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Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) contains subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are described as the main contributors in tumor initiation and metastasis. It is necessary to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying CSCs phenotype and develop novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastric cancer. Here, we show that POLQ positively regulates stem cell-like characteristics of gastric cancer cells, knockdown of POLQ suppressed the stemness of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic studies revealed that POLQ knockdown could downregulate the expression of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). DHODH overexpression rescued the reduced stemness resulted by POLQ knockdown. Furthermore, we found that POLQ expression correlated with resistance to ferroptosis, and POLQ inhibition renders gastric cancer cells more vulnerable to ferroptosis. Further investigation revealed that POLQ regulated DHODH expression via the transcription factors E2F4, thereby regulating ferroptosis resistance and stemness of gastric cancer cells. Given the importance of POLQ in stemness and ferroptosis resistance of GC, we further evaluated the therapeutic potential of POLQ inhibitor novobiocin, the results show that novobiocin attenuates the stemness of GC cells and increased ferroptosis sensitivity. Moreover, the combination of POLQ inhibitor and ferroptosis inducer synergistically suppressed MGC-803 xenograft tumor growth and diminished metastasis. Our results identify a POLQ-mediated stemness and ferroptosis defense mechanism and provide a new therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.

Abstract The development of high-performance lead-free K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based piezoceramics for replacing commercial lead-containing counterparts is crucial for achieving environmentally sustainable society. Although the proposed new phase boundaries (NPB) can effectively improve the piezoelectricity of KNN-based ceramics, the difficulty of achieving saturated poling and the underlying multiscale structures resolution of their complex microstructures are urgent issues. Here, we employ a medium entropy strategy to design NPB and utilize texture engineering to induce crystal orientation. The developed K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based ceramics enjoys both prominent piezoelectric performance and satisfactory Curie temperature, thus exhibiting an ultrahigh energy harvesting performance as well as excellent transducer performance, which is highly competitive in both lead-free and lead-based piezoceramics. Comprehensive structural analysis have ascertained that the field-induced efficient multiscale polarization configurations irreversible transitions greatly encourages high saturated poling. This study demonstrates a strategy for designing high-performance piezoceramics and establishes a close correlation between the piezoelectricty and the underlying multiscale structures.

There has been growing attention to multi-class classification problems, particularly those challenges of imbalanced class distributions. To address these challenges, various strategies, including data-level re-sampling treatment and ensemble methods, have been introduced to bolster the performance of predictive models and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms in scenarios where excessive level of imbalance is present. While most research and algorithm development have been focused on binary classification problems, in health informatics there is an increased interest in the field to address the problem of multi-class classification in imbalanced datasets. Multi-class imbalance problems bring forth more complex challenges, as a delicate approach is required to generate synthetic data and simultaneously maintain the relationship between the multiple classes. The aim of this review paper is to examine over-sampling methods tailored for medical and other datasets with multi-class imbalance. Out of 2,076 peer-reviewed papers identified through searches, 197 eligible papers were chosen and thoroughly reviewed for inclusion, narrowing to 37 studies being selected for in-depth analysis. These studies are categorised into four categories: metric, adaptive, structure-based, and hybrid approaches. The most significant finding is the emerging trend toward hybrid resampling methods that combine the strengths of various techniques to effectively address the problem of imbalanced data. This paper provides an extensive analysis of each selected study, discusses their findings, and outlines directions for future research.

BackgroundCuproptosis is copper-induced cell death. Copper metabolism related genes (CMRGs) were demonstrated that used to assess the prognosis out of tumors. In the study, CMRGs were tested for their effect on TME cell infiltration in Ewing’s sarcoma (ES).MethodsThe GEO and ICGC databases provided the mRNA expression profiles and clinical features for downloading. In the GSE17674 dataset, 22prognostic-related copper metabolism related genes (PR-CMRGs) was identified by using univariate regression analysis. Subsequently, in order to compare the survival rates of groups with high and low expression of these PR-CMRGs,Kaplan-Meier analysis was implemented. Additionally, correlations among them were examined. The study employed functional enrichment analysis to investigate probable underlying pathways, while GSVA was applied to evaluate enriched pathways in the ES (Expression Set). Through an unsupervised clustering algorithm, samples were classified into two clusters, revealing significant differences in survival rates and levels of immune infiltration.ResultsUsing Lasso and step regression methods, five genes (TFRC, SORD, SLC11A2, FKBP4, and AANAT) were selected as risk signatures. According to the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the high-risk group had considerably lower survival rates than the low-risk group(p=6.013e-09). The area under the curve (AUC) values for the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were 0.876, 0.883, and 0.979 for 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The risk model was further validated in additional datasets, namely GSE63155, GSE63156, and the ICGC datasets. To aid in outcome prediction, a nomogram was developed that incorporated risk levels and clinical features. This nomogram’s performance was effectively validated through calibration curves.Additionally, the study evaluated the variations in immune infiltration across different risk groups, as well as high-expression and low-expression groups. Importantly, several drugs were identified that displayed sensitivity, offering potential therapeutic options for ES.ConclusionThe findings above strongly indicate that CMRGs play crucial roles in predicting prognosis and immune status in ES.

Large-size electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon is an important material in the semiconductor industry with broad application prospects. However, electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon has extremely high requirements for production technology and currently faces challenges such as carbon impurity breakdown, microstructure and composition nonuniformity and a lack of methods for preparing large-size mirror-like polycrystalline silicon samples. This paper innovatively uses physical methods such as wire cutting, mechanical grinding and ion thinning polishing to prepare large-size polycrystalline silicon samples that are clean, smooth, free from wear and have clear crystal defects. The material was characterized at both macroscopic and microscopic levels using metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) techniques and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The crystal structure changes from single crystal silicon core to the surface of the bulk in the large-size polycrystalline silicon samples were revealed, providing a technical basis for optimizing and improving production processes.

This paper focuses on the problems encountered in the production process of electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon. It points out that the characterization of electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon is mainly concentrated at the macroscopic scale, with relatively less research at the mesoscopic and microscopic scales. Therefore, we utilize the method of physical polishing to obtain polysilicon characterization samples and then the paper utilizes metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-electron backscatter diffraction technology, and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy technology to observe and characterize the interface region between silicon core and matrix in the deposition process of electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon, providing a full-scale characterization of the interface morphology, grain structure, and orientation distribution from macro to micro. Finally, the paper illustrates the current uncertainties regarding polycrystalline silicon.

Exosomes, as pivotal entities within the tumor microenvironment, orchestrate intercellular communication through the transfer of diverse molecules, among which non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs play a crucial role. These ncRNAs, endowed with regulatory functions, are selectively incorporated into exosomes. Emerging evidence underscores the significance of exosomal ncRNAs in modulating key oncogenic processes in thyroid cancer (TC), including proliferation, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and immunoediting. The unique composition of exosomes shields their cargo from enzymatic and chemical degradation, ensuring their integrity and facilitating their specific expression in plasma. This positions exosomal ncRNAs as promising candidates for novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in TC. Moreover, the potential of exosomes in the therapeutic landscape of TC is increasingly recognized. This review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between exosomal ncRNAs and TC, fostering a deeper comprehension of their mechanistic involvement. By doing so, it endeavors to propel forward the exploration of exosomal ncRNAs in TC, ultimately paving the way for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies predicated on exosomes and their ncRNA content.

Abstract The loess hilly and gully areas have broken terrain, vertical and horizontal ravines and fragile ecological environments. Improving the resilience of the regional ecological space is conducive to improving the quality of the local ecological environment. With the ecological space of the Yanhe River Basin selected as the research object, this paper constructs a research framework of "network identification topology-resilience evaluation-spatial optimization" and uses morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and the minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR) to identify ecological spatial networks. Based on circuit theory, the ecological pinch point is identified, the ecological spatial network is optimized, and scenario simulation is performed. Through complex network theory and related indicators, the ecological spatial resilience of the basin is evaluated, and the hierarchical optimization strategy of the ecological space is confirmed. According to the ecological function of the source area and the results of the resilience evaluation, the boundaries of the protected control area, guidance development area, remediation area, and maintenance and improvement area of the basin are delineated. The importance of ecological source and corridor protection is classified, and corresponding protection strategies are proposed. The research results can provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the territorial spatial planning and ecological space construction of the Yanhe River Basin and provide a reference for the ecological restoration, resource development and environmental governance of the Yanhe River Basin.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the distal movement, vertical movement, distal tipping and crown buccal torque of maxillary molars after the completion of distalization by comparing the predicted movement with the achieved movement using palatal rugae registration. Methods The study included 22 clear aligner patients (7 males and 15 females), and 79 molars were measured. Two digital models were generated before treatment and after molar distalization and were superimposed after selecting the palatal rugae area for registration in GOM inspect suite software 2022 (GOM; Braunschweig, Germany). The predicted and achieved movements of molar distalization, intrusion, distal tip and crown buccal torque were measured and compared. Result The achieved distalization (1.25 ± 0.79 mm vs. 2.17 ± 1.03 mm, P

Abstract In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy for treating solid tumors, although its efficacy remains limited to a subset of patients. Transforming non-responsive “cold” tumor types into immuno-responsive “hot” ones is critical to enhance the efficacy of immune-based cancer treatments. Pyroptosis, a programmed cell death mechanism, not only effectively eliminates tumor cells but also triggers a potent inflammatory response to initiate anti-tumor immune activities. This sheds light on the potential of pyroptosis to sensitize tumors to immune therapy. Hence, it is urgent to explore and develop novel treatments (e.g., nanomedicines) which are capable of inducing pyroptosis. In this study, we constructed tumor-targeting nanoparticles (CS-HAP@ATO NPs) by loading atorvastatin (ATO) onto chondroitin sulfate (CS) modified hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles (CS-HAP). CS was strategically employed to target tumor cells, while HAP exhibited the capacity to release calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, ATO disrupted the mitochondrial function, leading to intracellular energy depletion and consequential changes in mitochondrial membrane permeability, followed by the influx of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm and mitochondria. CS and HAP synergetically augmented mitochondrial calcium overload, inciting the production of substantial amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the subsequent liberation of oxidized mitochondrial DNA (OX-mitoDNA). This intricate activation process promoted the assembly of inflammasomes, most notably the NLRP3 inflammasome, followed by triggering caspase-1 activation. The activated caspase-1 was able to induce gasderminD (GSDMD) protein cleavage and present the GSDM-N domain, which interacted with phospholipids in the cell membrane. Then, the cell membrane permeability was raised, cellular swelling was observed, and abundant cell contents and inflammatory mediators were released. Ultimately, this orchestrated sequence of events served to enhance the anti-tumor immunoresponse within the organism.

Cross-regional water allocation within the river basin, coupled with the development of specialized industries based on comparative advantages, can effectively mediate overall water use efficiency. The uneven distribution of water resources and structural contradictions in water usage hinder the sustainable development of water resources in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB). This study aims to address these issues from the perspective of virtual water trade, to facilitate cross-regional water resource allocation and guide structural adjustments in industrial water use, ensuring water security. In this study, we developed a dynamic multi-regional input–output model (MRIO) to explore dynamic change of virtual water trade pattern in the YEB that evolves over time. This model sheds light on evolving virtual water transfer patterns and the nuances of water resource pressure transmission. Additionally, it quantifies sectoral water use variations, pinpointing the cornerstone industries across different regions. The findings are as follows: (1) The pattern of virtual water transfer predominantly towards the developed downstream regions remains unchanged, but regional disparities are gradually diminishing. (2) The upstream regions of the YEB transfer more water resource pressures externally, while the downstream regions do not experience excessive external transfers of water resource pressures. (3) The pattern of Agriculture-driven virtual water transfers is gradually being disrupted. While the upstream regions continue to rely on Agriculture as their pillar industries, the downstream regions are progressively shifting towards tertiary industries such as Service. These results indicate that economic development is the primary driver of changes in the the pattern of virtual water transfer, and economic disparities are a key factor in shaping the latest virtual water transfer. Based on existing policies, there is a need for comprehensive coordination of water resource allocation and strengthening of virtual water trade exchanges between regions to address the uneven distribution of water resources. Additionally, it is necessary to resolve structural water use conflicts by developing specialized economic strengths based on the main industries for virtual water in each region.

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the infection of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) larvae. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) produces inhibitory signals and induces T cell exhaustion, thereby inhibiting the parasiticidal efficacy of the liver immune system. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how T-cell exhaustion contributes to AE and whether blocking CTLA-4 could reverse T cell exhaustion. Here we discovered that the expression of CTLA-4 was increased in the infiltrating margin around the lesion of the liver from AE patients by using western blot and immunohistochemistry assay. Multiple fluorescence immunohistochemistry identified that CTLA-4 and CD4/CD8 molecules were co-localized. For in vitro experiments, it was found that the sustained stimulation of E. multilocularis antigen could induce T cell exhaustion, blocking CTLA-4-reversed T cell exhaustion. For in vivo experiments, the expression of CTLA-4 was increased in the liver of E. multilocularis-infected mice, and the CTLA-4 and CD4/CD8 molecules were co-localized. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the percentages of both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells in the liver and peripheral blood were significantly increased and induced T exhaustion. When the mice were treated with anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, the number and weight of the lesions decreased significantly. Meanwhile, the flow cytometry results suggested that blocking CTLA-4 could effectively reverse T cell exhaustion and reactivate immune function. Our work reveals that blocking CTLA-4 could effectively reverse the T cell exhaustion caused by E. multilocularis and could be used as a novel target for the treatment of AE.

Abstract Osteoarthritis is a worldwide prevalent disease that imposes a significant socioeconomic burden on individuals and healthcare systems. Achieving cartilage regeneration in patients with osteoarthritis remains challenging clinically. In this work, we construct a multiple hydrogen-bond crosslinked hydrogel loaded with tannic acid and Kartogenin by polyaddition reaction as a cell-free scaffold for in vivo cartilage regeneration, which features ultra-durable mechanical properties and stage-dependent drug release behavior. We demonstrate that the hydrogel can withstand 28000 loading-unloading mechanical cycles and exhibits fast shape memory at body temperature (30 s) with the potential for minimally invasive surgery. We find that the hydrogel can also alleviate the inflammatory reaction and regulate oxidative stress in situ to establish a microenvironment conducive to healing. We show that the sequential release of tannic acid and Kartogenin can promote the migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into the hydrogel scaffold, followed by the induction of chondrocyte differentiation, thus leading to full-thickness cartilage regeneration in vivo. This work may provide a promising solution to address the problem of cartilage regeneration.

The first mining of nearly whole rock lower protective layer working face in Pingdingshan coal mining area is used to liberate the Ji group coal resources of its upper threatened by the gas outburst. The mining of the rock layer at a depth of nearly 1000 meters is bound to increase the depth of the floor damage. Once the L5 weak water-rich aquifer in the aquifuge is disturbed, the indirect recharge channel of the cold ash water is formed, which affects the safety and stability of the rock floor. Firstly, the theoretical model of plastic slip line of double-layer structure floor is established, and the analytical solution of maximum failure depth of double-layer floor under three working conditions is derived. Then through the self-designed similar simulation experimental platform of pore water pressure (spring) and stratum effective stress (jack), the deformation form and failure characteristics of stope roof and floor are simulated and analyzed based on digital image correlation technology. Finally, the borehole strain measurement method was used to carry out on-site monitoring of floor fracture development morphology in Ji15-31040 nearly whole rock working face of Pingdingshan No.12 Coal Mine. The results show that the maximum failure depth of Ji15-31040 nearly whole rock working face floor is 16.59 m by using the plastic slip line theory of double-layer structure floor. The similar simulation experiment reveals that the floor failure is concentrated at both ends of the open-off cut and the working face, with obvious lagging failure characteristics. The maximum failure depth is 17.8 m. After the working face advances 159.9 m into full mining, the floor stress gradually recovers. The field measurement results show that the floor rock mass has a compression-shear slip failure at 7.9 m in front of the working face. The floor before and after the working face is pushed through the borehole shows compression-shear and tension-shear failure, respectively. The maximum failure depth of the floor is between 16.5 m and 18 m. The results of field measurement are in good agreement with theoretical calculation and similar simulation test.

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety were recognized in treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This longitudinal study identified risk factors for MDD and anxiety and established associations with patients' quality of life (QoL) and survival outcomes. Materials and Methods We used PHQ‐9 and GAD‐7 questionnaires to diagnose MDD and anxiety in PDAC patients between October 2021 and March 2022 at a Chinese center. Characteristics and clinical data were analyzed for risk factors and EORTC QLQ‐C30 questionnaire was administered for QoL before the first chemotherapy. Furthermore, chemotherapy compliance and 1‐year survival were compared during follow‐up. Results MDD and anxiety occurred in 51.8% and 44.7% of 114 patients over the half‐year period. Employment at work (odds ratio [OR]: 5.514, p = 0.001; OR: 3.420, p = 0.011) was an independent risk factor, while radical surgery (OR: 0.342, p = 0.034; OR: 0.238, p = 0.004) was a protective factor. Several aspects of decreased QoL were discovered after their onsets. Higher incidences of physical disorders (p = 0.004; p

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes and the main cause of end-stage renal disease around the world. Mitochondria are the main organelles responsible for producing energy in cells and are closely involved in maintaining normal organ function. Studies have found that a high-sugar environment can damage glomeruli and tubules and trigger mitochondrial dysfunction. Meanwhile, animal experiments have shown that DKD symptoms are alleviated when mitochondrial damage is targeted, suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction is inextricably linked to the development of DKD. This article describes the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction and the progression and onset of DKD. The relationship between DKD and mitochondrial dysfunction is discussed. At the same time, the progress of DKD treatment targeting mitochondrial dysfunction is summarized. We hope to provide new insights into the progress and treatment of DKD.

This study unveils a machine learning (ML)-assisted framework designed to optimize the stacking sequence and orientation of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)/metal composite laminates, aiming to enhance their mechanical properties under quasi-static loading conditions. This work pioneers the expansion of initial datasets for ML analysis in the field by uniquely integrating the experimental results with finite element simulations. Nine ML models, including XGBoost and gradient boosting, were assessed for their precision in predicting tensile and bending strengths. The findings reveal that the XGBoost and gradient boosting models excel in tensile strength prediction due to their low error rates and high interpretability. In contrast, the decision trees, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and random forest models show the highest accuracy in bending strength predictions. Tree-based models demonstrated exceptional performance across various metrics, notably for CFRP/DP590 laminates. Additionally, this study investigates the impact of layup sequences on mechanical properties, employing an innovative combination of ML, numerical, and experimental approaches. The novelty of this study lies in the first-time application of these ML models to the performance optimization of CFRP/metal composites and in providing a novel perspective through the comprehensive integration of experimental, numerical, and ML methods for composite material design and performance prediction.

BackgroundOrthopaedics have become the focus of research on patient safety due to the high incidence of medical errors. Previous studies were based on all orthopaedic patients and rarely conducted empirical analyses from the perspective of age. This study aimed to fill the academic gap in the age variable by comparing medical errors, affected sites, and adverse consequences in orthopaedic patients.MethodsThis retrospective study included 329 litigation claims against orthopaedists using data from China Judgments Online. First, we performed computer crawling and screened 5,237 litigation documents using keywords, including medical errors. Second, 2,536 samples were retained through systematic random sampling, and 549 irrelevant cases were deleted after manual reading. Finally, three clinicians from different medical departments selected 329 incidents related to orthopaedics for further analysis, according to the description of the lawsuits. Three other professional orthopaedists evaluated the patients’ ages, affected sites of medical errors, and adverse consequences.ResultsThe greatest number of medical errors was observed in the joints (30.43%) for all orthopaedic patients. However, adult patients (aged 18–60 years) were most susceptible to errors in the extremities (30.42%). A higher rate of complications was associated with a higher rate of morbidity/mortality for the corresponding patients. Medical errors correlated with complications occurred in the following sites: joints (15.38%), extremities (12.50%), spine (16.95%), multiple sites (15.38%), and hands and feet (14.81%). In addition to surgical errors, over 10% of all orthopaedic patients experienced missed diagnoses. The incidence of insufficient adherence to informed consent obligations was 13.5% among adult patients and was much higher in paediatric and older adults patients. When orthopaedic patients suffered from medical technical errors, iatrogenic mortality/morbidity would decrease by 0.3% for one unit increase in age.ConclusionDividing patients into different ages demonstrated diverse results in terms of medical errors and affected sites. Negligence in diagnosis and examination can be fatal factors that endanger safety, and complications may cause morbidity/mortality. When patients suffered from technical errors, age is inversely proportional to mortality/morbidity. Special attention needs to be paid to technical errors in the younger older adults population (60–64 years old), which has inspired implications in promoting aging and public health.

Background Established prognostic models of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) were limited to traditional modeling methods and did not comprehensively consider clinical and pathological patient data. Based on the electronic medical record (EMR) system, machine learning (ML) was used to construct a risk prediction model for the prognosis of IMN.Methods Data from 418 patients with IMN were diagnosed by renal biopsy at the Fifth Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University. Fifty-nine medical features of the patients could be obtained from EMR, and prediction models were established based on five ML algorithms. The area under the curve, recall rate, accuracy, and F1 were used to evaluate and compare the performances of the models. Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was used to explain the results of the best-performing model.Results One hundred and seventeen patients (28.0%) with IMN experienced adverse events, 28 of them had compound outcomes (ESRD or double serum creatinine (SCr)), and 89 had relapsed. The gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model had the best performance, with the highest AUC (0.892 ± 0.052, 95% CI 0.840–0.945), accuracy (0.909 ± 0.016), recall (0.741 ± 0.092), precision (0.906 ± 0.027), and F1 (0.905 ± 0.020). Recursive feature elimination with random forest and SHAP plots based on LightGBM showed that anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R), immunohistochemical immunoglobulin G4 (IHC IgG4), D-dimer (D-DIMER), triglyceride (TG), serum albumin (ALB), aspartate transaminase (AST), β2-microglobulin (BMG), SCr, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were important risk factors for the prognosis of IMN. Increased risk of adverse events in IMN patients was correlated with high anti-PLA2R and low IHC IgG4.Conclusions This study established a risk prediction model for the prognosis of IMN using ML based on clinical and pathological patient data. The LightGBM model may become a tool for personalized management of IMN patients.

Summary: Background: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) can alleviate the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, thereby proposing their role as a new therapeutic strategy. Parasitic helminths have co-evolved with hosts to generate immunological privilege and immune tolerance through inducing Tregs. Thus, constructing a “Tregs-induction”-based discovery pipeline from parasitic helminth is a promising strategy to control autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Methods: The gel filtration chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) were used to isolate immunomodulatory components from the egg extracts of Schistosoma japonicum. The extracted peptides were evaluated for their effects on Tregs suppressive functions using flow cytometry, ELISA and T cell suppression assay. Finally, we carried out colitis and psoriasis models to evaluate the function of Tregs induced by helminth-derived peptide in vivo. Findings: Here, based on target-driven discovery strategy, we successfully identified a small 3 kDa peptide (SjDX5-53) from egg extracts of schistosome, which promoted both human and murine Tregs production. SjDX5-53 presented immunosuppressive function by arresting dendritic cells (DCs) at an immature state and augmenting the proportion and suppressive capacity of Tregs. In mouse models, SjDX5-53 protected mice against autoimmune-related colitis and psoriasis through inducing Tregs and inhibiting inflammatory T-helper (Th) 1 and Th17 responses. Interpretation: SjDX5-53 exhibited the promising therapeutic effects in alleviating the phenotype of immune-related colitis and psoriasis. This study displayed a screening and validation pipeline of the inducer of Tregs from helminth eggs, highlighting the discovery of new biologics inspired by co-evolution of hosts and their parasites. Funding: This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (82272368) and Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20211586).

Abstract Background Reducing maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has been a worldwide public health challenge for a long time. Utilization of maternal health services including antenatal care (ANC), institutional delivery (ID), and postnatal care (PNC) is vital to prevent maternal mortality. China has made significant improvements in maternal health during the past 30 years, however, disparities in maternal health service utilization still exist among regions and the western rural areas had the lowest utilization rate. This study aims to assess the inequality and determinants of maternal health service utilization in western poverty-stricken rural areas based on Anderson’s Behavioral Model of Health Service Use and provide evidence-based suggestions to improve equity and coverage of maternal service utilization in China. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gansu and Yunnan Province, Western China using primary data (n = 996) collected by the research team. A multistage, judgment, quota sampling procedure was employed to select the participants of the survey. Trained local health staff formed an interview team to help respondents answer a structured, pre-tested questionnaire designed based on Anderson’s model. Data collected through interviews were used for descriptive analysis, range analysis, and univariate and multivariate binary logistic analysis to identify influencing factors of 5 + ANC, 8 + ANC, ID, and 2 + PNC utilization. Results Place of residence, age, education level, annual income, and health education during ANC were influencing factors of 5 + ANC; place of residence, education level, per capita household income, conditional cash transfer (CCT) participation, and distance to health facilities were influencing factors of 8 + ANC; place of residence, education level, and availability of financial incentive programs were influencing factors of ID; number of children, health education during ANC, CCT projects participation, and self-rated health status were influencing factors of 2 + PNC. Conclusions Inequalities in maternal service utilization exist between Yunnan and Gansu provinces. This study shows a strong association between both predisposing and enabling factors and maternal services utilization. Predisposing factors such as place of residence, education level, and number of children, enabling factors such as CCT participation, annual income, health education during ANC, and distance to health facilities along with need factor self-rated health status all contribute to maternal services utilization. We conclude that many factors influence maternal service utilization and interventions targeted at various levels should be considered. Therefore, we suggest more health resources should be invested in underutilized areas, financial incentive projects targeting pregnant women should be implemented, and health education should be provided to improve women’s health literacy.

Abstract Long-term care insurance (LTCI) is garnering attention internationally and is being considered a public policy in a growing number of countries. Previous research has focused on the effects of LTCI in developed countries, ignoring the health outcomes of developing countries, especially in rural regions. Therefore, this study investigates whether different impact on health outcomes is present in the effects of LTCI between urban and rural residents in China. We employed a quasi-experimental design with data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey. The specific implementation time of each pilot city was sorted according to the LTCI policy texts, dividing these pilot cities into the treatment group and control group. Finally, difference-in-differences analyses were utilized to evaluate the health effects of LTCI between urban and rural residents, and the health effect in urban areas was further tested. The implementation of LTCI has effectively enhanced the self-rating health (SRH) of the entire group of residents; however, this effect may only be significant for the urban group. In particular, LTCI can increase the SRH of urban residents by 0.377 units compared to the urban residents without LTCI (P

Development of biocompatible hydrogel adhesives with robust tissue adhesion to realize instant hemorrhage control and injury sealing, especially for emergency rescue and tissue repair, is still challenging. Herein, we report a potent hydrogel adhesive by free radical polymerization of N-acryloyl aspartic acid (AASP) in a facile and straightforward way. Through delicate adjustment of steric hindrance, the synergistic effect between interface interactions and cohesion energy can be achieved in PAASP hydrogel verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis and simulation calculation compared to poly (N-acryloyl glutamic acid) (PAGLU) and poly (N-acryloyl amidomalonic acid) (PAAMI) hydrogels. The adhesion strength of the PAASP hydrogel could reach 120 kPa to firmly seal the broken organs to withstand the external force with persistent stability under physiological conditions, and rapid hemostasis in different hemorrhage models on mice is achieved using PAASP hydrogel as physical barrier. Furthermore, the paper-based Fe3+ transfer printing method is applied to construct PAASP-based Janus hydrogel patch with both adhesive and non-adhesive surfaces, by which simultaneous wound healing and postoperative anti-adhesion can be realized in gastric perforation model on mice. This advanced hydrogel may show vast potential as bio-adhesives for emergency rescue and tissue/organ repair.

The asphalt mixture splitting test is one of the most important methods for measuring asphalt’s tensile properties. To characterize the limitations of the traditional splitting test and the influence of the specimen size and loading conditions on the accuracy of the test, the factors affecting the strength of the splitting test were analyzed to reveal the splitting failure state and establish a unified representation model between the splitting and direct tensile tests. Initially, the moment of specimen cracking was taken as a key indicator, combined with image processing technology, to establish a set of criteria to judge the splitting test. Subsequently, standardized splitting tests were conducted and compared to tests of different specimen sizes and loading methods. Based on the octahedral strength theory, the stress points before and after the improved test were compared to the existing failure criteria. Direct tensile and splitting tests were conducted at different rates, and a unified strength–rate function model was established, realizing the unified representation of direct tensile and splitting tests. The research results indicate that the standardized splitting test is prone to the phenomenon wherein the specimen end face cracks before the center, affecting the accuracy of the test and potentially leading to redundant material strength evaluations. Using a loading method with a “35 mm specimen thickness” and a “0.3 mm rubber gasket + 12.7 mm arc-shaped batten” can essentially achieve the test hypothesis of “cracking at the center first”, resulting in less discrete outcomes and closer alignment to the three-dimensional stress failure state. The tensile and splitting strengths are both power function relationships with the rate as the independent variable, establishing a unified function model of the tensile and failure strengths. The research provides a more reliable testing method and calculation model for asphalt pavement structure design, and it also provides an effective basis for the improvement of splitting tests on materials such as concrete and rock.

Accurately predicting permeability is important to elucidate the fluid mobility and development potential of tight reservoirs. However, for tight sandstones with the same porosity, permeability can change by nearly three orders of magnitude, which greatly increases the difficulty of permeability prediction. In this paper, we performed casting thin section, scanning electron microscopy and high-pressure mercury injection experiments to analyze the influence of pore structure parameters and fractal dimensions on the permeability of Chang 7 tight sandstones. Furthermore, the key parameters affecting the permeability were optimized, and a new permeability prediction model was established. The results show that the pore throat structure of Chang 7 tight sandstone exhibits three-stage fractal characteristics. Thus, the pore throat structure was divided into large pore throat, medium pore throat and small pore throat. The large pore throat reflects the microfracture system, whose fractal dimension was distributed above 2.99, indicating that the heterogeneity of the large pore throat was the strongest. The medium pore throat is dominated by the conventional pore throat system, and its fractal dimension ranged from 2.378 to 2.997. Small pore throats are mainly composed of the tree-shaped pore throat system, and its fractal dimension varied from 2.652 to 2.870. The medium pore throat volume and its fractal dimension were key factors affecting the permeability of Chang 7 tight sandstones. A new permeability prediction model was established based on the medium pore throat volume and its fractal dimension. Compared to other models, the prediction results of the new model are the best according to the analysis of root mean square value, average absolute percentage error and correlation coefficient. These results indicate that the permeability of tight sandstones can be accurately predicted using mesopore throat volume and fractal dimension.

China has a lot of wastelands that are usually overly contaminated as a result of the relocation of industrial enterprises. Given that long-term threats are thus generated, safe and effective treatment routines are urgently needed. Due to its low carbon footprint and environmental protection benefits, the microwave heating treatment of contaminated soil has generated substantial academic interest. Nevertheless, wave-absorbing materials must be added during the treatment process to holistically enhance the effectiveness of heating the contaminated soil. Therefore, this study selects three typical wave-absorbing materials, i.e., Fe3O4, SiC and activated carbon, to explore the influence of the addition of wave-absorbing materials on the microwave heating efficiency for contaminated soil. Moreover, the changes in the mineral phases and microscopic morphology of the contaminated soil and wave-absorbing materials after heating at different temperatures are analyzed. It is concluded that the heating rate would reach 39.5 °C/min when the amount of additive Fe3O4 reaches 8%; when the temperature exceeds 300 °C, the Fe3O4 will be gradually oxidized to Fe2O3. Activated carbon is a wave-absorbing material that has a higher thermal stability than Fe3O4, although it has less impact on the heating rate. The ability of SiC to absorb waves has a limited impact on the heating rate. During microwave heating, the microscopic morphology of the contaminated soil and wave-absorbing materials do not change significantly.

IntroductionThe correlation between dyslipidemia and periodontitis is revealed through epidemiological studies. However, the results are affected by several confounding factors. This study aims to elucidate the genetic causal association between circulating lipid traits and periodontitis by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodsAfter the different screening processes, two cohorts of circulating lipid traits from the UK Biobank were used as exposure data, including five circulating lipid traits. The Periodontitis cohort was selected from the GeneLifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints (GLIDE) consortium as outcome data. In univariable MR, the inverse variance weighted (IVW) was used in conjunction with six additional analytical methods to assess causality. The Cochran Q test, IGX2 statistic, MR-PRESSO, and MR-Egger intercept were used to quantify heterogeneity and pleiotropy. The multivariable MR-IVW (MVMR-IVW) and MVMR-robust were mainly used as analytical methods in the multiple MR analyses.ResultsThe IVW estimates showed that genetically predicted Apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1) [odds ratio (OR)=1.158, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.007–1.331, P-value=0.040] was potentially associated with the risk of periodontitis, but the statistical power of the results was low. Multivariable MR analysis did not reveal any significant causal relationship between apo A1 and periodontitis (OR=0.72, 95% CI=0.36–1.41, P-value=0.34). In the validation cohort, there was also no significant causal relationship between apo A1 and periodontitis (OR=1.079, 95% CI=0.903–1.290, P-value=0.401). Meanwhile, genetically predicted Apolipoprotein B (apo B), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) (all P-values>0.05) were not significantly associated with the risk of periodontitis causal inference.ConclusionThis MR analysis was unable to provide genetic evidence for the influence of these five circulating lipid traits on periodontitis. However, a more extensive study with a more comprehensive circulating lipid profile and periodontitis data is needed due to study limitations.

Abstract A new trapezoid-shaped Frisch-grid ionization chamber (TFG-IC) has been built as a part of a $$\varDelta {E}-E$$ Δ E - E telescope system for the detection and identification of charged particles at energies down to a few MeV. To study the effect of the drift electric field uniformity, two types of sealed windows, namely a pair of SSA (split-strip aluminized mylar film) and a pair of DSA (double-sided aluminized mylar film) sealed windows have been investigated. The detector’s performances were studied using a standard $$^{241}$$ 241 Am source at different gas pressures, and the total energy-deposit resolution achieved is about 1.1%(FWHM). The $$\varDelta {E}-E$$ Δ E - E telescope, which was composed of TFG-IC and a DSSSD (double-sided silicon strip detector), has been tested using a three-component $$\alpha $$ α source and the $$^{241}$$ 241 Am source under laboratory conditions. The results show that the energy resolution with the SSA sealed windows which provide uniform drift electric field has a smaller fluctuation than that with the DSA ones; the fluctuations are about 1% and 4% for the former and the latter, respectively. Simulations using the COMSOL software also confirmed the electric-field distortion at the edge of the detector with the DSA windows. A correlation curve between energy resolution and energy deposit of charged particles at various gas pressures and for two gas species is derived for TFG-IC with the SSA sealed windows using the measurement with the $$^{241}$$ 241 Am source. Incorporating the above results, we performed Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the particle-identification capability of the telescope. The results show that the telescope can be extended to the identification of low-energy particles.

Abstract Introduction Yoga has been shown to reduce pain and improve function in populations with chronic low back pain (cLBP), yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a yoga research protocol, including recruitment, retention, and data collection, and investigated the preliminary effects of yoga on psychological and neurophysiological functions, including gene expression and DNA methylation profiles, in participants with cLBP. Methods A one-arm trial was conducted with 11 participants with cLBP who enrolled in a 12-week yoga intervention. Data on subjective pain characteristics, quantitative sensory testing, and blood for analysis of differentially expressed genes and CpG methylation was collected prior to the start of the intervention and at study completion. Results Based on pre-determined feasibility and acceptability criteria, the yoga intervention was found to be feasible and highly acceptable to participants. There was a reduction in pain severity, interference, and mechanical pain sensitivity post-yoga and an increase in emotion regulation and self-efficacy. No adverse reactions were reported. Differential expression analysis demonstrated that the yoga intervention induced increased expression of antisense genes, some of which serve as antisense to known pain genes. In addition, there were 33 differentially hypomethylated positions after yoga (log2 fold change ≥ 1), with enrichment of genes involved in NIK/NF-kB signaling, a major pathway that modulates immune function and inflammation. Discussion/conclusions The study supports the feasibility and acceptability of the proposed protocol to test a specific mechanism of action for yoga in individuals with cLBP. These results also support the notion that yoga may operate through our identified psychological and neurophysiologic pathways to influence reduced pain severity and interference.

ObjectiveIn order to optimize the shape of the floating buoy of a multi-degree-of-freedom wave energy converter to improve its energy conversion efficiency, a method for shape optimization based on a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed. MethodsA B-spline surface is used to define the shape of the floating buoy, and the GA is applied to take all control points of the surface as individual variables in the iterative population. AQWA and WEC-Sim software are then used to establish a time-domain numerical model for each shape generated by the iteration, and the value of the objective function is calculated. The evolution curves of the objective function and optimized shape are then obtained. The effects of different schemes of shape definition and objective functions on the optimization results are studied and analyzed respectively.ResultsThe optimization method can significantly improve the energy conversion efficiency of a multi-degree-of-freedoms (DOFs) wave energy converter, and the shape definition scheme and objective function have a great impact on the final optimization results.ConclusionThe results can provide a feasible design method for the shape optimization of the floating buoy of a multi-DOFs wave energy converter.

In the published work [...]

Power lines are critical infrastructure components in power grid systems. Strand breakage is a kind of serious defect of power lines that can directly impact the reliability and safety of power supply. Due to the slender morphology of power lines and the difficulty in acquiring sufficient sample data, strand breakage detection remains a challenging task. Moreover, power grid corporations prefer to detect these defects on-site during power line inspection using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), rather than transmitting all of the inspection data to the central server for offline processing which causes sluggish response and huge communication burden. According to the above challenges and requirements, this paper proposes a novel method for detecting broken strands on power lines in images captured by UAVs. The method features a multi-stage light-weight pipeline that includes power line segmentation, power line local image patch cropping, and patch classification. A power line segmentation network is designed to segment power lines from the background; thus, local image patches can be cropped along the power lines which preserve the detailed features of power lines. Subsequently, the patch classification network recognizes broken strands in the image patches. Both the power line segmentation network and the patch classification network are designed to be light-weight, enabling efficient online processing. Since the power line segmentation network can be trained with normal power line images that are easy to obtain and the compact patch classification network can be trained with relatively few positive samples using a multi-task learning strategy, the proposed method is relatively data efficient. Experimental results show that, trained on limited sample data, the proposed method can achieve an F1-score of 0.8, which is superior to current state-of-the-art object detectors. The average inference speed on an embedded computer is about 11.5 images per second. Therefore, the proposed method offers a promising solution for conducting real-time on-site power line defect detection with computing sources carried by UAVs.

Abstract Background Congenital heart defect (CHD) is the leading cause of birth defects globally, which results in a great disease burden. It is still imperative to detect the risk factors of CHD. This umbrella review aimed to comprehensively summarize the evidence and grade the evidence of the associations between non-genetic risk factors and CHD. Methods Databases including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to 18 Jan 2022. The reference lists of systematic reviews (SR) and meta-analyses (MA) were screened, which aimed to explore the non-genetic risk factors of CHD. Subsequently, titles and abstracts of identified records and full texts of selected SR/MA were screened by two independent reviewers based on predefined eligibility criteria. A priori developed extraction form was used to abstract relative data following the PRISMA 2020 and MOOSE guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed with the AMSTAR2 instrument. Data were synthesized using fixed-effects and random-effects meta-analyses, respectively. Finally, the evidence on the association of non-genetic risk factors and CHD was graded using Ioannidis’s five-class evidence grade. Results A total of 56 SRs, encompassing 369 MAs, were identified. The risk factors included relative factors on air pollution, reproductive-related factors, parental age and BMI, parental life habits, working and dwelling environment, maternal drug exposure, and maternal disease. Based on AMSTAR2 criteria, only 16% (9/56) of SRs were classified as “Moderate”. One hundred and two traceable positive association MAs involving 949 component individual studies were included in further analysis and grading of evidence. Family genetic history, number of abortions, maternal obesity, especially moderate or severe obesity, decoration materials, harmful chemicals, noise during pregnancy, folic acid supplementation, SSRIs, SNRIs, any antidepressants in the first trimester, maternal DM (including both PGDM and GDM), and gestational hypertension were convincing and highly suggestive factors for CHD. After sensitivity analyses based on cohort studies, some grades of evidence changed. Conclusion The present umbrella review will provide evidence-based information for women of childbearing age before or during pregnancy to prevent CHD. In addition, sensitivity analysis based on cohort studies showed the changed evidence levels. Therefore, future SR/MA should concern the sensitivity analysis based on prospective birth cohort studies and case-control studies.

The phenomenon that the drops impact the solid wall widely exists in industrial production. In this paper, the dynamic evolution of a single drop impacting a horizontal hydrophilic wire is explored through experiments and numerical simulation methods. Combined with the phenomena of spreading, retracting and breaking, the movement behavior law of the drop impacting the curved surface is analyzed. Furthermore, the effects of eccentricity, Weber number and wall wettability on drop impact spreading dynamics are studied. The results show that, with the increase of impact eccentricity, the drop impacting the wire appears symmetrical wrapping mode, asymmetrical wrapping mode, unilateral infiltration mode and partial wetting mode in turn. With the increase of the Weber number, the drop morphology appears in turn as spread-retracting, spread-splitting, spread-wrapping and spread-breaking modes when the axis of the drop impacts the wire. In addition, both eccentricity and Weber number have influence on the maximum spreading coefficient and the maximum spreading time. The wettability of wire has a significant effect on the spread-retracting behavior of drops. With the increase of hydrophilicity of wire, the peak dimensionless spreading area and spread-retracting stage of drops increase, and the retracting time is delayed.

The tip leakage vortex (TLV) induced by the tip clearance flow has a significant impact on the performance of centrifugal compressors, causing impeller flow losses and reducing the stall margin. To solve this problem, an unsteady flow control technology called the NCFC method is proposed based on the concept of negative circulation control, realized by a vortex generator placed in a tube connected with the shroud through a hole. The approach is derived from a theoretical study of the compressor TLV by introducing a two-dimensional vortex model. A numerical simulation is then performed to verify the effectiveness of the NCFC method. The result shows that the NCFC method can greatly stabilize the flow field at the blade tip and improve the stall margin and efficiency of the compressor without reducing the total pressure ratio of the compressor, which has the characteristics of both unsteadiness and negative circulation effect. In addition, a HC method with only unsteady excitation effect is also studied for comparison, which only slightly stabilizes the blade tip flow and increases the stall margin of the compressor, suggesting that the NCFC is more effective than the HC. Finally, it is highly recommended to improve the efficiency of any unsteady jet/suction and separation flow interaction.

In crowdsourced testing, crowd workers from different places help developers conduct testing and submit test reports for the observed abnormal behaviors. Developers manually inspect each test report and make an initial decision for the potential bug. However, due to the poor quality, test reports are handled extremely slowly. Meanwhile, due to the limitation of resources, some test reports are not handled at all. Therefore, some researchers attempt to resolve the problem of test report prioritization and have proposed many methods. However, these methods do not consider the impact of duplicate test reports. In this paper, we focus on the problem of test report prioritization and present a new method named DivClass by combining a diversity strategy and a classification strategy. First, we leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to preprocess crowdsourced test reports. Then, we build a similarity matrix by introducing an asymmetric similarity computation strategy. Finally, we combine the diversity strategy and the classification strategy to determine the inspection order of test reports. To validate the effectiveness of DivClass, experiments are conducted on five crowdsourced test report datasets. Experimental results show that DivClass achieves 0.8887 in terms of APFD (Average Percentage of Fault Detected) and improves the state-of-the-art technique DivRisk by 14.12% on average. The asymmetric similarity computation strategy can improve DivClass by 4.82% in terms of APFD on average. In addition, empirical results show that DivClass can greatly reduce the number of inspected test reports.

Featuring complex and fractured terrain, the Loess hilly and gully regions suffer poor grain production capacity. The behavior of farmers, the major users of agricultural production space, significantly influences the agricultural production space. Hence, it is essential to explore the evolution rules of the agricultural production space under the influence of farmer behavior and reveal the influencing mechanism of agricultural production space change, which will facilitate the promotion of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Relying on six-stage remote sensing images of the Yanhe River Basin from 1995 to 2018, this study utilized a land use dynamic index, transfer matrix and landscape pattern index to analyze the spatial pattern evolution of agricultural production in the Yanhe River Basin. Furthermore, the geographic detector model was applied to quantitatively analyze the influencing factors of the spatial pattern evolution of agricultural production. The results demonstrated the following: (1) From 1995 to 2018, the overall area of cultivated land in the Yanhe River Basin decreased by 927.02 km2, with a change degree of 21.07%. The spatial structure of agricultural production changed, mainly transferring the cultivated land to woodland and grassland. (2) The spatial form of agricultural production has changed from fragmentation to regularity, and the complexity of the production space shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. (3) The evolution of the spatial pattern of agricultural production was affected by multiple factors of farmer behavior, where significant interactive enhancement effects existed. Specifically, labor input was the dominant factor affecting the overall scale of the production space, with an influence value of 0.202; fertilization input and cultivated land transfer were the key factors affecting the spatial distribution of production, with influence values of 0.264 and 0.242, respectively; income level and social interaction were the base factors affecting the spatial form of production, with influence values of 0.558 and 0.438, respectively. The research results provide scientific support for the improvement of agricultural production quality and the spatial evolution mechanism of agricultural production in the Yanhe River Basin.

The treatment of diabetic chronic wounds remains a global challenge due to the up-regulated inflammation response, oxidant stress, and persistent infection during healing process. Developing wound dressing materials with ideal biocompatibility, adequate mechanical strength, considerable under-water adhesion, sufficient anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties is on-demand for clinical applications. In this study, we developed a bioactive skin-mimicking hydrogel band-aid through the combination of tannic acid (TA) and imidazolidinyl urea reinforced polyurethane (PMI) (TAP hydrogel) and explored its potentials in various medical applications, including hemostasis, normal skin incision, full-thickness skin wounds, and bacterial-infection skin incision on diabetic mice. TA was loaded into PMI hydrogel network to enhance the mechanical properties of TAP hydrogels through multiple non-covalent interactions (break strength: 0.28–0.64 MPa; elongation at break: 650–930%), which could resist the local stress and maintain the structural integrity of wound dressings during applications. Moreover, owing to the promising moisture-resistant adhesiveness and organ hemostasis, outstanding anti-inflammation, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, TAP hydrogels could efficiently promote the recovery of skin incision and defects on diabetic mice. To further simulate the practical situation and explore the potential in clinical application, we also verified the treatment efficiency of TAP hydrogel in S. aureus-infected skin incision model on diabetic mice.

Abstract A point absorber wave energy converter (WEC) which converts wave energy into electrical energy with a multi‐axis power‐take‐off (PTO) system is considered here. Previous wave tank trials have proved the ability of the multi‐axis WEC to absorb wave power. In this study, the boundary element method (BEM) based software Ansys@ AQWATM was applied to model and analyze the power absorption performance of the multi‐axis WEC for a wider range of regular and irregular waves. To verify the numerical model, a laboratory‐scale physical model was manufactured and tested. Results show that the multi‐axis WEC can absorb more power from the incident regular wave power compared to single‐axis WECs and the efficiency reaches up to 45%. It is found that the wave frequency and incident angle significantly influence the amount of absorbed power from different motion modes and PTO axes. Then the numerical model is simulated at 12 nearshore locations in East and South China Sea. The results indicate that the multi‐axis WEC can absorb up to 5 kW and the efficiency can reach up to 29% at the most energetic site Shengshan. In addition, considerable differences of mean absorbed power efficiency can be found between sea states.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, which involves the application of electrical currents to the cervical (tcVNS) or auricular (taVNS) branches of the vagus nerve, may be a potential treatment for improving cognitive dysfunction. taVNS may improve cognitive performance in healthy adults, and fewer studies have been performed on the effects of tcVNS on cognition in healthy subjects. We conducted a randomized, single-blind, crossover-controlled trial to investigate the effects of tcVNS stimulation on cognitive function and neural activity in the brains of healthy adults. This study provides support for further tcVNS studies for the treatment of cognitive impairment. Twenty-one participants were randomly divided into two groups, A and B. Group A received tcVNS first and then sham-tcVNS, while group B received the intervention in the reverse order, receiving sham stimulation first and then true stimulation. All subjects were required to perform cognitive function tests before and after receiving intervention, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed concurrently during the intervention. We hypothesized that tcVNS would have an effect on the cognitive performance of the subjects and alter the neural activity of the brain. The present study showed that tcVNS had beneficial effects on cognitive performance, mainly improving memory and language skills and attention. tcVNS intervention produced significant spontaneous neural activity in the calcarine gyrus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus of the brain. Future tcVNS/fMRI trials will need to explore the effects of changes in stimulus parameters on the neural activity response of the brain.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the main stromal tumors of the digestive tract. Extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs) typically originate outside the gastrointestinal tract; are not associated with the stomach or intestinal walls; and are mainly derived from the mesentery, peritoneum, posterior peritoneum, bladder, and scrotum. However, EGISTs from the prostate are rare. Here, we present a case of EGIST that passed off in the prostate of a 62-year-old man. The patient undergoes transrectal guided trans-perineal prostate puncture, and pathological reports suggest a GIST. Tumor cells are spindle-shaped, and no obvious neoplastic necrosis is seen in the sections. Immunohistochemical results are robustly positive for CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 expression. The patient had a good prognosis after treatment with imatinib, no recurrence and no metastases after six months of follow-up, and the prognosis was good. This article also provides a literature review and discussion of the treatment of EGISTs.

BackgroundDespite growing evidence focusing on health inequalities in older adults, inequalities in medical compensation compared with younger adults and gender disparities of medical errors among older patients have received little attention. This study aimed to disclose the aforementioned inequalities and examine the disparities in medical errors among older patients.MethodsFirst, available litigation documents were searched on “China Judgment Online” using keywords including medical errors. Second, we compiled a database with 5,072 disputes. After using systematic random sampling to retain half of the data, we removed 549 unrelated cases. According to the age, we identified 424 and 1,563 cases related to older and younger patients, respectively. Then, we hired two frontline physicians to review the documents and independently judge the medical errors and specialties involved. A third physician further considered the divergent results. Finally, we compared the medical compensation between older and younger groups and medical errors and specialties among older patients.ResultsOlder patients experienced different medical errors in divergent specialties. The medical error rate of male older patients was over 4% higher than that of females in the departments of general surgery and emergency. Female older patients were prone to adverse events in respiratory medicine departments and primary care institutes. The incidence of insufficient implementation of consent obligation among male older patients was 5.18% higher than that of females. However, females were more likely to suffer adverse events at the stages of diagnosis, therapy, and surgical operation. The total amount of medical compensation obtained by younger patients was 41.47% higher than that of older patients.ConclusionsExcept for the common medical errors and departments involved, additional attention should be paid to older patients of different genders according to the incidence of medical errors. Setting up the department of geriatrics or specialist hospitals is also an important alternative to improve patient safety for older people. Furthermore, there may be inequality in medical compensation in older patients due to the tort liability law of China.

Abstract This paper presents the simulation of the permeation of saturated cement paste based on a novel pore network model. First, a 2D hydration model of cement particles was developed by extending the work of Zheng et al. 2005 to provide the background for the network construction. Secondly, the establishment of the pore network model and simulation of permeation of saturated cement paste were carried out. The irregular pores between any two hydrated cement particles were linearized with clear distances as the diameters of pores. The straight tubular pores were interconnected with one another to form the network model. During this process, the weighted Voronoi diagram was employed to operate on the graphical expression of the hydrated cement particles. Water permeation in saturated cement paste was simulated to verify the pore network model. Finally, the factors including water–cement ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time and cement particle size that would influence water permeation were numerically investigated.

Ferrocene derivatives are amongst the most promising electroactive organic electrolytes. The bottleneck problems of their application in aqueous redox flow batteries are their poor solubility and lower potential as well as the complexity of the modification methods to solve these problems. In this study, a benzenesulfonic acid group is easily introduced into the ferrocene structure by a mature diazotization reaction, and the synthesized sodium m-phenylferrocene sulfonate BASFc is used as the novel cathodic electroactive electrolyte for AORFB. The hydrophilicity and the electron-absorbing effect of the introduced benzenesulfonic group can effectively improve the water solubility and redox potential of ferrocene. Moreover, the introduction of phenyl extends the conjugated structure of ferrocene and increases its structural dimension, which may be conducive to reducing its membrane permeability and improving the structural stability to some extent. The physical structure and the electrochemical properties of BASFc are studied systematically; the feasibility of its application as a cathodic electrolyte in AORFBs is verified by assembling the half-cell and full-cell. The results verify the good electrochemical reaction kinetics of BASFc in acid electrolyte and the corresponding AORFB shows satisfactory efficiency and stability.

Graph-embedding learning is the foundation of complex information network analysis, aiming to represent nodes in a graph network as low-dimensional dense real-valued vectors for the application in practical analysis tasks. In recent years, the study of graph network representation learning has received increasing attention from researchers, and, among them, graph neural networks (GNNs) based on deep learning are playing an increasingly important role in this field. However, the fact that higher-order neighborhood information cannot be used effectively is a problem of most existing graph neural networks. Moreover, it tends to ignore the influence of latent representation and structural properties on graph embedding. In hopes of solving these issues, we introduce centrality encoding to learn the node properties, add an attention mechanism consideration to better distinguish the significance of neighboring nodes, and introduce random walk regularization to make sample neighbors that consistently satisfy predetermined criteria. This allows us to learn a representation of a potential node. We tested the performance of our model on node-clustering and link prediction tasks using three widely recognized benchmark datasets. The outcomes of our experiments demonstrate that our model significantly surpasses the baseline method in both tasks, indicating that the graph embedding it generates is highly expressive.

During the drastic changing process of the construction industry in China, construction program management has been given significant attention. Due to the complexity of construction programs, selecting competent managers is crucially important to its success. Therefore, based on a comprehensive literature review, this paper combines regret theory and the Fuzzy-DEMATEL method to develop a multi-attribute model for construction program manager selection. Firstly, six competence elements are extracted, then the manager selection and evaluation index system are constructed. Secondly, the regret theory is used to simulate the psychological characteristics of the decision makers, combined with Fuzzy-DEMATEL, the comprehensive weights for each element are calculated. Lastly, all alternatives for the selection are sorted and the competent ones are selected. A case study is provided to exam the effectiveness of the developed model. Results shows that the proposed model adopted multi-attribute evaluation and group decision making and took into account the psychological behavior of decision makers as well as influences from the relationships between different attributes. Such results indicate that the proposed model is able to provide more comprehensive and scientific construction program manager selections, which can further improve the management of construction programs.

Drainage pipes play a crucial role in maintaining the functionality of cities and ensuring the smooth flow of daily life for its inhabitants. However, due to their placement either in shallow ground or within building foundations, maintenance of these pipes can be challenging. At present, research in this field primarily focuses on evaluating the overall health of macroscopic pipeline systems. Moreover, there is a lack of decision algorithms that can effectively minimize the subjectivity of experts. To address this issue, a failure risk analysis method was developed that incorporates the principles of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Evidential Reasoning (ER), and Fuzzy Set Theory (FST) (FACEF). Nineteen pipeline failures were analyzed by synthesizing information from five commonly used pipeline evaluation specifications. Ten experts were consulted to evaluate these failures, and the scores were calculated and ranked using the FACEF method. The results indicated that six types of failures, namely penetration, crack, deformation, mismatch, leakage, and obstruction, require the most attention. An analysis of the typical causes of failure was conducted based on the FACEF scores, and measures for prevention and control were recommended. This study provides novel perspectives and insights on the risk management of pipeline failures, with a focus on reducing the influence of expert subjectivity through the refinement of pipeline failure analysis.

In recent years, two-dimensional metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have attracted increased attention for radiation detection and imaging. Their detection efficiencies are almost comparable to three-dimensional (3D) perovskites. Meanwhile, they demonstrate superior stability to 3D perovskites. The pursuit of high-quality, phase-pure and lead-free two-dimensional MHP materials and large-area fabrication capability for x-ray detectors are among the research hotspots. In this review, we first give a brief introduction of the crystallographic structure, optoelectronic characteristics and preparation methods of high-quality two-dimensional perovskites. In addition, we overview the general working principles of direct and indirect x-ray detection processes and the corresponding performance metrics from the perspective of detection and imaging. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive discussion on the recent advances in 2D perovskite x-ray detectors and imaging devices. Finally, we pinpoint several major obstacles of 2D x-ray detectors that should be overcome in the near future.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), a progressive and multifactorial pathological process, is predominantly associated with low back pain and permanent disability. Pyroptosis is a type of lytic programmed cell death triggered by the activation of inflammasomes and caspases. Unlike apoptosis, pyroptosis is characterized by the rupture of the plasma membrane and the release of inflammatory mediators, accelerating the destruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent studies have shown that pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells is activated in the progression of IDD. Furthermore, targeting pyroptosis in IDD demonstrates the excellent capacity of ECM remodeling and its anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that pyroptosis is involved in the IDD process. In this review, we briefly summarize the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and the pathogenesis of IDD. We also focus on the role of pyroptosis in the pathological progress of IDD and its targeted therapeutic application.

Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) proposal for a healthy lifestyle, also known as cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. However, the association between CVH metrics and the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis detected by transient elastography is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional study using the data from the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were used to evaluate the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis and to define NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. A total of 2679 participants were included. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that per 1-unit increase in the CVH metric, CAP and LSM decreased by 8.565 units and 0.274 units, respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 7, 10, and 6 times higher in the poor CVH group than in the ideal CVH group. Subgroup analysis indicated that CVD patients and non-Hispanic whites could benefit more from ideal CVH. In conclusion, adherence to ideal CVH metrics, as proposed by the AHA, can significantly reduce the risk of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis.