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The changes in the mechanical properties of collapsing walls under the influence of natural factors in the hilly area of southern China need to be determined. We systematically studied the influence of the interaction of dry density ρ (1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 g/cm3) and moisture content ω (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 g/g) on the stability of four soil layers in a collapsing wall. The soil cohesion decreased with increasing soil depth. The cohesion force initially increased and then decreased with increasing ω and increased with increasing ρ; the internal friction angle was mainly affected by ω and decreased with increasing ω. The cohesion could be used to effectively characterize the stability of the collapsing wall. The shear strength index was modeled based on interaction between the dry density and moisture content (R2 > 0.95). The optimal combination of moisture content and dry density was obtained, and the collapsing wall was in the most stable state at a moisture content of 0.12–0.19 g/g and a dry density of 1.40 g/cm3. Based on the analysis of the critical height and safety factor (FS), the FS values of the sandy layer (C) was 0.53 and 0.57 for ω values of 0.25 g/g and 0.05 g/g, respectively. In the alternating process of soil wetting and drying, the basic properties of the soil changed; caused traceback erosion, and thereby affected the stability of the collapsing wall. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the investigation of the factors influencing the stability of collapsing walls.

Abstract Background Ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (USP15) exhibits amplifications in various tumors, including gastric cancer (GC), yet its biological function and mechanisms in GC progression remain elusive. Methods Here, we established stable USP15 knockdown or overexpression GC cell lines and explored the potential mechanism of USP15 in GC. Besides, we also identified interacting targets of USP15. Results USP15 knockdown significantly impeded cell proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and distal colonization in xenograft models, while enhancing oxaliplatin's antitumor effect. USP15 was involved in ubiquitination modification of glycolytic regulators. Silencing of USP15 suppressed glycolytic activity and impaired mitochondrial functions. Interference with USP15 expression reversed tumor progression and distal colonization in vivo. HKDC1 and IGF2BP3 were found as core interacting targets of USP15, and HKDC1 was identified as a substrate for ubiquitination modification by USP15, whereby USP15 regulated glucose metabolism activity by inhibiting the ubiquitination degradation of HKDC1. Conclusions Our study unveiled aberrantly high expression of USP15 in GC tissues, correlating with malignant progression and nonresponse to neoadjuvant therapy. USP15 inhibitors, if developed, could be effective in promoting chemotherapy through glucose metabolism remodeling.

Abstract High basal autophagy and enhanced mitochondrial fission in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells support cell migration and promote plasticity of cancer cell metabolism. Here, we suggest a novel combination therapy approach for the treatment of TNBC that targets Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission and autophagy pathways. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mediates a myriad of biological processes, including autophagy and mitochondrial function. In this study, we demonstrated that 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (ADT-OH), one of the most widely utilized sustained-release H2S donors, effectively suppresses metastasis of TNBC cells in the absence of proliferation inhibition in vitro and in vivo. ADT-OH treatment ameliorated autophagy flux by suppressing autophagosome formation and induced mitochondrial elongation through decreasing expression of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and increasing expression of mitochondrial fusion protein (Mfn2). At the same time, ADT-OH downregulated mitophagy flux and inhibited mitochondrial function, eventually leading to the inhibition of migration and invasion in TNBC cells. In vivo, intraperitoneal administration of ADT-OH revealed a potent anti-metastatic activity in three different animal models, the MDA-MB-231 orthotopic xenograft model, the 4T1-Luci orthotopic model and the 4T1-Luci tail vein metastasis model. However, ADT-OH has an extremely low water solubility, which is a significant barrier to its effectiveness. Thus, we demonstrated that the solubility of ADT-OH in water can be improved significantly by absorption with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (CD). Remarkably, the obtained CD-ADT-OH demonstrated superior anti-cancer effect to ADT-OH in vivo. Altogether, this study describes a novel regulator of mammalian mitochondrial fission and autophagy, with potential utility as an experimental therapeutic agent for metastatic TNBC.

Previous studies have delved into slope break zones in faulted basins, yet foreland basins, with their gentle slopes toward the forebulge, underdeveloped large-scale structures, and small terrain undulations, have received limited research on slope-fault belts. During the deposition periods of the 4th and 5th members of the Late Triassic Xujiahe Formation, a foreland basin developed in the Sichuan Basin. Scholars have noted the control exerted by the gentle slope break zone on the sedimentary lithofacies in the central and western Sichuan, particularly in the west of the Luzhou-Kaijiang Paleo-uplift, but related studies remain limited. By interpreting the tectonic slope break zones in seismic reflection profiles of the Sichuan Basin and incorporating existing regional geological data, this study employed particle flow numerical simulation to clarify the types of slope break zones in the central and western Sichuan regions, as well as their relationship with gravity sliding structures. It also analyzed the characte-ristics of new types of oil and gas traps associated with gravity-sliding structures. The findings are as follows: (1) The study area developed a fault slope break zone, with each side bounded by a "front squeezing and rear extension" tectonic combinations formed by gravity sliding. The tectonic deformation is weaker than those of gravity-sliding structures at passive continental margins. (2) The edge fault of the tectonic slope break zone controls the sedimentary facies and sand body types. (3) In the gentle slope zone, the stretching area of gravity-sliding structures lead to the uplift of the footwalls of normal faults, forming syndepositional anticlines with developed sandstones. These sandstones, juxtaposed with organic-rich mudstones within the contemporaneous fault depression, form "side-generated and lateral storage" hydrocarbon reservoirs. (4) In the steep slope zone, gravity sliding forms syndepositional anticlines in the 5th member of the Xujiahe Formation, which are bounded by flank mudstones and post-sliding deposited mudstones, forming in-source sand body reservoirs. (5) Syndepositional anticline hydrocarbon reservoirs related to gravity-sliding structures represent a new type of in-source hydrocarbon accumulation. The 5th member of the Xujiahe Formation in the study area likely contains such reservoirs, distributed in a NE-trending pattern parallel to the slope break zone.

Abstract Novel methods for sampling and characterizing biodiversity hold great promise for re-evaluating patterns of life across the planet. The sampling of airborne spores with a cyclone sampler, and the sequencing of their DNA, have been suggested as an efficient and well-calibrated tool for surveying fungal diversity across various environments. Here we present data originating from the Global Spore Sampling Project, comprising 2,768 samples collected during two years at 47 outdoor locations across the world. Each sample represents fungal DNA extracted from 24 m3 of air. We applied a conservative bioinformatics pipeline that filtered out sequences that did not show strong evidence of representing a fungal species. The pipeline yielded 27,954 species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Each OTU is accompanied by a probabilistic taxonomic classification, validated through comparison with expert evaluations. To examine the potential of the data for ecological analyses, we partitioned the variation in species distributions into spatial and seasonal components, showing a strong effect of the annual mean temperature on community composition.

ABSTRACT The rapid expansion of antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases is a global burden on public health. It makes sense to repurpose and reposition already-approved medications for use as supplementary agents in synergistic combinations with existing antibiotics. Here, we demonstrate that the anthelmintic drug nitazoxanide (NTZ) synergistically enhances the effectiveness of the lipopeptide antibiotic polymyxin B in inhibiting gram-negative bacteria, including those resistant to polymyxin B. Mechanistic investigations revealed that nitazoxanide inhibited calcium influx and cell membrane depolarization, enhanced the affinity between polymyxin B and the extracellular membrane, and promoted intracellular ATP depletion and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus enhancing the penetration and disruption of the Escherichia coli cell membrane by polymyxin B. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that the combination resulted in energy depletion by inhibiting both aerobic and anaerobic respiration patterns in bacterial cells. The increased bactericidal effect of polymyxin B on the E. coli ∆nuoC strain further indicates that NuoC could be a promising target for nitazoxanide. Furthermore, the combination of nitazoxanide and polymyxin B showed promising therapeutic effects in a mouse infection model infected with E. coli. Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of nitazoxanide as a novel adjuvant to polymyxin B, to overcome antibiotic resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes in refractory infections.IMPORTANCEThe rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a serious threat to public health. The search for potential compounds that can increase the antibacterial activity of existing antibiotics is a promising strategy for addressing this issue. Here, the synergistic activity of the FDA-approved agent nitazoxanide (NTZ) combined with polymyxin B was investigated in vitro using checkerboard assays and time-kill curves. The synergistic mechanisms of the combination of nitazoxanide and polymyxin B were explored by fluorescent dye, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and transcriptomic analysis. The synergistic efficacy was evaluated in vivo by the Escherichia coli and mouse sepsis models. These results suggested that nitazoxanide, as a promising antibiotic adjuvant, can effectively enhance polymyxin B activity, providing a potential strategy for treating multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Solar‐driven evaporation using hydrogels and photothermal materials is a promising freshwater harvesting technology. However, due to the difficulty of removing volatile pollutants through evaporation and the fact that the evaporation efficiency has reached its limit, further improving efficiency becomes challenging. Therefore, a material simultaneously possessing low water evaporation enthalpy as well as the ability to inhibit volatile pollutants is desired. In this work, a dense inhibitory layer on the hydrogel framework of polyacrylamide introduced into polyvinyl alcohol is designed to enhance its suppression of volatile pollutants and regulate the water state. This not only reduces the energy demand for evaporation but also makes it more effective in treating wastewater containing volatile pollutant ammonia nitrogen. Finally, a high evaporation rate of 3.0 kg m−2 h−1 and an excellent ammonium rejection rate of 90% for high concentration ammonia wastewater are obtained under 1 kW m−2 illumination. This work opens up new avenues of application for the use of photothermal materials in the use of clean solar energy for the separation of freshwater and volatile small molecules.

Reactive air brazing (RAB) has been widely applied in fabricating solid oxide fuel cell stacks, gas separators, sensors, and other fields due to the joint good oxidation resistance. Nevertheless, a methodical analysis of fundamental principles, development process, and application scope has yet to be reported since RAB was proposed in 2000. Although various braze systems have been developed, a comprehensive comparison and classification are still absent, making it difficult to guide the selection of RAB braze. Besides, this technique faces several intractable issues, such as excessive interfacial reactions, large thermal mismatch, etc., seriously restricting the RAB application. Hence this review elucidates the basic information, braze systems, existing issues, and corresponding solutions of RAB. The joining mechanism, development history, and application fields are explicitly introduced. Reported braze systems are analyzed in-depth and divided into three categories according to reactivity. Further, we outline four issues of RAB: excessive interfacial reaction, excessive thermal expansion coefficient of braze, limited aging performance, and high-temperature softening of braze, and discuss the corresponding solutions. Finally, our review proposed several potential improvements and possible future research trends in the RAB technique, aiming to guide the future development of RAB and offer new insights to broaden its application range.

Abstract Background Annual screening through low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is recommended for heavy smokers. However, it is questionable whether all individuals require annual screening given the potential harms of LDCT screening. This study examines the benefit–harm and cost-effectiveness of risk-based screening in heavy smokers and determines the optimal risk threshold for screening and risk-stratified screening intervals. Methods We conducted a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis in China, using a cohort-based Markov model which simulated a lung cancer screening cohort of 19,146 heavy smokers aged 50 ~ 74 years old, who had a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years and were either current smokers or had quit for

Abstract Background Chronic inflammatory disorders in peritoneal dialysis (PD) contribute to the adverse clinical outcome. Systemic immune inflammation index (SII) is the novel and convenient measurement that is positively associated with various diseases. However, scarce is known regarding the association between SII with all-cause mortality among PD patients. Methods In this multi-center retrospective cohort study, 1,677 incident patients with PD were enrolled. Eligible patients were stratified into groups based on SII level: tertile 1( 819.03). The primary endpoint was the all-cause mortality. Both Cox regression analysis and competing risk models were used to examine the association between SII and all-cause mortality. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess the influence of the SII tertiles on all-cause mortality in different subgroups. Results During the follow-up period of 30.5 ± 20.0 months, 26.0% (437/1,677) patients died, of whom the SII tertile 3 group accounted for 39.1% (171/437) of the deaths. Patients in the SII tertile 3 group had a higher all-cause mortality rate than patients in the SII tertile 1 and 2 groups (log-rank = 13.037, P

Abstract Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most serious type of cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of cardiac death.Ferroptosis is one of the newly discovered programmed cell death modes in MI, but its mechanism of action in MI has not been clarified.In this study, we analyzed the expression changes of ferroptosis-related genes in MI and explored the potential mechanisms of ferroptosis-related functions in myocardial infarction. Public data sets GSE19339, GSE97320 and GSE141512 were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) Datasets public database. After data preprocessing, differentially expressed genes were screened, and differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes associated with myocardial infarction were obtained. The biological function and signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed to establish the PPI interaction network specific to heart tissue, and the differential diagnosis significance of differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes associated with myocardial infarction was analyzed by ROC curve and decision tree model.A total of 317 genes showed significant changes in expression levels in patients with myocardial infarction, including 205 down-regulated genes and 112 up-regulated genes.Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and functional classification of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways showed that these genes were mainly involved in signaling pathways or biological functions related to inflammation and apoptosis.Five differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (SLC2A3, EPAS1, HMOX1, ATM, FANCD2) were obtained, all of which played key biological functions in cardiac tissue function. SLC2A3, EPAS1, HMOX1, ATM and FANCD2 genes all had good diagnostic value for myocardial infarction (P < 0.05). The increase of SLC2A3, EPAS1 and HMOX1 are risk factors for myocardial infarction, while ATM and FANCD2 are protective factors.Decision tree analysis showed that SLC2A3, HMOX1, ATM, FANCD2 gene had higher net yield in diagnosing myocardial infarction. In summary, the mechanism of ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and progression of myocardial infarction. In this study, five differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes associated with myocardial infarction were retrieved, which may be good biomarkers of ferroptosis after MI.These findings also suggest that the differential expression of ferroptosis-related genes associated with myocardial infarction has significant diagnostic significance for myocardial infarction.

Glass/Glass-ceramic sealing is always accompanied by issues of high porosity and brittle joints. To migrate these problems, an Ag foam was innovatively induced as an interlayer in the process of glass sealing the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic to Mn–Co spinel-coated Crofer 22 H stainless steel. Interlayer-added joints showed a significant reduction in porosity, and the shear strength was improved to 52.3 MPa, with an enhancement of 37.8 %. The influence of interlayer on the microstructure of the joint has been investigated and the formation process of the joint is illustrated. The Ag interlayer expels gases from the sealant material through expansion at high temperatures and promotes finer nucleation grains of crystallites integrating with the interlayer, reducing the porosity and alleviating the brittleness as well.

Objective Malnutrition and inflammation are associated with mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Serum albumin and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) are independently associated with mortality in PD patients. Combining albumin and non-HDL-C with mortality may be more plausible in clinical practice.Methods This retrospective cohort study included 1954 Chinese PD patients from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2016. Kaplan–Meier curve was used to determine the relationship between albumin to non-HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality. Cox regression analysis was applied to assess the independent predictive value while adjusting for confounding factors. Competitive risk analysis was used to examine the effects of other outcomes on all-cause mortality prognosis.Results In the 33-month follow-up period, there were 538 all-cause deaths. Kaplan–Meier analysis presented significant differences in all-cause mortality. Multivariate Cox regression showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was lower in the moderate group (9.36–12.79) (HR, 0.731; 95% CI, 0.593–0.902, p = 0.004) and the highest group (>12.79) (HR, 0.705; 95% CI, 0.565–0.879, p = 0.002) compared to the lowest group (≤9.36). Competitive risk analysis revealed significant differences for all-cause mortality (p

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have been widely detected in multiple environment media and have many adverse effects with complex toxicity mechanisms. However, the early molecular responses to OPFRs have not been fully elucidated, thereby making it difficult to assess their risks accurately. In this work, we systematically explored the point of departure (POD) of biological pathways at genome-wide level perturbed by 14 OPFRs with three substituents (alkyl, halogen, and aryl) using a dose-dependent functional genomics approach in Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 24 h exposure. Firstly, our results demonstrated that the overall biological potency at gene level (PODDRG20) ranged from 0.013 to 35.079 μM for 14 OPFRs, especially the tributyl phosphate (TnBP) exhibited the strongest biological potency with the least PODDRG20. Secondly, we found that structural characteristics of carbon number and logKow were significantly negatively correlated with POD, and carbon number and logKow also significantly affected lipid metabolism associated processes. Thirdly, these early biological pathways of OPFRs toxification were found to be involved in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, DNA damage, MAPK signaling pathway, and amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, among which the lipid metabolism was the most sensitive molecular response perturbed by most OPFRs. More importantly, we identified one resistant mutant strain with knockout of ERG2 (YMR202W) gene participated in steroid biosynthesis pathway, which can serve as a key yeast strain of OPFRs toxification. Overall, our study demonstrated an effective platform for accurately assessing OPFRs risks and provided a basis for further green OPFRs development.

AbstractZygophyllum brachypterum Karelin & Kirilov belongs to Zygophyllaceae and is mainly distributed in the desert regions of Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northwest China. The species is valuable in exploring the adaptations of Zygophyllaceae plants to salt stress in ecological environments. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Z. brachypterum. The entire cp genome was 104590 bp in length, with a large single-copy region (LSC, 79170 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 16778 bp), and two inverted repeats (IRa/IRb) of 4321 bp each. A total of 106 genes were detected, among which seven were located in the IRs, and 65, 30, and 4 were protein-coding, tRNA, and rRNA genes, respectively. Notably, eleven genes encoding the subunits of NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complex (NDH) were absent. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Z. brachypterum belonged to Zygophylloideae (Zygophyllaceae). Furthermore, it was closely related to Z. fabago and Z. kansuense.

Abstract Background High-quality genome data of birds play a significant role in the systematic study of their origin and adaptive evolution. The Temminck’s tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) (Galliformes, Phasianidae), a larger pheasant, is one of the most abundant and widely distributed species of the genus Tragopan, and was defined as class II of the list of national key protected wild animals in China. The absence of a sequenced genome has restricted previous evolutionary trait studies of this taxa. Results The whole genome of the Temminck’s tragopan was sequenced using Illumina and PacBio platform, and then de novo assembled and annotated. The genome size was 1.06 Gb, with a contig N50 of 4.17 Mb. A total of 117.22 Mb (11.00%) repeat sequences were identified. 16,414 genes were predicted using three methods, with 16,099 (98.08%) annotated as functional genes based on five databases. In addition, comparative genome analyses were conducted across 12 Galliformes species. The results indicated that T. temminckii was the first species to branch off from the clade containing Lophura nycthemera, Phasianus colchicus, Chrysolophus pictus, Syrmaticus mikado, Perdix hodgsoniae, and Meleagris gallopavo, with a corresponding divergence time of 31.43 million years ago (MYA). Expanded gene families associated with immune response and energy metabolism were identified. Genes and pathways associated with plumage color and feather development, immune response, and energy metabolism were found in the list of positively selected genes (PSGs). Conclusions A genome draft of the Temminck’s tragopan was reported, genome feature and comparative genome analysis were described, and genes and pathways related to plumage color and feather development, immune response, and energy metabolism were identified. The genomic data of the Temminck’s tragopan considerably contribute to the genome evolution and phylogeny of the genus Tragopan and the whole Galliformes species underlying ecological adaptation strategies.

Abstract Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is essential for normal brain development and regulates processes of vascular maturation. The pathogenesis of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) relates to the fragility of the immature capillaries in the germinal matrix, and its inability to resist fluctuations in cerebral blood flow. In this work, using different experimental setups, we aimed to (i) establish an optimal time-point for glycerol-induction of IVH in relation to time-point of recombinant human (rh) IGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 administration, and (ii) to evaluate the effects of a physiologic replacement dose of rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 on prevention of IVH and survival in the preterm rabbit pup. The presence of IVH was evaluated using high-frequency ultrasound and post-mortem examinations. In the first part of the study, the highest incidence of IVH (> 60%), occurred when glycerol was administered at the earliest timepoint, e.g., 6 h after birth. At later time-points (18 and 24 h) the incidence decreased substantially. In the second part of the study, the incidence of IVH and mortality rate following rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 administration was not statistically different compared to vehicle treated animals. To evaluate the importance of maintaining intrauterine serum levels of IGF-1 following preterm birth, as reported in human interventional studies, additional studies are needed to further characterize and establish the potential of rhIGF-1/rhIGFBP-3 in reducing the prevalence of IVH and improving survival in the preterm rabbit pup.

The prominent problem of articulated steering structure of engineering vehicle is that there is pressure oscillation in the hydraulic system during steering, which seriously affects the performance of steering system. To solve this problem, the maximum stroke difference of left and right cylinders and the minimum maximum cylinder pressure are the optimization objectives, and the position of cylinder hinge point is the design variable. The multi-objective optimization design of articulated steering system is carried out by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. After optimization, the maximum pressure of the steering system is reduced by 13.5%, and the oscillation amplitude is reduced by 16%, so the optimization effect is obvious. The dynamic characteristics of the hydraulic steering system under different loads, such as pressure and flow rate, are obtained through field steering tests of wheel loaders. The results show that the load has an important effect on the pressure response of the system, and the causes and influencing factors of pressure and flow fluctuation are determined. The relationship between mileage and hydrogen consumption is obtained, which provides data support for vehicle control strategy. The high-pressure overflow power consumption accounts for 60% of the total work, and the work lost on the steering gear reaches 36 kJ. The test results verify the rationality and correctness of the optimization method of steering mechanism and provide data support for the improvement in steering hydraulic system.

BackgroundThe relationship between inflammation-related genes (IRGs) and keloid disease (KD) is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to identify a new set of inflammation-related biomarkers in KD.MethodsGSE145725 and GSE7890 datasets were used in this study. A list of 3026 IRGs was obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database. Differentially expressed inflammation-related genes (DEGs) were obtained by taking the intersection of DEGs between KD and control samples and the list of IRGs. Candidate genes were selected using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. Candidate genes with consistent expression differences between KD and control in both GSE145725 and GSE7890 datasets were screened as biomarkers. An alignment diagram was constructed and validated, and in silico immune infiltration analysis and drug prediction were performed. Finally, RT-qPCR was performed on KD samples to analyze the expression of the identified biomarkers.ResultsA total of 889 DEGs were identified from the GSE145725 dataset, 169 of which were IRGs. Three candidate genes (TRIM32, LPAR1 and FOXF1) were identified by the LASSO regression analysis, and expression validation analysis suggested that FOXF1 and LPAR1 were down-regulated in KD samples and TRIM32 was up-regulated. All three candidate genes had consistent changes in expression in both the GSE145725 and GSE7890 datasets. An alignment diagram was constructed to predict KD. Effector memory CD4 T cells, T follicular helper cell, Myeloid derived suppressor cell, activated dendritic cell, Immature dendritic cell and Monocyte were differentially expressed between the KD and control group. Sixty-seven compounds that may act on FOXF1, 108 compounds that may act on LPAR1 and 56 compounds that may act on TRIM32 were predicted. Finally, RT-qPCR showed that the expression of LPAR1 was significantly lower in KD samples compared to normal samples whereas TRIM32 was significantly higher, while there was no difference in the expression of FOXF1.ConclusionThis study provides a new perspective to study the relationship between IRGs and KD.

Ferroptosis is iron-dependent and regulates necrosis caused by lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial damage. Recent evidence has revealed an emerging role for ferroptosis in the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury (AKI). Sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQOR) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein highly expressed in the renal cortex. However, the effects of SQOR on ferroptosis and AKI have not been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the effects of SQOR in several AKI models. We observed a rapid decrease in SQOR expression after cisplatin stimulation in both in vivo and in vitro models. SQOR-deletion mice exhibit exacerbated kidney impairment and ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells following cisplatin injury. Additionally, our results showed that the overexpression of SQOR or ADT-OH (the slow-releasing H2S donor) preserved renal function in the three AKI mouse models. These effects were evidenced by lower levels of serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), renal neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1). Importantly, SQOR knockout significantly aggravates cisplatin-induced ferroptosis by promoting mitochondrial dysfunction in renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs). Moreover, online database analysis combined with our study revealed that SYVN1, an upregulated E3 ubiquitin ligase, may mediate the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of SQOR in AKI. Consequently, our results suggest that SYVN1-mediated ubiquitination degradation of SQOR may induce mitochondrial dysfunction in RTECs, exacerbating ferroptosis and thereby promoting the occurrence and development of AKI. Hence, targeting the SYVN1-SQOR axis could be a potential therapeutic strategy for AKI treatment.

The growing trend of interdependence between the international stock markets indicated the amalgamation of risk across borders that plays a significant role in portfolio diversification by selecting different assets from the financial markets and is also helpful for making extensive economic policy for the economies. By applying different methodologies, this study undertakes the volatility analysis of the emerging and OECD economies and analyzes the co-movement pattern between them. Moreover, with that motive, using the wavelet approach, we provide strong evidence of the short and long-run risk transfer over different time domains from Malaysia to its trading partners. Our findings show that during the Asian financial crisis (1997-98), Malaysia had short- and long-term relationships with China, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the UK, and Indonesia due to both high and low-frequency domains. Meanwhile, after the Global financial crisis (2008-09), it is being observed that Malaysia has long-term and short-term synchronization with emerging (China, India, Indonesia), OECD (Germany, France, USA, UK, Japan, Singapore) stock markets but Pakistan has the low level of co-movement with Malaysian stock market during the global financial crisis (2008-09). Moreover, it is being seen that Malaysia has short-term at both high and low-frequency co-movement with all the emerging and OECD economies except Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia during the COVID-19 period (2020-21). Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia have long-term synchronization relationships with the Malaysian stock market at high and low frequencies during COVID-19. While in a leading-lagging relationship, Malaysia's stock market risk has both leading and lagging behavior with its trading partners' stock market risk in the selected period; this behavior changes based on the different trade and investment flow factors. Moreover, DCC-GARCH findings shows that Malaysian market has both short term and long-term synchronization with trading partners except USA. Conspicuously, the integration pattern seems that the cooperation development between stock markets matters rather than the regional proximity in driving the cointegration. The study findings have significant implications for investors, governments, and policymakers around the globe.

Abstract Background Lack of exercise is often a major cause of chronic disease. Osteoporosis (OP) is a chronic disease with multifactorial co-morbidity. Baduanjin (BDJ) exercise may be a powerful tool for modifying risk factors. The aim is to provide more evidence about the effectiveness of BDJ exercise in improving pain and balance ability in patients with OP. Methods In the prospective randomized controlled trial, 160 participants will be recruited and randomized to the treatment group (BDJ exercise combined with Calcium carbonate and D3) or the control group (Calcium carbonate and D3) at 1:1 ratio. Participants in the treatment group will receive 24-week BDJ exercise for 30–60 min, 3 times a week, along with Calcium carbonate and D3 at each day, while participants in the control group will receive Calcium carbonate and D3 only. All outcome indicators will be measured at baseline, after the 6th month of treatment and 6th month after the end of treatment. The primary outcomes include pain and balance ability, as measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Berg balance scale (BBS). The secondary outcomes will primarily include bone mineral density (BMD), laboratory tests (including P1NP, β-CTX, MSTN, FDF-23, NPY), the timed “up and go” (TUG) test, the morse fall scale (MFS), the five-times sit-to-stand test (FTSST). Discussion The study will hopefully confirm that BDJ exercise, as a non-drug intervention, should be recommended for patients with OP to prevent bone loss, falls and fractures. Trial registration International standard randomized controlled trial number (ISRCTN) registry: ISRCTN76945140 registered on 07/06/2022.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world, but the research on its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is still a major challenge in clinical oncology. Thus, there is a pressing requirement to find effective strategies to improve the survival of colon cancer patients. Methods Celecoxib has been accounted to be an effective antitumor drug, but may exhibit significant side effects. In recent studies, 5‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐3H‐1,2‐dithiole‐3‐thione (ADT‐OH), one of the most commonly used reagents for the synthesis of sustained‐release H2S donors, has also been reported to inhibit cancer progression by affecting processes such as cell cycle, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Therefore, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of the combination of ADT‐OH and celecoxib on colorectal cancer through in vitro and in vivo, hoping to achieve better therapeutic effect and reduce the effect of celecoxib on gastric injury through exogenous administration of H2S. Results Our results demonstrated that ADT‐OH combined with celecoxib synergistically inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells, altered cell cycle and cytoskeleton, increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and promoted cell apoptosis. Noteworthy, in vivo studies also indicated the excellent antitumor therapeutic effect of the combination therapy without apparent toxicity. Conclusions In general, our results provide a reasonable combination strategy of low‐dose ADT‐OH and celecoxib in the preclinical application of colorectal cancer.

It is common sense that a phase interface (or grain boundary) could be used to scatter phonons in thermoelectric (TE) materials, resulting in low thermal conductivity (κ). However, a large number of impurity phases are always so harmful to the transport of carriers that poor TE performance is obtained. Here, we demonstrate that numerous superior multiphase (AgCuTe, Ag2Te, copper telluride (Cu2Te and Cu2−xTe), and nickel telluride (NiTe)) interfaces with simultaneous strong phonon scattering and weak electron scattering could be realized in AgCuTe-based TE materials. Owing to the similar chemical bonds in these phases, the depletion region at phase interfaces, which acts as carrier scattering centers, could be ignored. Therefore, the power factor (PF) is obviously enhanced from ~609 to ~832 μW·m−1·K−2, and κ is simultaneously decreased from ~0.52 to ~0.43 W·m−1·K−1 at 636 K. Finally, a peak figure of merit (zT) of ~1.23 at 636 K and an average zT (zTavg) of ~1.12 in the temperature range of 523–623 K are achieved, which are one of the best values among the AgCuTe-based TE materials. This study could provide new guidance to enhance the performance by designing superior multiphase interfaces in the TE materials.

Abstract Background Preventive colostomy is required for colorectal surgery, and the incidence of complications associated with ileostomy and colostomy remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the incidence of postoperative complications between ileostomy and colostomy procedures. Methods Data analysis was conducted on 30 studies, and meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were performed on five studies. The basic indicators, such as stoma prolapse, leak, wound infection, ileus, and a series of other indicators, were compared. Results No statistically significant differences were observed with complications other than stoma prolapse. Meta-analysis and TSA showed that the incidence of ileostomy prolapse was lower than that of colostomy prolapse, and the difference was statistically significant. Apart from the four complications listed above, the general data analysis showed differences in incidence between the two groups. The incidence of skin irritation, parastomal hernia, dehydration, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections was higher with ileostomy than with colostomy. In contrast, the incidence of parastomal fistula, stenosis, hemorrhage, and enterocutaneous fistula was higher with colostomy than with ileostomy. Conclusions There were differences in the incidence of ileostomy and colostomy complications in the selected studies, with a low incidence of ileostomy prolapse. PROSPERO registration number CRD42022303133.

Abstract Abnormal myelination underlies the pathology of white matter diseases such as preterm white matter injury and multiple sclerosis. Osteopontin (OPN) has been suggested to play a role in myelination. Murine OPN mRNA is translated into a secreted isoform (sOPN) or an intracellular isoform (iOPN). Whether there is an isoform‐specific involvement of OPN in myelination is unknown. Here we generated mouse models that either lacked both OPN isoforms in all cells (OPN‐KO) or lacked sOPN systemically but expressed iOPN specifically in oligodendrocytes (OLs‐iOPN‐KI). Transcriptome analysis of isolated oligodendrocytes from the neonatal brain showed that genes and pathways related to increase of myelination and altered cell cycle control were enriched in the absence of the two OPN isoforms in OPN‐KO mice compared to control mice. Accordingly, adult OPN‐KO mice showed an increased axonal myelination, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy imaging, and increased expression of myelin‐related proteins. In contrast, neonatal oligodendrocytes from OLs‐iOPN‐KI mice compared to control mice showed differential regulation of genes and pathways related to the increase of cell adhesion, motility, and vasculature development, and the decrease of axonal/neuronal development. OLs‐iOPN‐KI mice showed abnormal myelin formation in the early phase of myelination in young mice and signs of axonal degeneration in adulthood. These results suggest an OPN isoform‐specific involvement, and a possible interplay between the isoforms, in myelination, and axonal integrity. Thus, the two isoforms of OPN need to be separately considered in therapeutic strategies targeting OPN in white matter injury and diseases.

COVID-19 continues to spread around the world. This is mainly because new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerge due to genomic mutations, evade the immune system and result in the effectiveness of current therapeutics being reduced. We previously established a series of detection platforms, comprising computational docking analysis, S-protein-based ELISA, pseudovirus entry, and 3CL protease activity assays, which allow us to screen a large library of phytochemicals from natural products and to determine their potential in blocking the entry of SARS-CoV-2. In this new screen, rutaecarpine (an alkaloid from Evodia rutaecarpa) was identified as exhibiting anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Therefore, we conducted multiple rounds of structure-activity-relationship (SAR) studies around this phytochemical and generated several rutaecarpine analogs that were subjected to in vitro evaluations. Among these derivatives, RU-75 and RU-184 displayed remarkable inhibitory activity when tested in the 3CL protease assay, S-protein-based ELISA, and pseudovirus entry assay (for both wild-type and omicron variants), and they attenuated the inflammatory response induced by SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, RU-75 and RU-184 both appeared to be more potent than rutaecarpine itself, and this suggests that they might be considered as lead candidates for future pharmacological elaboration.

The Yellow River Estuary and its adjacent waters serve as crucial spawning, foraging, and nursery areas for marine organisms, possessing abundant biological resources. Monitoring fish communities provides a baseline for implementing the sustainable utilization of marine resources. In this study, data were collected from 15 spring surface and bottom sites and 17 summer surface sites using eDNA and trawl surveys. The results showed that 37, 40, and 35 fish species were detected using eDNA in the spring (surface and bottom) and summer (surface), respectively, with 38 fish species caught during summer trawling. The dominant species mainly belonged to Engraulidae of Clupeiformes in the spring and Gobiidae of Perciformes in the summer, characterized by smaller-sized, short-lived, and pelagic fish species. The summer surface communities exhibited higher diversity than the spring surface and bottom communities. NMDS analysis revealed a degree of seasonal differences in fish communities and that there may be a lack of vertical stratification in the spring communities. The pH and DO were identified as the key environmental factors affecting the fish community. Additionally, the combination of eDNA and trawl surveys was regarded as a superior survey method. Our study provides valuable information for understanding seasonal fish communities in the Yellow River Estuary and its adjacent waters, contributing to fishery resource management and conservation in the region.

Abstract Background Total cholesterol is inversely associated with mortality in dialysis patients, which seems implausible in real-world clinical practice. May there be an optimal range of total cholesterol associated with a lower mortality risk? We aimed to evaluate the optimal range for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective real-world cohort study of 3565 incident PD patients from five PD centers between January 1, 2005, and May 31, 2020. Baseline variables were collected within one week before the start of PD. The associations between total cholesterol and mortality were examined using cause-specific hazard models. Results 820 (23.0%) patients died, including 415 cardiovascular deaths, during the follow-up period. Restricted spline plots showed a U-curved association of total cholesterol with mortality. Compared with the reference range (4.10–4.50 mmol/L), high levels of total cholesterol (> 4.50 mmol/L) were associated with increased risks of all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] 1.35, 95% confidence index [CI] 1.08–1.67) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09–1.87). Similarly, compared with the reference range, low levels of total cholesterol (

Abstract Lithium (Li) is a prototypical simple metal at ambient conditions, but exhibits remarkable changes in structural and electronic properties under compression. There has been intense debate about the structure of dense Li, and recent experiments offered fresh evidence for yet undetermined crystalline phases near the enigmatic melting minimum region in the pressure-temperature phase diagram of Li. Here, we report on an extensive exploration of the energy landscape of Li using an advanced crystal structure search method combined with a machine-learning approach, which greatly expands the scale of structure search, leading to the prediction of four complex Li crystal structures containing up to 192 atoms in the unit cell that are energetically competitive with known Li structures. These findings provide a viable solution to the observed yet unidentified crystalline phases of Li, and showcase the predictive power of the global structure search method for discovering complex crystal structures in conjunction with accurate machine learning potentials.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization has proposed a worldwide target of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. A better understanding of HCV, testing behaviors, and associated factors in the general population is essential. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess HCV knowledge, self-reported HCV testing behavior, and willingness to undergo HCV screening in the general Chinese population. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey of the general Chinese population aged ≥15 years was conducted from November 2021 to May 2023. Participant characteristics were assessed based on their knowledge level and uptake of HCV testing. Participants ever having heard of HCV were recognized as being aware of HCV and asked additional HCV knowledge questions using a brief, validated 9-item scale. Participants with 0-3 points and who were unaware of HCV were categorized as having poor knowledge, and those with 4-6 points and 7 points were categorized as having fair and good knowledge, respectively. Participant uptake of HCV testing, testing results, reasons for undergoing or not undergoing HCV testing, and willingness to undergo HCV screening were collected through self-reports. Ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with the HCV knowledge level and the uptake of HCV testing, respectively. ResultsA total of 1491 valid participants’ questionnaires were included. Of these, 714 (47.6%) participants were aware of HCV. The proportion of participants with poor, fair, and good HCV knowledge was 63.4% (945/1491), 9.3% (139/1491), and 27.3% (407/1491), respectively. A total of 465 (31.2%) participants reported ever undergoing HCV testing, and 4 (0.9%) were anti-HCV antibody positive. Most participants were tested for HCV following blood donation (353/465, 75.9%). The most common reasons for not undergoing HCV screening were a lack of HCV awareness (665/1026, 64.8%), followed by a low self-perceived risk of infection (176/1026, 17.2%). Of 1026 participants who had never undergone HCV testing, 937 (91.3%) were willing to undergo HCV screening if universal screening was provided at no cost. The HCV knowledge level was positively associated with the HCV testing rate. Participants who were less educated, lived in rural areas, resided in West China, and were currently alcohol drinkers had lower HCV knowledge and reduced odds of having undergone HCV testing. In contrast, participants with a blood donation history and a family history of hepatitis B virus or HCV infection had higher HCV knowledge and increased odds of prior testing. Participants aged ≥60 years had lower knowledge, and women had reduced odds of having undergone previous HCV testing. ConclusionsThe general population of China has low HCV knowledge and testing rate. There is an urgent need for enhanced HCV awareness and scaled-up HCV screening and treatment. Individuals who are less well educated, reside in less-developed areas, currently drink alcohol, and are female should be prioritized for health education and interventions.

Background Serum uric acid to serum creatinine ratio (SUA/Scr) has emerged as a new biomarker, which is significantly associated with several metabolic diseases. However, no study has investigated the association between SUA/Scr and mortality among patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).Methods In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we enrolled CAPD patients in eight tertiary hospitals in China from 1 January 2005 to 31 May 2021. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the relationship between SUA/Scr and mortality.Results A total of 2480 patients were included; the mean age was 48.9 ± 13.9 years and 56.2% were males. During 12648.0 person-years of follow-up, 527 (21.3%) patients died, of which 267 (50.7%) deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease. After multivariable adjustment for covariates, per unit increase in SUA/Scr was associated with a 62.9% (HR, 1.629 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.420–1.867)) and 73.0% (HR, 1.730 (95% CI 1.467–2.041)) higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results were similar when categorized individuals by SUA/Scr quartiles. Compared with the lowest quartile of SUA/Scr, the highest and the second highest quartile of SUA/Scr had a 2.361-fold (95% CI 1.810–3.080) and 1.325-fold (95% CI 1.003–1.749) higher risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a 3.701-fold (95% CI 2.496–5.489) and 2.074-fold (95% CI 1.387–3.100) higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression models showed nonlinear association of SUA/Scr with mortality in CAPD patients.Conclusions Higher levels of SUA/Scr were associated with higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in CAPD patients.

AbstractBackground The glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR), a glucose metabolism and systemic inflammatory response parameter, is associated with an adverse prognosis for various diseases. However, the association between serum GLR and prognosis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) is poorly understood.Methods In this multi-center cohort study, 3236 PD patients were consecutively enrolled between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. Patients were divided into four groups according to the quartiles of baseline GLR levels (Q1: GLR ≤ 2.91, Q2:2.91

AbstractBackground Immune-inflammatory biomarkers (IIBs) have been shown to be correlated with prognosis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between a novel comprehensive biomarker, the pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV), and the prognosis of patients undergoing PD.Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from a multicenter, large-sample PD database. PIV was calculated as (neutrophil count × platelet count × monocyte count)/lymphocyte count. The prognostic endpoints in this study were all-cause death all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and infection-related death. The Kaplan–Meier method, a Cox proportional hazards regression, Fine–Gray competing risk model, smooth curve, and subgroup analysis were used to analyze the independent relationship between PIV and the prognosis of patients undergoing PD.Results A total of 2796 cases of PD were included, and the study population was divided into Tertiles 1, 2, and 3, according to the tertiles of baseline PIVs. After adjusting for multiple model factors, patients in the Tertile 3 group had a significantly higher risk of all-cause death, CVD death and infection-related death compared with patients with PIV in the Tertile 1 group. Interaction tests showed no positive correlations for subgroup parameters. Regarding all-cause death, compared with the lowest tertile, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the highest and middle tertiles were 1.55 (1.25–1.94) and 1.77 (1.43–2.19), respectively; PIV (log2 processing) was associated with 17% excess of mortality in the continuous model.Conclusions A high PIV at baseline was significantly associated with an increased risk of deaths due to all-causes, CVD and infection in patients undergoing PD.

ObjectiveWe investigated the association between bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and 3 years death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in very preterm infants without severe brain injury.MethodOur prospective cohort study recruited preterm infants who were born prior to 32 weeks of gestational age and survived in the neonatal intensive care unit until 36 weeks of corrected age. Upon reaching 3 years of age, each infant was assessed for death or NDI such as cerebral palsy, cognitive deficit, hearing loss, and blindness. Correlations between BPD and death or NDI were determined using multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for confounding factors.ResultA total of 1,417 infants without severe brain injury who survived until 36 weeks of corrected age were initially enrolled in the study. Over the study period, 201 infants were lost to follow-up and 5 infants were excluded. Our final dataset, therefore, included 1,211 infants, of which 17 died after 36 weeks of corrected age and 1,194 were followed up to 3 years of age. Among these infants, 337 (27.8%) developed BPD. Interestingly, by 3 years of age, BPD was demonstrated to be independently associated with death or NDI, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.935 (95% confidence interval: 1.292–2.899, p = 0.001), in preterm infants without severe neonatal brain injury.ConclusionOur findings indicate that BPD is strongly associated with death or NDI in preterm infants without severe neonatal brain injury at 3 years of age. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms linking the development of BPD with death or NDI and whether appropriate treatment of BPD may ameliorate or prevent the development of neurological complications.

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) has been widely regarded as a prospective bifunctional material due to its electrochromic and pseudocapacitive properties, while still facing the dilemma of inadequate cycle stability and trapping-induced degradation. Here, inspired by the trees-strengthening approach, a unique titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorod arrays strengthened WO3 nano-trees (TWNTs) heterojunction was rationally designed and constructed. In sharp contrast to the transmittance modulation (ΔT) attenuation of primary WO3 nano-trees during cycling, the TWNTs film showed not only excellent electrochromic performance but also fascinating cycle stability (77.35% retention of the initial ΔT after 10,000 cycles). Besides, the trapping-induced degradation could be easily rejuvenated by a potentiostatic de-trapping process. An electrochromic energy storage device (EESD) was further assembled based on the TWNTs film to deliver excellent ΔT (up to 79.5% at 633 nm), fast switching speed (tc/tb =1.9 s/14.8 s), extremely high coloration efficiency value (443.4 cm2·C−1), and long-term cycle stability (over 10,000 charge/discharge cycles). This innovative study provided in-depth insights into the electrochromism nature and a significant step in the realization of stable electrochromic-energy storage application, paving the way for multifunctional smart windows as well as next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Abstract A new method for multimodal sensor fusion is introduced. The technique relies on a two-stage process. In the first stage, a multimodal generative model is constructed from unlabelled training data. In the second stage, the generative model serves as a reconstruction prior and the search manifold for the sensor fusion tasks. The method also handles cases where observations are accessed only via subsampling i.e. compressed sensing. We demonstrate the effectiveness and excellent performance on a range of multimodal fusion experiments such as multisensory classification, denoising, and recovery from subsampled observations.

A detailed experimental study of ethanol spray swirling flames was performed in an axial bluff body stabilized burner. The characteristics of the non-reacting and reacting sprays were recorded by particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of the OH radical. A few typical flames with different structures (outer-side-flame-lifting, stable, and near-blow-off) were compared and analyzed. The parameters of the spray, including the spray half-angle (α) and droplet number density (nd), are quantified, and it has been found the flame structure and stability were strongly correlated with the droplet distribution. Several parameters of the flow field, such as velocity magnitude (|U| vorticity (ωz), and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), are quantitively analyzed, and it is observed that the local strain rate rose as the air flow rate increased, which is not conducive to local flame stability. Regarding the flame, quantities such as progress variable (), flame height (Lf), lift–off height (hlf), and symmetry factor (Snd and S) are calculated, and it can be observed that the flame symmetry keeps worsening when approaching blow–off, and the inner flame branch exhibits a worse stabilization than the outer one. Our comprehensive investigations offer a deeper understanding of stable combustion in such two–phase flames.

Errors are common issues in quantum computing platforms, among which leakage is one of the most-challenging to address. This is because leakage, i.e., the loss of information stored in the computational subspace to undesired subspaces in a larger Hilbert space, is more difficult to detect and correct than errors that preserve the computational subspace. As a result, leakage presents a significant obstacle to the development of fault-tolerant quantum computation. In this paper, we propose an efficient and accurate benchmarking framework called leakage randomized benchmarking (LRB), for measuring leakage rates on multi-qubit quantum systems. Our approach is more insensitive to state preparation and measurement (SPAM) noise than existing leakage benchmarking protocols, requires fewer assumptions about the gate set itself, and can be used to benchmark multi-qubit leakages, which has not been achieved previously. We also extended the LRB protocol to an interleaved variant called interleaved LRB (iLRB), which can benchmark the average leakage rate of generic n-site quantum gates with reasonable noise assumptions. We demonstrate the iLRB protocol on benchmarking generic two-qubit gates realized using flux tuning and analyzed the behavior of iLRB under corresponding leakage models. Our numerical experiments showed good agreement with the theoretical estimations, indicating the feasibility of both the LRB and iLRB protocols.

Tungsten sulfide (WS2), as a typical 2D layered material, is a promising electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), while its low electrical conductivity, limited number of active sites, and inadequate intrinsic activity restrict its HER performance. Herein, the reasonable construction of cerium phosphate‐modified tungsten phosphide/tungsten sulfide composite nanosheets with ternary heterostructure on carbon cloth (CeP5O14/WP/WS2/CC) as an efficient self‐supported electrode for the HER is reported. Experimental results and theoretical analysis show that the CeP5O14 can promote the formation of WP to create rich WP/WS2 heterostructures and increase the number of oxygen vacancies in CeP5O14/WP/WS2/CC. Meanwhile, the 3D monolithic construction with more open spaces endows the CeP5O14/WP/WS2/CC with good conductivity, more exposed active sites, and high mass/electron transfer efficiency. More importantly, the synergy of CeP5O14, WP, and WS2 can efficiently tune the electronic state of the WP/WS2 heterostructure, thus optimizing the hydrogen adsorption Gibbs free energy and lowering the d‐band center of the CeP5O14/WP/WS2/CC. As a result, the optimized CeP5O14/WP/WS2/CC electrode exhibits low overpotentials of 105, 154, and 119 mV at 10 mA cm−2 with small Tafel slopes of 52, 78, and 93 mV dec−1 in acidic, alkaline, and neutral electrolytes, respectively, surpassing most of the reported WS2‐based HER electrocatalysts.

BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor impairment. In this study, we aimed to describe the characteristics of amino acids (AA) in the plasma of children with CP and identify AA that could play a potential role in the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of CP.MethodsUsing high performance liquid chromatography, we performed metabolomics analysis of AA in plasma from 62 CP children and 60 healthy controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were then applied to characterize different AA. AA markers associated with CP were then identified by machine learning based on the Lasso regression model for the validation of intra-sample interactions. Next, we calculated a discriminant formula and generated a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve based on the marker combination in the discriminant diagnostic model.ResultsA total of 33 AA were detected in the plasma of CP children and controls. Compared with controls, 5, 7, and 10 different AA were identified in total participants, premature infants, and full-term infants, respectively. Of these, β-amino-isobutyric acid [p = 2.9*10(−4), Fold change (FC) = 0.76, Variable importance of protection (VIP) = 1.75], tryptophan [p = 5.4*10(−4), FC = 0.87, VIP = 2.22], and asparagine [p = 3.6*10(−3), FC = 0.82, VIP = 1.64], were significantly lower in the three groups of CP patients than that in controls. The combination of β-amino-isobutyric acid, tryptophan, and taurine, provided high levels of diagnostic classification and risk prediction efficacy for preterm children with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.8741 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7322–1.000]. The discriminant diagnostic formula for preterm infant with CP based on the potential marker combination was defined by p = 1/(1 + e−(8.295–0.3848* BAIBA-0.1120*Trp + 0.0108*Tau)).ConclusionFull-spectrum analysis of amino acid metabolomics revealed a distinct profile in CP, including reductions in the levels of β-amino-isobutyric acid, tryptophan, and taurine. Our findings shed new light on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of premature infants with CP.

Objectives In December 2018, China launched national volume-based procurement (NVBP) to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers. Gefitinib was one of the 25 pilot drugs, which is used for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in China and targeted drugs like gefitinib have been proven to provide clinical benefits to patients. This study aims to explore the impact of NVBP policy on the usage and expenditure of anticancer drugs.Methods Gefitinib and alternative drugs (icotinib and erlotinib) were used as objects of study. Quarterly data from the China Hospital Pharmaceutical Audit database in 9454 hospitals in China were used for analysis. Descriptive analysis was conducted using purchase volume and expenditure as variables. Interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis was applied to further analyse the effect of NVBP policy on the medicines under study.Results During the 12-month period before (2018Q2–2019Q1) and after (2019Q2–2020Q1) the NVBP policy, the total purchase volume of medicines rose from 4.48 million defined daily dose (DDD) to 7.02 million DDD, with an increase of 56.66%. Purchase volume of gefitinib and alternative drugs increased 100.61% and 14.88%, respectively. After the implementation of NVBP policy, procurement volume of alternative drugs decreased by 72 051 DDD (p value=0.044) and trend change decreased by 56 738 DDD (p value

BackgroundIn recent years, radiomics has been increasingly utilized for the differential diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the application of radiomics in PD diagnosis still lacks sufficient evidence-based support. To address this gap, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of radiomics-based machine learning (ML) for PD.MethodsWe systematically searched Embase, Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science databases as of November 14, 2022. The radiomics quality assessment scale (RQS) was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. The outcome measures were the c-index, which reflects the overall accuracy of the model, as well as sensitivity and specificity. During this meta-analysis, we discussed the differential diagnostic value of radiomics-based ML for Parkinson’s disease and various atypical parkinsonism syndromes (APS).ResultsTwenty-eight articles with a total of 6,057 participants were included. The mean RQS score for all included articles was 10.64, with a relative score of 29.56%. The pooled c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of radiomics for predicting PD were 0.862 (95% CI: 0.833–0.891), 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86–0.94), and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87–0.96) in the training set, and 0.871 (95% CI: 0.853–0.890), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.81–0.89), and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.83–0.91) in the validation set, respectively. Additionally, the pooled c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of radiomics for differentiating PD from APS were 0.866 (95% CI: 0.843–0.889), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.84–0.88), and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75–0.84) in the training set, and 0.879 (95% CI: 0.854–0.903), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85–0.89), and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.77–0.86) in the validation set, respectively.ConclusionRadiomics-based ML can serve as a potential tool for PD diagnosis. Moreover, it has an excellent performance in distinguishing Parkinson’s disease from APS. The support vector machine (SVM) model exhibits excellent robustness when the number of samples is relatively abundant. However, due to the diverse implementation process of radiomics, it is expected that more large-scale, multi-class image data can be included to develop radiomics intelligent tools with broader applicability, promoting the application and development of radiomics in the diagnosis and prediction of Parkinson’s disease and related fields.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=383197, identifier ID: CRD42022383197.

Abstract Background Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been used as a potential biomarker of inflammation-related diseases, but its role in the peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP) is still uncertain. This study was aimed to investigate the association between PLR and the new-onset PDRP in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods In this multicenter retrospective study, 1378 PD Chinese PD patients were recruited from four centers, who were divided into the high PLR group (HPG) and the low PLR group (LPG) according to the cutoff value of PLR. The correlation between PLR and the new-onset PDRP was assessed using the Cox regression model analysis. Results During follow-up, 121 new-onset PDRP events were recorded. Kaplan–Meier survival curve showed a higher risk of new-onset PDRP in the HPG (log-rank test, P

Objectives The global mortality rate from chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased over the past two decades. Typically, peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains a useful alternative treatment for end-stage renal disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main complication in PD patients. In terms of prognosis, it is reported that platelet distribution width (PDW) can predict adverse CVD events. However, the relationship between PDW and new-onset CVD in PD patients is not clear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between PDW and new-onset CVD in PD patients.Methods This was a retrospective cohort study, from 4 July 2005 to 31 December 2019, and a total of 1557 patients were recruited. PDW was respectively categorized into two groups: PDW ≤13.2 fL and PDW >13.2 fL. The primary outcome was a new-onset CVD event. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to assess the hazard ratio (HR). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the PDW on CVD events.Results During follow-up, 114 new-onset CVD events were recorded. Cox proportional hazards models showed a higher risk of CVD events in patients with high PDW (HR = 1.862 95%CI 1.205–2.877, p = 0.005). Kaplan–Meier cumulative incidence curves showed the risk of the first occurrence of CVD events was greater in the high PDW group (p = 0.006).Conclusions High PDW is associated with new-onset cardiovascular disease events in PD patients.

Abstract Background Cerebral palsy (CP), the most common physical disability of childhood, is a nonprogressive movement disorder syndrome. Eighty percent of cases are considered idiopathic without a clear cause. Evidence has shown that cytokine abnormalities are widely thought to contribute to CP. Methods An association between 6 SNPs (rs12244380, rs2025345, rs12722561, rs4749926, rs2104286 and rs706778) in IL2RA (interleukin 2 receptor subunit alpha) and CP was investigated using a case–control method based on 782 CP cases and 778 controls. The allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies of SNPs were assessed using the SHEsis program. Subgroup analyses based on complications and clinical subtypes were also conducted. Results Globally, no differences in genotype or allele frequencies for any SNPs remained significant after Bonferroni correction between patients and controls, except rs706778, which deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and was excluded from further analyses. However, subgroup analysis revealed a significant association of rs2025345 with spastic tetraplegia (P genotype = 0.048 after correction) and rs12722561 with CP accompanied by global developmental delay (P allele = 0.045 after correction), even after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions These findings indicated that genetic variations in IL2RA are significantly associated with CP susceptibility in the Chinese Han population, suggesting that IL2RA is likely involved in the pathogenesis of CP. Further investigation with a larger sample size in a multiethnic population is needed to confirm the association.

Abstract Background New lipid-lowering therapy at the start of dialysis and measurement of lipid parameters over the follow-up period is not recommended in dialysis patients, which seems unappropriated in clinical practice. We aimed to examine the effect of hyperlipidemia on mortality in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed, including 2939 incident CAPD patients from five dialysis facilities between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2018. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The association between hyperlipidemia at the start of CAPD and all-cause mortality was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Of 2939 with a median age of 50.0 (interquartile range, 39.0–61.0), 1697 (57.7%) were men, 533 (18.1%) had hyperlipidemia, 549 (18.7%) had diabetes mellitus, 1915 (65.2%) had hypertension, and 410 (14.0%) had a history of CVD. During the median follow-up period of 35.1 months, 519 (17.7%) died, including 402 (16.7%, 47.4/1000 patient-years) in the non-hyperlipidemia group and 117 (22.0%, 71.1/1000 patient-years) in the hyperlipidemia group. Over the overall follow-up period, patients with hyperlipidemia had an equally high risk of all-cause mortality throughout follow-up as those without hyperlipidemia ([HR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83 to 1.31). However, from the 48-month follow-up onwards, hyperlipidemia was associated with a 2.26 (95% CI 1.49 to 3.43)-time higher risk of all-cause mortality than non-hyperlipidemia. Hypertension modified the association between hyperlipidemia and all-cause mortality (P for interaction

One of the critical challenges for the protonic ceramic fuel cell stack is sealing electrolytes and interconnects. However, the traditional AgCuO sealant will aggravate the oxidation along the interconnect surface and result in brittle compound layers at the BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb) electrolyte interface. The present work demonstrates that a silver particle interlayer with high dislocation density can be adopted to join BZCYYb electrolyte to the interconnect (AISI 441 stainless) in air instead of traditional AgCuO sealant. Elevating temperatures result in a sufficient bonding at the Ag/BZCYYb interface, and a defect-free joint is obtained at 950 °C. Atomic bonding at Ag/BZCYYb interface is confirmed by TEM. Also, a dense and thin oxide layer (2–3 μm) is formed along the AISI 441 interface. Ag particles in the interlayer provide the main driving force for the sintering joining. The massive dislocations promote the recovery and recrystallization of the Ag interlayer, as well as the interdiffusion of BZCYYb/Ag. After aging in the wet oxidizing atmosphere at 600 °C for 300 h, joints remain intact and dense, indicating superior oxidation resistance and aging performance. Besides, the joint shear strength (25.3 MPa) is 59 % higher than that of the joint brazed by traditional AgCuO.