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A six-week feeding trial was carried out to determine the feasibility of cottonseed oil (CSO) as a viable substitute for fish oil (FO) in the commercial diet of swimming crabs. Ninety healthy swimming crabs (initial body weight 34.28 ± 0.59 g) were randomly assigned to 90 plastic baskets. Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (450 g/kg protein and 120 g/kg lipid) were formulated replacing FO with CSO at 0%, 50% and 100% (CSO-0, CSO-50, and CSO-100), respectively. Each diet was randomly allocated to three replicates, each consisting of 10 crabs. Results indicated that crabs fed with CSO-100 diet had the lowest the percent weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and survival among all treatments (P

Abstract Background Direct and indirect associations have been identified among health literacy, health behavior, and health status. Thus, we aimed to investigate the influence of oral health literacy and behaviors in parents on their children's oral health status. Moreover, we aimed to analyze the mentioned mediating effects through oral health behavior management. Methods Oral health information of 1,102 preschool children aged 3 to 6 years was collected from five primary schools in Jinjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China. The decay-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index and soft scale plaque index (PI) were used by professional dentists aided by school teachers to assess caries and periodontal health among the children. Simultaneously, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey among the parents to determine their oral health literacy and health behavior and their children's oral health behavior. The probit model, instrumental variables, and mediation effect model were used to evaluate the association of parents' oral health literacy and behavior with their children's oral health status. Results The DFMT index was 1.58 among the children, with zero caries in 646 (58.6%) children. The PI was 0.68, with zero gum disease in 517 (46.9%). The univariate analysis suggested that the parents' health literacy and behavior were correlated with their children's oral health status (P

Abstract Meibomian gland dysfunction is a chronic ocular surface disease with a complex pathogenesis, whose main clinical manifestations are meibomian gland obstruction or/and lipid abnormalities. To explore the mechanism of MGD due to meibomian gland obstruction (MGO), we established a rat model of MGO by cauterizing the meibomian gland orifice. The morphology of the lid margins and meibomian gland orifices were visualized by slit lamp. The tear production of rats was measured by phenol red cotton thread, the tear film breakup time and corneal fluorescein staining scores of rats were detected under cobalt blue light of slit lamp. Changes in the histological structure of the meibomian gland (MG) were observed by HE staining, Oil Red O staining and immunofluorescence staining (collagen IV). RNA sequencing was used to detect differentially expressed genes in MGO and normal rats, which were validated by qPCR. In the MGO group after 4, 8, and 16 weeks, the meibomian gland orifices were closed, tear film break-up time decreased and corneal fluorescein staining score increased (p

As an important energy support for China”s economic development, coal will remain dominant in energy consumption for a period of time in the future. With the continuous development of related technical equipment, some mines in China have achieved a single-well single-side output of more than 10 million tons. Safe and efficient development of coal resources is an important direction for China”s future scientific and technological development. This paper relies on the national key research and development plan project “Key Technologies and Equipment for Efficient Fully Mechanized Mining of Super-high and Super-long Working Faces in Coal Mines”, and takes the efficient mining of super-high and super-long working faces as the core. The rock control theory, technology and fully mechanized mining equipment development status of super-high and super-long high-efficiency fully mechanized mining faces at home and abroad are introduced. This paper focuses on three major scientific issues: “three-dimensional dynamic fracture law of full overburden rock in super-large mining space and instability failure mechanism of super-high coal wall”, “structural transformation and stress regulation mechanism of strong overburden rock in super-large mining space”, “dynamic response and efficient intelligent collaborative operation mechanism of super-high and super-long fully mechanized mining equipment group under multiple dynamic loads”. Five technical breakthroughs are carried out, including “fracture and migration mechanism of full overburden rock in super large mining space and collaborative control theory of surrounding rock”, “fracturing and pressure relief technology and equipment in strong mine pressure area of super large mining space”, “intelligent mining complete equipment of super high and super long working face”, “intelligent collaborative control technology and equipment of equipment group of super high and super long working face”, “high efficiency fully mechanized mining engineering demonstration of super high and super long working face”. Practice shows that some ultra-high and ultra-long coal mining faces in China have formed a complete set of technology and equipment system, which provides a reliable guarantee for the safe, efficient and green mining of coal resources in thick and medium-thick coal seam mining areas with relatively simple geological conditions in China. The development direction of theoretical technology, equipment and control of super-high and super-long high-efficiency fully mechanized mining face in China is pointed out.

Abstract Background Articular cartilage degeneration can result from injury, age, or arthritis, causing significant joint pain and disability without surgical intervention. Currently, the only FDA cell-based therapy for articular cartilage injury is Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI); however, this procedure is costly, time-intensive, and requires multiple treatments. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are an attractive alternative autologous therapy due to their availability and ability to robustly differentiate into chondrocytes for transplantation with good safety profiles. However, treatment outcomes are variable due to donor-to-donor variability as well as intrapopulation heterogeneity and unstandardized MSC manufacturing protocols. Process improvements that reduce cell heterogeneity while increasing donor cell numbers with improved chondrogenic potential during expansion culture are needed to realize the full potential of MSC therapy. Methods In this study, we investigated the potential of MSC metabolic modulation during expansion to enhance their chondrogenic commitment by varying the nutrient composition, including glucose, pyruvate, glutamine, and ascorbic acid in culture media. We tested the effect of metabolic modulation in short-term (one passage) and long-term (up to seven passages). We measured metabolic state, cell size, population doubling time, and senescence and employed novel tools including micro-magnetic resonance relaxometry (µMRR) relaxation time (T2) to characterize the effects of AA on improved MSC expansion and chondrogenic potential. Results Our data show that the addition of 1 mM L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphate (AA) to cultures for one passage during MSC expansion prior to initiation of differentiation improves chondrogenic differentiation. We further demonstrate that AA treatment reduced the proportion of senescent cells and cell heterogeneity also allowing for long-term expansion that led to a > 300-fold increase in yield of MSCs with enhanced chondrogenic potential compared to untreated cells. AA-treated MSCs with improved chondrogenic potential showed a robust shift in metabolic profile to OXPHOS and higher µMRR T2 values, identifying critical quality attributes that could be implemented in MSC manufacturing for articular cartilage repair. Conclusions Our results suggest an improved MSC manufacturing process that can enhance chondrogenic potential by targeting MSC metabolism and integrating process analytic tools during expansion.

Abstract Bladder carcinoma (BLCA) represents a common urinary tract malignancy, characterized by aggressive behavior and high recurrence rates. The biological response regulation during tumor proliferation and metastasis is intimately associated with liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). For the purpose of enhancing early detection and treatment, this study employed transcriptomic data to examine the prognostic implications of LLPS-associated genes and formulate a predictive model. Clinical and transcriptomic data of bladder cancer patients were sourced from the GEO and TCGA databases. This study applied a clustering algorithm using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) to classify samples, which were systematically compared based on their liquid-liquid phase separation characteristics. Prognostic models were developed using multivariate Cox regression and the Least Absolute Shrinkage Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithm to establish risk formulas for nine genes. The gene signature’s validity was tested across the entire TCGA cohort (406 cases), the TCGA testing cohort (120 cases), and the external validation dataset GSE13507. The predictive accuracy of the signature system was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan-Meier curves. Additionally, decision curve analysis incorporating clinicopathological parameters and the genetic signature was employed to predict individual survival. This study identified two distinct molecular subtypes, C1 and C2. Patients with the C1 subtype exhibited significantly better prognoses than those with the C2 subtype. Low-risk group patients consistently showed superior prognoses compared to high-risk groups across the entire TCGA, GEO, and TCGA training cohorts. Furthermore, the LLPS-related gene model demonstrated prognostic value independent of other clinical traits. This study identifies LLPS-associated gene clusters and establishes an independent, accurate prognostic model for BLCA. The model holds potential for clinical application in BLCA prognosis assessment.

Abstract Background Cotton is an important economic crop and a host of Liriomyza sativae. Pectin methylesterase (PME)-mediated pectin metabolism plays an indispensable role in multiple biological processes in planta. However, the pleiotropic functions of PME often lead to unpredictable effects on crop resistance to pests. Additionally, whether and how PME affects susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae remain unclear. Results Here, we isolated GhPME36, which is located in the cell wall, from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Interestingly, the overexpression of GhPME36 in cotton caused severe susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae but increased leaf biomass in Arabidopsis. Cytological observations revealed that the cell wall was thinner with more demethylesterified pectins in GhPME36-OE cotton leaves than in WT leaves, whereas the soluble sugar content of GhPME36-OE cotton leaf cell walls was accordingly higher; both factors attracted Liriomyza sativae to feed on GhPME36-OE cotton leaves. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that glucose was significantly differentially accumulated. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed DEGs enriched in glucose metabolic pathways when GhPME36 was overexpressed, suggesting that GhPME36 aggravates susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae by affecting both the structure and components of cell wall biosynthesis. Moreover, GhPME36 interacts with another pectin-modifying enzyme, GhC/VIF1, to maintain the dynamic stability of pectin methyl esterification. Conclusions Taken together, our results reveal the cytological and molecular mechanisms by which GhPME36 aggravates susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae. This study broadens the knowledge of PME function and provides new insights into plant resistance to pests and the safety of genetically modified plants.

Cellulose macrofibers (MFs) are gaining increasing interest as natural and biodegradable alternatives to fossil-derived polymers for both structural and functional applications. However, simultaneously achieving their exceptional mechanical performance and desired functionality is challenging and requires complex processing. Here, we reported a one-step approach using a tension-assisted twisting (TAT) technique for MF fabrication from bacterial cellulose (BC). The TAT stretches and aligns BC nanofibers pre-arranged in hydrogel tubes to form MFs with compactly assembled structures and enhanced hydrogen bonding among neighboring nanofibers. The as-prepared BC MFs exhibited a very high tensile strength of 1 057 MPa and exceptional lifting capacity (over 340 000 when normalized by their own weight). Moreover, due to the volume expansion of BC nanofibers upon water exposure, BC MFs quickly harvested energy from environmental moisture to untwist the bundled networks, thus generating a torsional spinning with a peak rotation speed of 884 r/(min·m). The demonstrated rapid and intense actuation response makes the MFs ideal candidates for diverse humidity-response-based applications beyond advanced actuators, remote rain indicators, intelligent switches, and smart curtains.

Abstract Traditional open head and neck surgery often leaves permanent scars, significantly affecting appearance. The emergence of surgical robots has introduced a new era for minimally invasive surgery. However, the complex anatomy of the head and neck region, particularly the oral and maxillofacial areas, combined with the high costs associated with established systems such as the da Vinci, has limited the widespread adoption of surgical robots in this field. Recently, surgical robotic platform in China has developed rapidly, exemplified by the promise shown by the KangDuo Surgical Robot (KD-SR). Although the KD-SR has achieved some results comparable to the da Vinci surgical robot in urology and colorectal surgery, its performance in complex head and neck regions remains untested. This study evaluated the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of the newly developed KD-SR-01, comparing it with standard endoscopic systems in head and neck procedures on porcine models. We performed parotidectomy, submandibular gland resection, and neck dissection, collected baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and specifically assessed cognitive workload using the NASA-TLX. None of the robotic procedures were converted to endoscopic or open surgery. The results showed no significant difference in operation time between the two groups (P = 0.126), better intraoperative bleeding control (P = 0.001), and a significant reduction in cognitive workload (P

Abstract With the continuous progress of new energy technology, new energy vehicles have ushered in a stage of rapid development. As the central core of new energy vehicle, the power accumulator batteries have been attracting increasing attention. To obtain the exact electrical characteristics of the power battery, battery charging and discharging are integral component. A bidirectional grid‐connected AC/DC converter with predictive load‐feedforward compensation is presented in this article. Derive a predictive load‐feedforward model from the state space model of the rear DC/DC converter to reduce the bus voltage fluctuations caused by load variations. Firstly, the system structure for battery charging and discharging system is presented, and then the underlying principle of predictive load‐feedforward control is analyzed. Secondly, the predictive load‐feedforward model is built and discussed. Finally, build a system simulation model in MATLAB/Simulink and set up an experimental platform in the lab. Simulation results show that the predictive load‐feedforward control can reduce the bus voltage fluctuation and regulation time by about 84% and 50%, respectively, when the load power varies substantially. The findings of experimental studies also indicate that with predictive load‐feedforward control can significantly suppress bus voltage fluctuations and improve the dynamic response of the converter.

Introduction: Targeted protein degradation represents a promising therapeutic approach, while diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) arises as a consequence of aberrant insulin secretion and impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in the heart.. Objectives: Considering that the Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating energy metabolism, safeguarding cardiomyocytes, and influencing glucose uptake, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of TLR9 on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and elucidate its underlying mechanism. Methods: Mouse model of DCM was established using intraperitoneal injection of STZ, and mice were transfected with adeno-associated virus serotype 9-TLR9 (AAV9-TLR9) to assess the role of TLR9 in DCM. To explore the mechanism of TLR9 in regulating DCM disease progression, we conducted interactome analysis and employed multiple molecular approaches. Results: Our study revealed a significant correlation between TLR9 expression and mouse DCM. TLR9 overexpression markedly mitigated cardiac dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in DCM, while inflammation levels remained relatively unaffected. Mechanistically, TLR9 overexpression positively modulated mitochondrial bioenergetics and activated the AMPK-PGC1a signaling pathway. Furthermore, we identified Triad3A as an interacting protein that facilitated TLR9′s proteasomal degradation through K48-linked ubiquitination. Inhibiting Triad3A expression improved cardiac function and pathological changes in DCM by enhancing TLR9 activity. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the critical role of TLR9 in maintaining cardiac function and mitigating pathological alterations in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Triad3A-mediated regulation of TLR9 expression and function has significant implications for understanding the pathogenesis of DCM. Targeting TLR9 and its interactions with Triad3A may hold promise for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for diabetic cardiomyopathy. Further research is warranted to fully explore the therapeutic potential of TLR9 modulation in the context of cardiovascular diseases.

The effects of aluminum (Al) additions (0.04, 0.4, and 0.8 wt%) on the microstructural evolution, tensile properties, and sheared-edge ductility of dual phase (DP) steels were investigated. The DP steels were processed with distinct coiling temperatures after finish rolling, cold rolled, and subjected to two continuous galvanizing line (CGL) simulations: standard galvanizing (GI) and supercooling process (SC). Al expanded both the ɑ-ferrite and (ɑ+γ) phase fields at the expense of the γ-austenite region. Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams showed that Al increased ferrite start temperatures, broadened the ferrite transformation zone, and reduced austenite stability. Austenite growth kinetics during intercritical annealing, quantified using a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) model, revealed Avrami exponents ranging from 0.72 to 0.81 and apparent activation energies increasing from 422.9 to 496.7 kJ mol−1 with Al additions. Microstructural characterization revealed larger ferrite grain sizes and higher ferrite volume fractions with higher Al levels. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was influenced by Al contents, coiling temperatures, and CGL simulation methods. Global ductility (total elongation, TE) was highest for the 0.8Al Steel with a high coiling temperature and GI annealing, while local ductility (hole expansion ratio, HER) was maximized for the 0.04 Al Steel with a low coiling temperature and SC annealing. The majority of the CGL simulated DP steels exhibited good strength-ductility combinations, with the 0.8Al Steels demonstrating superior properties compared to current automotive advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) grades.

BackgroundLead is persistent in the environment as a toxic substance and accumulates in the human body. Lead exposure has far-reaching harmful effects on all human systems and is widely recognized as a health and public health concern. Lead exposure poses a significant risk to oral health, as it destroys salivary glands and alveolar bone. It also induces oxidative stress which results in an immune response. Lead exposure appears to adversely affect periodontal tissues. Currently, the available evidence on the relationship between blood lead and periodontitis is insufficient and further research is necessary.ObjectiveIn this study, the objectives were to clarify the association between blood lead and periodontitis, as well as to explore potential dose-response relationships between blood lead exposure and periodontitis, as well as to determine appropriate thresholds for the effects of blood lead on periodontitis.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study involving 8,550 participants with American adults aged 30 or older. blood Lead, periodontitis, age, sex, race, heart rate, education level, poverty index, marital status, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, hypertension, diabetes and stroke. were collected from participants. Logistic regression, smooth curve fittingwere utilized to substantiate the research objectives.ResultsThere were a total of 8,550 participants of which 52.2% (4,467/8,550) had moderate/severe periodontitis. Compared with Q1 (0.15–0.93 ug/L), where blood lead levels were lower, the OR values for adjusted blood lead and periodontitis in Q2 (0.93–1.60 ug/L) and Q3 (1.60–61.29 ug/L) were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.12–1.25, P < 0.001) and 1.43 (95% CI: 1.34–1.52, P < 0.001). The association between blood lead levels and periodontitis exhibited a curve (non-linear, P < 0.001), with an inflection point of roughly 2.700 ug/L. The OR values for moderate/severe periodontitis in participants with blood lead levels

The efficient utilization of biomass energy and the optimal operation of integrated renewable energy sources in virtual power plants have become critical issues that need addressing to achieve carbon neutrality targets in rural areas. This paper introduces a model for rural biomass energy generation based on the characteristics of rural biogas availability, fermentation efficiency, and utilization status. A model for a rural virtual power plant is proposed, taking into account the flexible response capacity of renewable energy sources consumption and load demand response. Additionally, the correlated uncertainties of photovoltaic and wind turbine outputs are addressed by leveraging the flexible biogas power generation in the rural virtual power plant. The scenario generation method is proposed based on the Copula function to describe the correlated uncertainties. Aiming to minimize the system operating cost while ensuring the safe operation of the system, a two-stage distributionally robust optimization operation model for the rural virtual power plant is proposed. The dual vertices fixing based algorithm is developed to solve the two-stage distributionally robust optimal operation problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model and method effectively reduce over-robustness by addressing correlated uncertainties and achieve the safe, economical, and green operation of the rural energy system under uncertain conditions.

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to investigate the muscle differences in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) using opportunistic low-dose chest CT and to compare different methods for the segmentation of muscle in children. Methods This single center retrospective study enrolled children with OI and controls undergoing opportunistic low-dose chest CT obtained during the COVID pandemic. From the CT images, muscle size (cross-sectional area) and density (mean Hounsfield Units [HU]) of the trunk muscles were measured at the mid-T4 and the mid-T10 level using two methods, the fixed thresholds and the Gaussian mixture model. The Bland-Altman method was also used to compute the strength of agreement between two methods. Comparison of muscle results between OI and controls were analyzed with Student t tests. Results 20 children with OI (mean age, 9.1 ± 3.3 years, 15 males) and 40 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Mean differences between two methods were good. Children with OI had lower T4 and T10 muscle density than controls measured by the fixed thresholds (41.2 HU vs. 48.0 HU, p

Abstract Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has emerged as a predominant liver disease worldwide, lacking approved drugs for clinical intervention at present. The composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) is used to assess the anti-inflammatory properties of diets, with higher CDAI indicating greater exposure to antioxidants. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the relationship between CDAI and MASLD in order to identify potential therapeutic approaches. We collected data from 12,286 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2017 to 2020 for analysis. The correlation between CDAI and MASLD status, controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was evaluated by adjusting for confounding variables using weighted binary logistic regression model, linear regression model, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression. The median CDAI in this study was − 0.3055 (interquartile range [IQR], − 2.299 to 2.290). The CDAI was higher in the population characterized by being young, female, higher income, absence of diabetes, and non-MASLD. After multivariable adjustment, the results of the weighted linear regression model suggested that higher CDAI may be associated with a decrease in CAP values; the results of the RCS regression model indicated significant non-linear relationships between MASLD status, CAP, LSM, and CDAI. The CDAI corresponding to the inflection points of the relationship curves between MASLD status, CAP, LSM, and CDAI were 0.349, 0.699, and 0.174, respectively. After further stratification by gender, we found that the relationship between MASLD status, CAP, and CDAI was significantly linear for females, whereas for males, it was non-linear, and the CDAI values corresponding to the inflection points in the curves for males were 1.325 and 0.985, respectively. We found that higher CDAI may be associated with decreased CAP values, particularly significant in females, suggesting that the intake of complex dietary antioxidants may ameliorate hepatic steatosis and reduce the occurrence of MASLD. Therefore, promoting dietary patterns rich in antioxidants may be an appropriate strategy to reduce the incidence of MASLD.

Abstract Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is clinically used as a glucose-lowering and weight loss medication due to its effects on energy metabolism. In heart failure, energy production is impaired due to altered mitochondrial function and increased glycolysis. However, the impact of semaglutide on cardiomyocyte metabolism under pressure overload remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that semaglutide improves cardiac function and reduces hypertrophy and fibrosis in a mouse model of pressure overload-induced heart failure. Semaglutide preserves mitochondrial structure and function under chronic stress. Metabolomics reveals that semaglutide reduces mitochondrial damage, lipid accumulation, and ATP deficiency by promoting pyruvate entry into the tricarboxylic acid cycle and increasing fatty acid oxidation. Transcriptional analysis shows that semaglutide regulates myocardial energy metabolism through the Creb5/NR4a1 axis in the PI3K/AKT pathway, reducing NR4a1 expression and its translocation to mitochondria. NR4a1 knockdown ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in the heart. These findings suggest that semaglutide may be a therapeutic agent for improving cardiac remodeling by modulating energy metabolism.

Abstract Background Quality of life research can guide clinical workers to adopt more targeted treatment and intervention measures, so as to achieve the purpose of improving patients’ quality of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with cervical cancer and to explore its influencing factors. Methods A total of 186 patients with cervical cancer were investigated by using the QLICP-CE (V2.0) scale (Quality of Life Instruments for Cancer Patients-Cervical Cancer) developed by our group in China. The data were analyzed by t-test, one-way ANOVA, univariate analysis, and multivariate linear regression. Results The total score of quality of life scale for cervical cancer patients was (62.58 ± 12.69), Univariate analysis of objective clinical indexes showed that creatinine concentration was a negative influence factor in the psychological domain, potassium ion concentration was a negative influence factor in the common symptoms and side effect domain, erythrocyte content was a positive influence factor physical domain and common general domain. Multiple linear regression results suggested that clinical staging was the influencing factor of common symptom and side effect domain, common general module and total score of scale. Marital status has different degrees of influence on the psychological, social, and common general domains. The level of education also influenced scores in the social domain. Conclusion The total score of quality of life in patients with cervical cancer who received active treatment was acceptable. Marital status, clinical staging, and educational level are the factors that affect the quality of life of patients with cervical cancer. At the same time, potassium ion concentration, red blood cell count and creatinine concentration also have important effects on quality of life in patients with cervical cancer. Therefore, it is very important to give personalized treatment and nursing to patients based on various factors.

Abstract Background Quality of life of osteoporosis patients had caused widespread concern, due to high incidence and difficulty to cure. Scale specifics for osteoporosis and suitable for Chinese cultural background lacked. This study aimed to develop an osteoporosis scale in Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases system, namely QLICD-OS (V2.0). Methods Procedural decision-making approach of nominal group, focus group and modular approach were adopted. Our scale was developed based on experience of establishing scales at home and abroad. In this study, Quality of life measurements were performed on 127 osteoporosis patients before and after treatment to evaluate the psychometric properties. Validity was evaluated by qualitative analysis, item-domain correlation analysis, multi-scaling analysis and factor analysis; the SF-36 scale was used as criterion to carry out correlation analysis for criterion-related validity. The reliability was evaluated by the internal consistency coefficients Cronbach’s α, test-retest reliability Pearson correlation r. Paired t-tests were performed on data of ​​the scale before and after treatment, with Standardized Response Mean (SRM) being calculated to evaluate the responsiveness. Results The QLICD-OS, composed of a general module (28 items) and an osteoporosis-specific module (14 items), had good content validity. Correlation analysis and factor analysis confirmed the construct, with the item having a strong correlation (most > 0.40) with its own domains/principle components, and a weak correlation (

Abstract The synthesis of rain fields is essential in multiple research fields and applications, including Single‐image Derain. However, there is a lack of research on simulated rain fields, and the existing rain field generation models struggle to capture complex spatial distributions and generate truly random rain fields. To address this, the authors propose a generative adversarial networks‐based rain field generation network, which consists of a generator, a discriminator, and a feature extraction block that can produce realistic and complex rain fields. The authors’ experiments demonstrate that this method achieves an average Frechet Inception Distance score of 0.035, and user studies indicate that the generated rain distribution looks naturally.

Abstract Background Studies has suggested that receiving social support improves the professional identity of health professional students. According to the two-way social support theory, social support includes receiving social support and giving social support. However, the effect of the two-way social support on health professional students’ professional identity has not been clarified yet. Methods To explore the mechanism of how two-way social support affects health professional students’ professional identity, an observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience and cluster sample of 1449 health professional students from two medical schools in western China. Measures included a short version of the two-way social support scale, a health professional students’ professional identity questionnaire, an achievement motivation scale, and a meaning in life scale. (Data were analyzed by use of SPSS26.0 software, Amos 28.0 software, and PROCESSv4.0 plug-in.). Results Receiving social support, giving social support, achievement motivation, meaning in life, and professional identity were positively correlated with each other. Receiving and giving social support not only directly predicted health professional students’ professional identity, but also indirectly predicted health professional students’ professional identity through the mediating roles of achievement motivation and meaning in life, and the chain mediating roles of achievement motivation and meaning in life, respectively. The effectiveness of predicting health professional students’ professional identity varied among different types of two-way social support, which could be depicted as two-way social support > mainly giving social support > mainly receiving social support > low two-way social support. Conclusion In the medical education, the awareness and ability of health professional students to receive and give social support should be strengthened. More attention should be drawn on the chain mediating effect of achievement motivation and meaning in life between two-way social support and professional identity. The current results shed new light on exploring effective ways of improving health professional students’ professional identity, which suggested that more attention should be paid to the positive effects of mainly giving social support and two-way social support rather than only on the effects of receiving social support.

Abstract Rheumatoid Arthritis is a more serious threatening to people and suitable for QOL measurement. A few specific QOL instruments are available without considering Chinese culture. The present study was aimed to develop and validate the Rheumatoid Arthritis Scale among the System of Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases (QLICD-RA V2.0). The data collected from 379 patients with RA was used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. The reliability was evaluated by the internal consistency Cronbach’s α, test–retest reliability Pearson correlation r and intra-class correlation (ICC). We evaluated the construct validity and criteria-related validity by correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. We compared the differences in scores of QLICD-RA before and after treatment and used the Standard Response Mean (SRM) to assess the responsiveness. The results showed that the internal consistency coefficient Cronbach’s α values were greater than 0.70. The correlations r and ICCs were greater than 0.80. The correlation analysis and structural equation modeling confirmed good construct validity and criterion-related validity. The SRM ranges from 0.07 to 0.27 for significant domains/facets. It concluded that QLICD-RA (2.0) is a reliable and valid instrument to measure QOL among patients with RA.

Abstract Background Indobufen is widely used in patients with aspirin intolerance in East Asia. The OPTION trial launched by our cardiac center examined the performance of indobufen based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the vast majority of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and aspirin intolerance were excluded. We aimed to explore this question in a real-world population. Methods Patients enrolled in the ASPIRATION registry were grouped according to the DAPT strategy that they received after PCI. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Propensity score matching (PSM) was adopted for confounder adjustment. Results A total of 7135 patients were reviewed. After one-year follow-up, the indobufen group was associated with the same risk of MACCE versus the aspirin group after PSM (6.5% vs. 6.5%, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65 to 1.52, P = 0.978). However, BARC type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding was significantly reduced (3.0% vs. 11.9%, HR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.40, P

NQO1 is a FAD containing NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductase that catalyzes the reduction of quinones and related substrates, which plays an important role in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Based on the indolequinone structure from 5-methoxy-2-methylindole, the indolequinone of NQO1 agonists was first coupled with amino-evodiamine derivatives by esterification reaction, and sixteen new compounds targeting NQO1 were developed. Among them, compounds 11b and 12d (IC50 = 2.72 or 3.66 µM, respectively) were showed better activity by cytotoxicity assay than the reference drug EVO (IC50 = 19.65 µM). Furthermore, the results of flow cytometry analysis showed that compounds 11b and 12d promoted apoptosis in A549 cells, blocked the cell cycle to the G2/M stage and caused a burst of reactive oxygen species. Western blotting experiments revealed that compounds 11b and 12d, after 24 h of treatment in A549 cells, downregulate the expression of Keap1 while upregulating the expression of Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1. This suggests that compounds 11b and 12d increase cellular antioxidant capacity by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2/NQO1 antioxidant pathway. In vivo anti-tumor experiments showed that the reference drugs EVO (TGI = 15.94 %) and 5-Fu (TGI = 27.54 %) inhibited the proliferation of tumor tissue, while compound 11b could better inhibit the proliferation of tumor tissue (TGI = 39.13 %). In conclusion, our research results suggest that compounds 11b and 12d are potent agonism of the NQO1 signaling pathway and provide a potential opportunity to improve the treatment of NSCLC.

Abstract Traditional artificial vision systems built using separate sensing, computing, and storage units have problems with high power consumption and latency caused by frequent data transmission between functional units. An effective approach is to transfer some memory and computing tasks to the sensor, enabling the simultaneous perception‐storage‐processing of light signals. Here, an optical–electrical coordinately modulated memristor is proposed, which controls the conductivity by means of polarization of the 2D ferroelectric Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite film at room temperature. The residual polarization shows no significant decay after 109‐cycle polarization reversals, indicating that the device has high durability. By adjusting the pulse parameters, the device can simulate the bio‐synaptic long/short‐term plasticity, which enables the control of conductivity with a high linearity of ≈0.997. Based on the device, a two‐layer feedforward neural network is built to recognize handwritten digits, and the recognition accuracy is as high as 97.150%. Meanwhile, building optical–electrical reserve pool system can improve 14.550% for face recognition accuracy, further demonstrating its potential for the field of neural morphological visual systems, with high density and low energy loss.

Background: International students have a lower utilization rate of the local medical service system for studying abroad, and it has been found that there may be multiple reasons behind this phenomenon. This study explores the usage of medical service systems by international students and the underlying logical factors through a study of the usage of National Health Service (NHS) of Chinese students in the UK. Methods: To address the research questions, this study employed an online survey methodology that ran between 1st May and August 20, 2019 facing the Chinese students in the UK. A total of 1,050 questionnaires were distributed and 1,001 questionnaires were recovered, of which 977 contained valid responses (questionnaire response rate was 95.3 % and validity rate was 97.6 %). Before the questionnaire was designed and after it was issued, two focus group interviews were conducted to provide reliable and detailed information to inform the questionnaire design and to supplement the questionnaire survey data with more profound psychological qualitative data. The two focus groups consisted of 10 and 12 Chinese students studying in the UK and each lasted more than 3 h. Results: The survey data showed that the medical services utilization rate of Chinese students in the UK is relatively low compared to UK residents and domestic Chinese students. Their decisions and behaviours around medical services usage in the UK are not significantly related to age, gender, and monthly income, but are instead related to their current education status, types of disease suffered, and information acquisition about the UK medical services before coming to the UK. When getting sick, in addition to seeking help from official medical services, Chinese students studying in the UK tend to self-diagnose and self-medicate; seeking help from social networks based on friendship and domestic relatives are also alternatives to accessing medical services. Conclusion: Combining the theories of ‘sick role’ and ‘illness experience’, the decisions and behaviours related to medical services usage by Chinese students in the UK are significantly influenced by their understanding of medical services, which is socially and culturally learned in China. Understanding the perspective of the ‘sick role’ and the ‘illness experience’ of Chinese students may help to better think about how improvements can be made to their utilization rate of medical services and their health status during their studies in the UK. This study not only provides us with specific information and understanding on the usage of medical services for Chinese students in the UK, but the research results may also provide a reference for other similar research on the health and medical service use of other international students studying in the cross-cultural contexts.

As underground mining operations gradually extend deeper, the conditions for orebody occurrence become increasingly complex, and various geological disasters occur frequently. Rock masses are prone to different degrees and types of damage, making it impractical to continue using intact rock as a reference. To study the dynamic mechanical properties of damaged rock under actual conditions, this study subjected granite samples to impact and high-temperature damage. Detailed observations were made of the samples' surface morphology and microstructure before and after damage, and the patterns of damage changes were investigated. Subsequently, uniaxial compression tests at different loading rates were conducted on the damaged samples. By calculating the loading rate effect sensitivity, it was found that as the damage increased, the rate effect gradually diminished. In addition, this study also summarized the influence of damage and loading rate on the macroscopic failure characteristics of the samples. The novelty of this study lies in focusing on damaged rock, which more closely resembles the actual rock conditions encountered in most underground mining operations today. This research can provide a reference for stability assessment and safe construction in deep mining rock engineering and offers important insights into the feasibility of non-explosive extraction of damaged rock.

Abstract Background The escalating challenge of Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is closely linked to the blaNDM-1 gene. This study explores the regulatory mechanisms of blaNDM-1 expression and aims to enhance antibacterial tactics to counteract the spread and infection of resistant bacteria. Methods KP and CRKP strains were isolated from HAP patients' blood samples. Transcriptomic sequencing (RNA-seq) identified significant upregulation of blaNDM-1 gene expression in CRKP strains. Bioinformatics analysis revealed blaNDM-1 gene involvement in beta-lactam resistance pathways. CRISPR-Cas9 was used to delete the blaNDM-1 gene, restoring sensitivity. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated enhanced efficacy with Imipenem and Thanatin or Subatan combination therapy. Results KP and CRKP strains were isolated with significant upregulation of blaNDM-1 in CRKP strains identified by RNA-seq. The Beta-lactam resistance pathway was implicated in bioinformatics analysis. Knockout of blaNDM-1 reinstated sensitivity in CRKP strains. Further, co-treatment with Imipenem, Thanatin, or Subactam markedly improved antimicrobial effectiveness. Conclusion Silencing blaNDM-1 in CRKP strains from HAP patients weakens their Carbapenem resistance and optimizes antibacterial strategies. These results provide new theoretical insights and practical methods for treating resistant bacterial infections.

Abstract Histone methylation plays a crucial role in various cellular processes. We previously reported the in vitro function of histone lysine demethylase 7 A (KDM7A) in osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation. The current study was undertaken to investigate the physiological role of KDM7A in bone homeostasis and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. A conditional strategy was employed to delete the Kdm7a gene specifically in osterix-expressing osteoprogenitor cells in mice. The resulting mutant mice exhibited a significant increase in cancellous bone mass, accompanied by an increase in osteoblasts and bone formation, as well as a reduction in osteoclasts, marrow adipocytes and bone resorption. The bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and calvarial pre-osteoblastic cells derived from the mutant mice exhibited enhanced osteogenic differentiation and suppressed adipogenic differentiation. Additionally, osteoclastic precursor cells from the mutant mice exhibited impaired osteoclast differentiation. Co-culturing BMSCs from the mutant mice with wild-type osteoclast precursor cells resulted in the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. Mechanistic investigation revealed that KDM7A was able to upregulate the expression of fibroblast activation protein α (FAP) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) in BMSCs through removing repressive di-methylation marks of H3K9 and H3K27 from Fap and Rankl promoters. Moreover, recombinant FAP attenuated the dysregulation of osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation in BMSCs from Kdm7a deficient mice. Finally, Kdm7a deficiency prevented ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice. This study establish the role of KDM7A in bone homeostasis through its epigenetic regulation of osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. Consequently, inhibiting KDM7A may prove beneficial in ameliorating osteoporosis. KDM7A suppresses osteoblast differentiation and bone formation through. upregulating FAP expression and inactivating canonical Wnt signaling, and conversely promotes osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption through upregulating RANKL expression. These are based on its epigenetic removal of the repressive H3K9me2 and H3K27me2 marks from Fap and Rankl promoters. As a result, the expression of KDM7A in osteoprogenitor cells tends to negatively modulate bone mass.

Abstract Background Although epidural anaesthesia and spinal anaesthesia are currently the general choices for patients undergoing caesarean section, these two neuraxial anaesthesia methods still have drawbacks. Caudal anaesthesia has been considered to be more appropriate for gynaecological surgery. The purpose of this study was to compare epidural anaesthesia combined with caudal anaesthesia, spinal anaesthesia and single-space epidural anaesthesia for caesarean section with respect to postoperative comfort and intraoperative anaesthesia quality. Methods In this clinical trial, 150 patients undergoing elective caesarean section were recruited and randomized into three groups according to a ratio of 1:1:1to receive epidural anaesthesia only, spinal anaesthesia only or epidural anaesthesia combined with caudal anaesthesia. The primary outcome was postoperative comfort in the three groups. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative anaesthesia quality and the incidences of nausea, vomiting, postdural puncture headache, maternal bradycardia, or hypotension. Results More patients were satisfied with the intraoperative anaesthesia quality in the EAC group than in the EA group (P = 0.001). The obstetrician was more significantly satisfied with the intraoperative anaesthesia quality in the SA and EAC groups than in the EA group (P = 0.004 and 0.020, respectively). The parturients felt more comfortable after surgery in the EA and EAC groups (P = 0.007). The incidence of maternal hypotension during caesarean section was higher in the SA group than in the EA and EAC groups (P = 0.001 and 0.019, respectively). Conclusions Epidural anaesthesia combined with caudal anaesthesia may be a better choice for elective caesarean section. Compared with epidural anaesthesia and spinal anaesthesia, it has a higher quality of postoperative comfort and intraoperative anaesthesia.

In recent years, convolutional neural network (CNN) has achieved great success in the field of network security protection. With the popularization of smart terminals and the gradual increase of power grid informatization and digitization, the protection of power monitoring systems from various cybersecurity threads is a current scientific problem that needs to be solved urgently. To this end, this paper proposes a malware detection method based on genetic algorithm optimization of the CNN-SENet network, which firstly introduces the SENet attention mechanism into the convolutional neural network to enhance the spatial feature extraction capability of the model; then, the application programming interface (API) sequences corresponding to different software behaviors are processed by segmentation and de-duplication, which in turn leads to the sequence feature extraction through the CNN-SENet model; finally, genetic algorithm is used to optimize the hyperparameters of CNN-SENet network to reduce the computational overhead of CNN and to achieve the recognition and classification of different malware at the output layer. The examples under the public dataset containing 8 kinds of malware show that the proposed method is better than the traditional algorithmic model, and can accurately and efficiently achieve malware detection with strong generalization ability.

Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionized Natural Language Processing (NLP) and have been widely adopted in various applications such as machine translation, chatbots, text summarization, and so on. However, the use of LLMs has raised concerns about their potential safety and security risks. In this survey, we explore the safety implications of LLMs, including ethical considerations, hallucination, and prompt injection. We also discuss current research efforts to mitigate these risks and identify areas for future research. Our survey provides a comprehensive overview of the safety concerns related to LLMs, which can help researchers and practitioners in the NLP community develop more safe and ethical applications of LLMs.

ObjectiveTo investigate the high-risk detection rate and aggregation of cardiovascular diseases（CVD） in 8 districts of Shanghai and influencing factors， and to provide scientific references for prevention and control of CVD.MethodsBased on the Cardiovascular Disease Screening and Management Program in Shanghai from 2016 to 2021， 104 685 participants aged 35 to 75 in 8 districts of Shanghai were selected for analysis. χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis of the influencing factors of CVD and aggregation of CVD.ResultsThe proportion of high-risk CVD individuals in the population was 19.17%， including the high-risk individuals with hypertension （8.65%）， dyslipidemia （6.33%）， CVD history （5.58%）， and WHO assessed risk ≥20% types （2.69%）， respectively. Old age， overweight and obesity， central obesity， smoking， drinking， farmers， unmarried， and low family income were the risk factors of CVD， while high education level was the protective factor. In the participants， 16 323 people （81.34%） were classified as CVD high-risk groups； The number of aggregation of 1， 2 and ≥3 high risk types of CVD were 16 323（81.34%）， 3 236（16.13%）， 509（2.54%）， respectively. Old age， low education level， low annual family income， farmers， unmarried， smoking， drinking， overweight， obesity and central obesity were associated with the risk of aggregation of high risk types of CVD， and the correlation strength increased with the increase of aggregation types.ConclusionThe prevention and control of CVD in Shanghai should focus on the hypertension， elderly， overweight， obesity， central obesity， smoking， drinking， low educated， low family income， farmers and unmarried people， and targeted intervention measures should be taken to reduce the risk of CVD among residents.

Brown carbon aerosols (BrC), a subfraction of organic aerosols, significantly influence the atmospheric environment, climate and human health. The North China Plain (NCP) is a hotspot for BrC research in China, yet our understanding of the optical properties of BrC in rural regions is still very limited. In this study, we characterize the chemical components and light absorption of BrC at a rural site during winter in the NCP. The average mass concentration of PM1 is 135.1 ± 82.3 μg/m3; organics and nitrate are the main components of PM1. The absorption coefficient of BrC (babs,BrC) is 53.6 ± 45.7 Mm−1, accounting for 39.5 ± 10.2% of the total light absorption at 370 nm. Diurnal variations reveal that the babs,BrC and organics are lower in the afternoon, attributed to the evolution of planetary boundary layers. BrC is mainly emitted locally, and both the aqueous phase and the photooxidation reactions can increase babs,BrC. Notably, the babs,BrC is reduced when RH > 65%. During foggy conditions, reactions in the aqueous phase facilitate the formation of secondary components and contribute to the bleaching of BrC. This process ultimately causes a decrease in both the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) and the mass absorption efficiency (MAE). In contrast, the babs,BrC, along with AAE and MAE, rise significantly due to substantial primary emissions. This study enhances our understanding of the light absorption of BrC in rural polluted regions of the NCP.

Conventional methods for constructing bridge I-beam joints face several challenges, including heavy precast slabs, complicated transportation and lifting procedures, strict accuracy requirements, lengthy construction timelines, and increased safety risks. The use of ultra-thin, high-performance reactive powder concrete (RPC) prefabricated slabs can effectively resolve these issues. However, research in this area is limited, leaving our understanding of the strength and feasibility of ultra-thin RPC slabs for I-beam joints incomplete. Therefore, this study conducts a thorough examination of the strength and safety aspects of these slabs to assess their practical suitability. First, 11 numerical models are generated to evaluate the bearing capacity of ultra-thin RPC slabs, determining key factors such as cracking load, ultimate load, and safety factor according to relevant codes and standards. This establishes a theoretical foundation for practical engineering applications. Next, several sets of ultra-thin RPC slabs that meet material performance criteria are prefabricated to study the mechanical properties under equivalent concentrated load. Finally, two types of in situ temporary construction loads are encountered in the safety calculations of the RPC slabs. This study aims to provide a robust theoretical framework and technical support for the application and advancement of ultra-thin RPC prefabricated slabs in bridge I-beam joints.

The increase in new energy grid connections has reduced the supply-side regulation capability of the power system. Traditional economic dispatch methods are insufficient for addressing the flexibility limitations in the system’s balancing capabilities. Consequently, this study presents a day-ahead scheduling method for renewable energy systems that balances flexibility and economy. This approach establishes a dual-layer optimized scheduling model. The upper-layer model focuses on the economic efficiency of unit start-up and shut-down, utilizing a particle swarm algorithm to identify unit combinations that comply with minimum start-up and shut-down time constraints. In contrast, the lower-layer model addresses the dual uncertainties of generation and load. It employs the Generalized Polynomial Chaos approximation to create an opportunity-constrained model aimed at minimizing unit generation and curtailment costs while maximizing flexibility supply capability. Additionally, it calculates the probability of flexibility supply-demand insufficiency due to uncertainties in demand response resource supply and system operating costs, providing feedback to the upper-layer model. Ultimately, through iterative solutions of the upper and lower models, a day-ahead scheduling plan that effectively balances flexibility and economy is derived. The proposed method is validated using a simulation of the IEEE 30-bus system case study, demonstrating its capability to balance system flexibility and economy while effectively reducing the risk of insufficient supply-demand balance.

There are many uncertainties in the actual use of thermal protection systems (TPSs). In this paper, an interval finite element model of a TPS under transient heat transfer is established by taking the uncertainties of TPSs as interval parameters. An affine interval finite element method (AIFEM) is proposed to study the temperature response bounds of uncertain TPSs under transient heat transfer conditions. Two numerical examples are given to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed AIFEM by comparison with the Monte Carlo method. The results show that the AIFEM can provide conservative and efficient calculation results in TPS transient heat transfer design with interval parameters.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of replacing fish meal (FM) with spray-dried blood meal (SDBM) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, digestive enzyme activity, tissue Fe content, gene expression related to inflammation, and the TOR pathway in juvenile swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus). Four isonitrogenous (47.0% protein) and isolipidic (9.0% lipid) diets were formulated to contain different levels of SDBM, with FM replaced by SDBM at 0, 10%, 20%, and 30%, respectively. The results showed that crabs fed diet SDBM30 exhibited the lowest survival among all treatments, and crabs fed the SDBM20 diet had the highest final weight, percent weight gain, specific growth rate and feed efficiency among all treatments. In addition, the protein content of the crab hepatopancreas decreased significantly and the lipid content increased significantly as SDBM replaced FM in the diets. Compared to other diets, crabs fed the SDBM30 diet had the lowest activities of antioxidant enzymes and the highest concentration of malondialdehyde in the hepatopancreas and hemolymph. The Fe contents in hepatopancreas and gill increased significantly, and the color of the hepatopancreas got darker as replacement of FM with SDBM increased from 0% to 30%. The expression of genes related to TOR (tor, akt, s6, and s6k1) and antioxidant (gpx) pathways in the hepatopancreas were down-regulated significantly with increased replacement of dietary FM with SDBM. In contrast, expression levels of genes related to protein translation (4ebp1, eif4e1a, eif4e2, and eif4e3) and inflammation pathways (myd88, traf6, relish, and irak4) were up-regulated significantly in crabs fed diets with SDBM supplementation. In summary, replacing FM with less than 20% of SDBM can promote the growth, but can darken the hepatopancreas, negatively affect antioxidant capacity, and induce an inflammatory response.

In recent years, the strategy of obtaining ultra-high strength bulk Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys materials through implementing severe plastic deformation (SPD) has emerged as the prominent trend in structural lightweight development in aerospace and transportation fields. However, the inherent poor formability makes the SPD process of high-alloying Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys a great challenge. In the present work, a continuous SPD process named the Conform, utilizing a rotational speed of 4 rpm and a mold preheating temperature of 300 °C, was performed on the high-alloying 7055 Al alloy and prepared rod materials with excellent mechanical properties. The results indicated that violent shear deformation accompanied by rapid temperature rise contributes to the specific grain refinement mechanism of continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX). The grain configuration formed by this cooperative mechanism is advantageous for the alloy's compatible deformation capability. As a result, a synergistic improvement in the strength and ductility of the Conformed 7055 Al alloy was obtained. Additionally, the strengthening mechanisms induced by the Conform process were quantitatively calculated, revealing that solid solution strengthening and dislocation strengthening were the primary reasons for the enhanced strength of processed alloys.

The study investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of probiotics in conjunction with an anti-PD-L1 antibody on the immune functions of septic mice. Sixty-four mice were assigned to sepsis groups receiving vehicle, probiotics, and anti-PD-L1 antibody individually or in combination, with healthy mice as controls. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), followed by intraperitoneal Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Blood and tissues were collected one day post-injection for detecting inflammation-related cytokines, Treg, PI3K/Akt pathway-related protein expression, and lung tissue pathology. The survival time of the remaining ten mice was recorded over seven days. Compared to healthy mice, septic mice given PBS exhibited significantly different serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-10, and IFN-γ (all p

Isorhynchophylline (IRN), a tetracyclic indole alkaloid, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities against cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system disorders. Acute lung injury (ALI) is a manifestation of inflammation concentrated in the lungs and has a high incidence rate and mortality The purpose of this study is to explain the mechanism of IRN in the treatment of acute lung injury and to provide a new scheme for clinical treatment. The experimental mice were divided into three groups: CTRL, LPS, LPS+IRN. The mouse model of ALI was established by inhaling LPS solution through nose. After continuous administration of IRN solution for 7 days, the mice in LPS+IRN group were killed and the lung tissue was collected for detection. Proteomic (Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD050432) results showed that 5727 proteins were detected in mouse lung tissues, and 16 proteins were screened out. IRN could reverse the trend of these differential proteins. In addition, IRN can act on integrin αM to reduce neutrophil recruitment and thereby produce anti-inflammatory effects and may suppress neutrophil migration through the leukocyte transendothelial migration pathway. TUNEL and RT-PCR experiments revealed that LPS-induced ALI in mice increases the apoptosis of lung tissues, damage to alveolar epithelial cells and levels of inflammatory factors. Treatment with IRN can repair tissues, improve lung tissue pathology and reduce lung inflammation.

Background Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious illness that has few treatment options available. Tribuloside, a natural flavonoid extracted from the Tribulus Terrestris plant in China, is potent in addressing many health issues such as headaches, dizziness, itching, and vitiligo. Objective This study intends to explore the mechanisms of action of Tribuloside in treating ALI through a combination of network pharmacology and experimental validation. Methods We obtained the 2D structure and SMILES number of Tribuloside from the PubChem database. We used the SwissTargetPrediction database to identify pharmacological targets. We found 1215 targets linked to ALI by examining the GeneCards database. We used the String database and Cytoscape software to create the “drug or disease-target” network as well as the protein-protein interactions (PPI). Key targets were identified by evaluating associated biological processes and pathway enrichment. A Venny Diagram showed 49 intersection points between Tribuloside and ALI. Molecular docking with AutoDockTools found that Tribuloside had a high affinity for IL6, BCL2, TNF, STAT3, IL1B, and MAPK3, the top 6 targets in the PPI network by Degree values. To test Tribuloside’s therapeutic efficacy in ALI, an acute lung damage model in mice was constructed using lipopolysaccharide. Tribuloside treatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, decreased fibrotic area, repaired damaged alveoli, and suppressed inflammatory factors IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the lungs through many pathways and targets. Conclusion This study reveals that Tribuloside has the potential to treat ALI by targeting various pathways and targets, according to network pharmacology predictions and experimental confirmation.

Objective: This study aims to develop and evaluate the biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of a novel injectable strontium-doped hydroxyapatite bone-repair material.Methods: The properties of strontium-doped hydroxyapatite/chitosan (Sr-HA/CS), hydroxyapatite/chitosan (HA/CS) and calcium phosphate/chitosan (CAP/CS) were assessed following their preparation via physical cross-linking and a one-step simplified method. Petri dishes containing Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis were inoculated with the material for in vitro investigations. The material was also co-cultured with stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), to assess the morphology and proliferation capability of the SHEDs, Calcein-AM staining and the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay were employed. Osteogenic differentiation of SHEDs was determined using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and Alizarin Red staining. For in vivo studies, Sr-HA/CS was implanted into the muscle pouch of mice and in a rat model of ovariectomy-induced femoral defects. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to determine the extent of bone formation and defect healing. The formation of new bone was determined using Masson’s trichrome staining. The osteogenic mechanism of the material was investigated using Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and immunohistochemical studies.Results: X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed that strontium was successfully doped into HA. The Sr-HA/CS material can be uniformly squeezed using a syringe with a 13% swelling rate. Sr-HA/CS had a significant antibacterial effect against both E. coli and S. epidermidis (p < 0.05), with a stronger effect observed against E. coli. The Sr-HA/CS significantly improved cell proliferation and cell viability in vitro studies (p < 0.05). Compared to CAP/CS and CS, Sr-HA/CS generated a substantially greater new bone area during osteoinduction experiments (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). The Sr-HA/CS material demonstrated a significantly higher rate of bone repair in the bone defeat studies compared to the CAP/CS and CS materials (p < 0.01). The OCN-positive area and TRAP-positive cells in Sr-HA/CS were greater than those in control groups (p < 0.05).Conclusion: A novel injectable strontium-doped HA bone-repair material with good antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and osteoinductivity was successfully prepared.

Introduction: Delirium is a common acute brain dysfunction syndrome in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Family engagement strategies, based on the theory of multi-sensory stimulation to ameliorate sensory deprivation in patients, may be an effective and scalable method to reduce the burden of delirium. Methods: /design: This is a assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial of the feasibility of multi-sensory stimulation (MS) in patients with delirium. A total of 72 mechanically ventilated patients (n = 24 in each group) admitted to the ICU will be randomised to routine non-pharmacological delirium care (control), family multi-sensory stimulation and nurse multi-sensory stimulation groups. All participants except the control group will receive multi-sensory stimulation, including visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic stimulation, for 5 days. Our primary aim is to determine the feasibility of the study procedure (recruitment, eligibility, retention and attrition rates, appropriateness of clinical outcome measures), feasibility, acceptability and safety of the intervention (adverse events, satisfaction and other). Our secondary objective is to assess the preliminary efficacy of the MS protocol in reducing the incidence, duration and severity of delirium. Sedation levels and delirium severity will be assessed twice daily. Enrolled participants will be followed in hospital until death, discharge or up to 28 days after treatment. Ethics and dissemination: The current study was approved by the Ethics Review Board of Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, China (KY-2023-031-01). The results of this study will be presented at scientific conferences and submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2300071457.

ABSTRACTThis study examines Chinese civil servants’ attitudes toward genetically modified organisms by reviewing a national survey of 3,018 Chinese civil servants. The findings show that Chinese civil servants hold a more positive attitude to GMOs than the wider Chinese “general public”, with a similar level of genetic scientific literacy and belief in GMOs conspiracy theories and their influence mechanisms. While the Chinese civil servants’ occupational literacy plays an important role in their GMOs attitude. This study provides a new mind-set for studying some specific groups’ attitudes toward GMOs and related food policies.

Abstract Necroptosis is a recently discovered apoptotic mechanism that has been linked to tumor formation, prognosis, and treatment response. However, the relationship between the TME and NRGs remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the expression patterns of NRGs in 769 HNSCC cases from two distinct data sets. Our findings revealed distinct genetic groups and a correlation between patient clinical features, prognosis, TME cell infiltration characteristics, and NRG alterations. We then developed an NRG model to predict OS and confirmed its accuracy in predicting OS in HNSCC patients. Moreover, we have devised a precise nomogram that enhances the clinical utility of the NRG model substantially. The low-risk group had a better OS, and they were associated with immune suppression, more mutated genes, and higher TIDE scores. The risk score also had a significant correlation with the CSC index and susceptibility to anti-tumor agents. Our study provides insights into how NRGs affect prognosis, clinically significant features, TME, and immunotherapy response in HNSCC. With a better knowledge of NRGs in HNSCC, we could assess the prognosis and develop immunotherapy regimens that are more successful at opening up new doors.

Abstract Purpose As a member of the ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme (E2) family, UBE2V2 demonstrates significant tumorigenicity in many cancers. However, the relationship between UBE2V2 expression and the morbidity of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unknown. Methods We detected the mRNA and protein expression of UBE2V2 and analyzed its relationship with clinical parameters as well as survival prognosis based on bioinformatic and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in LUAD. The signaling pathway of UBE2V2 in the development of LUAD was obtained by GSEA. The TIMER database was used to investigate the association between UBE2V2 expression and the level of infiltration of different immune cells. Finally, we explored the effects of UBE2V2 knockdown on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of LUAD cells. Results The results showed that UBE2V2 was a potential oncogene and might be considered an independent prognostic molecule for LUAD patients based on TCGA prediction (HR: 1.497 p = 0.012) and IHC (HR:1.864 p = 0.044). IHC showed that UBE2V2 was related to the following clinicopathological factors: gender (p = 0.043), stage (p = 0.042), and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002). Finally, knockdown of UBE2V2 reduced the migration of LUAD cells by regulating EMT‐related proteins. Knockdown of UBE2V2 induced LUAD cells to arrest in the G1 phase. Knockdown of UBE2V2 increased LUAD cell apoptosis and decreased proliferation, which might be related to the downregulation of PCNA and upregulation of P53 and ƳH2AX expression. Interestingly, UBE2V2 is negatively correlated with B cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Conclusion UBE2V2 may be a valuable therapeutic target for lung cancer.

The knowledge of the deposition fate of ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on plant leaves is limited. To fill in this knowledge gap, this study strives to observe the intermolecular complex between the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and epicuticular wax of plant leaves using laser scanning microscopy. Epicuticular wax refers to a type of organic mixture that covers the outermost layer of leaves. The leaves of 20 tree species were collected in Beijing in July 2023. The concentrations of 31 PAHs were quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the intermolecular complexes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and epicuticular wax were found with a fluorescence spectrofluorometer and laser scanning microscopy. The levels of total PAHs across 20 tree species ranged from 12.4 ng g−1 to 68.4 ng g−1. Differences in the amounts of total PAHs across tree leaves were observed, which may be ascribed to the differences in leaf surface across tree types. The higher concentration of low-molecular-weight PAHs was found in leaves compared to high-molecular-weight PAHs. The fluorescence spectrofluorometer identified the formation of a new intermolecular complex with fluorescence emission at an excitation wavelength of 340 nm between PAHs and epicuticular wax relative to PAHs. We used laser scanning microscopy with a 405 nm laser for excitation to observe the new intermolecular complex of PAHs and epicuticular wax on the stomata and epicuticular wax of leaves. This study found the intermolecular complex of PAHs on the surface of leaves in situ, which provides important information about the deposition fate of ambient PAHs.