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Plant roots integrate environmental signals with development using exquisite spatiotemporal control. This is apparent in the deposition of suberin, an apoplastic diffusion barrier, which regulates flow of water, solutes and gases, and is environmentally plastic. Suberin is considered a hallmark of endodermal differentiation but is absent in the tomato endodermis. Instead, suberin is present in the exodermis, a cell type that is absent in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we demonstrate that the suberin regulatory network has the same parts driving suberin production in the tomato exodermis and the Arabidopsis endodermis. Despite this co-option of network components, the network has undergone rewiring to drive distinct spatial expression and with distinct contributions of specific genes. Functional genetic analyses of the tomato MYB92 transcription factor and ASFT enzyme demonstrate the importance of exodermal suberin for a plant water-deficit response and that the exodermal barrier serves an equivalent function to that of the endodermis and can act in its place.

Abstract Recently, environmental temperature has been shown to regulate bone homeostasis. However, the mechanisms by which cold exposure affects bone mass remain unclear. In our present study, we observed that exposure to cold temperature (CT) decreased bone mass and quality in mice. Furthermore, a transplant of exosomes derived from the plasma of mice exposed to cold temperature (CT-EXO) can also impair the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and decrease bone mass by inhibiting autophagic activity. Rapamycin, a potent inducer of autophagy, can reverse cold exposure or CT-EXO-induced bone loss. Microarray sequencing revealed that cold exposure increases the miR-25-3p level in CT-EXO. Mechanistic studies showed that miR-25-3p can inhibit the osteogenic differentiation and autophagic activity of BMSCs. It is shown that inhibition of exosomes release or downregulation of miR-25-3p level can suppress CT-induced bone loss. This study identifies that CT-EXO mediates CT-induced osteoporotic effects through miR-25-3p by inhibiting autophagy via targeting SATB2, presenting a novel mechanism underlying the effect of cold temperature on bone mass.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), an aggressive malignancy with a dismal prognosis, poses a significant public health challenge. Recent research has highlighted the crucial role of lipid metabolism in HCC development, with enhanced lipid synthesis and uptake contributing to the rapid proliferation and tumorigenesis of cancer cells. Lipids, primarily synthesized and utilized in the liver, play a critical role in the pathological progression of various cancers, particularly HCC. Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming, an essential adaptation to the tumor microenvironment (TME), with fatty acid metabolism emerging as a key player in this process. This review delves into intricate interplay between HCC and lipid metabolism, focusing on four key areas: de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, dysregulated lipid metabolism of immune cells in the TME, and therapeutic strategies targeting fatty acid metabolism for HCC treatment.

Abstract Objectives To develop an interactive, non-invasive artificial intelligence (AI) system for malignancy risk prediction in cystic renal lesions (CRLs). Methods In this retrospective, multicenter diagnostic study, we evaluated 715 patients. An interactive geodesic-based 3D segmentation model was created for CRLs segmentation. A CRLs classification model was developed using spatial encoder temporal decoder (SETD) architecture. The classification model combines a 3D-ResNet50 network for extracting spatial features and a gated recurrent unit (GRU) network for decoding temporal features from multi-phase CT images. We assessed the segmentation model using sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), intersection over union (IOU), and dice similarity (Dice) metrics. The classification model’s performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy score (ACC), and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results From 2012 to 2023, we included 477 CRLs (median age, 57 [IQR: 48–65]; 173 men) in the training cohort, 226 CRLs (median age, 60 [IQR: 52–69]; 77 men) in the validation cohort, and 239 CRLs (median age, 59 [IQR: 53–69]; 95 men) in the testing cohort (external validation cohort 1, cohort 2, and cohort 3). The segmentation model and SETD classifier exhibited excellent performance in both validation (AUC = 0.973, ACC = 0.916, Dice = 0.847, IOU = 0.743, SEN = 0.840, SPE = 1.000) and testing datasets (AUC = 0.998, ACC = 0.988, Dice = 0.861, IOU = 0.762, SEN = 0.876, SPE = 1.000). Conclusion The AI system demonstrated excellent benign-malignant discriminatory ability across both validation and testing datasets and illustrated improved clinical decision-making utility. Critical relevance statement In this era when incidental CRLs are prevalent, this interactive, non-invasive AI system will facilitate accurate diagnosis of CRLs, reducing excessive follow-up and overtreatment. Key Points The rising prevalence of CRLs necessitates better malignancy prediction strategies. The AI system demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance in identifying malignant CRL. The AI system illustrated improved clinical decision-making utility. Graphical Abstract

[Objective] Insufficient dissolution or shearing of drag reducing agents(DRAs) in product oil during pipeline transmission can have a significant impact on the oil's quality and may even result in quality accidents. [Methods] This study initially established characteristic physical and chemical indexes, including appearance, kinematic viscosity, distillation range, and unwashed gum, for the determination of DRA-containing product oil. Subsequently, a comparison was made against normal values to detect any abnormalities, enabling preliminary judgments on the impact of DRAs on product oil. Furthermore, a method leveraging concentration-infrared spectroscopy was developed for extracting macromolecular components from gasoline, and an analytical means was established to determine the presence of long-chain alkanes in gasoline. Additionally, gel chromatography was employed to determine the molecular weight of macromolecular components in gasoline, offering a qualitative and quantitative approach to identify insufficiently sheared DRAs. [Results] The appearance-kinetic viscosity method was established as a preliminary visual evaluation technique after conducting an analysis on the dissolving process of DRAs in product oil. The distillation range/unwashed gum method was identified as suitable for routine quality control, following an investigation into the influence of DRAs on the quality indexes of product oil during pipeline transmission. Moreover, the established concentration-infrared spectroscopy method proved effective in determining the presence or absence of long-chain alkanes through characteristic peak analysis. Furthermore, the gel permeation chromatography(GPC) method was established. It offered qualitative and quantitative analysis on the macromolecules in product oil, facilitating direct judgments on the shear rate of macromolecule chains. [Conclusion] This study presents a comprehensive set of appraisal methods, enabling accurate detection of the impact of DRAs on the quality of product oil during pipeline transmission. The findings of this study offer a feasible solution for preventing quality accidents in product oil during pipeline transmission,thus enhancing the overall quality assurance of product oil transported through pipelines.

To compare the allergenicity of native arginine kinase (nAK) and recombinant AK (rAK) from Scylla paramamosain and to identify the predominant allergenic domain of AK, AK was divided into 4 fragments: AK-E1 (amino acid (AA) 1–92), AK-E2 (AA 87–187), AK-E3 (AA 172–265), and AK-E4 (AA 276–357) based on the distribution of epitopes and the spatial structure of the AK molecule. The four recombinant fragments were expressed in the prokaryotic system Escherichia coli, and then nAK, rAK, and the recombinant fragments were purified. The allergenicity of recombinant proteins were evaluated using BALB/c mice. The results showed that the levels of specific antibodies in the serum and the secretion of Th2 type cytokines by the splenocytes of mice sensitized with rAK significantly increased, but the immunogenicity of rAK was weaker than that of nAK. Among the 4 fragments of AK, AK-E2 had the strongest immunogenicity. Meanwhile, rAK could stimulate RBL-2H3 cells to release β-hexokinase, but it was less effective than nAK. Among the 4 expressed fragments, AK-E2 and AK-E4 had a stronger stimulating effect on effector cells. In conclusion, the rAK expressed in the prokaryotic system showed weaker immunogenicity than nAK, and among the 4 fragments of AK, AA 87–187 has the strongest immunogenicity while AA 276–357 has the strongest immunoreactivity.

Abstract Research background and purpose Osteoporosis (OP) is one of the most common bone diseases worldwide, characterized by low bone mineral density and susceptibility to pathological fractures, especially in postmenopausal women and elderly men. Ferroptosis is one of the newly discovered forms of cell death regulated by genes in recent years. Many studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to many diseases. However, there are few studies on ferroptosis in osteoporosis, and the mechanism of ferroptosis in osteoporosis is still unclear. This study aims to identify biomarkers related to osteoporosis ferroptosis from the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database through bioinformatics technology, and to mine potential therapeutic small molecule compounds through molecular docking technology, trying to provide a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in the future. Materials and methods We downloaded the ferroptosis-related gene set from the FerrDb database ( http://www.zhounan.org/ferrdb/index.html ), downloaded the data sets GSE56815 and GSE7429 from the GEO database, and used the R software “limma” package to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from GSE56815, and intersected with the ferroptosis gene set to obtain ferroptosis-related DEGs. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed by the R software “clusterProfiler” package. The random forest model was further screened to obtain essential ferroptosis genes. R software “corrplot” package was used for correlation analysis of essential ferroptosis genes, and the Wilcox test was used for significance analysis. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory network was constructed using Cytoscape software. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to construct a disease diagnosis model, and a Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic performance, and then GSE7429 was used to verify the reliability of the diagnosis model. Molecular docking technology was used to screen potential small molecule compounds from the Drugbank database. Finally, a rat osteoporosis model was constructed, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted for qRT-PCR detection to verify the mRNA expression levels of crucial ferroptosis genes. Result Six DEGs related to ferroptosis were initially screened out. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that ferroptosis-related DEGs were mainly enriched in signaling pathways such as maintenance of iron ion homeostasis, copper ion binding function, and ferroptosis. The random forest model identified five key ferroptosis genes, including CP, FLT3, HAMP, HMOX1, and SLC2A3. Gene correlation analysis found a relatively low correlation between these five key ferroptosis genes. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory network shows that BAZ1B and STAT3 may also be potential molecules. The ROC curve of the disease diagnosis model shows that the model has a good diagnostic performance. Molecular docking technology screened out three small molecule compounds, including NADH, Midostaurin, and Nintedanib small molecule compounds. qRT-PCR detection confirmed the differential expression of CP, FLT3, HAMP, HMOX1 and SLC2A3 between OP and normal control group. Conclusion This study identified five key ferroptosis genes (CP, FLT3, HAMP, HMOX1, and SLC2A3), they were most likely related to OP ferroptosis. In addition, we found that the small molecule compounds of NADH, Midostaurin, and Nintedanib had good docking scores with these five key ferroptosis genes. These findings may provide new clues for the early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in the future.

Abstract Purpose To explore a novel biopsy scheme for prostate cancer (PCa), and test the detection rate and pathological agreement of standard systematic (SB) + targeted (TB) biopsy and novel biopsy scheme. Methods Positive needles were collected from 194 patients who underwent SB + TB (STB) followed by radical prostatectomy (RP). Our novel biopsy scheme, targeted and regional systematic biopsy (TrSB) was defined as TB + regional SB (4 SB-needles closest to the TB-needles). The McNemar test was utilized to compare the detection rate performance for clinical significant PCa (csPCa) and clinical insignificant PCa (ciPCa). Moreover, the accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were investigated. The agreement between the different biopsy schemes grade group (GG) and RP GG were assessed. The concordance between the biopsy and the RP GG was evaluated using weighted κ coefficient analyses. Results In this study, the overall detection rate for csPCa was 83.5% (162 of 194) when SB and TB were combined. TrSB showed better NPV than TB (97.0% vs. 74.4%). Comparing to STB, the TB-detection rate of csPCa had a significant difference (p 0.999). For ciPCa, the overall detection rate was 16.5% (32 of 194). TrSB showed better PPV (96.6% vs. 83.3%) and NPV (97.6% vs. 92.9%) than TB. Comparing to STB, the detection rate of both schemes showed no significant difference (p = 0.077 and p = 0.375). All three schemes GG showed poor agreement with RP GG (TB: 43.3%, TrSB: 46.4%, STB: 45.9%). Using weighted κ, all three schemes showed no difference (TB: 0.48, TrSB: 0.51, STB: 0.51). In our subgroup analysis (PI-RADS = 4/5, n = 154), all three schemes almost showed no difference (Weighted κ: TB-0.50, TrSB-0.51, STB-0.50). Conclusion Our novel biopsy scheme TrSB (TB + 4 closest SB needles) may reduce 8 cores of biopsy compared with STB (standard SB + TB), which also showed better csPCa detection rate than TB only, but the same as STB. The pathological agreement between three different biopsy schemes (TB/TrSB/STB) GG and RP GG showed no difference.

Abstract Twinning, on par with dislocations, is critically required in plastic deformation of hexagonal close-packed crystals at low temperatures. In contrast to that in cubic-structured crystals, twinning in hexagonal close-packed crystals requires atomic shuffles in addition to shear. Though the twinning shear that is carried by twinning dislocations has been captured for decades, direct experimental observation of the atomic shuffles, especially when the shuffling mode is not unique and does not confine to the plane of shear, remains a formidable challenge to date. Here, by using in-situ transmission electron microscopy, we directly capture the atomic mechanism of the $$\left\{11\bar{2}1\right\}$$ 11 2 ¯ 1 twinning in hexagonal close packed rhenium nanocrystals. Results show that the $$\left\{11\bar{2}1\right\}$$ 11 2 ¯ 1 twinning is dominated by the (b 1/2, h1/2) twinning disconnections. In contrast to conventional expectations, the atomic shuffles accompanying the twinning disconnections proceed on alternative basal planes along 1/6 $$\left\langle 1\bar{1}00\right\rangle$$ 1 1 ¯ 00 , which may be attributed to the free surface in nanocrystal samples, leading to a lack of mirror symmetry across the $$\left\{11\bar{2}1\right\}$$ 11 2 ¯ 1 twin boundary.

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) semiconductor wires have emerged as potent candidates for nonlinear optical devices, necessitating bandgap engineering for an expanded operational wavelength range. We report the successful growth of strain-mediated GaAs microwires (MWs) with an average diameter of 1.1 μm. The axial tensile strain in these wires, as measured by X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering, ranges from 1.61 % to 1.95 % and from 1.44 % to 2.03 %, respectively. This strain condition significantly reduces the bandgap of GaAs MWs compared to bulk GaAs, enabling a response wavelength extension up to 1.1 μm. Open aperture Z-scan measurements reveal a nonlinear absorption coefficient of −15.9 cm/MW and a third-order magnetic susceptibility of −2.8 × 10−8 esu at 800 nm for these MWs. I-scan measurements further show that the GaAs saturable absorber has a modulation depth of 7.9 % and a nonsaturation loss of 3.3 % at 1050 nm. In laser applications, GaAs MWs have been effectively used as saturable absorbers for achieving Q-switched and dual-wavelength synchronous mode-locking operations in Yb-bulk lasers. These results not only offer new insights into the use of large diameter semiconductor wires but also expand the potential for applications requiring bandgap tuning.

Abstract To gain a deeper understanding of the metabolic differences within and outside the body, as well as changes in transcription levels following estrus in yaks, we conducted transcriptome and metabolome analyses on female yaks in both estrus and non-estrus states. The metabolome analysis identified 114, 13, and 91 distinct metabolites in urine, blood, and follicular fluid, respectively. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis highlighted an enrichment of pathways related to amino acid and lipid metabolism across all three body fluids. Our transcriptome analysis revealed 122 differentially expressed genes within microRNA (miRNA) and 640 within long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). Functional enrichment analysis of lncRNA and miRNA indicated their involvement in cell signaling, disease resistance, and immunity pathways. We constructed a regulatory network composed of 10 lncRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 30 mRNAs, based on the targeted regulation relationships of the differentially expressed genes. In conclusion, the accumulation of metabolites such as amino acids, steroids, and organic acids, along with the expression changes of key genes like miR-129 during yak estrus, provide initial insights into the estrus mechanism in yaks.

Abstract Objective To compare the outcomes of patients undergoing Retroperitoneal laparoscopic Radical nephrectomy (RLRN) and Transperitoneal laparoscopic Radical nephrectomy (TLRN). Methods A total of 120 patients with localized renal cell carcinoma were randomized into either RLRN or TLRN group. Mainly by comparing the patient perioperative related data, surgical specimen integrity, pathological results and tumor results. Results Each group comprised 60 patients. The two group were equivalent in terms of perioperative and pathological outcomes. The mean integrity score was significantly lower in the RLRN group than TLRN group. With a median follow-up of 36.4 months after the operation, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference between RLRN and TLRN in overall survival (89.8% vs. 88.5%; P = 0.898), recurrence-free survival (77.9% vs. 87.7%; P = 0.180), and cancer-specific survival (91.4% vs. 98.3%; P = 0.153). In clinical T2 subgroup, the recurrence rate and recurrence-free survival in the RLRN group was significantly worse than that in the TLRN group (43.2% vs. 76.7%, P = 0.046). Univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis showed that RLRN (HR: 3.35; 95%CI: 1.12–10.03; P = 0.030), male (HR: 4.01; 95%CI: 1.07–14.99; P = 0.039) and tumor size (HR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.01–1.51; P = 0.042) were independent risk factor for recurrence-free survival. Conclusions Our study showed that although RLRN versus TLRN had roughly similar efficacy, TLRN outperformed RLRN in terms of surgical specimen integrity. TLRN was also significantly better than RLRN in controlling tumor recurrence for clinical T2 and above cases. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=24400 ), identifier: ChiCTR1800014431, date: 13/01/2018.

The Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) includes both plant and human pathogens that cause devastating plant vascular wilt diseases and threaten public health. Each F. oxysporum genome comprises core chromosomes (CCs) for housekeeping functions and accessory chromosomes (ACs) that contribute to host-specific adaptation. This study inspects global transcription factor profiles (TFomes) and their potential roles in coordinating CC and AC functions to accomplish host-specific interactions. Remarkably, we found a clear positive correlation between the sizes of TFomes and the proteomes of an organism. With the acquisition of ACs, the FOSC TFomes were larger than the other fungal genomes included in this study. Among a total of 48 classified TF families, 14 families involved in transcription/translation regulations and cell cycle controls were highly conserved. Among the 30 FOSC expanded families, Zn2-C6 and Znf_C2H2 were most significantly expanded to 671 and 167 genes per family including well-characterized homologs of Ftf1 (Zn2-C6) and PacC (Znf_C2H2) that are involved in host-specific interactions. Manual curation of characterized TFs increased the TFome repertoires by 3% including a disordered protein Ren1. RNA-Seq revealed a steady pattern of expression for conserved TF families and specific activation for AC TFs. Functional characterization of these TFs could enhance our understanding of transcriptional regulation involved in FOSC cross-kingdom interactions, disentangle species-specific adaptation, and identify targets to combat diverse diseases caused by this group of fungal pathogens.

PurposeSARS-CoV-2 can invade the thyroid gland. This study was to delineate the risk of thyroid dysfunction amidst the prevalence of the Omicron variant, and to investigate the correlation between thyroid function and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. The study also aimed to ascertain whether thyroid dysfunction persisted during COVID-19 recovery phase.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. COVID-19 patients from the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, China during the epidemic of Omicron variants were included, and their thyroid function were analyzed in groups.ResultsA history of thyroid disease was not associated with COVID-19 outcomes. COVID-19 can lead to a bimodal distribution of thyroid dysfunction. The severity of COVID-19 was inversely proportional to the levels of thyroid- stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4), leading to a higher prevalence of thyroid dysfunction. Severe COVID-19 was a risk factor for euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) (OR=22.5, 95% CI, 12.1 - 45.6). Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio mediated the association between severe COVID-19 and ESS (mediation effect ratio = 41.3%, p < 0.001). ESS and decreased indicators of thyroid function were associated with COVID-19 mortality, while high levels of FT3 and FT4 exhibited a protective effect against death. This effect was more significant in women (p < 0.05). During the recovery period, hyperthyroidism was quite uncommon, while a small percentage of individuals (7.7%) continued to exhibit hypothyroidism.ConclusionCOVID-19 severity was linked to thyroid dysfunction. Severe COVID-19 increased the risk of ESS, which was associated with COVID-19 mortality. Post-recovery, hyperthyroidism was rare, but some individuals continued to have hypothyroidism.

In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a hot and dense state of matter, called the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), is produced. Semi-inclusive jets recoiling from trigger hadrons of high transverse momenta (pT) can serve as an effective probe of the QGP properties, as they are expected to experience jet quenching when traversing the QGP. Recent experimental results on the ratio of recoil jet yields normalized by the trigger counts in heavy-ion collisions to that in p+p collisions (IAA) pose an unexpected challenge in its interpretation. It is observed that IAA rises with the jet pT and possibly exceeds unity at high pT, while traditionally it is expected that jet quenching would lead to IAA

Patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) coexisting with both Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and pancytopenia are exceptionally rare. There is no study on the treatment of such patients. We presented a case of AQP4-IgG seropositive refractory NMOSD patient combined with SS and pancytopenia with significant response to inebilizumab. In 2017 the 49-year-old female patient was diagnosed with SS and pancytopenia without any treatment. In August 2022, she had a sudden onset of lower limbs weakness, manifested as inability to walk, accompanied by urinary incontinence. After receiving methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide, she regained the ability to walk. In February 2023, she suffered from weakness of both lower limbs again and paralyzed in bed, accompanied by retention of urine and stool, and loss of vision in both eyes. After receiving methylprednisolone and three plasmapheresis, the condition did not further worsen, but there was no remission. In March 2023, the patient was admitted to our hospital and was formally diagnosed with AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD combined with SS and pancytopenia. After receiving two 300 mg injections of inebilizumab, not only the symptoms of NMOSD improved significantly, but also the symptoms of concurrent SS and pancytopenia. In the cases of AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD who have recurrent episodes and are comorbid with other autoimmune disorders, inebilizumab may be a good choice.

Prostate Cancer Associated 3 (PCA3) as a promising biomarker to replace serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant prostate diseases. However, the detection of PCA3 in urine requires the collection of digital rectal examination (DRE) urine, which limits the application of PCA3 in screening prostate diseases. In the present study, a new reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method was developed for PCA3 detection in non-DRE urine. The method uses the nanomaterial Graphene oxide (GO) to effectively prevent nonspecific amplification in qRT-PCR. GO-based qRT-PCR produced no nonspecific amplification. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) results showed that the area under curve (AUC) of PCA3 to discriminate normal control subjects from prostate cancer (PCa) was 0.869 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.689–1.000), and using 2.711 as the cutoff value of PCA3, the sensitivity was 81.8% and the specificity was as high as 88.9%. For prostatitis (PTIS) and PCa, the AUC value of PCA3 to distinguish them was 0.636 (95% CI, 0.396–0.877), with 81.8% sensitivity and 58.3% specificity. Compared with the 8.3% specificity of PAS, the specificity of PCA3 was improved by 50%, which suggested that PCA3, in non-DRE urine, has a significant potential application in the differential diagnosis of prostate diseases.

To solve the problem of distance education and cope with emergencies, online education has become one of the common educational methods in recent years. Objects: This study aimed to explore the relationship between the teacher-student relationship (TSR) and mental disorders of university students in online education. Measures: 2032 full-time undergraduate and graduate students from a comprehensive university in China participated in the online survey. The Chinese version of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 Items, the Chinese version of the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), and the 7-item Teacher-Student Relationship Perception Questionnaire were administered to the students. Results: We found that higher quality of perceived TSR and a lower level of mobile phone addiction were associated with better mental health among undergraduate and graduate students during online education. Mobile phone addiction mediated the relationship between TSR and mental disorders, and hometown setting moderated the relationship between TSR and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, a higher quality of perceived TSR was associated with a lower level of mobile phone addiction. In addition, for students with low-quality perceived TSR, those who came from rural areas had a higher level of mobile phone addiction than those who came from urban areas. In contrast, when students had high-quality perceived TSR, the differences between students from urban and rural areas in mobile phone addiction were insignificant. Conclusion: The results of this study are of great significance in improving the mental health and mobile phone addiction of undergraduate and graduate students during online education and reveal the urban-rural differences in the impact of TSRs during online education.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, blended learning became exceptionally widespread, especially in higher education. As a result, many college students became beginners in this learning method. To identify key factors that impact beginners' continuance intention in blended learning, this study surveyed 1845 first-year college students at a university in central China in the falls of 2020 and 2021 who used blended learning for the first time. Structural equation modeling was employed to verify a model that integrates intrinsic motivation and academic self-efficacy in the Expectation-Confirmation Model of Information System Continuance. The results show that performance expectancy, intrinsic motivation, and satisfaction significantly impact beginners' continuance intention in blended learning. Moreover, performance expectancy, intrinsic motivation, and confirmation significantly impact beginners' continuance intention through mediating variable satisfaction. Academic self-efficacy does not directly impact college students' continuance intention but indirectly impacts their continuance intention through intrinsic motivation. Finally, this study provides suggestions for educators to improve beginners' blended learning experience thus promoting their continuance intention in blended learning.

Chiral materials are crucial components in the natural world, and the exploration of chiral materials hold significant importance in advancing areas such as chiral sensing, bio-marking. The integration of Bound States in the Continuum (BICs) in the design of chiral metasurfaces has emerged as a focal point in optical research, offering widespread research value and practical applications. The chiral dielectric metasurface proposed in this paper is formed by a combination of silicon nanorod, annular cylinder, and silicon dioxide substrate. Through selective detaching, we simultaneously break the structural mirror symmetry and in-plane inversion symmetry, thereby eliciting quasi-BICs and intrinsic chirality. This design achieves dual-band chiral responses, yielding a maximum circular dichroism (CD) of 0.979 and a Q-factor of 1517.5. By adjusting the structural parameters, the tunability of the structure is achieved. The study of the sensing performance of the metasurface resulted in a maximum sensitivity (S) of 270.6 nm/RIU and a maximum Figure of Merit (FOM) of 587.5. Additionally, By comparing the sensing performance with achiral structure, we verified the enhancement of sensing performance through chiral effects. The proposed chiral metasurface advances the practical application of chirality in fields such as biosensing.

Background & Aims: The functional maturation of the liver largely occurs after birth. In the early stages of life, the liver of a newborn encounters enormous high-fat metabolic stress caused by the consumption of breast milk. It is unclear how the maturing liver adapts to high lipid metabolism. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) play a fundamental role in establishing liver vasculature and are decorated with many glycoproteins on their surface. The Slc35a1 gene encodes a cytidine-5'-monophosphate (CMP)-sialic acid transporter responsible for transporting CMP-sialic acids between the cytoplasm and the Golgi apparatus for protein sialylation. This study aimed to determine whether endothelial sialylation plays a role in hepatic vasculogenesis and functional maturation. Methods: Endothelial-specific Slc35a1 knockout mice were generated. Liver tissues were collected for histologic analysis, lipidomic profiling, RNA sequencing, confocal immunofluorescence, and immunoblot analyses. Results: Endothelial Slc35a1-deficient mice exhibited excessive neonatal hepatic lipid deposition, severe liver damage, and high mortality. Endothelial deletion of Slc35a1 led to sinusoidal capillarization and disrupted hepatic zonation. Mechanistically, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in LSECs was desialylated and VEGFR2 signaling was enhanced in Slc35a1-deficient mice. Inhibition of VEGFR2 signaling by SU5416 alleviated lipid deposition and restored hepatic vasculature in Slc35a1-deficient mice. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that sialylation of LSECs is critical for maintaining hepatic vascular development and lipid homeostasis. Targeting VEGFR2 signaling may be a new strategy to prevent liver disorders associated with abnormal vasculature and lipid deposition.