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Abstract Active faults in the earthquake region are consistently regarded as a potential geological hazard to the construction and operation of railway engineering. However, the effects of normal faulting on railway embankments have not been investigated thoroughly. For bridging this knowledge gap, three-dimensional finite element analysis considering the influence of faulting offset, the soil layer’s thickness, the fault dip angle and the embankment cross-fault angle are conducted to clarify the normal faulting effects on the railway embankment. Emphasis is given to the stress and strain characteristic in the fault rupture outcropping regions on the embankment, the deformation of the embankment centerline for design purposes, and the determination of the affected zones for railway embankment preservation. The analysis shows that the normal fault rupture outcropping regions on railway embankment are tensile yield in most cases. The existence of the soil layer and its thickening would widen the affected zones and the regions where the fault ruptures outcrops. The fault dip angle and the cross-fault angle of the embankment have a complex effect on the behaviors of the crossing embankment. The depth of the subsidence zone of the embankment would increase with the decrease of the fault dip angle and the large fault dip angle would change the primary fault rupture to be a compressive one directly above the fault line. If the embankment crosses the fault line obliquely, the curvature radius of the centerline would hardly meet the design code.

Abstract Background High doses of long-acting opioids were used to facilitate off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting procedure, which may result in opioid-related adverse events after surgery. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) had been reported to be effective in reducing intraoperative opioids consumption during surgery. The aim of this study is to assess whether TEAS with difference acupoints can reduce the doses of opioid analgesics. Methods This was a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Patients underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting under general anesthesia were enrolled. Eligible patients were randomly and equally grouped into sham acupuncture group (n = 105), regional acupoints combination group (n = 105), or distal–proximal acupoints combination group (n = 105) using a centralized computer-generated randomization system. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation was applied for 30 min before anesthesia induction. The primary outcome was the doses of sufentanil during anesthesia. Secondary outcomes included the highest postoperative vasoactive-inotropic scores within 24 h, intraoperative propofol consumption, length of mechanical ventilation, duration of cardiac care unit and postoperative hospital stay, incidence of postoperative complications, and mortality within 30 days after surgery. Results Of the 315 randomized patients, 313 completed the trial. In the modified intention-to-treat analysis, the doses of sufentanil were 303.9 (10.8) μg in the distal–proximal acupoints group, significantly lower than the sham group, and the mean difference was − 34.9 (− 64.9 to − 4.9) μg, p = 0.023. The consumption of sufentanil was lower in distal–proximal group than regional group (303.9 vs. 339.5), and mean difference was − 35.5 (− 65.6 to − 5.5) μg, p = 0.020. The distal–proximal group showed 10% reduction in opioids consumption comparing to both regional and sham groups. Secondary outcomes were comparable among three groups. Conclusion Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation with distal–proximal acupoints combination, compared to regional acupoints combination and sham acupuncture, significantly reduced sufentanil consumption in patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

Abstract NEDD8 (Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated protein 8) is an ubiquitin-like protein that is covalently attached to a lysine residue of a protein substrate through a process known as neddylation, catalyzed by the enzyme cascade, namely NEDD8 activating enzyme (E1), NEDD8 conjugating enzyme (E2), and NEDD8 ligase (E3). The substrates of neddylation are categorized into cullins and non-cullin proteins. Neddylation of cullins activates CRLs (cullin RING ligases), the largest family of E3 ligases, whereas neddylation of non-cullin substrates alters their stability and activity, as well as subcellular localization. Significantly, the neddylation pathway and/or many neddylation substrates are abnormally activated or over-expressed in various human diseases, such as metabolic disorders, liver dysfunction, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancers, among others. Thus, targeting neddylation becomes an attractive strategy for the treatment of these diseases. In this review, we first provide a general introduction on the neddylation cascade, its biochemical process and regulation, and the crystal structures of neddylation enzymes in complex with cullin substrates; then discuss how neddylation governs various key biological processes via the modification of cullins and non-cullin substrates. We further review the literature data on dysregulated neddylation in several human diseases, particularly cancer, followed by an outline of current efforts in the discovery of small molecule inhibitors of neddylation as a promising therapeutic approach. Finally, few perspectives were proposed for extensive future investigations.

Abstract Presynthesized perovskite quantum dots are very promising for making films with different compositions, as they decouple crystallization and film-formation processes. However, fabricating large-area uniform films using perovskite quantum dots is still very challenging due to the complex fluidic dynamics of the solvents. Here, we report a robust film-formation approach using an environmental-friendly binary-solvent strategy. Nonbenzene solvents, n-octane and n-hexane, are mixed to manipulate the fluidic and evaporation dynamics of the perovskite quantum dot inks, resulting in balanced Marangoni flow, enhanced ink spreadability, and uniform solute-redistribution. We can therefore blade-coat large-area uniform perovskite films with different compositions using the same fabrication parameters. White and red perovskite light-emitting diodes incorporating blade-coated films exhibit a decent external quantum efficiency of 10.6% and 15.3% (0.04 cm2), and show a uniform emission up to 28 cm2. This work represents a significant step toward the application of perovskite light-emitting diodes in flat panel solid-state lighting.

Aristolochic acid (AA)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) presents with progressive decline in renal function and rapid progression to end-stage renal disease. Among the multiple mechanisms identified in AKI, ferroptosis has been shown to be involved in various forms of AKI. But few studies have elucidated the role of ferroptosis in AA-induced AKI. In this study, we investigated the role of ferroptosis in AA-induced acute renal tubular injury in vivo and in vitro. Mice with acute aristolochic acid nephropathy showed increased malondialdehyde levels, aggravated lipid peroxidation, decreased superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione depletion. The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 was decreased and the expression of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 was increased. Inhibition of ferroptosis by ferrostatin-1 significantly improved the renal function, reduced histopathological lesions, partially alleviated lipid peroxidation, and restored the antioxidant capacity. In vitro studies also revealed that AA significantly reduced cell viability, induced reactive oxygen species production, increased intracellular iron level and decreased ferroptosis-related protein expression. Inhibition of ferroptosis significantly increased cell viability and attenuated AA-induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury. It is suggested that ferroptosis plays an important role in AA-induced acute tubular injury. And inhibition of ferroptosis may exert renoprotective effects possibly by preventing lipid peroxidation, restoring the antioxidant activity or regulating iron metabolism.

Abstract The introduction of more effective and selective mRNA delivery systems is required for the advancement of many emerging biomedical technologies including the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines, immunotherapies for cancer and strategies for genome editing. While polymers and oligomers have served as promising mRNA delivery systems, their efficacy in hard-to-transfect cells such as primary T lymphocytes is often limited as is their cell and organ tropism. To address these problems, considerable attention has been placed on structural screening of various lipid and cation components of mRNA delivery systems. Here, we disclose a class of charge-altering releasable transporters (CARTs) that differ from previous CARTs based on their beta-amido carbonate backbone (bAC) and side chain spacing. These bAC-CARTs exhibit enhanced mRNA transfection in primary T lymphocytes in vitro and enhanced protein expression in vivo with highly selective spleen tropism, supporting their broader therapeutic use as effective polyanionic delivery systems.

Abstract The quantum spin Hall state materials have recently attracted much attention owing to their potential applications in the design of spintronic devices. Based on density functional theory calculations and crystal field theory, we study electronic structures and topological properties of functionalized thallene films. Two different hydrogenation styles (Tl2H and Tl2H2) are considered, which can drastically vary the electronic and topological behaviors of the thallene. Due to the C 3v symmetry of the two systems, the p x and p y orbitals at the Γ point have the non-Dirac band degeneracy. With spin–orbit coupling (SOC), topological nontrivial band gaps can be generated, giving rise to non-Dirac quantum spin Hall states in the two thallium hydride films. The nontrivial band gap for the monolayer Tl2H is very large (855 meV) due to the large on-site SOC of Tl p x and p y orbitals. The band gap in Tl2H2 is, however, small due to the band inversion between the Tl p x/y and p z orbitals. It is worth noting that both the Tl2H and Tl2H2 monolayers exhibit strong Rashba spin splitting effects, especially for the monolayer Tl2H2 (αR = 2.52 eVÅ), rationalized well by the breaking of the structural inversion symmetry. The Rashba effect can be tuned sensitively by applying biaxial strain and external electric fields. Our findings provide an ideal platform for fabricating room-temperature spintronic and topological electronic devices.

Electro-optic (EO) crystals are important material for all-solid-state laser technology, which can be used to fabricate various laser modulators, such as EO switches, laser deflectors, and optical waveguide. The improvements in new high-efficiency EO crystal materials have held great significance to the development of laser technology. Potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) is a popular multifunctional crystal because of its remarkable and excellent quadratic EO effect. KTN EO modulation technology offers numerous advantages, such as high efficiency, good stability, a quick response time, and inertia-free characteristics. In this paper, we summarize the research progress of KTN series crystals systemically, including the theoretical exploration on quadratic EO effect, solid-melt crystal growth technique, comprehensive physical characterization, new physical effect and mechanisms exploration, new EO devices development and design. The EO modulation technique based on the Kerr effect of KTN series crystal offers obvious advantages in reducing the drive voltage and device size, which could better meet the developmental needs of future lasers with a wide wavelength, miniaturization, and integration. This may provide theoretical guidance and an experimental basis for the design and development of new EO crystal devices and promote the development of laser technology.

This study investigates cloud cavitation suppression around a model-scale NACA66 hydrofoil using active water injection and explores the effect of multiple injection parameters. Numerical simulations and a mixed-level orthogonal test method are employed to systematically analyze the impact of jet angle αjet, jet location Ljet, and jet velocity Ujet on cavitation suppression efficiency and hydrofoil energy performance. The study reveals that jet location has the greatest influence on cavitation suppression, while jet angle has the greatest influence on hydrofoil energy performance. The optimal parameter combination (Ljet = 0.30C, αjet = +60 degrees, Ujet = 3.25 m/s) effectively balances energy performance and cavitation suppression, reducing cavitation volume by 49.34% and improving lift–drag ratio by 8.55%. The study found that the jet’s introduction not only enhances vapor condensation and reduces the intensity of the vapor–liquid exchange process but also disrupts the internal structure of cavitation clouds and elevates pressure on the hydrofoil suction surface, thereby effectively suppressing cavitation. Further analysis shows that positive-going horizontal jet components enhance the lift–drag ratio, while negative-going components have a detrimental effect. Jet arrangements near the trailing edge negatively impact both cavitation suppression and energy performance. These findings provide a valuable reference for selecting optimal injection parameters to achieve a balance between cavitation suppression and energy performance in hydrodynamic systems.

Flexible electrothermal heaters have attracted abundant attention in recent years due to their wide applications, but their preparation with high efficiency remains a challenge. Here in this work, a highly stable and bending-tolerant flexible heater was fabricated with graphite nanosheets and cellulose fibers through a scalable papermaking procedure. Its electrothermal property can be enhanced by a hot-pressing treatment and introduction of cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) during the papermaking protocol. The flexible heater may quickly reach its maximum temperature of 239.8 °C in around 1 min at a voltage of 9 V. The power density was up to 375.3 °C cm2 w−1. It appeared to have a high tolerance for bending deformation with various curvatures, and the temperature remained stable even under 100 bending with frequency of around 0.17 Hz. Over 100 alternatively heating and cooling cycles, it worked stably as well. It was proved to be used as wearable heating equipment, soft heaters, and aircraft deicing devices, suggesting its great prospect in the field of heat management.

Traffic sign detection plays a pivotal role in autonomous driving systems. The intricacy of the detection model necessitates high-performance hardware. Real-world traffic environments exhibit considerable variability and diversity, posing challenges for effective feature extraction by the model. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a detection model that is not only highly accurate but also lightweight. In this paper, we proposed YOLO-ADual, a novel lightweight model. Our method leverages the C3Dual and Adown lightweight modules as replacements for CPS and CBL modules in YOLOv5. The Adown module effectively mitigates feature loss during downsampling while reducing computational costs. Meanwhile, C3Dual optimizes the processing power for kernel feature extraction, enhancing computation efficiency while preserving network depth and feature extraction capability. Furthermore, the inclusion of the CBAM module enables the network to focus on salient information within the image, thus augmenting its feature representation capability. Our proposed algorithm achieves a mAP@0.5 of 70.1% while significantly reducing the number of parameters and computational requirements to 51.83% and 64.73% of the original model, respectively. Compared to various lightweight models, our approach demonstrates competitive performance in terms of both computational efficiency and accuracy.

The robust electronegativity of the [BO3]3− structure enables the extraction of electrons from adjacent metals, offering a strategy for modulating oxygen activation in propane oxidative dehydrogenation. Metals (Ni 1.91, Al 1.5, and Ca 1.0) with varying electronegativities were employed to engineer borate catalysts. Metals in borate lacked intrinsic catalytic activity for propane conversion; instead, they modulated [BO3]3− group reactivity through adjustments in electron density. Moderate metal electronegativity favored propane oxidative dehydrogenation to propylene, whereas excessively low electronegativity led to propane overoxidation to carbon dioxide. Aluminum, with moderate electronegativity, demonstrated optimal performance. Catalyst AlBOx-1000 achieved a propane conversion of 47.5%, with the highest propylene yield of 30.89% at 550 °C, and a total olefin yield of 51.51% with a 58.92% propane conversion at 575 °C. Furthermore, the stable borate structure prevents boron element loss in harsh conditions and holds promise for industrial-scale catalysis.

The construction system's complexity can generate substantial uncertainties during emergencies. Resilience, as a new perspective on emergency response, can significantly mitigate these challenges. This paper introduces an innovative model to assess the resilience of construction emergency response processes utilizing a scaffold collapse scenario as a demonstrative case study. Grounded in resilience engineering, our model integrates the merits of the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) with the probabilistic strengths of Bayesian Networks (BNs). The process commences with FRAM, mapping out the emergency response in qualitative terms by identifying functions, variabilities, and couplings. This culminates in a topological network which serves as a foundational structure for the directed Complex Network (CN) and the BN model. Thereafter, the Delphi method and the modified K-shell (MKS) decomposition algorithm guide the computation of prior probabilities for root nodes and the conditional probability table within the BN model. Subsequently, the BN model is subjected to a simulation using the AgenaRisk software, executing both forward and backward propagation as well as sensitivity analyses. Our findings pinpoint “Intersectoral Coordination and Linkage” as the most crucial function, with rapidity being the most sensitive aspect influencing resilience during a scaffold collapse emergency response process.

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) -T cell therapy is an efficient therapeutic strategy for specific hematologic malignancies. However, positive outcomes of this novel therapy in treating solid tumors are curtailed by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), wherein signaling of the checkpoint programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 directly inhibits T-cell responses. Although checkpoint-targeted immunotherapy succeeds in increasing the number of T cells produced to control tumor growth, the desired effect is mitigated by the action of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the TME. Previous studies have confirmed that targeting triggering-receptor-expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) on TAMs and MDSCs enhances the outcomes of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Methods We constructed carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific CAR-T cells for colorectal cancer (CRC)-specific antigens with an autocrine PD-1-TREM2 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) to target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, MDSCs and TAMs. Results We found that the PD-1-TREM2-targeting scFv inhibited the activation of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. In addition, these secreted scFvs blocked the binding of ligands to TREM2 receptors present on MDSCs and TAMs, reduced the proportion of MDSCs and TAMs, and enhanced T-cell effector function, thereby mitigating immune resistance in the TME. PD-1-TREM2 scFv-secreting CAR-T cells resulted in highly effective elimination of tumors compared to that achieved with PD-1 scFv-secreting CAR-T therapy in a subcutaneous CRC mouse model. Moreover, the PD-1-TREM2 scFv secreted by CAR-T cells remained localized within tumors and exhibited an extended half-life. Conclusions Together, these results indicate that PD-1-TREM2 scFv-secreting CAR-T cells have strong potential as an effective therapy for CRC.

Abstract Background At present, there is not enough evidence to prove the relationship between blood lipid and electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in common mental disorders (CMD). This study aimed to explore the relationship between them, to detect and prevent arrhythmia or sudden death. Methods We collected 272 CMD patients (maintained a fixed drug dose pattern for 1 year or more), including 95 schizophrenias (SC), 90 bipolar disorders (BD) and 87 major depressive disorders (MDD), and 78 healthy controls (HC) from the Third People’s Hospital of Foshan, China. We analyzed and compared their blood lipid and ECG indicators, to clarify the relationship between them. Results 350 participants were included. There were no significant differences in age, gender, total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and QTc (p > 0.05) among subjects. And there were significant differences in body mass index (BMI), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), heart rate, PR interval and QRS width (p

Abstract Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a worldwide health threat with high annual morbidity and mortality. Chemotherapeutic drugs such as paclitaxel (PTX) have been widely applied clinically. However, systemic toxicity due to the non-specific circulation of PTX often leads to multi-organ damage, including to the liver and kidney. Thus, it is necessary to develop a novel strategy to enhance the targeted antitumor effects of PTX. Methods Here, we engineered exosomes derived from T cells expressing the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-Exos), which targeted mesothelin (MSLN)-expressing Lewis lung cancer (MSLN-LLC) through the anti-MSLN single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of CAR-Exos. PTX was encapsulated into CAR-Exos (PTX@CAR-Exos) and administered via inhalation to an orthotopic lung cancer mouse model. Results Inhaled PTX@CAR-Exos accumulated within the tumor area, reduced tumor size, and prolonged survival with little toxicity. In addition, PTX@CAR-Exos reprogrammed the tumor microenvironment and reversed the immunosuppression, which was attributed to infiltrating CD8+ T cells and elevated IFN-γ and TNF-α levels. Conclusions Our study provides a nanovesicle-based delivery platform to promote the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs with fewer side effects. This novel strategy may ameliorate the present obstacles to the clinical treatment of lung cancer.

Sensory descriptive analysis of aged feng-flavored Baijiu liquor indicated notable differences in samples of different ages. The samples of freshly distilled Baijiu and those with shorter storage times exhibit bran and fresh green flavors, whereas, with increasing storage time, honey, sweet, and floral fragrances are gradually enhanced. Samples of feng-flavored Baijiu were prepared using headspace solid-phase microextraction, followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A total of 496 compounds were identified in all samples, mainly categorized as 14 groups of substances, including esters and aldehydes. Interestingly, 42 of these substances were found in Feng-flavored Baijiu for the first time. Chemometrics was used to analyze the key differential compounds. First, 143 differential compounds closely related to aging were preliminarily screened, and principal component analysis revealed that these compounds were separated by baijiu age. Then, 65 differential compounds were selected by partial least squares discriminant analysis. Furthermore, 43 key differential compounds were selected by combined analysis with variable importance in projection and Pearson correlation coefficients. Partial least squares regression was used to study the correlation between the sensory properties and key differential compounds, and the results indicated that most compounds were closely related to the aging period of the Baijiu. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis and reference for flavor research on feng-flavored Baijiu.

In this study, {10–12} tensile twins (TTs) were induced in hot-rolled AZ31 Mg sheets via hot tension along the normal direction. The results demonstrate that the volume fraction of TTs at 2 mm/min is greatly lower than their counterparts at 0.5 mm/min at 100 °C and 200 °C. Dynamic recrystallization (DRX) can decrease twin nucleation rate during hot tensile when the strain rate reaches 2 mm/min. Decrease in critical resolved shear stress of non-basal slips at 200 °C enhances the deformation capability among grains, which dramatically reduces the volume fraction of TTs. Hence, TTs are hardly observed in 200°C-2mm/min sample. Tensile temperature significantly affects the morphology of TT lamellae. Grain boundaries prevents the longitudinal growth of the TTs, and then the thickness of TTs begins to grow to coordinate the deformation, resulting in fine TT lamellae in 100°C-0.5 mm/min. Compared with AR, the basal texture intensity of 100°C-2mm/min and 200°C-2mm/min increases and the occurrence of DRX is the main reason, while basal texture weakening of 100°C-0.5 mm/min and 200°C-0.5 mm/min depends on the formation of TTs. Compared with samples at 200 °C, the samples at 100 °C have higher tensile stresses. The maximum stress of 100°C-0.5 mm/min is 64.97 MPa when tensile strain reaches 0.15 owing to its highest dislocation density. 200°C-2mm/min possesses the highest hardness among the four tension samples, which is associated with the largest fraction of DRXed grains (68.8%) and its refinement strengthening effect. Dislocation strengthening exerts more influence on the hardness of 100°C-0.5 mm/min.

Abstract Background Recently studies had showed that the amygdala may take part in the cognitive impairment in schizophrenia (SC). However, the mechanism is still unclear, so we explored the relationship between the amygdala resting state magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) signal and cognitive function, to provide a reference for the follow-up study. Methods We collected 59 drug-naïve SCs and 46 healthy controls (HCs) from the Third People’s Hospital of Foshan. The rsMRI technique and automatic segmentation tool were used to extract the volume and functional indicators of the SC’s amygdala. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the severity of the disease, and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) was used to assess cognitive function. Pearson correlation analysis was used to compare the relationship between the structural and functional indicators of the amygdala and PANSS and RBANS. Results (1) There was no significant difference between SC and HC in age, gender and years of education. Compared with HC, the PANSS score of SC increased and the RBANS score decreased significantly. Meanwhile, the left amygdala volume decreased (t=-3.675, p

Abstract Background Massive amounts of data are produced by combining next-generation sequencing with complex biochemistry techniques to characterize regulatory genomics profiles, such as protein–DNA interaction and chromatin accessibility. Interpretation of such high-throughput data typically requires different computation methods. However, existing tools are usually developed for a specific task, which makes it challenging to analyze the data in an integrative manner. Results We here describe the Regulatory Genomics Toolbox (RGT), a computational library for the integrative analysis of regulatory genomics data. RGT provides different functionalities to handle genomic signals and regions. Based on that, we developed several tools to perform distinct downstream analyses, including the prediction of transcription factor binding sites using ATAC-seq data, identification of differential peaks from ChIP-seq data, and detection of triple helix mediated RNA and DNA interactions, visualization, and finding an association between distinct regulatory factors. Conclusion We present here RGT; a framework to facilitate the customization of computational methods to analyze genomic data for specific regulatory genomics problems. RGT is a comprehensive and flexible Python package for analyzing high throughput regulatory genomics data and is available at: https://github.com/CostaLab/reg-gen . The documentation is available at: https://reg-gen.readthedocs.io

Transglutaminase 2 (TGase2) has been shown to contribute to the mesangial IgA1 deposition in a humanized mouse model of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), but the mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we found that inhibition of TGase2 activity could dramatically decrease the amount of polymeric IgA1 (pIgA1) isolated from patients with IgAN that interacts with human mesangial cells (HMC). TGase2 was expressed both in the cytosol and on the membrane of HMC. Upon treatment with pIgA1, there were more TGase2 recruited to the membrane. Using a cell model of mesangial deposition of pIgA1, we identified 253 potential TGase2-associated proteins in the cytosolic fraction and observed a higher concentration of cellular vesicles and increased expression of Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) in HMC after pIgA1 stimulation. Both the amount of pIgA1 deposited on HMC and membrane TGase2 level were decreased by inhibition of the vesicle trafficking pathway. Mechanistically, TGase2 was found to be coprecipitated with RhoA in the cellular vesicles. Membrane TGase2 expression was greatly increased by overexpression of RhoA, while it was reduced by knockdown of RhoA. Our in vitro approach demonstrated that TGase2 was transported from the cytosol to the membrane through a RhoA-mediated vesicle-trafficking pathway that can facilitate pIgA1 interaction with mesangium in IgAN.

In this paper, we propose a feature affinity (FA) assisted knowledge distillation (KD) method to improve quantization-aware training of deep neural networks (DNN). The FA loss on intermediate feature maps of DNNs plays the role of teaching middle steps of a solution to a student instead of only giving final answers in the conventional KD where the loss acts on the network logits at the output level. Combining logit loss and FA loss, we found via convolutional network experiments on CIFAR-10/100, and Tiny ImageNet data sets that the quantized student network receives stronger supervision than from the labeled ground-truth data. The resulting FA quantization-distillation (FAQD), trained to convergence with a cosine annealing scheduler for 200 epochs, is capable of compressing models on label-free data up to or exceeding the accuracy levels of their full precision counterparts, which brings immediate practical benefits as pre-trained teacher models are readily available and unlabeled data are abundant. In contrast, data labeling is often laborious and expensive. Finally, we propose and prove error estimates for a fast feature affinity (FFA) loss function that accurately approximates FA loss at a lower order of computational complexity, which helps speed up training for high resolution image input. Source codes are available at: https://github.com/lzj994/FAQD

For achieving the better modifying effect of polyurethane on asphalt pavement materials, the PUA powder modifier was prepared with fine grinding at the glass transition temperature, and polyurethane-modified asphalt (PUA-MA) with different dosages of modifier was prepared. The impact of the PUA on the physical properties of asphalt binder was studied. The modifying mechanism of PUA on asphalt was explored by investigating the thermal performance and chemical composition of asphalt (thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry test, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). The micrograph of the interactive interface was characterized by scanning an electron microscope. Furthermore, the rheological properties of PUA-MA were also investigated and analyzed. The results indicated that the PUA had a dense structure with few pores on the surface. After mixing with asphalt, it altered the asphalt’s internal structure via physical fusion and chemical reaction (carbamate formation). PUA improved the thermal stability of asphalt, enhanced the asphalt’s thermal decomposition temperature, and further reduced the thermal mass loss while decreasing the glass transition temperature. The addition and dosage increase in the PUA modifier significantly improved the softening point, viscosity, complex shear modulus, and rutting factor of asphalt. Also, the PUA could improve the elastic recovery ability of asphalt and enhance the rutting resistance of asphalt at high temperatures. However, the crack resistance at low temperatures was not effectively improved (ductility and penetration decreased). When the dosage was 6–9%, PUA-MA had the best high-temperature performance, but asphalt showed poor low-temperature performance at this dosage. This study provides a theoretical reference for popularizing and applying polyurethane as an asphalt modifier in road engineering.

ObjectivesTo verify the healthy immigration effect on self-rated health (SRH) among Chinese internal migrants, identify the determinants of SRH, and provide recommendations for the Chinese government to formulate effective intervention strategies to improve population governance and health management in megacities.MethodsA sample comprising 1,147 white-and blue-collar migrant workers was randomly selected through an online survey conducted in Shanghai from August to December 2021. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to verify the healthy immigration effect as well as determinants of the effect among internal migrants in Shanghai.ResultsAmong 1,024 eligible internal migrants, 864 (84.4%) were aged between 18 and 59 years, 545 (53.2%) were men, and 818 (79.9%) were married. When confounders in the logistic regression models were adjusted, the odds ratio of SRH for internal migrants who had lived in Shanghai for 5–10 years was 2.418 (p

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the deadliest cancers worldwide, and advanced HCC is difficult to treat. Identifying specific cell subpopulations in the tumor microenvironment and exploring interactions between the cells and their environment are crucial for understanding the development, prognosis, and treatment of tumors.Methods: In this study, we constructed a tumor ecological landscape of 14 patients with HCC from 43 tumor tissue samples and 14 adjacent control samples. We used bioinformatics analysis to reveal cell subpopulations with potentially specific functions in the tumor microenvironment and to explore the interactions between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment.Results: Immune cell infiltration was evident in the tumor tissues, and BTG1+RGS1+ central memory T cells (Tcms) interact with tumor cells through CCL5-SDC4/1 axis. HSPA1B may be associated with remodeling of the tumor ecological niche in HCC. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and macrophages (TAMs) were closely associated with tumor cells. APOC1+SPP1+ TAM secretes SPP1, which binds to ITGF1 secreted by CAFs to remodel the tumor microenvironment. More interestingly, FAP+ CAF interacts with naïve T cells via the CXCL12–CXCR4 axis, which may lead to resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.Conclusion: Our study suggests the presence of tumor cells with drug-resistant potential in the HCC microenvironment. Among non-tumor cells, high NDUFA4L2 expression in fibroblasts may promote tumor progression, while high HSPA1B expression in central memory T cells may exert anti-tumor effects. In addition, the CCL5–SDC4/1 interaction between BTG1+RGS1+ Tcms and tumor cells may promote tumor progression. Focusing on the roles of CAFs and TAMs, which are closely related to tumor cells, in tumors would be beneficial to the progress of systemic therapy research.

Abstract Protein neddylation is catalyzed by a neddylation activating enzyme (NAE, E1), an E2 conjugating enzyme, and an E3 ligase. In various types of human cancers, the neddylation pathway is abnormally activated. Our previous study validated that the neddylation E2 UBE2F is a promising therapeutic target in lung cancer. Although the NAE inhibitor MLN4924/pevonedistat is currently under clinical investigation as an anti-cancer agent, there are no small molecules available that selectively target UBE2F. Here, we report, for the first time, the discovery, via structure-based virtual screen and chemical optimization, of such a small molecule, designated as HA-9104. HA-9104 binds to UBE2F, reduces its protein levels, and consequently inhibits cullin-5 neddylation. Blockage of cullin-5 neddylation inactivates cullin-RING ligase-5 (CRL5) activity, leading to accumulation of the CRL5 substrate, NOXA, to induce apoptosis. Moreover, HA-9104 appears to form the DNA adduct via its 7-azaindole group to induce DNA damage and G2/M arrest. Biologically, HA-9104 effectively suppresses the growth and survival of lung cancer cells and confers radiosensitization in both in vitro cell culture and in vivo xenograft tumor models. In summary, we discovered a small molecule, designated HA-9104, that targets the UBE2F-CRL5 axis with anti-cancer activity alone or in combination with radiation.

Characterization of PL7 alginate lyase structure and products enables a bioinformatics approach to predict product distribution from the amino acid sequence.

Transcription factors play a determining role in lineage commitment and cell differentiation. Interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is a lineage determining transcription factor in hematopoiesis and master regulator of dendritic cells (DC), an important immune cell for immunity and tolerance. IRF8 is prominently upregulated in DC development by autoactivation and controls both DC differentiation and function. However, it is unclear how Irf8 autoactivation is controlled and eventually limited. Here, we identified a novel long non-coding RNA transcribed from the +32 kb enhancer downstream of Irf8 transcription start site and expressed specifically in mouse plasmacytoid DC (pDC), referred to as lncIrf8. The lncIrf8 locus interacts with the lrf8 promoter and shows differential epigenetic signatures in pDC versus classical DC type 1 (cDC1). Interestingly, a sequence element of the lncIrf8 promoter, but not lncIrf8 itself, is crucial for mouse pDC and cDC1 differentiation, and this sequence element confers feedback inhibition of Irf8 expression. Taken together, in DC development Irf8 autoactivation is first initiated by flanking enhancers and then second controlled by feedback inhibition through the lncIrf8 promoter element in the +32 kb enhancer. Our work reveals a previously unrecognized negative feedback loop of Irf8 that orchestrates its own expression and thereby controls DC differentiation.

Objectives: This study aims to explore the effect of music therapy on pain, anxiety and physiologic parameters in patients undergoing prostate biopsy. Design and setting: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Interventions: Five databases were systematically searched. The included studies reported randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of music therapy and non-music therapy on pain, anxiety, and physiologic parameters in patients undergoing prostate biopsy. The random-effects meta-analyses were performed for data synthesis. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was pain; secondary outcomes included anxiety and physiologic parameters. Results: We analyzed seven eligible studies involving 662 males undergoing prostate biopsy. We synthesized the mean difference between music and control groups in different outcomes. Compared with control groups, music therapy reduced pain (visual analog scale score, mean difference [95% CI]: −0.92 [−1.68 to −0.17], P = 0.017, low quality) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory equivalent scale score, mean difference [95% CI]: −4.37 [−7.72 to −1.03], P = 0.010, low quality) after the prostate biopsy. In terms of the physiological parameters, music therapy only slightly reduced heart rate, but not blood pressure and respiratory rate after the prostate biopsy. Conclusions: Low quality of evidence showed that music therapy during prostate biopsy might reduce pain and anxiety. However, a good standard of music intervention was lacking. Cost-effective analyses are warranted to better delineate the value of music therapies for prostate biopsy.

Abstract Flexible electronics (FEs) with excellent flexibility or foldability may find widespread applications in the wearable devices, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and other areas. However, the widely utilization may also bring the concerning for the fast accumulation of electronic waste. Green FEs with good degradability might supply a way to overcome this problem. Starch, as one of the most abundant natural polymers, has been exhibiting great potentials in the development of environmental-friendly FEs due to its inexpensiveness, good processability, and biodegradability. Lots of remarks were made this field but no summary was found. In this review, we discussed the preparation and applications of starch-based FEs, highlighting the role played by the starch in such FEs and the impacts on the properties. Finally, the challenge was discussed and the outlook for the further development was also presented.

Abstract Background Nephronophthisis type 12 (NPHP 12) is a rare cilia‐related cystic kidney disease, caused by TTC21B mutation, mainly involving the kidneys, which generally occurs in children. Our study aimed to illustrate its clinical, pathological and genetic characteristics by reporting an adult‐onset case of NPHP 12 caused by a single heterozygous nonsense mutation of TTC21B confirmed by renal histology and whole exome sequencing and reviewing related literature with a comparative analysis of the clinical features of each case. It will further increase the recognition of this rare kidney genetic disease, which sometimes can manifest as an adult disease. Results A 33‐years‐old man showed a chronic disease course, and he exhibited slight renal dysfunction (CKD stage 3, eGFR = 49 ml/[min* 1.73 m2]) with renal tubular proteinuria, without any extrarenal manifestations, congenital malformation history of kidney disease, or family hereditary disease. Renal histological findings showed substantial interstitial fibrosis with some irregular and tortuous tubules with complex branches and segmental thickening and splitting of the tubular basement membrane. The patient was diagnosed with chronic interstitial nephritis for an unknown reason clinically. Further genetic analysis revealed a single heterozygous nonsense mutation in the TTC21B gene and NPHP 12 was diagnosed finally. Conclusion A single heterozygous mutation in the TTC21B gene may cause atypical NPHP12, which had a relatively later onset and milder clinical symptoms without developmental abnormalities. Therefore, for unexplained adult‐onset chronic interstitial nephritis with unusual changes of renal tubules and interstitial fibrosis, even without a clear history of hereditary kidney disease, genetic testing is still recommended. The correct diagnosis of this rare adult‐onset hereditary nephropathy can avoid unnecessary treatment.

scATAC-Seq yields data that is extremely sparse. Here, the authors present a computationally efficient imputation method called scOpen that improves the downstream analyses of scATAC-Seq data and use it to identify transcriptional regulators of kidney fibrosis.

Heller et al analyze transcriptomic and epigenetic datasets from human PSCs differentiating into pancreatic progenitors to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms behind pancreatic development. The authors report that the transcription factor ONECUT1 is expressed specifically in pancreatic development and associates with other key TFs (such as FOXA2, GATA6, PDX1) during endocrine specification.

Abstract With the development of smart cities, network security has become more and more important. In order to improve the safety of smart cities, a situation prediction method based on feature separation and dual attention mechanism is presented in this paper. Firstly, according to the fact that the intrusion activity is a time series event, recurrent neural network (RNN) or RNN variant is used to stack the model. Then, we propose a feature separation method, which can alleviate the overfitting problem and reduce cost of model training by keeping the dimension unchanged. Finally, limited attention is proposed according to global attention. We sum the outputs of the two attention modules to form a dual attention mechanism, which can improve feature representation. Experiments have proved that compared with other existing prediction algorithms, the method has higher accuracy in network security situation prediction. In other words, the technology can help smart cities predict network attacks more accurately.

Abstract Discharge failure mechanism of the cable buffer layer is investigated in this paper by the analysis of causes and characteristics of partial discharge (PD) behaviours in the case of failure. The obtained results show that both the volume resistivity and the surface resistance of the buffer layer increase as the relative humidity is elevated. It is found that the electric field distribution inside the buffer layer is distorted when there is poor contact condition and aggravated with the increase of the volume resistivity by the finite element analysis. PD behaviours analysis shows that the PD intensity is closely related to the contact state of the buffer layer, and hence the latter can be reflected by statistical parameters like the maximum pulse amplitude and the average equivalent frequency. The conclusions indicate that the electric field distortion is caused by the variation of the contact state of the buffer layer and the deterioration, which is responsible for the occurrence of PD. Therefore, the PD detection for the suspected faulty cables provides an effective method for the state evaluation of the buffer layer.

Abstract Background The severity of COVID-19 associates with the clinical decision making and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients, therefore, early identification of patients who are likely to develop severe or critical COVID-19 is critical in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to screen severity-associated markers and construct an assessment model for predicting the severity of COVID-19. Methods 172 confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled from two designated hospitals in Hangzhou, China. Ordinal logistic regression was used to screen severity-associated markers. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was performed for further feature selection. Assessment models were constructed using logistic regression, ridge regression, support vector machine and random forest. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate the performance of different models. Internal validation was performed by using bootstrap with 500 re-sampling in the training set, and external validation was performed in the validation set for the four models, respectively. Results Age, comorbidity, fever, and 18 laboratory markers were associated with the severity of COVID-19 (all P values

Abstract Exploring new materials and methods to achieve high utilization of sulfur with lean electrolyte is still a common concern in lithium‐sulfur batteries. Here, high‐density oxygen doping chemistry is introduced for making highly conducting, chemically stable sulfides with a much higher affinity to lithium polysulfides. It is found that doping large amounts of oxygen into NiCo2S4 is feasible and can make it outperform the pristine oxides and natively oxidized sulfides. Taking the advantages of high conductivity, chemical stability, the introduced large Li–O interactions, and activated Co (Ni) facets for catalyzing Sn2–, the NiCo2(O–S)4 is able to accelerate the Li2S‐S8 redox kinetics. Specifically, lithium‐sulfur batteries using free‐standing NiCo2(O–S)4 paper and interlayer exhibit the highest capacity of 8.68 mAh cm–2 at 1.0 mA cm–2 even with a sulfur loading of 8.75 mg cm–2 and lean electrolyte of 3.8 µL g–1. The high‐density oxygen doping chemistry can be also applied to other metal compounds, suggesting a potential way for developing more powerful catalysts towards high performance of Li–S batteries.

Understanding the spatial variations in regional eco-environmental quality and their driving factors is essential for environmental management and protection. However, the lack of quantitative analyses in relevant studies has often hindered the formulation and implementation of effective eco-environmental policies. Taking Minjiang River Basin as an example, we used the remote sensing ecological indices (RSEI) to objectively and quantitatively characterize the eco-environmental quality. We also introduced and compared the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and the random forest models to identify the critical driving factors. Results showed that the eco-environmental quality of Minjiang River Basin in 2020 was good overall, and the areas with good or excellent eco-environmental quality accounted for 58%. The areas with poor eco-environmental quality were mainly distributed in the periphery of the basin and the riverine areas. Both the MaxEnt and the random forest models were applicable to identify the critical driving factors and indicated that the degrees of landscape fragmentation and drastic land use were the main factors causing spatial variation of eco-environmental quality in the Minjiang River Basin. This study provides a new perspective and method for quantitative analysis of the driving factors of the spatial variations in regional eco-environmental quality for future eco-environmental management and protection.

The bio-refining process of bamboo is more challenging compared to wood due to its dense and stabilized complex polymer structure, as well as its abundance of degradation-resistant components. Consequently, the bio-refining of bamboo requires more energy and time consumption compared to the bio-refining of wood. In this study, co-cultured microorganisms were utilized for the pretreatment of bamboo to improve pulping performance, reduce consumption, and increase efficiency. These microorganisms were constructed by combining environmental microorganisms found in bamboo pulp with Bacillus sp. that were self-screened. The results of 16S rRNA analysis showed that the genera Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota gradually became dominant during the treatment process. Additionally, the PICRUSt results indicated that the co-culture microbial consortium C strategy strengthened key enzyme activities related to the degradation of bamboo lignocelluloses. The microbial consortium pretreatment resulted in removing lignin and hemicellulose at rates of 21.96% and 26.21%, respectively. This process also caused a decrease in the crystalline index, indicating the presence of disordered crystalline regions. This change was beneficial for the subsequent Kraft pulping process. Compared to the conventional bamboo pulp, the yield of pretreated bamboo pulp increased slightly, while the cellulose purity and paper properties were significantly superior. The obtained Kraft pulp, which underwent microbiological pretreatment, met the requirements for superior Kraft pulp products despite a 65 min decrease in cooking time and a 10 °C decline in maximum cooking temperature. This study proves that co-cultured microbial consortium used for pretreating bamboo are beneficial for bamboo Kraft pulping. This approach can be considered environmentally friendly and leads to energy saving and cost reduction in bamboo bio-refining processes.

At present, the self-supporting paper-based electrode has some problems, such as low mechanical strength and insufficient flexibility, which restrict its application in flexible electronics. In this paper, FWF is used as the skeleton fiber, and the contact area and the number of hydrogen bonds of the fiber are increased by grinding the fiber and adding nanofibers to bridge it, and a level three gradient enhanced skeleton support network structure is constructed, which effectively improves the mechanical strength and foldability of the paper-based electrodes. The tensile strength of FWF15-BNF5 paper-based electrode is 7.4 MPa, the elongation at break is increased to 3.7%, the electrode thickness is as low as 66 μm, the electrical conductivities is 5.6 S cm−1, and the contact angle to electrolyte as low as 45°, which has excellent electrolyte wettability, flexibility, and foldability. After three-layer superimposed rolling, the discharge areal capacity reached 3.3 mAh cm−2 and 2.9 mAh cm−2 at the rate of 0.1 C and 1.5 C, respectively, which was superior to the commercial LFP electrode, it had good cycle stability, and the areal capacity was 3.0 mAh cm−2 and 2.8 mAh cm−2 after 100 cycles at the rate of 0.3 C and 1.5 C.

China's Ecological protection Red Lines (ERLs) policy has proven effective in protecting ecological resources, restoring ecosystems and promoting regional ecological civilization. However, the existing methods for identifying high-value ecological conservation land are insufficiently less precise and quantitative, which affects the implementation of the ERL policy. In this study, the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model was introduced into the identification work of ERLs. This paper began with an assessment of the ecological status of Zhanjiang based on the methodology for assessing Ecosystem Services (ESs) function in the “Guidelines for the Delineation of Ecological Protection Red Lines”. On this basis, the MaxEnt model was used to predict the extent of potential high-value ecological protection land through sample training and quantify the contribution of impact factors common to ecological planning work. The following conclusions were obtained: The regional ecosystem of Zhanjiang had a good function of soil and water conservation services and a poor function of windbreak and sand-fixation services. The importance of ESs was strongest in western Leizhou and the southeast coastal region of Xuwen and weakest in Wuchuan and central Xuwen. Among the contributions of influencing factors to identify high-value ecological land, natural factors were the dominant influencing factors, and anthropogenic factors were the secondary influencing factors. Meteorological factors represented by dryness made the greatest information contribution to identifying high-value ecological protection land at 42.0%, followed by surface vegetation biomass (represented by NPP) at 37.1%. The remaining impact factors contributed less than 10.0%, and the distance from the road factor contributed 0 in this prediction. The MaxEnt model, when applied to the delineation of ERLs, has been proven to be effective in improving the accuracy of identifying high-value ecological land and discovering areas with conservation value that traditional assessment methods have overlooked. It will help to provide a reasonable basis for the identification of ERLs and promote the implementation of ERL policy.

Abstract Background To investigate the ability of body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and body adiposity index (BAI) for predicting non-adipose cardio-metabolic risk. Methods A total of 17,360 Chinese subjects aged 18–95 years old who escaped cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes were recruited in the cross-sectional study. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to examine the association of anthropometric indicators with cardio-metabolic risk factors. Results The mean age of subjects were 53.7(13.1) years, 41.6 % were males. The areas under the curve (AUC) demonstrated that WC, BMI, WHR, WHtR and BRI were able to predict high cardio-metabolic risk (AUC > 0.70). Meanwhile, multinomial logistic regression showed BRI was significantly associated with high cardio-metabolic risk (OR 3.27, 95% CI 3.01–3.55). The optimal cut-off values of BRI for high cardio-metabolic risk were (

Recently, rapid development of intelligent wearable electronic equipment has triggered great needs for flexible and lightweight portable energy storage systems. Here, we demonstrate a low-cost ($ 0.5 m-2) and low density carbonized facial tissue paper (FCP) for high-conductive NiCo2S4 nanotubes assisted novel ultra-flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SSCs). The hydrothermal synthesized FCP-900@NiCo2S4 electrodes in this paper only have a density of 5 mg cm−2 and show large specific capacitance of 3115 mF cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2. Based on the high performance of FCP-900@NiCo2S4 electrodes, the as assembled SSCs can deliver an energy density of 1.2 mWh cm−3, high power density of 58.16 mW cm−3. It also shows great bending-state capacitive performance with high capacitance retention after 5000 cycles, providing a new opportunity for developing high-performance flexible wearable energy storage devices.

Background and Aims. Mean platelet volume to platelet count ratio (MPV/PC) has been found to be an independent risk factor for mortality in various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and hemodialysis. We aimed to evaluate the association between MPV/PC and all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods and Results. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a single center and enrolled 1473 PD patients who were catheterized at our PD center from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2013. All patients were divided into four groups according to the quartiles of baseline MPV/PC levels and followed up until December 31, 2018. A total of 453 patients died, and 221 deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease during a median follow-up time of 48.0 (21.9-82.2) months. There was a significant interaction by age of association between MPV/PC level and all-cause mortality (P=0.009), and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that higher MPV/PC level was related to a decreased risk of all-cause and CV mortality in PD patients aged

Abstract Background With the popularity of blue-rich light-emitting diode (LED)-backlit display devices, our eyes are now exposed to more short-wavelength blue light than they were in the past. The goal of this study was to investigate the pathogenesis of cataracts after short-wavelength light exposure. Methods Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected and randomly divided into a control group (10 rats each for the 4-, 8-, and 12-week groups) and an experimental group (10 rats each for the 4-, 8-, and 12-week groups). The rats in the experimental group were exposed to a short-wavelength blue LED lamp for 12 h per day. After exposure to the blue LED lamp, the rats were maintained in total darkness for 12 h, after which a 12-h light/dark cycle was resumed. The intensity of the lamp was 3000 lx. At the end of the short-wavelength blue LED lamp exposure (for 4, 8, and 12 weeks), the expression levels of caspase-1, caspase-11 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) were examined in rat lens epithelial cells (LECs) using qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses. An illuminance of 2500 lx was used to study the potential effect of blue LED light on HLE-B3 hLECs in vitro. AC-YVAD-CMK, a caspase-1 inhibitor, was used to confirm the pyroptosis of LECs by flow cytometry. Results After 6 weeks, cataracts developed in the experimental rats (4/20 eyes). The clarity of the lens gradually worsened with the duration of exposure. Twelve weeks later, all of the rat eyes had developed cataracts. The expression levels of caspase-1, caspase-11 and GSDMD at 4, 8, and 12 weeks were significantly higher in the samples from rats exposed to a short-wavelength blue LED lamp than in the samples from control rats (p

Abstract Background Limited data is available on retinal vessel morphology in the north China. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of retinal vascular abnormalities (RVAs) and investigate their associations with the self-reported diagnosis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascsular diseases (CCVds) in a rural adult population of northeast China. Methods A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted, using the cluster random sampling method. One eye of each participant was photographed with a non-mydriatic fundus camera. RVAs including focal and general arteriolar narrowing (FAN and GAN), arteriovenous nicking (AVN), arteriolar sheathing (AS), and retinopathy were evaluated. Data on self-reported diagnosis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and status of smoking and alcohol drinking were obtained from questionnaires. Results Among the 6267 participants with an age ≥ 50 years, photographs were obtained of 99.2%, with quality sufficient to perform retinal evaluations in 82.5%. The prevalence of FAN, AVN, AS, retinopathy and GAN were 9.1, 8.9, 5.0, 6.6 and 6.2%, respectively. All the retinal lesions were associated with hypertension (all P

Implanting rotary blood pumps (RBPs) has become the principal treatment for patients suffering from severe heart failure. There are still many challenges to address for RBP control systems. These problems include meeting the patient’s physiological perfusion, eliminating postoperative complications, as well as debugging the patient’s physiological control system (automatically and indiscriminately). This paper proposes a non-invasive adaptive control system based on the Frank–Starling-like mechanism (NAC-FSL) to solve these problems. This control system uses the motor speed of the rotary blood pump as the only input variable, and the pump flow was estimated by the motor speed for achieving non-invasive detection. Simultaneously, a cardiovascular reference model was developed to provide an appropriate real-time preload for heart failure patients. The Frank–Starling-like control baseline was tracked to obtain the desired reference average pump flow by using the preload. Avoiding suction was done by adopting the control baseline (CLn), which included a flat slope under a high preload. Moreover, the NAC-FSL system could potentially unload the left ventricle and provide a higher pump flow with a smaller error during the exercise state, as compared to the CSC system. Finally, the K value indicating the preload sensitivity in the NAC-FSL controller was optimized to meet the perfusion needs according to the hemodynamic parameters.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of prenatal music therapy on fetal and neonatal status. Design and setting: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Interventions: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched for studies investigating the effects of prenatal music therapy. Two independent investigators carried out the literature selection, data analysis, and evidence quality assessment. Eligible studies were qualitatively described and synthesized using meta-analyses. Main outcome measures: The outcomes included fetal or neonatal status. Results: After screening the 821 records yielded by the systematic search, we identified nine eligible studies involving 1419 pregnant women. Eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, and three outcomes were synthesized. Compared with no music therapy, prenatal music therapy did not change fetal heart rate (mean difference [95 % CI]: -0.28 [-3.75–3.20] beat/min, P = 0.88, moderate quality), number of fetal movements (mean difference [95 % CI]: 0.50 [-0.79–1.78] time/min, P = 0.45, low quality), or number of accelerations (mean difference [95 % CI]: 0.16 [-0.87–1.19] time/min, P = 0.76, low quality). This result did not change when two studies with a high risk of bias were excluded. Subgroup analysis showed that prenatal music therapy did not change fetal heart rate, number of fetal movements, or number of accelerations in different intervention phases. Conclusions: Prenatal music therapy might not change fetal and neonatal status. However, more systematic strategies of prenatal music therapy deserve further exploration.