A retrospective study on the impact of radiotherapy on the survival outcomes of small cell lung cancer patients based on the SEER database.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in tumor burden, physical condition, and responses to initial treatment. This diversity in treatment responses can result in varying treatment outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to explore the patient demographics associated with improved survival outcomes through radiotherapy. Based on the SEER database, we identified 42,824 SCLC patients enrolled between 2004 and 2015. These patients were stratified into radiotherapy (n = 20,360) and non-radiotherapy groups (n = 22,464). We controlled for confounding factors using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on patients' overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cancer-specific mortality was further analyzed using competitive risk models. Cox analysis was also conducted to examine additional variables potentially affecting the survival of SCLC patients. We identified a total of 42,824 eligible patients, and following PSM, 13,329 patients were successfully matched in both the radiotherapy and non-radiotherapy groups. The KM analysis showed that the median OS was 9 months in the radiotherapy group and 6 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The median CSS was 10 months in the radiotherapy group and 7 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The 5-year OS and 10-year OS rates were 6.2% versus 1.6% in the radiotherapy group and 2.6% versus 0.8% in the non-radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Competitive risk analysis showed that cancer-specific mortality was significantly higher in the non-radiotherapy group than in the radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the radiotherapy group (relative non-radiotherapy group) showed a significant positive effect on survival outcomes (OS: HR 0.658 95% CI [0.642, 0.675] P < 0.001; CSS: HR 0.662 95% CI [0.645, 0.679], P < 0.001). In addition, age, gender, race, primary tumor site, T stage, N stage, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery were also considered as important predictors of SCLC outcome. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the radiotherapy group showed a significant survival advantage regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery (P < 0.001). Radiotherapy may improve both OS and CSS in SCLC patients. Patients with SCLC may benefit from radiotherapy regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Exploring the Association between Serum B Vitamins, Homocysteine and Mental Disorders: Insights from Mendelian Randomization.

Previous studies show that B vitamins and homocysteine (Hcy) may be associated with mental disorders, but the accurate causal relationship remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the potential causal relationship of serum B vitamins and Hcy levels with five common mental disorders through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. In this MR analysis, 50 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-13 related to folate, 17 to vitamin B6, 8 to vitamin B12 and 12 to Hcy-were obtained from a large-scale Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) database and employed as instrumental variables (IVs). The MR analyses were conducted using the inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median (WM), MR-Egger methods and sensitivity analyses were further performed to test the robustness. This MR study found a suggestive causal relationships between serum vitamin B12 levels and the risk of anxiety disorders (odds ratio (OR): 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.78, p = 0.046) and bipolar affective disorders (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.16-2.96, p = 0.010). However, folate, vitamin B6 and Hcy levels may not be causally associated with the risk of mental disorders. In conclusion, this study reveals that elevated serum vitamin B12 levels might suggestively increase the risk of anxiety and bipolar affective disorders, even though horizontal pleiotropy cannot be completely eliminated. The potential implications of our results warrant validation in larger GWAS based on diverse populations.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the biomechanical behaviour of different dental implants under immediate loading during three masticatory cycles.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of varying modulus of elasticity (MOE) values of dental implants on the deformation and von Mises stress distribution in implant systems and peri-implant bone tissues under dynamic cyclic loading. The implant-bone interface was characterised as frictional contact, and the initial stress was induced using the interference fit method to effectively develop a finite element model for an immediately loaded implant-supported denture. Using the Ansys Workbench 2021 R2 software, an analysis was conducted to examine the deformation and von Mises stress experienced by the implant-supported dentures, peri-implant bone tissue, and implants under dynamic loading across three simulated masticatory cycles. These findings were subsequently evaluated through a comparative analysis. The suprastructures showed varying degrees of maximum deformation across zirconia (Zr), titanium (Ti), low-MOE-Ti, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant systems, registering values of 103.1 µm, 125.68 µm, 169.52 µm, and 844.06 µm, respectively. The Zr implant system demonstrated the lowest values for both maximum deformation and von Mises stress (14.96 µm, 86.71 MPa) in cortical bone. As the MOE increased, the maximum deformation in cancellous bone decreased. The PEEK implant system exhibited the highest maximum von Mises stress (59.12 MPa), whereas the Ti implant system exhibited the lowest stress (22.48 MPa). Elevating the MOE resulted in reductions in both maximum deformation and maximum von Mises stress experienced by the implant. Based on this research, adjusting the MOE of the implant emerged as a viable approach to effectively modify the biomechanical characteristics of the implant system. The Zr implant system demonstrated the least maximum von Mises stress and deformation, presenting a more favourable quality for preserving the stability of the implant-bone interface under immediate loading.

Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs: Distinguishing heterogeneity of the tumour microenvironment and predicting immunotherapy response in bladder cancer.

Ferroptosis, a cell death pathway dependent on iron, has been shown in research to play a role in the development, advancement, and outlook of tumours through ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (FRLRs). However, the value of the FRLRs in bladder cancer (BLCA) has not been thoroughly investigated. This research project involved developing a predictive model using ten specific FRLRs (AC099850.4, AL731567.1, AL133415.1, AC021321.1, SPAG5-AS1, HMGA2-AS1, RBMS3-AS3, AC006160.1, AL583785.1, and AL662844.4) through univariate COX and LASSO regression techniques. The validation of this signature as a standalone predictor was confirmed in a group of 65 patients from the urology bladder tumour database at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, China. Patients were categorized based on their median risk score into either a low-risk group or a high-risk group. Enrichment analysis identified possible molecular mechanisms that could explain the variations in clinical outcomes observed in high-risk and low-risk groups. Moreover, we explored the correlation between FLPS and immunotherapy-related indicators. The ability of FLPS to forecast the effectiveness of immunotherapy was validated by the elevated levels of immune checkpoint genes (PD-L1, CTLA4, and PD-1) in the group at high risk. We also screened the crucial FRLR (HMGA2-AS1) through congruent expression and prognostic conditions and established a ceRNA network, indicating that HMGA2-AS1 may affect epithelial-mesenchymal transition by modulating the Wnt signalling pathway through the ceRNA mechanism. We identified the top five mRNAs (NFIB, NEGR1, JAZF1, JCAD, and ESM1) based on random forest algorithm and analysed the relationship between HMGA2-AS1, the top five mRNAs, and immunotherapy, and their interactions with drug sensitivities. Our results suggest that patients with BLCA have a greater sensitivity to four drugs (dasatinib, pazopanib, erismodegib and olaparib). Our study provides new insights into the TME, key signalling pathways, genome, and potential therapeutic targets of BLCA, with future guidance for immunotherapy and targeted precision drugs.

Molecular recognition with resolution below 0.2 angstroms through thermoregulatory oscillations in covalent organic frameworks.

Crystalline materials with uniform molecular-sized pores are desirable for a broad range of applications, such as sensors, catalysis, and separations. However, it is challenging to tune the pore size of a single material continuously and to reversibly distinguish small molecules (below 4 angstroms). We synthesized a series of ionic covalent organic frameworks using a tetraphenoxyborate linkage that maintains meticulous synergy between structural rigidity and local flexibility to achieve continuous and reversible (100 thermal cycles) tunability of "dynamic pores" between 2.9 and 4.0 angstroms, with resolution below 0.2 angstroms. This results from temperature-regulated, gradual amplitude change of high-frequency linker oscillations. These thermoelastic apertures selectively block larger molecules over marginally smaller ones, demonstrating size-based molecular recognition and the potential for separating challenging gas mixtures such as oxygen/nitrogen and nitrogen/methane.

Association between coffee and caffeine intake and risk of COPD: Findings based on NHANES 2007-2012.

BACKGROUND: The association between coffee and caffeine intake and the risk of COPD and lung function has not been thoroughly discussed in Americans, with subgroup and threshold effects remaining unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between coffee and caffeine consumption and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well as lung function utilizing data from the NHANES 2007-2012. METHODS: We assessed the associations of coffee and caffeine consumption with the risk of COPD and lung function parameters, including FEV1 and FVC, adjusting for common demographic and disease characteristics in a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data. RESULTS: A total of 9763 participants were included in the study, and 592 were diagnosed with COPD. Multivariate regression models revealed positive associations between coffee and caffeine consumption and the risk of COPD and lung function. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex, DM, hypertension status, and smoking habits identified potential effect modifiers as well as inflection points from threshold effect examinations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this cross-sectional study indicated significant positive correlations between coffee and caffeine consumption and the risk of COPD. Additionally, positive correlations between exposure variables and FEV1 and FVC were detected. Among the stratification factors, smoking status exhibited the most potential for modifying effects. Future practices and research are needed to validate the results and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Population Abundance and Density Estimates of Poorly Documented Near-Threatened Calabar Angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis) in Oban Hills Region.

Population abundance and density estimates play important roles in biodiversity conservation assessment and can lead to prioritization of conservation efforts, strategies, and management. The Calabar angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis) is a poorly studied, Near-Threatened nocturnal, arboreal mammal species occurring only in the lowland moist tropical rainforest blocks of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Like other arboreal nocturnal mammals, there are gaps in knowledge of the distribution and abundance of this species, which may be facing population declines due to habitat loss and hunting. In this study, we investigated the abundance and density of A. calabarensis in the Oban Hills Region of Nigeria. We conducted systematic distance sampling survey along 32 transects in different habitats in a 1227 km of survey efforts. A total of 41 sightings of A. calabarensis were detected, resulting in an abundance of 7345 individuals (95% CI = 1.51-4.37) with an estimated density of 2.57 animals/km2. The estimated population abundance is 6515 individuals in closed-canopy forests and 830 individuals in secondary forests, with encounter rates of 0.52 individual/km2 and 0.60 individuals/km2 in the closed canopy and secondary forest habitats. The global estimates encounter rate of A. calabarensis across the habitat types is 0.33 individuals/km2 and population abundance of 4456 individuals. Our findings indicate that the A. calabarensis populations can adapt to low changes in forest habitat modifications resulting from increasing and widespread forest disturbance by human-dominated activity, which is giving way to forest clearance for agriculture cultivation and infrastructural development. Our findings help to fill a knowledge gap regarding this species and may help establish a baseline for future management, population monitoring, and conservation of the cryptic population of A. calabarensis in Cross-Sanaga Forests.

Assessment of Suitable Habitat of the Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) in the Wake of Climate Change: A Study of Its Wintering Refugees in Pakistan.

The inevitable impacts of climate change have reverberated across ecosystems and caused substantial global biodiversity loss. Climate-induced habitat loss has contributed to range shifts at both species and community levels. Given the importance of identifying suitable habitats for at-risk species, it is imperative to assess potential current and future distributions, and to understand influential environmental factors. Like many species, the Demoiselle crane is not immune to climatic pressures. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces in Pakistan are known wintering grounds for this species. Given that Pakistan is among the top five countries facing devastating effects of climate change, this study sought to conduct species distribution modeling under climate change using data collected during 4 years of field surveys. We developed a Maximum Entropy distribution model to predict the current and projected future distribution of the species across the study area. Future habitat projections for 2050 and 2070 were carried out using two representative concentration pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) under three global circulation models, including HADGEM2-AO, BCC-CSM1-1, and CCSM4. The most influential factors shaping Demoiselle Crane habitat suitability included the temperature seasonality, annual mean temperature, terrain ruggedness index, and human population density, all of which contributed significantly to the suitability (81.3%). The model identified 35% of the study area as moderately suitable (134,068 km2) and highly suitable (27,911 km2) habitat for the species under current climatic conditions. Under changing climate scenarios, our model predicted a major loss of the species' current suitable habitat, with shrinkage and shift towards western-central areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder. The RCP 8.5, which is the extreme climate change scenario, portrays particularly severe consequences, with habitat losses reaching 65% in 2050 and 85% in 2070. This comprehensive study provides useful insights into the Demoiselle Crane habitat's current and future dynamics in Pakistan.

Studying the impact of marital status on diagnosis and survival prediction in pancreatic ductal carcinoma using machine learning methods.

Pancreatic cancer is a commonly occurring malignant tumor, with pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) accounting for approximately 95% of cases. According of its poor prognosis, identifying prognostic factors of pancreatic ductal carcinoma can provide physicians with a reliable theoretical foundation when predicting patient survival. This study aimed to analyze the impact of marital status on survival outcomes of PDAC patients using propensity score matching and machine learning. The goal was to develop a prognosis prediction model specific to married patients with PDAC. We extracted a total of 206,968 patient records of pancreatic cancer from the SEER database. To ensure the baseline characteristics of married and unmarried individuals were balanced, we used a 1:1 propensity matching score. We then conducted Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional-hazards regression to examine the impact of marital status on PDAC survival before and after matching. Additionally, we developed machine learning models to predict 5-year CSS and OS for married patients with PDAC specifically. In total, 24,044 PDAC patients were included in this study. After 1:1 propensity matching, 8043 married patients and 8,043 unmarried patients were successfully enrolled. Multivariate analysis and the Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that unmarried individuals had a poorer survival rate than their married counterparts. Among the algorithms tested, the random forest performed the best, with 0.734 5-year CSS and 0.795 5-year OS AUC. This study found a significant association between marital status and survival in PDAC patients. Married patients had the best prognosis, while widowed patients had the worst. The random forest is a reliable model for predicting survival in married patients with PDAC.

A study on the impact of marital status on the survival status of prostate cancer patients based on propensity score matching.

Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in many types of cancers, but its prognostic impact on patients with prostate cancer (PCa) has not been established. The aim of this study was to explore the independent prognostic factors of PCa and to investigate the effect of marital status on survival outcomes in patients with different stratified by PCa. Using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database, we collected data on 584,655 PCa patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2019. Marital status was classified as married, divorced, widowed, and single. We used the Kaplan-Meier analysis and single multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to determine the effect of marital status on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). In addition, we performed subgroup analyses for different ages, Gleason score and PSA values, and performed a 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) to reduce the impact of confounding factors to obtain more accurate matching results. According to our findings, marital status was an independent prognostic factor for the survival of PCa patients and a better prognosis of married patients. Moreover, we also found that factors such as age, TNM stage, Gleason score, and PSA concentration were also considered as important predictors for the prognosis of PCa. The above findings can facilitate early detection and treatment of high-risk PCa patients, prolong their life and reduce family burden.

Characterization of simultaneous ammonium and nitrate removal and microbial communities in airlift reactor using 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) as carbon source and biofilm carrier.

As a novel trend, solid carbon sources are applied to act as electron donors and biofilm carrier in biological denitrification process. In this study, simultaneous nitrate and ammonium removal process in an airlift sequencing batch reactor using 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) as carbon source and biofilm carrier under intermittent aeration conditions was established to treat effluent of synthetic marine recirculating aquaculture system. The results showed that maximum nitrate and ammonia nitrogen removal rates of 0.45 and 0.09 kg m-3 d-1 were achieved. No significant nitrite accumulation was found during 200-day operation, while effluent dissolved organic carbon accumulation and particle size reduction significantly increased. Microbial community analysis and batch tests illuminate that the generated sludge and attached biofilm played important roles in nitrogen removal. This study demonstrates the potential mechanism for the nitrogen removal process mediated by 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate and provide a new idea for the alternative solutions of solid carbon sources.

Extracellular vesicle-encapsulated microRNA-296-3p from cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes ovarian cancer development through regulation of the PTEN/AKT and SOCS6/STAT3 pathways.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as important components of the tumor microenvironment, can regulate intercellular communication and tumor development by secreting extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, the role of CAF-derived EVs in ovarian cancer has not been fully elucidated. Here, using an EV-microRNA sequencing analysis, we reveal specific overexpression of microRNA (miR)-296-3p in activated CAF-derived EVs, which can be transferred to tumor cells to regulate the malignant phenotypes of ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, overexpression of miR-296-3p significantly promotes the proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance of ovarian cancer cells in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo, while its inhibition has the opposite effects. Further mechanistic studies reveal that miR-296-3p promotes ovarian cancer progression by directly targeting PTEN and SOCS6 and activating AKT and STAT3 signaling pathways. Importantly, increased expression of miR-296-3p encapsulated in plasma EVs is closely correlated with tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in patients with ovarian cancer. Our results highlight the cancer-promoting role of CAF-derived EVs carrying miR-296-3p in ovarian cancer progression for the first time, and suggest that miR-296-3p encapsulated in CAF-derived EVs could be a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Patterns and drivers of avian taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity in China vary across geographical backgrounds and dispersal abilities.

Geographical background and dispersal ability may strongly influence assemblage dissimilarity; however, these aspects have generally been overlooked in previous large-scale beta diversity studies. Here, we examined whether the patterns and drivers of taxonomic beta diversity (TBD) and phylogenetic beta diversity (PBD) of breeding birds in China vary across (1) regions on both sides of the Hu Line, which demarcates China's topographical, climatic, economic, and social patterns, and (2) species with different dispersal ability. TBD and PBD were calculated and partitioned into turnover and nestedness components using a moving window approach. Variables representing climate, habitat heterogeneity, and habitat quality were employed to evaluate the effects of environmental filtering. Spatial distance was considered to assess the impact of dispersal limitation. Variance partitioning analysis was applied to assess the relative roles of these variables. In general, the values of TBD and PBD were high in mountainous areas and were largely determined by environmental filtering. However, different dominant environmental filters on either side of the Hu Line led to divergent beta diversity patterns. Specifically, climate-driven species turnover and habitat heterogeneity-related species nestedness dominated the regions east and west of the line, respectively. Additionally, bird species with stronger dispersal ability were more susceptible to environmental filtering, resulting in more homogeneous assemblages. Our results indicated that regions with distinctive geographical backgrounds may present different ecological factors that lead to divergent assemblage dissimilarity patterns, and dispersal ability determines the response of assemblages to these ecological factors. Identifying a single universal explanation for the observed pattern without considering these aspects may lead to simplistic or incomplete conclusions. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of large-scale beta diversity patterns and effective planning of conservation strategies necessitate the consideration of both geographical background and species dispersal ability.

SOX10 deficiency-mediated LAMB3 upregulation determines the invasiveness of MAPKi-resistant melanoma.

Melanoma that develops adaptive resistance to MAPK inhibitors (MAPKi) through transcriptional reprograming-mediated phenotype switching is associated with enhanced metastatic potential, yet the underlying mechanism of this improved invasiveness has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we show that MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells are more motile and invasive than the parental cells. We further show that LAMB3, a ß subunit of the extracellular matrix protein laminin-332 is upregulated in MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells and that the LAMB3-Integrin α3/α6 signaling mediates the motile and invasive phenotype of resistant cells. In addition, we demonstrate that SOX10 deficiency in MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells drives LAMB3 upregulation through TGF-ß signaling. Transcriptome profiling and functional studies further reveal a FAK/MMPs axis mediates the pro-invasiveness effect of LAMB3. Using a mouse lung metastasis model, we demonstrate LAMB3 depletion inhibits the metastatic potential of MAPKi-resistant cells in vivo. In summary, this study identifies a SOX10low/TGF-ß/LAMB3/FAK/MMPs signaling pathway that determines the migration and invasion properties of MAPKi-resistant melanoma cells and provide rationales for co-targeting LAMB3 to curb the metastasis of melanoma cells in targeted therapy.

Arsenic Removal and Iron Recovery from Arsenic-Bearing Iron Ores by Calcification-Magnetic Roasting and Magnetic Separation Process.

Extracting iron while minimizing the health and environmental risks associated with arsenic contamination necessitates the removal of arsenic from arsenic-bearing iron ores to ensure a safe and sustainable supply of this metal for industries. The beneficiation of iron minerals and arsenic-bearing minerals from arsenic-bearing iron ores with a calcification-magnetizing roasting and low-intensity magnetic separation (CMR-LMS) process is investigated in this work. The results show that the process is successful in extracting iron minerals and eliminating arsenic-containing minerals. The roasting involves two key steps: calcification and magnetizing, which change hematite and goethite into magnetite and arsenic-bearing minerals into calcium arsenates. The process's separation efficiency of the CMR-LMS is closely linked to the parameters such as roasting temperature, roasting time, coke, alkalinity, and the liberation of gangue minerals from iron minerals. Through grinding and secondary magnetic separation, the iron minerals and gangue components, as well as arsenic, in roasted sand can be further separated. The optimum procedure results in a high-grade iron concentrate with an iron assay of 65.65%, an Fe recovery rate of 80.07%, and an arsenic content of 0.085%, while achieving a 93.29% As removal rate from the original ore that has 45.32% Fe and 0.70% As.

The relationship between sleep quality and daytime dysfunction among college students in China during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: College Students' sleep quality and daytime dysfunction have become worse since the COVID-19 outbreak, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sleep quality and daytime dysfunction among college students during the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) period. Methods: This research adopts the form of cluster random sampling of online questionnaires. From April 5 to 16 in 2022, questionnaires are distributed to college students in various universities in Fujian Province, China and the general information questionnaire and PSQI scale are used for investigation. SPSS26.0 was used to conduct an independent sample t-test and variance analysis on the data, multi-factorial analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis. The main outcome variables are the score of subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction. Results: During the COVID-19 period, the average PSQI score of the tested college students was 6.17 ± 3.263, and the sleep disorder rate was 29.6%, the daytime dysfunction rate was 85%. Being female, study liberal art/science/ engineering, irritable (due to limited outdoor), prolong electronic entertainment time were associated with low sleep quality (p < 0.001), and the occurrence of daytime dysfunction was higher than other groups (p < 0.001). Logistics regression analysis showed that sleep quality and daytime dysfunction were associated with gender, profession, irritable (due to limited outdoor), and prolonged electronic entertainment time (p < 0.001). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 epidemic, the sleep quality of college students was affected, and different degrees of daytime dysfunction have appeared, both are in worse condition than before the COVID-19 outbreak. Sleep quality may was inversely associated with daytime dysfunction.

Nanoparticulate chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs activate mast cells and enhance adaptive immunity induced by foot-and-mouth disease virus-like particles in mice.

Chitosan nanoparticulate vaccines have attracted considerable attention to potentiate immune responses. A chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs nanoparticle vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) prepared though inotropic gelation method and whether this nanoparticulate vaccine can activate mast cells and enhance immune responses induced by FMDV virus-like particles (VLPs) in mice was investigated. The nanoparticle was approximately spherical, and its size was approximately 200-300 nm. Following immunization via subcutaneous injection, the chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs nanoparticles could induce higher levels of FMDV-specific antibodies and stimulation index value than VLPs only (P < 0.01) and had similar levels to commercial vaccine group and VLPs+adjuvant group (P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the concentrations of IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-10 among the chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs group, VLPs+adjuvant group and commercial vaccine group (P > 0.05). Of note, the chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs nanoparticles can effectively activate mast cells in lymph nodes. These results indicated that the chitosan-TNF-α-VLPs nanoparticles can enhance both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, and both Th1 and Th2 responses, even activate mast cells, demonstrating that chitosan-TNF-α nanoparticles are potential as a vaccine adjuvant to enhance immune responses induced by FMDV-VLPs.

Quasi-Static Modelling of a Full-Channel Effective Magnetorheological Damper with Trapezoidal Magnetic Rings.

Magnetorheological damper (MRD) has been successfully applied to vehicle suspension systems as an intelligent core component. Most conventional MRDs have closed rectangle-shaped magnetic circuits, resulting in a short effective working length and negligible damping force. To address the above issues, a novel full-channel effective MRD with trapezoidal magnetic rings (FEMRD_TMR) is proposed. The trapezoidal magnetic ring can shunt the magnetic circuit, distributing it evenly along the damping channel and increasing the effective working length. Additionally, which has the same variation trend as the magnetic flux through it, makes the magnetic induction intensity distribution more uniform to reduce the magnetic saturation problem. Theoretically analyzing the damping characteristics of the FEMRD_TMR, a quasi-static model is developed to forecast the output damping force. The structural design of MRD is challenging since conventional quasi-static models rely on the yield stress of magnetorheological fluid (MRF) to reflect the rheological property, which cannot be directly observed and is challenging to calculate. The Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy neural network and a unique magnetic circuit computation are offered as a novel quasi-static modeling approach to address the issue. The MRF's yield stress is linearized into magnetic induction intensity functions by the T-S fuzzy neural network and then converted into the MRD's structural size by the special magnetic circuit calculation. Therefore, the proposed quasi-static model can directly reflect the relationship between the damping force and structure size, simplifying MRD's structure design. The novel quasi-static model is shown to be more straightforward and understandable than the conventional Bingham quasi-static model and to have approximately accurate damping force prediction when compared to experimental data.

Multi-omic insights into the formation and evolution of a novel shell microstructure in oysters.

BACKGROUND: Molluscan shell, composed of a diverse range of architectures and microstructures, is a classic model system to study the relationships between molecular evolution and biomineralized structure formation. The shells of oysters differ from those of other molluscs by possessing a novel microstructure, chalky calcite, which facilitates adaptation to the sessile lifestyle. However, the genetic basis and evolutionary origin of this adaptive innovation remain largely unexplored. RESULTS: We report the first whole-genome assembly and shell proteomes of the Iwagaki oyster Crassostrea nippona. Multi-omic integrative analyses revealed that independently expanded and co-opted tyrosinase, peroxidase, TIMP genes may contribute to the chalky layer formation in oysters. Comparisons with other molluscan shell proteomes imply that von Willebrand factor type A and chitin-binding domains are basic members of molluscan biomineralization toolkit. Genome-wide identification and analyses of these two domains in 19 metazoans enabled us to propose that the well-known Pif may share a common origin in the last common ancestor of Bilateria. Furthermore, Pif and LamG3 genes acquire new genetic function for shell mineralization in bivalves and the chalky calcite formation in oysters likely through a combination of gene duplication and domain reorganization. CONCLUSIONS: The spatial expression of SMP genes in the mantle and molecular evolution of Pif are potentially involved in regulation of the chalky calcite deposition, thereby shaping the high plasticity of the oyster shell to adapt to a sessile lifestyle. This study further highlights neo-functionalization as a crucial mechanism for the diversification of shell mineralization and microstructures in molluscs, which may be applied more widely for studies on the evolution of metazoan biomineralization.