theories (or SymTFTs), to identify line defects of two-dimensional CFTs arising from the compactification of 6d (2, 0) SCFTs on 4-manifolds M 4. The mapping class group of M 4 and the automorphism group of the SymTFT switch between different absolute 2d theories or global variants. Using the combined symmetries, we realize the topological defects in these global variants. Our main example is ℙ1 × ℙ1. For N M5-branes the corresponding 2d theory inherits ℤ N 0-form symmetries from the SymTFT. We reproduce the orbifold groupoid for theories with ℤ N 0-form symmetries and realize the duality defects at fixed points of the coupling constant under elements of the mapping class group. We also study other Hirzebruch surfaces, del Pezzo surfaces, as well as the connected sum of ℙ1 × ℙ1. We find a rich network of global variants connected via automorphisms and realize more interesting topological defects. Finally, we derive the SymTFT on more general 4-manifolds and provide two examples.

Abstract Objectives This study aims to develop a model based on intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics from fat-suppressed T2-weighted(FS-T2WI) images to predict the histopathological grade of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Methods This retrospective study included 160 patients with STS from two centers, of which 82 were low-grade and 78were high-grade. Radiomics features were extracted and selected from the region of tumor mass volume (TMV) and peritumoral tumor volume (PTV) respectively. The TMV, PTV, and combined(TM-PTV) radiomics models were established in the training cohort (n = 111)for the prediction of histopathological grade. Finally, a radiomics nomogram was constructed by combining the TM-PTV radiomics signature (Rad-score) and the selected clinical-MRI predictor. The ROC and calibration curves were used to determine the performance of the TMV, PTV, and TM-PTV models in the training and validation cohort (n = 49). The decision curve analysis (DCA) and calibration curves were used to investigate the clinical usefulness and calibration of the nomogram, respectively. Results The TMV model, PTV model, and TM-PTV model had AUCs of 0.835, 0.879, and 0.917 in the training cohort and 0.811, 0.756, 0.896 in the validation cohort. The nomogram, including the TM-PTV signatures and peritumoral hyperintensity, achieved good calibration and discrimination with a C-index of 0.948 (95% CI, 0.906 to 0.990) in the training cohort and 0.921 (95% CI, 0.840 to 0.995) in the validation cohort. Decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical usefulness of the nomogram. Conclusion The proposed model based on intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics showed good performance in distinguishing low-grade from high-grade STSs.

Abstract Objective To investigate the incidence of falls in elderly aged 65 years and above among outpatients and inpatients, and to analyze its related factors and identify prevention strategies. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 451 patients aged 65 years and above who received comprehensive geriatric assessment in outpatients and inpatients from the Department of Geriatrics in the Second Xiangya Hospital from March 2021 to March 2022. According to whether there had been at least one fall in the past year, the patients were divided into a fall group and a non‐fall group. Data were collected from the We‐Chat applet of comprehensive geriatric assessment. A t test and chi‐square test were performed to compare the difference between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was then conducted to identify factors associated with falls. Results (1) The incidence of falls among the outpatient and inpatient was 28.8%. (2) The rate of light, moderate, and heavy dependence on daily living ability and decreased mobile balance ability were higher in the fall group than those in the non‐fall group. The average calf circumference in the fall group was significantly lower than that in the non‐fall group. (3) The prevalence of diabetes and eye diseases in the fall group was significantly higher than that in the non‐fall group. (4) The percentage of insomnia and suspicious insomnia cases in the fall group was higher than that in the non‐fall group. The mean scores for dysphagia, frailty, and incontinence were higher and the mean malnutrition score was lower in the fall group than in the non‐fall group. (5) Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that frailty, insomnia, and malnutrition were independent influencing factors of fall (OR = 1.955, 1.652, 10.719, P = 0.044, 0.041, 0.025, respectively). Conclusions The incidence of falls among outpatients and inpatients aged 65 years and above is high. Frailty, insomnia, and malnutrition are the main factors influencing falls in these patients.

Abstract Along with the continuous breakthroughs and innovations in blockchain technology, various blockchain application scenarios are emerging, such as healthcare, e‐voting, and Internet of Things. However, in general, these applications need to be supported by blockchain systems with different characteristics. Different blockchain systems have significant differences in architecture, security, efficiency, and so on, which makes the exchange of information between applications have certain barriers. Therefore, the research of blockchain cross‐chain technology brings hope for breaking the information barriers between blockchain systems. This paper describes the basic principles and latest research of three mainstream cross‐chain technologies; then analyzes three innovative cross‐chain solutions of cross‐chain routing, smart contracts, and multi‐chain consensus; furthermore, discusses the application and security risks of cross‐chain technologies, and finally summarizes and outlooks on cross‐chain technologies.

The minimum error entropy (MEE) criterion finds extensive utility across diverse applications, particularly in contexts characterized by non-Gaussian noise. However, its computational demands are notable, and are primarily attributable to the double summation operation involved in calculating the probability density function (PDF) of the error. To address this, our study introduces a novel approach, termed the fast minimum error entropy (FMEE) algorithm, aimed at mitigating computational complexity through the utilization of polynomial expansions of the error PDF. Initially, the PDF approximation of a random variable is derived via the Gram–Charlier expansion. Subsequently, we proceed to ascertain and streamline the entropy of the random variable. Following this, the error entropy inherent to the linear regression model is delineated and expressed as a function of the regression coefficient vector. Lastly, leveraging the gradient descent algorithm, we compute the regression coefficient vector corresponding to the minimum error entropy. Theoretical scrutiny reveals that the time complexity of FMEE stands at O(n), in stark contrast to the O(n2) complexity associated with MEE. Experimentally, our findings underscore the remarkable efficiency gains afforded by FMEE, with time consumption registering less than 1‰ of that observed with MEE. Encouragingly, this efficiency leap is achieved without compromising accuracy, as evidenced by negligible differentials observed between the accuracies of FMEE and MEE. Furthermore, comprehensive regression experiments on real-world electric datasets in northwest China demonstrate that our FMEE outperforms baseline methods by a clear margin.

For the sake of realizing the safety detection of natural gas and petroleum pipeline welds, this paper designs a ferromagnetic pipeline weld magnetic flux leakage detector based on the calculation of the magnetic circuit of the detection probe, with the magnetization direction perpendicular to the traveling direction. The traditional pipeline magnetic flux leakage detection device uses a detection system mode in which the magnetization direction is parallel to the direction of travel. However, due to the structural characteristics of the weld, the traditional detection system mode is not applicable. Since the weld magnetic flux leakage detector needs to travel along the direction of the weld, the detector designed in this paper rotates the magnetizer 90 degrees along the direction of the weld seam so that the magnetization direction is perpendicular to the direction of travel, breaking through the technical barrier that make traditional magnetic flux leakage detection devices unsuitable for weld detection. The detection device includes a magnetizing structure, a data sampling device, and a driving and traveling device. The magnetic flux leakage signal collected by the detector is converted into a digital image in the form of a grayscale matrix. Using mathematical morphology and chain code algorithms in image processing technology, a pipeline weld defect inversion software system is developed, and a preliminary quantitative analysis of pipeline weld defects is achieved. The application of this technology enables the inspection and protection of oil and gas pipeline welds throughout their life cycle, broadens the scope of existing inspection objects, and is of great safety significance for ensuring national public security.

The benzofuran core inhibitors HCV-796, BMS-929075, MK-8876, compound 2, and compound 9B exhibit good pan-genotypic activity against various genotypes of NS5B polymerase. To elucidate their mechanism of action, multiple molecular simulation methods were used to investigate the complex systems of these inhibitors binding to GT1a, 1b, 2a, and 2b NS5B polymerases. The calculation results indicated that these five inhibitors can not only interact with the residues in the palm II subdomain of NS5B polymerase, but also with the residues in the palm I subdomain or the palm I/III overlap region. Interestingly, the binding of inhibitors with longer substituents at the C5 position (BMS-929075, MK-8876, compound 2, and compound 9B) to the GT1a and 2b NS5B polymerases exhibits different binding patterns compared to the binding to the GT1b and 2a NS5B polymerases. The interactions between the para-fluorophenyl groups at the C2 positions of the inhibitors and the residues at the binding pockets, together with the interactions between the substituents at the C5 positions and the residues at the reverse β-fold (residues 441–456), play a key role in recognition and the induction of the binding. The relevant studies could provide valuable information for further research and development of novel anti-HCV benzofuran core pan-genotypic inhibitors.

Sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) is one of the cultured species with the highest production value to a single species in China’s marine agricultural industry with high nutritional and medicinal value. Body color influences numerous biological functions in sea cucumbers, and it has become a key trait in selective breeding. It is found that a cultivation environment with strong light intensity leads to a lighter body color of A. japonicus compared to dark conditions. However, little research has been conducted on the molecular mechanisms regulating body color in different breeding environments. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing to examine gene expression patterns in green and purple A. japonicus exposed to different culture conditions. Overall, the genes in the body wall of purple individuals were more affected by the environment. We also identified pathways that were potentially influenced by the breeding environment, such as “Drug metabolism - cytochrome P450”, “Porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism”, “Phosphatidylinositol signaling system”, “TGF-beta signaling”, and “mTOR signaling”. The aim of this study was to determine the light conditions and breeding environment that are more favorable to the requirements of body color in A. japonicus and apply them to the selection of high-quality breeds. The results obtained will support the breeding of A. japonicus with specific traits and the production of seedlings to promote the development of this maricultural industry.

Most B cell lymphomas are positive for one or more B cell markers including CD19, CD20, CD79a, or PAX5. However, rare cases of mature B cell lymphoma not expressing any B cell markers have been characterized and recognized as distinct diagnostic entities by current classification guidelines, including plasmablastic lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and ALK-positive large B cell lymphoma. We present a case of pan-B cell marker negative, EBV positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma that is positive for OCT2, BOB1, and clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangement that does not meet diagnostic criteria for any B cell lymphoma by current 4th and 5th Ed beta version WHO Hematolymphoid Tumors classification. In challenging cases like the one presented, utilizing OCT2 and BOB1 immunohistochemical stains can assist in determining B cell lineage. The WHO tumor classification system should consider adding OCT2 and BOB1 as alternative B cell lineage markers into their corresponding categories.

This paper investigates the impact mechanism by which an incentive-based fertility policy may reduce the labor income share. First, the specific paths through which this impact mechanism is realized are analyzed using the production function. It is found that an incentive-based fertility policy triggers high savings, which implies more, cheaper, and more readily available capital to be invested in production. A distribution system that earns income based on factor contributions results in more gains for capital than labor, i.e., a lower share of labor income and a wider income gap between labor and capital. Second, the impact mechanism includes three theoretical hypotheses. They are that an encouraging fertility policy is negatively related to labor income share; this relationship is valid provided that the study subject is in a closed economy; and that capital intensification is a mediator variable of fertility policy affecting labor income share. Finally, to further corroborate the impact mechanism in this paper, a Hansen threshold panel model is applied to verify that the effect of fertility policy on labor income share has a threshold effect. This indicates that the effect of the former on the latter changes significantly before and after the change in fertility policy, confirming the existence of an impact mechanism. The established literature has paid little attention to the impact of incentivised fertility policies on the labour income gap. Using capital intensification as the mediating variable, this paper demonstrates the existence of the former effect on the latter. In view of this, under the encouraged fertility policy, this paper proposes specific measures to enhance the labor income share in order to narrow the income gap between labor and capital.

BackgroundDelirium is a common complication among intensive care unit (ICU) patients that is linked to negative clinical outcomes. However, adherence to the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU (PADIS guidelines), which recommend the use of the ABCDEF bundle, is sub-optimal in routine clinical care. To address this issue, AI-AntiDelirium, a nurse-led artificial intelligence-assisted prevention and management tool for delirium, was developed by our research team. Our pilot study yielded positive findings regarding the use of AI-AntiDelirium in preventing patient ICU delirium and improving activities of daily living and increasing intervention adherence by health care staff.MethodsThe proposed large-scale pragmatic, open-label, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled study will assess the impact of AI-AntiDelirium on the incidence of ICU delirium and delirium-related outcomes. Six ICUs in two tertiary hospitals in China will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an AI-AntiDelirium or a PADIS guidelines group. A target sample size of 1,452 ICU patients aged 50 years and older treated in the ICU for at least 24 hours will be included. The primary outcome evaluated will be the incidence of ICU delirium and the secondary outcomes will be the duration of ICU delirium, length of ICU and hospital stay, ICU and in-hospital mortality rates, patient cognitive function, patient activities of daily living, and ICU nurse adherence to the ABCDEF bundle.DiscussionIf this large-scale trial provides evidence of the effectiveness of AI-AntiDelirium, an artificial intelligence-assisted system tool, in decreasing the incidence of ICU delirium, length of ICU and hospital stay, ICU and in-hospital mortality rates, patient cognitive function, and patient activities of daily living while increasing ICU nurse adherence to the ABCDEF bundle, it will have a profound impact on the management of ICU delirium in both research and clinical practice.Clinical trial registrationChiCTR1900023711 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry).

As power information systems play an increasingly critical role in modern society, higher requirements are placed on the performance and reliability of their network infrastructure. In order to cope with the growing data traffic and network attack threats in the power information system, we select the power information system data center network as the research object and design an overall system solution based on software defined network, including the application layer, control layer and infrastructure layer. A typical fat tree network topology is simulated and analyzed. We define the load balancing and network topology dynamic adjustment problem as a Markov decision process, and design a data flow path acquisition method based on breadth-first search to construct the action space of each host. Then, a deep reinforcement learning algorithm based on deep Q-network, priority experience replay and target network is introduced to provide solutions for optimizing the performance of power information systems and responding to network attacks. Simulation results show that the proposed method is better than the traditional equal-cost multi-path algorithm in terms of average bandwidth utilization, average jitter and average packet loss, and can reduce the probability of network nodes being attacked by more than 11%.

Sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzenesulfonate (OBS) is a novel alternative to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), with environmental health risks largely unknown. The present study aims to unravel the adipogenesis effects and underlying molecular initiating events of OBS, which are crucial for understanding and predicting its adverse outcome. In undifferentiated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), exposure to 1–100 nM of OBS for 7 days stimulated reactive oxygen species production. In the subsequent multipotent differentiation, hMSCs favored adipogenesis and repressed osteogenesis. The point of departure (PoD) for cellular responses of OBS was 38.85 nM, higher than PFOS (0.39 nM). Notably, OBS/PFOS co-exposure inhibited osteogenesis and synergistically promoted adipogenesis. Consistently, the expression of adipogenic marker genes was up-regulated, while that of osteogenic marker genes was down-regulated. The decreased adiponectin and elevated tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) secretion were observed in differentiated cells exposed to the mixture of OBS and PFOS. The co-treatment of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) antagonist alleviated the adipogenic effects of PFOS and its combination with OBS. Moreover, OBS/PFOS co-exposure induced peroxisome PPARγ activation in reporter gene assays, and increased formation of PPARγ - retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) heterodimers measured by co-immunoprecipitation assays. Molecular docking showed interaction energy of OBS (-20.7 kcal/mol) with intact PPARγ-RXRα complex was lower than that of PFOS (-25.9 kcal/mol). Overall, single OBS exhibited lower potency in inducing adipogenesis but is comparable to PFOS in repressing osteogenesis, whereas OBS/PFOS co-exposure increases interaction with PPARγ-RXRα heterodimers, resulting in the synergistic activation of PPARγ, ultimately enhancing adipogenesis at the expense of osteogenic differentiation. The results indicate the potential health risks of increased obesity and decreased bone density caused by OBS and its co-exposure with PFOS, as well as other perfluorinated alkylated substances mixtures.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) changes the maternal metabolic and uterine environment, thus increasing the risk of short- and long-term adverse outcomes for both mother and child. Children of mothers who have GDM during their pregnancy are more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), early-onset cardiovascular disease and GDM when they themselves become pregnant, perpetuating a multigenerational increased risk of metabolic disease. The negative effect of GDM is exacerbated by maternal obesity, which induces a greater derangement of fetal adipogenesis and growth. Multiple factors, including genetic, epigenetic and metabolic, which interact with lifestyle factors and the environment, are likely to contribute to the development of GDM. Genetic factors are particularly important, with 30% of women with GDM having at least one parent with T2D. Fetal epigenetic modifications occur in response to maternal GDM, and may mediate both multi- and transgenerational risk. Changes to the maternal metabolome in GDM are primarily related to fatty acid oxidation, inflammation and insulin resistance. These might be effective early biomarkers allowing the identification of women at risk of GDM prior to the development of hyperglycaemia. The impact of the intra-uterine environment on the developing fetus, “developmental programming”, has a multisystem effect, but its influence on adipogenesis is particularly important as it will determine baseline insulin sensitivity, and the response to future metabolic challenges. Identifying the critical window of metabolic development and developing effective interventions are key to our ability to improve population metabolic health.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are essential for immune defense and have been increasingly recognized for their role in infection and inflammation. In the context of airway inflammatory diseases, there is growing evidence suggesting the involvement and significance of NETs. This review aims to provide an overview of the formation mechanisms and components of NETs and their impact on various airway inflammatory diseases, including acute lung injury/ARDS, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis. By understanding the role of NETs in airway inflammation, we can gain valuable insights into the underlying pathogenesis of these diseases and identify potential targets for future therapeutic strategies that either target NETs formation or modulate their harmful effects. Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex interactions between NETs and airway inflammation and to develop targeted therapies that can effectively mitigate their detrimental effects while preserving their beneficial functions in host defense.

Introduction: Improving the precision and real-time speed of electricity data prediction while safeguarding data privacy and security holds immense significance for all power system participants’ decision-making. To surmount the issues of exorbitant computational expenses and privacy breaches of traditional centralized prediction methods, this paper proposes a decentralized asynchronous adaptive federated learning algorithm for securely prediction of distributed power data, which makes predictions from distributed data more flexible and secure.Methods: First, each regional node trains its own deep neural network model locally. After that, the node model parameters are uploaded to the decentralized federated learning chain for ensuring local data protection. Asynchronous aggregated update of the global prediction model is then achieved via block mining and shared maintenance. The algorithm has been enhanced based on the traditional federated learning algorithm, which introduces an asynchronous mechanism while adaptively adjusting the regional node model weights and local update step size to overcomes the inefficiency of traditional methods.Results and Discussion: The experimental analysis of actual electricity price data is conducted to compare and analyze with the centralized prediction model, study the impact of model adoption and parameter settings on the results, and compare with the prediction performance of other federated learning algorithms. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper is highly accurate, efficient, and safe.

Ni(OH)2 has been extensively studied as a promising electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, enhancing its OER properties is still required and challenging. Here we reported that the OER activity of Ni(OH)2 can be improved with the structure modulation by glutamic acid (GA) through a simple co-electrodeposition process. The coordination effect of GA leads to the reduction of Ni2+ ions and enhances the generation of NiOOH sites during the activation process by cyclic voltammetry. The Ni(OH)2-GA anode shows remarkably enhanced OER activity than pristine Ni(OH)2 in alkaline media. Additionally, Fe-doping realizes further improvement in the OER activity of Ni(OH)2-GA, suggesting the possibility of achieving highly efficient electrocatalysts with cheap materials and an easy fabrication process.

AbstractPurpose The aim of this study was to develop prognostic scores, including the tumor burden score (TBS) and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, for evaluating the outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after radiofrequency ablation (RFA).Materials and Methods This retrospective study enrolled treatment-naïve HCC patients with BCLC 0-A who underwent RFA between January 2009 and December 2019. Regular follow-up was conducted after RFA to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The patients were randomly allocated to the training or validation datasets in a 1:1 ratio. Preoperative prognostic scores were developed based on the results of multivariate analysis. The discriminatory ability of the scores was assessed using time-dependent AUC and compared with other models.Results Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and TBS were identified as independent prognostic factors for PFS, while serum AFP, TBS, and ALBI were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS in HCC patients after RFA. The time-dependent AUCs of the AFP-TBS score for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS were 0.651, 0.667, and 0.620, respectively, in the training set, and 0.657, 0.687, and 0.704, respectively, in the validation set. For the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, the time-dependent AUCs were 0.680, 0.712, and 0.666, respectively, in the training set, and 0.712, 0.706 and 0.726 in the validation set for the AFP-TBS-ALBI score (ATA). The C-indices and AIC demonstrated that the scores provided better clinical benefits compared to other models.Conclusion The ATA/AT score, derived from clinical and objective laboratory variables, can assist in individually predicting the prognosis of HCC patients undergoing curative RFA.

In order to solve the problem of strength and toughness of aluminum matrix composites, TiO2/Al matrix composites were prepared by friction stir processing(FSP). The experiments were carried out by microstructure observation test, tensile test and micro-hardness test to characterize and analyze the strengthening mechanism, microstructure and mechanical properties of composites. The results show that with the introduction of TiO2, the grain has been refined, and the crystalline form of Al is change from continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX) of invisible core to the particle-stimulated nucleation mechanism by FSP. The tensile strength and microhardness of the composite are improved. When the addition amount reaches 48%（mass fraction）, the tensile strength is 456 MPa, and the hardness is 130 HV, which increases by 17% and 16%, respectively, compared with that of the unadded particles, and the elongation decreases only by 4%. TiO2 prepared by FSP can effectively improve the mechanical properties and improve the strength and toughness mismatch, which provides theoretical basis and technical reference for the application of new composite materials.

Highlights A virus-like nanoparticle (reBiosome) was developed via site-specific codon mutation for displaying unnatural amino acid (Azi) on virus envelope protein at a rational site, followed by conjugating weak acid-responsive polyethylene glycol polymer on Azi via bioorthogonal chemistry. The reBiosome exhibited reduced virus-like immunogenicity, prolonged blood circulation and enhanced delivery to weakly acidic disease foci. The reBiosome enabled efficient delivery of gene editing and gene silencing system, demonstrating remarkable therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer and arthritis, respectively.

Taking Jinding Xiehua Suli pear from Ningling County as the main raw material, lactic acid bacteria suitable for fermentation of pear juice were screened. The fermentation technology of Suli pear juice with lactic acid bacteria was optimized by orthogonal test based on single-factor experiments and the volatile component of the Suli pear juice with lactic acid bacteria after optimization were analyzed dynamically. The results showed that the best fermentation conditions were as follows: Rhamnose Lactobacillus:Lactobacillus acidophilus:Bifidum lactobacillus lactis=1:1:1 (V/V), the initial pH was 4.5, the amount of lactic acid bacteria addition was 4%, the amount of sugar addition was 10%, and the fermentation time was 50 h. Under this condition, the VC content was 14.17 mg/100 mL, the total acid content was 7.66 g/L, the total phenol content was 3.68 mg/mL, the total flavonoids content was 6.25 mg/mL, the DPPH free radical scavenging rate was 90.05%, and the sensory score was 80.60. The volatile components of Suli pear juice after 0, 30, 40 and 50 h fermentation were analyzed by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 55 volatile substances were detected. With the prolongation of fermentation time, the types and contents of volatile substances increased. There were 7 kinds of volatile components in the raw Suli pear juice, the volatile components of pear juice after 30 and 40 h fermentation were 27 kinds, and increased to 46 kinds of volatile components after 50 h fermentation when higher alcohols, higher esters and higher acids were produced in large quantities, which brought lactic acid bacteria the sour and sweet taste and unique flavor of Suli pear juice.