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The Yangtze River (hereafter referred to as the YZR), the largest river in China, is of paramount importance for ensuring water resource security. The Yangtze River Basin (hereafter referred to as the YRB) is one of the most densely populated areas in China, and complex human activities have a significant impact on the ecological security of water resources. Therefore, this paper employs theories related to ecological population evolution and the Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model to construct an indicator system for the ecological security of water resources in the YRB. The report evaluates the ecological security status of water resources in each province of the YRB from 2010 to 2019, clarifies the development trend of its water resource ecological security, and proposes corresponding strategies for regional ecological security and coordinated economic development. According to the results of the ecological population evolution competition model, the overall indicator of the ecological security of water resources in the YRB continues to improve, with the safety level increasing annually. Maintaining sound management of water resources in the YRB is crucial for sustainable socioeconomic development. To further promote the ecological security of water resources in the YRB and the coordinated development of the regional economy, this paper proposes policy suggestions such as promoting the continuous advancement of sustainable development projects, actively adjusting industrial structure, continuously enhancing public environmental awareness, and actively participating in international ecological construction and seeking cooperation among multiple departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary fiber metabolism by gut microorganisms plays important roles in host physiology and health. Alginate, the major dietary fiber of daily diet seaweeds, is drawing more attention because of multiple biological activities. To advance the understanding of alginate assimilation mechanism in the gut, we show the presence of unsaturated alginate oligosaccharides (uAOS)-specific alginate utilization loci (AUL) in human gut microbiome. As a representative example, a working model of the AUL from the gut microorganism Bacteroides clarus was reconstructed from biochemistry and transcriptome data. The fermentation of resulting monosaccharides through Entner-Doudoroff pathway tunes the metabolism of short-chain fatty acids and amino acids. Furthermore, we show that uAOS feeding protects the mice against dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute colitis probably by remodeling gut microbiota and metabolome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During choriogenesis in insects, chorion (eggshell) is formed by surrounding follicular epithelial cells in ovarioles. However, the regulatory endocrine factor(s) activating choriogenesis and the effect of chemical components on eggshell deserve further exploration. In two representative coleopterans, a coccinellid Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata and a chrysomelid Leptinotarsa decemlineata, genes encoding the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) receptor heterodimer, ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP), and two chitin biosynthesis enzymes UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) and chitin synthase (ChS1), were highly expressed in ovaries of the young females. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of either HvEcR or Hvusp in H. vigintioctopunctata inhibited oviposition, suppressed the expression of HvChS1, and lessened the positive signal of Calcofluor staining on the chorions, which suggests the reduction of a chitin-like substance (CLS) deposited on eggshells. Similarly, RNAi of LdEcR or Ldusp in L. decemlineata constrained oviposition, decreased the expression of LdUAP1 and LdChS1, and reduced CLS contents in the resultant ovaries. Knockdown of LdUAP1 or LdChS1 caused similar defective phenotypes, i.e., reduced oviposition and CLS contents in the L. decemlineata ovaries. These results, for the first time, indicate that 20E signaling activates choriogenesis in two coleopteran species. Moreover, our findings suggest the deposition of a CLS on the chorions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

n this paper, we investigate the existence of ground state sign-changing solutions for the following fractional Schrodinger-Poisson system{(−∆) su + Vλ(x)u + µϕu = f(u), inR³, (−∆)tϕ= u² in R³ where µ > 0, s ∈ ( 3 4, 1), t ∈ (0, 1) and Vλ(x) = λV(x) + 1 with λ > 0. Under suitable conditions on f and V, by using the constraint variational method and quantitative deformation lemma, if λ > 0 is large enough, we prove that the above problem has one least energy sign-changing solution. Moreover, for any µ > 0, the least energy of the sign-changing solution is strictly more than twice of the energy of the ground state solution. In addition, we discuss the asymptotic behavior of ground state sign-changing solutions as λ → ∞ and µ → 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled self-assembly of predetermined multi-nuclear lanthanide organic polyhedra (LOPs) still presents a challenge, primarily due to the unpredictable coordination numbers and labile coordination geometries of lanthanide ions. In this study, through introducing triazole-based chelates to increase the chelating angle of C2-symmetric linear ligands and stabilize the coordination geometry of Eu(III) centers, M4L6-type (M = EuIII, L = ligand) tetrahedra were efficiently synthesized, especially a biphenyl-bridged ligand which is well known to form M2L3-type helicates. A series of LOPs were formed and characterized by high-resolution electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (ESI-TOF-MS) and X-ray crystallography. Moreover, the europium complexes exhibit bright emission (luminescence quantum yield up to 42.4%) and circularly polarized luminescence properties (‖glum‖ up to 4.5 × 10−2). This study provides a feasible strategy for constructing multi-nuclear luminescent LOPs towards potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eocene Yulong porphyry copper belt (YPCB) in eastern Tibet contains more than 10 Mt of Cu metal, associated with subvolcanic to volcanic porphyry systems intruding Cenozoic sedimentary basins. Geochemical data analysis shows that all samples belonged to high-K calc-alkaline and shoshonite series with metaluminous–peraluminous characteristics, light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements enrichment, high field strength elements depletion, and share geochemical similarities to adakitic rocks. We have established a spatiotemporal evolution framework through geochronological data analysis, combined with calculated bulk zirconium saturation temperature, calculated crustal thickness and geophysical evidence. We identified three magmatic processes triggered by asthenospheric upwelling and thermal erosion of thickened crust: (1) ultrapotassic magma derived from metasomatized mantle; (2) coeval ultrapotassic melt that promoted the partial melting of eroded lower crust and the generation of high-K adakitic felsic melt; high-K and Mg# adakitic fertile magma was formed by interaction between the eroded sulfide-rich juvenile lower crust-derived melt and mantle peridotite; (3) high-K adakitic fertile magma was derived from sulfide-rich juvenile lower crust, triggered by injecting hydrous ultrapotassic magma into thinned lower crust. The difference between deposit size in the north/south section of Yulong belt may be caused by the temperature of magmatic source and the volume of coeval potassic–ultrapotassic magmatism. Our analysis of the YPCB suggests that magmatism after 175 Ma within Intermontane arc complex of the Canadian Cordillera has high potential for porphyry deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence showed abnormalities in brain network connectivity in depressive individuals with suicidal ideation (SI). We aimed to investigate the large-scale brain network dynamics in adolescents with SI and major depressive disorder (MDD). We recruited 47 first-episode drug-naïve adolescents with MDD and SI, 26 depressed adolescents without SI (noSI), and 26 age-matched healthy controls (HC). The Columbia Suicidal Ideation Severity Scale (C-SSRS) was utilized to assess suicide ideation. We acquired 64-channel resting-state EEG recordings from all subjects and used microstate analysis to investigate the large-scale brain network dynamics. We observed a significant reduction in the occurrence and coverage of microstate B within the SI group when contrasted with the noSI group. Conversely, there was a significant increase in the occurrence and coverage of microstate A in the SI group as compared to the HC group. Additionally, we observed heightened transition probabilities from microstates D and C to microstate A in the SI group; meanwhile, transitions from microstate D to B were more prevalent in the noSI group. Furthermore, the noSI group exhibited a significant decline in the transition probabilities from microstate D to microstate C. The cross-sectional nature limits the capacity to determine whether microstate dynamics have prognostic significance for SI. We provided evidence that depressed adolescents with SI have a distinct pattern in microstate dynamics compared to those without SI. These findings suggest that microstate dynamics might serve as a potential neurobiomarker for identifying SI in depressed adolescents. • We investigated the large-scale brain dynamics in depressed adolescents with SI. • Depressed adolescents with SI have a distinct pattern in microstate dynamics. • SI group showed an increase in the occurrence and coverage of microstate A. • SI group showed a reduction in the occurrence and coverage of microstate B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with early cognitive impairment in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients and to describe short‐term recovery trajectories among ICH patients with early cognitive impairment. Methods: We prospectively enrolled ICH patients without baseline dementia in our institutions. Cognitive function was assessed using mini‐mental state examination (MMSE), and functional outcome was evaluated at discharge, 3, and 6 months after symptoms onset using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). We used multinomial logistic regression models to investigate potential risk factors and generalized linear models to analyze the functional outcome data. Results: Out of 181 patients with ICH, 167 were included in the final analysis. Early cognitive impairment occurred in 60.48% of patients with ICH. Age (odds ratio [OR] per 1‐year increase, 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003–1.071; p = 0.034), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR per 1‐point increase, 1.146; 95% CI, 1.065–1.233; p < 0.001) and lobar ICH location (OR, 4.774; 95% CI, 1.810–12.593; p = 0.002) were associated with early cognitive impairment in ICH patients. Patients with ≥10 years of education were less likely to experience early cognitive impairment (OR, 0.323; 95% CI, 0.133–0.783; p = 0.012). Participants with early cognitive impairment had a higher risk of poor outcome (OR, 4.315; 95% CI, 1.503–12.393; p = 0.005) than those without. Furthermore, there was a significantly faster functional recovery rate for those without early cognitive impairment compared with those with at 3 and 6 months (p < 0.05). Interpretation: Early cognitive impairment was prevalent and associated with poor outcomes in ICH patients, which decelerated short‐term functional recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence, clinical characteristics, and prognostic factors of HIV-associated lymphoma remain poorly defined compared to HIV-negative lymphoma. Currently, there are no standard guidelines for treatment of these patients. We summarized several latest reports of HIV associated lymphoma from the 2023 ASH Annual Meeting (ASH2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of coumarin‐1,3,5‐triazine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. The structures of those compounds were characterized by IR, NMR, HRMS, HPLC, and X‐ray. The structures of those coumarin‐1,3,5‐triazine derivatives are the mixtures of two geometric isomers. The 1H‐NMR of compound 3 g without coumarin structure and its hydrochloride and single crystal structure of compound 3 g were studied to prove the coumarin‐1,3,5‐triazine derivatives are the mixtures of two geometric isomers. The acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of the synthesized compounds were determinated by Ellman's method. The results showed that all the compounds could inhibit acetylcholinesterase selectively. Among them, compound 3 b was found to have the strongest inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase with an IC50 value of 0.018 μM, which was closest to the IC50 of the positive control donepezil (IC50=0.016 μM). Enzyme kinetic studies indicate that this compound inhibited acetylcholinesterase with a mixed mode. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation study and binding free energy calculation experiments demonstrated that compound 3 b could stably interact with key amino acids in the catalytically active site and the peripheral anion site of acetylcholinesterase. According to the results, compound 3 b demonstrates promising potential as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We evaluated the value of copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) and quantitative fluorescence (QF)-PCR for analyzing chromosomal abnormalities (CA) in spontaneous abortion specimens. Methods: A total of 650 products of conception (POCs) were collected from spontaneous abortion between April 2018 and May 2020. CNV-seq and QF-PCR were performed to determine the characteristics and frequencies of copy number variants (CNVs) with clinical significance. The clinical features of the patients were recorded. Results: Clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 355 (54.6%) POCs, of which 217 (33.4%) were autosomal trisomies, 42(6.5%) were chromosomal monosomies and 40 (6.2%) were pathogenic CNVs (pCNVs). Chromosomal trisomy occurs mainly on chromosomes 15, 16, 18, 21and 22. Monosomy X was not associated with the maternal or gestational age. The frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in miscarriages from women with a normal live birth history was 55.3%; it was 54.4% from women without a normal live birth history (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences among women without, with 1, and with ≥ 2 previous miscarriages regarding the rate of chromosomal abnormalities (P > 0.05); CNVs were less frequently detected in women with advanced maternal age than in women aged ≤ 29 and 30–34 years (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Chromosomal abnormalities are the most common cause of pregnancy loss, and maternal and gestational ages are strongly associated with fetal autosomal trisomy aberrations. Embryo chromosomal examination is recommended regardless of the gestational age, modes of conception or previous abortion status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality assurance (QA) is important for ensuring precision in radiation therapy. The complexity and resource-intensive nature of QA has increased with the continual evolution of equipment and techniques. An effective approach is to improve the process control technology and resource optimization. Statistical process control is an economical and efficient tool that has been widely used to monitor, control, and improve quality management processes and is now being increasingly used for radiation therapy QA. This article reviews the development and methodology of statistical process control technology, evaluates its suitability in radiation therapy QA practices, and assesses its importance and challenges in optimizing radiation therapy QA processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Allergic airway inflammation is prevalent worldwide and imposes a considerable burden on both society and affected individuals. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic advantages of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) overexpressed interleukin-10 (IL-10) for the treatment of allergic airway inflammation, as both IL-10 and MSCs possess immunosuppressive properties. Methods: Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived MSCs were engineered to overexpress IL-10 via lentiviral transfection (designated as IL-10-MSCs). MSCs and IL-10-MSCs were administered intravenously to mice with allergic inflammation induced by ovalbumin (OVA), and the features of allergic inflammation including inflammatory cell infiltration, Th cells in the lungs, and T helper 2 cell (Th2) cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were examined. MSCs and IL-10-MSCs were co-cultured with CD4+ T cells from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), and the levels of Th2 cells and corresponding type 2 cytokines were studied. RNA-sequence was performed to further investigate the potential effects of MSCs and IL-10-MSCs on CD4+ T cells. Results: Stable IL-10-MSCs were established and characterised by high IL-10 expression. IL-10-MSCs significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and epithelial goblet cell numbers in the lung tissues of mice with allergic airway inflammation. Inflammatory cell and cytokine levels in BALF also decreased after the administration of IL-10-MSCs. Moreover, IL-10-MSCs showed a stronger capacity to inhibit the levels of Th2 after co-cultured with CD4+ T cells from patients with AR. Furthermore, we elucidated lower levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in IL-10-MSCs treated CD4+ T cells, and blockade of IL-10 significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of IL-10-MSCs. We also reported the mRNA profiles of CD4+ T cells treated with IL-10-MSCs and MSCs, in which IL-10 played an important role. Conclusion: IL-10-MSCs showed positive effects in the treatment of allergic airway inflammation, providing solid support for the use of genetically engineered MSCs as a potential novel therapy for allergic airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The translation model is a useful tool for simulating non-Gaussian wind speed time series, it employs marginal transformation to fit the distribution function of wind speed, and deploys a Gaussian process with a specified autocorrelation function (ACF) ρ Z (τ) to match the ACF of wind speed. However, determining ρ Z (τ) requires solving an integral equation, which is not computationally convenient. In this paper, an easy-to-use method is presented for determining ρ Z (τ) . Based on Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, a rank ACF is proposed to characterize the time-dependent behavior of wind speed time series, whereby ρ Z (τ) can be specified by an analytical formula. In the case that only discrete values of ρ Z (τ) are available, a Laguerre polynomial based model is developed to fit ρ Z (τ) . Furthermore, if the distribution function of wind data is unknown, the kappa distribution is introduced to fit the quantile function of wind speed. Finally, a case study is conducted to check the proposed method, the results indicate that the rank correlation based translation model can yield a satisfactory representation for statistical features of wind speed time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loose material in the mountain gullies is prone to form serious debris flow disasters under appropriate hydrodynamic conditions. The various compositions of these loose materials often lead to very large differences in the runout distances and the inundated areas. However, the mechanisms of the influence of material composition on the deposition characteristics of debris flow remain unclear, and studies are lacking on the influence of material composition on the deposition characteristics of runoff-generated debris flows. This study conducted experiments using different water discharges, flume slopes, and grain size distributions. The deposition processes of debris flows were observed, and their deposition patterns were explored. The effects of material composition on flow regimes, runout distances, inundated areas, and deposit geometries are revealed. The results showed that there are three types of debris flow, and their deposition patterns are different. The relationships of the Bagnold number and Friction number concerning the volume solid concentration were exponential. The mean mobility angle, a function of the upstream terrain slope, was established to assess the runout distance of debris flows with different flow regimes. Additionally, a criterion for identifying debris flow types was established by combining dimensionless runout distance and dimensionless slope. This study not only improved the observation of experimental phenomena in the deposition process of runoff-generated debris flows but also deepened the understanding of the mechanism of the influence of material composition on the deposition characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In insects, the odorant receptor (OR) multigene family evolves by the birth‐and‐death evolutionary model, according to which the OR repertoire of each species has undergone specific gene gains and losses depending on their chemical environment, resulting in taxon‐specific OR lineage radiations with different sizes in the phylogenetic trees. Despite the general divergence in the gene family across different insect orders, the ORs in moths seem to be genetically conserved across species, clustered into 23 major clades containing multiple orthologous groups with single‐copy gene from each species. We hypothesized that ORs in these orthologous groups are tuned to ecologically important compounds and functionally conserved. cis‐Jasmone is one of the compounds that not only primes the plant defense of neighboring receiver plants, but also functions as a behavior regulator to various insects. To test our hypothesis, using Xenopus oocyte recordings, we functionally assayed the orthologues of BmorOR56, which has been characterized as a specific receptor for cis‐jasmone. Our results showed highly conserved response specificity of the BmorOR56 orthologues, with all receptors within this group exclusively responding to cis‐jasmone. This is supported by the dN/dS analysis, showing that strong purifying selection is acting on this group. Moreover, molecular docking showed that the ligand binding pockets of BmorOR56 orthologues to cis‐jasmone are similar. Taken together, our results suggest the high conservation of OR for ecologically important compounds across Heterocera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the coordination assembly of a redox photoactive functional motif and a cyanide-bridged moiety, a cyanide-bridged MnII–FeIII compound with large photoinduced magnetic change at room-temperature due to photoinduced electron transfer was obtanied. This compound also shows unprecedented radical-quenched spin glass in molecule based magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C18H15FN4O, triclinic, P 1 ‾ (no. 2), a = 8.8914(5) Å, b = 10.5705(7) Å, c = 16.4831(9) Å, α = 96.673(5)°, β = 99.397(5)°, γ = 95.062(5)°, V = 1508.93(16) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0477, wRref(F2) = 0.1232, T = 293 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psoriasis is a systemic immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disease; its systemic manifestations and periodic recurrence negatively affect a patient's quality of life. Inflammatory cytokines are known to have an important role in the onset and progression of psoriasis, however, data on the association between circulating inflammatory cytokines and psoriasis risk is inconclusive. Here, we explore the relevance of circulating proinflammatory factors to the pathogenesis of psoriasis using a meta-analysis. Objective: To explore the association between circulating levels of inflammatory factors and psoriasis to elucidate the mechanisms underlying psoriasis and improve clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We systematically retrieved articles published in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and the Web of Science from the establishment of each database to January 2023. The standard mean difference (SMD) in cytokine levels of individuals with psoriasis and healthy controls was used to check for correlations between circulating inflammatory factor levels and psoriasis. Results: Fifty-seven studies, with data from 2838 patients, were retrieved and included in the meta-analysis. Eleven inflammatory factors were studied (circulating interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, IL-22, IL-23, IL-35, IL-36, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and gamma-interferon (IFN-γ)). Of these, IL-2 [SMD = 1.29 (95% CI: 0.61–1.97; P <0.001)], IL-17 [SMD = 0.71 (95% CI: 0.12–1.30; P = 0.018)], IL-18 [SMD = 1.27 (95% CI: 0.64–1.90; P <0.001)], and IFN-γ [SMD = 1.90 (95% CI: 1.27–2.52; P <0.001)] levels had significant correlations with psoriasis. Conclusion: Increased serum concentrations of the circulating inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-17, IL-18 and IFN-γ were significantly correlated with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three lanthanide(III)-based metal–organic frameworks, formulated as [(CH3)2NH2]2[Ln6(μ3-OH)8(EBTC)3(H2O)6]·4H2O·2DMF (Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2) and Ce (3)), were synthesized using a rigid tetracarboxylate organic ligand (1,1′-ethynebenzene-3,3′,5,5′-tetracarboxylic acid, H4EBTC). Complexes 1–3 possess 12-connected hexanuclear [Ln6(μ3-OH)8(OOC-)12(H2O)6] clusters with the ftw topology, which were stable in water and acid/alkaline aqueous solution. Due to the antenna effect, complexes 1 and 2 presented double fluorescence emission peaks, which are the characteristic emission peaks of Ln3+ ions and the ligand H4EBTC, respectively. The doped bimetallic EuxTb1−-x-MOFs were obtained by tuning the Eu(III)/Tb(III) ratio during the reaction, which exhibited a colour change from red, orange, and yellow to green. Furthermore, complexes 1, 2 and Eu2Tb8-MOF as ratiometric fluorescence sensors exhibited excellent sensing ability for vitamin B6 (VB6) in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.35) and real samples with high selectivity and reusability. The low detection limit (LOD) values were calculated to be 1.03 μM for complex 1, 0.25 μM for complex 2 and 0.11 μM for Eu2Tb8-MOF in aqueous solution. Finally, a visual film based on Ln-MOF@SA was prepared to detect VB6 with high reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease (DKD) involves insidious but progressive impairments of renal tubules, and is associated with premature renal aging. The underlying pathomechanisms remain elusive. Post hoc analyses of the publicly-available renal transcriptome revealed that TGFβ1 is overexpressed in renal tubulointerstitia in patients with DKD and positively correlated with kidney aging signaling. This finding was validated in kidney biopsy specimens collected from patients with DKD, associated with renal tubular senescence and degenerative changes. In vitro in renal tubular epithelial cells, exposure to a diabetic milieu, stimulated with high ambient glucose and TGFβ1, elicited premature senescence, as evidenced by staining for senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and increased expression of p16INK4A, and p53. This coincided with Serpin E1 induction, in parallel with increased fibronectin accumulation and reduced expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, all indicative of degenerative changes. Reminiscent of the action of typical senolytics, a small molecule inhibitor of Serpin E1 substantially mitigated the pro-senescent and degenerating effects of the diabetic milieu, suggesting an essential role of Serpin E1 in mediating renal tubular senescence upon diabetic insult. Moreover, inhibition of Serpin E1 abolished the diabetic insult-triggered paracrine senescence of renal tubular cells. In consistency, in patients with DKD, renal tubular expression of Serpin E1 was upregulated and positively correlated with tubular senescence and fibrosis in renal tubulointerstitia. Collectively, diabetic insult induces renal tubular degeneration and premature senescence via, at least in part, Serpin E1 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this research was to review the literature from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the impacts of moxibustion on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) as well as provide credible evidence to guide clinical practice. Methods: Three English electronic medical databases (PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) and two Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang) were searched. Only randomized controlled trials on the effect of moxibustion on CRF were included in this systematic review. Study selection, data extraction, and validation were all carried out independently by two reviewers. The revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess the quality of the RCTs (RoB 2.0). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was applied to assess effect sizes in individual RCTs and pooled effect sizes in meta-analyses. Data were meta-analyzed using Stata (version 14.0). Results: In a random-effects meta-analysis of 24 RCTs with 1894 participants, the aggregated standardized mean difference (SMD) revealed a statistically significant association between moxibustion and alleviation from cancer-related fatigue (SMD = − 1.66, 95% CI = − 2.05, − 1.28, p = 0.000). Pooled results, however, show significant heterogeneity (I2 = 92.5%), and the evidence is insufficient to determine whether this association varies systematically by measuring tools and moxibustion modalities. Furthermore, evidence ranging from very low to low showed that moxibustion had an immediate positive effect on patients with CRF. Conclusion: Moxibustion may have a therapeutic effect on cancer-related fatigue. However, further large-scale, multicenter, high-quality RCTs on moxibustion for fatigue relief and safety are still needed because of the handful of studies included and the low methodological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with schizophrenia in rural areas of China face severe delays in getting appropriate treatment due to poverty, transportation, and limited availability of mental healthcare services. However, the experiences of care-seeking among patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment in rural areas remain poorly understood, and it remains unclear how these experiences influence patients' medical mistrust or expectations of care. This study aims to fill that void. Methods: We applied a qualitative phenomenological method. Patients were recruited through purposive sampling at a psychiatric hospital in Harbin, China. Semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were conducted, guided by an interview outline. Thematic analysis was performed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Results: Data saturation was achieved after interviewing 13 participants aged 21 to 53 years. Three themes with eight subthemes were identified: (i) Barriers to seeking care, (ii) Feelings for psychiatric treatment, and (iii) Demand for mental healthcare. Several factors that may impede the timely diagnosis and treatment were identified, including patients, physicians, and institutions. The participants described their feelings of adverse treatment experiences, as well as expectations arising from this process. It predominantly covers awareness of the disease, supportive access to care, and geographic accessibility of services. Conclusion: Patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment in rural areas often have negative experiences and various needs for mental health services in the pursuit of effective treatments. Policymakers and health planners should seriously consider the current challenges in rural mental healthcare to develop comprehensive strategies for improving prehospital delays and medical experience for this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we aimed to identify differentially expressed heat shock protein (HSP) profiles in the villi and decidua from patients with early missed abortion (EMA). Methods: By using high-throughput and high-precision parallel reaction monitoring (PRM)-based targeted proteomics techniques, this study examined the abundance of HSPs in the villi and decidua of 10 patients with EMA and 10 controls. Moreover, the abundance of 3 HSPs in the villi of another 22 patients with EMA and 22 controls was verified with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: There were potential differences in the abundance of 16 HSPs and 42 polypeptides in human villi and decidua compared with those of the control group. Among them, HSP90AB1, HSPD1 and HSPA13 were downregulated in abundance in villi of patients with EMA, with a statistically significant difference, which was consistent with the verification results of Western blots and IHC. Conclusion: Using a PRM-based targeted proteomics technique, this study is the first to screen and quantitatively analyze the expression profile of HSPs in the villi and decidua of patients with EMA. The significant downregulation of HSP90AB1, HSPD1 and HSPA13 was found to have a potentially intimate association with the occurrence of EMA. The findings in our study may provide novel potential research targets related to HSPs for the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of EMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the fluid–structure interaction of floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) platforms under complex ocean conditions is investigated using OpenFOAM and in-house developed models. Two types of FOWT platform, i.e., a semi-submersible platform and a barge platform, are studied for their dynamic responses to either wave or current. The results reveal that a semi-submersible platform exhibits larger cross-flow motion and lock-in phenomenon, while a barge platform experiences smaller motion with no significant lock-in within the velocity range examined. The combined wave–current conditions are further studied for the semi-submersible platform, with different angles between wave and current, the current speeds, and wave parameters. Unlike other investigations focusing on colinear wave–current interaction, in which the waves usually mitigate vortex-induced motion (VIM); here, we find that waves might lead to an enhanced VIM with a large angle between current and wave. The evaluation on the interaction effect factor shows that the largest wave height in the lock-in region does not lead to the most dangerous scenario, herein, the largest platform motion. Instead, a smaller wave height with a large wave period can induce even larger motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of flexible materials for primary mover and power takeoff of wave energy converters (WECs) has attracted considerable attention in recent years, owing to their potential to enhance the reliability, survivability, and wave energy conversion efficiency. Although some reduced order models have been used to study the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) responses of flexible wave energy converters (fWECs), they are somehow inappropriate due to their limited accuracy and applicability span. To gain a deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms in fWECs, a high-fidelity approach is required. In this work, we build up a fluid–structure interaction analysis framework based on computational fluid dynamics and a finite element analysis method. The incompressible viscous flow is resolved by solving three-dimensional unsteady Navier–Stokes equations with a finite volume approach. The structure dynamics are solved by a finite element method, taking the nonlinear behavior of flexible material into consideration. A strong coupling strategy is utilized to enhance the numerical stability and convergence of the iterative process. We demonstrate the present FSI tool is able to provide rich flow field information and structural response details, such as the velocity, pressure, and structural stress distribution. This is illustrated through several case studies, including two types of fWECs. The unsteady wave–structure-interaction and the associated nonlinear phenomena are also accurately captured by this tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: RAD23 (RADIATION SENSITIVE23) proteins are a group of UBL‐UBA (ubiquitin‐like‐ubiquitin‐associated) proteins that shuttle ubiquitylated proteins to the 26S proteasome for breakdown. Drought stress is a major environmental constraint that limits plant growth and production, but whether RAD23 proteins are involved in this process is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that a shuttle protein, MdRAD23D1, mediated drought response in apple plants (Malus domestica). MdRAD23D1 levels increased under drought stress, and its suppression resulted in decreased stress tolerance in apple plants. Through in vitro and in vivo assays, we demonstrated that MdRAD23D1 interacted with a proline‐rich protein MdPRP6, resulting in the degradation of MdPRP6 by the 26S proteasome. And MdRAD23D1 accelerated the degradation of MdPRP6 under drought stress. Suppression of MdPRP6 resulted in enhanced drought tolerance in apple plants, mainly because the free proline accumulation is changed. And the free proline is also involved in MdRAD23D1‐mediated drought response. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that MdRAD23D1 and MdPRP6 oppositely regulated drought response. MdRAD23D1 levels increased under drought, accelerating the degradation of MdPRP6. MdPRP6 negatively regulated drought response, probably by regulating proline accumulation. Thus, "MdRAD23D1‐MdPRP6" conferred drought stress tolerance in apple plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) have recently attracted considerable attention because of their therapeutic potential in various immune diseases. We previously reported that MSC-sEVs could exert immunomodulatory roles in allergic airway inflammation by regulating group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) and dendritic cell (DC) functions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the indirect effects of MSC-sEVs on ILC2s from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) via DCs. Methods: Here, we isolated sEVs from induced pluripotent stem cells-MSCs using anion-exchange chromatography and mature DCs (mDCs) were treated with MSC-sEVs. sEV-mDCs were co-cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with AR or purified ILC2s. The levels of IL-13 and GATA3 in ILC2s were examined by flow cytometry. Bulk RNA sequence for mDCs and sEV-mDCs was employed to further probe the potential mechanisms, which were then validated in the co-culture systems. Results: sEV-mDCs showed impaired capacity in priming the levels of IL-13 and GATA3 in ILC2s when compared with mDCs. Furthermore, there was higher PGE2 and IL-10 production from sEV-mDCs, and the blockade of them especially the former one reversed the inhibitory effects of sEV-mDCs. Conclusions: We demonstrated that MSC-sEVs were able to dampen the activating effects of mDCs on ILC2s in patients with AR. Mechanismly, the PGE2-EP2/4 axis played an essential role in the immunomodulatory effects of sEV-mDCs on ILC2s. Herein, we provided new insights into the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of MSC-sEVs in allergic airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flows pose great threats to people's safety and cause catastrophic damage to infrastructure. Accurate prediction of debris flow runout distance provides a scientific basis for delineating hazard zones and formulating disaster mitigation countermeasures. As a analytical model, the leading-edge model is widely used to predict debris flow runout distance in practice. The flow regime determines the stress state of the debris flow, which ultimately affects the debris flow runout distance. Particle collision stress, Coulomb friction stress, and viscous stress are three common stresses in debris flows. However, only the effect of Coulomb friction is considered in the leading-edge model. In this study, a modified debris flow runout distance model incorporating the effects of particle collision, Coulomb friction, and viscous drag is established. This study innovatively introduces the Bagnold number and Savage number into the runout distance model to establish the link between micro and macro variables, which provides a new approach for predicting the debris flow runout distance. The modified model is also validated and analyzed based on data from flume experiments and actual debris flow events. The results show that the modified model performed well in predicting debris flow runout distance. In addition, this study provides an open-ended discussion of the factors affecting debris flow runout distance and the shortcomings of the modified model, thus providing a basis for further study in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) can predict the rate of total pathological complete remission (tpCR) of breast cancer patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). This study focused on evaluating the data of patients whose primary tumor and/or lymph node metastasis show nonresponse (NR) to NACT, trying to provide a basis for the clinical decision which patients will develop NACT resistance. The study included breast cancers from 991 patients who received NACT. ROC curve analysis confirmed that TILs showed significant predictive value for NR of hormone receptor (HR)+HER2− and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Among HR+HER2− breast cancer, TILs ≥ 10% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. Furthermore, positive correlation of TILs with Ki67 index and Miller-Payne grade, and negative correlation with ER and PR H-scores were only identified in this subgroup. In TNBC, TILs ≥ 17.5% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. The predictive value of low TILs on NR may facilitate to screen patients with HR+HER2− or TNBC who may not benefit from NACT. HR+HER2− breast cancer with low levels of TILs should be carefully treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and other alternatives such as neoadjuvant endocrine therapy can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the global crisis in pear productivity, there has been increased attention given to advocating for the use of organic fertilizers. As part of this effort, researchers have been investigating the microbial properties of organic fertilizers to better understand their potential impact on fruit productivity. Our research focused specifically on the impact of four different ratios of sheep manure (SM) and chemical fertilizers (CF) on pear productivity. We found that replacing CF with SM resulted in a proliferation of gammaproteobacteria, Chlamydiae, Bastocatellia and Clostridia in the soil rhizosphere, which is the region around the roots of plants where most nutrient uptake occurs. Using redundancy analysis, we were able to determine that SM was particularly effective at promoting the growth of gammaproteobacteria and clostridia, which were associated with C:N ratios around 14:1 as well as the availability of K, Fe, Zn and Cu. This combination of factors was conducive to a transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, resulting in an increase in pear production from 43 to 56 tons per hectare. We also discovered that Blastociella acts as a buffering system in regulating soil acidity. Taken together, our findings indicate that a combination of SM and CF can improve the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the rhizosphere, leading to an increase in pear productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, grading of surrounding rock was based on rock mass basic quality (BQ) according to Chinese specifications. A numerical approach was used to construct a synthetic rock mass model (SRMM) to represent the jointed rock mass and then obtain the strength of the rock mass. To construct a discrete fracture network, intact rock was represented by the bonded particle model and joint behaviour was represented by a smooth joint model. In a case study (Hongtuzhang tunnel), the micro properties of granite cores with different degrees of weathering were determined and the representative elementary volume of the surrounding rock was set as 15 × 15 m. Five slightly weathered, three slightly to moderately weathered and two moderately weathered granite surrounding rock mass models were established based on the probability distribution of joint sets in each borehole, and the conversion BQ value was acquired according to the calculated strength of the SRMM. The surrounding rock grades obtained using geological surveys were found to be higher than those predicted by the numerical method. The numerical calculation was consistent with actual excavation of rock mass at a borehole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper-catalyzed [3+2] annulation of O-acyl ketoximes with 2-aryl malonates for the concise synthesis of 3-aryl-4-pyrrolin-2-ones has been developed. The advantage of this method lies in the use of O-acyl oximes as an internal oxidant to generate the nucleophilic enamines and electrophilic p-quinone methides concurrently. The subsequent nucleophilic addition undergoes selectively on the α-C of malonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual burden of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) is enormous, and environmental factors may have a vital role in respiratory infections. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of the atmospheric environment on SARI. A time-series analysis was performed on the relationship between atmospheric environment and 136,989 SARI cases by distributed lag non-linear model. Wind speed, PM10, PM2.5, O3, and CO exhibited differential effects at a range of lag times or exposure ranges. Air pressure, temperature, and diurnal temperature range showed risk effects in the full range. The lag effect of high pollution was stronger, appeared earlier, and lasted longer than that of low pollution. Most environmental factors had a certain non-linear lag relationship with SARI. Low wind speed and high air pollution may be increasing risk factors for SARI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical constituents of Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. were isolated and purified by column chromatography. Two lignans were obtained from an ethanol extract of the roots of C. pilosula, including one new lignan [diethyl lithospermate (1)] and one new natural product [diethyl lithospermate B (2)]. The structures of these compounds were identified using spectroscopic data. The α-glucosidase inhibitory effects of all compounds were measured by the p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside method. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited good inhibitory activity with half-maximal inhibitor concentrations of 0.79 ± 0.03 μM and 0.16 ± 0.02 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substrate effect is an important issue in the properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs). Quantitatively determining the dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) emission properties and the excitonic behavior of single-layer 2D materials in a specific dielectric environment would provide helpful guidance for the rational design of substrates for high performance 2D TMD PL emission devices. Here, using a WSe2 monolayer on different substrates as a model system, it is demonstrated that the PL emission intensities can drastically change depending on the substrate effect. From the analysis of the excitonic behavior, the results reveal that the spectral weight between the neutral and charged excitons in the PL spectra is significantly modified by the substrate types, and the weight factor is dependent on the laser excitation density. The charged exciton binding energy is obviously negatively related to the substrate dielectric constant. Furthermore, the change trends of the binding energy of the monolayer WSe2 on different substrates are basically the same for the increase of the excitation density. These results suggest that the choice of the substrate plays a significant role in the modulation of the PL properties and exciton states of atomically thin WSe2; hence, substrate engineering should be carefully considered in the design of future 2D devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space-time-coding (STC) digital metasurfaces provide a powerful platform for simultaneous spatiotemporal modulations of electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the fast and accurate generation of STC matrices based on desired harmonic scattering patterns can help STC metasurfaces enhance their practicality in various applications. Here, we propose a physics-driven vector-quantized (PD-VQ) intelligent autoencoder model that consists of an encoder, a vector-quantizer layer, and a physics-driven decoder. The physical operation mechanism between the STC matrix and the harmonic scattering pattern is introduced into the decoding module of the PD-VQ intelligent autoencoder, so that the autoencoder can be trained in an unsupervised manner without the need for large amount of manually labeled data. Taking a target harmonic scattering pattern as input, the trained PD-VQ autoencoder can quickly output the optimized discrete STC matrix, which takes only about 78 ms. We present a series of simulation examples to verify the reliability and accuracy of the proposed approach and also demonstrate its good generalization capability. Based on the proposed PD-VQ intelligent autoencoder, the STC digital metasurfaces enable agile multi-frequency harmonic beamforming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction of photochromic properties into semiconductors confers semiconductors with smart behaviors, color‐related applications, and new modulation approaches. Photochromophores with electron‐transfer (redox) behavior, such as viologen and naphthalene diimide, are ideal functional motifs to design photochromic semiconductors owing to good adaptability to the solid matrix, but their reverse reactions are exclusively realized by the thermal mode, which is slow (in dozens of seconds or longer) and thus significantly hinders real applications in the fields that require high‐speed switching. This study reveals that photoexcitation in the electronic absorption band of the π‐aggregate of viologen cation radicals can successfully trigger reverse electron transfer quickly (in 1 s with a continuous‐wave 808 nm laser at a power density of 5 W cm−2; the photothermal effect is excluded), and the first single‐component all‐optically photochromic semiconductor is accordingly discovered. This discovery breaks through a traditional concept that reverse reactions of viologen compounds can not be triggered by the light, and provides a potential approach to realize all‐optical switch of single‐component photochromic smart semiconductors based on electron‐transfer photochromic functional motifs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Understanding the kinetic process during the self‐assembly and chiral amplification of metal‐organic polyhedra (MOPs) is critical for the rational preparation of chiral MOPs. Herein, we report the ionic radius dependent kinetic processes for the self‐assembly and chiral amplification of Ln4L4‐type (Ln, Lanthanides; L, ligand) lanthanide tetrahedral cages. The chiral Eu4(LR)4 tetrahedral cage is structurally characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electrospray ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (ESI‐TOF‐MS), and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Kinetic study on the stereo‐controlled self‐assembly of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)‐active Ln4(LR)4 (Ln = LaIII, PrIII and EuIII) tetrahedra manifests that the larger ionic radius of Ln leads to faster assembly rates. Mixed‐ligand cage assembly experiments with chiral LR/S, achiral Lac and Ln (1 : 3 : 4 molar ratio) reveal that the self‐assembly and chiral amplification occur synchronously for the LaIII and PrIII cages, while two distinct steps, i.e., first self‐assembly and then chiral amplification, are observed for the EuIII cage. Such distinct kinetic behavior is attributed to different ligands exchange rates among the mixed‐ligand Ln4L4 cages. This work provides fundamental guidance for fabrication and property‐optimization of chiral lanthanide‐based molecular materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Ingrown nails are a type of nonspecific inflammation of nail folds. Intralesional injection is a rarely reported nonsurgical therapy for ingrown nails. Objective. To observe the efficacy of treating ingrown nails with intralesional injection, and to evaluate at which stage ingrown nails are applicable for this therapy. Methods. Ingrown nails were randomly divided into treatment (n = 87) and control (n = 37) groups. The treatment group received local injections combined with basic nursing, whereas the control group was only treated with basic nursing. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the first treatment. Results. A statistically significant difference of the efficacy rates was observed between the two groups (P < 0.05). The overall satisfaction rate was 83.91% in the treatment group and 64.86% in the control group (P = 0.019). Conclusion. Intralesional injection is an effective therapy for ingrown nails, especially in the short term. This therapy is more applicable for Martinez-Nova stage I and IIA ingrown nails and can be used as a symptomatic treatment to relieve the acute inflammation of ingrown nails at stages IIB, III, and IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of microplastics in freshwater systems in China and the biotoxicity of microplastics in the world were reviewed. The analysis and identification methods of microplastics still have many limitations. Improving technical methods is of great significance for studying the aggregation and migration process of microplastics in environmental media. The establishment of an ecotoxicological assessment methods for microplastics and its compound pollution system and the enrichment of basic database will be a hot spot in this field in the future. Scholars and experts should combine international front scientific issues and analysis and identification difficulties, improve the recycling and waste management of plastic products, strengthen the detection of the concentration of microplastics in the environment, and explore the transfer efficiency of microplastics pollutants between different nutritional levels, continuously improve the biological toxicity effects and ecotoxicological mechanisms of microplastics and their compound pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heteronuclear Tb-Al complex (1) was obtained by pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (H2PDA), AlCl3 and Tb4O7 under hydrothermal condition. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that 1 is an ion-pair and consists of [Al(H2O)6]3+ cation and [Tb(PDA)3]3- anion; the [Al(H2O)6]3+ cations and [Tb(PDA)3]3- anions are further connected by hydrogen bonds to construct a 3D NaCl-like topology. Lattice water molecules in 1 fabricate a cubic (H2O)8-octamer by hydrogen bonds, which is located in the void of 1. Luminescent property indicates efficient energy transfer from PDA3- ligand to Tb3+ in 1, exhibiting the typical green emission of Tb3+ in the visible region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fano resonances that feature strong field enhancement in the narrowband range have motivated extensive studies of light–matter interactions in plasmonic nanomaterials. Optical metasurfaces that are subject to different mirror symmetries have been dedicated to achieving nanoscale light manipulation via plasmonic Fano resonances, thus enabling advantages for high-sensitivity optical sensing and optical switches. Here, we investigate the plasmonic sensing and switches enriched by tailorable multiple Fano resonances that undergo in-plane mirror symmetry or asymmetry in a hybrid rotational misalignment metasurface, which consists of periodic metallic arrays with concentric C-shaped- and circular-ring-aperture unit cells. We found that the plasmonic double Fano resonances can be realized by undergoing mirror symmetry along the X-axis. The plasmonic multiple Fano resonances can be tailored by adjusting the level of the mirror asymmetry along the Z-axis. Moreover, the Fano-resonance-based plasmonic sensing that suffer from mirror symmetry or asymmetry can be implemented by changing the related structural parameters of the unit cells. The passive dual-wavelength plasmonic switches of specific polarization can be achieved within mirror symmetry and asymmetry. These results could entail benefits for metasurface-based devices, which are also used in sensing, beam-splitter, and optical communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata is a serious defoliating beetle attacking Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae plants in many Asian countries. In the present paper, we identified a putative myoglianin (myo) gene. Hvmyo was actively transcribed throughout development, from embryo to adult. RNA interference (RNAi)‐aided knockdown of Hvmyo delayed larval development by more than 2 days, reduced larval body size, inhibited the growth of antennae, wings and legs and disturbed gut purge. Knockdown of Hvmyo impaired the larval‐pupal transition. All the Hvmyo RNAi larvae arrested at the larval stage or formed misshapen pupae or adults. The deformed pupae and adults were partially wrapped with exuviae, bearing separated wings. Moreover, the expression levels of five ecdysteroidogenesis genes (Hvspo, Hvphm, Hvdib, Hvsad and Hvshd), a prothocicotropic hormone (PTTH)/Torso pathway gene (Hvtorso), two 20E receptor genes (HvEcR and HvUSP), and two 20E signalling genes (HvE93 and HvFTZ‐F1) were as a result of HvMyo RNAi significantly lowered. Conversely, the expression of a JH biosynthesis gene (Hvjhamt), a JH receptor gene HvMet and a JH signalling gene HvKr‐h1 was greatly enhanced. Although ingestion of 20E and Hal rescued the 20E signal, it could not alleviate larval performance and defective phenotypes. Our results suggest that Myo exerts four distinctive roles in ecdysteroidogenesis, JH production, organ growth and larva‐pupa‐adult transformation in H. vigintioctopunctata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direction of arrival (DOA) estimation has long been an attractive research topic in various industries and is a vital technique for intelligent wireless systems. Conventional DOA estimation methods based on array antennas suffer from high latency in signal postprocessing, leading to complex hardware architecture, high cost, and low efficiency. Recently, some metasurface‐based methods have emerged as alternatives, but they have limited applications due to the stringent requirements for equipment and environment. Here, an efficient method is proposed to lift these limitations by combining artificial neural networks (ANNs) with space‐time‐coding (STC) digital metasurfaces. The ANN‐enabled DOA estimation achieves high accuracy by simply analyzing the spatial‐spectral characteristics of the STC modulation, which utilizes only harmonic amplitudes without phases, and thus features a much‐simplified hardware architecture. The proposed method does not require large computational resources and is more robust in practical applications. For validation, several ANN models trained with simulated and measured data are presented in a microwave regime. Moreover, a potential application of this method is demonstrated in secure communications. The proposed theory and metasurface provide on‐demand selections of ANN models for reaching optimal DOA estimations in different scenarios, which holds promising applications in wireless sensing, communication, radar, and other self‐adaptive information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudostellaria heterophylla, also called Tai-zi-shen (TZS) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is always used clinically to treat spleen deficiency symptoms. Polysaccharides in TZS have various pharmacological activities, including anti-diabetic, immune regulation, and myocardial protection. However, the relationship between the spleen-invigorating effects of TZS or its polysaccharides and intestinal flora are not clear. This study investigated the effects of TZS decoction (PHD) and polysaccharide (PHP) on immune function and intestinal flora in a rat model of spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS) induced by a decoction of raw rhubarb (RRD). PHD and PHP increased immune organ index, alleviated inflammatory cell filtration, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome. In addition, the production of butyric acid was promoted in PHD and PHP groups. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that PHD and PHP reduced the relative abundance of Firmicutes while increasing the one of Bacteroidetes; significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and decreased the abundance of Rombutsia; and PHP significantly increased the abundance of Alloprevotella. And there was a significant positive correlation between the alleviation of SDS and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria. These findings suggested PHD and PHP, especially PHP, has a potential to relieve spleen deficiency by reducing intestinal inflammation, modulating structure and composition of gut microbiota, and promoting the production of butyric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model different from the traditional WEC, known as the flexible wave energy converter (fWEC), is numerically modeled in this paper. The fWEC is believed to be more efficient and has a greater range of operation when compared with the conventionally rigid WEC. A fully coupled fluid–structure interaction (FSI) tool is developed for the research performed in this paper. This tool is able to accommodate the dynamic interaction between the flexible membrane structure of the fWEC and the surrounding fluid. In this research, both linear-elastic and hyper-elastic materials are examined for their use in the fWEC. The fluid flow surrounding the fWEC is solved by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The deformation of the hyper-elastic structure within the fWEC is modeled using a finite element analysis method (FEA). Both the hyper-elastic material of the fWEC and the free surface wave contribute to the overall nonlinearity of the numerical simulation. To tackle this problem, a robust coupling scheme is implemented by an advanced coupling library. With this tool, the flexible deformations within the fWEC structure can be accurately captured. The degree of these deformations can then further be examined, allowing the overall effects on the fWEC energy output to be determined. The simulation results show that the peak deformation of the hyper-elastic material is four times that of the linear-elastic material. This suggests that the fWEC would perform better and generate greater power using the hyper-elastic material compared with the linear-elastic material. Additionally, because a wide range of wave conditions are studied, it can be concluded that unlike conventional WECs, the efficiency of energy harvesting of such an fWEC is not sensitive to certain wave periods. Such findings are supported by both the detailed flow fields captured and the structural stress–strain analysis results from this simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nail apparatus is the largest and most complex skin appendage. Defects in this unit can result in significant functional insufficiency and cosmetic disfigurement. Common nail deformities include split nail, short nail, onycholysis, nail malalignment, hooked nail, and absent nail. Currently, surgical repair is the primary treatment for such deformities. Based on the etiological and anatomical classifications, one or more appropriate operations can be selected to repair nail unit deformities. These include autologous fat grafting, longitudinal cicatrectomy, Z‐plasties, nail bed elongation, split‐thickness sterile matrix grafting, volar V‐Y advanced flap reconstruction, sterile matrix particle grafting, germinal matrix flaps, and germinal matrix grafting. This review discusses the fundamental classification of nail unit deformities, common reconstructive surgical techniques, and their features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we compared the hydride-donating ability of five-membered benzoheterocyclic compounds (FMB) and six-membered benzoheterocyclic compounds (SMB), isomers of DMBI and DMIZ and of DMPZ and DMPX, using detailed thermodynamic driving forces [ΔGo (XH)], kinetic intrinsic barriers (ΔG≠XH/X), and thermo-kinetic parameters [ΔG≠° (XH)]. For DMBI and DMIZ, the values of ΔGo (XH), ΔG≠XH/X, and ΔG≠° (XH) are 49.2 and 53.7 kcal/mol, 35.88 and 42.04 kcal/mol, and 42.54 and 47.87 kcal/mol, respectively. For DMPZ and DMPX, the values of ΔGo (XH), ΔG≠XH/X, and ΔG≠° (XH) are 73.2 and 79.5 kcal/mol, 35.34 and 25.02 kcal/mol, and 54.27 and 52.26 kcal/mol, respectively. It is easy to see that the FMB isomers are thermodynamically dominant and that the SMB isomers are kinetically dominant. Moreover, according to the analysis of ΔG≠° (XH), compared to the SMB isomers, the FMB isomers have a stronger hydride-donating ability in actual chemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]