Dynamic impact analysis of the time-delay levitation control system on maglev vehicle system after adding smith predictor.

The time delay (TD) in the levitation control system significantly affects the dynamic performance of the closed-loop system in electromagnetic suspension (EMS) maglev vehicles. Excessive TD can cause levitation instability, making it essential to explore effective mitigation methods. To address this issue, a Smith Predictor (SP) is integrated into the traditional PID levitation control system. The combination of theoretical analysis and numerical simulation is employed to assess the stability of the time-delay levitation control system after the integration of the Smith Predictor. Theoretical analysis reveals that when TD exceeds a critical threshold, the levitation system becomes unstable. The addition of SP alters the root trajectory of the system characteristic equation from positive to negative, and recovers the levitation system to stable status. Assuming complete knowledge of the dynamic system, the TD compensation value in the SP becomes a key parameter that determines its performance. A minimum effective value (MEV) for TD compensation is identified, correlating with the system's stability region. Under the influence of TD, more complex systems and higher running speeds of the maglev vehicle lead to a narrower stable region and a larger MEV for TD compensation. Given the simulation parameters in this paper, with a system TD of 15 ms and a maximum vehicle speed of 160 km/h, the MEV for TD compensation in the SP should be set at 12 ms.

Aggregation-Induced Emission of Curcuminoid-BF2 Complex for Phosphor-Converted Red Light-Emitting Diode.

The incorporation of difluoroboron ß-diketonate and tetraphenylethene under a facile Knoevenagel condensation reaction afforded one new D-π-A-π-D complex TCBF with high aggregation-induced emission (AIE) activity. The TCBF film can maintain a high photocurrent after long-term (500 min) photoelectronic measurements. The successful fabrication of a red LED device makes it a promising candidate for high-performance solid-state lighting.

Low thermal quenching of metal halide-based metal-organic framework phosphor for light-emitting diodes.

Phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (PC-WLEDs) have attracted considerable attention in solid-state lighting and display. However, urgent issues of thermal quenching and high cost remain formidable challenges. Herein, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) phosphor [CdCl2(AD)] was facilely prepared using a mixture of CdCl2 and acridine (AD) under solvothermal conditions. It shows intensive green emission with a long lifetime of 31.88 ns and quantum yield of 65% while maintaining 95% and 84% of its initial emission intensity after remaining immersed in water for 60 days and being heated to 150 °C, respectively. The low thermal quenching of this MOF material is comparable to or can even exceed that of commercial inorganic phosphors. The combination of experiments and theoretical calculations reveals that the alternating arrangement of delocalized AD π-conjugated systems and CdCl2 inorganic chains through strong coordination bonds and π⋯π stacking interactions imparts the MOF phosphor with high thermal stability and optoelectronic performance. The successful fabrication of green and white LED devices by coating [CdCl2(AD)] and/or N630 red phosphor on a 365/460 nm commercial diode chip suggests a promising and potential alternative to commercial phosphors.

Crystal-Rigidifying Strategy in Hybrid Manganese Halide to Achieve Narrow Green Emission and High Structural Stability.

Although organic-inorganic hybrid Mn2+ halides have advanced significantly, achieving high stability and narrow-band emission remains enormously challenging owing to the weak ionic nature and soft crystal lattice of the halide structure. To address these issues, we proposed a cationic engineering strategy of long-range cation π···π stacking and C-H···π interactions to simultaneously improve the crystal structural stability and rigidity. Herein, two organic zero-dimensional (0D) manganese halide hybrids of (BACQ)2MnX4 [BACQ = 4-(butylamino)-7-chloroquinolin-1-ium; X = Cl and Br] were synthesized. (BACQ)2MnX4 display strong green-light emissions with the narrowest full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of 39 nm, which is significantly smaller than those of commercial green phosphor ß-SiAlON:Eu2+ and most of reported manganese halides. Detailed Hirshfeld surface analyses demonstrate the rigid environment around the [MnX4]2- units originating from the interactions between [BACQ]+. The rigid crystal structure weakens the electron-phonon coupling and renders narrow fwhm of these manganese halides, which is further confirmed by temperature-dependent emission spectra. Remarkably, (BACQ)2MnX4 realizes outstanding structural and luminescence stabilities in various extreme environments. Benefiting from the excellent performance, these Mn2+ halides are used to assemble light-emitting diodes with a wide color gamut of 105% of the National Television System Committee 1931 standard, showcasing the advanced applications in liquid-crystal-display backlighting.

Accuracy of FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring in patients with type 2 diabetes who migrated from highlands to plains.

BACKGROUND: The FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring (FGM) system entered the Chinese market in 2017 to complement the self-monitoring of blood glucose. Due to its increased usage in clinics, the number of studies investigating its accuracy has increased. However, its accuracy has not been investigated in highland popu-lations in China. AIM: To evaluate measurements recorded using the FreeStyle Libre FGM system compared with capillary blood glucose measured using the enzyme electrode method in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who had migrated within 3 mo from highlands to plains. METHODS: Overall, 68 patients with T2D, selected from those who had recently migrated from highlands to plains (within 3 mo), were hospitalized at the Department of Endocrinology from August to October 2017 and underwent continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with the FreeStyle Libre FGM system for 14 d. Throughout the study period, fingertip capillary blood glucose was measured daily using the enzyme electrode method (Super GL, China), and blood glucose levels were read from the scanning probe during fasting and 2 h after all three meals. Moreover, the time interval between reading the data from the scanning probe and collecting fingertip capillary blood was controlled to < 5 min. The accuracy of the FGM system was evaluated according to the CGM guidelines. Subsequently, the factors influencing the mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of this system were analyzed by a multiple linear regression method. RESULTS: Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the fingertip and scanned glucose levels were positively correlated (R = 0.86, P = 0.00). The aggregated MARD of scanned glucose was 14.28 ± 13.40%. Parker's error analysis showed that 99.30% of the data pairs were located in areas A and B. According to the probe wear time of the FreeStyle Libre FGM system, MARD1 d and MARD2-14 d were 16.55% and 14.35%, respectively (t = 1.23, P = 0.22). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that MARD did not correlate with blood glucose when the largest amplitude of glycemic excursion (LAGE) was < 5.80 mmol/L but negatively correlated with blood glucose when the LAGE was ≥ 5.80 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: The FreeStyle Libre FGM system has good accuracy in patients with T2D who had recently migrated from highlands to plains. This system might be ideal for avoiding the effects of high hematocrit on blood glucose monitoring in populations that recently migrated to plains. MARD is mainly influenced by glucose levels and fluctuations, and the accuracy of the system is higher when the blood glucose fluctuation is small. In case of higher blood glucose level fluctuations, deviation in the scanned glucose levels is the highest at extremely low blood glucose levels.

Clinical observation of ultrasound-guided acupotomy assisting percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. / è¶ å£°å¼•å¯¼ä¸‹é’ˆåˆ€ç–—æ³•è¾ åŠ©å°„é¢‘æ¶ˆèžæœ¯æ²»ç–—ç¥žç»æ ¹åž‹é¢ˆæ¤Žç— çš„ä¸´åºŠè§‚å¯Ÿ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided acupotomy in adjuvant treatment of residual symptoms after percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty (PCDN) for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR). METHODS: A total of 70 CSR patients were divided into treatment group and control group according to random number table, with 35 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received PCDN, while patients in the treatment group further received ultrasound-guided acupotomy, which was performed once every 5 to 7 days for a total of 4 to 6 times (adjusted according to the condition of patients). The visual analog score (VAS), neck dysfunction index (NDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association cervical spondylosis scale (JOA score), and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point scale were adopted in the assessment before PCDN and 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after PCDN. The clinical efficacy, postoperative adverse reactions and complications of the 2 groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with those before PCDN, the VAS score and NDI score of the 2 groups were decreased (P<0.05), JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1 day and 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Compared with same group 1 day after surgery, the VAS score and NDI score of the treatment group were decreased (P<0.05), while JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Compared with the control group at the same time points, the VAS score and NDI score of the treatment group were decreased (P<0.05), while JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1, 3 and 6 months after operation. The effective rate and excellent rate of the treatment group 1, 3 and 6 months after PCDN were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Follow-up to 1 year after surgery, no significant postoperative adverse reactions and complications were found in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided acupotomy can significantly improve the residual symptoms after PCDN for CSR patients, and the clinical efficacy is significantly better than that of PCDN alone, and this therapy is safe and reliable.

The History of Classification Systems for Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures: A Literature Review.

Periprosthetic femoral fractures (PPFFs) following total hip arthroplasty (THA) present a significant clinical challenge due to their increasing incidence with an aging population and evolving surgical practices. Historically, classifications were primarily based on anatomical fracture location, the stability of the implant, and bone quality surrounding the implant. We critically analyzed 25 classification systems, highlighting the emergence and adaptations of key systems such as the Vancouver classification system (VCS) and the Unified classification system (UCS), which are lauded for their simplicity and effectiveness yet require further refinement. VCS, developed in 1995, categorizes fractures based on the site, implant stability, and bone quality, and remains widely used due to its robust applicability across different clinical settings. Introduced in 2014, UCS expands the VCS to encompass all periprosthetic fractures with additional fracture types, aiming for a universal application. Despite their widespread adoption, these systems exhibit shortcomings, including the incomplete inclusion of all PPFF types and the imprecise assessment of implant stability and surrounding bone loss. These gaps can result in misclassification and suboptimal treatment outcomes. This paper suggests the necessity for ongoing improvements in classification systems to include emerging fracture types and refined diagnostic criteria, ensuring that they remain relevant to contemporary orthopedic practices and continue to facilitate the precise tailoring of treatment to patient-specific circumstances. This comprehensive historical review serves as a foundation for future innovations in classification systems, ultimately aiming to standardize PPFF treatment and improve patient prognosis.

KAT7 enhances the proliferation and metastasis of head and neck squamous carcinoma by promoting the acetylation level of LDHA.

Lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7), a histone acetyltransferase, has recently been identified as an oncoprotein and has been implicated in the development of various malignancies. However, its specific role in head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been fully elucidated. Our study revealed that high expression of KAT7 in HNSCC patients is associated with poor survival prognosis and silencing KAT7 inhibits the Warburg effect, leading to reduced proliferation, invasion, and metastatic potential of HNSCC. Further investigation uncovered a link between the high expression of KAT7 in HNSCC and tumor-specific glycolytic metabolism. Notably, KAT7 positively regulates Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), a key enzyme in metabolism, to promote lactate production and create a conducive environment for tumor proliferation and metastasis. Additionally, KAT7 enhances LDHA activity and upregulates LDHA protein expression by acetylating the lysine 118 site of LDHA. Treatment with WM3835, a KAT7 inhibitor, effectively suppressed the growth of subcutaneously implanted HNSCC cells in mice. In conclusion, our findings suggest that KAT7 exerts pro-cancer effects in HNSCC by acetylating LDHA and may serve as a potential therapeutic target. Inhibiting KAT7 or LDHA expression holds promise as a therapeutic strategy to suppress the growth and progression of HNSCC.

Assessing intracellular and extracellular distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in the commercial organic fertilizers.

Compost-based organic fertilizers often contain high levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Previous studies focused on quantification of total ARGs and MGEs. For a more accurate risk assessment of the dissemination risk of antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to quantify the intracellular and extracellular distribution of ARGs and MGEs. In the present study, extracellular ARGs and MGEs (eARGs and eMGEs) and intracellular ARGs and MGEs (iARGs and iMGEs) were separately analyzed in 51 commercial composts derived from different raw materials by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and metagenomic sequencing. Results showed that eARGs and eMGEs accounted for 11-56% and 4-45% of the total absolute abundance of ARGs and MGEs, respectively. Comparable diversity, host composition and association with MGEs were observed between eARGs and iARGs. Contents of high-risk ARGs were similar between eARGs and iARGs, with high-risk ARGs in the two forms accounting for 6.7% and 8.2% of the total abundances, respectively. Twenty-four percent of the overall ARGs were present in plasmids, while 56.7% of potentially mobile ARGs were found to be associated with plasmids. Variation partitioning analysis, null model and neutral community model indicated that the compositions of both eARGs and iARGs were largely driven by deterministic mechanisms. These results provide important insights into the cellular distribution of ARGs in manure composts that should be paid with specific attention in risk assessment and management.

Clinical application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in improving functional impairments post-stroke: review of the current evidence and potential challenges.

In recent years, the stroke incidence has been increasing year by year, and the related sequelae after stroke, such as cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and post-stroke depression, seriously affect the patient's rehabilitation and daily activities. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), as a safe, non-invasive, and effective new rehabilitation method, has been widely recognized in clinical practice. This article reviews the application and research progress of rTMS in treating different functional impairments (cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, unilateral spatial neglect, depression) after stroke in recent years, and preliminary summarized the possible mechanisms. It has been found that the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of rTMS in improving post-stroke functional impairments include pulse number, stimulated brain areas, stimulation intensity and frequency, as well as duration. Generally, high-frequency stimulation is used to excite the ipsilateral cerebral cortex, while low-frequency stimulation is used to inhibit the contralateral cerebral cortex, thus achieving a balance of excitability between the two hemispheres. However, the specific mechanisms and the optimal stimulation mode for different functional impairments have not yet reached a consistent conclusion, and more research is needed to explore and clarify the best way to use rTMS. Furthermore, we will identify the issues and challenges in the current research, explore possible mechanisms to deepen understanding of rTMS, propose future research directions, and offer insightful insights for better clinical applications.

Network pharmacology-based and molecular docking-based analysis of You-Gui-Yin for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

You-Gui-Yin (YGY) is a classic prescription for warming up kidney-Yang and filling in kidney essence in traditional Chinese medicine, and has been used to treat osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) effectively. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. This study is aimed at exploring the possible mechanisms of action of the YGY in the treatment of ONFH based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. TCMSP was used to screen the active components and targets of YGY. The disease targets of ONFH were collected in several public databases. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) Network was constructed using the STRING platform. The Metascape database platform was used for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. The key active components and core target proteins of YGY in the treatment of ONFH were verified by the molecular docking. 120 active components were obtained from YGY, among which 73 components were hit by the 117 drug-disease intersection targets. Key effective components included quercetin, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, glycitein, beta-carotene, and so on. Core target proteins included ALB, AKT1, TNF, IL6, TP53, and so on. According to GO and KEGG analyses, there were 1762 biological processes, 94 cellular component, 138 molecular function and 187 signaling pathways involved. we selected the top 20 biological processes (BP), cellular components (CC), molecular functions (MF) and signaling pathways to draw the heat maps, showing that Lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, relaxin signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway and other pathways may play a key role in the treatment of ONFH by YGY. The results of molecular docking showed that key effective components and corresponding core target proteins exhibited the good binding activity. YGY can treat ONFH through multicomponents, multitargets, and multipathways, which provides a reference for the subsequent research, development of targeted drugs and clinical application.

[Mechanism of pregnancy-induced thymus involution and regeneration and medication rules of postpartum prescriptions].

In order to prevent the maternal immune defenses to the semi-allogeneic fetus, the maternal body will present a special adaptive immune system change represented by acute thymic involution(ATI) during pregnancy, which can be quickly regenerated after delivery. The ATI during pregnancy is related to the level of sex hormones, which is mainly caused by progesterone. Pregnancy-induced ATI is manifested as the continuous shrinkage of thymus volume, especially the cortex, and the wrinkle and phagocytosis of the subcapsular cortical thymic epithelial cells(cTECs), while other thymic epithelial cells(TECs) remain unchanged. The postpartum thymus is regenerated by the co-mediation of forkhead box N1(FOXN1) as well as its target genes chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 25(CCL25), chemokine(C-X-C motif) ligand 12(CXCL12), δ-like ligand 4(DLL4), cathepsin L(CTSL), and serine protease 16(PRSS16). Once the postpartum thymus is poorly repaired, immune dysfunction of the maternal body and several puerperal diseases will be induced, seriously endangering the survival of the mother and the newborn. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), Qi and blood are the cornerstone of pregnancy, and the thymus plays a key role in regulating Qi and blood. The deficiency of Qi and blood during pregnancy and childbirth is closely related to the abnormal ATI during pregnancy and the poor regeneration of the postpartum thymus. Based on this theory, TCM has profound academic ideas and rich clinical experience in postpartum recuperation. Based on the systematic description of the mechanism of ATI regeneration during pregnancy, as well as data mining and analysis of two classic gynecological works of TCM, Wan's Gynecology and Fu Qing-zhu's Treatise on Gynecology, this study found that the commonly used TCM for postpartum included Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Among them, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and Chuanxiong Rhizoma are high-frequency TCMs with positive effects on postpartum recovery.However, the mechanism of these TCMs in promoting postpartum thymus regeneration needs further investigation.

Developing an automatic warning system for anomalous chicken dispersion and movement using deep learning and machine learning.

Chicken is a major source of dietary protein worldwide. The dispersion and movement of chickens constitute vital indicators of their health and status. This is especially evident in Taiwanese native chickens (TNCs), a local variety which is high in physical activity when healthy. Conventionally, the dispersion and movement of chicken flocks are observed in patrols. However, manual patrolling is laborious and time-consuming. Moreover, frequent patrols increase the risk of carrying pathogens into chicken farms. To address these issues, this study proposes an approach to develop an automatic warning system for anomalous dispersion and movement of chicken flocks in commercial chicken farms. Embendded systems were developed to acquire videos of chickens from overhead view in a chicken house, in which approximately 20,000 TNCs were raised for a period of 10 wk. Each video was 5-min in length. The videos were transmitted to a remote cloud server and were converted into images. A You Only Look Once-version 7 tiny (YOLOv7-tiny) object detection model was trained to detect chickens in the images. The dispersion of the chicken flocks in a 5-min long video was calculated using nearest neighbor index (NNI). The movement of the chicken flocks in a 5-min long video was quantified using simple online and real-time tracking algorithm (SORT). The normal ranges (i.e., 95% confidence intervals) of chicken dispersion and movement were established using an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous factors (SARIMAX) model, respectively. The system allows farmers to check up on the chicken farm only when the dispersion or movement values were not in the normal ranges. Thus, labor time can be saved and the risk of carrying pathogens into chicken farms can be reduced. The trained YOLOv7-tiny model achieved an average precision of 98.2% in chicken detection. SORT achieved a multiple object tracking accuracy of 95.3%. The ARIMA and SARIMAX achieved a mean absolute percentage error 3.71% and 13.39%, respectively, in forecasting dispersion and movement. The proposed approach can serve as a solution for automatic monitoring of anomalous chicken dispersion and movement in chicken farming, alerting farmers of potential health risks and environmental hazards in chicken farms.

Understory fuel loads and the impact factors of Quercus mongolica natural secondary forest in Hebei Pro-vince, China.

We investigated understory fuel loads of Quercus mongolica natural secondary forests in Hebei Province, China. We analyzed the effects of stand factors, topographic factors, and ground cover factors on the quantity and composition of fuel, established the dynamic models of understory fuel loads, and proposed management measures. The results showed that the understory total fuel load in Q. mongolica natural secondary forests was 11.68 t·hm-2, which exceeded the forest fire potential threshold (10 t·hm-2). The understory dead fuel load was mainly humus, and the understory living fuel load was mainly shrubs. The 1 h time-lag fuel load increased significantly with increasing canopy density, stand density, stand age, and litter thickness. The 10 h time-lag fuel load increased signi-ficantly with increasing stand density, average tree height, and litter thickness. Humus load decreased significantly with increasing altitude and increased significantly with increasing humus thickness. Herb load increased significantly with increasing sunny slope orientation and herbal coverage. Shrub load increased significantly with increasing slope degree, shrub coverage, and humus thickness. Understory total fuel load decreased significantly with increasing altitude, and increased significantly with increasing stand density, humus thickness, and litter thickness. The results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that stand density, humus thickness, and altitude could better predict the understory total fuel load (Radj2=0.775). Therefore, more attention should be paid on the control of stand density of Q. mongolica natural secondary forest in Hebei Province. Cleaning of litters and humus on the ground would help prevent forest fires scientifically and effectively.

Causality between depression and ankylosing spondylitis in a European population: Results from a Mendelian randomization analysis.

The aim of this study was to explore the application of Mendelian randomization (MR) Egger and inverse variance weighted (IVW) in a causal effect on depression and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Instrumental variables (IVs) were determined using genome-wide association studies. The 2-sample MR analysis was conducted by MR Egger to test the causal effect between depression and AS. The pleiotropy of potential instrumental variables was evaluated. The results of MR Egger and IVW were further compared. A total of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms as the construct IVs were included. IVW results showed a significant causal effect between depression and AS (P < .001). Depression could promote the risk of AS (odds ratio = 1.060, 95% confidence interval: 1.026-1.094). However, the MR Egger showed no causal effect (P = .311). Heterogeneity statistics suggested that no heterogeneity was existed (P > .05). It was also suggested that there was no horizontal pleiotropy in IVs (MR Egger intercept: -0.0004, P = .471). Reverse MR analysis suggested that there was no causal effect between AS and depression (P > .05). Gene expression quantitative trait locus (QTLs) suggested that rs2517601 and RNF39 were positively correlated (beta = 1.066, P < .001). Depression may be one of the causes of AS by MR analysis in a European population. We can estimate the causal effect based on IVW when horizontal pleiotropy is very tiny.

Systematic Appraisal of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Choledocholithiasis.

BACKGROUND: To systematically evaluate the methodological quality of the current up-to-date guidelines pertaining to choledocholithiasis, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of key recommendations and corresponding evidence, focusing on the heterogeneity among these guidelines. METHOD: Systematic searches across various databases were performed to identify the latest guidelines. The identified guidelines, which met the inclusion criteria, underwent evaluation using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool. The key recommendations and evidence from the included guidelines were extracted and reclassified using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) grading system, and the obtained results were analyzed. RESULTS: Nine guidelines related to choledocholithiasis were included in this study, out of which 4 achieved an overall standardized score of more than 60%, indicating their suitability for recommendation. Upon closer examination of the main recommendations within these guidelines, we discovered significant discrepancies concerning the utilization of similar treatment techniques for different diseases or different treatment methods under comparable conditions, and discrepancies in the recommended treatment duration. High-quality research evidence was lacking, and some recommendations either failed to provide supporting evidence or cited inappropriate and low-level evidence. CONCLUSION: The quality of guidelines pertaining to choledocholithiasis is uneven. Recommendations for the treatment of choledocholithiasis demonstrate considerable disparities among the guidelines, particularly regarding the utilization of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as a treatment method and the management approaches for difficult stone cases. Improvements by guideline developers for these factors contributing to the heterogeneity would be a reasonable approach to further update the guidelines for cholangiolithiasis.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling reveals the effect of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance in loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus).

The subject of this study was to explore the optimum requirements of loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus) regarding dietary proteins and lipids and discuss the underlying mechanism. We designed nine diets to determine the effects of different levels of dietary crude protein (CP: 30%, 35%, and 40%) and ether extract (EE: 6%, 10%, and 14%) on the growth performance and metabolism of P. dabryanus. In total, 2160 healthy P. dabryanus (5.19 ± 0.01 g) were divided into nine groups with four replications at 60 fish per barrel stocking density. The trial lasted for eight weeks. Serum and liver samples were gathered for metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. The results showed that the specific growth rate of P. dabryanus in the CP40EE10 group was the fastest and notably higher than that in other groups (P< 0.05). Analysis of the metabolome results found that the mTOR signaling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism were significantly enriched pathways in the CP40EE10 group compared with the other groups (P< 0.05). Moreover, the transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed that the expression of ARG (arginase) involved in protein synthesis was significantly upregulated in the CP40EE10 group compared to the slowest growing group (P< 0.05). Additionally, the expression of SPLA2 (secretory phospholipase A2) involved in lipid metabolism and FBP (fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase) involved in glucose metabolism were all significantly downregulated in the CP30EE6 group compared with the CP40EE10 group (P< 0.05). Furthermore, the analysis of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and DEGs co-enriched in the KEGG pathway revealed that the significantly enriched pathways were arginine and proline metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis in CP40EE10 compared with other groups (P< 0.05). We conclude that including 40% CP and 10% EE in the P. dabryanus diet could result in a better growth rate. We hypothesized from metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses that the CP40EE10 diet might promote the growth of P. dabryanus by promoting protein synthesis, lipid metabolism, and energy production.

Palmitic acid/expanded graphite/CuS composite phase change materials toward efficient thermal storage and photothermal conversion.

In this study, an expanded graphite (EG) with nano-CuS (EG/CuS) support material with a special morphology was prepared, with EG/CuS filled with different ratios of palmitic acid (PA). Finally, a PA/EG/CuS composite phase change thermal storage material with photothermal conversion performance was synthesized. The superb chemical and thermal stability of PA/EG/CuS was demonstrated by characterization and analysis of the experiments. EG, a multi-layer structured material, provides rich binding sites for PA and nano-CuS and constructs rich thermal conductivity paths, which effectively improves the thermal conductivity of PA/EG/CuS. It is noted that the maximum thermal conductivity of PA/EG/CuS reached 0.372 W m-1 K-1 and the maximum phase change thermal storage capacity reached 260.4 kJ kg-1, which proved the excellent thermal storage properties of PA/EG/CuS. In addition, PA/EG/CuS exhibits excellent photothermal conversion performance, and the experimental results demonstrated that the best photothermal conversion efficiency of PA/EG/CuS reached 81.4%. The PA/EG/CuS developed in this study provides a promising method for fabricating excellent conductive and low leakage composite phase change materials for solar energy utilization and energy storage.