Consumers’ recognition and acceptance of multilevel marketing(MLM) is an important reference for the government to formulate MLM regulatory policies. Based on the questionnaire survey data of 541 consumers from various regions of Guangdong Province on whether to accept MLM, this article uses descriptive statistics, large sample proportion testing, large sample interval estimation, chi-square analysis, and other methods to analyze consumers’ attitudes towards MLM, revealing the differences in attitudes towards MLM among consumers with different background information. The results show that most consumers can accept MLM, but there are great differences in their understanding of MLM and their discrimination ability. There is no significant correlation between the sample’s gender and age and whether they accept MLM, while there is a significant difference between their education background and income and whether they accept MLM. In terms of government regulation, consumers are most concerned about the legal operation of direct selling companies, and most consumers believe that direct selling requires strict government regulation and special approval.

In rat testicular cells exposed to sub-lethal doses of α-cypermethrin (ACP), oxidative stress and genotoxicity were assessed. Additionally, the protective effects of Tribulus Terrestris sterols (TT) as antioxidants were compared with α-cypermethrin. A total of 40 adult male white rats were divided into four groups: a control group, α-cypermethrin (0.533 mg/kg bw),Tribulus Terrestris (100 mg/kg bw), and the group from a mixture of alphacypermethrin(0.533 mg/kg bw) and Tribulus terrestris (100mg/kg b.w). Analysis of the Tribulus terrestrisextract showed the presence of several sterols compounds that GC identified. The TT sterol compositions were Heneicosane (30.16%) and Tetracosane (27.99%), Cholesterol (1.14%), Stigmasterol (1.02%) and B-sterols (0.96%). The results showed that by raising antioxidantenzyme levels and lipid peroxidation in rat testicles, α-cypermethrin caused a significant amount of oxidative stress. Additionally, the findings showed that α-cypermethrin significantly reduced sperm count, sperm motility as a percentage of

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has been demonstrated as a reliable approach to improve therapeutic effect in cancer treatment by triggering antitumor immunity. However, the trigger of ICD based on chemotherapy and phototherapy meets the obstacles of serious side effect and poor penetration ability, which seriously impedes the therapeutic effect. The development of sonodynamic immunotherapy with the evoking of ICD presents high promise for cancer treatment with high efficacy. Herein, high performance aggregation-induced emission (AIE) sonosensitizer is constructed based on the engineering structure modulation for sonodynamic-augmented immunotherapy. By regulating the intermolecular interaction and pull-push electronic effect, sonosensitizer bearing AIE feature and amplified sono-sensitizing effect is developed. In addition, in vitro observation demonstrated that thiolate-substituted segment incorporation endows the molecules with enhanced cellular uptake efficiency and improved tumor cell eradication ability. More importantly, the developed sonosensitizer could efficiently evoke ICD upon the trigger of ultrasound, which allows for the efficient tumor eradication both at cellular level and in solid tumor. The inhibition of primary tumor and further boost systemic immunity response with the complete elimination towards the distant tumor is achieved. The investigation highlights the promise of utilizing AIE sonosensitizers in sonodynamic immunotherapy to conquer the current limitation of immunotherapy in solid tumor treatment.

Chemotherapy remains the primary systemic treatment for patients with neuroblastoma, but the lack of appropriate in vitro tumor microenvironment models has resulted in suboptimal efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we propose innovative bioresponsive hydrogel microfibers that replicate the mechanical properties of extracellular matrix surrounding neuroblastoma cells for assessing tumor drug responses. These microfibers are composed of an alginate/poly (N-Isopropyl acrylamide) shell and a carboxymethyl cellulose core, fabricated by microfluidic technology. Due to the precise manipulation afforded by microfluidics, it is possible to continuously generate fibers that encapsulate cells with uniform size and precise structure. Additionally, the rapid temperature response characteristics enabled the microfibers to mimic the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix, thereby regulating the cellular pressure environment and rapidly forming highly active three-dimensional tumor spheroids. Ultimately, our findings demonstrate that neuroblastoma spheres within the microfibers display varying sensitivities to different chemotherapy drugs under distinct external pressure conditions. In conclusion, this biomimetic extracellular matrix microfiber offers a dependable foundation for replicating the neuroblastoma microenvironment and facilitating the assessment of clinical drug efficacy.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent forms of neurodegenerative diseases. Although some controversy exists, β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is recognized to play an essential role in the pathophysiology of AD. The Aβ species are known to exist in various forms, including soluble monomers, oligomers, and insoluble aggregates. Despite extensive efforts to regulate Aβ aggregation, no successful medications have been developed to date. Among the various strategies for AD treatment, phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), photopharmacology, and photobiomodulation (PBM) have attracted increased attention because of the spatiotemporal controllability. Representative examples of PDT, PTT, photopharmacology and PBM are discussed in terms of inhibitory mechanism, the unique properties of materials, and the design of phototherapy modulators. The major challenges of phototherapy against AD are addressed and the promising prospects are proposed. It is concluded that the noninvasive light-assisted approaches will become a promising strategy for intensifying the modulation of Aβ aggregation or promoting Aβ clearance and thus facilitating AD treatment.

Background The deprescribing research field is growing with the recent International Conferences on Deprescribing (ICOD). Early career researchers (ECRs) often face challenges regarding their career development. Objective This study identified ECRs in the deprescribing field, the challenges they face, and potential strategies to support them. Methods An online survey was sent to ECR participants who registered for ICOD2 held in Nantes, France, September 2024. The survey contained 13 questions on demographics, research focus, conference participation, and future directions. A comparison between clinician researchers and full-time researchers identified differences in the challenges they encounter. Results We received a total of 47 (90.4%) responses from 52 participants registered as ECRs. Thirty-four (72.3%) had one or more presentations at the conference. The most common challenges identified by full-time researchers were access to data (7, 33.3%) and funding (7, 33.3%) and for clinician researchers it was time constraints (16, 61.5%), whereas only few (6, 28.6%) full time researchers reported this ( p=0.044). Conclusion While a substantial number of ECRs participated and were engaged at all levels of ICOD2, our survey highlighted that meeting and networking are highly valued. Our findings could provide insights for the development of future ECR initiatives.

Bone oedema-like lesion is characterized by hyperintense signals in short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequences on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The pattern of bone oedema-like lesions involving the enthesis of the collateral ligament (CL) of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) has not been investigated as a cause of lameness in horses. This pattern was detected in 10 forelimbs of nine horses, involving the medial collateral fossa of the distal phalanx in six feet. The STIR signal was graded as ‘severe’ in two feet, ‘moderate’ in two feet, and ‘mild’ in six feet, and involved the dorsal two-thirds of the fossa in seven feet. The bone lesion was the only lesion in six feet, while in three feet, the ipsilateral CL presented abnormalities. Follow-up MRI was available for three horses and revealed a reduction of the STIR signal. Five horses returned to a lower level of athletic activity, while four returned to the same or a higher level. Bone oedema-like lesion at the CLs enthesis is a potential cause of lameness even if the ipsilateral CL appears normal. The prognosis for return to athletic activity is good, although further studies with a larger number of horses are required.

Objective: To explore the effect and mechanism of baicalin on L-Glutamate-induced oxidative stress injury in the hippocampus of mice. Methods: Forty mice were randomly assigned to five groups: Sham, Model, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), and baicalin (BA-7.5mg/kg and BA-15mg/kg). A model of excitatory amino acid toxicity with oxidative stress injury was induced by injecting L-Glutamate into the lateral ventricle. The drugs were then injected intraperitoneally. Six hours later, behavioral tests were performed. The lesions of brain were observed using HE staining, while the apoptosis of neurons was assessed through TUNEL staining. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined using biochemical methods. The expression of Cytochrome C (CytC) was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Fluorescent staining was employed to detect the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The levels of Nrf2, HO-1, SOD2 and Catalase (Cat) were detected by qPCR and WB. Results: The behavioral tests showed that the motion distance and pain threshold were reduced. MDA, ROS, and CytC were increased, SOD and Cat were decreased. The CA3 region of the hippocampus exhibited pathological changes, and the rate of TUNEL-positive increased. Baicalin could reverse these changes, especially BA-7.5mg/kg. Conclusion: Baicalin can reduce the hippocampal injury induced by L-Glutamate. This may be related to the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Background and purpose: The accuracy of prevalent risk models recommended by American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology(AHA/ACC) and European Society of Cardiology(ESC) for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM) patients is suboptimal. We aim to assess the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR) -3D left ventricular mechanical dispersion(LVMD) in the prognostic stratification of HCM, and explore the correlation with myocardial fibrosis heterogeneity. Methods and results: 159 HCM patients were retrospectivly enrolled, 31 experienced primary endpoint events, 49 experienced secondary endpoint events. 3D LVMD were computed as the standard deviations(SD) of the time from the peak of the R wave and the negative strain peak across 16 segments longitudinally, circumferentially, and radially on cine images. The heterogeneity parameter entropy was calculated utilizing the generic Python algorithm. Patients experienced endpoint events exhibited significantly higher radial LVMD(LVMD-R), circumferential LVMD(LVMD-C), and longitudinal LVMD(LVMD-L) (p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that HCM patients with elevated LVMD had a higher risk of primary and secondary endpoint events(p<0.05). In multivariable Cox analysis incorporated the 2024 AHA/ACC and 2022 ESC guidelines risk classification, both LVMD-C and LVMD-L emerged as significant predictors for both endpoint events(p<0.05). We developed a model incorporated the 2022 ESC risk stratification in combination with LVMD-C and LVMD-L. ROC analyses revealed that this combined model(area under the curve[AUC] for primary endpoint events: 0.854, AUC for secondary endpoint events: 0.802) significantly outperformed the guidelines alone(Delong test, p<0.001). Additionally, entropy demonstrated linear correlations with LVMD. Conclusion: The inclusion of LVMD evaluation in HCM patients adds further value to risk stratification beyond existing guidelines.

A 1:1 scale test platform was constructed to accurately simulate the working conditions and flexible constraints of wind turbine bearings. The research focuses on the main bearing of a 4.5MW wind turbine, where a finite element model of the main shaft system is established. The impact of ring deformation, load conditions, and bearing geometric parameters on the contact characteristics and fatigue life of the main bearing were investigated under the flexible constraints imposed by a hollow main shaft and thin-walled bearing housing. The results indicate that in comparison to the rigid ring model, the fatigue life of the main bearing is reduced in the case of the flexible ring model. Additionally, the location of maximum stress occurrence has shifted towards the larger end of the roller when compared to the rigid ring model. The contact load in the primary load-carrying region of the main bearing increases with radial load and tilting moment, while the contact load in the non-load-carrying region exhibits an inverse relationship. The number of carrying rollers increases with the increase of axial load, leading to a decrease in the contact force of the bearing. However, once all the rollers are loaded, the contact force increases proportionally with the axial load. As the contact angle increases, the contact load of the tapered roller bearing (TRB) decreases. As the radial clearance increases in the positive direction, the contact stress of the bearing increases and consequently leads to a decrease in fatigue life. The fatigue life of the bearing can be increased by applying a negative clearance or axial preload of approximately -0.5mm. The increase in interference between the inner ring and the spindle leads to a reduction in bearing contact stress, thereby enhancing its fatigue life.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) prevalence is high and increasing in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Unfortunately, uncontrolled BP causes cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and kidney disease. The high morbidity and mortality that results from uncontrolled BP comes at a high cost to families and countries. Knowledge of the barriers to BP control may help in crafting suitable interventions. Methods: This was a descriptive qualitative study to explore the barriers to BP control among patients already on BP treatment in public PHC clinics in Gaborone Botswana. Data was collected from patients, nurses, doctors, and district health managers, through structured interviews. The interviews were conducted using an interview guide, and they were audio recorded. The interviews were translated into English transcripts and the transcripts were analysed for themes using NVivo. Results: Eighteen participants were interviewed. The barriers to BP control were health system related, healthcare worker related, patient related, and socio-economic. Conclusions: Barriers to BP control among patients receiving BP treatment were multifactorial and included health system, healthcare worker, patient, and socioeconomic factors. There needs to be a holistic approach to overcome these barriers and special attention to be given to doctor knowledge, patients’ lifestyles, and adherence to treatment.

Originating in 1951 in the United States with a cohort of male physicians, field epidemiology training programs (FETPs) now support workforce development in more than 200 countries and territories, with graduates of diverse genders and professional backgrounds. Through the 2018 The Path Forward: The Global Field Epidemiology Roadmap, the field epidemiology leadership group put forward strategies to modernize field epidemiology into the 21st century. The roadmap lacked intersection with contemporary concerns, including diversity, equity and inclusion. Mirroring global health workforce trends that see women overrepresented at the frontline and underrepresented across leadership, a review of the processes to develop The Path Forward highlight inequities across field epidemiology leadership. While nascent Global Field Epidemiology Partnership finalizes its first strategic plan, we provide recommendations to strengthen the utility and relevance of field epidemiology strategies and leadership through investing in understanding the population who are field epidemiologists, creating space for untraditional voices, and diversifying leadership.

A Rare Presentation of Invasive Molar Pregnancy to The Myometrium: Case ReportShaghayegh Vandadi1, Afsaneh Tehranian1, Nasim Zarifi1, Akram Seifollahi1, Amirhossein Hajialigol2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arash women’s Hospital, Tehran University of medical sciencesMD/hMBA cahndidate, Alborz Office of Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, IranCorresponding Author:Afsaneh TehranianPostal code: 1417653761Postal adress: No. 63, Keshavarz Blvd., TehranEmail: afsanehtehranian@yahoo.comPhone: 00982166491070Informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal on request.

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Heavy metal hyperaccumulation is prevalent throughout plant evolution, particularly in the legume family (Fabaceae), and acts as a presumed chemical defense against herbivory. However, heavy metal hyperaccumulation can have non-target impacts on other biological interactors including plant-microbe interactions. This information is important given the interest in utilizing legume plants for phytoremediation of anthropogenically contaminated soils. Here we employ a greenhouse experiment manipulating selenium level along with 16S amplicon sequencing methods to explore the effect of selenium on the prokaryotic microbiome of the selenium hyperaccumulator Astragalus crotalariae and non-accumulator Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus. Regardless of hyperaccumulator status, both plants accumulated high levels of selenium in leaf tissue when grown on soils with high selenium levels. However, the effect of selenium on the prokaryotic communities was more drastic in A. lentiginosus than A. crotalariae, explaining 37.57% of the observed variation and significantly affected community diversity and evenness. Many individual microbes were affected by selenium addition; notably, Mesorhizobium the nodulation-inducing genera of Astragalus spp., appeared in significantly less abundance in roots of both plant species grown on highly seleniferous soils. This project highlights the potential significance of ecological partners in heavy metal accumulating plants and the necessity of their consideration when using these plants for phytoremediation.

Herein we propose changing the target of the well established field of aerosol dispersal for large scale climate cooling from long term cooling to short term, more extreme temperature changes with the aim of inducing artificial precipitation over a target area. We demonstrate that such a strategy is scientifically and economically feasible; and further is safe, can mimic natural processes, and is within immediate technological and economic reach.

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Background and Purpose: The incidence of liver fibrosis has remained high worldwide, posing a serious threat to human health. Carthamus tinctorius L is a traditional medicine for treating liver disease, and flavonoids, as the main active ingredients, have a wide range of pharmacological activities. This study investigated the pharmacodynamic effects and mechanism of action of total flavonoids from Carthamus tinctorius L (TFCTL) on hepatic fibrosis mice and TGF-β1 induced activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Methods: LC-MS/MS technique was used to identify the chemical constituents of TFCTL. We established an animal model of liver fibrosis and simultaneously induced the activation of HSC-T6 cells in vitro and CCK-8, Western blot, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence technology were applied to investigate the anti-hepatic fibrosis effect and mechanism of TFCTL. Results: TFCTL can promote YAP phosphorylation and degradation by inhibiting the activation and proliferation of HSC-T6 cells in vitro, increasing the expression of MST1 and LATS1, and then inhibiting the expression of downstream target genes in the Hippo signaling pathway. TFCTL can significantly improve the pathological conditions of liver fibrosis mice and the mechanism of action is mainly related to the Hippo/YAP pathway. Implications: TFCTL has significant anti-fibrotic effects which may be recognized as a prospective drug candidate for the therapy of liver fibrosis.

Cervical thoracic duct cysts (CTDC), also called chylous cyst or lymphocele was first reported in 1958 and diagnosed by angiography, although often erroneously cited in the literature as first described in 1964. While the 1958 case was right-sided, all remaining 47 cases have been on the left side. Therefore, this is

In freshwater food webs, consumers often prefer high-quality autochthonous OM over allochthonous OM. However, scarcity may force reliance on the abundant but lower-quality allochthonous OM. We examined how the dietary contribution of autochthonous OM varied with its in-habitat quantity. We manipulated light incidence over natural ecosystems to create a gradient of autochthonous OM quantity. We tested whether autochthonous OM contributed proportionally its quantity to consumer diets or was preferentially foraged. Autochthonous OM contributed more to diets when scarce but stabilized at a limit despite further increases, indicating a minimum quantity to trigger an autochthonous-based energy pathway and a saturation point. Light incidence and periphyton phosphorus, proxies for OM quantity and quality, positively influenced dietary contributions, while its interaction with chlorophyll-a negatively affected it---likely by reducing OM quality or quantity. We concluded that OM quantity and quality shape energy pathways in freshwater food webs, with quantity as the primary driver.

TB is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that has been killing people for millennia. It typically affects the lungs, though it may also harm other region of the body, notably kidneys, spine, and brain. The study aimed to evaluate the risk factors of transmission of TB among family members and to investigate its transmission pattern through household contacts. This cross-sectional study was conducted and data was collected from National tuberculosis program in divisional headquarter hospital Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. Considering all the SOPs, sputum samples were collected for detection of pulmonary TB. Samples were tested using Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF. A significant association (p=0.000) was found between MTB and absence of history of cough. No association (p=0.170) observed between spending time with patient and transferring of MTB traces into participant’s body. A significant association (p=0.000) found between wearing mask and reducing risk of having MTB traces. There is no association (p=0.385) of eating and sitting with patients and transferring of MTB traces into participant’s body. Our findings elucidate that MTB transfer is not related to the history of cough and also wearing mask near the patients reduced the risk of MTB transfer. The individuals who involve in cleaning patient’s room are at high risk of getting MTB traces transferred to their body. Spending time with patients and sitting or eating next to the patients did not appear to be associated with transfer of MTB traces.

Climate and husbandry-induced stressors pose significant threats to fish growth and survival. Therefore, identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for mitigating stress and enhancing fish health. This study conducted a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of stress responses in rainbow trout exposed to five different stress conditions—high and low temperatures, crowding, salinity, and low-quality water—for six hours. In total, 21,580 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were identified, with 16,959 being unique DETs. Among the conditions studied, heat stress and salinity triggered the most significant transcriptomic responses. Most DETs were specific to individual stressors, indicating distinct physiological responses. Only 39 DETs were commonly regulated across all conditions. The most significant unique DETs associated with heat stress were utilized in machine learning analyses to assess their effectiveness in distinguishing between control and heat-stressed fish from natural Redband trout populations. The logistic model tree (LMT) performed best using a set of 234 DETs. When the dataset was reduced to 50 or 2 DETs, the Random Forest model achieved optimal classification at several time points. Notably, the model consistently relied on two heat shock genes, hsp47, and HSPA4L, as key predictors across all time points (both short- and long-term stress) as well as the combined dataset. In contrast, core DETs (shared between conditions) were less effective in predicting phenotypes, achieving only 52.78% accuracy. The study concluded that molecular signatures are largely specific to individual stressors. It identified potential biomarkers for monitoring stress associated with climate change and recommended their application in breeding programs to enhance fish welfare, improve aquaculture productivity, and support species conservation efforts.

Aim A critical step towards uncovering generalizable patterns of phenotype-niche relationships is understanding how functional traits have evolved as species occupy new habitats. Ecomorphological traits impact how organisms function in their environment and are predictive of habitat use and niche. Studying ecomorphological variation in the context of strong environmental filtering can provide opportunities to understand the role of convergent evolution in forming trait-habitat use patterns. By integrating a molecular phylogeny, habitat use, and morphometrics, this study aimed to understand the role of ancestry and convergent evolution in ecomorphological trait evolution. Location Montane and alpine streambeds, talus, and snowfields in Holarctic mountain ranges (0-5000 m. above sea level). Time Period 1970-2021 Major Taxa Studied Seventy-nine species comprising three species complexes in the ground beetle genus Nebria (Carabidae: Nebriini). Methods Morphological measurements including pronotal ratio (widest point divided by the base), elytral length, elytral ratio (length divided by width), antennal scape length, and pronotal and elytral shape (Fourier decomposition) were used in this study, in conjunction with measurements of habitat use habitat where specimens were collected. Morphological variation was examined in relation to habitat use and phylogenetic relatedness, and morphological trait evolution was tested for convergence. Results Ecomorphological traits are evolving slower than expected under a null model of Brownian motion evolution. Nebria species cluster in multivariate morphospace according to relatedness, but habitat use and relatedness together are the best predictors of morphological variation. There is evidence for convergence in riparian species based on morphologicy alone, and additional evidence for morphological convergence in riparian and alpine species when phylogenetic distance is considered. Main Conclusions In species assemblages of Nebria, we found evidence of rapid diversification followed by a slow rate of ecomorphological evolution, with convergent evolution playing a significant role in shaping trait-habitat use patterns and niche acquisition.

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