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In the two-step cold crucible induction melting vitrification process, high-level radioactive waste is evaporated, denitration, and calcined in the calcination furnace firstly, ultimately becoming a metal oxide calcined material with a certain size. Then the calcined material falls into the cold crucible induction melting, it will form a glass solidified product together with the basic-glass beads through the transfer device at the tail of the furnace. It has certain acceptance requirements for the moisture content and nitrate decomposition rate of calcined materials during melting process, and in order to facilitate calcinated product transportation and reduce material loss, the particle size, packing density, and entrainment amount of the calcined material also need to be controlled within a certain range. This work focuses on the calcination process of simulated high-level radioactive waste(HLW) in a power reactor with a fuel consumption of 55 GWd/tU. Some process parameters have been confirmed based on the previous laboratory research results. However, it was found that the calcinate particles were too fine and the bulk density was too low, which could lead to blockage of the calcination furnace head during long-term operation in engineering applications. In order to solve this problem, the research group conducted a study on the effects of sucrose additive amount and calcination temperature on the properties of calcined materials. The moisture content, bulk density, and particle size distribution of the calcined material were measured, the XRD, XRF, and free nitrate concentration of the calcined material were analyzed. The experimental results show that excessive sucrose addition can lead to a decrease in the average particle size and bulk density of calcined materials, exacerbating the entrainment phenomenon. Too little sucrose will slightly lower the decomposition rate of nitrate in calcined materials. At the current calcination temperature, the sucrose addition amount is appropriate at 10-30 g/L. When the amount of sucrose added is 20 g/L, reducing the calcination temperature will increase the bulk density of the calcined material and reduce the entrainment during the calcination process, but it will also lead to an increase in water content and incomplete decomposition of nitrate. Taking into account the properties of the calcined material such as moisture content, bulk density, particle size, entrainment, and nitrate decomposition, the recommended process temperature for the rotary furnace calcination section zone-3 is 750-800 ℃, with a sucrose addition amount of 10-30 g/L. This study optimizes the calcination process conditions, which has certain significance for promoting the engineering of two-step cold crucible glass curing technology, and reducing the calcination temperature can save operating costs.

Abstract The exponential growth in medical image generation poses significant challenges for storage and management. Lossless compression of medical images is essential to reduce storage demands while ensuring image quality is preserved. Wavelet-based compression techniques, widely recognized in the literature, are commonly used to process and transmit medical images by isolating the Region of Interest (ROI) from other areas. Meanwhile, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) have shown promising results for medical image compression. In this study, we propose a hybrid model combining Discrete Wavelet Transforms (DWT) and CNN for medical image compression. DWT is applied to encode the ROI, while CNN is employed for non-ROI regions. Here, Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is used to extract ROI features. We introduce the SDWTCNN framework, which integrates DWT and CNN to achieve scalable image compression with lower complexity compared to similar methods. The performance of SDWTCNN is evaluated using different performance metrics, demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining image quality at various compression rates. Experimental results confirm the efficiency of our framework for storing and retrieving medical images in healthcare applications. Specifically, our SDWTCNN achieves 4.3 dB better performance on the BGPD dataset and 3.8 dB on the BraTS dataset than the existing best method in terms of the PSNR metric.

Abstract The electrical performance of high energy storage density materials has always been a research direction that has received high attention. This study used three typical high energy storage density materials and a traditional energy storage material to maximize the application effect of these materials. These materials include Graphene Oxide (GO), Polyaniline/Manganese Oxide Composite (PANI/Mno2) and Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and a traditional material aluminum electrolytic capacitor (AEC). This article conducted systematic experiments to evaluate the effects of these materials on circuit response, stability, energy storage efficiency, electrical response time and humidity. The experimental materials of this article were prepared by high-purity raw materials and strict quality tests were conducted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the experimental results. The results showed that in terms of energy storage efficiency, GO performed the best, and its energy storage efficiency was 30% higher than that of traditional materials AEC. In terms of different temperatures, the circuit response of the PANI/MNO2 was the most stable, and the stability of the high temperature increased by 25%. In terms of different humidity, the GO conductivity rate reached up to 125 s/m, an increase of 47% over the initial value. In terms of electrical response time, GO had the shortest response time, with an average of 0.35 s, which was 85% faster than AEC’s 2.64 s. After comprehensive analysis of various data, the three high energy storage density materials have shown excellent performance in energy storage efficiency, electrical stability, and response speed, among which GO has the most outstanding performance. This study provides important data support for the selection and optimization of high-performance energy storage materials, verifies the excellent performance of high energy storage density materials under rapidly changing electrical conditions, and proves their wide applicability and huge potential in practical applications, laying a solid foundation for the promotion and application of industrial and technological fields.

Abstract Charge separation is a critical process for achieving high photocatalytic efficiency, and ferroelectrics hold significant potential for facilitating effective charge separation. However, few studies have demonstrated substantial photocatalytic activity in these materials. In this study, we demonstrate that in ferroelectric PbTiO3, surface Ti vacancy defects near the positively polarized facets impede photocatalytic performance by trapping electrons and inducing their recombination. To tackle this issue, we selectively grew SrTiO3 nanolayers on the polarized facets PbTiO3, effectively mitigating interface Ti defects. This modification establishes a efficient electron transfer pathway at the interface between the positively polarized facets and the cocatalyst, extending the electron lifetime from 50 microseconds to the millisecond scale and significantly increasing electron participation in water-splitting reactions. Consequently, the apparent quantum yield for overall water splitting achieves the highest values reported to date for ferroelectric photocatalytic materials. This work provides an effective strategy for designing advanced ferroelectric photocatalytic systems.

Abstract Radiology images are one of the most commonly used in daily clinical diagnosis. Typically, clinical diagnosis using radiology images involves disease reporting and classification, where the former is a multimodal task whereby textual reports are generated to describe clinical findings in images, as are common in various domains, e.g., chest X-ray or computed tomography. Existing approaches are mainly supervised, the quality of which heavily depends on the volume and quality of available labeled data. However, for rarer or more novel diseases, enrolling patients to collect data is both time-consuming and expensive. For non-English languages, sufficient quantities of labeled data are typically not available. We propose the Multimodal Multidomain Multilingual Foundation Model. It is useful for rare diseases and non-English languages, where the labeled data are frequently much more scarce, and may even be absent. Our approach achieves encouraging performances on nine datasets, including 2 infectious and 14 non-infectious diseases.

Background The transvenous approach to the treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is difficult and requires strict blood pressure and blood flow control; however, the cure rate is very high. Appropriate blood pressure control techniques can greatly benefit these patients. Case A 55-year-old male patient was found to have an aneurysm complicated with a cerebral AVM (length: 2.0 cm, width: 1.6 cm, height: 1.2 cm). Aneurysm embolization was considered for the first-stage surgery and transvenous AVM embolization for the second-stage surgery. Rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) provided a stable blood flow environment for the surgery, which was completed successfully. Conclusions RVP can thus provide an ideal condition for the embolization of cerebral AVM through the transvenous approach and can be a viable surgical option.

The thick-shelled mussel Mytilus coruscus belongs to Mollusca, Lanellibranchia, Anisomyaria, Mytilidae, and Mytilus. Due to its flavor and nutritional and high economic values, M. coruscus is a common commercial shellfish in the coastal area of Zhejiang and Fujian in China, and is an important cultured mussel species in China. With the increasing development of coastal areas and the changing habitat conditions, aquaculture industry of M. coruscus is facing problems such as slow growth of juvenile mussels, low meat production rate, and individual miniaturization of adult mussels, which affects the sustainable development of the mussel industry and economic income. Conversely, prebiotics are commonly used exogenous additives in aquaculture. Prebiotics help the organism to absorb nutrients by changing the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract and regulating the composition of the microbial community. They can promote the growth and development of aquatic organisms, enhance resistance to pathogenic bacteria, and improve the absorption and utilization rate of feed to increase the output of aquatic products. As a protein hydrolysate, mussel peptide is also a probiotic element with high nutritional value and multiple functions such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immune enhancement. In particular, low molecular weight mussel peptide has the function of anti-lipid peroxidation protective activity and scavenging of excess free radicals, which can be used as a natural antimicrobial food additive. In aquaculture, mussel peptides are considered to be natural active ingredients for treating infectious diseases in marine species. Till date, the relationship between mussel peptides and the growth and development of the thick-shelled mussel M. coruscus remains unclear. Therefore, the optimal concentration of mussel peptide for the potential application of mussel peptides in the M. coruscus aquaculture industry must be determined. In this study, we focused on the effects of mussel peptides on the growth and development of the thick-shelled mussel M. coruscus and on the structural composition of microbial communities. The aim was to provide a theoretical basis for green and efficient aquaculture of the thick-shelled mussel M. coruscus. Here, the thick-shell mussel plantigrades used in the experiment were provided by Donghai Mussel Technology Innovation Service Co., LTD., Shengsi County, Zhejiang Province, China. It was used in the experiment after 1 week of temporary cultivation at 18 ℃ and a salinity of 30. Before the bioassays, these mussel plantigrades were cultured in the lab at 18 ℃ and 30 for 7 d. Five feeding treatment groups and one non-feeding control group were set up in the experiment. The treatment groups were fed mussel peptides at concentrations of 7, 9, 10, 70 and 90 mg/L, and each group was set up with three replicates. On days 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56; 50 plantigrades were randomly selected from different treatment groups for growth measurement including shell length, shell height, and wet body weight. In addition, samples of plantigrades from different treatment groups were collected on days 28 and 56 to analyze the change in microbial communities before and after feeding. The results showed that, compared with the control group, feeding 9 mg/L of mussel peptides could significantly promote plantigrade growth and the shell length, shell height, and wet body weight were increased by 27.37%, 32.35%, and 115.49%, respectively. However, the mussel peptide concentration was too high (70 mg/L and 90 mg/L), which could cause lethal effects on the thick-shelled mussel M. coruscus plantigrades. The microbiome of the thick-shelled mussel plantigrades in the 28-day and 56-day treatment and control groups was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. The results of the study showed that feeding 9 mg/L mussel peptides could alter the structural composition of the thick-shelled mussel plantigrade microbial community, such as increase in the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria, and decrease in the abundance of Actinobacteriota. Simultaneously, an increase was observed in the diversity of beneficial bacteria such as Ruegeria, Tenacibaculum, Maribacter, Arenibacter, Octadecabacter, and Shewanella and reduction in the potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Rhodococcus and Aeromonas. Therefore, the appropriate amount of mussel peptides is useful for promoting the growth and development of the thick-shelled mussel M. coruscus plantigrades and optimizing their microbial community structure. In summary, mussel peptides have potential prebiotic functions and have the advantage of easy absorption of small molecules. By changing and adjusting the structure composition of the microbial community, mussel peptides increase the relative abundance of probiotics and reduce the relative abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria in the mussel microbial community of thick-shell mussel plantigrades, and promotes the growth and development of thick-shell mussel plantigrades. The current findings provide a basis and data support for the subsequent cultivation of marine bioactive peptides such as mussel peptides for enhancing shellfish juvenile aquaculture and the sustainable development of marine shellfish aquaculture.

Abstract Background Hemodynamic alterations in the spermatic vein are implicated in infertility among patients with varicocele (VC). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), a powerful tool for hemodynamic analysis, remains unexplored for VC. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using CEUS to evaluate spermatic vein hemodynamics in patients with VC and establish a clear correlation between specific hemodynamic patterns and impaired semen parameters. This study included 165 patients with left-sided VC and 50 healthy volunteers. All participants underwent CEUS of the spermatic veins, along with maximum venous diameter and testicular volume measurements and serum sex hormone levels and routine semen analyses. The sperm DNA fragmentation index was measured in 146 patients with VC and 37 healthy controls. Results The analyses revealed four distinct blood flow patterns of the spermatic vein: steady flow, intermittent stasis, intermittent reflux, and filling defect. In healthy spermatic veins, the predominant blood flow patterns included steady flow and intermittent stasis. Spermatic veins with VC exhibited a significant increase in the intermittent reflux and filling defect patterns, with the proportion rising as the clinical grade increased. The four patterns were further grouped into the “steady flow & intermittent stasis” and “intermittent reflux & filling defect” patterns for logistic regression analyses; the intermittent reflux & filling defect pattern was revealed as an independent risk factor for impaired sperm concentration, total sperm counts, progressive motility, morphology, and DNA fragmentation index. Conclusions This study validated the feasibility of CEUS for assessing the hemodynamics of the spermatic vein and established the intermittent reflux & filling defect pattern as an independent predictor of impaired semen parameters.

Abstract Biological neural circuits demonstrate exceptional adaptability to diverse tasks by dynamically adjusting neural connections to efficiently process information. However, current two-dimension materials-based neuromorphic hardware mainly focuses on specific devices to individually mimic artificial synapse or heterosynapse or soma and encoding the inner neural states to realize corresponding mock object function. Recent advancements suggest that integrating multiple two-dimension material devices to realize brain-like functions including the inter-mutual connecting assembly engineering has become a new research trend. In this work, we demonstrate a two-dimension MoS2-based reconfigurable analog hardware that emulate synaptic, heterosynaptic, and somatic functionalities. The inner-states and inter-connections of all modules co-encode versatile functions such as analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog conversion, and linear/nonlinear computations including integration, vector-matrix multiplication, convolution, to name a few. By assembling the functions to fit with different environment-interactive demanding tasks, this hardware experimentally achieves the reconstruction and image sharpening of medical images for diagnosis as well as circuit-level imitation of attention-switching and visual residual mechanisms for smart perception. This innovative hardware promotes the development of future general-purpose computing machines with high adaptability and flexibility to multiple tasks.

Abstract Solar-driven CO2 reduction to value-added C2 chemicals is thermodynamically challenging due to multiple complicated steps. The design of active sites and structures for photocatalysts is necessary to improve solar energy efficiency. In this work, atomically dispersed Ru-O sites in RuxIn2-xO3 are constructed by interior lattice anchoring of Ru. This results in the dynamic reconstruction of Ruδ+-O/Ru0-O sites upon photoexcitation, which facilitates the CO2 activation, *CO intermediates adsorption, and C-C coupling as demonstrated by varied in situ techniques. A SiO2 core in RuxIn2-xO3/SiO2 construction further enhances the solar energy utilization and individual RuxIn2-xO3 nanocrystals dispersion for photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction. It results in the maximum ethanol production rate up to 31.6 μmol/g/h with over 90% selectivity. DFT simulation reveals that the C2 dimer formation primarily underwent an asymmetric *CO-*CHO coupling route via a low-energy precedence ladder of *CHO. This work provides an insightful understanding of active sites with dynamic reconstruction towards asymmetric C-C coupling for CO2RR at the atomic scale.

Abstract Angiogenesis is a significant character of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and is an important reason leading to high mortality rates of LUAD patients. However, the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs regulating the angiogenesis in LUAD have not been fully elucidated. Here we show lncRNA chromatin-associated RNA 10 (CAR10) was upregulated in the tumor tissue of patients with LUAD and enhanced tumor metastasis. Mechanistically, CAR10 could bind to Lactate Dehydrogenase A (LDHA) protein to regulate the phosphorylation and acetylation of LDHA and increase the dimerization of LDHA to promote its nuclear translocation, which increased the H3K79 methylation in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (VEGFC) gene interval. CAR10 induced microvascular formation in vivo and in vitro by regulating LDHA-VEGFA/C axis. In addition, MYC and TP53 bonded to the promotor of CAR10 and reverse regulated its expression in LUAD cells. CAR10 regulates post-translational modification of LDHA and increases the H3K79 methylation of VEGFA/VEGFC to promote angiogenesis of LUAD, which is a potential therapeutic target for LUAD.

Measuring pore-water pressure (PWP) in frozen soils poses significant challenges in geotechnical testing experiments, and understanding PWP is crucial for unraveling the mechanism of frost heave generation in cold regions. This paper aims to clarify the development pattern of PWP in frozen soil through laboratory tests, specifically focusing on excess PWP generated under dynamic loading. Seven sets of triaxial tests were conducted to investigate the variations in excess PWP and deformation influenced by temperature, dynamic stress amplitude, and dry density. The results reveal that excess PWP in warm saturated frozen soil undergoes two stages: pore pressure increase and dissipation. The change of external factors mainly affects the peak value of excess PWP and the change rate of excess PWP. Unlike unfrozen soil, excess PWP has a small dissipation rate after the peak and may remain dynamically stable in the later stage of loading. In addition, two empirical models of excess PWP applicable to saturated frozen soils were proposed based on the developmental patterns of excess PWP in frozen soils, and the feasibility was validated using the results obtained from laboratory tests. The model is of great significance for predicting the development of excess PWP in frozen soil under dynamic load.

Uncontrollable non-compressible hemorrhage and traumatic infection have been major causes of mortality and disability in both civilian and military populations. A dressing designed for point-of-care control of non-compressible hemorrhage and prevention of traumatic infections represents an urgent medical need. Here, a novel self-gelling sponge OHN@ε-pL is developed, integrating N-succinimidyl ester oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHN) and ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-pL). Upon application to the wound site, the sponge can rapidly absorb interfacial fluids and undergo a phase transition from sponge to gel. The transformed gel facilitates robust tissue adhesion and achieves synergistic hemostasis by enriching coagulation factors within the sponge phase and providing a barrier effect in the gel phase. The in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that the optimized OHN@ε-pL3 sponge possesses self-gelling capability, tissue adhesion, enhanced coagulation ability, and exhibits excellent biocompatibility and antibacterial efficacy. In hemostasis, OHN@ε-pL3 sponges exhibited reduced blood loss and decreased hemostatic time compared to commercial hemostatic agents, as demonstrated in rat liver, femoral vein, and tail truncation bleeding models. Furthermore, the OHN@ε-pL3 sponge exhibited superior performance in accelerating wound closure and healing of S. aureus-infected wounds. Collectively, OHN@ε-pL sponges represent a promising candidate for medical dressings, specifically for managing uncontrollable non-compressible hemorrhage and traumatic infections.

In the light of the people′s health needs and the national health strategy, it is important to update the connotation of public health nursing in a timely manner, clarify its scope of practice, and explore the development path of public health nursing, so as to build a comprehensive health care system covering the entire life cycle and meet the people's increasingly diversified and differentiated health needs. This paper discusses the connotation and practice category of public health nursing based on full-dimensional and full-cycle health management, so as to provide a reference for further clarifying the core competency standards of public health nurses oriented to professional competency and accelerating the construction of a training and practice management system for public health nursing personnel.

Abstract The COVID-19 event triggered global attention which broke out at the end of 2019. To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control actions on the chemical composition, size distribution, and mixing state of individual particles, real-time individual particles in the urban atmosphere of the Northern China were analyzed using single particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) during January 16 to February 4, 2020. The results showed that the concentrations of PM2.5, NOx, and CO were lower during DP (during the pandemic) than those during BP (before the pandemic), while O3 concentration increased by about 40.9% during DP due to a lower concentration of NO2 restraining the decomposition of O3 via the reaction of NO with O3. The number count of carbonaceous particles during DP decreased by 20.2% compared to that during BP due to the sharp reduction of factory production and vehicular transportation during DP. Dust particles during DP exhibited weaker 23Na+, 56Fe+, and 79PO3− signals than those during BP, suggesting that dust particles during DP were mostly derived from mineral dust rather than industrial sources. The total particles during DP peaked at a larger size than those during BP, due to the higher fraction of secondary inorganic ions through the enhanced heterogeneous aqueous oxidation. The unscaled size distribution of total particles peaked at 0.50 µm during BP and at 0.66–0.70 µm during DP, suggesting that particles remained for a long time in the atmosphere and went through a strong aging process during DP. The single particles during DP were more aged than those during BP, owing to the stronger atmospheric oxidizing capacity during DP.

Abstract Background Vasoepididymostomy (VE) is an important surgical treatment to achieve natural conception for patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA), and only unilateral VE can be performed under certain conditions, such as OA patients with congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) and some acquired OA. There is a lack of relevant reports assessing the clinical outcomes of unilateral VE in OA patients with different causes. This study is aimed to describe the clinical features and evaluate treatments and outcomes of unilateral single-armed VE in OA patients. Methods From December 2015 to June 2021, 46 OA patients (including 13 CUAVD-associated OA and 33 acquired OA) underwent unilateral single-armed VE in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China). Patient information, semen analysis, hormone profiles, and treatment information were collected, and the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results Obstruction in distal of unilateral vas deferens (16/46) was the most common cause for OA patients underwent unilateral VE, and CUAVD accounts for 28.4% (13/46). The overall patency rate was 50.0% (23/46), with 38.5% (5/13) for the CUAVD group and 54.5% (18/33) for the acquired group (p > 0.05). The natural pregnancy rates in CUAVD group and acquired group were 20.0% and 33.3%, respectively (p > 0.05). Conclusions These findings suggest unilateral single-armed VE can achieve high patency and pregnancy rates in OA patients, whether for CUAVD or acquired OA patients.

Aiming at the problem that the wind energy utilization of vertical axis wind turbines is slightly lower than that of horizontal axis wind power,a new wind turbine based on Senegalese (Senegal) type wind turbine was proposed. Firstly, the curvature of the rotor blades was optimized using the Bessel curve function and modeled using the SOLIDWORKS software, resulting in four different curvature curves for the blades; Secondly, the parameters such as wind energy utilization, moment coefficient, and their pressure distribution and velocity distribution plots at different tip speed ratios were compared and analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, and their wake characteristics were also compared; Finally, an experimental platform was built to verify the rationality of the simulation. The results show that the optimized blade type effectively improves the wind energy utilization of the modified Senegal drag type vertical axis wind turbine, and the A4 type blade has a high wind energy utilization of 26.31%, which is about 36% higher than that of the A1 type wind turbine.The designed novel wind turbine structure has superior power generation performance, which provides some reference for program design in the field of vertical axis wind turbines.

Wheat was the main raw material for producing daqu, but the diversity in the characteristics of wheat varieties influenced daqu production. To investigate the effects of wheat varieties on the bacterial community and the flavor-related metabolites in Nongxiangxing daqu, the main properties and components of wheat were determined by national standard methods, 16S rDNA amplicon high-throughput sequencing technology and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) technology were applied to analyze the bacterial community and volatile compounds in Nongxiangxing daqu derived from different wheat varieties, respectively. The correlation between wheat quality indices and the dominant bacterial genera was visualized by constructing a Spearman rank correlation-based network diagram. According to the crude protein content, five wheat varieties were classified into the following four categories: high-gluten, medium-high-gluten, medium-gluten, and low-gluten wheat. A total of 83 volatile compounds were detected in Nongxiangxing daqu, of which 43 were differentially abundant compounds. Additionally, hexanol, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, and tetramethylpyrazine were identified as potentially useful volatile compound markers of Nongxiangxing daqu produced from high-gluten wheat, whereas butenal might be used as a marker of Nongxiangxing daqu derived from medium-gluten wheat. The medium-gluten and low-gluten wheat varieties produced the Nongxiangxing daqu with the highest total aerobic bacteria and acid-producing bacteria contents, respectively, with Kroppenstedtia, Thermoactinomyces, Leucobacter, Weissella, and Bacillus identified as the predominant bacterial genera. Weissella and Thermoactinomyces bacterial species were relatively abundant in the Nongxiangxing daqu produced from medium-gluten and medium-high-gluten wheat varieties, but not in the Nongxiangxing daqu derived from the high-gluten wheat. Furthermore, the four most abundant bacterial genera were significantly related to the differentially abundant volatile compounds. Moreover, they were affected by the crude protein or wet gluten contents, the crude starch content, and the powder rate of wheat grains. The study results provide a theoretical basis for breeding ideal wheat varieties for the production of daqu, including Nongxiangxing daqu.

In order to optimize the utilization of blast furnace slag (BFS) and enhance the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of β-SiAlON preparation, a novel approach involving acetic acid leaching-carbothermal reduction and nitridation was proposed. The effects of acid concentration and leaching times on the leaching behavior of BFS were thoroughly investigated. The synthesis mechanism of β-SiAlON was comprehensively explored through thermodynamic analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that selective leaching of Ca and Mg elements from BFS can be achieved while effectively enriching Si and Al elements in the filter residue. Under optimized leaching conditions, the contents of CaO and MgO in the residue are reduced to below 3% and 1%, respectively. The mass ratio of alumina to silica (w(Al)/w(Si) = 0.3-0.4), the molar ratio of carbon to oxygen (n(C)/n(O) = 0.5), the roasting temperature at 1673 K and the roasting time for 4 hours should be precisely controlled in order to successfully synthesize β-SiAlON from BFS. In summary, the primary reaction pathways for β-SiAlON synthesis from BFS can be described as follows: C4H7AlO5/AlO(OH) transforms into Al2O3, which further reacts with SiO2 to form β-SiAlON; alternatively, Al2O3 reacts with SiO2 to produce mullite, which subsequently converts into β-SiAlON.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of lysolecithin supplementation in a low-energy diet on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and liver lipid metabolism of yellow-feather broilers. A total of 900 one-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into five treatment groups with 6 replicates. The dietary treatments were followed as control group (CON, basal diet), low energy group (LE, reduced 0.25 MJ/kg of metabolisable energy than basal diet), and experimental groups supplemented with 500, 750, or 1000 g/T of lysolecithin (LPL500, LPL750, and LPL1000) in LE diet. The results showed that LE treatment significantly increased the feed to gain ratio (F/G) of broilers during the whole period compared to CON group. Compared with the LE group, lysolecithin addition reduced the F/G of broiler over the entire period and significantly increased the digestibility of ether extract on 21 d and the VH/CD ratio of the jejunum and ileum over the whole period. Lysolecithin supplementation also increased chymotrypsin activity on 21 d and lipase activity on 52 d in duodenum and apolipoprotein A4 (APOA4) expression in liver tissue on 52 d compared with LE treatment. In conclusion, lysolecithin could alleviate the growth retardation caused by low ME diet through improving lipase and chymotrypsin activity, intestinal morphology, nutrients digestibility and absorption.

Epidemiological approaches for examining human health responses to environmental exposures in observational studies frequently address confounding by employing advanced matching techniques and statistical methods grounded in conditional likelihood. This study incorporates a recently developed Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model within a conditional logistic regression framework to capture the heterogeneous effects of environmental exposures in a case-crossover (CCO) design. Spatial and temporal dependencies are modeled through random effects incorporating multivariate conditional autoregressive priors. Flexible frailty structures are introduced to explore strategies for managing temporal variables. Parameter estimation and inference are conducted using a Monte Carlo Markov chain method within a Bayesian framework. Model fit and optimal model selection are evaluated using the deviance information criterion. Simulations assess and compare model performance across various scenarios. Finally, the approach is illustrated with workers’ compensation claims data from New York and Florida to examine spatiotemporal heterogeneity in hospitalization rates related to heat prostration.

Abstract Background Extragenital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections are prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM). Self-sampling could potentially eliminate barriers to extragenital CT/NG testing for MSM that are hard to reach, who refuse to go for clinician-based testing, or who decline an examination. However, the required evidence to determine whether self-collected specimens are as accurate as clinician-taken specimens in terms of CT/NG diagnostic accuracy was limited in low and middle income countries. We therefore compared self-collected rectal and pharyngeal specimens with clinician-taken specimens for diagnostic accuracy among MSM in China. Methods This was a prospective convenience sample from 6 sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics in China. We randomized the order of self-collected and clinician-taken specimens from the pharynx and rectum, plus first-void urine, for CT/NG detection. Self-sampling performance was compared with clinician-sampling as to agreement, sensitivity, and specificity. The acceptability of self-sampling was evaluated by questionnaire. Results Among the 325 participants, prevalences of rectal CT and NG infections were 13.6% and 5.2% and pharyngeal CT and NG prevalences were 1.5% and 2.8%, respectively. The agreements between the CT tests with the self-collected and clinician-taken specimens were 98.8% (κ = 0.95, 95% CI 0.89-1.00) for rectal site and 99.4% (κ = 0.83, 95% CI 0.60-1.00) for pharyngeal site; and the agreements between NG tests were 99.4% (κ = 0.94, 95% CI 0.86-1.00) for rectal site and 98.2% (κ = 0.72, 95% CI 0.50–0.93) for pharyngeal site. The sensitivity and specificity of self-collected swabs was as follows: rectal CT: 93.0% and 99.6%; pharyngeal CT: 100.0% and 99.4%; rectal NG: 100.0% and 99.4%; pharyngeal NG: 88.9% and 98.4%. Self-collection was highly acceptable, showing that 62.0% MSM preferred self-sampling over clinician-sampling; 90.2% would use self-sampling for detection of CT and NG again. Conclusions Extragenital screening for CT and NG should be recommended as part of STI services to MSM population. Self-collection of rectal and pharyngeal specimens had good performance for CT and NG tests and acceptability to the target population. Trial registration This trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2300073473. Registered 12/07/2023.

Abstract Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the blood physiological indicators for this eye disease are less reported. Here, we systemically investigated healthy controls, DR patients and DM patients from 2014 to 2022 in Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital (Chengdu, China). We found the leukocyte count, urea, and direct bilirubin in the DR patients were significantly increased (P

Abstract Nonlinear optical responses in two-dimensional (2D) materials can build free-space optical neuromorphic computing systems. Ensuring the high performance and the tunability of the system is essential to encode diverse functions. However, common strategies, including the integration of external electrode arrays or photonic structures with 2D materials, and barely patterned 2D materials, exhibit a contradiction between performance and tunability. Because the unique band dispersions of 2D materials can provide hidden paths to boost nonlinear responses independently, here we introduced a new free-space optical computing concept within a bare molybdenum disulfide array. This system can preserve high modulation performance with fast speed, low energy consumption, and high signal-to-noise ratio. Due to the freedom from the restrictions of fixed photonic structures, the tunability is also enhanced through the synergistic encodings of the 2D cells and the excitation pulses. The computing mechanism of transition from two-photon absorption to synergistic excited states absorption intrinsically improved the modulation capability of nonlinear optical responses, revealed from the relative transmittance modulated by a pump-probe-control strategy. Optical artificial neural network (ANN) and digital processing were demonstrated, revealing the feasibility of the free-space optical computing based on bare 2D materials toward neuromorphic applications.

Abstract Background To evaluate the utility of glucose chemical exchange saturation transfer (glucoCEST) MRI with non-contrast injection in predicting the histological grade of rectal cancer. Methods This prospective analysis included 60 patients with preoperative rectal cancer who underwent pelvic glucoCEST, amide proton transfer-weighted imaging (APTWI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). In total, 21 low-grade and 39 high-grade cases were confirmed by postoperative pathology. The MTRasym (1.2 ppm), MTRasym (3.5 ppm), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of lesions between the low-grade and high-grade groups were compared. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was generated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each technique. Logistic regression (LR) analysis was applied to determine independent predictors and for multi-parameter combined diagnosis. Results Elevated MTRasym (1.2 ppm), MTRasym (3.5 ppm) values and lower ADC values were observed in the high-grade group compared with low-grade cases (all p

Abstract Background Ki67 index changes during the treatment of metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PanNET) treatment. The study aimed to detect alterations of grade based on Ki67 index and immune microenvironment in PanNET responding to capecitabine/temozolomide (CapTem). Method Retrospective data of patients with PanNET were collected. In control group, 35 patients underwent surgery immediately after biopsy. In CapTem group, 38 patients received CapTem after biopsy and responded well to treatment (defined as either stable disease or partial response), and subsequently underwent surgery. All patients have pathological Ki67 index at biopsy and after surgery. CD163 + CD68 + CD206 + M2 macrophages, CD68 + CD86 + CD80 + M1 macrophages, CD11b + CD33 + myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells were stained using multiplex immunofluorescence. Results In control group, the paired grade based on Ki67 index directly after surgery showed no upgrade or downgrade compared to biopsy. In patients who responded well to CapTem, the grade based on Ki67 index before and after CapTem was altered. Thirteen patients had upgraded Ki67 index and 11 patients had downgraded. The proportion of stable disease was higher in the upgraded group compared to downgraded group (p = 0.0155). And upgraded group had a significantly shorter mPFS than patients in the downgrade group (8.5 months vs. 20 months, HR 4.834, 95% CI 1.414 to 16.53, p = 0.012). M1 macrophages was significantly lower in the downgraded group than in the Ki67 upgraded group (p

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) holds global significance as a fruit with high economic and nutritional value. Exploring the regulatory network of watermelon male reproductive development is crucial for developing male sterile materials and facilitating cross-breeding. Despite its importance, there is a lack of research on the regulation mechanism of male reproductive development in watermelon. In this study, we identified that ClESR2, a VIIIb subclass member in the APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily, was a key factor in pollen development. RNA in situ hybridization confirmed significant ClESR2 expression in the tapetum and pollen during the later stage of anther development. The pollens of transgenic plants showed major defects in morphology and vitality at the late development stage. The RNA-seq and protein interaction assay confirmed that ClESR2 regulates pollen morphology and fertility by interacting with key genes involved in pollen development at both transcriptional and protein levels. These suggest that Enhancer of Shoot Regeneration 2 (ESR2) plays an important role in pollen maturation and vitality. This study helps understand the male reproductive development of watermelon, providing a theoretical foundation for developing male sterile materials.

Abstract Artificial visual system empowered by 2D materials-based hardware simulates the functionalities of the human visual system, leading the forefront of artificial intelligence vision. However, retina-mimicked hardware that has not yet fully emulated the neural circuits of visual pathways is restricted from realizing more complex and special functions. In this work, we proposed a human visual pathway-replicated hardware that consists of crossbar arrays with split floating gate 2D tungsten diselenide (WSe2) unit devices that simulate the retina and visual cortex, and related connective peripheral circuits that replicate connectomics between the retina and visual cortex. This hardware experimentally displays advanced multi-functions of red–green color-blindness processing, low-power shape recognition, and self-driven motion tracking, promoting the development of machine vision, driverless technology, brain–computer interfaces, and intelligent robotics.

Abstract Background The widespread acceptance of early surgery as a treatment for acute intertrochanteric fracture (ITF) has been accompanied by ongoing controversy due to conflicting conclusions presented in previous studies. This study aims to compare the occurrence of perioperative complications and mortality, as well as functional outcomes in older patients with ITF who underwent either early or delayed surgery. Methods A retrospective multicenter cohort study involving 7414 patients with ITF between Jan. 2017 and Dec. 2021 was conducted. After predefined participants selection inclusion and exclusion criteria, 2323 surgically treated ITF patients were included and analyzed utilizing propensity score matching (PSM) method. Their demographics, injury-related data, surgery-related data, and perioperative adverse outcomes during hospitalization were collected and compared between the early or delayed surgery groups by PSM with a 1:4 ratio. All participants received a minimum of two-year follow-up and perioperative outcomes, functional outcomes, and survival analyses were conducted and compared. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, there were no significant difference in surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss, transfusion rate, mortality rates, functional outcomes, and perioperative complications rates including severe complications, cardiac complications, pulmonary complications, and neurological complications regardless of whether the patient was treated with early or delayed surgery (all P > 0.05). Although length of hospital stay (mean, 11.5 versus 14.4 days, P

ObjectiveTo compare the association of the incidence and mortality of leukemia and the human development index (HDI) in different countries or regions in 2022, and the trend of leukemia incidence and mortality with age in countries with different HDI levels. MethodsGLOBOCAN 2022 data related to leukemia incidence and mortality in different countries or regions worldwide and HDI were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis and Kruskal–Wallis test. The incidence and mortality rates of each age and the age change trend were analyzed using the Joinpoint Regression model. ResultsAge-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and mortality to incidence ratio (M/I) were statistically significantly different among the four groups of HDI countries (P

Abstract Background To analyze the difference and agreement between measurements obtained by a new fully automatic optical biometer, the SW-9000 μm Plus, based on optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR) and a commonly used optical biometer (Pentacam AXL) based on Scheimpflug imaging with partial coherence interferometry (PCI). Methods The central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD, from epithelium to anterior lens surface), lens thickness (LT), mean keratometry (Km), corneal astigmatism, corneal diameter (CD), pupil diameter (PD), and axial length (AL) of 74 eyes (from 74 healthy subjects) were measured using the SW-9000 μm Plus and the Pentacam AXL to determine the agreement. Double angle plots were used for astigmatism vector analysis. Bland–Altman and 95% limits of agreement (LoA) were calculated. Results Statistically significant differences were detected for all parameters but J0 vector. The Bland–Altman analysis of AL, CCT, ACD, Km, CD, J0 and J45 indicated a high level of agreement between the two devices. Among AL, CCT, ACD, Km, J0, J45, CD, and PD, the 95% LoA ranged from -0.07 to 0.05 mm, -9.67 to 7.34 mm, -0.11 to 0.04 mm, -0.25 to 0.50 D, -0.22 to 0.20 D, -0.15 to 0.20 D, -0.23 to 0.35 mm and 1.55 to 3.77 mm, respectively. Conclusions The measurements of AL, CCT, ACD, Km, corneal astigmatism, and CD showed a narrow LoA and may be used interchangeably in healthy subjects between the new OLCR optical biometer and the Scheimpflug/PCI biometer; however, a poor agreement was noted for PD values.

Abstract Unravelling abrupt alterations in the gut microbiota of wild species associated with nutritional stress is imperative but challenging for wildlife conservation. This study assessed the nutritional status of wild red deer during winter on the basis of changes in faecal nitrogen (FN) and urea nitrogen/creatinine (UN: C) levels and identified gut microbes associated with nutritional status via nutritional control experiments and metagenomic sequencing. The FN of wild red deer in winter 2022 was significantly lower than that in winter 2021 (p

Abstract Post-transcriptional regulation mediated by RNA binding proteins is crucial for male germline development. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), an RNA binding protein, is specifically expressed in human and mouse male gonads and is involved in manifold biological processes and tumorigenesis. However, the function of IGF2BP1 in mammalian spermatogenesis remains poorly understood. Herein, we generated an Igf2bp1 conditional knockout mouse model using Nanos3-Cre. Germ cell deficiency of Igf2bp1 in mice caused spermatogenic defects in an age-dependent manner, resulting in decreased numbers of undifferentiated spermatogonia and increased germ cell apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that ELAV-like RNA binding protein 1, a well-recognized mRNA stabilizer, interacted with IGF2BP1. Single cell RNA-sequencing showed distinct mRNA profiles in spermatogonia from conditional knockout versus wide type mice. Further research showed that IGF2BP1 plays a vital role in the modulation of spermatogenesis by regulating Lin28a mRNA, which is essential for clonal expansion of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Thus, our results highlight the crucial effects of IGF2BP1 on spermatogonia for the long-term maintenance of spermatogenesis.

Abstract This paper discusses the seismic performance of five reduced-scale shear walls, including one cast-in-place (CIP) concrete shear wall, two precast concrete (PC) shear walls with overlapping U-bar loop connections, and two PC shear walls with modified form-overlapping U-bar loop connections combined with extruded sleeve connections. A quasi-static test was conducted to evaluate the reliability of the overlapping U-bar loop connections and the modified form by comparing the corresponding mechanical parameters of PC specimens with those of the CIP specimen. Moreover, the differences in seismic performance between the CIP specimen and PC specimens with different connection methods were also analyzed in terms of damage process, hysteretic loops and skeleton curves, load carrying capacity, ductility, equivalent stiffness, and energy dissipation. The experimental findings indicated that the mechanical performances of PC specimens with the modified connection form outperformed those of PC specimens with pure overlapping U-bar loop connections, closely resembling the properties of cast-in-place specimens; the failure mode of PC specimens was consistent with that of the CIP specimen; the generation, distribution and development of cracks in PC specimens were also similar to those in the CIP specimen. Furthermore, although the load-bearing capacity and peak displacement of PC specimens were lower than those of the CIP specimen due to the failure of the post-casted concrete strength to meet the requirements, the ductility, equivalent stiffness, and energy dissipation of PC specimens with the modified connection form closely matched that of the CIP specimen.

Abstract Background T-tube cholangiography and choledochoscopy are commonly used techniques for detecting residual bile duct stones after biliary surgery. However, the utility of routine cholangiography before T-tube removal needs further investigation. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of various methods for detecting residual calculi following biliary surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 287 adult patients who underwent common bile duct exploration with T-tube drainage, followed by T-tube cholangiography and choledochoscopy, at the Department of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, between 2017 and 2022. Exclusion criteria were patients with bile duct tumors, incomplete medical records or loss to follow-up, and patients with contraindications to T-tube or choledochoscopy. McNemanr test and Kappa test were used to compare the results and consistency between choledochoscopy and T-tube cholangiography. All patients underwent both cholangiography and choledochoscopy six to eight weeks after laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with common bile duct exploration and T-tube drainage. The results of T-tube cholangiography and choledochoscopy for each patient were recorded, analyzed, and compared. Results Among the 287 patients, T-tube cholangiography detected residual stones in 38 cases, which were confirmed by choledochoscopy in 29 cases. Conversely, of the 249 patients without evidence of residual stones on T-tube angiography, 11 patient was later found to have retained stones through choledochoscopy. There was no significant difference between the results of T-tube cholangiography and choledochoscopy (P = 0.82), indicating a high level of agreement between the two methods (Kappa value: 0.70) (95% CI, 0.65–0.76). Conclusion There is no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy between T-tube cholangiography and choledochoscopy for detecting residual bile duct stones after surgery (P = 0.82). The two methods demonstrated a high level of consistency (Kappa value: 0.70) (95% CI, 0.65–0.76). The choice of diagnostic method for postoperative residual bile duct stones should be based on the specific condition of the patient.

Abstract Background We aimed to determine the potential predictive value of the intra-tumoral microbiome as a marker of the response to external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in cervical cancer (CC). Methods A prospective longitudinal trial of 36 CC patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy was designed to investigate microbial characteristic signatures and diversity (alpha and beta) of multiple sites (tumor, vaginal, gut, urethral, and oral) in the superior response (SR) and inferior response (IR) groups of CC patients by 16S rRNA sequencing. Utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression method to analyze clinicopathological factors that potentially influenced the efficacy of EBRT. LEfSe analysis highlighted the microbiome features that best distinguished the categorized patient samples. Selected parameters were validated with Spearman correlation analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results Firstly, in our cohort, LASSO logistic regression analysis revealed no association between clinicopathological factors and EBRT efficacy. Subsequently, we employed 16S rRNA sequencing to compare microbiome differences across multiple sites and their correlations with major clinicopathological factors. We discovered that the intra-tumoral microbiome was independent of clinicopathologic features and represented the most direct and reliable reflection of the microbial differences between the SR and IR groups. We found lower alpha diversity in the tumor microbiome of SR group and identified the most relevant microbiome taxa (Bifidobacteriaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, and Orbaceae) associated with the efficacy of the response to EBRT in CC patients. We then conducted ROC analysis, finding that specific microbial taxa had an AUC of 0.831 (95% CI, 0.667–0.995), indicating the potential of these taxa as biomarkers for predicting EBRT efficacy. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a better prognosis for patients with lower alpha diversity and higher relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae. Conclusions Our data suggested that intra-tumoral specific microbiome taxa and lower alpha diversity may play an important role in the CC patient sensitivity to EBRT and offer novel potential biomarkers for predicting the response to EBRT efficacy.

Abstract Peatlands are globally important carbon sinks but are frequently drained. Drainage activities reduce overall methane emissions; however they are often accompanied by the construction of ditches, which are potential methane emission hotspots. Yet, the offsets of methane emissions from creating ditches in peatlands under different climate zones and land-use types remain unclear. Here we conducted a global meta-analysis by compiling annual methane emissions from paired near-pristine peatlands and terrestrial portion of drained peatlands and ditches to address this issue. Results showed that ditches occupy approximately 3.8 (95% confidence interval: 3.1~4.4)% of all drained peatlands. Ditches emit 695 (511~898) kg ha−1 yr− 1 methane overall, with the highest emissions observed in (sub)tropics. Globally, ditch emissions offset approximately 12 (10~14)% for reductions in methane emissions from peatland drainage. Our findings demonstrate the importance of including ditch methane emissions to quantify emission factors for regional to global peatlands affected by drainage.

Background: With the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, a large number of COVID-19 patients are at risk of long COVID after recovery. The purpose of our research is to systematically review the existing clinical studies to understand the current prevalence and related risk factors of long COVID in COVID-19 patients in China. Methods: The protocol of this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024519375). We searched six electronic databases from 1st January 2020–1st March 2024. Literature screening, data extraction, and risk bias assessment were independently carried out by two reviewers. Quality of the included studies was evaluated by AHRQ and NOS. The meta-analysis was performed by R software 4.2.3 to derive the prevalence of long COVID and risk factors. Results: Overall, 50 studies with 65880 participants were included. The results showed that the prevalence of long COVID (with at least one symptom) among the COVID-19 patients was approximately 50 % (95 %Confidence Interval (CI) 42–58 %) in China. Although we conducted meta-regression and subgroup analysis, the heterogeneity of the study was high. But the Omicron BA.2 variant had a statistically significant effect on the prevalence of long COVID (P = 0.0004). The three most common symptoms of long COVID were fatigue (0.33, 95 %CI 0.28–0.39), cognitive decline (0.30, 95 %CI 0.14–0.46) and shortness of breath (0.29, 95 %CI 0.15–0.43). Patients with severe acute phase of COVID-19 (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.57, 95 % CI 1.39–1.77), combined 2 comorbidities (OR 1.80, 95 % CI 1.40–2.32), combined 3 comorbidities (OR 2.13, 95 % CI 1.64–2.77), advanced age (OR 1.02, 95 % CI 1.01–1.04), female (OR 1.58, 95 % CI 1.44–1.73) were the risk factors for long COVID prevalence. Conclusion: Current systematic review found that nearly half of COVID-19 patients may suffering from long COVID in China. Establishing a long COVID recovery-support platform and regular follow-up would help to long-term monitor and manage the patients, especially those high-risk population.

ObjectivesFerroptosis and cuproptosis can be summarized as metal-dependent cell death. This study aimed to explore the expression of metal-dependent cell death resistance (MCDR) characteristics in tumor cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to explore its relationship with lymph node metastasis (LNM).MethodsBy integrating single-cell data of OSCC from public databases, an expression matrix comprising 127,149 cells was constructed. Gene set scores were calculated using the irGSEA package, and GO and KEGG analyses were performed to identify enriched pathways. The R package monocle3 was employed to calculate the cell trajectory and infer evolutionary patterns. The MuSiC2 package was employed to enable the evaluation of cell proportions. Cell-cell interaction information was analyzed using the CellChat package. The expression of cathepsin V (CTSV), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) was validated via immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunohistochemistry in oral mucosa (OM), non-metastatic primary tumors (nPT), and metastatic primary tumors (mPT). Additionally, R package oncoPredict was utilized to identify potential drug sensitivities.ResultsThe malignant cells in OSCC were divided into five subtypes, among which Epi_2 existed more in mPT and had higher MCDR characteristics. In addition, Epi_2 enriched multiple malignant-related pathways such as HEDGEHOG, NOTCH, and MYC. The spatial transcriptome and bulk RNA data verified that the proportion of Epi_2 in mPT was higher than that in nPT. Cell communication analysis showed that the effect of Epi_2 on endothelial cells was enhanced, which was mainly reflected in VEGFR and CXCL signaling pathways. Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of Epi_2 characteristic markers CTSV and GPX4 in mPT was significantly higher than that in nPT. Multiplex immunohistochemical results showed that the co-expression cells of CTSV, GPX4 and CDKN2A in mPT were more than those in nPT. OSCC patients with high Epi_2 characteristics may have immunotherapy resistance and anti-EGFR treatment resistance. Doramapimod was identified as a sensitive drug.ConclusionThere is a type of malignant cells with characteristics of MDCR in OSCC, which is related to LNM and treatment resistance. It provides a predictive marker for early diagnosis of LNM.

Objectives This study aims to assess the association between adjuvant radiotherapy and the development of second primary malignancies (SPMs) and identify its determinants in patients who have undergone surgical treatment for gastric cancer.Design Retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.Setting Cohorts (18 registries, 2000–2018, from SEER) were screened for any malignancy that developed after sufficient latency from diagnosis of surgically treated non-metastatic gastric cancer.Participants 24 777 surgically treated gastric cancer cases were included in the cohort. Among them, 6128 patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy.Outcome measures The cumulative incidence of SPMs was estimated using Fine and Gray’s competing risk model and the radiotherapy-correlated risks were calculated using Poisson regression analysis.Results Among patients with sufficient latency, there was no significant association between radiotherapy and the risk of developing second primary solid malignancies (relative risk=1.05, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.33) or haematological malignancies (relative risk=1.17, 95% CI 0.62 to 2.11). Interestingly, radiotherapy was associated with a reduced cumulative incidence of second lung and bronchus cancer compared with no radiotherapy, with a 15-year incidence of 1.4%–3.17% (p

The evaluation of the load-bearing capacity of existing structures is a central and important part in the work of structural engineers. Currently, engineers are confronted with the challenge of applying design rules developed for new structures in the evaluation of existing ones as no specific recommendations exist on a European level. As a contribution to this, a first step of this study is the evaluation of the reliability level of timber elements subjected to common limit states. Based on these analyses, modifications of the target reliability and of partial safety factors (PSF) for existing structures on the resistance side are studied. Considering a modification of the target reliability, the PSF for the material strength could be proposed with for compressive and flexural strength in limit states, where variable actions are present. Additionally, options for incorporating updated material parameters from a survey on site supported by technical devices are discussed and further need for research is identified. Subsequently, this paper provides a stepwise evaluation procedure including modified PSF considering both, an update of the target reliability and update of the material parameters obtained by a survey on site and is thus adaptive for different individual cases and level of information. First published online 10 February 2025

High-quality source code is the foundation of successful and sustainable software development, while code review plays a crucial role in ensuring code quality. We place a special emphasis on the educational application of code review, aiming to assist novice students who are entry-level programmers establish industry-standard programming practices while reducing the likelihood of vulnerabilities and technical debt. Given that existing code review tools often require complex setups and are designed for large-scale, enterprise-level software projects, we advocate for the development of an easy-to-use, zero-configuration, and lightweight tool that is specifically tailored to the needs of educational environments. This paper reports our development of such a cloud-native code review tool as an educational service. Although still at the proof-of-concept stage, our internal and preliminary assessment has confirmed the promising usability and usefulness of this tool both for students (e.g., self-reviewing an individual exercise) and for educators (e.g., examining cohort exercises and prioritising teaching materials). By integrating this tool into our innovative project Automating Programming Education in Java, we believe that such an educational service would be able to make contributions to faster maturation of programming skills in students.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a widely-used transcranial brain imaging technique in neuroscience research. Nevertheless, the lack of anatomical information from recordings poses challenges for designing appropriate optode montages and for localizing fNIRS signals to underlying anatomical regions. The photon measurement density function (PMDF) is often employed to address these issues, as it accurately measures the sensitivity of an fNIRS channel to perturbations of absorption coefficients at any brain location. However, existing PMDF-based localization methods have two limitations: (1) limited channel space, and (2) estimation based on a single standard head model, which usually differ anatomically from individuals. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a continuous standard channel space for fNIRS and constructs a PMDF-based transcranial brain atlas (PMDF-TBA) by calculating PMDFs using MRI data from 48 adults. The PMDF-TBA contains group-averaged sensitivities of channels to gray matter and brain regions as defined in 3 atlases: Brodmann, AAL2, and LPBA40. We evaluated the prediction ability of PMDF-TBA for sensitivity of unseen individuals. The results show that it outperformed PMDFs based on single standard head models, making PMDF-TBA a more generalizable fNIRS spatial localization tool. Therefore, in the absence of individual sMRI data, PMDF-TBA can optimize optode montage design, enhance channel sensitivity in target brain regions, and assist in source localization for fNIRS data, thereby facilitating the application of fNIRS in neuroscience research.

We have developed an interactive system comprising a soft wearable robot hand and a wireless task board, facilitating the interaction between the hand and regular daily objects for task-oriented training in stroke rehabilitation. A ring-reinforced soft actuator (RSA) to accommodate different hand sizes and enable flexion and extension movements was introduced in this paper. Individually controlled finger actuators assist stroke patients during various grasping tasks. A wireless task board was developed to support the training, allowing for the placement of training objects and seamless interaction with the soft robotic hand. Evaluation with seven stroke subjects shows significant improvements in upper limb functions (FMA), hand-motor abilities (ARAT, BBT), and maximum grip strengths after 20 sessions of this task-oriented training. These improvements were observed to persist for at least 3 months post-training. The results demonstrate its potential to enhance stroke rehabilitation and promote hand-motor recovery. This lightweight, user-friendly interactive system facilitates frequent hand practice and easily integrates into regular rehabilitation therapy routines.

Triboelectric technology, with its renewable, low-cost, and eco-friendly advantages, offers new possibilities for intelligent motion-sensing equipment and sports monitoring. We propose a maple leaf-based triboelectric nanogenerator (ML-TENG) for green mechanical energy harvesting and detecting table tennis corner kicks. The ML-TENG operates in contact-separation mode and achieves a peak power output of 63.38 W/m3 at an optimal load of 50 MΩ. The experimental results show a transfer charge (Qsc) of 35 nC, a short-circuit current (Isc) of 9 μA, and an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 50 V. Tested with a ping-pong paddle, the ML-TENG generates consistent voltage even under high-frequency impacts, demonstrating its sensitivity to both strong and weak forces. This ready-to-use design requires minimal preparation, highlighting triboelectric technology’s potential for improving sports monitoring accuracy and enabling real-time athletic performance analysis.

Near-ground remote sensing image dehazing is crucial for accurately monitoring land resources. An effective dehazing technique and a precise atmospheric attenuation model are fundamental to acquiring real-time ground data with high fidelity. The dark channel prior (DCP) is a widely used method for improving visibility in hazy conditions, but it often results in reduced image clarity and artifacts, that limit its practical utility. To address these limitations, we propose a novel hybrid correction method, local hybrid correction (LHC), which integrates gamma correction for high-contrast regions and logarithmic correction for low-contrast regions within a dehazed image. We calculated the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of Weber contrast for the dehazed image and analyzed the impact of different contrast thresholds on the effectiveness of improving image clarity and reducing artifacts. Our results showed that a contrast threshold corresponding to the 90% CDF significantly improved image sharpness and reduced artifacts compared to other thresholds. Furthermore, LHC outperformed both gamma and logarithmic corrections in terms of image clarity and artifact reduction, even after applying additional post-processing methods such as multi-exposure fusion and guided filtering. The quantitative analysis of the dehazed images, using gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) metrics, indicated that the LHC method offered a balanced advantage in enhancing image details, texture consistency, and structural complexity. Specifically, images processed by LHC exhibit moderate contrast and correlation, low homogeneity and high entropy, all these made the LHC method a very suitable solution for near-ground remote sensing tasks that required enhanced image detail and reduced artifacts. We also examined the atmospheric attenuation coefficient, observing that it increased with distance, deviating progressively from empirical values, this phenomenon underscored the complex effects of atmospheric scattering on dehazing accuracy, especially at extended ranges. Additionally, we refined the transmittance attenuation model using light reflection at the 550 nm wavelength from verdant landscapes, which improved the model’s alignment with real-world conditions. This approach was not only effective for this wavelength but could adapt to other wavelengths in future studies. Overall, our research advanced the precision of remote sensing dehazing techniques, promising improved decision-making for land resource management and a variety of environmental applications.

BackgroundPolygonum cyrtonema Hua is a kind of traditional Chinese botanic drug. Modern pharmacological research has confirmed that Polygonum cyrtonema Hua is able to alleviate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but the precise mechanism requires further investigation. This study investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of Polygonatum cyrtonema ethanol extract (PCE) against Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice.MethodsUHPLC-MS/MS was utilized to analyze the metabolites of PCE. The NASH mouse model was establishment in C57BL/6J mice via high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 12 weeks, and from the 9th week, mice were gavaged with PCE (100, 300, and 900 mg/kg/day), simvastatin (4 mg/kg) or saline. One hand, liver injury was assessed by serum enzymes, biochemistry, and histopathology; On the other hand, RNA-seq, qPCR, and Western blot were employed to investigate the related molecular mechanisms.Results211 metabolites were identified through UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. PCE ameliorated HFD induced liver injury and improved hepatocellular degeneration and steatosis in a dose-dependent way. PCE restored the expression of AMPK, SIRT1, SREBP1 and PPAR-α both in mRNA and protein levels. RNAseq identified unique gene expression profiles in response to high-fat diet (HFD) compared to the PCE treatments. HFD-induced DEGs were attenuated or abolished following PCE treatments. Ingenuity pathway analysis of RNA-seq data revealed key canonical pathways and upstream molecules regulated by PCE.ConclusionOur findings confirm the ability of PCE in alleviating NASH and underscores AMPK/SIRT1 pathway as a potential theraputic target for NASH treatment.

BackgroundThis meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of statins on the prognosis of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).MethodsWe conducted a systematic search using the keywords “statin” and “intracerebral hemorrhage” across four electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase) from their inception to October 31, 2023, to identify studies comparing the effects of statins on the prognosis of patients with ICH. The primary outcome was total mortality after ICH. This meta-analysis was registered online (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023493063).ResultsOur initial search identified 5,543 studies. After applying inclusion criteria, 30 studies with a total of 42,298 patients were included in the final analysis. Our meta-analysis showed that statins significantly reduced overall mortality in patients with ICH (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.51–0.73; I2 = 87%; p

Abstract Background Cancer is a severe threat to human health, and surgery is a major method of cancer treatment. This study aimed to develop an optical sensor for fast cancer tissue. Methods The tissue autofluorescence spectrum and diffuse reflectance spectrum were obtained by using a laboratory‐developed optical sensor system. A total of 151 lung tissue samples were used in this ex vivo study. Results Experimental results demonstrate that tissue autofluorescence spectroscopy with a 365‐nm excitation has better performance than diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and 63 of 64 test samples (98.4% accuracy) were correctly classified with tissue autofluorescence spectroscopy and our developed data analysis method. Conclusions Our promising ex vivo study results show that the developed optical sensor system has great promise for future clinical translation for intraoperative lung cancer detection and other applications.

Radix Codonopsis (Dangshen), derived from the dried root of plants in the Campanulaceae family, is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine. It is renowned for its pharmacological effects, including tonifying the middle qi, invigorating the spleen, benefiting the lungs, enhancing immunity, and nourishing the blood. Codonopsis extract is frequently incorporated into health products such as tablets and capsules, making it accessible for daily health maintenance. Additionally, it is commonly used in dietary applications like soups, teas, and porridges to nourish qi, enrich blood, and promote overall vitality. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the anti-cancer potential of Radix Codonopsis. Studies have identified key active components such as luteolin, stigmasterol, polyacetylenes, lobetyolin, and glycitein, which exhibit anti-tumor properties through mechanisms like inhibiting cancer cell growth and proliferation, suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and inducing apoptosis. This review highlights the research progress on Radix Codonopsis, including its active constituents, anti-cancer mechanisms, and its role in the convergence of medicine and food in modern life. By doing so, it aims to provide valuable insights and references for future scientific studies and clinical applications of Radix Codonopsis.