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Abstract With the development of fluid-power transmission and control technology, electro-hydraulic-driven technology can significantly improve the load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and control accuracy of stabilization platforms. However, compared with mechanically driven platforms, the stiffness and damping of the fluid, as well as the coupling effect between the fluid and the structure need to be considered for electro-hydraulic-driven parallel stabilization platforms, making the modal and dynamic response characteristics of the mechanism more complex. With the aim of solving the aforementioned issues, we research the electro-hydraulic driven 3-UPS/S parallel stabilization platform considering the hinge stiffness. Moreover, the characteristic vibration equation of the mechanism is established using the virtual work principle. Subsequently, the variation characteristics of the natural frequency and the vibration response according to the position of the mechanism are analyzed based on the dynamic equation. Finally, the correctness of the model is verified by a modal test and Runge-Kutta methods. This study provides a theoretical basis for the dynamic design of electrohydraulic-driven parallel mechanisms.

Constructing bioinspired architectures in metallic materials is an effective way to overcome the inherent strength and plasticity trade-off dilemma. However, conventional processing approaches are difficult to finely tailor the microstructures and mechanical properties of bioinspired architectures. Here, using laser remelting technology, we finely and controllably fabricate three sophisticated bioinspired architectures in a high-entropy alloy (HEA). The bioinspired HEA with brick-and-mortar architecture shows an excellent yield strength of ∼520 MPa with a large uniform elongation of ∼35%. Such enhanced strength-plasticity synergy is mainly attributed to the hetero-deformation between the hard and soft regions of bioinspired architectures.

Abstract This study aims to investigate the potential impact of high-dose radiotherapy (RT) on brain structure, cognitive impairment, and the psychological status of patients undergoing brain tumor treatment. We recruited and grouped 144 RT-treated patients with brain tumors into the Low dose group (N = 72) and the High dose group (N = 72) according to the RT dose applied. Patient data were collected by using the HADS and QLQ-BN20 system for subsequent analysis and comparison. Our analysis showed no significant correlation between the RT doses and the clinicopathological characteristics. We found that a high dose of RT could aggravate cognitive impairment and deteriorate patient role functioning, indicated by a higher MMSE and worsened role functioning in the High dose group. However, the depression status, social functioning, and global health status were comparable between the High dose group and the Low dose group at Month 0 and Month 1, while being worsened in the High dose group at Month 3, indicating the potential long-term deterioration of depression status in brain tumor patients induced by high-dose RT. By comparing patient data at Month 0, Month 1, Month 3, Month 6, and Month 9 after RT, we found that during RT treatment, RT at a high dose could aggravate cognitive impairment in the short term and lead to worsened patient role functioning, and even deteriorate the overall psychological health status of patients in the long term.

Rabies, caused by the Rabies virus (RABV), is a highly fatal zoonotic disease. Existing rabies vaccines have demonstrated good immune efficacy, but the complexity of immunization procedures and high cost has impeded the elimination of RABV, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era. There is a pressing need for safer and more effective rabies vaccines that streamline vaccination protocols and reduce expense. To meet this need, we have developed a potential rabies vaccine candidate called ALVAC-RABV-VLP, utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. This vaccine employs a canarypox virus vector (ALVAC) to generate RABV virus-like particles (VLPs). In mice, a single dose of ALVAC-RABV-VLP effectively activated dendritic cells (DCs), follicular helper T cells (Tfh), and the germinal center (GC)/plasma cell axis, resulting in durable and effective humoral immune responses. The survival rate of mice challenged with lethal RABV was 100%. Similarly, in dogs and cats, a single immunization with ALVAC-RABV-VLP elicited a stronger and longer-lasting antibody response. ALVAC-RABV-VLP induced superior cellular and humoral immunity in both mice and beagles compared to the commercial inactivated rabies vaccine. In conclusion, ALVAC-RABV-VLP induced robust protective immune responses in mice, dogs and cats, offering a novel, cost-effective, efficient, and promising approach for herd prevention of rabies.

Vitamins are dietary components necessary for cellular metabolic balance, especially redox homeostasis; deficient or excessive supply may give rise to symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Exploring the nutritional and metabolic pathways of vitamins could contribute to uncovering the underlying pathogenesis of ferroptosis-associated diseases. This mini-review aims to provide insights into vitamins closely linked to the regulation of ferroptosis from the perspective of cellular reactive oxygen species biology. The mainstream reprogramming mechanisms of ferroptosis are overviewed, focusing on unique biological processes of iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, recent breakthroughs in therapeutic interventions targeting ferroptosis via fully utilizing vitamin-based pharmacological tools were overviewed, covering vitamins (B, C, E, and K). Finally, mechanism insight related to vitamin-associated nutrient signaling was provided, highlighting the pharmacological benefits of metabolically reprogramming ferroptosis-associated diseases.

Purpose This study seeks to identify potential clinical biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA) using bioinformatics and investigate OA mechanisms through cellular assays. Methods Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) from GSE52042 (four OA samples, four control samples) were screened and analyzed with protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Overlapping genes in GSE52042 and GSE206848 (seven OA samples, and seven control samples) were identified and evaluated using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and clinical diagnostic value analysis to determine the hub gene. Finally, whether and how the hub gene impacts LPS-induced OA progression was explored by in vitro experiments, including Western blotting (WB), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), flow cytometry, etc. Result Bioinformatics analysis of DEGs (142 up-regulated and 171 down-regulated) in GSE52042 identified two overlapping genes (U2AF2, TPX2) that exhibit significant clinical diagnostic value. These genes are up-regulated in OA samples from both GSE52042 and GSE206848 datasets. Notably, TPX2, which AUC = 0.873 was identified as the hub gene. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that silencing TPX2 can alleviate damage to chondrocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Furthermore, there is a protein interaction between TPX2 and MMP13 in OA. Excessive MMP13 can attenuate the effects of TPX2 knockdown on LPS-induced changes in OA protein expression, cell growth, and apoptosis. Conclusion In conclusion, our findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms of OA and suggested TPX2 as a potential therapeutic target. TPX2 could promote the progression of LPS-induced OA by up-regulating the expression of MMP13, which provides some implications for clinical research.

Room air conditioners (RACs) are crucial household appliances that consume substantial amounts of electricity. Their efficiency tends to deteriorate over time, resulting in unnecessary energy wastage. Smart meters have become popular to monitor electricity use of home appliances, offering underexplored opportunities to evaluate RAC operational efficiency. Traditional supervised data-driven analysis methods necessitate a large sample size of RACs and their efficiency, which can be challenging to acquire. Additionally, the prevalence of zero values when RACs are off can skew training. To overcome these challenges, we assembled a dataset comprising a limited number of window-type RACs with measured operational efficiencies from 2021. We devised an intuitive zero filter and resampling protocol to process smart meter data and increase training samples. A deep learning-based encoder–decoder model was developed to evaluate RAC efficiency. Our findings suggest that our protocol and model accurately classify and regress RAC operational efficiency. We verified the usefulness of our approach by evaluating the RACs replaced in 2022 using 2022 smart meter data. Our case study demonstrates that repairing or replacing an inefficient RAC can save electricity by up to 17 %. Overall, our study offers a potential energy conservation solution by leveraging smart meters for regularly assessing RAC operational efficiency and facilitating smart preventive maintenance.

In order to achieve low carbon emissions in the power grid, the impact of new energy grid connections on the power grid should be reduced, as well as the peak-to-valley load difference caused by large-scale electric vehicle grid connections. This paper proposes a two-tier, low-carbon optimal dispatch master–slave game model involving virtual power plant operators as well as electric vehicle operators. Firstly, the carbon flow is tracked based on the proportional sharing principle, and the carbon emission factor during the charging and discharging process of electric vehicles is calculated. Secondly, the node carbon potential and time-sharing tariff are used to guide and change the charging behaviour of electric vehicles and to construct a master–slave game model for low-carbon optimal scheduling with the participation of multiple subjects, with economic scheduling at the upper level of the model and demand response scheduling at the lower level. Finally, the IEEE30 node system is used as an example to verify that the method adopted in this paper can effectively reduce the peak-to-valley difference of loads, reduce the carbon emissions of the grid, and reduce the cost of each participating entity.

Viruses, despite their simple structural composition, engage in intricate and complex interactions with their hosts due to their parasitic nature. A notable demonstration of viral behavior lies in their exploitation of lysosomes, specialized organelles responsible for the breakdown of biomolecules and clearance of foreign substances, to bolster their own replication. The man-nose-6-phosphate (M6P) pathway, crucial for facilitating the proper transport of hydrolases into lysosomes and promoting lysosome maturation, is frequently exploited for viral manipulation in support of replication. Recently, the discovery of lysosomal enzyme trafficking factor (LYSET) as a pivotal regulator within the lysosomal M6P pathway has introduced a fresh perspective on the intricate interplay between viral entry and host factors. This groundbreaking revelation illuminates unexplored dimensions of these interactions. In this review, we endeavor to provide a thorough overview of the M6P pathway and its intricate interplay with viral factors during infection. By consolidating the current understanding in this field, our objective is to establish a valuable reference for the development of antiviral drugs that selectively target the M6P pathway.

Polypropylene fiber reinforcement is an effective method to enhance the durability of concrete structures. With the increasing public interest in the widespread use of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC), the necessity of evaluating the mechanism of polypropylene fiber (PF) on the permeability of concrete has become prominent. This paper describes the influence of PF on the concrete permeability exposed to freeze-thaw cycles under compressive and tensile stress. The permeability of PFRC under compressive and tensile loads is accurately measured by a specialized permeability setup. The permeability of PFRC under compressive and tensile loads, the volume change of PFRC under compressive load, and the relationship between compressive stress levels at minimum permeability and minimum volume points of PFRC are discussed. The results indicate that the addition of PF adversely affects the permeability of concrete without freeze-thaw damage and cracks. However, it decreases the permeability of concrete specimens exposed to freeze-thaw cycles and cracking. Under compressive load, the permeability of PFRC initially decreases slowly and follows by a significant increase as the compressive stress level increases. This phenomenon correlates with the volume change of the specimen. The compressive stress level of the minimum permeability point and compressive stress level of the minimum volume point of PFRC exhibit a linear correlation, with a fitted proportional function parameter γ ≈ 0.98872. Under tensile load, the permeability of PFRC increases gradually with radial deformation and follows by a significant increase. The strain-permeability curves of PFRC under loading are studied and consist of two stages. In stage I, the permeability of PFRC gradually decreases with the increase of strain under compressive load, while the permeability increases with the increase of strain under tensile load. In stage II, under compressive load, the permeability of PFRC increases with the increase of freeze-thaw cycles, whereas under tensile load, the permeability gradually decreases with the increase of freeze-thaw cycles. The reduction of PF on the permeability of PFRC under tensile load is greater than that under compressive load. In future research, the relationship between strain and permeability of PFRC can be integrated with its constitutive relationship between stress and strain to provide a reference for the application of PF in the waterproofing of concrete structures.

This paper describes the effects of macro fibers on permeability and crack surface topography of layered fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) specimens with different layering ratios under uniaxial tensile load. The crack permeability of layered FRC specimens is investigated by a self-designed permeability setup. The topographical analysis of crack surfaces is investigated by a custom-designed laser scanning setup. The results show that when the fiber volume content and layering ratio of the FRC layer are constant, the tensile toughness of layered FRC specimens depends on the proportion of steel fiber in macro fibers, and with an increase in the proportion of steel fiber, the tensile toughness of layered FRC specimens increases. For the layered FRC specimens, the crack permeability is much lower than that of the normal concrete (NC) specimen. A significant positive synergistic effect on crack impermeability can be achieved by the combination of steel fiber and polypropylene fiber in the SF80PP2.3 specimen. The crack surface roughness parameter (Rn) values of the NC layer in layered FRC specimens are all higher than those of the NC specimen, and the crack surface Rn of the FRC layer in layered FRC specimens is higher than that of the unlayered FRC specimens. This can effectively increase the head loss of cracks and reduce the crack permeability of layered FRC specimens.

This paper describes hybrid fiber’s influence on the crack permeability of cracked concrete exposed to freeze–thaw cycles. A permeability setup and a laser-scanning setup have been designed to measure the crack permeability and the fractured surface roughness of cracked hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete, containing polypropylene fiber and steel fiber, under a splitting tensile load. The results show that, when the effective crack width of the specimens is less than 25 μm, the rough crack surface significantly reduces the concrete’s crack permeability. As the crack width increases, the effect of the concrete crack surface on crack permeability gradually decreases, and the crack permeability of the concrete is closer to the Poiseuille flow model. The permeability parameter α derived from the Poiseuille flow model is effective for assessing the crack permeability of concrete. Compared to the modified factor ξ of crack permeability, the permeability parameter α can effectively evaluate and quantify the development trend of crack permeability within a certain range of crack widths. The permeability parameter α of SF20PP2.3, subjected to the same freeze–thaw cycles, decreases by 16.3–94.8% compared to PP4.6 and SF40, and SF20PP2.3 demonstrates a positive synergistic effect on the crack impermeability of cracked concrete. The crack impermeability of SF40PP2.3, subjected to the same freeze–thaw cycles, lies between that of PP6.9 and SF60. The roughness of crack surface (X) and the crack permeability (Y) are highly correlated and follow an exponential curve (Y = 1.0415 × 107·e−6.025·X) in concrete. This demonstrates that hybrid fibers enhance crack impermeability by increasing the crack surface roughness. Furthermore, the combination of polypropylene fiber and steel fiber effectively promotes the formation of micro-cracks and facilitates the propagation of multiple cracks in the concrete matrix. This combination increases the head loss of water flow through the concrete and decreases the crack permeability.

Abstract Background Clinical instructional strategies and the climate in which teaching and learning take place have a significant impact on the quality of dental education. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of early microsurgery training on the skills of dental intern students who are planning to join an oral and maxillofacial surgical field (DIS) as compared with junior residents within an oral and maxillofacial surgery department who had no microsurgery experience (JR). Methods A total of 100 trainees, 70 were DIS, while the other 30 were JR. The average age was 23.87 ± 2.05 years for DIS group and 31.05 ± 3.06 for JR group. All trainees attended a microsurgical course (theoretical and practical parts) for seven days within a Microvascular Laboratory for Research and Education of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Two blinded examiners had assessed the performance of trainees independently using a specific scoring system. The independent sample t-test was used to compare the effect of microsurgery training between DIS and JR groups. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results The DIS group had showed higher attendance rate than JR group (p

Abstract Human diseases, particularly infectious diseases and cancers, pose unprecedented challenges to public health security and the global economy. The development and distribution of novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines are the prioritized countermeasures of human disease. Among all vaccine platforms, viral vector vaccines offer distinguished advantages and represent prominent choices for pathogens that have hampered control efforts based on conventional vaccine approaches. Currently, viral vector vaccines remain one of the best strategies for induction of robust humoral and cellular immunity against human diseases. Numerous viruses of different families and origins, including vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus, parainfluenza virus, measles virus, Newcastle disease virus, influenza virus, adenovirus and poxvirus, are deemed to be prominent viral vectors that differ in structural characteristics, design strategy, antigen presentation capability, immunogenicity and protective efficacy. This review summarized the overall profile of the design strategies, progress in advance and steps taken to address barriers to the deployment of these viral vector vaccines, simultaneously highlighting their potential for mucosal delivery, therapeutic application in cancer as well as other key aspects concerning the rational application of these viral vector vaccines. Appropriate and accurate technological advances in viral vector vaccines would consolidate their position as a leading approach to accelerate breakthroughs in novel vaccines and facilitate a rapid response to public health emergencies.

The rapid depletion of traditional non-renewable fossil fuels has increased energy sustainability threats. Methanol is recognized as one of the viable alternatives to conventional fossil fuels mainly due to its high energy density and abundant raw materials. Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) can convert the chemical energy of methanol into electricity in real time, which is one of the most effective ways to utilize methanol energy. However, DMFCs have undesirable performance, such as low fuel utilization, low cell voltage, and unstable output voltage, hindering the development of methanol energy technology. Herein, we design an energy storage system with high methanol energy efficiency based on passive micro DMFCs. This system with low power consumption (only uW scale) can extract the high chemical energy in methanol, efficiently convert it into electric energy, and store it to output a stable voltage for load. Moreover, application research on this system has been carried out. A self-powered methanol concentration sensor is designed and implemented on a printed circuit board. It can detect methanol solution with a concentration of 3 M–12 M, only requiring it to be tested as fuel without an additional power supply. The sensor has about 1.1 mW total power consumption and 0.34 s response time. This study on the energy conversion and storage of sustainable methanol fuel aims to provide a reference to explore the application of renewable energy.

Based on the VOSviewer software and bibliometric visualization analysis, with 4636 published papers from 2000 to 2021 included in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, this study reviewed the literature on the effects of droughts and floods on phosphorus through three aspects: publication date, keywords, distribution of research discipline, etc. The results show that the research has risen rapidly in recent 20 years, and the average annual literatures in the WOS database increased 18.44 times faster than that in the CNKI database. The main keywords contain growth, responses, plants, tolerance, climate change, eutrophication, soil fertility, management, etc. The research in this field has the characteristics of interdisciplinary development. The paper aims to systematically review the effects of droughts and floods on phosphorus in soil-plant ecosystems, which could guide study trends in the future, such as quantitative evaluation, impact mechanism and adaptation countermeasures.

In the field of inter-satellite laser communication, achieving high-quality communication and compensating for the Doppler frequency shift caused by relative motion necessitate lasers with narrow linewidths, low phase noise, and the ability to achieve mode-hop-free tuning within a specific range. To this end, this paper investigates a novel external cavity diode laser (ECDL) with a frequency-selective F-P etalon structure, leveraging the external cavity F-P etalon structure in conjunction with an auxiliary filter to achieve single longitudinal mode selection. The laser undergoes linewidth testing using a delayed self-heterodyne beating method, followed by the testing of its phase noise and frequency noise characteristics using a noise analyzer, yielding beat spectra and noise power spectral density profiles. Furthermore, the paper introduces an innovative bidirectional temperature-scanning laser method to achieve optimal laser-operating point selection and mode-hop-free tuning. The experimental results showcase that the single longitudinal mode spectral side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) is around 70 dB, and the output power exceeds 10 mW. Enhancing the precision of the F-P etalon leads to a more pronounced suppression of low-frequency phase noise, reducing the Lorentzian linewidth from the initial 10 kHz level to a remarkable 5 kHz level. The bidirectional temperature-scanning laser method not only allows for the selection of the optimal operating point but also enables mode-hop-free tuning within 160 pm.

Abstract Background Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a prevalence of nearly three million people, and more than one million deaths reported in the United States every year. Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is involved in the development of atherosclerosis as a key protein of proptosis. This study was designed to determine the potential relationship of GSDMD with AMI in Chinese patients. Methods One hundred patients with AMI and 50 controls were consecutively enrolled in this prospective observational study. GSDMD expression levels and other clinical variables in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were measured upon admission to the hospital. All patients were followed up for 360 days, and the endpoint was considered the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Results GSDMD expression levels in the PBMCs of patients with AMI were significantly higher than those in the controls. Moreover, our analysis showed that GSDMD was an independent biomarker of AMI and had a promising diagnostic ability for it. Finally, the results suggested that high expression of GSDMD and diabetes increased the risk of MACE after AMI. Conclusions This study indicated that the GSDMD expression level in PBMCs was elevated in AMI patients and was closely associated with the pyroptosis of AMI.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate bone response to micro-arc oxidation coated titanium alloy implants containing Ag. Methods 144 titanium alloy implants were prepared by machine grinding and divided into three treatment groups as following, SLA group: sand-blasting and acid-etched coating; MAO group: micro-arc oxidation without Ag coating; MAO + Ag group: micro-arc oxidation containing Ag coating. Surface characterization of three kind of implants were observed by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope and roughness analysis. The implants were inserted into dog femurs. 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation, the bone response to the implant to the bone was evaluated by push-out experiment, histological and fluorescent labeling analysis. Results MAO + Ag group consisted of a mixture of anatase and rutile. Ag was found in the form of Ag2O on the surface. The surface morphology of MAO + Ag group seemed more like a circular crater with upheaved edges and holes than the other two groups. The surface roughness of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group, but no statistical difference between MAO and MAO + Ag groups. The contact angles in MAO + Ag group was smallest and the surface free energy was the highest among three groups. The maximum push-out strength of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group at all time point, the value of MAO + Ag group was higher than MAO group at 4 and 8 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy examination for the surface and cross-section of the bone segments and fluorescent labeling analysis showed that the ability of bone formation and osseointegration in MAO + Ag group was higher than that of the other two groups. Conclusion The micro-arc oxidation combination with Ag coating is an excellent surface modification technique to posse porous surface structure and hydrophilicity on the titanium alloy implants surface and exhibits desirable ability of osseointegration.

Abstract Existing models of bulk modulus for aerated hydraulic fluids primarily focus on the effects of pressure and air fraction, whereas the effect of temperature on bulk modulus is disregarded. Based on the lumped parameter method and the full cavitation model, combined with the improved Henry’s law and the air polytropic course equation, a theoretical model of dynamic bulk modulus for an aerated hydraulic fluid is derived. The effects of system pressure, air fraction, and temperature on bulk modulus are investigated using the controlled variable method. The results show that the dynamic bulk modulus of the aerated hydraulic fluid is inconsistent during the compression process. At the same pressure point, the dynamic bulk modulus during expansion is higher than that during compression. Under the same initial air faction and pressure changing period, a higher temperature results in a lower dynamic bulk modulus. When the pressure is lower, the dynamic bulk modulus of each temperature point is more similar to each other. By comparing the theoretical results with the actual dynamic bulk modulus of the Shell Tellus S ISO32 standard air-containing oil, the goodness-of-fit between the theoretical model and experimental value at three temperatures is 0.9726, 0.9732, and 0.9675, which validates the theoretical model. In this study, a calculation model of dynamic bulk modulus that considers temperature factors is proposed. It predicts the dynamic bulk modulus of aerated hydraulic fluids at different temperatures and provides a theoretical basis for improving the analytical model of bulk modulus.

Nowadays, most fishing vessels are equipped with high-resolution commercial echo sounders. However, many instruments cannot be calibrated and missing data occur frequently. These problems impede the collection of acoustic data by commercial fishing vessels, which are necessary for species classification and stock assessment. In this study, an automatic detection and classification model for echo traces of the Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) was trained based on the algorithm YOLO v5m. The in situ measurement value of the Pacific saury was measured using single fish echo trace. Rapid calibration of the commercial echo sounder was achieved based on the living fish calibration method. According to the results, the maximum precision, recall, and average precision values of the trained model were 0.79, 0.68, and 0.71, respectively. The maximum F1 score of the model was 0.66 at a confidence level of 0.454. The living fish calibration offset values obtained at two sites in the field were 116.30 dB and 118.19 dB. The sphere calibration offset value obtained in the laboratory using the standard sphere method was 117.65 dB. The differences between in situ and laboratory calibrations were 1.35 dB and 0.54 dB, both of which were within the normal range.

AlF is a relevant molecule in astrochemistry as a tracer of F-bearing molecules. Additionally, AlF presents diagonal Franck-Condon factors and can be created very efficiently in the lab, which makes it a prototypical molecular for laser cooling. However, very little is known about the reaction dynamics of AlF. In this work, we report on the reaction dynamics of AlF–AlF between 200 and 1000 K using ab initio molecular dynamics and a highly efficient active learning approach for the potential energy surface, including all degrees of freedom. As a result, we identify the main reaction mechanisms and the lifetime of the intermediate complex AlF–AlF relevant to astrochemistry environments and regions in buffer gas cells.

Inclinedweb box girders are widely used in urban areas because of their attractive appearance. However, there are few studies on the vehicle shear force distribution of this type of bridge. In this study, we established 62 three-dimensional finite element models in which the shear force of each web of the box girder can be extracted; furthermore, we investigated the shear force distribution law in webs of the box girder under live loads, including single-chamber and multichamber inclined web box girders. The main parameters studied include the number of vehicle lanes and chambers, slope of the inclined webs, and support conditions. The results reveal that an uneven distribution of web shear force exists in both the single-chamber box girder and multichamber girder under live loads, and the maximum value of the vehicle shear force distribution factor is greater than the average shear value shared by all webs. Therefore, the uneven distribution of shear force in the webs of the box girder cannot be ignored under eccentric vehicle loads. These values greatly exceed the safety factor of 1.15 that is used in conventional calculations.

Abstract As a typical class of crystalline porous materials, metal–organic framework possesses unique features including versatile functionality, structural and compositional tunability. After being reduced to two-dimension, ultrathin metal-organic framework layers possess more external excellent properties favoring various technological applications. In this review article, the unique structural properties of the ultrathin metal-organic framework nanosheets benefiting from the planar topography were highlighted, involving light transmittance, and electrical conductivity. Moreover, the design strategy and versatile fabrication methodology were summarized covering discussions on their applicability and accessibility, especially for porphyritic metal-organic framework nanosheet. The current achievements in the bioapplications of two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks were presented comprising biocatalysis, biosensor, and theranostic, with an emphasis on reactive oxygen species-based nanomedicine for oncology treatment. Furthermore, current challenges confronting the utilization of two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks and future opportunities in emerging research frontiers were presented. Graphical Abstract

Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera) is an important woody edible oil tree species in China. The quality of C. oleifera oil (tea oil) is mainly determined by the contents of linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA). However, how to increase the contents of LA and ALA in tea oil and the corresponding regulating mechanism have not been clarified. In the present study, we found that the LA and ALA contents in C. oleifera seeds were significant positively associated with the concentrations of ethephon and were decreased by ethylene inhibitor treatment. Furthermore, 1.5 g L-1 ethephon could receive an optimal LA and ALA contents without adverse effects to the growth of ‘Huashuo’ trees in this study. The ethephon treatment also increased the contents of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), sucrose, soluble sugar and reducing sugar contents in seeds. Transcriptome analysis further suggested that exogenous ethephon application enhanced the accumulation of LA and ALA via regulating genes involved in LA and ALA metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction pathways, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Our findings confirm the role of ethylene in LA and ALA regulation and provide new insights into the potential utilization of ethylene as a LA and ALA inducer in C. oleifera cultivation.

BackgroundCurrently, a very small number of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate effective biomarkers to determine the responsiveness to ICI treatment. Recently, aberrant 5-methylcytosine (m5C) RNA modification has emerged as a key player in the pathogenesis of cancer. Thus, we aimed to explore the predictive signature based on m5C regulator–related genes for characterizing the immune landscapes and predicting the prognosis and response to therapies.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort was used as the training set, while GEO data sets, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis from paired frozen tissues, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) data from tissue microarray (TMA) were used for validation. We constructed a novel signature based on three m5C regulator–related genes in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma (READ) using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression and unsupervised consensus clustering analyses. Additionally, we correlated the three-gene signature risk model with the tumor immune microenvironment, immunotherapy efficiency, and potential applicable drugs.ResultsThe m5C methylation–based signature was an independent prognostic factor, where low-risk patients showed a stronger immunoreactivity phenotype and a superior response to ICI therapy. Conversely, the high-risk patients had enriched pathways of cancer hallmarks and presented immune-suppressive state, which demonstrated that they are more insensitive to immunotherapy. Additionally, the signature markedly correlated with drug susceptibility.ConclusionsWe developed a reliable m5C regulator–based risk model to predict the prognosis, clarify the molecular and tumor microenvironment status, and identify patients who would benefit from immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Our study could provide vital guidance to improve prognostic stratification and optimize personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with rectal cancer.

High-power current source inverters (CSI) usually operate at a low switching frequency to reduce switching loss. To suppress low-order harmonics and simplify filter design, the selective harmonic elimination pulse width modulation (SHEPWM) technique is a feasible common modulation strategy in industrial applications. This paper proposes an operational strategy that uses an H7 current source inverter (H7-CSI) with hybrid switches to perform the SHEPWM technique. On the basis of retaining the conventional H6 inverter bridge, the commutation speed of the CSI is improved by an additional shunt-connected high-performance power switch. The proposed scheme solves the problem that the CSIs built with low-speed switches (such as GTOs) may have difficulty for implementing the setting pulse widths of null states, while further reducing the switching losses at an acceptable cost. In addition, mitigating the influence of overlap-time by optimizing the driving signal of the H6 converter bridge. Finally, simulation and experiments have verified the effectiveness of the proposed CSI scheme.

Karst caves are usually considered as natural laboratories to study pristine microbiomes in subsurface biosphere. However, effects of the increasingly detected nitrate in underground karst ecosystem due to the acid rain impact on microbiota and their functions in subsurface karst caves have remained largely unknown. In this study, samples of weathered rocks and sediments were collected from the Chang Cave, Hubei province and subjected to high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The results showed that nitrate significantly impacted bacterial compositions, interactions, and functions in different habitats. Bacterial communities clustered according to their habitats with distinguished indicator groups identified for each individual habitat. Nitrate shaped the overall bacterial communities across two habitats with a contribution of 27.2%, whereas the pH and TOC, respectively, structured bacterial communities in weathered rocks and sediments. Alpha and beta diversities of bacterial communities increased with nitrate concentration in both habitats, with nitrate directly affecting alpha diversity in sediments, but indirectly on weathered rocks by lowering pH. Nitrate impacted more on bacterial communities in weathered rocks at the genus level than in sediments because more genera significantly correlated with nitrate concentration in weathered rocks. Diverse keystone taxa involved in nitrogen cycling were identified in the co-occurrence networks such as nitrate reducers, ammonium-oxidizers, and N2-fixers. Tax4Fun2 analysis further confirmed the dominance of genes involved in nitrogen cycling. Genes of methane metabolism and carbon fixation were also dominant. The dominance of dissimilatory and assimilatory nitrate reduction in nitrogen cycling substantiated nitrate impact on bacterial functions. Our results for the first time revealed the impact of nitrate on subsurface karst ecosystem in terms of bacterial compositions, interactions, and functions, providing an important reference for further deciphering the disturbance of human activities on the subsurface biosphere.

Karst ecosystems are widely distributed around the world, accounting for 15–20% of the global land area. However, knowledge on microbial ecology of these systems does not match with their global importance. To close this knowledge gap, we sampled three niches including weathered rock, sediment, and drip water inside the Heshang Cave and three types of soils overlying the cave (forest soil, farmland soil, and pristine karst soil). All these samples were subjected to high-throughput sequencing of V4-V5 region of 16S rRNA gene and analyzed with multivariate statistical analysis. Overall, archaeal communities were dominated by Thaumarchaeota, whereas Actinobacteria dominated bacterial communities. Thermoplasmata, Nitrosopumilaceae, Aenigmarchaeales, Crossiella, Acidothermus, and Solirubrobacter were the important predictor groups inside the Heshang Cave, which were correlated to NH4+ availability. In contrast, Candidatus Nitrososphaera, Candidatus Nitrocosmicus, Thaumarchaeota Group 1.1c, and Pseudonocardiaceae were the predictors outside the cave, whose distribution was correlated with pH, Ca2+, and NO2−. Tighter network structures were found in archaeal communities than those of bacteria, whereas the topological properties of bacterial networks were more similar to those of total prokaryotic networks. Both chemolithoautotrophic archaea (Candidatus Methanoperedens and Nitrosopumilaceae) and bacteria (subgroup 7 of Acidobacteria and Rokubacteriales) were the dominant keystone taxa within the co-occurrence networks, potentially playing fundamental roles in obtaining energy under oligotrophic conditions and thus maintaining the stability of the cave ecosystem. To be noted, all the keystone taxa of karst ecosystems were related to nitrogen cycling, which needs further investigation, particularly the role of archaea. The predicted ecological functions in karst soils mainly related to carbohydrate metabolism, biotin metabolism, and synthesis of fatty acid. Our results offer new insights into archaeal ecology, their potential functions, and archaeal interactions with bacteria, which enhance our understanding about the microbial dark matter in the subsurface karst ecosystems.

The current source inverter (CSI) is essentially a converter with inherent boost capability and has been preliminarily applied in the field of renewable energy generation systems. However, conventional CSIs are mostly operated independently. Several existing multilevel CSI topologies entirely rely on parallel combinations, which seems to be not very suitable for capacity expansion. To solve this issue, this paper proposes a concept of three-phase boost-stage coupled current source inverter (BSC-CSI) through the duality principle, which can output multi-level currents with a reduced number of switches as well as hardware costs. Compared with the state-of-the-art CSIs, the proposed BSC-CSI can notably simplify the implementation of the multi-level modulation scheme and meanwhile ensure the power devices switch under lower current stress. To further take full advantage of the modularity and scalability, the BSC-CSI can be constructed by hybrid using silicon-carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) based semiconductor switches for improving efficiency. The experimental results have verified the theoretical findings.

Abstract Male breast cancer (MBC) is rare. Due to limited information, MBC has always been understudied. We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. The clinical and biological features of female breast cancer (FBC) patients were compared with MBC patients. Cox regression models and competing risks analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with cancer-related survival in MBC and FBC groups. Results showed that MBC patients suffered from higher TNM stages, tumor grades, and a higher percentage of hormone receptor-positive tumors, compared with FBC patients (all p 0.05). Tumor location was an independent prognostic factor for both gender groups.

The ornamental gourd Cucurbita pepo L. is a ubiquitous crop native to North America, exhibiting highly diverse fruit characteristics. Studying the genetic diversity of ornamental gourds can help identify and evaluate the curated germplasm resources, understand the phylogenetic relationships among them, and highlight ways in which the germplasm resources can be used to address gaps in the understanding. In this study, a set of 85 of 323 previously identified polymorphic expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) genetic markers were selected to evaluate the genetic relationships among 47 C. pepo accessions and one C. foetidissima accession. This collection consisted of accessions from the subspecies pepo, texana, and the hybrid texana × pepo. Our analyses yielded a total of 271 alleles, with an average of 3.2 alleles per genetic locus. The dendrogram construction, principal coordinate analyses, and genetic value calculation revealed several robust subclusters in the texana subspecies accessions. From these results, we propose five new distinct morphotypes based on our construction of a concise SSR fingerprint. Moreover, our study confirms that the fruit shape similarity among accessions is a fair reflection of genetic relatedness.

In recent years, reactive species-based cancer therapies have attracted tremendous attention due to their simplicity, controllability, and effectiveness. Herein, we overviewed the state-of-art advance for photo-controlled generation of highly reactive radical species with nanomaterials for cancer therapy. First, we summarized the most widely explored reactive species, such as singlet oxygen, superoxide radical anion (O2●-), nitric oxide (●NO), carbon monoxide, alkyl radicals, and their corresponding secondary reactive species generated by interaction with other biological molecules. Then, we discussed the generating mechanisms of these highly reactive species stimulated by light irradiation, followed by their anticancer effect, and the synergetic principles with other therapeutic modalities. This review might unveil the advantages of reactive species-based therapeutic methodology and encourage the pre-clinical exploration of reactive species-mediated cancer treatments.

Abstract This study focused on the performance and limitations of the local inertial approximation form model (LIM) of the shallow water equations (SWEs) when applied in urban flood modeling. A numerical scheme of the LIM equations was created using finite volume method with a first-order spatiotemporal Roe Riemann solver. A simplified urban stormwater model (SUSM) considering surface and underground dual drainage system was constructed based on LIM and the US Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Management Model. Moreover, a complete urban stormwater model (USM) based on the SWEs with the same solution algorithm was used as the evaluation benchmark. Numerical results of the SUSM and USM in a highly urbanized area under four rainfall return periods were analyzed and compared. The results reveal that the performance of the SUSM is highly consistent with that of the USM but with an improvement in computational efficiency of approximately 140%. In terms of the accuracy of the model, the SUSM slightly underestimates the water depth and velocity and is less accurate when dealing with supercritical flow in urban stormwater flood modeling. Overall, the SUSM can produce comparable results to USM with higher computational efficiency, which provides a simplified and alternative method for urban flood modeling.

Arid ecosystems are characterized by low availability and mobility of soil nutrients and slow geochemical cycles. Management of native vegetation in such ecosystems for fuel, livestock grazing, and other agricultural activities (burning and cutting) may threaten semi-natural communities due to the changes in nutrient cycles and soil fertility. Alhagi sparsifolia is a dominant perennial legume in the Taklamakan Desert of northwestern China and has been used as fodder for livestock and plays a crucial ecological role in stabilizing dunes in the oasis-desert ecotone. We evaluated the effects of long-term (12 years) burning and cutting of plant biomass on the mineral nutrition of A. sparsifolia and associated soils at two depths (0–50 and 50–100 cm) in the field conditions following the block design experiment. We found that burning effects tended to be restricted to the topsoil (0–50 cm), and the concentration of many micro-and macronutrients was increased. Burning was associated with a decrease in plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration, whereas concentrations of other micro-and macronutrients increased; overall, burning reduced foliar stocks of N, P, and potassium (K). Annual cutting elicited smaller increases in soil mineral (total sulfur, total P, calcium, magnesium, and available P and K) concentrations than burning, and soil enzymatic activities increased. There were contrasting response patterns of leaf N and P concentration and macro-and micronutrients between the two management approaches. Burning and cutting reduced leaf N and P concentrations, while changes in root and shoot N and P concentrations depended on treatments. Thus, burning and cutting of A. sparsifolia impact organ nutrient stoichiometry (increased losses of macronutrients from arid plant-soil ecosystems) and nutritional quality (for feeding livestock), particularly due to predicted rises in extreme climatic events under climate change that are expected to increase risks of soil erosion, however, impacts on native trophic webs remain unclear.

ObjectiveCopper plays a crucial role in redox reactions. The aims of this research are to examine the effects of copper consumption on general obesity and abdominal obesity risk.MethodsOverall, data of 13,282 participants were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1997–2011). A combination of individual 24-h recall and household survey was used to assess dietary intake. Time-dependent mixed effect Cox regression model treating family as a random effect were used to assess the associations between quintiles of copper intake, general obesity and abdominal obesity risk. Obesity was defined by BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2, and abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥85 cm in men and ≥80 cm in women.ResultsDuring follow-up, 1,073 and 4,583 incident cases of general obesity and abdominal obesity occurred respectively. There were U-shaped associations of dietary copper intakes with general obesity and abdominal obesity (P for nonlinearity

Aberrant sialylation plays a key biological role in tumorigenesis and metastasis, including tumor cell survival and invasion, immune evasion, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. It has been proposed as a possible cancer biomarker and a potential therapeutic target of tumors. Nevertheless, the prognostic significance and biological features of sialylation-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. This study aimed to develop a novel sialylation-related lncRNA signature to accurately evaluate the prognosis of patients with CRC and explore the potential molecular mechanisms of the sialylation-related lncRNAs. Here, we identified sialylation-related lncRNAs using the Pearson correlation analysis on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Univariate and stepwise multivariable Cox analysis were used to establish a signature based on seven sialylation-related lncRNAs in the TCGA dataset, and the risk model was validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that CRC patients in the low-risk subgroup had a better survival outcome than those in the high-risk subgroup in the training set, testing set, and overall set. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the sialylation-related lncRNA signature was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-specific survival prediction. The sialylation lncRNA signature-based nomogram exhibited a robust prognostic performance. Furthermore, enrichment analysis showed that cancer hallmarks and oncogenic signaling were enriched in the high-risk group, while inflammatory responses and immune-related pathways were enriched in the low-risk group. The comprehensive analysis suggested that low-risk patients had higher activity of immune response pathways, greater immune cell infiltration, and higher expression of immune stimulators. In addition, we determined the sialylation level in normal colonic cells and CRC cell lines by flow cytometry combined with immunofluorescence, and verified the expression levels of seven lncRNAs using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Finally, combined drug sensitivity analysis using the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer, Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal, and Profiling Relative Inhibition Simultaneously in Mixtures indicated that the sialylation-related lncRNA signature could serve as a potential predictor for chemosensitivity. Collectively, this is the first sialylation lncRNA-based signature for predicting the prognosis, immune landscape, and chemotherapeutic response in CRC, and may provide vital guidance to facilitate risk stratification and optimize individualized therapy for CRC patients.

Abstract Angelica decursiva is one of the lending traditional Chinese medicinal plants producing coumarins. Notably, several studies have focused on the biosynthesis and not the RT-qPCR (quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) study of coumarins. This RT-qPCR technique has been extensively used to investigate gene expression levels in plants and the selection of reference genes which plays a crucial role in standardizing the data form the RT-qPCR analysis. In our study, 11 candidate reference genes were selected from the existing transcriptome data of Angelica decursiva. Here, four different types of statistical algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Delta Ct) were used to calculate and evaluate the stability of gene expression under different external treatments. Subsequently, RefFinder analysis was used to determine the geometric average of each candidate gene ranking, and to perform comprehensive index ranking. The obtained results showed that among all the 11 candidate reference genes, SAND family protein (SAND), protein phosphatase 2A gene (PP2A), and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP) were the most stable reference genes, where Nuclear cap binding protein 2 (NCBP2), TIP41-like protein (TIP41), and Beta-6-tubulin (TUBA) were the least stable genes. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to evaluate the stability of reference genes in the Angelica decursiva which has provided an important foundation on the use of RT-qPCR for an accurate and far-reaching gene expression analysis in this medicinal plant.

Cells communication in response to extracellular or biophysical stimulus relies on elaborated systems of signal transduction. In the course of most signal pathway, the cascades involve signal protein complexes, which are often assembled by adaptor proteins. Tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD) is an adaptor molecule involved in various signal pathways and mediating multiple biological activities, including cell survival, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, apoptosis, necroptosis and inflammation. TRADD contains an N terminal tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) binding domain and a C terminal death domain (DD) for interacting with multiple DD-containing proteins. Following activation of specific receptors, such as tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), death receptor 3 (DR3), tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 1 (TRAILR1, DR4), TRAILR1 (DR5), DR6 and p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR)，TRADD can bind to the receptors, serving as a platform for the recruitment of the downstream molecules for signal propagating and thus mediating various physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the current knowledge on TRADD and discuss the roles of TRADD in infectious and inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system diseases, cancer, endometriosis, hepatocyte proliferation, preterm birth and perinatal development.

NT157, a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, exhibits broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity. However, NT157-mediated inhibition against glioma has not been explored yet. Herein, the anticancer effects and underlying mechanism of NT157 against human giloma growth were evaluated. The results showed that NT157 alone significantly inhibited glioma cells growth in vitro by lunching cell cycle arrest through up-regulating p21 and p27, and down-regulating cell cycle-related factors. NT157 alone also induced significant glioma cells apoptosis, followed by PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activation. Our findings further revealed that NT157 triggered significant DNA damage and dysfunction of PI3K/AKT, MAPKs and EGFR-STAT3 signaling pathways. Addition of several kinases inhibitors effectively abrogated NT157-induced DR5 up-regulation, which further confirmed the significant role of DR5 pathway. Moreover, combined treatment of NT157 and TRAIL showed enhanced apoptosis against U251 and U87 cells. However, Knockdown of DR5 expression significantly attenuated combined treatment-induced PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activation. Importantly, combined administration of NT157 and TRAIL in vivo effectively inhibited glioma xenograft growth of nude mice by inhibiting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and inducing DNA damage and apoptosis. Taken together, our findings validated the rational design that combined strategy of NT157 and TRAIL to trigger DNA damage and apoptosis by up-regulating DR5 could be a high efficient way to combat human glioma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) patients had no obvious symptoms at early stage and poor postoperative survival. Therefore, the establishment of an iCCA prognostic prediction model to carry out refined management of iCCA patients is expected to improve the survival of the iCCA patient population. In this paper, we analyzed the expression profiling data of patients from 32 iCCA tissues and eight paracancerous tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Perl software was used to separate M6A-related genes and lncRNAs from expression matrix files obtained from the TCGA database. The differentially expressed lncRNAs in the iCCA samples and the normal samples were screened out by differential analysis using the R package limma, and the m6A-related lncRNAs were further screened by Pearson correlation analysis. WGCNA clustering analysis constructs a random network to extract the module genes most related to iCCA, and take the intersection of differentially expressed lncRNAs related to m6A. Univariate Cox screening was performed for the intersection lncRNAs that had significant influence on the prognosis of iCCA patients, and further screening was performed by LASSO method and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Risk model was constructed and prognostic ability was evaluated according to risk score. In conclusion, we identified four m6A-related lncRNAs with potential prognostic value in iCCA, and established a novel m6A-related lncRNA-based prognostic model, which can be used as an independent prognostic factor to predict the prognosis of clinical patients.

Children have elevated fever risk 1 to 2 weeks after the first dose of a measles-containing vaccine (MCV), which is likely affected by genetic, immunologic, and clinical factors. Fever after MCV is associated with febrile seizures, though may also be associated with higher measles antibody titers. This exploratory study investigated genetic and immunologic associations with a fever after MCV. Concurrent with a randomized Phase 3 clinical trial of 12–15-month-olds who received their first measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in which parents recorded post-vaccination temperatures daily, we consented a subset to collect additional blood and performed human leukocyte antigens (HLA) typing. Association between fever 5–12 days after MMR (“MMR-associated”) and HLA type was assessed using logistic regression. We compared 42-day post-vaccination geometric mean titers (GMT) to measles between children who did and did not have fever using a t-test. We enrolled 86 children and performed HLA typing on 82; 13 (15.1%) had MMR-associated fever. Logistic regressions identified associations between MMR-associated fever and HLA Class I loci A-29:02 (P = .036), B-57:01 (P = .018), C-06:02 (P = .006), C-14:02 (P = .022), and Class II loci DRB1-15 (P = .045). However, Bonferroni's adjustment for multiple comparisons suggests that these associations could have been due to chance. Ninety-eight percent of children had protective antibody titers to measles; however, GMT was higher among those with fever compared with children without fever (P = .006). Fever after the measles vaccine correlated with genetic factors and higher immune response. This study suggests a possible genetic susceptibility to MMR-associated fever.

Large quantities of semiconductor minerals on soil surfaces have a sensitive photoelectric response. These semiconductor minerals generate photo-electrons and photo-hole pairs that can stimulate soil oxidation–reduction reactions when exposed to sunlight. We speculated that the photocatalysis of semiconductor minerals would affect soil carbon cycles. As the main component of the carbon cycle, soil respiration from paddy soil is often ignored. Five rice cropping areas in China were chosen for soil sampling. Semiconductor minerals were measured, and three main semiconductor minerals including hematile, rutile, and manganosite were identified in the paddy soils. The identified semiconductor minerals consisted of iron, manganese, and titanium oxides. Content of Fe2O3, TiO2, and MnO in the sampled soil was between 4.21–14%, 0.91–2.72%, and 0.02–0.22%, respectively. Most abundant semiconductor mineral was found in the DBDJ rice cropping area in Jilin province, with the highest content of Fe2O3 of 14%. Soils from the five main rice cropping areas were also identified as having strong photoelectric response characteristics. The highest photoelectric response was found in the DBDJ rice cropping area in Jilin province with a maximum photocurrent density of 0.48 μA/cm2. Soil respiration was monitored under both dark and light (3,000 lux light density) conditions. Soil respiration rates in the five regions were (from highest to lowest): DBDJ > XNDJ > XBDJ > HZSJ > HNSJ. Soil respiration was positively correlated with semiconductor mineral content, and soil respiration was higher under the light treatment than the dark treatment in every rice cropping area. This result suggested that soil respiration was stimulated by semiconductor mineral photocatalysis. This analysis provided indirect evidence of the effect semiconductor mineral photocatalysis has on the carbon cycle within paddy soils, while exploring carbon conversion mechanisms that could provide a new perspective on the soil carbon cycle.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has been recognized as a promising immunotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC); however, most patients have little or no clinical benefit. This study aimed to develop a novel cancer-immunity cycle–based signature to stratify prognosis of patients with CRC and predict efficacy of immunotherapy. CRC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used as the training set, while the RNA data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) data from paired frozen tissues were used for validation. We built a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression model of the cancer-immunity cycle–related gene signature in CRC. Patients who scored low on the risk scale had a better prognosis than those who scored high. Notably, the signature was an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analyses, and to improve prognostic classification and forecast accuracy for individual patients, a scoring nomogram was created. The comprehensive results revealed that the low-risk patients exhibited a higher degree of immune infiltration, a higher immunoreactivity phenotype, stronger expression of immune checkpoint–associated genes, and a superior response to ICB therapy. Furthermore, the risk model was closely related to the response to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs. Overall, we developed a reliable cancer-immunity cycle–based risk model to predict the prognosis, the molecular and immune status, and the immune benefit from ICB therapy, which may contribute greatly to accurate stratification and precise immunotherapy for patients with CRC.

Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) is an important commercial fish in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Accurate target strength (TS) underpins acoustic stock assessment but the TS of S. japonicus is still poorly understood. In this study, the Kirchhoff-ray mode (KRM) model was used to estimate the TS of S. japonicus and its relationship with sound wave frequency and fish morphology. The results revealed that TS values varied with pitch angle shifts, with the impact on fish scattering strength being greater at higher frequency. This is less important because 38 kHz has been used for the biomass assessment of these fish resources. At frequencies of 38 kHz, 70 kHz, 120 kHz and 200 kHz, TS was greatest at a pitch angle range of -10° to 0°, which was related to the angle of the swim bladder tilt. There were almost no differences between TS estimated using the measured pitch angle distributions and using the universal distribution. When the measured pitch angle was N[-3°,4°], the average TS of S. japonicus with body length of 12.04–22.17 cm at four frequencies was -48.88 dB, -49.14 dB, -49.75 dB and -48.55 dB, respectively. The regression intercept (b20) in TS–body length equation was -73.27 dB, -73.56 dB, -74.18 dB and -73.46 dB, respectively. Variation in TS range at 0–300 m depth was about 10 dB. The simulated broadband target strength spectrum shows the scattering characteristics of individuals with different swim bladder length between 0–250 kHz. These results could be used for identification of S. japonicus in echograms and provide reference for acoustic stock assessment of S. japonicus in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

The frequent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants thwarts the prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures confronting COVID-19. Among them, the Delta variant attracts widespread attention due to its high pathogenicity and fatality rate compared with other variants. However, with the emergence of new variants, studies on Delta variants have been gradually weakened and ignored. In this study, a replication-competent recombinant virus carrying the S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was established based on the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which presented a safe alternative model for studying the Delta variant. The recombinant virus showed a replication advantage in Vero E6 cells, and the viral titers reach 107.3 TCID50/mL at 36 h post-inoculation. In the VSV-vectored recombinant platform, the spike proteins of the Delta variant mediated higher fusion activity and syncytium formation than the wild-type strain. Notably, the recombinant virus was avirulent in BALB/c mice, Syrian hamsters, 3-day ICR suckling mice, and IFNAR/GR−/− mice. It induced protective neutralizing antibodies in rodents, and protected the Syrian hamsters against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection. Meanwhile, the eGFP reporter of recombinant virus enabled the visual assay of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, the recombinant virus could be a safe and convenient surrogate tool for authentic SARS-CoV-2. This efficient and reliable model has significant potential for research on viral-host interactions, epidemiological investigation of serum-neutralizing antibodies, and vaccine development.

Denoising is always an important step in seismic processing, in order to produce high-quality data for subsequent imaging and inversion. Different types of noise can be suppressed using targeted denoising methods. For outlier noise with singular amplitudes, many classical denoising methods suffer from signal leakage. To mitigate this issue, we developed a statistics-based mask method and incorporated it into the compressive sensing (CS) framework, in order to remove outlier noise. A statistical analysis for seismic data amplitudes was first used to identify the locations of traces containing outlier noise. Then, the outlier trace locations were compared with a mask matrix generated by jitter sampling, and we replaced the sampled traces of the jitter mask that had the outlier noise with their nearby unsampled traces. The optimized sampling matrix enabled us to effectively identify and remove outliers. This optimized mask strategy converts an outlier denoising problem into a data reconstruction problem. Finally, a sparsely constrained inverse problem was solved using a soft-threshold iteration solver to recover signals at the null locations. The feasibility and adaptability of the proposed method were demonstrated through numerical experiments for synthetic and field data. The results showed that the proposed method outperformed the conventional f-x deconvolution and median filter method, and could accurately suppress outlier noise and recover missed expected signals.