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Abstract Renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common parenchymal tumor of the kidney, and the discovery of biomarkers for early and effective diagnosis of ccRCC can improve the early diagnosis of patients and thus improve long-term survival. Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2) mediates the processes of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis inhibition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic role of ERBB2 in ccRCC. We analyzed the expression levels of ERBB2 in various cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. RNA-seq data were analyzed using R packages to identify differentially expressed genes between the high and low ERBB2 expression groups in the TCGA-KIRC dataset. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation between ERBB2 expression and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and PTEN expression. DNA methylation changes and genetic alterations in ERBB2 were assessed using the MethSurv and cBioPortal databases. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the correlation between ERBB2 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of ccRCC patients. The diagnostic and prognostic value of ERBB2 was assessed using Kaplan‒Meier (K‒M) survival curves, diagnostic ROC curves, time-dependent ROC curves, nomogram models, and Cox regression models. The expression level of ERBB2 is lower in tumor tissues of ccRCC patients than in the corresponding control tissues. Differentially expressed genes associated with ERBB2 were significantly enriched in the pathways “BMP2WNT4FOXO1 pathway in primary endometrial stromal cell differentiation” and “AMAN pathway”. In ccRCC tissues, ERBB2 expression levels were associated with immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, and PTEN. The DNA methylation status of 10 CpG islands in the ERBB2 gene was associated with the prognosis of ccRCC. ERBB2 expression levels in ccRCC tissues were associated with race, sex, T stage, M stage, histological grade, and pathological stage. Cox regression analysis showed that ERBB2 was a potential independent predictor of overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) in ccRCC patients. ROC curve analysis showed that the expression level of ERBB2 could accurately distinguish between ccRCC tissue and adjacent normal renal tissue. Our study showed that ERBB2 expression in ccRCC tissues can be of clinical importance as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Abstract Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis, and the prevention and treatment of this condition are important for improving the long-term survival and quality of life of patients. However, peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is relatively rare and not easily diagnosed. Here, we present a case of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified by pathogenic microbial DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing. This case demonstrates that pathogenic microbial DNA high-throughput genetic sequencing could be used to improve the detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with complex conditions, thereby allowing for earlier initiation of treatment.

Abstract Background Ectoine as an amino acid derivative is widely applied in many fields, such as the food industry, cosmetic manufacturing, biologics, and therapeutic agent. Large-scale production of ectoine is mainly restricted by the cost of fermentation substrates (e.g., carbon sources) and sterilization. Results In this study, Halomonas cupida J9 was shown to be capable of synthesizing ectoine using xylose as the sole carbon source. A pathway was proposed in H. cupida J9 that synergistically utilizes both WBG xylose metabolism and EMP glucose metabolism for the synthesis of ectoine. Transcriptome analysis indicated that expression of ectoine biosynthesis module was enhanced under salt stress. Ectoine production by H. cupida J9 was enhanced by improving the expression of ectoine biosynthesis module, increasing the intracellular supply of the precursor oxaloacetate, and utilizing urea as the nitrogen source. The constructed J9U-P8EC achieved a record ectoine production of 4.12 g/L after 60 h of xylose fermentation. Finally, unsterile production of ectoine by J9U-P8EC from either a glucose-xylose mixture or corn straw hydrolysate was demonstrated, with an output of 8.55 g/L and 1.30 g/L of ectoine, respectively. Conclusions This study created a promising H. cupida J9-based cell factory for low-cost production of ectoine. Our results highlight the potential of J9U-P8EC to utilize lignocellulose-rich agriculture waste for open production of ectoine.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. GC is determined by multiple (epi)genetic and environmental factors; can occur at distinct anatomic positions of the stomach; and displays high heterogeneity, with different cellular origins and diverse histological and molecular features. This heterogeneity has hindered efforts to fully understand the pathology of GC and develop efficient therapeutics. In the past decade, great progress has been made in the study of GC, particularly in molecular subtyping, investigation of the immune microenvironment, and defining the evolutionary path and dynamics. Preclinical mouse models, particularly immunocompetent models that mimic the cellular and molecular features of human GC, in combination with organoid culture and clinical studies, have provided powerful tools for elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying GC pathology and immune evasion, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Herein, we first briefly introduce current progress and challenges in GC study and subsequently summarize immunocompetent GC mouse models, emphasizing the potential application of genetically engineered mouse models in antitumor immunity and immunotherapy studies.

Abstract The introduction of single-atom catalysts (SACs) into Fenton-like oxidation promises ultrafast water pollutant elimination, but the limited access to pollutants and oxidant by surface catalytic sites and the intensive oxidant consumption still severely restrict the decontamination performance. While nanoconfinement of SACs allows drastically enhanced decontamination reaction kinetics, the detailed regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we unveil that, apart from local enrichment of reactants, the catalytic pathway shift is also an important cause for the reactivity enhancement of nanoconfined SACs. The surface electronic structure of cobalt site is altered by confining it within the nanopores of mesostructured silica particles, which triggers a fundamental transition from singlet oxygen to electron transfer pathway for 4-chlorophenol oxidation. The changed pathway and accelerated interfacial mass transfer render the nanoconfined system up to 34.7-fold higher pollutant degradation rate and drastically raised peroxymonosulfate utilization efficiency (from 61.8% to 96.6%) relative to the unconfined control. It also demonstrates superior reactivity for the degradation of other electron-rich phenolic compounds, good environment robustness, and high stability for treating real lake water. Our findings deepen the knowledge of nanoconfined catalysis and may inspire innovations in low-carbon water purification technologies and other heterogeneous catalytic applications.

Abstract The development of dietary fibers as safe and effective food additives or nutrients for preventing and alleviating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasingly important. β‐glucans, renowned prebiotics, have shown promise in alleviating IBD symptoms by modulating gut flora diversity and repairing the intestinal barrier. Auricularia auricula‐judae, an edible fungus, contains a β‐glucan with a triple‐helical structure polysaccharide from black fungus Auricularia auricula‐judae (BFP), which exhibits unique sol–gel properties. This study revealed that BFP forms weak gels or sols at increasing concentrations, enhancing swallow ability and extending intestinal transit time, beneficial for patients with dysphagia requiring targeted intestinal administration. The impact of BFP on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced ulcerative colitis was examined, showing that BFP sols maintain intestinal barrier integrity by up‐regulating MUC2, ZO‐1, Occludin, and Claudin expressions and reducing inflammatory factors. Furthermore, BFP sols augmented probiotics abundance, decreased harmful bacteria, and restored Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes balance. These findings suggest BFP sols’ potential as functional food or alternative IBD treatment.

Background: Prolonged length of stay (LOS) of sepsis can drain a hospital's material and human resources. This study investigated the correlations between T helper type 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) balance with LOS in sepsis. Methods: A prospective clinical observational study was designed in Changhai Hospital affiliated to Naval Medical University in Shanghai, China, from January to October 2020. The patients diagnosed with sepsis and who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited and whether the levels of cytokines, procalcitonin, subtypes, and biomarkers of T cells in the peripheral blood were detected. We analyzed the correlation between these and LOS. Results: Sixty septic patients were classified into two groups according to whether their intensive care unit (ICU) stay exceeded 14 days. The patients with LOS ≥14 days were older ([72.6±7.5] years vs. [63.3±10.4] years, P=0.015) and had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) (median [interquartile range]: 6.5 [5.0–11.0] vs. 4.0 [3.0–6.0], P=0.001) and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores (16.0 [13.0–21.0] vs. 8.5 [7.0–14.0], P=0.001). There was no difference in other demographic characteristics and cytokines, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-10 between the two groups. The Th17/Treg ratio of sepsis with LOS

Abstract The potential of adverse events (AEs) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD) has been reported. To avoid the occurrence of AEs, it is important to recognize high-risk population for prevention in advance. The data of 261 patients with TBAD who received TEVAR between June 2017 and June 2021 at our medical center were retrospectively reviewed. After the implementation of exclusion criteria, 172 patients were finally included, and after 2.8 years (range from 1 day to 5.8 years) of follow up, they were divided into AEs (n = 41) and non-AEs (n = 131) groups. We identified the predictors of AEs, and a prediction model was constructed to calculate the specific risk of postoperative AEs at 1, 2, and 3 years, and to stratify patients into high-risk (n = 78) and low-risk (n = 94) group. The prediction model included seven predictors: Age > 75 years, Lower extremity malperfusion (LEM), NT-proBNP > 330 pg/ml, None distal tear, the ratio between the diameter of the ascending aorta and descending aorta (A/D ratio) > 1.2, the ratio of the area of the false lumen to the total aorta (FL ratio) > 64%, and acute TEVAR, which exhibited excellent predictive accuracy performance and discriminatory ability with C statistic of 82.3% (95% CI 77.3–89.2%). The prediction model was contributed to identify high-risk patients of postoperative AEs, which may serve to achievement of personalized treatment and follow-up plans for patients.

As pivotal structural component, steels operating at high temperatures play a vital role in promoting the development of advanced equipment technology. Enduring and efficient lubricants are critical bottleneck for the construction of high-temperature frictional subsystems. Polydiethylsiloxane oil (PDES) significantly reduces the coefficient of friction (COF) (9.80–16.74 %) and wear rate (28.95–54.59 %) in the Si3N4–8Cr4Mo4V system without sulfur and phosphorus anti-wear additives at 250 °C. With only 1 wt% PDES, there is a remarkable 28.95 % wear rate reduction in the Si3N4–8Cr4Mo4V frictional system. The enhanced lubrication performance come from the Si–O tribofilm at lower PDES concentrations (1–15 wt%). Once exceeding a PDES concentration of 30 wt%, the as-formed Si–O tribofilm transitions to a Fe–Mo compound film, exhibiting superior friction reduction and wear resistance properties.

This study used an ultrasonically accelerated metal-free Fenton (H2O2-Vc system) reaction to promote water-extracted degrading polysaccharides from Ziziphus Jujuba cv. Muzao (DZMP). A novel jujube polysaccharide (DPZMP3) was obtained by degradation using DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow and Sephacryl S-100 column chromatography. Methylation analysis, HPGPC, ion chromatography, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopies were used to clarify the chemical structures of DPZMP3. Monosaccharide compositional analysis of DPZMP3 revealed the presence of Rha, Ara, Gal, and GalA at a molar ratio of 1.00:1.49:1.60:7.68, and the HPGPC data demonstrated the average Mw of 34.3 kDa. Based on the structural and linkage research using NMR spectroscopy and GC–MS, it was determined that DPZMP3 was a homogalacturonan pectic polysaccharide with a (1 → 4)-Galp branch at C-6 and a small amount of Araf and Rhap residues. The ultrasonic-aided Fenton treatment did not significantly alter the structure of DPZMP3. It may also be useful for DZMP and enhancing their antioxidant activity in vitro. The current study's findings could pave the way for the food sector to use jujube polysaccharides obtained by degradation as a functional food component.

AbstractPurpose: Evidence on treatment preferences of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in the United States (US) is limited and an assessment of treatment preferences in this group is warranted.Materials and methods: An online discrete choice experiment survey was conducted (June 2023) among US adults with self-reported moderate-to-severe AD or experience with systemic therapy who had inadequate response to topical treatments. Preference weights estimated from conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate willingness to trade off and attributes’ relative importance (RI).Results: Participants (N = 300; mean age: 45 years; 70% females; 52% systemic therapy experienced) preferred treatments with higher efficacy, lower risk of adverse events (AEs), and less frequent blood tests (p

ABSTRACTTo investigate the epidemiology of ST20 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in China, and further explore the genomic characteristics of blaIMP-4 and blaNDM-1 coharboring isolates and plasmid contributions to resistance and fitness. Seven ST20 CRKP isolates were collected nationwide, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. Antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence genes, and plasmid replicons were identified via whole-genome sequencing, and clonality assessed via core-genome multilocus sequence typing. Furthermore, we found four dual-metallo-β-lactamases (MBL)-harbouring isolates, the gene location was detected by Southern blotting, and plasmid location analysis showed that blaIMP-4 was located on a separate plasmid, a self-conjugative fusion plasmid, or the bacterial chromosome. These isolates were subjected to long-read sequencing, the presence of blaIMP-4 in different locations was identified by genomic comparison, and transposon units were detected via inverse PCR. We subsequently found that blaIMP-4 on the fusion plasmid and bacterial chromosome was formed via intact plasmid recombination by the IS26 and ltrA, respectively, and the circular transposon unit was related to cointegration, however, blaIMP-4 in different locations did not affect the gene stability. The blaNDM-1-harbouring plasmid contributed to the increased resistance to β-lactams and shortened survival lag time which was revealed in plasmid cured isolates. In summary, the K. pneumoniae ST20 clone is a high-risk resistant clone. With the use of ceftazidime/avibactam, MBL-positive isolates, especially dual-MBL-harbouring isolates, should be given additional attention.

Mitigating agricultural carbon emissions is pivotal for attaining the objectives of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Utilizing a time-varying parametric Cobb-Douglas (C-D) production function, this study employs an enhanced Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition approach, the Tapio decoupling model, and Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the determinants and decoupling dynamics of agricultural carbon emissions within Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2020. The findings reveal that: (1) Factors such as carbon emission intensity, agricultural structure, labor inputs, and capital stock played a significant role in suppressing agricultural carbon emissions, collectively contributing to a reduction of 484.12 million tonnes. (2) The unstable decoupling of agricultural carbon emissions from economic development in Sichuan Province. Capital stock, alongside carbon emission intensity and agricultural structure, significantly contributed to this decoupling. To harmonize agricultural economic growth with carbon emission reduction, emphasis should be placed on manure management and resource utilization in livestock and poultry farming. Furthermore, leveraging technological advancements to enhance resource efficiency is crucial for reducing carbon emissions. Simultaneously, strategic management of fixed asset growth, focused on energy conservation, can catalyze the synergistic effects of economic development and technological spillovers.

Summary: In this study, we obtained the whole genome sequence of GCRV-DY197 and investigated the localization, post-translational modifications, and host interactions of the 11 viral proteins encoded by GCRV-DY197 in grass carp ovary (GCO) cells. The whole genome sequence is 24,704 kb and contains 11 segments (S1–S11). Subcellular localization showed that the VP1, VP2, VP3, VP5, VP56, and VP35 proteins were localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas the NS79, VP4, VP41, VP6, and NS38 proteins were localized in the cytoplasm. The NS79 and NS38 proteins were phosphorylated, and the ubiquitination modification sites were identified in VP41 and NS38. An interaction network containing 9 viral proteins and 140 host proteins was also constructed. These results offer a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the biochemical characteristics and pathogenic mechanism of GCRV-II.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-responsive beige ankyrin (LRBA) gene mutations were first reported as the cause of immunodeficiency syndromes and autoimmunity in 2012. The majority of LRBA patients have multiple organ system involvement and a complex clinical phenotype. Herein we present a comprehensive account on the disease progression and transplantation procedure in a patient with LRBA deficiency who exhibited progressive autoimmune disease symptoms along with recurrent pulmonary infections since the age of 6 years old. Despite receiving abatacept therapy and immunoglobulin replacement treatments to manage the symptoms, but the symptoms still progressed. Therefore, nine years after disease onset, patients were treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The patient experienced acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and recurrent infections after transplantation. During one and a half years of follow-up, we found that allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation can relieve the symptoms of autoimmune disease in patients with LRBA deficiency, and marked clinical improvement and recovery of immune function were observed following stem cell transplantation.

MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping is the most reported MET mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has been confirmed to respond to MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in clinical trials. While MET TKI tepotinib was recently approved for METex14 skipping NSCLC in China, real-world evidence is limited. We report our experience treating NSCLC patients referred from oncology sites across China with tepotinib in the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone. Four patients have been prescribed the drug with a median age of 67 years (range, 61–71 years). One patient has concomitant BRAF V600E mutation, and another patient had savolitinib as first line of therapy but discontinued due to hepatotoxicity. Till the end of follow-up, four patients were all on tepotinib therapy, with a median duration of therapy of 19 months. One patient achieved partial response and three achieved stable disease. Three patients had peripheral edema, but all were mild. Our experience showed in real clinical setting, tepotinib had robust and durable clinical activity and a favorable toxicity profile in Chinese patients with METex14 skipping NSCLC. It is the first report on the effectiveness of tepotinib in a patient with both METex14 skipping and BRAF V600E mutations and successful MET inhibitor switch after MET inhibitor-induced liver injury.

Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is one of the most widely used methods for gene quantification because it is extremely sensitive, can be highly sequence specific, and has high precision while being easily reproducible in samples. The stability of the reference genes used for data normalization is crucial for exact experimental results and conclusions. In this study, qRT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of eight candidate reference genes including β-actin (ACTB), α-tubulin (TUBA), Elongation factor-1-α (EF1A), Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH1, GAPDH2), Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase1 (HPRT), Ribosomal protein L7 (RPL7), and RNA polymerase II (RNA PoL Ⅱ) in largemouth bass. The expression and stability of above genes were evaluated among eight tissues with or without largemouth bass virus (LMBRaV) infection and assessed using BestKeeper, GeNorm, NormFinder statistical softwares and comparative Ct method, and then analyzed the comprehensive ranking by ReFinder. Our results showed that ACTB was identified as the most suitable genes of different tissues, while TUBA was ranked as the best reference gene in tissues infection with LMBRaV. To verify the screened reference genes, the expression pattern of IFN in spleen during LMBRaV infection was examined. This study provides useful information for gene expression characterization using qRT-PCR, which will benefit for future studies of gene regulation in largemouth bass.

BackgroundUnexplained recurrent implantation failure and the high cost of assisted reproductive techniques for those experiencing infertility have increasingly resulted in the use of acupuncture. However, the trends and research status of acupuncture on infertility resulting in natural conception have not been systematically summarized. This scoping review and knowledge graph analysis aimed to summarize existing clinical studies on acupuncture for infertility that resulted in natural conception.MethodsSeven databases, namely, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed, were searched up to August 2023 (updated on 1 April). Two authors independently identified related clinical studies and systematic reviews, and extracted data from included studies on acupuncture for infertility; any discrepancies were resolved by discussion or judged by a third author. A meta-analysis was conducted based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and data were synthesized using risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsOf the 310 articles meeting the inclusion criteria, 274 were primary studies, 7 were systematic reviews, and 29 were case reports. Reported adverse events included mild ovarian irritation and early signs of miscarriage. Out of the 274 primary studies, there were 40 (14.60%) cases of male infertility and 234 (85.40%) cases of female infertility. Current research highlights on acupuncture for infertility focused on female infertility caused by polycystic ovary syndrome, ovulation disorder, and luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome (LUFS), while acupuncture for male infertility was a hotspot in the early research stage. The meta-analysis also suggested that acupuncture was more effective than human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) [RR = 1.89, 95% CI (1.47, 2.42), 11 RCTs, 662 participants]. Acupuncture combined with HCG was comparable to HCG [RR = 2.33, 95% CI (1.53, 3.55), four RCTs, 259 participants]. Compared with no treatment, acupuncture resulted in a higher pregnancy rate [RR = 22.12, 95% CI (1.39, 353.09), one RCT, 47 participants]. There was no statistical difference between acupuncture combined with HCG plus letrozole and HCG plus letrozole [RR = 1.56, 95% CI (0.84, 2.89), one RCT, 84 participants].ConclusionCurrent research highlights on acupuncture for infertility resulting in natural conception focused on female infertility caused by polycystic ovary syndrome, ovulation disorder, and LUFS, while studies on male infertility and female infertility caused by blockage in the fallopian tube, thin endometrium, and other factors were insufficient. Well-designed confirmatory clinical studies are still needed as the research hypotheses of most studies were unclear.

Abstract Background The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is a widely used scale for screening depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. This study aims to uncover the optimal factor structure of the DES-DC and presents an alternate conceptualization of adolescent depression by estimating bifactor models and several competing models using a sample of Chinese adolescents. Methods The participants were 533 adolescents (49.7% boys, 49.7% girls, 3 participants did not report) between 12 and 18 years of age attending public secondary schools in the middle part of mainland China. Data were collected in classrooms using a questionnaire survey. A structural equation modeling approach was used to estimate and compare a series of competing models for the DES-DC. Results A Bifactor exploratory structural equation model (Bi-ESEM) with the best model fit was retained for representing the current data. Tests of measurement invariance demonstrated strict measurement equivalence across gender and age. No gender and age differences have been found in the general depression factor. Findings provided evidence for the composite reliability and construct validity of DES-DC. Depressive symptoms positively related to the Big Five trait neuroticism, negative emotions, loneliness, social anxious behaviors, and disruptive behaviors during school and negatively related to agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, physical health status, school connectedness, and academic self-efficacy. Conclusions This study provides support for the one general factor construct of the CES-DC and the continuum concept structure of adolescent depression. Moreover, this research offers empirical evidence for comparing depression symptoms among adolescent populations with diverse genders and age groups. Additionally, the findings replicate and expand upon the implications of depressive symptoms on adolescents’ traits, well-being, social-relational adjustment, and academic adaptation.

Abstract Health economic evidence is needed to inform the design of high-value and cost-effective processes for returning genomic results from analyses for additional findings (AF). This study reports the results of a discrete-choice experiment designed to elicit preferences for the process of returning AF results from the perspective of parents of children with rare conditions and to estimate the value placed on AF analysis. Overall, 94 parents recruited within the Australian Genomics and Melbourne Genomics programmes participated in the survey, providing preferences in a total of 1128 choice scenarios. Statistically significant preferences were identified for the opportunity to change the choices made about AF; receiving positive AF in person from a genetic counsellor; timely access to a medical specialist and high-quality online resources; receiving automatic updates through a secure online portal if new information becomes available; and lower costs. For AF uptake rates ranging between 50–95%, the mean per person value from AF analysis was estimated at AU$450–$1700 (US$300–$1140). The findings enable the design of a value-maximising process of analysis for AF in rare-disease genomic sequencing.

Objective To explore the correlation between serum level of immunoglobulin G4 （IgG4）, renal function and micro inflammatory status in patients with IgG4-related nephropathy. Methods From January 2018 to August 2022, 60 patients hsopiatlized with IgG4-related nephropathy were selected as study group while another 60 healthy volunteers chosen as control group in 1∶1 ratio based upon propensity matching. Serum level of IgG4, renal function parameters of serum creatinine （Scr）, blood urea nitrogen （BUN）, estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） and 24 h urinary total protein quantification （24 hUTP） and micro inflammatory status [including interleukin-6 （IL-6）, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] were detected in both groups. Serum level of IgG4, renal function and micro inflammatory status were compared between two groups. Pearson’s method was employed for examining the correlation between serum level of IgG4, renal function and micro inflammatory status in study group. Logistic regression analysis was performed for determining the risk factors for renal insufficiency. Results Serum level of IgG4 [（67.75 ± 18.63） mg/L vs （6.54 ± 1.19） mg/L], Scr [（182.75 ± 32.69） μmol/L vs （75.40 ± 15.61） μmol/L], BUN [（10.15 ± 2.90） mmol/L vs （5.28 ± 1.04） mmol/L], IL-6 [（5.18 ± 1.04） ng/L vs （0.40 ± 0.05） ng/L], hs-CRP [（24.69 ± 5.06） mg/L vs （4.58 ± 0.92） mg/L], TNF-α [（6.85 ± 1.79） μg/L vs （1.18 ± 0.21） μg/L] and 24 hUTP [（182.75 ± 32.69） mg vs （89.75 ± 12.36） mg] were higher in study group than those in control group （P＜0.05）; eGFR was lower than that in control group [（90.10 ± 9.87） mL·min−1·（1.73 m2）−1 vs （104.36 ± 20.15） mL·min−1·（1.73 m2）−1] （P＜0.05）. Serum level of IgG4 was correlated positively with Scr, BUN, 24 hUTP, IL-6, hs-CRP and TNF-α （r = 0.586, 0.543, 0.575, 0.602, 0.596, 0.574, P＜0.05） and negatively with eGFR in study group （r = −0.602, P＜0.05）. The incidence of renal insufficiency was 78.33% in study group. Course of disease, hypertension and serum level of IgG4 were the influencing factors of renal insufficiency （OR = 3.190, 2.401, 3.466, P＜0.05）. Conclusions An elevated serum level of IgG4 in patients with IgG4-related nephropathy is correlated with renal function and micro inflammatory status. And course of disease, concurrent hypertension and serum IgG4 level are the influencing factors for renal insufficiency.

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the biomechanical and histomorphological features of mandibles in an adenine-induced chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) rat model of CKD. A total of 14 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into the following two groups: control group and CKD group. At the end of the sixth week, all rats were euthanized, and serum was collected for biochemical marker tests. Macroscopic bone growth and biomechanical parameters were measured in the right hemimandible, while the left hemimandible was used for bone histomorphometric analysis. Compared to the control group, the CKD group showed a significant increase in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and serum parathyroid hormone at the end of the sixth week. The biomechanical structural properties significantly decreased in the CKD group compared to the control group. Bone histomorphometric analysis indicated that the trabecular bone volume of rats in the CKD group was significantly lower than that of the control group. In the CKD groups, the bone formation parameters of the trabecular bone were significantly increased, while the bone mineralization apposition rates of both the trabecular bone and periosteal cortical bone were significantly increased. The rat CKD model showed deteriorated structural mechanics, low trabecular bone volume, high trabecular bone formation, increased trabecular bone mineralization apposition rate, and increased cortical bone mineralization apposition rate, which met the characteristics of osteitis fibrosa, indicating that this model is a useful tool for the study of mandible diseases in CKD patients.

AbstractAn outbreak of a disease with a high mortality rate occurred in a Chinese Softshell Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) farm in Hubei Province. This study isolated a highly pathogenic Bacillus cereus strain (Y271) from diseased P. sinensis. Y271 has β hemolysis, containing both Hemolysin BL (hblA, hblC, and hblD), Non-hemolytic enterotoxin, NHE (nheA, nheB, and nheC), and Enterotoxin FM (entFM) genes. Y271 is highly pathogenic against P. sinensis with an LD50 = 6.80 × 103 CFU/g weight. B. cereus was detected in multiple tissues of the infected P. sinensis. Among them, spleen tissue showed the highest copy number density (1.54 ± 0.12 × 104 copies/mg). Multiple tissues and organs of diseased P. sinensis exhibited significant pathological damage, especially the spleen, liver, kidney, and intestine. It showed obvious tissue structure destruction, lesions, necrosis, red blood cells, and inflammatory cell infiltration. B. cereus proliferating in the spleen, liver, and other tissues was observed. The intestinal microbiota of the diseased P. sinensis was altered, with a greater abundance of Firmicutes, Fusobacterium, and Actinomyces than in the healthy group. Allobaculum, Rothia, Aeromonas, and Clostridium abundance were higher in the diseased group than in the healthy group. The number of unique microbial taxa (472) in the disease group was lower than that of the healthy group (705). Y271 was sensitive to multiple drugs, including florfenicol, enrofloxacin, neomycin, and doxycycline. B. cereus is the etiological agent responsible for the massive death of P. sinensis and reveals its potential risks during P. sinensis cultivation.

The starch metabolic network was investigated in relation to other metabolic processes by examining a mutant with altered single-gene expression of ATP citrate lyase (ACL), an enzyme responsible for generating cytosolic acetyl-CoA pool from citrate. Previous research has shown that transgenic antisense plants with reduced ACL activity accumulate abnormally enlarged starch granules. In this study, we explored the underlying molecular mechanisms linking cytosolic acetyl-CoA generation and starch metabolism under short-day photoperiods. We performed transcriptome and quantification of starch accumulation in the leaves of wild-type and antisense seedlings with reduced ACL activity. The antisense-ACLA mutant accumulated more starch than the wild type under short-day conditions. Zymogram analyses were conducted to compare the activities of starch-metabolizing enzymes with transcriptomic changes in the seedling. Differential expression between wild-type and antisense-ACLA plants was detected in genes implicated in starch and acetyl-CoA metabolism, and cell wall metabolism. These analyses revealed a strong correlation between the transcript levels of genes responsible for starch synthesis and degradation, reflecting coordinated regulation at the transcriptomic level. Furthermore, our data provide novel insights into the regulatory links between cytosolic acetyl-CoA metabolism and starch metabolic pathways.

Considering that the precise delivery of Celastrol (Cst) into mitochondria to induce mitochondrial dysfunction may be a potential approach to improve the therapeutic outcomes of Cst on TNBC, a novel tumor mitochondria dual-targeted mixed-micelle nano-system was fabricated via self-synthesized triphenylphosphonium-modified cholesterol (TPP-Chol) and hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified cholesterol (HA-Chol). The Cst-loaded mixed micelles (Cst@HA/TPP-M) exhibited the characteristics of a small particle size, negative surface potential, high drug loading of up to 22.8%, and sustained drug release behavior. Compared to Cst-loaded micelles assembled only by TPP-Chol (Cst@TPP-M), Cst@HA/TPP-M decreased the hemolysis rate and upgraded the in vivo stability and safety. In addition, a series of cell experiments using the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 as a cell model proved that Cst@HA/TPP-M effectively increased the cellular uptake of the drug through CD44-receptors-mediated endocytosis, and the uptake amount was three times that of the free Cst group. The confocal results demonstrated successful endo-lysosomal escape and effective mitochondrial transport triggered by the charge converse of Cst@HA/TPP-M after HA degradation in endo-lysosomes. Compared to the free Cst group, Cst@HA/TPP-M significantly elevated the ROS levels, reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, and promoted tumor cell apoptosis, showing a better induction effect on mitochondrial dysfunction. In vivo imaging and antitumor experiments based on MDA-MB-231-tumor-bearing nude mice showed that Cst@HA/TPP-M facilitated drug enrichment at the tumor site, attenuated drug systemic distribution, and polished up the antitumor efficacy of Cst compared with free Cst. In general, as a target drug delivery system, mixed micelles co-constructed by TPP-Chol and HA-Chol might provide a promising strategy to ameliorate the therapeutic outcomes of Cst on TNBC.

Our previous studies have demonstrated that konjac glucomannan (KGM) can prevent dysbiosis induced by antibiotics. While exercise may also impact the gut microbiome, there are limited studies reporting its protective effect on antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Therefore, this study investigated the preventive and regulatory effects of a combination of 6-week exercise and KGM intervention on antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in C57BL/6J mice compared with a single intervention. The results showed that combined exercise and KGM intervention could restore the changes in the relative abundance of Bacteroides (3.73% with CTL versus 14.23% with ATBX versus 4.46% with EK) and Prevotellaceae_Prevotella (0.33% with CTL versus 0.00% with ATBX versus 0.30% with EK) induced by antibiotics (p < 0.05), and minimized the Bray–Curtis distance induced by antibiotics (0.55 with CTL versus 0.81 with ATBX versus 0.80 with EXC versus 0.83 with KGM versus 0.75 with EK). Compared with the combined intervention, exercise intervention also produced a certain level of recovery effects; the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae (1.96% with CTL versus 0.09% with ATBX versus 0.49% with EXC) was restored, while KGM supplementation showed the best preventive effect. In addition, the combination of exercise and KGM significantly enriched microbial purine metabolic pathways (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that combining exercise with KGM could be a promising approach to reducing the side effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome.

Abstract Background Hypertension is a main contributing factor of cardiovascular diseases; deregulated circular RNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Herein, we evaluated the function and mechanism of circST6GAL1 in PAH process. Methods Human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) were cultured in hypoxic environment for functional analysis. The cell counting kit‐8, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine, wound healing, and flow cytometry assays were used to investigate cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. qRT‐PCR and Western blotting analyses were used for level measurement of genes and proteins. The binding between miR‐509‐5p and circST6GAL1 or multiple C2 and transmembrane domain containing 2 (MCTP2) was analyzed by dual‐luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation, and pull‐down assays. The monocrotaline (MCT)‐induced PAH mouse models were established for in vivo assay. Results CircST6GAL1 was highly expressed in PAH patients and hypoxia‐induced HPASMCs. Functionally, circST6GAL1 deficiency reversed hypoxia‐induced proliferation and migration, as well as apoptosis arrest in HPASMCs. Mechanistically, circST6GAL1 directly targeted miR‐509‐5p, and MCTP2 was a target of miR‐509‐5p. Rescue assays showed that the regulatory effects of circST6GAL1 deficiency on hypoxia‐induced HPASMCs were abolished. Moreover, forced expression of miR‐509‐5p suppressed HPASMC proliferation and migration and induced cell apoptosis under hypoxia stimulation, while these effects were abolished by MCTP2 overexpression. Moreover, circST6GAL1 silencing improved MCT‐induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and PAH. Conclusion CircST6GAL1 deficiency reversed hypoxia‐induced proliferation and migration, as well as apoptosis arrest in HPASMCs, and alleviated pulmonary vascular remodeling in MCT‐induced PAH mouse models through the miR‐509‐5p/MCTP2 axis, indicating a potential therapeutic target for PAH.

With the increasing prevalence of renewable energy (RE) companies equipped with private energy storage (ES) systems, a dual capability emerges to offer strategic pricing and strategic constraints in market competition. Specifically, these RE companies can strategically leverage their own private ESs to modulate the variability of RE output limits and introduce modified constraints within the market. To examine these new strategic behaviors and the resulting market equilibria, we introduce an innovative bilevel strategic behavior model. The upper level of the model delineates the strategy for RE profit maximization through the imposition of strategic constraints and pricing schemes, while the lower level calculates the revenue outcomes for all entities in the day-ahead energy market clearing. The integration of the bilevel models from all strategic entities leads to the formulation of a new equilibrium problem with equilibrium constraints (EPEC), the solution of which indicates a novel market equilibrium. The impacts of these market equilibria on critical system operation metrics are then evaluated across two representative market mechanisms. Our numerical experiments reveal that RE exhibits low sensitivity to the private ES’s cost, suggesting that the behavior of imposing strategic constraints may be widespread among RE companies owning private ESs. Furthermore, the introduction of strategic constraints enhances the competitiveness of RE, significantly affecting social welfare, energy pricing, and RE integration rate. The study concludes with insights that could inform practical market transactions and system operations.

Objectives This study aims to explore the incidence of, and risk factors for medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI) at peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) sites in patients with cancer.Design A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Shenzhen, China.Setting This was a single-centre study conducted in a tertiary hospital in Shenzhen, China.Participants A total of 340 patients with cancer and PICC placement from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected using a convenience sampling method.Methods Factors potentially associated with PICC-related MARSI (PICC-MARSI) were recorded, including patient demographics, and catheter placement and maintenance. Patients were divided into MARSI and non-MARSI groups. Univariate analysis was performed to screen for associated variables, and logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for PICC-MARSI.Results Of all 340 patients enrolled, 33 (9.7%) developed PICC-MARSI, including skin tear (8, 24.2%), tension injury (5, 15.2%), irritant contact dermatitis (10, 30.3%), allergic dermatitis (7, 21.2%) and maceration (3, 9.1%). Multivariable analysis showed that age (OR=1.058, p=0.001, 95% CI 1.023–1.094), wet skin (OR=4.873, p=0.003, 95% CI 1.728–13.742), dry skin (OR=6.247, p

Introduction and Objectives: Accumulating evidence has supported that mild elevated total bilirubin exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in multiple metabolic diseases. We aimed to explore the association of circulating total bilirubin concentration with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk and all-cause mortality and examine the potential nonlinear relationships between them. Material and Methods: We used nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NAFLD was assessed using the fatty liver index (FLI) and United States fatty liver index (USFLI), respectively. Results: A total of 35 912 and 17 329 participants were included in FLI-NAFLD (case with NAFLD was diagnosed by FLI) and USFLI-NAFLD (case with NAFLD was diagnosed by USFLI) groups, respectively. The mean age of total population was 46.25 years, and 48.51% were male. Compared to participants with lowest quintile of total bilirubin concentration, those with highest quintile had lower risk of NAFLD in both FLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.59) and USFLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.70) groups. Compared to participants with lowest quintile of total bilirubin concentration, the association between total bilirubin concentration and all-cause mortality was not significant among those with highest quintile of total bilirubin concentration (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.66, 1.20). The restricted spline curves showed the nonlinear U-shaped association of total bilirubin concentration with NAFLD risk and all-cause mortality. The segmented linear regression analysis showed negative associations between total bilirubin concentration and risk of NAFLD in both FLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.95) and USFLI-NAFLD (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.96) groups when total bilirubin concentration was below the turning point (FLI-NAFLD: 18.81 μmol/L; USFLI-NAFLD: 15.39 μmol/L) and these associations were not significant when total bilirubin concentration was higher than the turning point. Furthermore, all-cause mortality decreased (OR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.95, 1.00) with increased total bilirubin concentration up to the turning point (11.97 μmol/L), and then all-cause mortality increased with increasing total bilirubin concentration (OR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.04). Conclusions: We found that higher circulating total bilirubin concentration within the physiological range was associated with decreased risk of NAFLD and all-cause mortality among NAFLD patients.

Abstract To investigate the molecular mechanism of Yiwei Decoction (YWD) in preventing Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)-related osteoporosis from the hypothalamic perspective , and to screen for the key active and acting molecules in YWD. Cyclophosphamide was used to create the POI rat model. Groups A, B, and C were established. The Model + YWD group was group A, the model control group was group B, and the normal control group was group C. ELISA was used to determine serum GnRH and FSH levels after gavage. The transcription levels of mRNAs in each group's hypothalamus tissues were examined using RNA-seq sequencing technology. The GSEA method was used to enrich pathways based on the gene expression levels of each group. The TCM–active ingredient–target–disease network map was created using differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and network pharmacology. The molecular docking method was employed to investigate the affinity of the active ingredient with key targets. GnRH and FSH levels in POI rats' serum were reduced by YWD. Between groups A and B, there were 638 DEmRNAs (P

This study aimed to explore the optimal conditions for the preparation of β-glucan/nanosized selenium (Se NPs) complexes (DNT-Se) and determining the safety of DNT-Se. The concentration of polysaccharides (DNTs), the ratio of vitamin C (VC) to Na2SeO3, the concentration of Na2SeO3, the reaction time, and the reaction temperature were used as experimental factors. The dual-wavelength colorimetric method and the Malvern particle-size assay method were used to characterize changes in the particle size of Se NPs in DNT-Se, and the single-factors and orthogonal experimental design were used to investigate the preparation process of DNT-Se, and the toxicity of DNT-Se to 293T human embryonic kidney cells and normal liver cells of AML-12 mice was evaluated by using CCK-8. The results showed that the optimal conditions for DNT-Se preparation were list as follows: 1.0 mg/mL of DNTs, and 1.0 mg/mL of Na2SeO3 with the ratio of vitamin C to Na2SeO3 6:1. Moreover, the reaction time was 12 h, and the reaction temperature was 25 ℃. The mean diameter of DNT-Se prepared under such conditions was around 34.50 nm. Cell proliferation experiment results showed that DNT-Se was non-toxic to 293T human embryonic kidney cells and normal liver cells of AML-12 mice, but it could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells, and the IC50 value of DNT-Se for HepG2 cells at 72 h was 42.54 μg/mL. The synthesis process of DNT-Se was fixed in this work, and the obtained nanoparticles were with smaller size and uniform distribution. Moreover, the DNT-Se could significantly inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 hepatoma cells without toxicity to normal cells, which was of good biosafety.

Introduction: There is no standard treatment strategy for rectosigmoid cancer because of the diverse definitions of the proximal rectal origin. This study aimed to evaluate sigmoid take-off compared with other landmarks of the rectosigmoid junction in guiding oncological therapy and outcomes. Materials and methods: This retrospective, comparative cohort study included patients diagnosed with rectosigmoid carcinoma at our centre between January 2010 and December 2018. The patients were classified into the neoadjuvant treatment group and upfront surgery group. The oncological outcomes were compared between the two groups in relation to the tumor position. Results: A total of 656 patients (median age 64 years) were included. After propensity score matching, the 3- and 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival in patients in both the groups were comparable. However, when only patients with rectal cancer as defined by the sigmoid take-off point were included, the disease-free survival rate in the upfront surgery group was significantly lower than that in the neoadjuvant treatment group (p = 0.03 in patients who underwent computed tomography, p = 0.03 in patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging). The turning point of the beneficial hazard ratio of neoadjuvant therapy was compared according to the different definitions of the rectosigmoid junction and the sigmoid take-off was found to be the most effective. Conclusion: The sigmoid take-off point is a suitable landmark for identifying the rectosigmoid junction and is an important defining criterion for assessing the benefit of neoadjuvant therapy. The application of this definition in clinical practice and future trials is warranted.

Pumped storage power plants are one of the significant means for regulating power systems， holding crucial importance for their secure， economical， and stable operation. The current research status of economic benefit analysis of pumped storage power plants is introduced， and the static and dynamic economic benefit analysis method of the collaboration between a pumped storage power plant and a thermal power plant is put forward. Moreover， the collaboration between a 4×300 MW pumped storage power plant and a 2×1 000 MW thermal power plant in a region is taken as an example to analyze the economic benefits resulting from their collaboration. The detailed calculation methods for the economic benefits of pumped storage units such as peak shaving and valley filling， frequency modulation， phase modulation， and contingency reserves are presented. These calculations can serve as a rational foundation for the collaboration between pumped storage power plants and thermal power plants.

Aeromonas veronii, an opportunistic pathogen toward aquatic organisms, was identified as the causative pathogen (isolate WH10) in diseased bronze gudgeon via bacterial isolation, and morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular characterization. WH10 exerted its pathogenicity via five virulence genes, including those encoding cytotoxic enterotoxins (act and alt), lipase (lip), a quorum sensing-controlled virulence factor (LuxS), and a Type III secretion system inner membrane component (ascV). WH10 was shown to be sensitive to compound sulfamethoxazoles, cefothiophene, doxycycline, and sulfamethoxazole. Toward bronze gudgeon, WH10 had a median lethal dose (LD50) of 1.36 × 106 colony forming units/mL. Analysis of blood parameters of diseased fish revealed significant increases in monocytes and neutrophils, but decreased numbers of lymphocytes. Serum aspartate aminotransferase activity and triglyceride concentration were significantly higher in diseased fish than in healthy fish. The reverse was noted for alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, and glucose. Thus, Aeromonas veronii is implicated as the causative agent of the mass mortality observed in bronze gudgeon, warranting further investigations into the diagnosis, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of this infectious disease.

Historical handwritten manuscripts pose challenges to automated recognition techniques due to their unique handwriting styles and cultural backgrounds. In order to solve the problems of complex text word misdetection, omission, and insufficient detection of wide-pitch curved text, this study proposes a high-precision text detection method based on improved YOLOv8s. Firstly, the Swin Transformer is used to replace C2f at the end of the backbone network to solve the shortcomings of fine-grained information loss and insufficient learning features in text word detection. Secondly, the Dysample (Dynamic Upsampling Operator) method is used to retain more detailed features of the target and overcome the shortcomings of information loss in traditional upsampling to realize the text detection task for dense targets. Then, the LSK (Large Selective Kernel) module is added to the detection head to dynamically adjust the feature extraction receptive field, which solves the cases of extreme aspect ratio words, unfocused small text, and complex shape text in text detection. Finally, in order to overcome the CIOU (Complete Intersection Over Union) loss in target box regression with unclear aspect ratio, insensitive to size change, and insufficient correlation between target coordinates, Gaussian Wasserstein Distance (GWD) is introduced to modify the regression loss to measure the similarity between the two bounding boxes in order to obtain high-quality bounding boxes. Compared with the State-of-the-Art methods, the proposed method achieves optimal performance in text detection, with the precision and mAP@0.5 reaching 86.3% and 82.4%, which are 8.1% and 6.7% higher than the original method, respectively. The advancement of each module is verified by ablation experiments. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this study can effectively realize complex text detection and provide a powerful technical means for historical manuscript reproduction.

With the development of technical requirements, the current challenges faced by bearing materials mainly revolve around high-temperature conditions and the trend towards material lightweighting. Full ceramic bearings are the new candidate due to their excellent properties. This article details the tribological and adsorption performance of chlorophenyl silicone oil (CPSO) as a high-temperature lubricant in ceramic tribological systems (ZrO2, Al2O3, and Si3N4). Among the three ceramic tribological systems, the lubrication performance can be ordered as Si3N4 > Al2O3 > ZrO2, as the wear rates of the ZrO2 and Al2O3 tribo-systems are almost 1135.67 and 283.33 times larger than that of the Si3N4 tribo-system, respectively. The observed results can be explained by the superior adsorption performance of CPSO on a Si3N4 ceramic surface, which was calculated by molecular dynamic simulation. The molecular dynamic simulation results show the adsorption energy of CPSO/Si3N4 is almost 54.09 and 61.18 times higher compared to that on ZrO2 and Al2O3 ceramics. These findings provide experimental and theoretical insights for understanding the lubrication performance of CPSO in a full ceramic tribo-system.

To establish a rapid real-time RT-PCR method for differentiating wild-type classical swine fever virus (CSFV) strains from vaccine strains (HCLV), we designed a universal primer targeting the NS3 gene to detect wild-type CSFV strains and vaccine strains simultaneously, and two TaqMan-MGB probes were designed to differentiate between wild-type and vaccine strains. After optimizing the RT-qPCR conditions, a rapid dual TaqMan-MGB RT-qPCR method for the detection and identification of CSFV and HCLV was developed. The results showed that method could specifically detect CSFV and HCLV with no cross-reactivity with other swine pathogens. The analytic sensitivity for the NS3 gene of CSFV and HCLV were 1.67 × 101 copies/μL, respectively. For precision testing, the repeatability and reproducibility of the test was less than 2%. This method was successfully used for the rapid detection of 193 biological samples collected from CSFV-vaccinated pigs. This fast and accurate detection technology can be used for the detection of CSFV and is suitable for differentiating between wild-type CSFV strains and vaccine strains.

Flood submergence has devastating effects on agricultural production in China, with rice being particularly vulnerable to its impacts. Previous studies on rice submergence stress have primarily focused on immediate yield reduction and short-term growth. In this study, a submergence stress experiment was carried out by using the method of potted rice flooding. The growth recovery characteristics of rice under different submergence stress were analyzed through the continuous observation of rice growth after the disaster. The results showed that submergence stress had a persistent effect on rice growth, which persisted until the recovery period after the disaster. The recovery ability of rice plants decreased with the aggravation of stress, leading to increased damage to the plant. The average yield decreased by 17.07% and 15.56% due to submergence stress during the jointing and booting stage, respectively. The current study pointed out that the growth traits of and, furthermore, the mechanism of physiological changes in rice during the recovery period need to be explored in order to understand the effects of flooding stress on rice.

Abstract Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a lethal vascular disease with limited therapeutic options. The mechanistic connections between alveolar hypoxia and PH are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mitotic regulator Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) in PH development. Methods Mouse lungs along with human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells were used to investigate the effects of hypoxia on PLK1. Hypoxia- or Sugen5416/hypoxia was applied to induce PH in mice. Plk1 heterozygous knockout mice and PLK1 inhibitors (BI 2536 and BI 6727)-treated mice were checked for the significance of PLK1 in the development of PH. Results Hypoxia stimulated PLK1 expression through induction of HIF1α and RELA. Mice with heterozygous deletion of Plk1 were partially resistant to hypoxia-induced PH. PLK1 inhibitors ameliorated PH in mice. Conclusions Augmented PLK1 is essential for the development of PH and is a druggable target for PH.

Abstract Retraction: [Yan Meng, Yunming Wu, Track and field competition data collection using a vision sensor system and machine learning, IET Software 2023 (https://doi.org/10.1049/sfw2.12086)]. The above article from IET Software, published online on 11 January 2023 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the Editor‐in‐Chief, Hana Chockler, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (the IET) and John Wiley and Sons Ltd. This article was published as part of a Guest Edited special issue. Following an investigation, the IET and the journal have determined that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards and there is evidence that the peer review process of the special issue underwent systematic manipulation. Accordingly, we cannot vouch for the integrity or reliability of the content. As such we have taken the decision to retract the article. The authors have been informed of the decision to retract.

Abstract Aim To determine whether continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) plus standard medical therapy (SMT) vs. SMT alone prevents rhabdomyolysis (RM)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) and analyze the related health economics. Methods This retrospective cohort study involved 9 RM patients without AKI, coronary heart disease, or chronic kidney disease treated with CVVHDF plus SMT (CVVHDF + SMT group). Nine matched RM patients without AKI treated with SMT only served as controls (SMT group). Baseline characteristics, biochemical indexes, renal survival data, and health economic data were compared between groups. In the CVVHDF + SMT group, biochemical data were compared at different time points. Results At 2 and 7 days after admission, serum biochemical indices (e.g., myoglobin, creatine kinase, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen) did not differ between the groups. Total (P = 0.011) and daily hospitalization costs (P = 0.002) were higher in the CVVHDF + SMT group than in the SMT group. After 53 months of follow-up, no patient developed increased serum creatinine, except for 1 CVVHDF + SMT-group patient who died of acute myocardial infarction. In the CVVHDF + SMT group, myoglobin levels significantly differed before and after the first CVVHDF treatment (P = 0.008), and serum myoglobin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen decreased significantly at different time points after CVVHDF. Conclusions Although CVVHDF facilitated myoglobin elimination, its addition to SMT did not improve biochemical indices like serum myoglobin, serum creatine kinase, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and lactate dehydrogenase or the long-term renal prognosis. Despite similar hospitalization durations, both total and daily hospitalization costs were higher in the CVVHDF + SMT group.

Abstract In the present study, the dense Cr and Cr0.92Si0.08 coatings have been deposited on Zircaloy-4 substrates by the magnetron sputtering technique. The high-temperature oxidation resistance of coatings is evaluated in 1200 °C steam for 1–4 h. The Cr0.92Si0.08 coating shows better oxidation resistance than the Cr coating. The in-situ formed Zr2Si diffusion barrier inhibits the mutual diffusion of Cr and Zr. And the formation of a Cr2O3/SiO2 double-layer scale effectively improves the oxidation resistance of a single Cr2O3 layer. The formation of the in-situ diffusion barrier, Cr2O3/SiO2 scales and oxidation protection mechanisms of the Cr0.92Si0.08 coating have been discussed in detail.

Dysregulated de novo lipogenesis (DNL) is an essential characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a triterpenoid found in the edible plants of Cucurbitaceae with a broad spectrum of beneficial effects. Here, we investigate the in vivo anti-steatotic efficacy of CuB in an AKT-driven NAFLD mouse model established using hydrodynamic injection. Hepatocyte lines with artificial activation of AKT were used for in vitro experiments. The results demonstrate that CuB effectively attenuates the content of triglyceride and total cholesterol (P

Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBRaV), a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus, leads to considerable mortality and significant economic impacts in the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) aquaculture sector. This study evaluated and screened compounds from Chinese herbs for their activity against LMBRaV. Esculin exhibited the highest rate (73 %) of inhibition on LMBRaV major capsid protein (MCP) gene expression at a concentration of 60 mg/L in a cellular environment. It also significantly reduced the cytopathic effect (CPE), protecting infected cells from LMBRaV-induced nuclear damage and hindering LMBRaV infection by modulating viral entry mechanisms. For in vivo study, esculin increased the survival rate of LMBRaV-infected largemouth bass by 60.0 % and 53.3 %, in prevention experiment and treatment experiment, respectively. Concurrently, esculin significantly reduced viral loads and induced the upregulation of antiviral-associated genes, indicating its potential for immunoregulation. In summary, esculin holds potential for both preventing and treating LMBRaV infections in the aquaculture context.

The green economy has been advocated globally as a solution to environmental issues. In China, it is considered a national strategy for future economic development. This study utilizes methods such as Industry Network, Maximum Spanning Tree (MST) method, Leiden Community Clustering (LCC) algorithm, and Weaver-Thomas (WT) model to explore the contribution and position of the green economy and industries in China's economic development. The findings are as follows: (1) The density of China's green industry network has experienced a process of initially tightening and then loosening, ultimately tending towards stability. (2) The trunk structure of China's industrial network remains relatively stable, forming an industrial structure with electricity, heat production and supply as the core. (3) China's industrial and green industry communities continue to improve and become more cohesive, but some green industries are still on the periphery of communities. (4) The ability of green industries to pull other industries is weak, and the subsequent promotion momentum needs to be improved. However, the green industry still has enormous room for growth and potential to unleash its long-term positive multiplier effects. More attention and support need to be given by managers and decision-makers, so that it can make better contributions to society and the economy.

Topological photonics is a rapidly developing field that leverages geometric and topological concepts to engineer and control the characteristics of light. Currently, the research on topological photonics has expanded from traditional one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) and higher-dimensional spaces. However, most reviews on topological photonics focus on 1D and 2D systems, and a review that provides a detailed classification and introduction of 3D and higher-dimensional systems is still missing. Here, we review the photonic topological states in 3D and higher-dimensional systems on different platforms. Moreover, we discuss internal connections between different photonic topological phases and look forward to the future development direction and potential applications of 3D and higher-dimensional systems.

Background: Polysaccharide metal chelate exhibit both immunoregulatory activity and metal element supplementation effects.Methods: In this study, Ruoqiang jujube polysaccharide copper chelate (RJP-Cu) was prepared and the preparation conditions were optimized using the response surface method. Subsequently, RJP-Cu was administered to lambs to evaluate its impact on growth performance, copper ion (Cu2+) supplementation, immune enhancement, and intestinal flora was evaluated.Results: The results indicated that optimal RJP-Cu chelation conditions included a sodium citrate content of 0.5 g, a reaction temperature of 50°C, and a solution pH of 8.0, resulting in a Cu2+ concentration of 583°mg/kg in RJP-Cu. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant structural changes in RJP before and after chelation. RJP-Cu displaying characteristic peaks of both polysaccharides and Cu2+ chelates. Blood routine indexes showed no significant differences among the RJP-Cu-High dose group (RJP-Cu-H), RJP-Cu-Medium dose group (RJP-Cu-M), RJP-Cu-low dose group (RJP-Cu-L) and the control group (p > 0.05). However, compared with the control group, the RJP-Cu-H, M, and L dose groups significantly enhanced lamb production performance (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RJP-Cu-H, M, and L dose groups significantly increased serum Cu2+ concentration, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) contents compared with control group (p < 0.05). The RJP-Cu-H group exhibited significant increases in serum IgA and IgG antibodies, as well as the secretion of cytokines IL-2, IL-4, and TNF-α compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RJP-Cu-H group increased the species abundance of lamb intestinal microbiota, abundance and quantity of beneficial bacteria, and decrease the abundance and quantity of harmful bacteria. The RJP-Cu-H led to the promotion of the synthesis of various Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), improvements in atrazine degradation and clavulanic acid biosynthesis in lambs, while reducing cell apoptosis and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis.Conclusion: Thus, these findings demonstrate that RJP-Cu, as a metal chelate, could effectively promote lamb growth performance, increase Cu2+ content, and potentially induce positive immunomodulatory effects by regulating antioxidant enzymes, antibodies, cytokines, intestinal flora, and related metabolic pathways.