A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) with photocatalytic activity was successfully synthetized by a non-covalent method using ibuprofen as the target molecule. Adsorption assays and a photodegradation study was done. The results showed that TiO 2 influences the adsorption behavior, when the TiO 2 content is low the materials follow a Langmuir model, but when is higher Freundlich model best represents the adsorption process in the MIPs. 25% of TiO 2 is the optimum amount in a photocatalytic imprinting matrix; the complete degradation is reached within the 2.5 minutes.

Focusing on the demand for collecting the wasted mechanical energy from nature or human production activities in the current period, the design and development of piezoelectric energy harvester with higher electromechanical conversion performance of great significance. To solve this issue, we designed a piezoelectric energy harvester based on the combined action of an annular hollow mass and springs. When vibrating, the force exerted by the mass is released at the three equal points on the surface of the brass substrate through 3 parallel springs. This concentrated release of energy through the spring amplification effect facilitates large deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic sheet, resulting in more charge output. The results show that such an energy harvester based on the PZT-5H ceramic can exhibit an ultra-high output power of 23.69 mW at a low frequency of 70 Hz under the joint action of only a 14 g mass and three springs of 0.3 mm wire diameter, 2 mm outer diameter and 5 mm length. More importantly, to match the vibration frequency of the actual environment, we also proposed that energy harvesters can be designed by selecting spring wire diameter and the weight of mass. The energy harvester designed in this work is expected to capture energy from low-frequency natural environments and exhibit outstanding output performance, which can provide guidelines for future efforts in this direction.

Three fatigue damage models based on entropy, originally developed for constant amplitude loading, were assessed and compared each other in order to state whether its applicability can be extended towards variable amplitude loading conditions. A variable amplitude loading history, applied on a 2024-T3 aluminum alloy reported in the literature, was processed using both rainflow cycle counting and spectral techniques to transform it into a distribution of simple processes with constant amplitudes, then the damage models were assessed under the new loading conditions. The results showed that the model by Khonsari, combined with the rainflow technique, exhibited the highest accuracy with respect to the referenced experimental results with -0.67 standard deviation from the average data and 16% error from the median. Therefore, it is possible to assess the fatigue damage accumulation in metallic materials under variable amplitude loading through a thermodynamic approach with models developed for constant amplitude loading.

Introduction：Since its introduction in 1986[1], endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) has gained wide acceptance in clinical practice due to its simplicity, short duration, and low complication rates[2, 3]. Clinical guidelines in many countries have been recommended EVL as the first-line treatment for esophageal varices in liver cirrhosis[4-6]. However, there have been reports of potential adverse events associated with EVL. These include esophageal stenosis, ulcer bleeding, esophageal perforation, esophageal hematoma, pneumonia, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis[7-10]. Although rare, cases of liver dysfunction following EVL have also been reported. In this paper, we present the case of a 50-year-old male patient diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis and esophageal variceal rupture and bleeding. He underwent emergency EVL for hemostasis at our hospital. Subsequently, he developed liver dysfunction. The patient’s condition improved following active conservative treatment in internal medicine and DPMAS+PE therapy.

In the actual communication environment, the Specific emitter identification (SEI) task often encounters Zero-Shot Learning (ZSL) problems. In the ZSL scenarios, the irrelevant characteristics may weaken the inter-class aggregation and split features of the same category into different clusters, which exacerbates the misjudgment. In this paper, based on the global modeling ability of graph convolutional network (GCN), we design a Neighbourhood grAph NetwOrk (NANO) to improve this situation, which consists of feature extraction and a GCN-based transformation network. To train this network, we define a neighborhood graph (NG), a weighting strategy, and a novel NG loss. Finally, experiments on practical collected signals demonstrate that DNG-Net outperforms discrete value detection methods in SEI tasks.

The 6G era is expected to bring a new level of advancement to communication networks with the development of technologies such as mobile-edge-computing, AI-at-the-edge, CML, MCL, and distributed and federated AI. These technologies aim to provide high-speed, low-latency, and reliable connectivity to meet the growing demand for advanced communication solutions. Mobile-edge computing and AI at the edge will play a key role in reducing latency and improving the efficiency of 6G networks by enabling data processing at the network’s edge. CML and MCL will integrate ML into communication networks, improving their performance and reliability. Distributed and federated AI will revolutionize how data is processed and shared, allowing organizations to pool their resources and expertise to develop more accurate and efficient ML models. However, these exciting opportunities also come with challenges, such as ensuring the reliability and security of AI algorithms, developing new standards and protocols to support the complex networks and use cases of 6G, and making the technology accessible and affordable for all users. Despite these challenges, the growth of the digital economy and the increasing demand for advanced communication technologies will continue to drive the development of 6G technologies, leading to the creation of more efficient, secure, and reliable communication networks. In conclusion, 6G is set to bring a new level of innovation to the field of communication networks, enabling a more connected, efficient, and secure world.

Uncontrolled Li dendrite growth hinder the large-scale commercial application of Li metal batteries. Most of present interfacial engineering strategies in lithium metal batteries can only prolong the nucleation time of lithium dendrites and cannot prevent the growth of lithium dendrites in three-dimensional space. In this work, a nickel based catecholate (Ni-CAT) conductive interlayer capable of guiding the orderly migration of lithium ions and inhibiting the disordered deposition of lithium dendrites was successfully constructed between the solid electrolyte and lithium metal by rational design. The experimental analysis proves that the Ni-CAT nanorod arrays with unique vertical structure are closely connected with the solid electrolyte, which can reduce the charge transfer resistance at the interface and guide the lithium ions to be preferentially deposited on the surface of the Ni-CAT interlayer through the conductive gradient, which effectively avoids the phenomenon of apical growth during lithium deposition. Moreover, the abundant pores and inherent nanochannels of Ni-CAT itself acts as an “ion sieve”, successfully inducing the uniform deposition of lithium metal, which drastically reduces the probability that lithium might lose its electrical contact during cycling, leading to the appearance of dead lithium. This strategy holds great promise for solving the lithium dendrite problem.

Background Balloon Tipped Temporary Pacemakers (BTTP) are the most used temporary pacemakers; however, they are associated with a risk of dislodgement and thromboembolism. Recently, Temporary Permanent Pacemakers (TPPM) have become increasingly used. Evidence of better outcomes with TPPM compared to BTTP is still scarce. Materials and methods Retrospective, chart review study evaluating all patients who underwent temporary pacemaker placement between 2014 and 2022 (N=126) in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) at a level 1 trauma center. Primary outcome of this study is to evaluate the safety profile of TPPM vs BTTP. Secondary objectives include patient ambulation and healthcare utilization in patients with temporary pacemakers. Results Both groups had similar baseline characteristics distribution including gender, race and age at temporary pacemaker insertion (p>0.05). Subclavian vein was the most common site of access for the TPPM cohort (89.0%) vs the femoral vein in the BTTP group (65.1%). Ambulation was only possible in the TPPM group (55.6%, p<0.001). Lead dislodgement, venous thromboembolism, local hematoma, and access site infections were less frequently encountered in the TPPM group (OR = 0.23 [95% CI (0.10-0.67), P<0.001]). Within the subgroup of patients with TPPM, 36.6% of the patients were monitored outside the ICU setting. There was no significant difference in the pacemaker related adverse events among patients with TPPM based on their in-hospital setting. Conclusion TPPM are associated with more favorable safety profile compared to BTTP. They are also associated with earlier patient ambulation and reduced healthcare utilization.

The identification of individual animals is vital for a wide range of studies, in particular for the estimation of population densities, the understanding of social networks as well as for the assessment of their age-related physical development. For antlered deer of the Cervidae family, researchers have often used the antlers as markers for the identification of individuals animals. This marker is very unreliable, due to the high variability of the antlers in line with the aging of the males and damages, which are often caused by rut fights. Other markers are therefore needed to recognize individual males, but also females of these species over a longer period. This article proves, that the fur patterns of fallow deer maintain their key characteristics throughout the entire life of the deer, from age 1 on. The method is very robust and applies to all fallow deer which feature spots and other markings in their fur.

Species Abundance Distributions (SADs) describe the commonness and rarity of species in communities, but few studies explored the ecological factors influencing SAD patterns. Elevational gradients may provide useful opportunities to understand SAD variations in response to environmental characteristics. We investigated how plant SADs changed along a 2,500 m elevational gradient in the Alborz Mountains (Iran). We sampled plots at 100 m intervals from 2,000 to 4,500 m elevation to model SADs using several probability distributions. Most communities were best fitted by the exponential and gamma distributions as well as the Weibull distribution. Weibull parameters showed a unimodal pattern and identified different degrees of dominance and rarity along elevational gradient. Communities at lower elevations were characterized by the presence of many species with low dominance. At middle elevations, communities had many rare and many species with intermediate abundances. At high elevations, communities were characterized by reduced taxonomic diversity and low dominance. Less stressful climatic conditions that characterize lower elevations allow more species to coexist, but competition may constrain species abundances. Most species are unable to cope with harsher conditions of higher elevations, and are filtered out, leading to a reduced taxonomic diversity and dominance in these communities.

A document by Muzammilanwar S. Khan. Click on the document to view its contents.

The oil-water displacement after hydraulic fracturing can increase the oil production and reduce the flowback fluid. The NMR technology is applied to study the oil distribution in the core sample before and after oil-water displacement. The main factors affecting the oil-water displacement efficiency are revealed, and the theoretical basis and reference are provided for the optimization of post-fracturing flowback system in tight reservoirs. The results show that the displaced oil is mainly from small pores, medium pores and macropores. The larger the pore size, the higher the oil-water displacement efficiency. Strong homogeneity of core samples and good pore-throat connectivity are the main reasons for the higher oil-water displacement efficiency. The oil-water interfacial tension is low, and the displacement efficiency is improved. The cleanup additive in guar gum fracturing fluid can effectively reduce the oil-water interfacial tension and improve the oil-water displacement efficiency compared with the slick water fracturing fluid.

Two supramolecular complexes were prepared using cucurbiturils [CBs] as hosts and a four-armed p-xylene derivative (M1) as a guest molecule. The single crystals of these two complexes were obtained and successfully analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). An unexpected and intriguing 1:2 self-assembly arrangement between the M1 and CB[8] was notably uncovered, marking its first-time observation. These host-guest complexes exhibit distinctive photophysical properties, especially emission behaviors. The invaluable insights derived from these precious single-crystal structures provide both precise structural information regarding the supramolecular complexes and a deeper understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing their photophysical properties.

The current research was conducted to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in domestic pigeons (Columba livia) in Sialkot. Total 130 (63 females and 67 males) of 26 species of domestic pigeons were examined. Fecal samples from pigeons’ flocks (fresh droppings) were used for this investigation through qualitative method (direct microscopy and floatation method). These samples were collected from 13 villages (Golophala, Bhagwal Awan, Ugoki, Harrar, Kotli Bhutta, Veerum, Dhatal, Noul, Moman Kalan, Moman Khurd, Adalt Garh, Tibba, and Marjan) of Sialkot city. 21 (13 females and 8 males, with a prevalence of 16.15 %) were found positive with capillaria spp. Capillaria spp. was more prevalent in females (20.63%) than males (11%). High prevalence rate was observed in Bhagwal Awan village (8 pigeons infected), (80%) due to unhygienic living conditions. Low prevalence was observed in Golo phala, Dhatal, Kotli Bhutta, Noul, Veerum, Harrar amd Moman Khurd. There was no positive pigeon found in Ugoki, Moman kalan, Adalt garh, Tibba and Marjan. Low and zero prevalence in these villages were due clean and hygienic environment. This research will be helpful to pigeons owners in raising awareness to improve pigeons’ health status through controlling of gastrointestinal parasites especially, capillaria. Further studies are recommended in assessing the effects of these parasites on pigeons’ health and production and aware the pigeon’s keepers to take suitable measures against them.

Objective: This study tests the clinical hypothesis that FNAIT secondary to anti-HPA-1a results in smaller newborns, and the corollary hypothesis that antenatal management of FNAIT in HPA-1a-incompatible pregnancies increases birthweight by reducing the effects of anti-HPA-1a. Design: FNAIT-affected siblings, one untreated and one treated for FNAIT, were paired for the purpose of comparing their birthweights. Birthweights of FNAIT-affected and -unaffected pups in a mouse model of HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were also analyzed. Setting: New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY; Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI. Population: 270 FNAIT-affected newborns from a randomized clinical trial; responders to a NAITbabies.org; and pups in a mouse model of HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were evaluated. Methods: Birthweight percentiles of untreated FNAIT-affected neonates were compared to those of published controls and treated FNAIT-affected siblings using one-sample, two-tailed t-tests. Body weights of FNAIT-affected and -unaffected pups in a mouse model of HPA-1a-specific-FNAIT were analyzed similarly. Main Outcome Measures: The difference in birthweight percentile between untreated and treated FNAIT-affected siblings was analyzed. Results: Untreated siblings were not small compared to normal controls. However, treated siblings in both cohorts had significantly higher birthweight percentiles compared to their untreated, affected sibling. FNAIT-affected neonatal pups had lower body weights than FNAIT-unaffected pups. Conclusions: The effect of treatment, especially high dose IVIG believed to “block” FcRn and lower maternal anti-HPA-1a levels, to increase birthweights suggests maternal anti-HPA-1a reduces birthweights. We believe this is mediated by anti-HPA-1a binding to placental syncytiotrophoblasts, resulting in placental inflammation.

Various "Four Great Inventions" of ChinaYiren Qin1,* 1Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.*Correspondence address: yirenqin@hotmail.com             For the Chinese, the "Four Great Inventions" are what they take great pride in and never tire of mentioning. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the popular song "Chinese Beauty" by Tian Zhen sang, "In the past, we had many world records, the Four Great Inventions are widely acclaimed." The Beijing Olympics also specifically showcased China's "Four Great Inventions" to the world. 1.      Technical Four Great Inventions         The evolution of the "Four Great Inventions" was first recognized by Western scholars as the "Three Great Inventions," namely printing, gunpowder, and the compass, as proposed by Francis Bacon. This later gained acknowledgment from thinkers like Malthus and Marx. Bacon stated in "The New Instrument," "Printing, gunpowder, and the compass have changed the entire appearance and situation of things throughout the world: the first in academic aspects, the second in military matters, and the third in navigation." Marx inherited Bacon's ideas, believing that "gunpowder, the compass, and printing – these are the three great inventions which heralded the arrival of bourgeois society. Gunpowder shattered the knightly feudal hierarchy, the compass opened up the world market and colonial territories, and printing became the instrument of the new learning, the last and mightiest lever for the development of human mind." The British sinologist Matuzi pointed out that the three great inventions of the Chinese had an extraordinary impetus on the development of European civilization. Later, the missionary and sinologist Joseph first included papermaking in the forementioned three great inventions, which is now what we commonly refer to as the "Four Great Inventions." American scholar Thomas Francis Carter first explicitly put forward the term "Four Great Inventions": "The spread of the Four Great Inventions in Europe at the beginning of the Renaissance played a significant role in the formation of the modern world. ... These Four Great Inventions, as well as other inventions, mostly originated from China."            I refer to the above "Four Great Inventions" as the "Technical Four Great Inventions."2.      Feudal Four Great Inventions             During the New Culture Movement, figures like Hu Shi, Zhou Zuoren, and Lu Xun criticized the feudal culture of China, pointing out another set of four great inventions that truly impacted the Chinese people: eunuchs, foot binding, eight-legged essays, and opium consumption. I refer to these as the "Feudal Four Great Inventions." As Mr. Hu Shi said, "In this world, each of them alone is enough to form a system."          The "Feudal Four Great Inventions" had a far greater impact on the Chinese people, both physically and spiritually, as well as on the entire culture of China, than the "Technical Four Great Inventions." They inflicted the most direct harm and devastation on the Chinese people, lasting for hundreds to over a thousand years, even amounting to a kind of trampling on human nature. It is lamentable that, as Zhou Zuoren said, "Japan imitated Chinese culture, yet they did not adopt eunuchs from the Tang Dynasty, foot binding from the Song Dynasty, eight-legged essays from the Ming Dynasty, or opium from the Qing Dynasty."3.      New Four Great Inventions         In contemporary China, it has developed into the world's second-largest economy. In recent years, the concept of the "New Four Great Inventions" has been proposed, namely: high-speed rail, online shopping, Alipay, and shared bikes, hailed as "Marking China, Inspiring the World." It is stated that "In the 'New Four Great Inventions,' high-speed rail and online shopping did not originate in China, but the Chinese, with their wisdom and creativity, have erected a world pinnacle of 'new inventions' and turned them into a shining 'Chinese calling card'." They describe the high-speed rail as "The world's first in total mileage and expanding globally"; online shopping as "Move your fingertips, bringing shops and restaurants to your home"; Alipay as "QR codes replacing the change baskets of vegetable-selling aunties"; and shared bikes as "Green transportation, 'just go when you want to'." However, the BBC's Chinese and English website reports that the "New Four Great Inventions" were not invented on the Chinese mainland; some similar products existed decades ago. It is just that the Chinese mainland is leading in terms of technological refinement and promotion mode.4.      Everlasting Four Great Inventions          With the highly modernized and Westernized culture and technology in contemporary China, most of China's traditional culture and inventions have gradually faded and been eliminated. In recent years, the government has vigorously promoted and carried forward traditional Chinese culture, emphasizing that "without the prosperity and flourishing of Chinese culture, there would be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." However, many of China's traditional cultural inventions such as Chinese calligraphy, Peking opera, Go, silk, suona, erhu, traditional Chinese medicine, etc., have relatively small influence in today's world. Even in China, they are gradually declining and moving towards the point of being declared world heritage. However, a few distinctive Chinese inventions are still flourishing worldwide and influencing people around the world. These are: porcelain, tea, chopsticks, and Chinese delicacies such as hotpot, dumplings, and tofu. I refer to these four great inventions as the "Everlasting Four Great Inventions." Below, I will elaborate on these "Four Great Inventions":4.1  Porcelain                  Also known as china or ceramic, it is composed of materials such as porcelain stone and kaolin, with an outer glaze or painted design. It needs to be fired at high temperatures (around 1200°C–1400°C) to be produced. The English word for porcelain is "porcelain," and in some English-speaking countries, it is also referred to as "china." The reason for this is that ceramics were first imported from China. Many believe that the English word "China" is named after "china," which inverts the logical sequence. China was the earliest production site of porcelain, and the high-fired clay-glazed vessels excavated from the Shang Dynasty in Zhengzhou are considered the earliest known porcelain in the world. China was the largest producer and exporter of porcelain in the world for a long period in history. The influence of porcelain on humanity is immense, from art to everyday porcelainware (tableware, bathroom ware, etc.), and even to high-end industries such as automobile and aircraft manufacturing, semiconductors, construction, aerospace, biomedicine, etc. In today's high-tech era, it is still widely used.4.2  Tea            Originating in China, tea was introduced to Korea and Japan during the Tang Dynasty. In the seventeenth century, tea was brought to Europe and later spread worldwide. The tea-making techniques of various countries around the world are directly or indirectly derived from China. The British scholar Alan Macfarlane stated in his work "Green Gold: The Empire of Tea," "Only tea has successfully conquered the world." Today, Chinese tea still exerts an enduring influence on the world.4.3  Chopsticks            Originating in China, they are the primary utensil in most Asian countries, and Asian immigrant communities around the world still use chopsticks as their main eating utensils. The Italian Matteo Ricci was among the first to introduce chopsticks to Europe, and his work "China in a Nutshell" also described the culture and usage of chopsticks. With the continuous migration of Chinese people to Western countries, chopsticks are also familiar to Westerners, and many households have them. The French Tourism Association has established a "Golden Chopsticks Award" to commend outstanding Chinese catering businesses.4.4  Chinese Delicacies : Hotpot, Dumplings, and Tofu.             The Chinese people's dedication and development of culinary culture undoubtedly rank them at the forefront of global gastronomy. The diversity of Chinese cuisine is almost unparalleled worldwide, making Chinese cuisine a dominant force in the vast realm of food [27]. Among the many Chinese delicacies, hotpot, dumplings, and tofu have the greatest global influence to this day.4.4.1        Hotpot                There are currently 600,000 hotpot restaurants in China, making it a major pillar of the Chinese catering industry with an annual income of over 500 billion [28]. Currently, hotpot is also very popular and widespread in Asian and Western countries, known by almost everyone.4.4.2        Dumplings                 A significant food item for important festivals such as Chinese New Year and Winter Solstice, and also one of the main foods consumed throughout the year in northern provinces of China. Furthermore, dumplings are also well-loved in contemporary Western countries.4.4.3        Tofu                Originating in China and with a history of over 2,000 years of consumption. Currently, tofu is a very common household food in many Asian countries. The English word is "tofu," and it is also a well-known and beloved food among modern Westerners, especially favored by vegetarians as a meat substitute [29].5. Conclusion            In summary, China's "Technical Four Great Inventions" played a significant role in human development and the formation of modern civilization. The "Everlasting Four Great Inventions" continue to spread and influence people's lives around the world, making a great impact. However, both sets of "Four Great Inventions" were created over a thousand years ago in ancient China, showcasing the wisdom of ancient Chinese people. The originality of the "New Four Great Inventions" is not particularly strong, and labeling them as inventions might be a bit of a stretch. They simply hold a leading position in terms of technological refinement and promotion mode.            In other words, from the 15th to the 16th century, nearly all significant inventions that could change the world were dominated by Western countries, such as telescopes, microscopes, steam engines, mechanical clocks, ultrasound and microwave technology, thermometers, vaccines, antibiotics, stethoscopes, X-rays, CT, MRI, contraceptives, condoms, pasteurization, anesthesia, test-tube babies, genetically modified technology, trains, tanks, cars, airplanes, nuclear energy, rockets, missiles, satellites, lasers, washing machines, radios, explosives, stainless steel, plastics, electricity, movies, air conditioning, televisions, refrigerators, cameras, light bulbs, telephones, mobile phones, computers, fiber optics, the internet, artificial intelligence, pianos, orchestral music, rock music, oil painting, skyscrapers, etc. [30]. China has almost never produced a major influential invention since then. This is the most thought-provoking issue for us, and it is also the central issue in the history of Chinese science and technology – the Joseph Needham Question [31]. The "Feudal Four Great Inventions" also offer the most valuable lessons for the Chinese people, having inflicted physical and mental harm on them for hundreds to over a thousand years. We must understand that only through deep reflection on history and recognizing our own shortcomings can we work hard to make progress. Why was Japan, which was once obsessed with learning Chinese culture, able to completely avoid adopting the "Feudal Four Great Inventions"?           In the past twenty years since the beginning of this century, Japan has produced twenty-one Nobel laureates on its own soil [32]. On average, a Japanese person wins a Nobel Prize every year, second only to the United States. Ancient Japan humbly learned from Chinese culture, taking its essence and discarding its dross. In today's world, it is time for China to humbly learn from Japan.6. References[1] Wikipedia: Four Great Inventionshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Inventions [2] Wikipedia: Joseph Needhamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Needham[3] Wikipedia: Four Great Inventionshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Inventions[4] Hu Shi Collection: "Faith and Reflection," "On Faith and Reflection Again," "On Faith and Reflection for the Third Time"[5] Zhou Zuoren: "Knowledge Hall Collection"[6] Wikipedia: Eunuchhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunuch [7] Bai Yang: "Outline of Chinese History"[8] Wikipedia: Foot Bindinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_binding[9] Apple Daily: "Curious History: Revealing the Profound Sexual Connotation of 'Three-Inch Golden Lotus'"https://hk.appledaily.com/china/20130401/HRBUAJS5J35AL44UBDTFCW6C7E/[10] Wikipedia: Eight-legged Essayhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-legged_essay[11] Wikipedia: Gu Yanwuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Yanwu[12] Wikipedia: Opiumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium[13] Wikipedia: Sick Man of Asiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_man_of_Asia[14] Xinhua Net: "The 'New Four Great Inventions': Marked with China, Enlightening the World"http://www.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2017-08/11/c_1121468680.htm[15] Xinhua Net: "Introducing the 'New Four Great Inventions'!"http://www.xinhuanet.com/info/2017-10/27/c_136709316.htm[16] Wikipedia: New Four Great Inventionshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Four_Great_Inventions[17] BBC News. 2018-04-03, Pratik Jakhar. Who really came up with China's 'four new inventions'?https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43406560[18] BBC News Chinese: Pratik Jakhar. BBC Fact Check: Who Actually Proposed China's "Four New Inventions"https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-43624852[19] People's Daily: Inheriting and Carrying Forward Excellent Traditional Chinese Culturehttp://opinion.people.com.cn/n1/2021/0218/c1003-32030343.html[20] Wikipedia: Chinese Culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_culture[21] Wikipedia: Porcelainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain[22] Wikipedia: Porcelainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain[23] National Science and Technology Infrastructure Platform - Classification and Prospects of Ceramic Materialshttp://www.ecorr.org/news/science/2016-12-26/164055.html[24] Wikipedia: Teahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea[25] Baidu Baike: Teahttps://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%8C%B6%E5%8F%B6[26] Wikipedia: Chopstickshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks[27] Wikipedia: Chinese Cuisinehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cuisine[28] Wikipedia: Hot Pothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot[29] Wikipedia: Tofuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu[30] Wikipedia: Timeline of Inventionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_invention[31] Wikipedia: Joseph Needhamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Needham[32] Wikipedia: List of Japanese Nobel laureateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_Nobel_laureates

Apatinib, a novel vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) targeted chemotherapy for solid tumors, has revealed promising efficacy in treating liver cancer in China. Although it has been reported to have a high incidence of inducing hand-foot skin reactions, other skin adverse reactions induced by apatinib are rare. Herein, we report a rare case of apatinib-induced severe bullous dermatosis that was successfully treated with methylprednisolone and summarize the dermatologic toxicities of VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

The evolutionary patterns of the mitochondrial genome are influenced by both adaptive and nonadaptive forces, with their contributions varying among taxa. There appears to be a correlation linking mutagenesis and latitude, which could be due to differences in metabolic rates. These discrepancies in metabolic rates exhibit a positive connection with mutation pressure. On this basis, we hypothesise that nonadaptive forces play a role in the differences in mutation rates observed along latitudinal gradients. In this study, we selected widely distributed carnivores as representatives of mammals to test our hypothesis. We examined the correlations between the dN/dS ratio (ω), as well as the substitution rates (dS and dN), of 13 PCGs in the mtDNA of 122 carnivores, and the latitude and climatic factors. We found that taxa distributed in higher latitudes tend to have higher substitution rates, but not ω values indicating selective pressure. Notably, dN shows a strong positive correlation with dS, although dS is primarily influenced by mutation pressure, while dN is also influenced by effective population size (Ne). Phylogenetic generalised least squares (PGLS) regression analyses showed that both substitution rates were correlated with climatic factors representing the temperature, precipitation and variability of climate. Based on our findings, we propose that the mutations are primarily influenced by nonadaptive forces (mutation pressure). This forms the fundamental premise for natural selection and speciation. Moreover, the correlation between substitution rates and latitudinal distribution and climate, which are outcomes of nonadaptive factors, can aid in comprehending the global distribution of species diversity.

Ranula are mucous cysts of salivary gland origin. The traditional treatment is surgery to resect the ranula but it has disadvantages such as postoperative pain, perioperative risks, and surgical side effects. Our team firstly reported the case of a 21-year-old man with an extraoral ranula who was successfully treated with foamed lauromacrogol sclerotherapy. The extraoral ranula disappeared during the one-year follow-up, and no adverse events were noted. This therapy can potentially become a primary treatment for extraoral ranula.

Although gaining much attention in recent years, it is unclear whether mycorrhizal fungi distribute meaningful amounts of resources among trees in ways that increase the fitness of the receiving trees. To this end, we used shaded and non-shaded pairs of inter- and intra-species Pinus halepensis and Quercus calliprinos saplings growing outdoors in forest soil. Carbon transfer was measured using pulse labeling with 13CO2 and the mycorrhizal community of each tree was identified by DNA barcoding. The effects of belowground connections were examined by tree performance and Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) pools. Although we did not observe any growth benefits, shaded recipient oaks exhibited higher levels of root NSC compared to their control counterparts, which were not connected belowground. This finding suggests a potential benefit of establishing below-ground connections. We also show that non-shaded pines connected to shaded oaks were depleted of their starch pools, suggesting a possible cost of the tree-fungi-tree interaction. Additionally, we monitored the carbon (C) flow from a 13CO2 labeled donor pine tree to the final recipient oak tree and were able to demonstrate C transfer from pines to shaded oaks. Finally, we were able to identify the main fungal symbionts interacting with pines and oaks. Our results link specific mycorrhizal species to belowground C transfer and suggest C-driven fitness costs and benefits to the trees.

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are a diverse group of transferases widely distributed in microorganisms and plants which catalyze the transfer of glycosyl moieties from activated sugar donors to a diverse range of acceptor molecules. GTs play important roles in biological processes, such as cell signal transduction, cell-cell interactions, immune response and diseases. In addition, the utilization of glycosyltransferases to synthesize glycosides has become a major area of pharmaceutical research. The construction of a rapid and efficient screening method for glycosyltransferases is the key to the successful discovery, identification, and modification of new enzymes. In the past few decades, a series of screening methods have been developed to assess activity. This review focuses on various methods for rapid screening of GTs, outlining their advantages and disadvantages.

Prochloraz is a widely used fungicide in the world, which belongs to the environmental endocrine disrupting estrogen pesticide of reproductive system. The purpose of the present study was to investigate Prochloraz on reproductive system of male offspring mice after perinatal exposure to by prochloraz. The different doses of Prochloraz (group MA, MB and MD) were given to male father mice by intragastric administration. The results firstly showed that the average testicular weight in different dosage groups were significantly lower than the control group (0.312g ,0.294g, Vs 0.355g; P < 0.05), and the testicular coefficient index in group MB and MD is also lower than the control group. Secondly, all valid RNA-Seq data were successfully mapped to the mouse genome database for further analysis. Thirdly, we found that significantly expressed mRNAs clustered in group B and D compared to control. Finally, the results showed that male mouse reproductive relative genes response to prochloraz invasion were greatly changed, which involved in the regulation of sperm mitochondria function by two genes (Mt-nd6 and Slc12a4) , and six genes (Greb1, Esrrb , Catsperb, Mospd2, Sohlh1 and Specc1) is closely related to sperm functions and estrogen reaction. It can be concluded that prochloraz play an important role on male offspring reproductive system, which lays a foundation for the follow-up evaluation of its reproductive toxicological effects.

Enzymatic synthesis of β-Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has garnered widespread attention due to its advantages of minimal environmental impact, the use of mild reaction conditions, and the ability to produce highly pure products with the desired optical properties. However, the overall NMN yield of enzymatic synthesis, which begins with ribose and niacinamide, is impeded by the low activity of rate-limiting enzymes. In this study, the enzymes that control the rate of the reaction, ribose-phosphate diphosphokinase (PRS) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), were engineered to improve the reaction efficacy. The actives of single mutants PRS-H150Q and NAMPT-Y15S were 4.34 times and 1.57 times that of their corresponding wild type enzymes, respectively. Furthermore, the byproduct pyrophosphate, which can inhibit NAMPT, was degraded by pyrophosphatase (PPase), leading to a 6.72% increase in NMN yield. Following with reaction-process reinforcement, a yield of 8.10 g/L NMN was obtained from 3.64 g/L NAM after 3 hours of reaction, which was 56.86-fold higher than that of the stepwise reaction synthesis (0.14 g/L), indicating that the in vitro enzymatic synthesis of NMN from ribose and niacinamide is an economical and feasible route.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE TREK-1 is a mechanosensitive channel also activated by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). TREK-1 activation by PUFAs is supposed to be linked to changes in membrane tension following PUFAs insertion. Their ability to insert into the membrane increases with their hydrophobicity and thus the length of the carbon chain. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH In this study, we compared the effect of multiple fatty acids and ML402 in both whole-cell and inside-out configurations of the patch-clamp technique. KEY RESULTS First, we showed a variable TREK-1 activation by PUFAs related to the variable constitutive activity of TREK-1. Then, we observed no correlation between TREK-1 activation and acyl chain length or number of double bonds suggesting that the bilayer-couple hypothesis cannot explain by itself the activation of TREK-1 by PUFAs. The membrane fluidity measurement is not modified by PUFAs at 10 µM. The spectral shift analysis in TREK-1-enriched microsomes indicates a KD,TREK1 at 44 µM of C22:6 n-3. PUFAs display the same activation and reversible kinetics than the direct activator ML402 and activate TREK-1 in both whole-cell and inside-out configurations of patch-clamp suggesting that the binding site of PUFAs is accessible from both sides of the membrane, as for ML402. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Finally, we proposed a two steps mechanism for TREK-1 activation by PUFAs: first, insertion into the membrane, with no fluidity or curvature modifications at 10 µM, and then interaction with TREK-1 channel to open it.