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Abstract The Glauber series for non-global jet observables at hadron colliders simultaneously includes the super-leading logarithms alongside an arbitrary number of Glauber phases. Building on the formalism of [1], it is shown that the leading terms in this series for large N c can be resummed in closed form in renormalization-group improved perturbation theory. This remarkable observation suggests that large-N c methods might also be helpful to study other aspects of non-global logarithms at hadron colliders, and to combine our analytic results with amplitude-level parton showers.

Abstract A new strategy is presented for systematically treating super-leading logarithmic contributions including higher-order Glauber exchanges for non-global LHC observables in renormalization-group (RG) improved perturbation theory. This represents an important improvement over previous approaches, as it allows for the consistent inclusion of the scale dependence of the strong coupling, thereby providing more reliable estimates of the scale uncertainties in theoretical predictions. The key idea is to rearrange the relevant RG evolution operator in such a way that all double-logarithmic corrections are exponentiated from the outset. This forms the starting point for the first resummation of super-leading logarithms at leading order in RG-improved perturbation theory for arbitrary 2 → M scattering processes. Moreover, the asymptotic scaling of subleading logarithmic corrections from higher-order Glauber exchanges is determined, demonstrating their parametric suppression.

Abstract In single unit-cell FeSe grown on SrTiO3, the superconductivity transition temperature features a significant enhancement. Local phonon modes at the interface associated with electron-phonon coupling may play an important role in the interface-induced enhancement. However, such phonon modes have eluded direct experimental observations. The complicated atomic structure of the interface brings challenges to obtain the accurate structure-phonon relation knowledge. Here, we achieve direct characterizations of atomic structure and phonon modes at the FeSe/SrTiO3 interface with atomically resolved imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy in an electron microscope. We find several phonon modes highly localized (~1.3 nm) at the unique double layer Ti-O terminated interface, one of which (~ 83 meV) engages in strong interactions with the electrons in FeSe based on ab initio calculations. This finding of the localized interfacial phonon associated with strong electron-phonon coupling provides new insights into understanding the origin of superconductivity enhancement at the FeSe/SrTiO3 interface.

Abstract Background Supracrestal gingival tissue dimensions (SGTDs) has been considered to be an essential element of periodontal phenotype (PP) components. This study aimed to explore the relationship between SGTDs and other PP components by digital superposition method that integrated cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with intraoral scanning. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Stomatology Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Participants were recruited based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data obtained from the digital scanner (TRIOS 3, 3Shape, Denmark) and CBCT images were imported into the TRIOS software (Implant Studio, 3Shape, Denmark) for computing relevant parameters. The significant level was set at 0.05. Results A total of 83 participants with 498 maxillary anterior teeth were finally included. The mean values of supracrestal gingival height (SGH) and the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the crest of the alveolar ridge (CEJ-ABC) on the buccal site were significantly higher than palatal SGH (SGH-p) and palatal CEJ-ABC (CEJ-ABC-p). Men exhibited taller CEJ-ABC and SGH-p than women. Additionally, tooth type was significantly associated with the SGH, SGH-p and CEJ-ABC-p. Taller SGH was associated with wider crown, smaller papilla height (PH), flatter gingival margin, thicker bone thickness (BT) and gingival thickness (GT) at CEJ, the alveolar bone crest (ABC), and 2 mm apical to the ABC. Smaller SGH-p displayed thicker BT and GT at CEJ, the ABC, and 2 and 4 mm apical to the ABC. Higher CEJ-ABC showed lower interproximal bone height, smaller PH, flatter gingival margin, thinner GT and BT at CEJ, and 2 mm apical to the ABC. Smaller CEJ-ABC-p displayed thicker BT at CEJ and 2 and 4 mm apical to the ABC. On the buccal, thicker GT was correlated with thicker BT at 2 and 4 mm below the ABC. Conclusion SGTDs exhibited a correlation with other PP components, especially crown shape, gingival margin and interdental PH. The relationship between SGTDs and gingival and bone phenotypes depended on the apico-coronal level evaluated. Trial registration This study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of Stomatology Hospital of Fujian Medical University (approval no. 2023-24).

Abstract Background Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) exhibit difficulties deficits in recognizing facial expressions with unambiguous valence. However, only a limited number of studies have examined how these patients fare in interpreting facial expressions with ambiguous valence (for example, surprise). Thus, we aimed to explore the influence of emotional background information on the recognition of ambiguous facial expressions in SCZ. Methods A 3 (emotion: negative, neutral, and positive) × 2 (group: healthy controls and SCZ) experimental design was adopted in the present study. The experimental materials consisted of 36 images of negative emotions, 36 images of neutral emotions, 36 images of positive emotions, and 36 images of surprised facial expressions. In each trial, a briefly presented surprised face was preceded by an affective image. Participants (36 SCZ and 36 healthy controls (HC)) were required to rate their emotional experience induced by the surprised facial expressions. Participants’ emotional experience was measured using the 9-point rating scale. The experimental data have been analyzed by conducting analyses of variances (ANOVAs) and correlation analysis. Results First, the SCZ group reported a more positive emotional experience under the positive cued condition compared to the negative cued condition. Meanwhile, the HC group reported the strongest positive emotional experience in the positive cued condition, a moderate experience in the neutral cued condition, and the weakest in the negative cue condition. Second, the SCZ (vs. HC) group showed longer reaction times (RTs) for recognizing surprised facial expressions. The severity of schizophrenia symptoms in the SCZ group was negatively correlated with their rating scores for emotional experience under neutral and positive cued condition. Conclusions Recognition of surprised facial expressions was influenced by background information in both SCZ and HC, and the negative symptoms in SCZ. The present study indicates that the role of background information should be fully considered when examining the ability of SCZ to recognize ambiguous facial expressions.

Retained austenite (RA) can efficiently increase the plasticity of steel with high tensile strength. In this work, electropulsing was used to improve the mechanical properties of the steel by stabilizing RA. AISI 420 stainless steel with ultra-high strength (1720 MPa) and 7.9 % elongation was prepared by electropulsing quenching (EQ). The extremely fast heating rate of the pulsed current results in an instantaneous phase transition, which limits the growth of the prior austenite grains (PAGs) and rapidly dissolves part of the carbide, enriching the carbon element near the carbide and obtains the RA during the cooling process. After electropulsing quenching then tempering (EQ + ET), the volume fraction of austenite increased from 4.4 % (EQ) to 11.8 % (EQ + ET), which is attributed to pulsed current promoting the diffusion of carbon from martensite to austenite in the tempering process. And the process leads to austenite reversion and improves the stability of RA. As a result, the EQ + ET sample had a good strength-plasticity combination (ultimate tensile strength 1527 MPa, elongation 14.1 %). These findings provide guidance for the regulation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 420 stainless steel.

Abstract The resummation of the “Glauber series” in non-global LHC observables is extended to processes with gluons in the initial state. This series simultaneously incorporates large double-logarithmic corrections, the so-called “super-leading logarithms”, together with higher-order exchanges of pairs of Glauber gluons associated with the large numerical factor (iπ)2. On a technical level, the main part of this work is devoted to the systematic reduction of the appearing color traces and construction of basis structures, which consist of thirteen elements for gg and eleven elements for qg scattering. Numerical estimates for wide-angle gap-between-jet cross sections at the parton level show that, in particular for gg scattering at relatively small vetoes Q 0, the contribution involving four Glauber exchanges gives a sizeable correction and should not be neglected.

Non-small cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common types of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 80% to 85% of lung cancer cases, and survival prediction in this cancer is an essential medical task. Traditional survival prediction methods, which only rely on demographic and clinical variables, fail to fully characterize patients’ pathological characteristics and clinical factors, thus limiting the prediction effect. With the development of medical imaging technology and genomic methods, survival prediction studies have ushered in new analytical perspectives in recent years. However, most of the existing advanced techniques only rely on one class and few classes of medical data, which do not comprehensively characterize patients’ pathological features and clinical conditions, and similarly limit the predictive effect. To this end, in this paper a new method is proposed to solve this problem, that is, using flexible interpretable graph structure to fuse and model the multimodal data (including clinical data and CT images, etc.) of patients, so as to solve the problem of fragmentation and one-sidedness among multi-class data of survival prediction. A new multi-modal fusion graph convolutional network (FGCN) is proposed according to the characteristics of multi-modal graph data. The main body of the network structure is composed of a SAGE graph convolution layer with the self-attention mechanism, which accelerates the convergence of the model compared to the traditional one and ensures that the risk predicted by the model is as close to the actual situation as possible. More importantly, this study is the first to introduce the TopKPooling strategy in this model to address the problems of feature redundancy and excessive noise features arising from multimodal data fusion and to reduce the model complexity. A large number of ablation and comparison experiments and analyses on public non-small cell lung cancer datasets show that the method proposed in this paper achieves better prediction results, with a C-index value of 0.76, which exceeds the currently known advanced techniques, and fully proves the effectiveness and superiority of the method in this paper.

Abstract Background Inflammatory response has been recognized as a pivotal pathophysiological process during cerebral ischemia. ChemR23 signaling is involved in the pathophysiology of various inflammatory diseases. Nevertheless, the role of ChemR23 signaling in ischemic stroke remains largely unknown. Methods Permanent ischemic stroke mouse model was accomplished by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Resolvin E1 (RvE1) or chemerin-9 (C-9), the agonists of ChemR23, were administered by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v) injection before MCAO induction. Then, analysis of neurobehavioral deficits and brain sampling were done at Day 1 after MCAO. The brain samples were further analyzed by histological staining, immunofluorescence, RNA sequencing, ELISA, transmission electron microscope, and western blots. Furthermore, oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) was employed in SH-SY5Y to mimic MCAO in vitro, and ChemR23 signaling pathway was further studied by overexpression of ChemR23 or administration of related agonists or antagonists. Analysis of cell death and related pathway markers were performed. Results ChemR23 expression was upregulated following MCAO. Under in vitro and in vivo ischemic conditions, ChemR23 deficiency or inhibition contributed to excessive NLRP3-mediated maturation and release of IL-1β and IL-18, as well as enhanced cleavage of GSDMD-N and neuronal pyroptosis. These influences ultimately aggravated brain injury and neuronal damage. On the other hand, ChemR23 activation by RvE1 or C-9 mitigated the above pathophysiological abnormalities in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of ChemR23 in SH-SY5Y cells also rescued OGD-induced neuronal pyroptosis. Blockade of NLRP3 mimics the protective effects of ChemR23 activation in vitro. Conclusion Our data indicated that ChemR23 modulates NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuronal pyroptosis in ischemic stroke. Activation of ChemR23 may serve as a promising potential target for neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia.

Sirtuin 5 (Sirt5), a member of the Sirtuin family, is involved in various intracellular biological processes. However, the function of Sirt5 in oocyte maturation has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we observed that Sirt5 was persistently expressed during the meiotic division of mouse oocytes, with a notable decline in expression in aging oocytes. Sirt5 inhibition led to the failure of the first polar body extrusion and induced cell cycle arrest, indicative of unsuccessful oocyte maturation. Furthermore, Sirt5 inhibition was associated with the extrusion of abnormally large polar bodies, suggesting disrupted asymmetric oocyte division. Mechanistically, the inhibition of Sirt5 resulted in aberrant spindle assembly and disordered chromosome alignment in oocytes. Moreover, Sirt5 inhibition caused the spindle to be centrally located in the oocyte without migrating to the cortical region, consequently preventing the formation of the actin cap. Further investigation revealed that Sirt5 inhibition notably diminished the expression of phosphorylated cofilin and profilin1, while increasing cytoplasmic F-actin levels. These findings suggest that Sirt5 inhibition during oocyte maturation adversely affects spindle assembly and chromosome alignment and disrupts actin dynamics impairing spindle migration and contributing to the failure of symmetric oocyte division and maturation.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare mesenchymal tumor, probably of fibroblastic origin, mainly in the extremities and pleura. Primary SFT of the adrenal gland is clinically more rare. Here, we report the case of a 47-year-old woman who detected a left adrenal mass on physical examination, without any symptoms, and no laboratory abnormalities. A computed tomography (CT) examination of the adrenal gland suggested a round-like soft tissue density shadow in the left adrenal area. An unenhanced scan showed uneven density of the mass, with a scattered circular-like cystic low-density shadow inside, and an enhanced scan showed obvious uneven enhancement. We considered it to be adrenal pheochromocytoma. Ultimately, the patient was treated with laparoscopic left adrenalectomy. A pathological examination suggested an adrenal SFT. We reviewed previous case reports of adrenal SFTs and summarized the clinical characteristics of adrenal SFT combined with the relevant literature. For adrenal tumors with uneven low-density shadow and uneven CT enhancement features, we should consider the differential diagnosis of adrenal SFT.

The use of bisphenol A (BPA) has been restricted due to its endocrine-disrupting effects. As a widely used alternative to BPA today, environmental levels of bisphenol Z (BPZ) continue to rise and accumulate in humans. Oocyte quality is critical for a successful pregnancy. Nevertheless, the toxic impacts of BPZ on the maturation of mammalian oocytes remain unexplored. Therefore, the impacts of BPZ and BPA on oocyte meiotic maturation were compared in an in vitro mouse oocyte culture model. Exposure to 150 μM of both BPZ and BPA disrupted the assembly of the meiotic spindle and the alignment of chromosomes, and BPZ exerted stronger toxicological effects than BPA. Furthermore, BPZ resulted in aberrant expression of F-actin, preventing the formation of the actin cap. Mechanistically, BPZ exposure disrupted the mitochondrial localization pattern, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content, leading to impaired mitochondrial function. Further studies revealed that BPZ exposure resulted in oxidative stress and altered expression of genes associated with anti-oxidative stress. Moreover, BPZ induced severe DNA damage and triggered early apoptosis in oocytes, accompanied by impaired lysosomal function. Overall, the data in this study suggest that BPZ is not a safe alternative to BPA. BPZ can trigger early apoptosis by affecting mitochondrial function and causing oxidative stress and DNA damage in oocytes. These processes disrupt cytoskeletal assembly, arrest the cell cycle, and ultimately inhibit oocyte meiotic maturation.

Abstract Neuroinflammation plays critical roles in vascular dementia (VaD), the second leading cause of dementia, which can be induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH). NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis, the inflammatory programmed cell death, has been reported to contribute to the development of VaD. ChemR23 is a G protein-coupled receptor that has emerging roles in regulating inflammation. However, the role of ChemR23 signalling in NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis in CCH remains elusive. In this study, a CCH rat model was established by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) surgery. Eight weeks after the surgery, the rats were intraperitoneally injected with the ChemR23 agonist Resolvin E1 (RvE1) or chemerin-9 (C-9). Additionally, primary rat hippocampal neurons and SH-SY5Y cells were adopted to mimic CCH injury in vitro. Our results showed that the levels of ChemR23 expression were decreased from the 8th week after BCCAO, accompanied by significant cognitive impairment. Further analysis revealed that CCH induced neuronal damage, synaptic injury and NLRP3-related pyroptosis activation in hippocampal neurons. However, pharmacologic activation of ChemR23 with RvE1 or C-9 counteracted these changes. In vitro experiments also showed that ChemR23 activation prevented primary neuron pyroptosis induced by chronic hypoxia. In addition, manipulating ChemR23 expression markedly regulated NLRP3 inflammasome-induced neuronal pyroptosis through PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 signalling in SH-SY5Y cells under hypoglycaemic and hypoxic conditions. Collectively, our data demonstrated that ChemR23 activation inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome-induced neuronal pyroptosis and improves cognitive function via the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 signalling pathway in CCH models. ChemR23 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target to treat CCH-induced cognitive impairment.

Abstract Recent studies have reported worldwide vegetation suppression in response to increasing atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Here, we integrate multisource datasets to show that increasing VPD caused by warming alone does not suppress vegetation growth in northern peatlands. A site-level manipulation experiment and a multiple-site synthesis find a neutral impact of rising VPD on vegetation growth; regional analysis manifests a strong declining gradient of VPD suppression impacts from sparsely distributed peatland to densely distributed peatland. The major mechanism adopted by plants in response to rising VPD is the “open” water-use strategy, where stomatal regulation is relaxed to maximize carbon uptake. These unique surface characteristics evolve in the wet soil‒air environment in the northern peatlands. The neutral VPD impacts observed in northern peatlands contrast with the vegetation suppression reported in global nonpeatland areas under rising VPD caused by concurrent warming and decreasing relative humidity, suggesting model improvement for representing VPD impacts in northern peatlands remains necessary.

Callose, found in the cell walls of higher plants such as β-1,3-glucan with β-1,6 branches, is pivotal for both plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stressors. Plasmodesmata (PD), membranous channels linking the cytoplasm, plasma membrane, and endoplasmic reticulum of adjacent cells, facilitate molecular transport, crucial for developmental and physiological processes. The regulation of both the structural and transport functions of PD is intricate. The accumulation of callose in the PD neck is particularly significant for the regulation of PD permeability. This callose deposition, occurring at a specific site of pathogenic incursion, decelerates the invasion and proliferation of pathogens by reducing the PD pore size. Scholarly investigations over the past two decades have illuminated pathogen-induced callose deposition and the ensuing PD regulation. This gradual understanding reveals the complex regulatory interactions governing defense-related callose accumulation and protein-mediated PD regulation, underscoring its role in plant defense. This review systematically outlines callose accumulation mechanisms and enzymatic regulation in plant defense and discusses PD’s varied participation against viral, fungal, and bacterial infestations. It scrutinizes callose-induced structural changes in PD, highlighting their implications for plant immunity. This review emphasizes dynamic callose calibration in PD constrictions and elucidates the implications and potential challenges of this intricate defense mechanism, integral to the plant’s immune system.

Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) is a highly aggressive subtype of T-ALL. No standard chemotherapy regimen exists for patients with recurrent/refractory (R/R) ETP-ALL; in these patients, the primary goal of salvage therapy is to achieve remission as a foundation for consolidation and intensification treatments. This study reports cases of two patients with R/R ETP-ALL who underwent salvage therapy of venetoclax combined with the CAG regimen and achieved complete remission in the bone marrow. Flow cytometry results were negative for minimal residual disease. Both patients were bridged to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and in complete remission over a 3-year follow-up period. These cases show that the use of venetoclax combined with the CAG regimen may offer patients with R/R ETP-ALL an opportunity for allogeneic HSCT.

IntroductionTicks are important blood-sucking ectoparasites that can transmit various pathogens, posing significant threats to the wellbeing of humans and livestock. Dabieshan tick virus (DBTV) was initially discovered in 2015 in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks from the Dabieshan mountain region in Hubei Province, China. In recent years, DBTV has been discovered in various regions of China, including Shandong, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Hubei, Yunnan, and Guizhou Provinces. However, the researches on tick-borne transmission of DBTV are scarce.MethodsThis study utilized the small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) method to identify tick-associated viruses in ticks collected from Chengde in Hebei Province and Yongcheng in Henan Province, leading to the discovery of a new DBTV strain in Hebei. The complete coding genome of DBTV Hebei strain was obtained through RNA-seq and Sanger sequencing. Furthermore, the transmission experiment of DBTV in H. longicornis was examined in laboratory for the first time.ResultsDBTV was detected in newly molted adult H. longicornis ticks collected in Chengde, Hebei Province. Additionally, DBTV was also detected in both unfed nymphs and engorged females of H. longicornis collected from Chengde, with a positive rate of 20% and 56.25%, respectively. The complete coding genome of DBTV (OP682840 and OP716696) were obtained, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the DBTV Hebei strain clustered with previously reported DBTV strains. Furthermore, this virus was observed in engorged females, eggs, and larvae of the subsequent generation.DiscussionIt is necessary to expand the scope of DBTV investigation, particularly in northern China. This study demonstrated that DBTV can be transmitted from engorged females to larvae of the next generation. Moreover, the detection of DBTV in unfed nymphs and adults (which moulted from engorged nymphs) collected from the filed of Chengde suggests that H. longicornis serves as a potential transmission host and reservoir for DBTV through transstadial and transovarial transmission. However, there remains a lack of research on the isolation and pathogenicity of DBTV, highlighting the need for further studies to mitigate potential harm to the health of animals and humans.

The positive Arctic–methane (CH4) feedback forms when more CH4 is released from the Arctic tundra to warm the climate, further stimulating the Arctic to emit CH4. This study utilized the CLM-Microbe model to project CH4 emissions across five distinct Arctic tundra ecosystems on the Alaska North Slope, considering three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios using climate data from three climate models from 2016 to 2100. Employing a hyper-resolution of 5 m × 5 m within 40,000 m2 domains accounted for the Arctic tundra’s high spatial heterogeneity; three sites were near Utqiaġvik (US-Beo, US-Bes, and US-Brw), with one each in Atqasuk (US-Atq) and Ivotuk (US-Ivo). Simulated CH4 emissions substantially increased by a factor of 5.3 to 7.5 under the SSP5–8.5 scenario compared to the SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios. The projected CH4 emissions exhibited a stronger response to rising temperature under the SSP5–8.5 scenario than under the SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios, primarily due to strong temperature dependence and the enhanced precipitation-induced expansion of anoxic conditions that promoted methanogenesis. The CH4 transport via ebullition and plant-mediated transport is projected to increase under all three SSP scenarios, and ebullition dominated CH4 transport by 2100 across five sites. Projected CH4 emissions varied in temperature sensitivity, with a Q10 range of 2.7 to 60.9 under SSP1–2.6, 3.8 to 17.6 under SSP2–4.5, and 5.7 to 17.2 under SSP5–8.5. Compared with the other three sites, US-Atq and US-Ivo were estimated to have greater increases in CH4 emissions due to warmer temperatures and higher precipitation. The fact that warmer sites and warmer climate scenarios had higher CH4 emissions suggests an intensified positive Arctic–CH4 feedback in the 21st century. Microbial physiology and substrate availability dominated the enhanced CH4 production. The simulated intensified positive feedback underscores the urgent need for a more mechanistic understanding of CH4 dynamics and the development of strategies to mitigate CH4 across the Arctic.

Abstract Background The quality of life (QoL) of elderly patients with bone trauma is significantly decreased and is affected by many complex factors. This study aims to conduct a half-year follow-up survey to clarify QoL and its influencing factors in elderly patients with bone trauma in order to provide targeted care measures for elderly patients with bone trauma. Methods This was a longitudinal observational study. We used the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to investigate and evaluate the QoL of 100 patients with bone trauma at the time of hospital discharge and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge. Our previous study confirmed that the SF-36 had higher reliability and validity for evaluating the QoL of elderly patients with bone trauma. At the same time, we also investigated the age, gender, location of bone trauma, and destination after discharge of those patients. Those factors that might affect the QoL of elderly patients with bone trauma were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The total physiological function, role-physical, bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health scores of elderly patients with bone trauma gradually increased from the time of discharge to 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge, and there were significant differences (p

Objective To explore the correlation between the severity of jaundice in ABO hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn (HDFN) and multiple indicators, in order to achieve accurate diagnosis, timely treatment, and prevent complications in ABO HDFN. Methods From March 2020 to February 2023, a total of 283 ABO HDFN in our hospital were classified into mild, moderate and severe groups based on total bilirubin levels. The differences in basic data, relevant laboratory indicators and the agglutination intensity of the three hemolysis tests were analyzed and compared. Results In the severe group, 75% (12/16) were male infants, which was significantly higher compared to 37.5% (57/152) in the moderate group (P

In this paper, the stochastic Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy recurrent neural networks (STSFRNNS) with distributed delay is established based on the Takagi–Sugeno (TS) model and the fixed time synchronization problem is investigated. In order to synchronize the networks, we design two kinds of controllers: a feedback controller and an adaptive controller. Then, we obtain the synchronization criteria in a fixed time by combining the Lyapunov method and the related inequality theory of the stochastic differential equation and calculate the stabilization time for the STSFRNNS. In addition, to verify the authenticity of the theoretical results, we use MATLABR2023A to carry out numerical simulation.

In the field of crop research, the study of roots involves many challenges, particularly the lack of effective methods for identifying crop roots. To deal with this problem, this study proposes a solution strategy: in applying strontium to crop leaves, the roots of different crops are distinguished. In this study, we applied strontium ions to the leaves of hydroponically grown wheat, and these strontium ions were partially absorbed by the leaves and transported to the roots. Therefore, the strontium concentration of roots was significantly increased through the foliar application of strontium. After mixing the treated wheat with the untreated wheat root, the greater the biomass of the wheat root applied with strontium ions, the higher the strontium concentration in the mixed root. Based on this phenomenon, we can establish the relationship between wheat root biomass and strontium concentration in mixed roots through linear fitting. Furthermore, we can also use the relationship between root biomass and root length to establish the correlation between strontium concentration in mixed roots and the root length of wheat with strontium ions. After measuring the strontium concentration of the mixed roots to be distinguished, the root biomass and root length of wheat applied with strontium ions can be calculated according to the equation obtained through linear fitting. The accuracy of this method was verified through a comparison with the actual value and the existing root staining method. The results show that the coefficient of determination (R2) of the root biomass estimation equation obtained through linear fitting reached 0.83, which is statistically significant (p < 0.01). The Pearson correlation coefficient with the measured value was more than 0.9, showing a very high correlation and significance. The root length estimation equation derived from the relationship between the root biomass, strontium concentration and root length was compared with the real root length value and the root length value obtained using the staining method. The Pearson correlation coefficient also exceeded 0.8 and reached a statistically significant level (p < 0.01). This study confirms that strontium ions can be absorbed and transported to roots through wheat leaves and successfully developed a new method for predicting the length of wheat roots, providing an effective new tool for wheat root research.

The dengue virus, the primary cause of dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome, is the most widespread mosquito-borne virus worldwide. In recent decades, the prevalence of dengue fever has increased markedly, presenting substantial public health challenges. Consequently, the development of an efficacious vaccine against dengue remains a critical goal for mitigating its spread. Our research utilized Celcradle™, an innovative tidal bioreactor optimized for high-density cell cultures, to grow Vero cells for dengue virus production. By maintaining optimal pH levels (7.0 to 7.4) and glucose concentrations (1.5 g/L to 3.5 g/L) during the proliferation of cells and viruses, we achieved a peak Vero cell count of approximately 2.46 × 109, nearly ten times the initial count. The use of Celcradle™ substantially decreased the time required for cell yield and virus production compared to conventional Petri dish methods. Moreover, our evaluation of the immunogenicity of the Celcradle™-produced inactivated DENV4 through immunization of mice revealed that sera from these mice demonstrated cross-reactivity with DENV4 cultured in Petri dishes and showed elevated antibody titers compared to those from mice immunized with virus from Petri dishes. These results indicate that the dengue virus cultivated using the Celcradle™ system exhibited enhanced immunogenicity relative to that produced in traditional methods. In conclusion, our study highlights the potential of the Celcradle™ bioreactor for large-scale production of inactivated dengue virus vaccines, offering significant promise for reducing the global impact of dengue virus infections and accelerating the development of effective vaccination strategies.

To improve the utilization rate of cable lines while retaining sufficient security, the accurate thermal assessment of cable is significant for cable operation condition evaluation. The thermal rating for a cable joint, which is regarded as a hot spot of cable lines, is not covered by the scope of IEC 60287. While the existing publications for cable joint thermal evaluation also have some limitations. In this paper, the quasi-three-dimensional thermal model of the cable joint was established and the iterative solution method for the model is presented. Based on the model, an improved thermal rating method for the cable joint was proposed, which was implemented with monitored surface temperature and load data. The improved method was verified by the finite element method and the results showed an error of less than 5%. The superiority of the improved method was conducted by the comparison between the previously published method and the improved method. The improved method showed a better accuracy than the previously published method. The proposed method in this paper can be complementary to the IEC method, and is easy to use for the operating evaluation of cable joints in the field with the on-line condition monitoring technology.

Abstract We report on an exact calculation of lattice correlation functions on a finite four-dimensional lattice with either Euclidean or Minkowskian signature. The lattice correlation functions are calculated by the method of differential equations. This method can be used for Euclidean and Minkowskian signature alike. The lattice correlation functions have a power series expansion in 1/ λ $$ \sqrt{\lambda } $$ , where λ is the coupling. We show that this series is convergent for all non-zero values of λ. At small coupling we quantify the accuracy of perturbative approximations. At the technical level we systematically investigate the interplay between twisted cohomology and the symmetries of the twist function.

To solve two conflicting demands of hardness and impact toughness, we learn from nature and provide a novel strategy to fabricate bio-inspired steel based on electropulsing, which produces self-generated hard blocks on the soft matrix without composition change. The results show that current parameters can well control the size and hardness of hard blocks, and thus the appropriate combination of soft and hard blocks can be selected to meet the actual working requirements. The bio-inspired steel exhibits excellent comprehensive performance. The wear resistance, elongation, and impact toughness of the bio-inspired steel are about 7.99 × 106 N m/g, 22.6% and 196.3 J/cm2, respectively, which are 22%, 232%, and 542% higher than that in the traditional quenched samples. Moreover, the hard blocks protrude, and specimens show a non-smooth surface after deformation. For the specimen with elongation of 20%, its wear resistance further increases to 9.16 × 106 N m/g, which is about 14.6% higher than the specimens without morphological change and about 39.8% higher than the traditional quenched specimens.

Rolling texture impacts the formability and usability of steel due to the anisotropy, but it is difficult to remove even after annealing. This work found that the electropulsing treatment can eliminate the hot-rolled and annealed texture in 35CrMo steel (//ND, normal direction, and //RD, rolling direction) at a relatively lower current density and produce a new texture along the current direction via higher current density. Furthermore, the electropulse-induced texture evolution law was established by preparing gradient current density in steel. Electron backscattered diffraction and micro-region X-ray diffraction were used to study texture evolution. By analyzing the texture evolution at different stages of the phase transition, it is concluded that the electropulse-induced texture change mainly occurs at the grain growth stage. The suppression and preferential grain growth caused by different scattering degrees of electron flow with various grain orientations are thought to be responsible for the observed phenomenon.

Calf diarrhea causes huge economic losses to livestock due to its high incidence and mortality rates. Alkaline mineral complex water is an alkaline solution containing silicon, sodium, potassium, zinc, and germanium, and has biological benefits and therapeutic effects. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of alkaline mineral complex water supplementation on the health of calves and to investigate the effect of Alkaline mineral complex water supplementation on neonatal calf serum variables and the liver transcriptome. Sixty Holstein calves (age 1.88 ± 0.85 days, weight 36.63 ± 3.34 kg) were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the T group (treatment group with alkaline mineral complex water supplemented during the experiment) and C group (control group without alkaline mineral complex water supplementation). Alkaline mineral complex water supplementation significantly increased the body weight for calves aged 60 d and average daily gain during the experimental period (1–60 d). In addition, Alkaline mineral complex water supplementation could significantly decrease the diarrhea rate for calves aged 16–30 d, enhance the T-AOC, IgG, IGF-1, and IGFBP-2 in concentrations. The results of KEGG enrichment analysis in transcriptomics indicate that Alkaline mineral complex water supplementation inhibited the target IL-1B gene of the NF-kappa B signaling pathway of liver. Alkaline mineral complex water supplementation decreased calf diarrhea and improved partial immune function, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant capacity, and health of calves. Alkaline mineral complex is a candidate to replace medicated feed additives. Alkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex waterAlkaline mineral complex water.

IntroductionBacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) is a microorganism with a wide range of probiotic properties and applications. Isolation and identification of novel strains is a major aspect of microbial research. Besides, different carbon sources have varying effects on B. licheniformis in regulating the microenvironment, and these mechanisms need to be investigated further.MethodsIn this study, we isolated and identified a new strain of B. licheniformis from bovine rumen fluid and named it B. licheniformis NXU98. The strain was treated with two distinct carbon sources—microcrystalline cellulose (MC) and cellobiose (CB). A combination of transcriptome and proteome analyses was used to investigate different carbon source effects.ResultsThe results showed that B. licheniformis NXU98 ABC transporter proteins, antibiotic synthesis, flagellar assembly, cellulase-related pathways, and proteins were significantly upregulated in the MC treatment compared to the CB treatment, and lactate metabolism was inhibited. In addition, we used MC as a distinct carbon source to enhance the antibacterial ability of B. licheniformis NXU98, to improve its disease resistance, and to regulate the rumen microenvironment.DiscussionOur research provides a potential new probiotic for feed research and a theoretical basis for investigating the mechanisms by which bacteria respond to different carbon sources.

Summary: Endometriosis (EMS) is a prevalent disease and the etiologies has not uniform. Microbiota is associated with human diseases. To delve into the relationship between EMS and microbiota, Ectopic (EM) and eutopic (EU) endometrial tissues, pharyngeal swabs, and stools were collected from EMS patients. The microbiota composition of EM and EU partially overlapped, with similar taxon numbers and diversity, but the richness levels were significantly different. A comparison of intestinal microbes in healthy individuals (FN) and EMS patients (FE) revealed that the richness of Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Haemophilus, and Neisseria was enhanced in FE. In addition, Enterococcus-induced mice (EFA) presented with a higher degree of lesion infiltration and a wider distribution of lesions. Proteomic analysis revealed the expression of plant homeodomain finger 11 (PHF11) was notably downregulated in EFA. And the downregulated expression of PHF11 was accompanied by the upregulated expression of interleukin 8 (IL-8). Our findings suggest a potential regulatory mechanism for PHF11 in EMS development.

The silicide superconductors (Ta, Nb, Zr)OsSi are among the best candidate materials for investigating the interplay of topological order and superconductivity. Here, we investigate in detail the normal-state topological properties of (Ta, Nb, Zr)OsSi, focusing on ZrOsSi, by employing a combination of 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and first-principles band-structure calculations. We show that, while (Ta, Nb)OsSi behave as almost ideal metals, characterized by weak electronic correlations and a relatively low density of states, the replacement of Ta (or Nb) with Zr expands the crystal lattice and shifts ZrOsSi towards an insulator. Our ab initio calculations indicate that ZrOsSi is a Z2 topological metal with clear surface Dirac cones and properties similar to a doped strong topological insulator.

IntroductionThe mutton quality of Chinese Tan lambs (Ovis aries) has declined as feeding patterns have shifted from pasturing to pen rationing. While pen-fed can enhance the growth performance of sheep, it falls short in terms of meat quality attributes such as meat color and tenderness. Furthermore, compared to pen-fed, pasture-fed husbandry increases the proportion of oxidative muscle fibers, decreases the proportion of glycolytic muscle fibers, and reduces LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) activity. Mutton quality is affected by fatty acids, and rumen microorganisms play a role in the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, long-chain fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acids.MethodsWe used 16S rRNA sequencing to analyze the effects of two feeding patterns on the rumen bacteria of Tan lambs. In a randomized block design with 24 newborn Tan lambs, 12 lambs were fed by ewes in pasture and 12 were fed by pen-fed ewes. At 2 months, the biceps femoris and the longissimus dorsi were analyzed by gas chromatography for intramuscular fat content and fatty acids composition, and DNA in the rumen contents was extracted and used to analyze the structure of the bacterial community.ResultsDifferent feeding patterns had no significant effect on the intramuscular fat content of the biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi of the lambs, but there was a significant effect on fatty acids composition. The fatty acids c18:3n3 and c20:5n3 were significantly higher in the biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi of the pasture group than the pen-ration group. The alpha diversity of rumen bacteria was significantly greater in the pasture group compared to the pen-ration group. The ACE index, Chao1 index, Shannon index, and Simpson index were all notably higher in the pasture group than in the pen-ration group. Utilizing beta diversity analysis to examine the differences in rumen bacteria between the pasture group and pen-ration group, it was observed that the homogeneity of bacteria in the pasture group was lower than that in the pen-ration group. Furthermore, the diversity of rumen bacteria in the pasture group was greater than that in the pen-ration group. Twenty-one phyla were identified in the pasture group, and 14 phyla were identified in the pen-ration group. The dominant phyla in the pasture group were Bacteroidetes and Fibrobacteres; the dominant phyla in the pen-ration group were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly higher in the pen-ration group than in the pasture group (p

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) in decreasing the initial inflammatory response of the gingiva and facilitating the repair and regeneration of soft tissue in alveolar ridge preservation.MethodsThis clinical study employed a split-mouth design. Fourteen patients with a total of forty-four sites underwent extraction and alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) procedures. A Bilaterally symmetrical extraction operation were conducted on the premolars of each patient. The experimental group received DDM as a graft material for ARP, while the control group underwent natural healing. Within the first month postoperatively, the pain condition, color, and swelling status of the extraction sites were initially assessed at different time points Subsequently, measurements were taken for buccal gingival margin height, buccal-lingual width, extraction socket contour, and the extraction socket area and healing rate were digitally measured. Additionally, Alcian Blue staining was used for histological evaluation of the content during alveolar socket healing.ResultsBoth groups experienced uneventful healing, with no adverse reactions observed at any of the extraction sites. The differences in VAS pain scores between the two groups postoperatively were not statistically significant. In the early stage of gingival tissue healing (3 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in gingival condition and buccal gingival margin height between the two groups. In the later stage of gingival tissue healing (7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in buccal-lingual width, extraction socket healing area, and healing rate between the two groups. Furthermore, the histological results from Alcian Blue staining suggested that the experimental group may play a significant role in promoting gingival tissue healing, possibly by regulating inflammatory responses when compared to the control group.ConclusionThe application of DDM in alveolar ridge preservation has been found to diminish initial gingival inflammation after tooth extraction. Additionally, it has shown the ability to accelerate early gingival soft tissue healing and preserve its anatomical contour.Clinical trial registrationchictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100050650.

IntroductionThe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has swept across the world and continues to exert serious adverse effects on vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and neonates. The vaccines available at present were designed to prevent infection from COVID-19 strains and control viral spread. Although the incidence of pregnancy cycle outcomes are not likely to increase patients vaccinated prior to pregnancy compared with unvaccinated patients based on our knowledge of vaccination safety, there is no specific evidence to support this hypothesis. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the association between maternal vaccination prior to conception and pregnancy outcomes.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 2,614 women who received prenatal care and delivered in the Obstetrical Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between February 2022 and November 2022. Of the 1,380 eligible pregnant women, 899 women who had received preconception vaccination were assigned to a vaccine group and 481 women who were not vaccinated were control group. Of the enrolled patients, 291 women received fertility treatment (141 vaccinated women, 150 unvaccinated women). The primary outcomes were pregnancy complications (hypothyroidism, gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertension, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios, premature rupture of membranes and postpartum hemorrhage), obstetric outcomes (preterm birth rate, cesarean section rate) and neonatal outcomes (birth-weight, body length, low-birth-weight rate, rate of congenital defects, neonatal mortality and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit).ResultsThere was no significant difference in the incidence of complications during pregnancy and delivery when compared between the vaccine group and control group in either univariate- or multivariate-models. The type of vaccine was not associated with the odds of adverse pregnancy outcome. Among the women with infertility treatment, the vaccinated group and the unvaccinated group had similar pregnancy outcomes.ConclusionWomen who received COVID-19 vaccination prior to conception had similar maternal and neonatal outcomes as women who were unvaccinated. Our findings indicate that COVID-19 vaccinations can be safely administered prior to pregnancy in women who are planning pregnancy or assisted reproductive treatment. During new waves of COVID-19 infection, women who are planning pregnancy should be vaccinated as soon as possible to avoid subsequent infections.

Abstract Background Cancer is mostly a disease of aging, and older patients with cancer are generally frailer. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and in‐hospital outcomes and explore factors associated with duration, cost, and mortality during first hospitalization, in older patients with cancer admitted to a top‐ranked hospital in China. Methods Data on patients with solid cancer ≥65 years consecutively hospitalized in 2016–2020 were retrieved from the electronic medical records of Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China. Baseline characteristics, duration, cost, and mortality during hospitalization were described. Factors associated with duration, cost, and mortality during first hospitalization were explored using multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression. Results 20,650 eligible patients with male proportion of 59% and median age of 70 years were analyzed. 45% of the patients underwent resection in our hospital. Upon first admission, 49% of patients had hypertension, 19% diabetes, 22% weight loss, and 28% risks of malnutrition. The median duration and cost of first hospitalization were 9 days and 32,000 RMB, respectively. 118 (0.6%) and 228 (1.1%) deaths occurred during first and any hospitalization, respectively. For first hospitalization, longer duration and higher cost were positively associated with older ages, male gender, emergency admission, certain tumor locations and histology, histories of diabetes, cirrhosis, and anticoagulant intake, higher body mass index, weight loss, reduced food intake, risk of falling, and worse self‐care ability; in‐hospital mortality was positively associated with age ≥85 years, emergency admission, certain cancer types, histories of hypertension and psychotropic intake, reduced food intake, and worse self‐care ability. Conclusions This study identified certain baseline patient and tumor characteristics, medical and medication histories, changes of weight and food intake, diet, and self‐care ability which were independently associated with in‐hospital outcomes among older patients with cancer admitted to our hospital and which should be paid special attention to. While the factors might not be easily modifiable, our study can help identify patients at higher risks of inferior in‐hospital outcomes.

Abstract Background Venipuncture is a routine nursing procedure in the pediatric ward for blood collection and transfusion. However, this procedure can cause severe pain and distress if not adequately managed. Methods Children aged 3–16 years old were randomized into three groups: EMLA group, distraction group, and combined group. The primary outcome was children’s self-reported pain scored using the Wong-Baker FACES® Pain Rating Scale. The parents-reported and observer-reported pain were scored using the Revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability Scale, and children’s salivary cortisol levels, heart rate, percutaneous oxygen saturation, venipuncture duration and retaining time of IV cannulas were the secondary outcomes. Results A total of 299 children (167 male, 55.8%, median age 8.5) were enrolled: EMLA group (n = 103), distraction group(n = 96) and combined group(n = 100). There was no statistical difference in self-reported pain (P = 0.051), parent-reported pain (P = 0.072), and observer-reported pain (P = 0.906) among the three groups. All three interventions can decrease children’s pain during IV cannulations. Additionally, the distraction group's salivary cortisol levels were lower than the combined group(P = 0.013). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the heart rate(P = 0.844), percutaneous oxygen saturation (P = 0.438), venipuncture duration (p = 0.440) and retaining time of IV cannulas (p = 0.843) among the three groups. Conclusions All three groups responded with slight pain during the peripheral venipuncture procedure. Therefore, medical workers in pediatric settings can use the interventions appropriate for their medical resources and availability while involving parents and children’s preferences whenever possible. Trial registration This trial was registered on https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/ (Gov.ID NCT04275336).

To realize efficient cooperation among tea plantations, manufacturers, logistics, and sellers, the tea production and supply chain (PSC) benefits participating enterprises by coordinating tea planting, product processing, transportation, and product sales links. However, the current tea PSC lacks resource-saving automatic control and suffers from the effect of counterfeit tea products and inefficient supervision. To address these problems, in this work, blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are applied to turn the tea PSC around with efficient automation and decentralized supervision. Specifically, we propose DeTea, a blockchain-IoT-empowered decentralized framework, for chain-wide tea counterfeiting supervision and automatic environment management. On the one hand, for the benefit of tea customers, an incentive scheme is designed based on blockchain technology to attract tea PSC participants and decentralized detectors to report dishonest participants, which can motivate the good behaviors of the participating enterprises for a healthier tea market. On the other hand, for the benefit of practitioners of tea products, we realize the automation of environment monitoring and equipment control via IoT technology. Moreover, we design an improved adaptive weighted data fusion algorithm for accurate IoT data and efficient resource allocation, and present an optimal irrigation strategy for automatic plantation environment adjustment. To evaluate the proposed solution, a prototype is implemented by designing a blockchain infrastructure with ten main smart contracts and constructing an IoT-based system sandbox for automatic environment monitoring and resource allocation. Experimental results demonstrate the high throughput of DeTea and the efficiency of resource-saving automation. This work introduces blockchain and IoT technologies to tea PSC for full-process traceability and automatic environment control, which is expected to extend to other agricultural products to ensure the safety, reliability, and efficiency of agricultural traceability systems.

Abstract Background A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) with its tip preferably in the vena cava is essential in caring for patients with chronic conditions in general pediatrics. However, PICC-related complications are concerning and warrant further investigations. Objectives To share the experience of a nurse-inserted peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) program initiated in a general pediatric department. Methods A retrospective descriptive cohort study based on a prospectively collected database was conducted. All PICCs inserted in the departments of gastroenterology and pulmonology in a tertiary pediatric center from Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2019 were included in the study. Complications and risk factors were analyzed by comparing cases with and without complications. We also reported arm movements in correcting mal-positioned newly-inserted PICCs. Results There were 169 cases with a median (IQR) age of 42(6, 108) months who received PICC insertion during a 4-year period. Inflammatory bowel disease was the leading diagnosis accounting for 25.4% (43/169) of all cases. The overall complication rate was 16.4 per 1000 catheter days with malposition and occlusion as the two most common complications. Multivariate models performed by logistic regression demonstrated that young age [p = 0.004, OR (95%CI) = 0.987(0.978, 0.996)] and small PICC diameter (1.9Fr, p = 0.003, OR (95%CI) = 3.936(1.578, 9.818)] were risk factors for PICC complications. Correction of malpositioned catheters was attempted and all succeeded in 9 eligible cases by using arm movements. Conclusion The nurse-inserted PICC program in general pediatrics is feasible with a low rate of complications. PICC tip malposition and occlusion were two major PICC-related complications when low age and small catheter lumina were major risk factors. Furtherly, arm manipulation potentially is an easy and effective approach for correcting malpositioned newly-inserted PICC catheters.

Abstract To separate the energetic photons produced in hard scattering processes from those from other sources, measurements impose isolation requirements which restrict the hadronic radiation inside a cone around the photon. In this paper, we perform a detailed factorization analysis of the QCD effects associated with photon isolation. We show that for small cone radius R, photon isolation effects can be captured by a fragmentation function describing the decay of a parton into a photon accompanied by hadronic radiation. We compute this fragmentation function for different isolation criteria and solve the associated renormalization group equations to resum logarithms of R. For small isolation energy, the cone fragmentation function factorizes further, into collinear functions describing energetic quarks and gluons near the cone boundary and functions encoding their soft radiation emitted into the cone. Based on this factorization we also resum the non-global logarithms of the ratio of the photon energy and the isolation energy, so that we control all logarithmically enhanced terms in the cross section. In this limit, we provide a simple formula to convert NNLO cross section results from smooth-cone isolation to fixed-cone isolation.

In this paper, we investigate the dynamical properties of a stochastic predator-prey model with a fear effect. We also introduce infectious disease factors into prey populations and distinguish prey populations into susceptible prey and infected prey populations. Then, we discuss the effect of Lévy noise on the population considering extreme environmental situations. First of all, we prove the existence of a unique global positive solution for this system. Second, we demonstrate the conditions for the extinction of three populations. Under the conditions that infectious diseases are effectively prevented, the conditions for the existence and extinction of susceptible prey populations and predator populations are explored. Third, the stochastic ultimate boundedness of system and the ergodic stationary distribution without Lévy noise are also demonstrated. Finally, we use numerical simulations to verify the conclusions obtained and summarize the work of the paper.

Iterative learning control is widely applied to address the tracking problem of dynamic systems. Although this strategy can be applied to fractional order systems, most existing studies neglected the impact of the system initialization on operation repeatability, which is a critical issue since memory effect is inherent for fractional operators. In response to the above deficiencies, this paper derives robust convergence conditions for iterative learning control under non-repetitive initialization functions, where the bound of the final tracking error depends on the shift degree of the initialization function. Model nonlinearity, initial error, and channel noises are also discussed in the derivation. On this basis, a novel initialization learning strategy is proposed to obtain perfect tracking performance and desired initialization trajectory simultaneously, providing a new approach for fractional order system design. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to illustrate the theoretical results and their potential applications.

With the continuous advancement of the economy, the issues of resource scarcity and environmental damage are becoming increasingly severe. For example, in terms of water resources, the problems of environmental pollution and ecological imbalance in the water caused by industrial and agricultural wastewater are becoming more serious. In order to reduce water pollution, protect water resources, promote ecological balance, and reduce environmental risks, it is necessary to strengthen water environment management. This study uses the Malmquist DEA model to conduct a study on the green technology innovation efficiency (GTIE) of 24 water environment governance companies from 2019 to 2022. Corporate Research & Development investment and employee compensation are used as the input indicators, while the number of color patents obtained and operating income are employed as the output indicators. The evaluation criteria include pure technical efficiency, comprehensive technical efficiency, scale efficiency, and total factor productivity. The results show that there is significant room for improvement in the GTIE of the listed Chinese water environment governance enterprises, and there are considerable differences among different enterprises. The GTIE is significantly influenced by technological progress, the enterprise size, and the equity ratio. Therefore, water environment management enterprises should enhance their efforts in technological research and development and talent training, optimize resource allocation, improve the efficiency of green technology innovation, and effectively fulfill their social responsibilities. These measures will promote the efficient utilization of ecological water, the restoration of the water environment, and the establishment of a clean ecological environment.

Abstract Background Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a rare but serious complication of controlled ovarian stimulation. Frozen-embryo transfer (ET) is prompted to be performed in the next menstrual cycles after cancellation of fresh-ET after occurrence of OHSS. However, effects of frozen-ET in the second menstrual cycle have never been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to assess this in the menstrual cycle after OHSS. Methods The OHSS group included 342 women with moderate-severe OHSS who underwent the first frozen-ET in the second menstrual cycle in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2018 to September 2019. A total of 342 women without OHSS who received frozen-ET in the second menstrual cycle were selected as control group matched by age, body mass index, fertility history, ovulation induction scheme. Uni- and multi-variable conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the association between moderate-severe OHSS and pregnancy outcomes. Results There were no significant differences in maternal outcomes (miscarriage, preterm birth and pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertension, placenta previa, premature rupture of membranes and postpartum hemorrhage) and in neonatal outcome (birth-weight and body length, neonatal congenital diseases and other complications) between the two groups in either uni- or multi-variable models. Conclusions Frozen-ET in the menstrual cycle after OHSS has similar maternal and neonatal outcomes as in women without OHSS. This study indicates that frozen-ET could be performed in the second menstrual cycle in women who recovered from moderate-severe OHSS.

Abstract The soft radiation emitted in jet cross sections can resolve the directions and colors of individual hard partons, leading to a complicated pattern of logarithmically enhanced terms in the perturbative series. Starting from a factorization theorem and solving the renormalization group equations for its ingredients, these large logarithms can be resummed. In this paper we extract the two-loop anomalous dimension governing the resummation of subleading logarithms in jet cross sections and other non-global observables. This anomalous dimension can be obtained by considering soft limits of hard amplitudes, but the presence of collinear singularities in intermediate expressions makes its extraction delicate. As a consistency check, we use our results to predict the known subleading non-global logarithms in the two-jet cross section.

Abstract Background Our previous study explored Amphotericin B (AMB) plus 5-flucytosine (5-FC) combined with fluconazole (FLU) therapy in the induction period, which seemed to be better than the previous AMB + 5-FC antifungal therapy in non-HIV and non-transplant-associated CM. However, based on our clinical finding, the outcomes of some CM patients who received AMB plus 5-FC combined with FLU antifungal therapy were still poor. Therefore, we need to explore new antifungal methods in non-HIV and non-transplant-associated CM during the induction period. Methods Clinical data from 148 patients admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat Sen University from January 2011 to December 2020 were collected. These patients were stratified based on antifungal treatment methods in the induction period (group I with AMB + 5-FC + VOR, group II with AMB + 5-FC + FLU, group III with AMB + 5-FC). Results The first hospitalization time of Group I (median: 25 days, IQR: 20–34.5) was significantly shorter than that of Group II (median: 43 days, IQR: 29–62) (p

Abstract Soil microorganisms are central to sustain soil functions and services, like carbon and nutrient cycling. Currently, we only have a limited understanding of the spatial-temporal dynamics of soil microorganisms, restricting our ability to assess long-term effects of climate and land-cover change on microbial roles in soil biogeochemistry. This study assesses the temporal trends in soil microbial biomass carbon and identifies the main drivers of biomass change regionally and globally to detect the areas sensitive to these environmental factors. Here, we combined a global soil microbial biomass carbon data set, random forest modelling, and environmental layers to predict spatial-temporal dynamics of microbial biomass carbon stocks from 1992 to 2013. Soil microbial biomass carbon stocks decreased globally by 3.4 ± 3.0% (mean ± 95% CI) between 1992 and 2013 for the predictable regions, equivalent to 149 Mt being lost over the period, or ~1‰ of soil C. Northern areas with high soil microbial carbon stocks experienced the strongest decrease, mostly driven by increasing temperatures. In contrast, land-cover change was a weaker global driver of change in microbial carbon, but had, in some cases, important regional effects.

Abstract The method of canonical differential equations is an important tool in the calculation of Feynman integrals in quantum field theories. It has been realized that the canonical bases are closely related to d-dimensional d log-form integrands. In this work, we explore the generalized loop-by-loop Baikov representation, and clarify its relation and difference with Feynman integrals using the language of intersection theory. We then utilize the generalized Baikov representation to construct d-dimensional d log-form integrands, and discuss how to convert them to Feynman integrals. We describe the technical details of our method, in particular how to deal with the difficulties encountered in the construction procedure. Our method provides a constructive approach to the problem of finding canonical bases of Feynman integrals, and we demonstrate its applicability to complicated scattering amplitudes involving multiple physical scales.

BackgroundCleft lip and/or palate (CLP) can lead to severe nasolabial deformities that significantly affect the appearance of the patient. Among all types of nasolabial deformities, narrow nostril deformities are the most troublesome, causing poor and unstable surgical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm for surgical method selection for revision of narrow nostril deformities secondary to CLP based on retrospective clinical data.Materials and methodsPatients with narrow nostril deformities secondary to CLP were enrolled in the study. Before surgery, patients' clinical data were collected and the width of the nasal floor and the length of the alar rim were measured. Surgical methods were determined according to the measurements. After surgery, a nostril retainer was applied for 6 months to consolidate and maintain the nostril shape. The surgical method and postsurgical changes were recorded for the final summary of the algorithm to select surgical methods for narrow nostril deformities.ResultsThe data from 9 patients were analyzed. According to the width of the nasal floor and the length of the alar rim, correct surgical methods were determined. Four patients received nasolabial skin flaps to widen the soft tissue of the nasal floor. Three patients received upper lip scar tissue flaps to treat the narrow nasal floor. For the short alar rim, free alar composite tissue flap or narrowing of the nostril of the noncleft side was recommended.ConclusionThe width of the nasal floor and the length of the alar rim are critical elements to consider when selecting the correct surgical method for revising narrow nostril deformities secondary to CLP. The proposed algorithm provides a reference for selecting surgical methods in future clinical practice.