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Full conversion of glucose and xylose from lignocellulosic hydrolysates is required for obtaining a high ethanol yield. However, glucose and xylose share flux in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and glycolysis pathway (EMP), with glucose having a competitive advantage in the shared metabolic pathways. In this work, we knocked down ZWF1 to preclude glucose from entering the PPP. This reduced the [NADPH] level and disturbed growth on both glucose or xylose, confirming that the oxidative PPP, which begins with Zwf1p and ultimately leads to CO2 production, is the primary source of NADPH in both glucose and xylose. Upon glucose depletion, gluconeogenesis is necessary to generate glucose-6-phosphate, the substrate of Zwf1p. We re-established the NADPH regeneration pathway by replacing the endogenous NAD+-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene TDH3 with heterogenous NADP + -GAPDH genes GDH, gapB, and GDP1. Among the resulting strains, the strain BZP1 (zwf1?, tdh3::GDP1) exhibited a similar xylose consumption rate before glucose depletion, but a 1.6-fold increased xylose consumption rate following glucose depletion compared to the original strain BSGX001, and the ethanol yield for total consumed sugars of BZP1 was 13.5% higher than BSGX001. This suggested that using the EMP instead of PPP to generate NADPH reduces the wasteful metabolic cycle and excess CO2 release from oxidative PPP. Furthermore, we used a copper-repressing promoter to modulate the expression of ZWF1 and optimize the timing of turning off the ZWF1, therefore, to determine the competitive equilibrium between glucose-xylose co-metabolism. This strategy allowed fast growth in the early stage of fermentation and low waste in the following stages of fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some agriculture machinery like the transplanter, needs to operate by following the crop-free ridges. In order to improve working efficiency and quality, some autonomous navigation systems were developed and applied to ridge-following machinery. At present, agricultural navigation systems are mainly the satellite navigation system and the machine vision system. The satellite navigation system is difficult to apply to the machinery that needs to work by following the ridge because it cannot distinguish the shape of the navigated ridge and guide the machinery working along the ridge. In this study, 697 cloudy ridge images and 235 sunny ridge images were taken in the field, and these images were used as the dataset. Moreover, a machine vision navigation method based on the color of ridges was proposed. Firstly, the regions of interest (ROI) in the ridge image were extracted according to the reaction time and the forward speed of the machine. Then, a gray reconstruction method was used to enlarge the color difference between the ridge and the furrow. The optimal threshold for the gray image segmenting was calculated real-timely by using the threshold segmentation method. Then, based on the contour detection method, the ridge contour which was not surrounded by holes was extracted. Finally, the approximate quadrilateral method was proposed to recognize the ridge center line as the navigation line. The method proposed in this study was verified by four types of ridges with different colors and textures. The experimental results showed that the recognition success rates of the light ridge, the dark ridge, the film-covered ridge, and the sunny ridge were 100%, 97.5%, 100%, and 98.7%, respectively. The recognition success rate of the proposed method was at least 8% higher than that of the existing ridge-furrow recognition methods. The results indicate that this method can effectively realize navigation line recognition. This method can provide technical support for the autonomous navigation of agricultural machinery, such as transplanters, seeders, etc., operating on the ridge without crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely used in the analysis of analytes because of its unique fingerprint characteristics, high sensitivity, and fast detection response. MXene is widely used in SERS studies among the various substrates due to its ultra-high chemical stability, excellent conductivity, hydrophilicity, and low fabrication cost. This mini-review summarizes MXene's research in the SERS field from two aspects. We reviewed MXene materials used as SERS substrates alone and combined with noble metal particles primarily. Subsequently, we outlined representative applications of MXene-based SERS in biomedicine, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Moreover, we discussed the technical bottleneck and the prospect of future development in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel procedure has emerged in recent years within oilfields - namely, the utilization of a hybrid fracturing method employing pre-CO2 injection along with sand-carry slick water. In this paper, based on the real logging data of shale oil reservoirs in the second member of Cangdong Sag, Huanghua Depression, combined with the GOHFER, a coupled 3-D hydraulic fracture propagation model is proposed. This research delves into an examination of how engineering factors exert their influence on the process of fracture propagation. The quantitative analysis is conducted encompassing critical fracture parameters such as half-length, height, and width, and self-defined fracture seepage area and fracture front fractal dimension. The research findings indicate that as injection displacement increases, the fracture shape undergoes a transformation from being "long, low, and wide" to becoming "short, high, and narrow". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors and clinical characteristics of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in elderly hemodialysis patients. Methods. Elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) at Deqing County People's Hospital in Zhejiang, China, from May 2020 to May 2023 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups depending on the occurrence of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events: the case group and the control group. Results. A total of 106 patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, 49 patients experienced cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events, resulting in an incidence rate of 46.23%. According to whether cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events occurred, 57 patients were assigned to the control group, and 49 patients were assigned to the case group. Comparing the basic information and clinical indicators of the two groups, significant differences were observed in patients with hypertensive nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy (P < .05). There were also significant differences in dialysis duration, smoking history, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, uric acid, blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (TG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and PTH (parathyroid hormone) levels and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), between the two groups (P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that longer dialysis duration, higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, elevated uric acid, TC, TG, LDL-C, PTH, and blood glucose levels, smoking history, elevated PLR, and CRP were independent risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. The ROC curve showed that these risk factors predicted cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients. Conclusion. Patients with underlying diseases such as hypertensive or diabetic nephropathy are more likely to experience cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Longer dialysis duration, higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, elevated uric acid, TC, TG, LDL-C, PTH and blood glucose levels, and boosted inflammatory reaction are risk factors for these events among elderly HD patients. The purpose of this study is to provide practical guidelines for clinical treatment. Comprehensive measures such as active intervention of risk factors, rational drug use and regular examination should be taken to improve the overall health level to the greatest extent for elderly patients with high-risk HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and significance • Glioblastoma is a highly invasive brain tumor, and its treatment and management have long posed challenges in the fields of neurosurgery and oncology. This study aimed to explore the potential value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in postoperative recurrent brain gliomas using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), with the goal of providing clinicians with more precise decision-making tools. In the context of the therapeutic challenges posed by glioblastomas, this research holds significant importance. The treatment of glioblastomas typically involves surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy; however, its recurrence rate remains relatively high. Early detection of recurrence is crucial for implementing timely interventions, as it can impact patient survival and quality of life. ADC values within DWI may serve as a non-invasive tool to aid in the identification of potential recurrent lesions, thereby facilitating earlier therapeutic actions. Methods • A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 52 patients diagnosed with brain gliomas. All patients underwent MRI scans, contrast-enhanced imaging, and DWI. Based on the pathology results from the second surgery or radiological follow-up, patients were categorized into two groups: the recurrent group (31 cases) and the non-recurrent group (21 cases). The MRI diagnostic criteria followed the Chinese Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Central Nervous System Gliomas (2015 edition), and gliomas were classified into grades I-IV according to the WHO (2007 edition) pathological grading standards. Inclusion criteria encompassed postoperative pathological diagnosis of brain gliomas, absence of intracranial surgeries, brain parenchymal injuries, or other relevant medical histories, and all patients received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy with a total dose exceeding 50 Gy, coupled with chemotherapy. Exclusion criteria excluded patients diagnosed with cerebral infarction, those with other intracranial conditions such as intracranial hypertension, and individuals with hepatic or renal dysfunction or known contrast agent allergies. ADC values for both groups were separately calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed. ROC area under the curve (AUC) was employed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the two methods, along with the calculation of sensitivity (Sen) and specificity (Spe). Results • The ADCmean values (1.05 ± 0.25 mmys) and relative ADC (rADC)mean values (1.17 ± 0.38 mmys) of the recurrent group were lower than those of the non-recurrent group (1.33 ± 0.21 mmys, 1.36 ± 0.24 mmys), while the ADCmin values (1.03 ± 0.18 mmys) and ADCmax values (1.19 ± 0.21 mmys) of the recurrent group were lower than those of the non-recurrent group (1.21 ± 0.12 mmys, 1.35 ± 0.17 mmys), with statistically significant differences (P < .05). The AUC of ADCmean was 0.785, with Sen and Spe of 93.75% and 55%, respectively. The AUC of rADCmean was 0.702, with Sen and Spe of 86.2% and 65.21%, respectively. The AUC of ADCmin was 0.824, with Sen and Spe of 86.66% and 68.18%, respectively. The AUC of ADCmax is 0.715, with Sen and Spe of 77.77% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion • The results of this study demonstrated the potential clinical utility of ADC values in the diagnosis of postoperative recurrence in gliomas. ROC analysis revealed that ADC values exhibited a high diagnostic accuracy, with the AUC reflecting their discriminative ability between the recurrence and nonrecurrence groups. This finding may assist clinical practitioners in more precisely assessing patients’ risk of recurrence, further optimizing treatment strategies, and enhancing both survival rates and quality of life. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge several limitations in this study. Firstly, the relatively small sample size may limit the generalizability of the results. Additionally, due to the observational nature of this study, larger-scale and multicenter research is still required to validate these findings. Lastly, ADC values are influenced by various factors, including technical parameters and equipment variations, which necessitate further standardization and calibration efforts. Thus, while the results of this study hold promise for improving the management of glioma patients, further research is warranted to fully understand their potential clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching quality assurance has become a common concern and a common pursuit for institutions of higher learning around the world. This paper takes teaching quality as a governance issue in higher education, as different governance systems entail different approaches to quality assurance. Through a detailed examination of the Chinese system in teaching administration in comparison with the Canadian system, this study aims to provide insights on different approaches to teaching quality assurance in more centralised and decentralised governance structures. Based on the findings of this study, no winner can be declared between centralised and decentralised systems in the area of teaching quality assurance. Instead, the study points to different strengths in each system. With more local autonomy, the decentralised system better respects disciplinary uniqueness and academic freedom in teaching. With more national planning, the centralised system secures a system-wide threshold in teaching quality and an optimal long-term development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While cryoablation (CA) and microwave ablation (MWA) have both been implemented as approaches to the treatment of adrenal metastasis (AM), the outcomes associated with these two therapeutic strategies remain unclear. Aim: To compare the safety and efficacy of CA and MWA as treatments for AM in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Material and methods: Consecutive patients with AM secondary to NSCLC from January 2015 to December 2020 underwent CA or MWA. Treatment-related outcomes and complications were retrospectively compared between these groups. Results: In total, 68 NSCLC patients with isolated AM were enrolled in this study, of whom 35 and 33 underwent treatment with CA and MWA, respectively. Primary complete ablation rates in the CA and MWA groups were 91.4% (32/35) and 93.9% (31/33) respectively (p = 1.000), while a 100% secondary complete ablation rate was observed for both groups. Hypertensive crisis incidence affected 11.4% (4/35) and 9.1% (3/33) of patients in the CA and MWA groups (p = 1.000), respectively, while 8 (22.9%) and 8 (24.2%) patients in these corresponding groups experienced local progression after ablation that was detected during the follow-up period (p = 0.893). Patients in the CA and MWA groups exhibited a median progression-free survival of 18 and 22 months, respectively (p = 0.411), while the corresponding median overall survival of patients in these groups was 25 and 29 months (p = 0.786). Conclusions: CT-guided CA and MWA appear to exhibit similar safety and efficacy profiles when employed to treat isolated AM in NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent high-risk HPV infection is closely associated with cervical cancer development, and there is no drug targeting HPV on the market at present, so it is particularly important to understand the interaction mechanism between HPV and the host which may provide the novel strategies for treating HPV diseases. HPV can hijack cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) as primary receptors. However, the secondary entry receptors for HPV remain elusive. We identify myosin-9 (NMHC-IIA) as a host factor that interacts with HPV L1 protein and mediates HPV internalization. Efficient HPV entry required myosin-9 redistribution to the cell surface regulated by HPV-hijacked MEK-MLCK signaling. Myosin-9 maldistribution by ML-7 or ML-9 significantly inhibited HPV pseudoviruses infection in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, N-glycans, especially the galactose chains, may act as the decoy receptors for HPV, which can block the interaction of HPV to myosin-9 and influence the way of HPV infection. Taken together, we identify myosin-9 as a novel functional entry receptor for high-risk HPV both in vitro and in vivo, and unravel the new roles of myosin-9 and N-glycans in HPV entry, which provides the possibilities for host targets of antiviral drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MICAL-like 2 belongs to a multi-domain protein family and involves in a series of biological processes. However, the expression patterns and biological functions of this gene during embryonic development have not been well characterized. Here, the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio) is utilized to examine the gene expression and its roles in vascular development. Whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis demonstrates that zebrafish micall2a is a maternal gene that commences to express at the zygote stage, and continues to larval stage. Moreover, micall2a is dynamically expressed in zebrafish developing vascular system during a time window encompassing many key steps in embryonic vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Loss-of-function of micall2a in zebrafish embryos leads to deficiency in caudal vein plexus (CVP) formation, while the dorsal aorta (DA), posterior cardinal vein (PCV), and intersegmental vessels (ISVs) are not influenced. Our study suggests a role of MICALL2 in vascular development and offers a potential therapeutic target for vascular associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most valuable feature of the CRISPR system, the programmability based on Watson-Crick base pairing has been widely exploited in engineering RNA sensors. The base pairing in these systems offers a connection between the RNA of interest and the CRISPR effector, providing a highly specific mechanism for RNA detection both in vivo and in vitro. In the last decade, despite the many successful RNA sensing approaches developed during the era of CRISPR explosion, a deeper understanding of the characteristics of CRISPR systems and the continuous expansion of the CRISPR family members indicates that the CRISPR-based RNA sensor remains a promising area from which a variety of new functions and applications can be engineered. Here, we present a systematic overview of the various strategies of engineering CRISPR gRNA for programmable RNA detection with an aim to clarify the role of gRNA's programmability among the present limitations and future development of CRISPR-enabled RNA sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random and fluctuating wind speeds make it difficult to stabilize the wind-power output, which complicates the execution of wind-farm control systems and increases the response frequency. In this study, a novel prediction model for ultrashort-term wind-speed prediction in wind farms is developed by combining a deep belief network, the Elman neural network, and the Hilbert-Huang transform modified using an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. The experimental results show that the prediction results of the proposed deep neural network is better than that of shallow neural networks. Although the complexity of the model is high, the accuracy of wind-speed prediction and stability are also high. The proposed model effectively improves the accuracy of ultrashort-term wind-speed forecasting in wind farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal pneumonia (NP) is a frequently occurring illness during the neonatal phase. The study investigated the molecular process and the role of microRNA (miR)-29a-3p in NP. Peripheral blood was collected from NP patients and healthy newborns. Human lung fibroblasts cell line (WI-38) were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) to establish a cellular model for NP. Then, miR-29a-3p and Krüppel-like Factor 4 (KLF4) levels were detected by RT-qPCR or Western blot. The relationship between miR-29a-3p and KLF4 was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Cell survival was assessed using the CCK-8 assay, whereas the levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β were quantified using ELISA. Additionally, apoptosis was evaluated through flow cytometry. Meanwhile, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by RT-qPCR. Neonatal rats were administered LPS intraperitoneally (3 mg/kg) to induce NP, and pathological injury and inflammatory reaction were analyzed. MiR-29a-3p was elevated but KLF4 was silenced in NP patient's serum, LPS-treated WI-38 cell line, and LPS-treated newborn rats. Silence of miR-29a-3p or elevation of KLF4 constrained cell proliferation with inflammation of LPS-treated WI-38 cell line. MiR-29a-3p immediately targeted KLF4. Additionally, silence of miR-29a-3p alleviated LPS-stimulated lung injury and inflammation in neonatal rats. The protective action of silenced miR-29a-3p in LPS-treated WI-38 cell line and newborn rats was turned around by silencing KLF4. This study demonstrates originally that miR-29a-3p boosts inflammatory damage in NP via targeting KLF4, offering a basis for clinically diagnosing and treating NP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The telencephalon and eye in mammals are originated from adjacent fields at the anterior neural plate. Morphogenesis of these fields generates telencephalon, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretina along a spatial axis. How these telencephalic and ocular tissues are specified coordinately to ensure directional retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon growth is unclear. Here, we report self-formation of human telencephalon-eye organoids comprising concentric zones of telencephalic, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretinal tissues along the center-periphery axis. Initially-differentiated RGCs grew axons towards and then along a path defined by adjacent PAX2+ VSX2+ optic-disc cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of these organoids not only confirmed telencephalic and ocular identities but also identified expression signatures of early optic-disc, optic-stalk, and RGCs. These signatures were similar to those in human fetal retinas. Optic-disc cells in these organoids differentially expressed FGF8 and FGF9; FGFR inhibitions drastically decreased early RGC differentiation and directional axon growth. Through the RGC-specific cell-surface marker CNTN2 identified here, electrophysiologically excitable RGCs were isolated under a native condition. Our findings provide insight into the coordinated specification of early telencephalic and ocular tissues in humans and establish resources for studying RGC-related diseases such as glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese medicine gynecology hinge on the crucial roles of Chong Mai and Ren Mai, the penetrating and conception vessels, respectively. These extraordinary vessels hold sway over female reproductive health. Chong Mai regulates blood flow, menstruation, and yang essence, while Ren Mai orchestrates yin balance and essence preservation. Imbalances in these vessels underlie many gynecological disorders. Existing literature lacks comprehensive insights into their physiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. This paper fills the gap, exploring their pathways, functions, and etiological factors. It aims to provide a vital resource for practitioners, enhancing understanding and therapeutic strategies for Chong and Ren-related conditions in Chinese medicine gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the clinical significance of C-reactive protein, leukocyte and immunoglobulin in the diagnosis and treatment of infantile pneumonia at acute stage. From January to December 2018, a total of 124 children with pneumonia and healthy children admitted to our hospital were selected as study objects. Among them, 62 children diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia were categorized as the study group, and 62 healthy children who came for physical examination were classified as the control group. The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) and immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM and IgG) were observed and compared in the two groups. In this study, higher levels of CRP, IgM, IgG and WBC, along with lower level of IgA were observed in the study group as compared with that in the control group. In the study group, the levels of CRP, IgM, IgG and WBC were lower, but the IgA level was higher in children with mild pneumonia than those with severe pneumonia. After treatment, the levels of CRP, IgM, IgG and WBC were decreased but IgA level was increased after treatment compared with before treatment. In particular, the levels of CRP, WBC, IgA, IgM and IgG in the study group after treatment were restored to comparable levels compared with the control group. Therefore, C-reactive protein, leukocyte and immunoglobulin can be used to determine the diagnosis, condition and outcome of children with pneumonia in the acute stage. This study can provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment of infantile pneumonia based on the alterations of these indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the widespread application of IoT by enterprises, enterprise IoT is facing increasingly complex and frequent malicious attack threats. To effectively detect malicious attacks in enterprise IoT and timely take corresponding security protection measures, an intelligent detection method was proposed for malicious attacks in enterprise IoT based on graph neural networks. Pre-processing enterprise IoT data, extracting data features, analyzing data packet transmission characteristics, and employing a graph neural network to extract time series features were involved in this method. To mitigate feature gradient disappearance, additional connections were incorporated. Data containing interactive nodes was filtered using these features, and a threelayer model was established for classifying the data, thus facilitating intelligent detection of malicious attacks. Experimental results show that this method can accurately describe the changing characteristics of malicious attacks on enterprise IoT and overcome the shortcomings of current malicious attacks on enterprise IoT. It achieves a 100% accuracy rate on the KDD (Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining) Cup 1999 dataset and enterprise IoT and is consistent with the imported data information. The average malicious node detection rate of this method is 97.26% on the two datasets. The method outperforms node-centered control algorithms, mutual information-based methods, and GWBLSSVM joint methods. The proposed intelligent detection method exhibits strong feasibility, high accuracy, and important practical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind farms, as an important renewable energy source to combat climate change, have had explosive development in recent years. Assessing impacts of wind farms on atmospheric and marine environments requires an accurate parameterization of wind farms in atmospheric models. The current wind farm parameterization scheme (Fitch et al. 2012) in WRF plays an important role in the study of impacts of wind farms. The scheme, however, has some shortfalls, e.g., does not consider the wind wake behind turbines inside a grid cell. In this research, the Fitch scheme in WRF is modified by inclusion of the wake effect of wind turbines. Based on an engineering wake model of a turbine, a wake superposition coefficient and an angle correction coefficient are proposed. A solution model for the inflow wind speed is established to obtain the angle correction coefficient. Other coefficients in the engineering wake model are calculated based on the CFD results. These coefficients are added in the WRF to improve the wind farm parameterization, and sensitivity experiments are conducted. Model results show that the new improved scheme significantly increases wind energy, output power and turbulent kinetic energy in the wind farm area compared with the original scheme. Sensitivity experiments also reveal that, with enlarged model grid size and shortened turbine spacing, the subgrid wake effect becomes more significant, and the new scheme shows more advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at identifying the structure and traits of college counselors' professional personality. Following existing methodology in conducting face-to-face and open-ended interviews, specialist evaluations, and a literature review, we develop a pilot test questionnaire measuring college counselors' professional personality traits (79 questions) based on salient data collected from a random sample of 2372 university/college students across China. We also conduct explorative factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to construct the formal "scale for college counselors' professional personality traits" (SCCPPT, 45 terms) using SPSS 20.0 and LISREL 8.80 software. The results show that this scale features a second-order, 5-factor structure covering the following five dimensions of professional personality: dutifulness, loyalty, affinity, dedication, and innovation. The findings indicate that the reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) of these five factors ranges from 0.741 to 0.952 and that their validity is supported. Identifying their professional personality enables college counselors to have a more sustainable career and promote the faster growth and higher quality development of students, and the SCCPPT can be used as a measurement tool, supporting research on college counselors' professional personality. Thus, this study expands both the theoretical and practical literature concerning professional personality traits. It can also provide a novel perspective, which can help global educators understand Chinese higher education; it is also a reference with international implications for professional groups of student affair administrators or instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let ... be the linear processes, where faj, j 2 Zg is an absolutely summable sequence of real numbers and ... is a sequence of real stationary independent random variables under the sub-linear expectation space ðX,H, EÞ: In the framework of sub-linear expectation space, the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition of linear processes and the subadditivity of capacity are used to establish the large deviation principle for linear processes in the sense of upper probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of shale gas well drilling in the southern Sichuan Basin, China, lost circulation of high-density oil-based drilling fluid has become a main challenge. In this study, a novel oil-based crosslinking-curing lost circulation material (OBCC-LCM) system applicable for 100-150 °C shale formation was developed based on polyether, isocyanates and blocking agent. The performance of OBCC-LCM pills was comprehensively evaluated by testing fluidity, setting time, strength, elasticity and fracture sealing capacity. The OBCC-LCM pill setting time could be controlled in 70-120 min. The strength of the pill solid was 5.27-6.51 MPa after 360 min heating, and the volume almost restored to the original states after being compressed by 70%. The pill sealed fractures up to 5 mm wide under a differential pressure of 5.2-6.1 MPa, and a higher maximum fracture sealing capacity when being jointly used with bridging LCMs. The OBCC-LCM clearly demonstrated superior performance of good pumpability at room temperature, stability under high temperature, compatibility with oil-based drilling fluids, adaptability with various fracture widths and sustainability in induced fracture. It is suitable for curing loss of induced fracture in low permeability formation and loss of oil-based drilling fluid, especially for loss of oil-based drilling fluid in shale formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality of heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains high. The aim of the present study was to analyze hub genes and immune infiltration in patients with AMI and heart failure (HF). The study utilized five publicly available gene expression datasets from peripheral blood in patients with AMI who either developed or did not develop HF. The unbiased patterns of 24 immune cell were estimated by xCell algorithm. Single-cell RNA sequencing data were used to examine the immune cell infiltration in heart failure patients. Hub genes were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR). In comparison with the coronary heart disease (CHD) group, immune infiltration analysis of AMI patients showed that macrophages M1, macrophages, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and NKT cells were the five most highly activated cell types. Five common immune-related genes (S100A12, AQP9, CSF3R, S100A9, and CD14) were identified as hub genes associated with AMI. Using RT-qPCR, we confirmed FOS, DUSP1, CXCL8, and NFKBIA as the potential biomarkers to identify AMI patients at risk of HF. The study identified several transcripts that differentiate between AMI and CHD, and between HF and non-HF patients. These findings could improve our understanding of the immune response in AMI and HF, and allow for early identification of AMI patients at risk of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the lens of performance study, this article analyzes five sacrificial texts that are read or sung in ritual performances worshipping ancestors (and deities) organized by the Chen and Wang lineages in Qimen County, Huangshan City, traditionally known as part of Huizhou area. Viewing these texts in a communicative process rather than as static and isolated items, I firstly entextualize them and find them to be structured in a set of distinctive communicative means or keying devices such as special formulae, parallelism, and archaism, which aim at the arousal and fulfillment of formal expectations to evoke the resonant associations among audiences. The sacrificial texts are then recontextualized in different communicative events to endow the aesthetic forms with social meanings. I find that the keying devices of sacrificial texts and their interactive processes within the ritual performances establish the ancestral authority in an imperial metaphor that both reflects and shapes current social and political realities. This article aims to facilitate a better understanding of generic flexibility, form-function relationship, and text-ritual interplay in theoretical concerns across disciplines such as folklore, anthropology, history, and literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important technique for converting 2D videos into 3D is depth image-based rendering (DIBR), which creates virtualized perspectives with textured images and corresponding depth maps. Yet, the majority of the currently used methods struggle in handling the disocclusion holes in warped virtual images. This research presents a unique deep learningbased disocclusion hole-filling approach in stereoscopic vision synthesis as a solution to this issue. Firstly, we explicitly take into account some particular limitations of the synthesized virtual views and designate them as scene influence maps in the network, which might offer some significant extra scene cues to lessen hallucinated content mixing among various layers. Then, an enhanced directional scene influence map, which diffuses using a novel anisotropic diffusion equation under consistent stereoscopic constraints, is further investigated for efficient disocclusion hole filling. Empirical analyses and comparisons on the Middlebury and KITTI datasets confirmed that our approach outperforms previous deep learning-based generative inpainting algorithms for disocclusion hole filling in the warped views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional (3-D) 3d-4f polyoxometalate (POM), [Gd2Cu(SiW12O40)(Hpca)4(pca)4(H2O)3]·(Hpca)2·H2O (1) (Hpca = isonicotinic acid, abbreviated as Cu-Gd-CP), was synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, TG, IR, and Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra. The Gd3+ ions have two different coordination modes, which correspond to distinct kinds of dinuclear secondary building units, ([Gd12(Hpca)4(pca)4(H2O)2] and [Gd22(Hpca)4(pca)4(H2O)4]). Thus, there are two different types of pores (pore A and pore B) filled by free Hpca molecules in Cu-Gd-CP. The Hpac molecules in pore A are oriented perpendicular to each other in pore B. The electrochemical potential of Cu-Gd-CP is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver metastasis represents one of the most frequent malignant diseases with no effective treatment. Functional reprogramming of Kupffer cells (KCs), the largest population of hepatic macrophages, holds promise for treating liver cancer, but remains seldom exploited. Taking advantage of the superior capacity of KCs to capture circulating bacteria, we report that a single administration of attenuated Escherichia coli producing clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats CasF (CRISPR/CasF) machinery enables efficient editing of genes of interest in KCs. Using intravital microscopy, we observed a failure of tumor control by KCs at the late stage of liver metastasis due to KC loss preferentially in the tumor core and periphery, resulting in inaccessibility of these highly phagocytic macrophages to cancer cells. Simultaneous disruption of MafB and c-Maf expression using the aforementioned engineered bacteria could overcome KC dysfunction and elicit remarkable curative effects against several types of metastatic liver cancer in mice. Mechanistically, bacterial treatment induced massive proliferation and functional reprogramming of KCs. These cells infiltrated into the tumor, dismantled macrometastases by nibbling cancer cells, and skewed toward proinflammatory macrophages to unleash antitumor T cell responses. These findings provide an immunotherapy strategy that could be applicable for treating liver metastasis and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting tissue-resident macrophages in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of the Internet economy, online furniture sales are increasingly becoming an important channel for consumers to purchase furniture. In order to investigate the influencing factors of consumers' preference for purchasing furniture online, this paper aims to find out the influencing factors of online furniture consumption and their weight relations by using the literature research method and Delphi method to clarify the influencing factors of online furniture consumption, followed by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), from the Target Level, Criterion Level, and Sub-criterion Level. Weight analysis was carried out on the influencing factors of online furniture consumption. The three primary indicators included Personal Factor, Product Factor, and Service Factor. The 16 secondary indicators included Personality Traits, Revenue, Occupation, etc. An index system model was established for online furniture consumption based on the above factors. It was concluded that consumers are most influenced by the price of furniture among Product factors when choosing online furniture. The findings were consistent with the AHP model data when tested using a grey prediction model. The data from this study can therefore provide an important reference for online furniture product development and marketing promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transketolase (TKT), an enzyme in the non-oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), bi-directionally regulates the carbon flux between the PPP and glycolysis. Loss of TKT in adipose tissues decreased glycolysis and increased lipolysis and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) expression, protecting mice from high-fat diet-induced obesity. However, the role of TKT in brown adipose tissue (BAT)-dependent glucose homeostasis under normal chow diet remains to be elucidated. We found that TKT ablation increased levels of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), promoting glucose uptake and glycogen accumulation in BAT. Using the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model, we discovered that enhanced glucose uptake due to TKT deficiency in BAT contributed to decreasing blood glucose and weight loss, protecting mice from STZ-induced diabetes. Mechanistically, TKT deficiency decreased the level of thioredoxin-interacting protein, a known inhibitor for GLUT4, by decreasing NADPH and glutathione levels and inducing oxidative stress in BAT. Therefore, our data reveal a new role of TKT in regulating the anti-diabetic function of BAT as well as glucose homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the computations of the action ground state for a rotating nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. It reads as a minimization of the action functional under the Nehari constraint. In the focusing case, we identify an equivalent formulation of the problem which simplifies the constraint. Based on it, we propose a normalized gradient flow method with asymptotic Lagrange multiplier and establish the energy-decaying property. Popular optimization methods are also applied to gain more efficiency. In the defocusing case, we prove that the ground state can be obtained by the unconstrained minimization. Then the direct gradient flow method and unconstrained optimization methods are applied. Numerical experiments show the convergence and accuracy of the proposed methods in both cases, and comparisons on the efficiency are discussed. Finally, the relation between the action and the energy ground states is numerically investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does excessive cold weather in the summer or abnormally warm weather in the winter precipitate a widespread disease or epidemic the following year? Does humid damp weather conclude an epidemic or infectious disease in the coming seasons? Classical Chinese medicine theory confirms this hypothesis, while modern drug developers doubt it. Climate abnormalities and diseases are interconnected in many cultural traditions. But modern medicine severs those relationships. Nonetheless, despite modern day skepticism, the exploration of these connections have never completely diminished. Rather, the insurgence of SARS, Bird Flu, and Swine Flu have revived the strong interest of better understanding these patterns and relationships with climate change. How does the abnormality of climate change affect the human health? How does the abnormality of climate change cause ill-health or epidemic diseases? How does acupuncture treatment intervene in these climate abnormality-related health conditions? These questions are meticulously discussed in the seventy-second chapter of the Yellow Emperor's Classic Medicine: Discussion on Acupuncture Method. This is one of the two lost chapters in the original text. It was until the Song Dynasty (960-1279) that scholars and practitioners of acupuncture reconstructed this chapter. Discussion on Acupuncture Method is believed to be the most important summary in history on manipulating the technique of acupuncture after the Yellow Emperor's Classic Medicine and the Classic of Difficult Issues. It emphasizes reducing, reinforcing, and timing of acupuncture and health recovery after acupuncture treatment. In this literature, acupuncture methods are discussed in the context of unity between human and nature and specifically, how human diseases are affected by climate changes and the cyclical phenomena of nature. A prerequisite for studying this literature is the familiarity with the heavenly stems, earthly branches, five movements, six qi, and the sexagenary cycle for years. First, these concepts and theories will be introduced and reviewed before we address the acupuncture methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are biotoxins derived from harmful algal blooms and cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). PSTs are widely found in natural waters, indicating that they can cause human death through food chain and economic losses of aquatic species worldwide. Therefore, accurate, sensitive, and efficient methods are needed for the detection of PSTs in the environment and food. Biosensor is one of the fastest-growing detection methods since they are simple, sensitive, portable, and efficient for real-time or near real-time analyses. This article provides a comprehensive review of PSTs biosensors by highlighting different signaling mechanisms (electrochemical, optical, etc.). Typically, the effects of the generation of bio-recognition elements on PSTs sensing performance to expand new biosensors applications which were highlighted. Although mouse bioassay and HPLC are the current methods used for PSTs detection, biosensor could become an alternative method for PSTs detection in the future. Although antibodies are the most popular affinity-based recognition elements, aptamers have been rapidly developed in recent years to mimic antibodies. As a result, biosensor detection of PSTs mainly focuses on electrochemical and optical signal transduction. Nonetheless, robust, accurate, and portable biosensors are needed for real application and commercialization. [Display omitted] • MerIts and demerits of bio-recognition elements for detceting PSTs were summarized. • Recent advanced biosensors methods for paralytic shellfish toxins was reviewed. • Electrochemical and optical signal transduction based biosensors had been strengthen. • AntiBodies and adaptors showed potential for development of practical biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal meroterpenoids are important bioactive natural products. Their biosynthetic machineries are highly diverse, and reconstitutions lead to the production of unnatural meroterpenoids. In this study, heterologous gene expression in Aspergillus oryzae and in vitro assays elucidated the biosynthetic pathway of the orthoester-containing fungal meroterpenoid austalide F. Remarkably, the a-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenase AstB produces the hemiacetal intermediate, and the methyltransferase AstL transfers a methyl group on it to construct the orthoester functionality. This study presents the extraordinary orthoester biosynthetic machinery and provides valuable insights into the creation of unnatural novel bioactive meroterpenoids through engineered biosynthesis. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are rich in tea plants (Camellia sinensis), and responsible for the flavor and healthful benefits of tea beverage. The anthocyanin levels in the purple tender shoots are higher than in the general green leaves of tea plant, which provide special materials to search metabolic mechanisms of flavonoid enrichment in plant. In this work, flavonoid differences between purple and green shoots from tea cultivars "Zijuan" (ZJ) and "Yunkang10" (YK-10) were investigated through metabolomic analysis, and mechanisms for their difference were surveyed by comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. Levels of 34 flavonoids were different between ZJ and YK-10 shoots. Among them, 8 and 6 were marker metabolites in ZJ and YK-10, respectively. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and different-level metabolites (DLMs) between ZJ and YK-10 were researched, respectively; and interactions including DEG-DLM, DEP-DLM, DEG-DEP, and DEG-DEP-DLM were analyzed; the contents of 18 characteristic flavonoids in tea leaves and expressions of 34 flavonoid metabolic genes were measured to verify the omics results. Integrated above analyses, a proposed model of flavonoids biosynthesis in tea shoots were established. The differential expression of the leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), anthocyanidin reductase (ANR), UDPG-flavonoid glucosyltransferase (UGT) 75L12 and 94P1 at gene level, and the ANS, ANR, and UGT78A15 at protein level, were closely associated with differences in flavonoids between ZJ and YK-10 shoot. Together, this study provides new information on the flavonoid accumulation mechanism in tea plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir identification and production prediction are two of the most important tasks in petroleum exploration and development. Machine learning (ML) methods are used for petroleum-related studies, but have not been applied to reservoir identification and production prediction based on reservoir identification. Production forecasting studies are typically based on overall reservoir thickness and lack accuracy when reservoirs contain a water or dry layer without oil production. In this paper, a systematic ML method was developed using classification models for reservoir identification, and regression models for production prediction. The production models are based on the reservoir identification results. To realize the reservoir identification, seven optimized ML methods were used: four typical single ML methods and three ensemble ML methods. These methods classify the reservoir into five types of layers: water, dry and three levels of oil (I oil layer, II oil layer, III oil layer). The validation and test results of these seven optimized ML methods suggest the three ensemble methods perform better than the four single ML methods in reservoir identification. The XGBoost produced the model with the highest accuracy; up to 99%. The effective thickness of I and II oil layers determined during the reservoir identification was fed into the models for predicting production. Effective thickness considers the distribution of the water and the oil resulting in a more reasonable production prediction compared to predictions based on the overall reservoir thickness. To validate the superiority of the ML methods, reference models using overall reservoir thickness were built for comparison. The models based on effective thickness outperformed the reference models in every evaluation metric. The prediction accuracy of the ML models using effective thickness were 10% higher than that of reference model. Without the personal error or data distortion existing in traditional methods, this novel system realizes rapid analysis of data while reducing the time required to resolve reservoir classification and production prediction challenges. The ML models using the effective thickness obtained from reservoir identification were more accurate when predicting oil production compared to previous studies which use overall reservoir thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a major cause of mortality related to cancer worldwide. This paper dissected the functions of the CSTF2T/ASH2L/CALB2 axis in PAAD progression. CALB2 expression was assessed in PAAD tissues and cells using RT-qPCR and western blot. Subsequent to gain- and loss-offunction experiments in PAAD cells, cell apoptosis, invasion, proliferation, and migration were examined using flow cytometry, Transwell, CCK-8, and Scratch assays. Additionally, the expression of proliferation markers and apoptotic and metastasis- and invasion-related proteins was measured using western blot. The relationship among CALB2, KMT2D, ASH2L, H3K4Me1, and CSTF2T was evaluated using ChIP, RNA pull-down, RIP, and Co-IP assays. A nude mouse transplantation tumor model was established, with observation of tumor growth and metastasis. CALB2 expression was high in PAAD tissues and cells. Mechanistically, KMT2D was enriched in the CALB2 promoter, and CSTF2T bound to and upregulated ASH2L as a RNA binding protein, which was a core component of the KMT2D complex to enhance CALB2 expression through H3K4Me1 upregulation. CALB2 knockdown diminished the viability, invasion, and migration but elevated the apoptosis of PAAD cells. Likewise, CSTF2T knockdown suppressed the growth and metastasis of PAAD cells and transplanted tumors in nude mice, which was counteracted by further CALB2 overexpression. CSTF2T knockdown blocked the ASH2L/CALB2 axis to protect against PAAD growth and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaky ReLU network with a group sparse regularization term has been widely used in the recent years. However, training such network yields a non-smooth nonconvex optimization problem and there exists a lack of approaches to compute a stationary point deterministically. In this paper, we first resolve the multi-layer composite term in the original optimization problem by introducing auxiliary variables and additional constraints. We show the new model has a nonempty and bounded solution set and its feasible set satisfies the Mangasarian-Fromovitz constraint qualification. Moreover, we show the relationship between the new model and the original problem. Remarkably, we propose an inexact augmented Lagrangian algorithm for solving the new model, and show the convergence of the algorithm to a KKT point. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our algorithm is more efficient for training sparse leaky ReLU neural networks than some well-known algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigate a second-order optomechanically induced transparency process of a cigarshaped dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate with nonlinear collisions trapped inside an optomechanical cavity. We find that atomic collisions provide linear couplings, which facilitate the mechanical mixing of the dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate. We derive analytical expressions of the output transmission intensity of the probe field and the dimensionless amplitude of the second-order sideband. The numerical results show that the transmission intensity and the dimensionless amplitude of the second-order sideband can be controlled by the control field intensities, the effective detuning, and the effective coupling strength of the Bogoliubov mode of the dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate and optical mode. Furthermore, the interspecies and intraspecies interactions are also used to control the transmission intensity and the dimensionless amplitude of the second-order sideband. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the flavor characteristics of Chinese pancakes, the aroma and taste compounds of seven traditional Chinese pancakes were identified. The results showed that electronic nose (E-nose) analysis with PCA could successfully distinguish the aroma profiles of seven Chinese pancakes; the principal components PC1 and PC2 represented 75.74% and 23.2% of the total variance (98.94%) respectively. Meanwhile, the discrimination index of taste profiles of seven Chinese pancakes based on electronic tongue (E-tongue) analysis with LDA was 99.32%; the discriminant factors DF1 and DF2 represented 94.99% and 4.33% of the total variance respectively. Furthermore, GC-MS results demonstrated that thirty-three flavor compounds were identified in seven Chinese pancakes, including aldehydes, alcohols, alkanes, acids, and aromatics. Among the flavor components, aldehydes with ROAVs higher than 1 contributed most significantly to the overall aroma, such as (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal present the largest contribution in Qingzhou pancake, Jinan and Yishui pancake; hexanal present the largest contribution in Shenxian and Gaomi pancake; nonanal and benzeneacetaldehyde present the largest contribution in Linqu and Tai'an pancake, respectively. The umami and sweet taste amino acids were the most abundant in all the Chinese pancake samples, and Qingzhou pancake had relatively high amino acid content. The content of glucose was higher than maltose in Gaomi, Shenxian, and Tai'an pancakes, whereas the content of maltose was higher than glucose in Linqu, Qingzhou, Jinan, and Yishui pancakes. These results indicated that the aroma and taste profiles of Chinese pancakes differed significantly in terms of their flavor compound composition. The presented results could be beneficial for providing a comprehensive method for flavor profile identification of traditional whole-grain-based staples such as Chinese pancakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about a model that has been developed a model to predict the outcome of dysphagia in stroke patients receiving nasogastric tube feeding. Topics include predictive model was based on the Barthel index at admission, lip closing status, ability to answer simple questions, and functional independence before stroke; and optimal cutoff point is a functional status before stroke appeared to affect nasogastric tube removal before discharge from the rehabilitation ward.

Context: Isoorientin has many biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor. However, the effect of isoorientin on postmenopausal osteoporosis remains unclear. Objective: To evaluate the effect of isoorientin on postmenopausal osteoporosis. Materials and methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n=5): sham, model, 17-b-oestradiol (E2, 10 µg/kg/day), low-dose isoorientin (L-Iso, 50mg/kg), and high-dose isoorientin (H-Iso, 100mg/kg). The rats were ovariectomized, treated by gavage daily for 12weeks, and serum and femur samples were collected. Bone mineral density, bone metabolism, and oxidative stress were assessed. H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were employed. Results: Isoorientin improved the bone mineral density of the lumbar vertebrae (2.01 ± 0.05 g/cm³ in HIso group vs. 1.74 ± 0.07 g/cm³ in model group) and femur (1.46 ± 0.06 g/cm³ vs. 1.19 ± 0.03 g/cm³), increased the trabecular bone number (1.97 ± 0.03 vs. 1.18 ± 0.13) and thickness (0.27 ± 0.02 vs. 0.16 ± 0.03 mm). Isoorientin decreased the separation degree of trabecular bone, ameliorated bone histomorphology changes, and significantly improved the mechanical properties. Isoorientin diminished MDA (by 60%) and increased SOD (by 49.2%), and GSH-Px (by 159%) activity. Furthermore, osteoprotegerin (OPG), nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2), haem oxygenase (HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1(NQO1), and oestrogen receptor 1(ESR1) protein expression increased, while receptor activator of nuclear factor-jB ligand (RANKL) protein expression decreased after treatment. Conclusions: Isoorientin ameliorates osteoporosis via upregulating OPG and Nrf2/ARE signalling, suggesting isoorientin maybe a potential therapeutic drug for PMOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the positive legacies of extreme droughts in inner glasslands in Mongolia and their underlying mechanisms. Topics discussed include an increase in annuals as a result of severe droughts, the legacy effects of different levels of precipitation, and the mechanisms explaining the thriving of annuals under drought treatments.

Introduction: Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most prevalent causes of hearing impairment and occupational diseases. Although multiple factors lead to noise-induced hearing loss, prevention and protection strategies remain limited. Studies in the past decade have employed antioxidants, especially N-acetyl-cysteine, to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluated the effect of N-acetyl-cysteine on the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. Material and methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis included relevant studies from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science by using related terms. The study only included randomized controlled trials in meta-analyses and assessed the quality of the identified randomized controlled trials by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Two authors extracted and calculated data on characteristics and hearing threshold. The results are presented as weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: This study identified five randomized controlled trials that randomized 1,115 patients into N-acetyl-cysteine and control groups. The meta-analysis evidenced that N-acetyl-cysteine has greater protective effects against hearing threshold shifts than the control in the 0 to 4 kHz (WMD = –3.39, 95% CI: –6.56 to –0.22) and 0 to 6 kHz (MD = –3.49, 95% CI: –6.57 to –0.41) subgroups. Conclusions: The present review and meta-analysis recommends that N-acetyl-cysteine may be considered as an option for protective therapy for noise-induced hearing loss. Nonetheless, larger randomized controlled trials are requisite for further investigation and verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gomphus matijun, a new edible species, is described from southwestern China based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence. Phylogenetic analyses of the nrLSU and ITS datasets indicated that G. matijun is related to G. crassipes and G. ludovicianus with weak statistical support in maximum likelihood but strong statistical support in Bayesian analyses. Gomphus matijun is characterized by its gray-blue to blue or blue-purple pileus with a round or irregular outline, relatively smaller basidiospores [9-11(-13) × 6-7(-8) µm], mostly 2-spored basidia, and occurs in subtropical fagaceous forests. A key to the known species of Gomphus is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder. The preferred primary treatment for iMCD is siltuximab, an anti-interleukin-6 antibody (anti-IL-6). Chemotherapy is reserved for severe cases or when anti-IL-6 is unavailable. The increased IL-6 signaling in iMCD, increase in IL-6 after mRNA vaccines, and hyperactivation of IL-6 as a critical mediator in COVID-19 infection demonstrate a shared mechanism underlying inflammatory cytokine dysregulation. Herein, we present a case of iMCD after receiving a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination who was treated with traditional chemotherapy over the preferred siltuximab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastolytic giant cell granuloma, an idiopathic granulomatous dermatosis, is characterized by annular plaques on sun-exposed areas, and has been termed actinic granuloma or annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma. Many atypical clinical manifestations and lesions involving sun-protected areas have been reported. The aims of this retrospective study of 105 patients were to summarize the clinical and histological features of patients with this condition; to provide evidence for the viewpoint that elastolytic giant cell granuloma is a better term to include all clinical morphological types presenting with elastolysis, elastophagocytosis, and an infiltrate of multinucleated giant cells histologically; and to establish a new clinical classification. The varying clinical manifestations were further categorized into annular, papular, giant, mixed and generalized forms. The pathological manifestations were classified into giant cell, necrobiotic, histiocytic, sarcoidal and mixed patterns. Diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance were the most commonly identified comorbidities. Oral low-dose corticosteroid may be an effective treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes ten patterns derived from the fundamental five element theory in Chinese medicine. Their principles, clinical manifestations, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions are presented and discussed. They are of significance in both acupuncture and Chinese medicine theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] To investigate the serum metabolomic characteristics of primary dysmenorrhea rat model induced by estradiol benzoate combined with oxytocin, and to reveal its material basis. [Methods] 20 female SD rats were randomly divided into control group and model group. The primary dysmenorrhea rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate for 10 consecutive days and intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin on the last day. The serum samples of rats in control group and model group were collected by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) . The differential metabolites were identified by multivariable pattern recognition method and endogenous metabolite database, and the metabolic pathways were enriched by Metaboanalyst 5. 0 platform. [Results] There were significant differences in serum metabolic profiles between the two groups. A total of 36 potential biomarkers of primary dysmenorrhea including L-tyrosine, glycocholic acid, citric acid, palmitoyl carnitine and cholesterol were screened and identified, mainly involving metabolic pathways such as phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. [Conclusions] The serum metabolic profile of primary dysmenorrhea rats deviates significantly from that of healthy rats, and there are multiple metabolic pathway disorders, which are mainly related to phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]