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Previous studies on surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) interactions have primarily focused on plain river networks, with limited understanding on hydrodynamic interactions in valley-type watersheds. This study focuses on the Beishan Reservoir Basin (BRB) in Jurong, specifically investigating surface runoff and shallow groundwater interactions in a valley-type watershed Jurong. A coupled SWAT-MODFLOW model was developed to evaluate the spatiotemporal variations in SW-GW interaction processes. The results show that the interaction between SW-GW varies both temporally and spatially. Temporally, the groundwater discharged into the surface water during 2016−2019, while the surface water replenished the groundwater during certain periods of wet season. Spatially, the mountainous areas in the northwest and northeast of the study area and the surrounding areas of BRB in the south of the study area are characterized by groundwater discharge into surface water. The coupling model effectively describes the surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) interaction, with groundwater contributing 8.72% to the net replenishment of rivers in the basin. The western tributaries and central tributaries of the basin receive 28.8% and 79.8% groundwater recharge in the whole basin, respectively. The eastern tributaries with negative groundwater recharge rate of 8.6% exhibit surface water discharge into groundwater. This study provides a technical support for joint scheduling and development and utilization of watershed water resources.

Objectives: With the depletion of easily recoverable oil reservoirs, the focus of oil and gas exploration and development in China has shifted to "two deeps and non-conventional" oil and gas fields. This transformation is not only accompanied by a significant increase in well depth and more complex formation challenges but also presents more stringent requirements for the design and construction of drilling engineering, which directly leads to a significant extension of the drilling cycle. The length of the drilling cycle is a key factor in determining drilling costs. Therefore, for a long time, scholars have been committed to improving the mechanical penetration rate and the durability of polycrystalline diamond composite (PDC) bits. The main purpose of this study is to analyze geological characteristics in depth, accurately match and optimize the design of special-shaped teeth in PDC drill bits, in order to significantly reduce the risk of drill bit failure and greatly improve mechanical drilling speed and footage. Given the wide application of PDC bits in hard rock drilling and their key impact on the cost and efficiency of drilling operations, this study focuses on the design and optimization of ridge-shaped PDC teeth, aiming to explore more suitable tooth structures for specific geological conditions through scientific testing and comparative analysis. This will promote innovation and efficiency improvements in drilling technology. Methods: Based on round teeth, the wear resistance, impact resistance, and rock-breaking effect of three types of ridge-shaped teeth were systematically tested. First, the wear resistance and impact resistance of three typical ridge-shaped PDC teeth—namely the 165 axe-shaped, 135 axe-shaped, and three-edged cutters—were tested to quantitatively evaluate their mechanical properties. Subsequently, granite was selected as the representative rock sample, and the single-tooth cutting tests were conducted with three different penetration depths to simulate the cutting effect under various drilling pressures during actual drilling. Additionally, a full-size bit simulation drilling test was designed to evaluate the drilling performance of each tooth shape under different pressures, and the data were compared with those of round teeth. This series of tests aimed to fully reveal the advantages and disadvantages of ridge-shaped PDC teeth in terms of wear resistance, impact resistance, and rock-breaking effectiveness. Results: The test results show that the three ridge-shaped PDC cutters significantly outperform the round teeth in terms of wear resistance. The 135 axe-shaped cutter, with the smallest ridge angle, exhibited the greatest improvement in wear resistance, indicating that the ridge design enhances the durability of PDC cutters and bits. In terms of impact resistance, the 165 axe-shaped cutter and the three-edged cutter performed excellently and could effectively withstand high impact loads, while the 135 axe-shaped cutter had relatively weaker impact resistance due to insufficient support at the impact point. Further analysis of the cutting force data revealed that the tangential force and normal forces of ridge-shaped cutters were lower than those of round cutters at the same cutting depth. The smaller the ridge angle, the smaller the cutting force, which indicates that the ridge design helps reduce cutting resistance and improve drilling efficiency. The full-size drill bit simulation drilling test results showed that the 135 axe-shaped cutter achieved the fastest mechanical drilling speed and is suitable for high-pressure operations. The three-edged cutter performed better in the low-pressure range (≤ 20 kN), while the round teeth had the slowest drilling speed and a lower suitable drilling pressure range. Additionally, the variation in ridge tooth angle not only affects the impact resistance but also directly influences the rock-breaking effect by altering the stress distribution within the rock. Conclusions: Through systematic testing and comparative analysis, this study has verified the significant advantages of ridge-shaped PDC cutters in improving drilling efficiency and reducing the risk of drill bit failure. Specifically, the ridge design effectively enhances the wear resistance and impact resistance of the drill bit while reducing cutting force and increasing mechanical drilling speed. The performance differences of the various ridge-shaped cutters under different drilling pressure conditions provide a scientific basis for the flexible selection of drill bit types based on formation conditions during drilling operations. In the future, further optimization of ridge-shaped PDC cutter designs, especially for specific formation conditions, will be an important direction for improving mechanical drilling speeds and reducing operational costs.

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. The highly dynamic nature of MS lesions has made them difficult to study using traditional histopathology due to the specificity of current stains. This requires numerous stains to track and study demyelinating activity in MS. Thus, we utilized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to generate holistic biomolecular profiles of demyelinating activities in MS brain tissue. Multivariate analysis can differentiate MS tissue from controls. Analysis of the absorbance spectra shows profound reductions of lipids, proteins, and phosphate in white matter lesions. Changes in unsaturated lipids and lipid chain length indicate oxidative damage in MS brain tissue. Altered lipid and protein structures suggest changes in MS membrane structure and organization. Unique carbohydrate signatures are seen in MS tissue compared to controls, indicating altered metabolic activities. Cortical lesions had increased olefinic lipid content and abnormal membrane structure in normal appearing MS cortex compared to controls. Our results suggest that FTIR spectroscopy can further our understanding of lesion evolution and disease mechanisms in MS paving the way towards improved diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel therapeutics.

ObjectiveTo analyze the impact of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) on adverse outcomes for mothers and infants.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted, collecting relevant information on 9,058 singleton pregnancies and newborns from prenatal check-ups and deliveries at Guangdong Women and Children Hospital from 2017 to 2022. The subjects were grouped according to different GWG, and logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of GWG on adverse outcomes, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), large-for-gestational-age infants (LGA), small-for-gestational-age infants (SGA), and preterm births.ResultsAmong the 9058 participants included in the study, there were 438 cases (4.8%) of HDP, including 266 cases (2.9%) of gestational hypertension and 172 cases (1.9%) of preeclampsia. Additionally, there were 2018 cases (22.3%) of GDM; Among the adverse birth outcomes for newborns, the prevalence was 9.7% for SGA, 9.9% for LGA, 1.4% for early/mid-term preterm births, and 4.2% for late preterm births. After adjusting for confounding factors, the results showed that, excessive GWG was a risk factor for HDP (OR=1.829, P

Long-cycling dendrite-free solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) require fast and uniform lithium-ion (Li+) transport of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). However, the SSEs still face the problems of low ionic conductivity, low Li+ transference number, and unstable interface with lithium metal. In this work, a novel strategy of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) modulating solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) has been firstly proposed that enables durable Li reversible cycling. The tunable strength of Lewis acid and base dual-active sites of nickel borate FLPs can synergistically promote both the dissociation of lithium salts and the transfer of Li+. As a consequence, the FLPs modulated SPEs (SPE-NiBO-150) exhibit high ionic conductivity of 4.92×10−4 ​S ​cm−1, high Li+ transference number of 0.74, and superior interface compatibility with both lithium anode and LiFePO4 cathode at room-temperature. The Li//SPE-NiBO-150//Li symmetric cell demonstrates ultralong cycle stability (over 10,000 ​h (417 days) at both current density of 0.2 and 0.5 ​mA ​cm−2), and the assembled solid-state LiFePO4//SPE-NiBO-150//Li battery also shows excellent performance (86% capacity retention for 300 cycles at 0.5C). The present work supplies a new insight into designing high-performance SPEs for solid-state LMB applications.

Ultrasonic motors have been widely applied and promoted due to their advantages, such as low-speed high torque, fast response, and self-locking upon power loss. However, their working principle relies on contact friction drive, and the magnitude of the applied pre-pressure directly affects their performance output. Traditionally, the magnitude of pre-pressure applied to ultrasonic motors is mainly set during manufacturing and assembly and cannot be adjusted during operation, which also affects the maximization of their performance. To address the above issues, this paper proposes the design of an electromagnet-type variable pre-pressure ultrasonic motor that adjusts the pre-pressure by controlling the driving voltage of the coil. The force and motion analysis of the core components is conducted, and the basic parameters of the electromagnetic mechanism are calculated according to design requirements. An electromagnetic-type variable pre-pressure ultrasonic motor control circuit based on speed feedback is designed, and a control method for the variable pre-pressure motor is proposed. Magnetic circuit simulation is conducted, and internal structural size parameters are optimized. Finally, experiments are conducted on the processed prototype. The results show that using the electromagnet-type variable pre-pressure ultrasonic motor can achieve speed adjustment through pre-pressure adjustment, maintaining a wide adjustment range under heavy load conditions, which is conducive to achieving a better low-speed high-torque output.

IntroductionThis study aims to establish the fingerprint spectra of Kai-Xin-San (KXS) and investigate its spectrum-effect relationship in treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD).MethodsInitially, the fingerprints of 15 batches of KXS were established and analyzed using HPLC, with the method’s precision, stability, and repeatability thoroughly evaluated. Subsequently, the effects of the 15 batches of KXS were assessed in an olfactory escape memory experiment, utilizing Aβ42 transgenic drosophila as a model. Finally, the spectrum-effect relationship between the KXS fingerprint and memory improvement was analyzed, with the active ingredients subjected to validation testing.ResultsThe results identified seventeen common peaks in the fingerprint, and eight active components were determined: polygalaxanthone III, 3-6-disinapoylsucrose, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, α-asarone, dehydrotumulosic acid, and dehydropachymic acid. Treatment with KXS (1%, for 4 days) significantly enhanced the performance index of Aβ42 flies in the olfactory experiment. Both spectrum-effect analysis and validation tests indicated that polygalaxanthone III, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, and α-asarone were positively correlated with the performance index and improved the performance index in the olfactory experiment. The HPLC fingerprint method for KXS demonstrated excellent precision, accuracy, and reproducibility, making it suitable for quality evaluation and control of KXS. Polygalaxanthone III, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, and α-asarone are identified as potential active ingredients of KXS for anti-AD effects.DiscussionThese findings provide an experimental basis for developing new drugs based on KXS and its active ingredient combinations.

Residual films (RFs) disrupt the normal migration and distribution of water, salts and nutrients in soil, posing a significant threat to the sustainable development of agriculture and food security. The effect complexity of RF on soil water-salt distribution and crop growth result in conflicting findings in previous studies. Systematic and quantitative exploration of RF thresholds is of great significanse. Focusing on the influence of RF on agriculture, this study conducted a meta-analysis of 44 peer-reviewed studies using 1514 soil moisture data points, 568 soil salt data points, and 312 yield data points. The results showed: RF reduced the soil moisture by 2.62 %, decreased the crop yield by 11.72 %, and increased the soil salinity by 4.09 %. These adverse effects were exacerbated in environments with an average annual evapotranspiration (AAE) > 1800 mm, average annual precipitation (AAP) 0.05). RF levels between 0 and 225 kg·ha−1 had no significant effect on transport of water, salt or crop yield, but levels above 225 kg·ha−1 significantly reduced crop yield (p

Bubble dynamics is paramount in comprehending the heat transfer mechanisms of flow boiling in the microchannel within ultrasonic field, which is regarded as a promising method to confront challenges of thermal management posed by microelectronic devices. Nevertheless, the impact of ultrasound on bubble behaviors and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study first delves into the effect of ultrasonic parameters on bubble dynamic behaviors and associated mechanisms, subsequently further analyzing the forces acting on bubbles through the constructed force model. The findings suggest that although growth force serves as the significant resistance, the primary Bjerknes force dominates the rapid detachment of bubbles. The secondary Bjerknes force results in the bubble only sliding along the bottom wall rather than lifting off. Furthermore, the elevated ultrasonic pressure amplitude resulting from augmenting ultrasonic power induces a substantial increase in the critical detachment diameter and growth rate by 55.49 % and 59.42 %, respectively. The enhanced primary Bjerknes force, attributed to the rise in ultrasonic frequency, leads to a 71.42 % increase in sliding velocity and a 46.45 % reduction in growth time. The positive impacts arising from ultrasonic power and frequency are anticipated to notably enhance the thermal performance of microchannels. Besides, surface tension acts as the resistance and diminishes slightly with an augmentation of the boiling number, resulting in a moderate variation in sliding velocity and growth time.

Background Microbial colonisation in infants is initially dependent on the mother and is affected by the mode of delivery. Understanding these impacts is crucial as the early-life gut microbiota plays a vital role in immune development, metabolism, and overall health. Early-life infant gut microbiota is diverse among populations and geographic origins. However, in this context, only a few studies have explored the impact of the mode of delivery on the intestinal microbiome in children in Guangzhou, China. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of birth mode on the intestinal microbiota of healthy infants in Guangzhou, China.Methods Faecal samples were collected once from 20 healthy full-term infants aged 1–6 months, delivered via either caesarean section (CS) or vaginal delivery (VD), post-enrolment. The intestinal microbiota were characterised using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacterial quantity and community composition were compared between the two groups.Results No significant differences in gut bacterial diversity and richness were observed between the CS and VD groups. The Pseudomonadota phylum (44.15 ± 33.05% vs 15.62 ± 15.60%, p = 0.028) and Enterobacteriaceae family (44.00 ± 33.11% vs 15.31 ± 15.47%, p = 0.028) were more abundant in the CS group than in the VD group. The VD group exhibited a higher abundance of the Bacillota phylum (40.51 ± 32.77% vs 75.57 ± 27.83%, p = 0.019),Conclusions The early stage of intestinal bacterial colonisation was altered in the CS group as compared with the VD group. Our findings provide evidence that CS has the potential to disrupt the maturation of intestinal microbial communities in infants by influencing the colonisation of specific microorganisms. Further comprehensive studies that consider geographical locations are necessary to elucidate the progression of microbiota in infants born via different delivery modes.

Abstract Background Repairation of bone defects remains a major clinical problem. Constructing bone tissue engineering containing growth factors, stem cells, and material scaffolds to repair bone defects has recently become a hot research topic. Nerve growth factor (NGF) can promote osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), but the low survival rate of the BMSCs during transplantation remains an unresolved issue. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of BMSCs overexpression of NGF on bone defect by inhibiting pyroptosis. Methods The relationship between the low survival rate and pyroptosis of BMSCs overexpressing NGF in localized inflammation of fractures was explored by detecting pyroptosis protein levels. Then, the NGF+/BMSCs-NSA-Sca bone tissue engineering was constructed by seeding BMSCs overexpressing NGF on the allograft bone scaffold and adding the pyroptosis inhibitor necrosulfonamide(NSA). The femoral condylar defect model in the Sprague–Dawley (SD) rat was studied by micro-CT, histological, WB and PCR analyses in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the regenerative effect of bone repair. Results The pyroptosis that occurs in BMSCs overexpressing NGF is associated with the nerve growth factor receptor (P75NTR) during osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, NSA can block pyroptosis in BMSCs overexpression NGF. Notably, the analyses using the critical-size femoral condylar defect model indicated that the NGF+/BMSCs-NSA-Sca group inhibited pyroptosis significantly and had higher osteogenesis in defects. Conclusion NGF+/BMSCs-NSA had strong osteogenic properties in repairing bone defects. Moreover, NGF+/BMSCs-NSA-Sca mixture developed in this study opens new horizons for developing novel tissue engineering constructs.

Abstract The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an immune receptor that affects cellular phenotypes by modulating phagocytosis and metabolism, promoting cell survival, and counteracting inflammation. Its role in renal injury, in particular, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) or ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced renal injury remains unclear. In our study, WT and Trem2 −/− mice were employed to evaluate the role of TREM2 in renal macrophage infiltration and tissue injury after UUO. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) from both mouse genotypes were cultured and polarized for in vitro experiments. Next, the effects of TREM2 on renal injury and macrophage polarization in IRI mice were also explored. We found that TREM2 expression was upregulated in the obstructed kidneys. TREM2 deficiency exacerbated renal inflammation and fibrosis 3 and 7 days after UUO, in association with reduced macrophage infiltration. Trem2 −/− BMDM exhibited increased apoptosis and poorer survival compared with WT BMDM. Meanwhile, TREM2 deficiency augmented M1 and M2 polarization after UUO. Consistent with the in vivo observations, TREM2 deficiency led to increased polarization of BMDM towards the M1 proinflammatory phenotype. Mechanistically, TREM2 deficiency promoted M1 and M2 polarization via the JAK-STAT pathway in the presence of TGF-β1, thereby affecting cell survival by regulating mTOR signaling. Furthermore, cyclocreatine supplementation alleviated cell death caused by TREM2 deficiency. Additionally, we found that TREM2 deficiency promoted renal injury, fibrosis, and macrophage polarization in IRI mice. The current data suggest that TREM2 deficiency aggravates renal injury by promoting macrophage apoptosis and polarization via the JAK-STAT pathway. These findings have implications for the role of TREM2 in the regulation of renal injury that justify further evaluation.

Background: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) have revolutionized the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, the management of high-risk APL has not been conclusively established. The optimal dosage of anthracycline in the induction has long been debated when ATO is added. Objectives: To explore the management of high-risk APL regarding the optimal dosage of anthracycline in the induction and the predicators of prognosis. Design: This was a retrospective study in the real-world setting. Methods: High-risk APL patients defined as white blood cell (WBC) greater than 10 × 10 9 /L who received ATO-based induction regimens were included. Data on clinical characteristics, treatment regimens, and prognosis including early death (ED) and overall survival (OS) were collected from medical records. Risk factors of ED and OS were analyzed. Results: This research included a total of 130 participants. Fifty (38.5%) patients received ATO+ATRA dual induction plus standard-dose anthracycline (ATO + ATRA + stDNR). Fifty-nine (45.4%) patients received ATO + ATRA with consecutive low-dose anthracycline (ATO + ATRA + ldDNR). Twenty-one (16.2%) patients were treated with ATO and various chemotherapies (ATO + others). Compared with the other two groups, the ATO + ATRA + stDNR group had the lowest ED rate of 4.0% (10.2% and 52.4%, respectively; p

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to establish a more sensitive and specific diagnostic method for detecting plasma BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) DNA load in patients after renal transplantation using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and to validate the methodology. The linear range, lower limit of detection, accuracy, precision, and specificity of the detection system were evaluated by using the WHO BKPyV standard (7.2 log10 IU/mL) as a reference, in accordance with the relevant documents of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Plasma samples were collected from 74 renal transplantation patients with urinary BKPyV-DNA levels exceeding 7 log10 copies/mL. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ddPCR were performed, and their diagnostic efficacy for BKPyV-DNA in the diagnosis of BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The coefficients of variation for the repeated detection of BKPyV standard DNA were 2.55 and 4.71 at concentrations of 6.2 and 3.2 log10 IU/mL, respectively. The linear range was 2.2–6.2 log10 IU/mL, and the lowest detection limit was 100 IU/mL. By utilizing histopathological examination of renal biopsy as the gold standard for BKPyV diagnosis, the area under the ROC curve of 74 post-transplantation plasma samples detected by the ddPCR system was found to be 0.875 (95% CI: 0.797–0.953, P < 0.01). The optimal threshold was 512.86 copies/mL, with a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 67.6%. In comparison, the area under the ROC curve for qPCR was 0.668 (95% CI: 0.583–0.752, P < 0.01), with an optimal threshold of 11,481.54 copies/mL, a sensitivity of 35.0%, and a specificity of 100.0%. Pairwise comparison (Delong test) of the ROC curves of the two systems showed a significant difference in the area under the curve, with a difference of 0.207 and a P-value

The texture of human skin is influenced by both external and internal factors, and changes in wrinkles can most directly reflect the state of the skin. Skin roughness is primarily used to quantify the wrinkle features of the skin. Therefore, effective and accurate quantification of skin roughness is essential in skincare, medical treatment, and product development. This study proposes a method for estimating the skin surface roughness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) combined with a convolutional neural network (CNN). The proposed algorithm is validated through a roughness standard plate. Then, the experimental results revealed that skin surface roughness including arithmetic mean roughness and depth of roughness depends on age and gender. The advantage of the proposed method based on OCT is that it can reduce the effect of the skin surface’s natural curvature on roughness. In addition, the method is combined with the epidermal thickness and dermal attenuation coefficient for multi-parameter characterization of skin features. It could be seen as a potential tool for understanding the aging process and developing strategies to maintain and enhance skin health and appearance.

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) presents as a condition marked by a sudden and rapid decrease in kidney function over a short timeframe, resulting from diverse causes. As a transcription factor, PR domain‐containing 16 (PRDM16), has recently been implicated in brown fat biogenesis and heart diseases. Our recent works indicated that PRDM16 could suppress the occurrence of renal interstitial fibrosis in diabetic kidney disorder. Nonetheless, the effect and regulatory mechanism of PRDM16 in AKI remain elusive. Our study demonstrated that PRDM16 inhibited apoptosis induced by ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) in BUMPT (Boston University mouse kidney proximal tubular) cells and HK‐2(Human Kidney‐2) cells. Mechanistically, PRDM16 not only bound to the promoter region of S100 Calcium Binding Protein A6 (S100A6)and upregulated its expression but also interacted with its amino acids 945–949, 957–960, and 981–984 to suppress the p38MAPK and JNK axes via inhibition of PKC‐η activity and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, cisplatin‐ and I/R‐stimulated AKI progression were ameliorated in PRDM16 proximal‐tubule‐specific knockin mice, whereas exacerbated in PRDM16 knockout proximal‐tubule‐specific mice). Moreover, we observed that formononetin ameliorated I/R‐ and cisplatin‐triggered AKI progression in mice. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel self‐protective mechanism in AKI, whereby PRDM16 regulates the S100A6/PKC‐η/ROS/p38MAPK and JNK pathways to inhibit AKI progression.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Artesunate (ART) has been implicated in regulating the many processes of liver injury, but its roles in liver regeneration still need to be illustrated. Methods: In the present study, ART was used to pretreat hepatocyte cell line NCTC1469 to study the effect of ART on hepatocyte proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, the potency of ART as a regimen to promote liver regeneration and restore liver function was evaluated following partial hepatectomy (PH) on C57BL/6 mice. Results: ART concentration-dependently promoted hepatocyte proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Cell cycle and Ki-67 immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that ART supplementation promoted the proliferation of hepatocytes and accelerated liver regeneration. Our results provided evidence that ART improved liver function in a dose-dependent manner, as indicated by decreased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and increased albumin, and hepatocyte growth factor levels in PH mice. Meanwhile, ART promoted the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in NCTC1469 cells and liver tissue of PH mice. In addition, PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the promotion effect of ART on hepatocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression. Conclusion: ART promoted hepatocyte proliferation via activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which was beneficial to liver regeneration of PH-induced liver injury.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant disease with high aggressiveness and a dismal prognosis, which is challenging to diagnose clinically early and gains low benefit from standard therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have become a hot topic in oncology research. Current evidence indicates that miRNAs are regulators involved in the entire process of PC, providing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this fatal disease. Related research has been rapidly updated, making it necessary to review it to propose new directions and ideas and provide guidance for the development of precision medicine for PC. We reviewed the relevant literature through Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Medline, showing that abnormally expressed miRNAs in PC patients have the potential to be used as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, highlighting the excellent prospect of combining miRNAs with traditional therapies, and the effective application of these factors for PC, especially miRNA mimics and inhibitors. MiRNAs participate in the entire process of PC and play important roles in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. They are potential factors in conquering PC in the future.

The design for large-scale offshore systems like renewable energy systems as well as ship structures represents the key factor for the investigation and application of such devices. The existing guide for design schemes of offshore systems cannot cover novel large-scale design demand for recent offshore systems, as a result of the fast-growing scale of offshore systems but the late update of guides. To this end, this paper proposes a novel risk estimation approach of alternative design schemes for large-scale offshore systems as a basis to support the design scheme determinations. Initially, the risks of design schemes are analyzed by fault tree analysis. Subsequently, Bayesian networks and fuzzy sets are employed to calculate the reliability of alternative designs that comply with, or deviate from, the existing guides. The risk level of alternative designs is assessed to ensure the better performance of alternative design schemes in terms of safety. The Bayesian network approach proposed also accretions the weak links in the alternative designs. The results of this paper contribute to enhancing the survivability of offshore systems, such as renewable energy systems as well as ship structures.

Background: Non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) presents the ultimate challenge in pre-hospital care. While external hemorrhage control devices (EHCDs) such as the Abdominal Aortic and Junctional Tourniquet (AAJT) and SAM Junctional Tourniquet (SJT) have been invented, the current design and application strategy requires further improvement. Therefore, researchers devised a novel apparatus named Modified EHCD (M-EHCD) and implemented intermittent hemostasis (IH) as a preventive measure against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The objective of this study was to ascertain the combined effect of M-EHCD and IH on the hemostatic effect of NCTH. Methods: Eighteen swine were randomized to M-EHCD, AAJT or SJT. The NCTH model was established by inducing Class Ⅲ hemorrhagic shock and performing a hemi-transection of common femoral artery (CFA). EHCDs were rapidly fastened since the onset of free bleeding (T0min). The IH strategy was implemented by fully releasing M-EHCD at T40min, T70min and T100min, respectively, whereas AAJT and SJT maintained continuous hemostasis (CH) until T120min. All groups underwent CFA bridging at T110min, and EHCDs were removed at T120min. Reperfusion lasted for 60 min, after which euthanasia was performed. Hemodynamics, intra-vesical pressure (IVP), and blood samples were collected periodically. Histological examinations were also conducted. Results: M-EHCD demonstrated the fastest application time (M-EHCD: 26.38 ± 6.32s vs. SJT: 30.84 ± 5.62s vs. AAJT: 54.28 ± 5.45s, P

In this paper, coal-based solid waste, including fly ash, desulfurization gypsum, furnace bottom slag, and coal washing sludge in the ratio of 3:2:3:2 with a total of 200 tons/0.07 hm2, were used as the specialized main material for restoring the saline alkali land of Emao River in Huairen of China. The remediation effect and safety of solid waste artificial soil were evaluated by testing the soil samples before and after the remediation. The results showed that the pH value of the soil after remediation decreased from 9.98 to 7.60, which was close to the neutral value and suitable for crop growth. The total amount of water-soluble salts decreased from 8.30 g kg−1 to 4.80 g kg−1 with a decrease of 42.2 %. The organic matter increased from 6.5 g kg−1 to 39.1 g kg−1 with a 5-fold increase. Compared to the original soil, the heavy metal content in the restored soil did not increased, but instead decreased, indicating that the restoration technology was feasible and meets environmental requirements. Corn planting experiment results showed that corn's emergence rate in the original saline alkali soil was extremely low (about 1 %), while in the restored soil reached over 99 %. The average yield of corn in restoration field was 16.56 % higher than the average local yield level. The residual content of heavy metals and organic toxic substances in corn and potatoes grown on restored soil were analyzed, and the results showed that the detected heavy metal content was far lower than the standard values, and the residual organic toxic substances were basically not detected, indicating that the agricultural fruits grown on restored soil were safe, harmless, and edible. This approach could achieve large-scale consumption of coal-based solid waste, increase arable land, and reduce the cost of restoring saline alkali land.

This paper is dedicated to the fundamental research of the mechanical model of a 1/4-vehicle semi-active suspension system with time-delayed state feedback control during wheel vertical displacement. The strategy combining the “equivalent harmonic excitation” optimization algorithm with the particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed in this paper. Through the optimization and solution of time-delayed feedback control parameters of the 1/4 vehicle semi-active suspension system, the dynamic response of the vehicle suspension system before and after parameter optimization is studied. The research results indicate that, compared to passive control, time-delayed feedback control of wheel vertical displacement can significantly improve the smoothness, handling stability, and safety of vehicle operation.

Abstract Background Osteocytes are critical mechanosensory cells in bone, and mechanically stimulated osteocytes produce exosomes that can induce osteogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important constituents of exosomes, and some miRNAs in osteocytes regulate osteogenic differentiation; previous studies have indicated that some differentially expressed miRNAs in mechanically strained osteocytes likely influence osteoblastic differentiation. Therefore, screening and selection of miRNAs that regulate osteogenic differentiation in exosomes of mechanically stimulated osteocytes are important. Results A mechanical tensile strain of 2500 με at 0.5 Hz 1 h per day for 3 days, elevated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity of MLO-Y4 osteocytes, and promoted osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Fourteen miRNAs differentially expressed only in MLO-Y4 osteocytes which were stimulated with mechanical tensile strain, were screened, and the miRNAs related to osteogenesis were identified. Four differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-1930-3p, miR-3110-5p, miR-3090-3p, and miR-3058-3p) were found only in mechanically strained osteocytes, and the four miRNAs, eight targeted mRNAs which were differentially expressed only in mechanically strained osteoblasts, were also identified. In addition, the mechanically strained osteocyte-derived exosomes promoted the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro, the exosomes were internalized by osteoblasts, and the up-regulated miR-3110-5p and miR-3058-3p in mechanically strained osteocytes, were both increased in the exosomes, which was verified via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Conclusions In osteocytes, a mechanical tensile strain of 2500 με at 0.5 Hz induced the fourteen differentially expressed miRNAs which probably were in exosomes of osteocytes and involved in osteogenesis. The mechanically strained osteocyte-derived exosomes which contained increased miR-3110-5p and miR-3058-3p (two of the 14 miRNAs), promoted osteoblastic differentiation.

Abstract Recent studies have reported the involvement of peripheral nervous system (PNS) in association with MOG‐IgG, including isolated neuropathies. In this retrospective study we characterized the PNS involvement in MOG antibody associated disease (MOGAD). Six out of 215 MOGAD patients had PNS involvement (all polyradiculopathy) that occurred concurrently with a CNS demyelinating episode. We also demonstrated MOG expression in healthy human controls' proximal nerve root. Nine patients with true‐positive MOG‐IgG1 had PNS involvement temporally unrelated to a CNS demyelinating event. All these patients had an alternate etiology of PNS involvement. Isolated peripheral neuropathy is not a feature of MOGAD, but inflammatory nerve root involvement can occur concurrently with CNS demyelinating events.

Abstract Background Long-term exposure to a high altitude environment with low pressure and low oxygen could cause abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart. Myocardial strain is a sensitive indicator for assessing myocardial dysfunction, monitoring myocardial strain is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of high altitude heart-related diseases. This study applies cardiac magnetic resonance tissue tracking technology (CMR-TT) to evaluate the changes in left ventricular myocardial function and structure in rats in high altitude environment. Methods 6-week-old male rats were randomized into plateau hypoxia rats (plateau group, n = 21) as the experimental group and plain rats (plain group, n = 10) as the control group. plateau group rats were transported from Chengdu (altitude: 360 m), a city in a plateau located in southwestern China, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (altitude: 3850 m), Yushu, China, and then fed for 12 weeks there, while plain group rats were fed in Chengdu(altitude: 360 m), China. Using 7.0 T cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to evaluate the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) and stroke volume (SV), as well as myocardial strain parameters including the peak global longitudinal (GLS), radial (GRS), and circumferential strain (GCS). The rats were euthanized and a myocardial biopsy was obtained after the magnetic resonance imaging scan. Results The plateau rats showed more lower left ventricular GLS and GRS (P 0.05). Conclusions After 12 weeks of exposure to high altitude low-pressure hypoxia environment, the left ventricular global strain was partially decreased and myocardium is damaged, while the whole heart ejection fraction was still preserved, the myocardial strain was more sensitive than the ejection fraction in monitoring cardiac function.

Abstract Background Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) cleave ubiquitin on substrate molecules to maintain protein stability. DUBs reportedly participate in the tumorigenesis and tumour progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). OTU deubiquitinase 5 (OTUD5), a DUB family member, has been recognized as a critical regulator in bladder cancer, breast cancer and HCC. However, the expression and biological function of OTUD5 in HCC are still controversial. Results We determined that the expression of OTUD5 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues. High levels of OTUD5 were also detected in most HCC cell lines. TCGA data analysis demonstrated that high OTUD5 expression indicated poorer overall survival in HCC patients. OTUD5 silencing prominently suppressed HCC cell proliferation, while its overexpression markedly enhanced the proliferation of HCC cells. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed solute carrier family 38 member 1 (SLC38A1) as a candidate downstream target protein of OTUD5. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the interaction between OTUD5 and SLC38A1. OTUD5 knockdown reduced and OTUD5 overexpression increased SLC38A1 protein levels in HCC cells. However, OTUD5 alteration had no effect on SLC38A1 mRNA expression. OTUD5 maintained SLC38A1 stability by preventing its ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. SLC38A1 silencing prominently attenuated the OTUD5-induced increase in HCC cell proliferation. Finally, OTUD5 knockdown markedly suppressed the growth of HCC cells in vivo. Conclusions OTUD5 is an oncogene in HCC. OTUD5 contributes to HCC cell proliferation by deubiquitinating and stabilizing SLC38A1. These results may provide a theoretical basis for the development of new anti-HCC drugs.

Abstract Hard carbons are emerging as the most viable anodes to support the commercialization of sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries due to their competitive performance. However, the hard carbon anode suffers from low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), and the ambiguous Na-ion (Na+) storage mechanism and interfacial chemistry fail to give a reasonable interpretation. Here, we have identified the time-dependent ion pre-desolvation on the nanopore of hard carbons, which significantly affects the Na+ storage efficiency by altering the solvation structure of electrolytes. Consummating the pre-desolvation by extending the aging time, generates a highly aggregated electrolyte configuration inside the nanopore, resulting in negligible reductive decomposition of electrolytes. When applying the above insights, the hard carbon anodes achieve a high average ICE of 98.21% in the absence of any Na supplementation techniques. Therefore, the negative-to-positive capacity ratio can be reduced to 1.02 for full cells, which enables an improved energy density. The insight into hard carbons and related interphases may be extended to other battery systems and support the continued development of battery technology.

In addition to convective heat transfer, radiation heat transfer constitutes a significant component of the thermal performance of Passive Containment Air-Cooling System (PAS). The installation of radiation plates within the PAS flow channel enhances the convective heat transfer area between the wall and the air, an effect that should not be overlooked. ANSYS Fluent was employed to investigate how the placement and quantity of radiation plates influence the heat transfer efficiency of PAS. The computational results indicate that radiation plates can substantially enhance the thermal performance of PAS. Specifically, when a radiation plate is positioned 0.9 m from the inner wall of the concrete shell, an improvement in PAS heat transfer power by as much as 34.4% can be achieved. However, it was observed that increasing the number of radiation plates has a minimal impact on overall performance; thus, utilizing multiple plates does not further augment the PAS heat transfer capability. Nonetheless, incorporating several radiation plates may contribute to lowering the temperature of the concrete shell. Based on this research, it can be concluded that strategically arranging radiation plates significantly improves the PAS heat transfer capacity. While multiple radiation plates do not provide additional enhancements to heat transfer efficiency under normal conditions, they remain a viable option for mitigating concrete shell temperatures during accident scenarios.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) has established itself as a pivotal tool for investigating biological processes within living cells. However, the extensive imaging duration necessary to accumulate sufficient photons for accurate fluorescence lifetime calculations poses a significant obstacle to achieving high-resolution monitoring of cellular dynamics. In this study, we introduce an image reconstruction method based on the edge-preserving interpolation method (EPIM), which transforms rapidly acquired low-resolution FLIM data into high-pixel images, thereby eliminating the need for extended acquisition times. Specifically, we decouple the grayscale image and the fluorescence lifetime matrix and perform an individual interpolation on each. Following the interpolation of the intensity image, we apply wavelet transformation and adjust the wavelet coefficients according to the image gradients. After the inverse transformation, the original image is obtained and subjected to noise reduction to complete the image reconstruction process. Subsequently, each pixel is pseudo-color-coded based on its intensity and lifetime, preserving both structural and temporal information. We evaluated the performance of the bicubic interpolation method and our image reconstruction approach on fluorescence microspheres and fixed-cell samples, demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing the quality of lifetime images. By applying these techniques to live-cell imaging, we can successfully obtain high-pixel FLIM images at shortened intervals, facilitating the capture of rapid cellular events.

As the cornerstone of severe accident management strategy, either in-vessel or ex-vessel retention of core melt (IVR or EVR) plays a pivotal role in the stabilization and termination of a severe accident and ultimately secures the safety goal of “Practical elimination of large radioactive release” for light water reactors. In contrast to the IVR measures that are more or less identical in reactor designs, the EVR measures are quite different from design to design. This study intended to give a critical review on the EVR measures adopted in the reactor designs of VVER-1000, EPR, ESBWR, EU-APR1400 and APWR. The review study began with a general description of the existing EVR measures, including their principles, operational procedures and research efforts. We then focused our discussions on the pros and cons of each EVR measure through the comparisons with the IVR and with the others in terms of simplicity, reliability and economy. We finally tried to identify the remaining issues and uncertainties in the qualification of the EVR measures, based on which potential design improvements and future research needs were recommended.

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by increased inflammation and immune responses, oxidative injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, and iron dyshomeostasis leading to demyelination and axonal damage. In MS, incomplete remyelination results in chronically demyelinated axons and degeneration coinciding with disability. This suggests a failure in the ability to remyelinate in MS, however, the precise underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to identify proteins whose expression was altered in chronic inactive white matter lesions and periplaque white matter in MS tissue to reveal potential pathophysiological mechanisms.MethodsLaser capture microdissection coupled to proteomics was used to interrogate spatially altered changes in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissue from three chronic MS individuals and three controls with no apparent neurological complications. Histopathological maps guided the capture of inactive lesions, periplaque white matter, and cortex from chronic MS individuals along with corresponding white matter and cortex from control tissue. Label free quantitation by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to discover differentially expressed proteins between the various brain regions.ResultsIn addition to confirming loss of several myelin-associated proteins known to be affected in MS, proteomics analysis of chronic inactive MS lesions revealed alterations in myelin assembly, metabolism, and cytoskeletal organization. The top altered proteins in MS inactive lesions compared to control white matter consisted of PPP1R14A, ERMN, SIRT2, CARNS1, and MBLAC2.ConclusionOur findings highlight proteome changes in chronic inactive MS white matter lesions and periplaque white matter, which may be crucial for proper myelinogenesis, bioenergetics, focal adhesions, and cellular function. This study highlights the importance and feasibility of spatial approaches such as laser capture microdissection-based proteomics analysis of pathologically distinct regions of MS brain tissue. Identification of spatially resolved changes in the proteome of MS brain tissue should aid in the understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and the development of novel therapies.

Abstract Background Pancreatoblastoma (PB) is one of the rare malignant tumors that typically occurs in children. Cases of PB in adults are highly unusual. This disease often presents with subtle symptoms and lacks characteristic clinical manifestations, leading to diagnostic challenges. Objective This study integrates the relevant literature on adult PB, conducting data analysis on clinical features, laboratory and imaging results, pathological characteristics, and treatments according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Kaplan–Meier univariate analysis and Log‐rank tests are employed to analyze survival data from adult PB follow‐up, exploring factors influencing prognosis. Results A total of 65 articles were included, encompassing 103 cases of adult PB. The average age of PB patients was 41.78 years (range 19–81 years), and the male‐to‐female ratio was 1.06:1. Patients frequently presented with abdominal pain as the initial symptom. Laboratory results lacked specificity and imaging findings often presented as large, well‐defined masses. PB exhibited distinctive pathological features, including squamous corpuscles (n = 76, 89.41%) and acinar differentiation (n = 34, 40%), with frequent positive expression of Trypsin, Chymotrypsin, and AACT (Alpha‐1‐Antichymotrypsin). APC (Adenomatous Polyposis Coli) gene mutation was the most common molecular alteration in adult PB. During the follow‐up period, 43.59% of patients died (range 3 days to 348 months). The primary factors affecting prognosis were the presence of metastasis (χ2 = 3.996, p = 0.046) and incomplete surgical resection (χ2 = 5.586, p = 0.018), with mean survival times of 48 months and 27 months, respectively. Conclusions PB in adults is an invasive tumor. The key to distinguishing PB from other pancreatic tumors lies in recognizing its unique pathological feature, the squamous corpuscles. Timely and complete surgical resection is the preferred treatment following diagnosis. Patients with incomplete resection or the presence of lymph nodes or (and) distant metastases have a poor prognosis.

In this work, Daylily Stalks derived N doped carbon material (N-DSC) with a high specific surface area was firstly prepared by a chemical activation method, and then cubic Cu2O nanoparticles were combined with the prepared N-DSC to obtain N-DSC/Cu2O composite as the catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) antibiotics under visible light. It is found that the obtained composite had higher photocatalytic activity than pure Cu2O. Particularly, 25 wt% N-DSC/Cu2O composite showed the highest photocatalytic performance with 95 % of TC degradation within 100 min and more excellent stability. Combined with various characterizations, it is confirmed that carbon bonds should be conducive to the separation of photoelectron and hole, and the carbon layer with an excellent electrical conductivity on Cu2O can reduce the charge transfer resistance between N-DSC and Cu2O, thereby improving the absorption of visible light and enhancing the photocatalytic activity. Moreover, it is considered that the synergistic effect of photo-generated electron pair in Cu2O and N-DSC could promote the photodegradation efficiency of N-DSC/Cu2O composite. In addition, the active species capture experiment confirmed that •OH and •O2− should be the main active species for TC degradation under visible light. This study is expected to provide a novel low-cost photocatalysts for pollutants removal.

BackgroundCervical cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Radical hysterectomy is the first choice for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Studies have suggested that acupuncture may be a more effective therapy for the prevention and treatment of urinary retention after radical hysterectomy.ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of urinary retention after radical hysterectomy.MethodsWe searched the Cochrane library, Web of science, PubMed, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang database, Wipu database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database and ClinicalTrials.gov with the time from inception until December 2023, to collect randomized controlled studies on the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for prevention and treatment of urinary retention after radical hysterectomy. Literature meeting criteria was screened for data extraction. Quality evaluation was performed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. And meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 and stata14.0 software.Results22 Randomized controlled trials with 1,563 patients, 854 in treatment group and 709 in control group, were included totally. Meta-analysis results showed that: the total effective rate in acupuncture group was higher than that in control group, with a statistically significant difference [relative risk (RR)] = 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.22, 1.68), p

Abstract Demethoxylation was kinetically and spectroscopically studied over three catalysts with different Ru0/Ruδ+ ratios. In-situ spectroscopic tests demonstrated that the synergy between Ru0 and Ruδ+ was crucial, and Ru0 was in charge of H2 activation and adsorption of aromatic ring while Ruδ+ adsorbed with O in methoxyl. A Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model was proposed, and ratio of Ru0/Ruδ+ was the key in deciding the rate-determining step (RDS): i) desorption of toluene was RDS over catalyst with high Ru0 ratio; ii) dissociation of H2 was RDS over Ruδ+ enriched catalyst; iii) demethoxylation was rate-determined by CO water–gas shift (WGS) when Ru0/Ruδ+ approached ~ 1. The best performance was obtained over Ru/NiAl2O4-200, which effectively enabled both C-O bond activation and rapid recovery of adsorption sites for aromatic rings. Finally, in-situ DRIFT studies on methoxy decomposition and CO-WGS unraveled that the electronic composition of Ru was more stable in Ru/NiAl2O4-200 which contributes to its excellence.

Downy mildew (DM), caused by Plasmopara viticola, is one of the most serious diseases that affects grape production worldwide. Utilizing host resistance, commonly known as 'R' genes, is considered the most effective way to cure the disease. The identification of the R gene in well-known table grape cultivars is conducive to breeding varieties with better quality. In this study, a population of F1 with 246 progenies was obtained from the cross of two widely grown table grapes 'Moldova' and 'Shine Muscat', in which 'Moldova' appeared resistant to P. viticola resistance. According to the sequencing data from GBTS, a high-density genetic map containing 826 SNPs, which spanned 1,515.99 cM, was constructed. Through the analysis of MapQTL and GWAS, a resistant locus for P. viticola was mapped, located at 27.534−30.729 Mbp in chr18, and was named Rpv34. A total of 21 Resistance Gene Analogues (RGA) distributed in three clusters were identified in this locus. A SNP marker chr18_29062596 was proved to be highly associated with resistance to P. viticola. This work will improve the mechanism of resistance understanding of P. viticola in grapevine and facilitate the use of resistant germplasm in breeding.

To solve the problem of liquid–liquid extraction of La(III), the oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were prepared by utilizing the aqueous solution of sodium alginate as the continuous phase, kerosene-diluted extractant di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (P204) as the dispersed phase, and modified silica as an emulsifier. Then the emulsions were added to a calcium chloride solution to prepare the Pickering emulsion hydrogels (PEHGs) to better remove La(III). The PEHGs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption properties of PEHGs for La(III) in the aqueous solution were investigated using a UV–vis spectrophotometer. The study found that P204 was successfully coated by hydrogels and reached the highest adsorption capacity of 48 mg/g at pH 4. The amount of adsorption increased with the rise in temperature from 298 to 318 K. La(III) adsorption experimental data were more consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of La(III) by PEHGs was a spontaneous endothermic process. The internal diffusion model revealed a linear relationship, indicating that internal diffusion played a role in the adsorption process. The encapsulating property of PEHGs indicated its potential usefulness in industrial wastewater for treating La(III). HIGHLIGHTS Sodium alginate Pickering emulsion gels (PEHGs) were prepared by modified silica-stabilized Pickering emulsions.; PEHGs coated with P204 showed a high adsorption capacity of 48 mg/g for La(III) at pH 4.; After five adsorption and desorption experiments of PEHGs, its adsorption capacity was not less than 85% of the initial adsorption capacity.;

Hydrogels have a unique three-dimensional network that can create a good environment for the loading of functional compounds; hence, they have considerable potential in the delivery of bioactive substances. Natural macromolecular substances (proteins, polysaccharides) have the features of low toxicity, degradability, and biosafety; thus, they can be employed in the manufacture of hydrogels in the food sector. With its customizable viscoelastic and porous structure, hydrogels are believed to be good bioactive material delivery vehicles, which can effectively load polyphenols, vitamins, probiotics, and other active substances to prevent their influence from the external environment, thereby improving its stability. In this research, the common raw materials, preparation methods, and applications in the delivery of bioactive elements of food gels were examined; this study aimed at presenting new ideas for the development and utilization of protein-based food gels.

In this paper, platinum nanoparticles with a size of less than 50 nm were rapidly and successfully synthesized in low-temperature molten salt using a microwave method. The morphology and structure of the product were characterized by SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, etc. The TEM and SEM results showed that the prepared product was a nanostructure with concave and uniform size. The EDX result indicated that the product was pure Pt, and the XRD pattern showed that the diffraction peaks of the product were consistent with the standard spectrum of platinum. The obtained Pt/C nanoparticles exhibited remarkable electrochemical performance in a formic acid catalytic oxidation reaction (FAOR), with a peak mass current density of 502.00 mA·mg−1Pt and primarily following the direct catalytic oxidation pathway. In addition, in the chronoamperometry test, after 24 h, the mass-specific activity value of the Pt concave NPs/C catalyst (10.91 mA·mg−1Pt) was approximately 4.5 times that of Pt/C (JM) (2.35 mA·mg−1Pt). The Pt/C NPs exhibited much higher formic acid catalytic activity and stability than commercial Pt/C. The microwave method can be extended to the preparation of platinum-based alloys as well as other catalysts.

The Klein–Gordon equation plays an important role in mathematical physics, such as plasma and, condensed matter physics. Exploring its exact solution helps us understand its complex nonlinear wave phenomena. In this paper, we first propose a new extended Jacobian elliptic function expansion method for constructing rich exact periodic wave solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional Klein–Gordon equation. Then, we introduce a novel wave transformation for constructing nonlinear complex waves. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we numerically simulated several sets of complex wave structures, which indicate new types of complex wave phenomena. The results show that this method is simple and effective for constructing rich exact solutions and complex nonlinear wave phenomena to nonlinear equations.

Abstract Thermotolerance in Mucorales (Mucoromycotina) is one of the factors to be opportunistic pathogens, causing mucormycosis. Among thermotolerant mucoralean fungi, Burkholderiaceae-related endobacteria (BRE) are rarely found and the known range of hosts is limited to Rhizopus spp. The phylogenetic divergence of BRE has recently expanded in other fungal groups such as Mortierellaceae spp. (Mortierellomycotina); however, it remains unexplored in Mucorales. Here, we found a thermotolerant mucoralean fungus obtained from a litter sample collected from Haha-jima Island in the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, Japan. The fungus was morphologically, phylogenetically, and physiologically characterized and proposed as a new species, Saksenaea boninensis sp. nov. Besides the fungal taxonomy, we also found the presence of BRE in isolates of this species by diagnostic PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene from mycelia, fluorescence microscopic observations, and isolation of the bacterium in pure culture. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of BRE revealed that it is distinct from all known BRE. The discovery of a culturable BRE lineage in the genus Saksenaea will add new insight into the evolutional origin of mucoralean fungus-BRE associations and emphasize the need to pay more attention to endofungal bacteria potentially associated with isolates of thermotolerant mucoralean fungi causing mucormycosis.

Objective: To investigate the potential of CT-enhanced quantitative parameters for preoperative prediction of WHO/ISUP grading for renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods: The study involved collecting clinical and CT-enhanced data of 98 patients with ccRCC, who were then classified into low level group (76 cases) and high level group (22 cases) based on the WHO/ISUP classification. Differences in CT-enhanced quantitative parameters between the two groups were compared, and the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter for predicting ccRCC WHO/ISUP grading was evaluated. External verification was conducted to identify CT-enhanced quantitative parameters with the best generalization ability. Results: There were significant differences in the CT value, net increment, and enhancement rate in both cortical and substantive phases between the two groups. The AUC values were 0.834, 0.871, 0.900, 0.707, 0.678, and 0.762, respectively. The cut-off values were 123.5 HU, 71 HU, 0.73, 87.5 HU, 54 HU, 0.67, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of cortical enhancement rate was the highest with an AUC of 0.900, a sensitivity of 0.842, and a specificity of 0.864. The external validation results revealed that the diagnostic efficacy of cortical phase enhancement rate (AUC=0.867) was better than that of cortical phase CT (AUC=0.735) and cortical phase net increment (AUC=0.709). The Z values were 2.134 and 2.417, respectively. Conclusion: The quantitative parameters of CT enhancement can be used to predict ccRCC WHO/ISUP grading. Cortical phase enhancement rate is the parameter with the highest diagnostic efficiency and the best generalization ability.

The three-dimensional (3D) self-supporting Pt nanoflower catalyst was prepared by using Pt organic compounds as precursors in a low-temperature molten salt system. The obtained Pt nanoflower nanoparticle can reach 400–500 nm with a face-centered cubic structure, which has the structural characteristics of a loose framework and more exposed active sites. The surfactant-free Pt nanoflower was directly used as methanol electrooxidation reaction (MOR) electrocatalysts without any pretreatment and activated carbon support. The results of electrochemical catalytic oxidation of methanol showed that the Pt nanoflower catalyst exhibit more enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation performance toward methanol compared with the commercial platinum black catalyst. The green and effective method can be developed and expected to enable mass production of fuel cell catalysts.

Abstract Background Better predictors of patients with stage II/III gastric cancer (GC) most likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy are urgently needed. This study aimed to assess the ability of CDX2 and mucin markers to predict prognosis and fluorouracil‐based adjuvant chemotherapy benefits. Methods CDX2 and mucin protein expressions were examined by immunohistochemistry and compared with survival and adjuvant chemotherapy benefits in a prospective evaluation cohort of 782 stage II/III GC patients. Then, the main findings were validated in an independent validation cohort (n = 386) and an external mRNA sequencing dataset (ACRG cohort, n = 193). Results In the evaluation cohort, CDX2, CD10, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6 expressions were observed in 59.7%, 26.7%, 27.6%, 55.1%, and 57.7% of patients, respectively. However, only the expression of CDX2 was found to be associated with adjuvant chemotherapy benefits. Most importantly, CDX2‐negative patients had a poorer prognosis when treated with surgery only, while the prognosis of CDX2‐negative and CDX2‐positive patients was similar when receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Further analysis revealed that patients with CDX2 negative tumors benefited from chemotherapy (5‐year overall survival rates: 60.0% with chemotherapy vs. 23.2% with surgery‐only, p

Introduction: In this study, the spatial bending vibration of macro- and/or micro-scale cantilevered fluid-conveying pipes is investigated through finite dimensional analysis.Methods: Firstly, the Galerkin method is employed to discretize the partial differential equations of motion of the system into a system of ordinary differential equations. Then, the projection method based on center manifold-normal form theory is adopted to derive the coefficient formula that determines the pipe’s nonlinear dynamic behaviors, i.e., the change rate of the real part of the critical eigenvalue with respect to the flow velocity and the nonlinear resonance term, thereby obtaining reduced-order equations. Compared to previous studies that relied on the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations to determine the existence and stability of periodic motion, this paper concludes the existence and stability of periodic motion by utilizing the coefficients of the Galerkin discretized equations and the reduced-order equations, significantly saving time in determining the dynamic properties of pipes.Results and discussion: Subsequently, by investigating the reduced-order equations under specific parameters, the existence and stability of the two types of periodic motion of the pipe are studied. For macro pipes, the truncated mode numbers are set incrementally to calculate the coefficients of the reduced-order equations, investigate the distribution of the stability of the two types of periodic motions with the mass ratio, and carry out a longitudinal comparison (i.e., the comparison between the results obtained under different truncated mode numbers) as well as a horizontal comparison (i.e., the comparison of results between the finite dimensional analysis and the infinite dimensional analysis). It is found that the reasonable truncated mode number required to study this type of system is 15. Previous studies primarily focused on the convergence of frequency and amplitude when determining the truncated mode numbers. On this basis, our study further examines the convergence of motion forms with respect to the truncated mode numbers. Finally, based on the Galerkin discretization equations of 15 modes, the distribution of the stability of two types of the periodic motion of micro pipes with the mass ratio is analyzed. For macro- and micro-scale pipes, when the truncated mode number is 15, the error between the finite dimensional analysis results and the infinite dimensional analysis results is calculated to be about 7%. The above results are verified by obtaining the numerical solution to Galerkin discretization equations.

IntroductionAccurate classification of single-trial electroencephalogram (EEG) is crucial for EEG-based target image recognition in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) tasks. P300 is an important component of a single-trial EEG for RSVP tasks. However, single-trial EEG are usually characterized by low signal-to-noise ratio and limited sample sizes.MethodsGiven these challenges, it is necessary to optimize existing convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to improve the performance of P300 classification. The proposed CNN model called PSAEEGNet, integrates standard convolutional layers, pyramid squeeze attention (PSA) modules, and deep convolutional layers. This approach arises the extraction of temporal and spatial features of the P300 to a finer granularity level.ResultsCompared with several existing single-trial EEG classification methods for RSVP tasks, the proposed model shows significantly improved performance. The mean true positive rate for PSAEEGNet is 0.7949, and the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) is 0.9341 (p < 0.05).DiscussionThese results suggest that the proposed model effectively extracts features from both temporal and spatial dimensions of P300, leading to a more accurate classification of single-trial EEG during RSVP tasks. Therefore, this model has the potential to significantly enhance the performance of target recognition systems based on EEG, contributing to the advancement and practical implementation of target recognition in this field.

Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are a major global health challenge, especially the emergence and rapid spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) urgently require alternative treatment options. Our study has identified that a magnolol derivative 6i as a promising agent with significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus and clinical MRSA isolates (MIC = 2–8 μg/mL), showing high membrane selectivity. Unlike traditional antibiotics, 6i demonstrated rapid bactericidal efficiency and a lower propensity for inducing bacterial resistance. Compound 6i also could inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate bacteria within biofilms. Mechanistic studies further revealed that 6i could target bacterial cell membranes, disrupting the integrity of the cell membrane and leading to increased DNA leakage, resulting in potent antibacterial effects. Meanwhile, 6i also showed good plasma stability and excellent biosafety. Notably, 6i displayed good in vivo antibacterial activity in a mouse skin abscess model of MRSA-16 infection, which was comparable to the positive control vancomycin. These findings indicated that the magnolol derivative 6i possessed the potential to be a novel anti-MRSA infection agent.

Curcumin and exercise have been reported to show good anti-tumour effects. However, relevant research on the combined effects of physical exercise and curcumin supplementation on cancer and the underlying mechanisms is still lacking. The current study aimed to construct an anti-breast tumour mouse model using the combined effects of curcumin treatment and swimming exercise. Transcriptomic and metabolomic techniques were used to screen for differentially expressed genes and metabolites, evaluate the anticancer effects, and analyse the molecular regulatory mechanisms related to metabolism. Observation of the mouse phenotypes, including tumour appearance, in-vivo tumour imaging, and HE staining results of pathological sections, suggested a more obvious inhibitory effect of the combination of curcumin administration and exercise intervention on breast cancer than that of a single treatment. The combination treatment group had a total of 445 differentially expressed (154 upregulated and 291 downregulated) genes. Functional enrichment analysis showed the calcium signalling pathway, Wnt signalling pathway, PI3K Akt signalling pathway, and IL-17 signalling pathway to significantly participate in the anti-breast cancer process of curcumin-exercise combination treatment. Results of the intergroup differential metabolite analysis showed that the combined effect of curcumin and exercise involves two unique pathways, namely the amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, which includes chitosan, d-glucosamine 6-phosphate, l-fucose, and N-acetyl beta-mannosamine, and the amino acid biosynthesis, which includes dl-isoleucine, dl-tyrosine, and homocysteine. Collectively, the top-ranked genes and metabolites with the highest degree of associations were further revealed by O2PLS analysis. Overall, the study helped reveal the mechanism of action of curcumin-exercise combination treatment on breast cancer at multi-omics level.

The hydration reaction of mass concrete seriously endangers the structural safety. At present, the concrete production relies excessively on fly ash due to hydration reaction. In view of the problem that the demand of fly ash exceeds the supply, this paper proposes to use dacite powder to partially replace fly ash as the raw material for preparing cementitious materials. Through comprehensive tests and microstructure tests, various properties of dacite powder and fly ash composite cementitious materials are studied. The results show that: 1. The dacite powder with a specific surface area of 650 m2/kg, a fineness of 15% under laser particle size and a ball-milling time of 1.0 h has the best performance. 2. It is advisable to mix dacite powder and fly ash. The total amount of dacite powder should not exceed 30% of the cementitious material. It has the best performance when the amount of dacite powder and fly ash is the same. 3. The alkali activity of aggregate can hardly be inhibited by mixing dacite powder alone. The recommended measures to inhibit the alkali activity of aggregate are: i) mixing more than 20% fly ash alone. ii) mixed with 25% dacite powder and more than 15% fly ash.