Unveiling the role of copper metabolism and STEAP2 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis molecular landscape.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a debilitating interstitial lung disease characterized by progressive fibrosis and poor prognosis. Despite advancements in treatment, the pathophysiological mechanisms of IPF remain elusive. Herein, we conducted an integrated bioinformatics analysis combining clinical data and carried out experimental validations to unveil the intricate molecular mechanism of IPF. Leveraging three IPF datasets, we identified 817 upregulated and 560 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Of these, 14 DEGs associated with copper metabolism were identified, shedding light on the potential involvement of disrupted copper metabolism in IPF progression. Immune infiltration analysis revealed dysregulated immune cell infiltration in IPF, with a notable correlation between copper metabolism-related genes and immune cells. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified a central module correlated with IPF-associated genes, among which STEAP2 emerged as a key hub gene. Subsequent in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed the upregulation of STEAP2 in IPF model. Knockdown of STEAP2 using siRNA alleviated fibrosis in vitro, suggesting potential pathway related to copper metabolism in the pathophysiological progression of IPF. Our study established a novel link between immune cell infiltration and dysregulated copper metabolism. The revelation of intracellular copper overload and upregulated STEAP2 unravelled a potential therapeutic option. These findings offer valuable insights for future research and therapeutic interventions targeting STEAP2 and associated pathways in IPF.

A Direct Formaldehyde Fuel Cell for CO2 -Emission Free Co-generation of Electrical Energy and Valuable Chemical/Hydrogen.

Converting carbon-based molecular fuels into electricity efficiently and cleanly without emitting CO2 remains a challenge. Conventional fuel cells using noble metals as anode catalysts often suffer performance degradation due to CO poisoning and a host of problems associated with CO2 production. This study provides a CO2 -emission-free direct formaldehyde fuel cell. It enables a flow of electricity while producing H2 and valuable formate. Unlike conventional carbon-based molecules electrooxidation, formaldehyde 1-electron oxidation is performed on the Cu anode with high selectivity, thus generating formate and H2 without undergoing CO2 pathway. In addition, the fuel cell produces 0.62 Nm3 H2 and 53 mol formate per 1 kWh of electricity generated, with an open circuit voltage of up to 1 V and a peak power density of 350 mW cm-2 . This study puts forward a zero-carbon solution for the efficient utilization of carbon-based molecule fuels that generates electricity, hydrogen and valuable chemicals in synchronization.

Design of reflective phase retarders in the extreme ultraviolet based on chirped Mo/Si multilayer mirrors.

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) phase retarder is an important optical element for polarization analysis and conversion of EUV synchrotron radiation. In this paper, a linearly chirped Mo/Si multilayer mirror is used to design an EUV phase retarder. With increasing thickness variation of the chirped multilayer, the reflective phase retardation between s- and p-polarized light increases at first and then reaches its maximum value. When the bilayer number increases from 2 to 20, the maximum phase retardation for an EUV source with a photon energy of 90 eV increases from 5.97° to 245.10° for a linearly chirped Mo/Si multilayer with 14.7 nm central thickness. In addition, the phase retardations of chirped mirrors at different photon energies (80 eV, 85 eV and 90 eV) are also investigated and compared. Furthermore, the physical mechanism of reflective phase retardation improvement is also studied by investigating the field intensity distributions inside chirped mirrors.

DVT incidence and risk factors in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Few data are available on the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in critically ill COVID-19 with thrombosis prophylaxis. This study retrospectively included 88 patients in the ICU with critically ill COVID-19 at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, China. All patients underwent compression ultrasonography for identifying DVT. Firth logistic regression was used to examine the association of DVT with sex, age, hypoalbuminemia, D-dimer, and SOFA score. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age and SOFA score of 88 patients were 63 (55-71) years old and 5 (4-6), respectively. Despite all patients receiving guideline-recommended low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis, the incidence of DVT was 46% (95% CI 35-56%). Proximal DVT was recognized in 9% (95% CI 3-15%) of the patients, while 46% (95% CI 35-56%) of patients had distal DVT. All of the proximal DVT combined with distal DVT. Risk factors of DVT extension occurred in all distal DVT patients. As Padua score ≥ 4 or IMPROVE score ≥ 2, 53% and 46% of patients had DVT, respectively. Mortality was higher in patients with acute DVT (30%) compared with non-DVT (17%), but did not reach statistical significance. Hypoalbuminemia (odds ratio [OR], 0.17; 95% CI 0.06-0.05, P = 0.001), higher SOFA score (OR per IQR, 2.07; 95% CI 1.38-3.39, P = 0.001), and elevated D-dimer (OR per IQR, 1.04; 95% CI 1.03-1.84, P = 0.029) were significant DVT risk factors in multivariable analyses. High incidence of DVT was identified in patients with critically ill COVID-19, despite the use of guideline-recommended pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. The presence of hypoalbuminemia, higher SOFA score, and elevated D-dimer were significantly independent risk factors of DVT. More effective VTE prevention and management strategies may need to be addressed.

The plant-specific ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 gene is essential for meiosis in rice.

Meiotic recombination plays a central role in maintaining genome stability and increasing genetic diversity. Although meiotic progression and core components are widely conserved across kingdoms, significant differences remain among species. Here we identify a rice gene ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 (AGG1) that controls both male and female gametogenesis. Cytological and immunostaining analysis showed that in the osagg1 mutant the early recombination processes and synapsis occurred normally, but the chiasma number was dramatically reduced. Moreover, OsAGG1 was found to interact with ZMM proteins OsHEI10, OsZIP4, and OsMSH5. These results suggested that OsAGG1 plays an important role in crossover formation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that OsAGG1 is a plant-specific protein with a highly conserved N-terminal region. Further genetic and protein interaction analyses revealed that the conserved N-terminus was essential for the function of the OsAGG1 protein. Overall, our work demonstrates that OsAGG1 is a novel and critical component in rice meiotic crossover formation, expanding our understanding of meiotic progression. This study identified a plant-specific gene ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 that is required for meiotic crossover formation in rice. The conserved N-terminus of the AGG1 protein was found to be essential for its function.

Derivation and validation of a prognostic model for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients admitted with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: the PLANS (platelet lymphocyte age neutrophil sex) model.

BACKGROUND: Previous published prognostic models for COVID-19 patients have been suggested to be prone to bias due to unrepresentativeness of patient population, lack of external validation, inappropriate statistical analyses, or poor reporting. A high-quality and easy-to-use prognostic model to predict in-hospital mortality for COVID-19 patients could support physicians to make better clinical decisions. METHODS: Fine-Gray models were used to derive a prognostic model to predict in-hospital mortality (treating discharged alive from hospital as the competing event) in COVID-19 patients using two retrospective cohorts (n = 1008) in Wuhan, China from January 1 to February 10, 2020. The proposed model was internally evaluated by bootstrap approach and externally evaluated in an external cohort (n = 1031). RESULTS: The derivation cohort was a case-mix of mild-to-severe hospitalized COVID-19 patients (43.6% females, median age 55). The final model (PLANS), including five predictor variables of platelet count, lymphocyte count, age, neutrophil count, and sex, had an excellent predictive performance (optimism-adjusted C-index: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.83 to 0.87; averaged calibration slope: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.82 to 1.08). Internal validation showed little overfitting. External validation using an independent cohort (47.8% female, median age 63) demonstrated excellent predictive performance (C-index: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.89; calibration slope: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.12). The averaged predicted cumulative incidence curves were close to the observed cumulative incidence curves in patients with different risk profiles. CONCLUSIONS: The PLANS model based on five routinely collected predictors would assist clinicians in better triaging patients and allocating healthcare resources to reduce COVID-19 fatality.

Graphene oxide quantum dot exposure induces abnormalities in locomotor activities and mechanisms in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) have broad applications such as bioimaging and drug delivery, among others, even expanding into the aquatic environment. However, reports on the adverse effects of GOQDs on fish development are limited. In this study, we exposed zebrafish embryos to GOQDs for 7 days after fertilization and found that GOQDs exposure at low concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 or 100 µg/L) decreased the total distance and the mean velocity of larvae movement. Additionally, the GOQDs significantly reduced the enzyme activity related to energy supply and locomotor capacity, including Ca2+ -ATPase in the 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 µg/L GOQDs groups and Na+ /K+ -ATPase in the 25 and 50 µg/L GOQDs groups. Moreover, GOQD exposure altered the mRNA expression of genes involved in energy supply and calcium transport. The levels of the atp2a2b, atp2a1, and cacna1sb genes were significantly downregulated in the 25, 50 and 100 µg/L GOQDs groups, and ryr3 expression was significantly reduced in the 25 and 50 µg/L GOQDs groups. The expression level of cacna1c was significantly upregulated in the 50 and 100 µg/L GOQDs groups. In summary, GOQD exposure induced a decrease in locomotor capacity in zebrafish, which may be due to the reduction of Ca2+ -ATPase and Na+ /K+ -ATPase activity levels, and dysregulated expression of the genes involved in energy metabolism and calcium transport. Our study provides novel insight into the effects of GOQDs on the embryonic development of fish, which will be useful for the development of environment-friendly GOQDs that reduce the potential hazard to aquatic species.

Sensitivity Improvement of a Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Two-Dimensional Materials Hybrid Structure in Visible Region: A Theoretical Study.

In this paper, we propose a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on two-dimensional (2D) materials (graphene, MoS2, WS2 and WSe2) hybrid structure, and theoretically investigate its sensitivity improvement in the visible region. The thickness of metal (Au, Ag or Cu) and the layer number of each 2D material are optimized using genetic algorithms to obtain the highest sensitivity for a specific wavelength of incident light. Then, the sensitivities of proposed SPR sensors with different metal films at various wavelengths are compared. An Ag-based SPR sensor exhibits a higher sensitivity than an Au- or Cu-based one at most wavelengths in the visible region. In addition, the sensitivity of the proposed SPR sensor varies obviously with the wavelength of incident light, and shows a maximum value of 159, 194 or 155°/RIU for Au, Ag or Cu, respectively. It is demonstrated that the sensitivity of the SPR sensor based on 2D materials' hybrid structure can be further improved by optimizing the wavelength of incident light.

Osteopontin potentiates PM-induced IL-1α and IL-1ß production via the ERK/JNK signaling pathway.

Ambient particulate matter (PM) poses a great threat to global health and contributes to pulmonary inflammation. However, the potential mechanism of PM-induced inflammation of the lung remains unclear. Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional protein that reportedly regulates inflammatory responses in different diseases. Here, we explored the expression of OPN with PM exposure in vivo and in vitro and attempted to elucidate the regulatory role of OPN in PM-induced airway inflammation. Our results showed that PM exposure increased the expression of OPN in the bronchial epithelium, serum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice. Moreover, PM induced OPN expression in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in a dose and time-dependent manner. In vitro, inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1α and IL-1ß were increased in HBECs with PM exposure via the ERK and JNK signaling pathways. Recombinant human OPN could potentiate PM-induced expression of IL-1α and IL-1ß, while OPN siRNA could alleviate PM-induced inflammatory responses in HBECs. Furthermore, we showed that OPN regulated PM-induced inflammatory cytokines via the ERK and JNK pathways in HBECs. This study shows for the first time the positive effect of OPN on PM-induced airway inflammation and contributes to a better understanding of its potential mechanism of action.

Tailoring the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Graphene Film by Structural Engineering.

Due to substantial phonon scattering induced by various structural defects, the in-plane thermal conductivity (K) of graphene films (GFs) is still inferior to the commercial pyrolytic graphite sheet (PGS). Here, the problem is solved by engineering the structures of GFs in the aspects of grain size, film alignment, and thickness, and interlayer binding energy. The maximum K of GFs reaches to 3200 W m-1 K-1 and outperforms PGS by 60%. The superior K of GFs is strongly related to its large and intact grains, which are over four times larger than the best PGS. The large smooth features about 11 µm and good layer alignment of GFs also benefit on reducing phonon scattering induced by wrinkles/defects. In addition, the presence of substantial turbostratic-stacking graphene is found up to 37% in thin GFs. The lacking of order in turbostratic-stacking graphene leads to very weak interlayer binding energy, which can significantly decrease the phonon interfacial scattering. The GFs also demonstrate excellent flexibility and high tensile strength, which is about three times higher than PGS. Therefore, GFs with optimized structures and properties show great potentials in thermal management of form-factor-driven electronics and other high-power-driven systems.

Design of broadband reflective circular polarizer for attosecond pulse in the extreme ultraviolet region.

In this paper, we present a design method of broadband reflective circular polarizer (BRCP) in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) region. By using this method, we designed three BRCPs with a 6, 12 and 18 eV bandwidth, respectively. Then, we investigated the performances of designed BRCPs in theory. The results indicated that the reflected lights of these BRCPs all showed a nearly 100% circular polarization degree and considerable circular reflection in their design band. In addition, we also studied the origin of high circular polarization degree by analyzing the phase shift and the reflectivity ratio between s- and p-polarized lights induced by the reflection of BRCPs. Furthermore, the pulse responses of BRCPs for attosecond pulses were also investigated. The proposed EUV BRCPs can be used for controlling the polarization state of broadband EUV sources, e.g., generating the circularly polarized attosecond pulse by a linearly polarized one.

Fine Particulate Constituents and Lung Dysfunction: A Time-Series Panel Study.

The evidence is quite limited regarding the constituents of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) responsible for lung dysfunction. We designed a time-series panel study in 28 patients to examine the effects of 10 major constituents of PM2.5 on lung function with repeated daily measurements from December 2012 to May 2013 in Shanghai, China. We applied a linear mixed-effect model combined with a distributed lag model to estimate the cumulative effects of PM2.5 constituents on morning/evening forced expiratory volume in 1-s (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) over a week. The cumulative decreases in morning FEV1, evening FEV1, morning PEF and evening PEF associated with an interquartile range (35.8 µg/m3) increase in PM2.5 concentrations were 33.49 [95% confidence interval(CI):2.45,54.53] mL, 16.80 (95%CI:3.75,29.86) mL, 4.48 (95%CI:2.30,6.66) L/min, and 1.31 (95%CI:-0.85,3.47) L/min, respectively. These results were not substantially changed after adjusting for gases in two-pollutant models. The associations of elemental carbon (EC) and nitrates with morning/evening FEV1, and the associations of EC and sulfates with morning PEF were robust after controlling for PM2.5. This study demonstrated that short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with reduced pulmonary function. Some constituents (EC, sulfate and nitrate) may be responsible for the detrimental effects.

Figure of Merit Enhancement of a Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Using a Low-Refractive-Index Porous Silica Film.

In this paper; the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a porous silica film was studied. The effect of the thickness and porosity of the porous silica film on the performance of the sensor was analyzed. The results indicated that the figure of merit (FOM) of an SPR sensor can be enhanced by using a porous silica film with a low-refractive-index. Particularly; the FOM of an SPR sensor with 40 nm thick 90% porosity porous silica film; whose refractive index is 1.04 was improved by 311% when compared with that of a traditional SPR sensor. Furthermore; it was found that the decrease in the refractive index or the increase in the thickness of the low-refractive-index porous silica film can enlarge the FOM enhancement. It is believed that the proposed SPR sensor with a low-refractive-index porous silica film will be helpful for high-performance SPR sensors development.

Figure of merit enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensors using absentee layer.

By adding an absentee layer on the top of the metallic layer, the figure of merit (FOM) of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with Kretschmann configuration was enhanced, without changing the resonance angle and the reflectance at the resonance angle. Comparing with a traditional SPR sensor, the FOM of the SPR sensor with an absentee layer composed of either 1367 nm thick KCl or 235 nm thick Si3N4 can be improved by 5.53% or 11.41%, respectively. The enhancement of the FOM should be attributed to the faster decrease of the full width at half-maximum than the sensitivity after an absentee layer was applied in the SPR sensor.

Keratinocyte growth factor-2 inhibits bacterial infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in a mouse model.

To determine protective effects of concurrent administration of Keratinocyte growth factor-2 (KGF-2) with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) inoculation on the induced pneumonia. KGF-2 (5 mg/kg) was concurrently administered into the left lobe of 55 mice with P. aeruginosa PAO1 (5 × 10(6) CFU, half-lethal dose); 55 mice in the control group were concurrently administered PBS with the PAO1. We detected and analyzed: body temperature; amount of P. aeruginosa in homogenates; count of total number of nucleated cells and of mononuclear macrophages; protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); lung wet-to-dry weight ratio; cytokines in BALF and blood; and lung morphology. To study survival rate, concurrent administration of KGF-2 (experimental group) versus PBS (control) with a lethal dose of PAO1 (1 × 10(7) CFU was performed, and survivorship was documented for 7 days post-inoculation. The bacterial CFU in lung homogenates was significantly decreased in the KGF-2 group compared to the control group. There were significantly more mononuclear macrophages in the BALF from the KGF-2 group than from the control group (p < 0.05). KGF-2 increased the surfactant protein and GM-CSF mRNA in lung at 6 h and 72 h after inoculation. Significant reduction of lung injury scores, protein concentrations, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, and IL-6 and TNF-α levels was noted in the KGF-2 treated rats at 72 h after inoculation (p < 0.05). The 7-day survival rate of the KGF-2 group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). Concurrent administration of KGF-2 facilitates the clearance of P. aeruginosa from the lungs, attenuates P. aeruginosa-induced lung injury, and extends the 7-day survival rate in mice model with P. aeruginosa pneumonia.

PM2.5 Causes Increased Bacterial Invasion by Affecting HBD1 Expression in the Lung.

Our research addresses the critical environmental issue of a fine particulate matter (PM2.5), focusing on its association with the increased infection risks. We explored the influence of PM2.5 on human beta-defensin 1 (HBD1), an essential peptide in mucosal immunity found in the airway epithelium. Using C57BL/6J mice and human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE), we examined the effects of PM2.5 exposure followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infection on HBD1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The study revealed that PM2.5's toxicity to epithelial cells and animals varies with time and concentration. Notably, HBE cells exposed to PM2.5 and P. aeruginosa showed increased bacterial invasion and decreased HBD1 expression compared to the cells exposed to P. aeruginosa alone. Similarly, mice studies indicated that combined exposure to PM2.5 and P. aeruginosa significantly reduced survival rates and increased bacterial invasion. These harmful effects, however, were alleviated by administering exogenous HBD1. Furthermore, our findings highlight the activation of MAPK and NF-κB pathways following PM2.5 exposure. Inhibiting these pathways effectively increased HBD1 expression and diminished bacterial invasion. In summary, our study establishes that PM2.5 exposure intensifies P. aeruginosa invasion in both HBE cells and mouse models, primarily by suppressing HBD1 expression. This effect can be counteracted with exogenous HBD1, with the downregulation mechanism involving the MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Our study endeavors to elucidate the pathogenesis of lung infections associated with PM2.5 exposure, providing a novel theoretical basis for the development of prevention and treatment strategies, with substantial clinical significance.

A comprehensive review of the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and other applications of Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ligusticum sinense Oliv. and L. jeholense Nakai et Kitag. are globally recognized as medicinal botanical species, specifically the rhizomes and roots. These plant parts are collectively referred to as Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix (LReR), which is recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (Ch. P). LReR enjoys widespread recognition in many countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam, and Korea. It is an herbal remedy traditionally employed for dispelling wind and cold, eliminating dampness, and alleviating pain. Numerous bioactive compounds have been successfully isolated and identified, displaying a diverse array of pharmacological activities and medicinal value. THE AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to primarily center on the botanical aspects, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, quality control, and other applications of LReR to furnish a comprehensive and multidimensional foundation for future exploration and utilization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant information about LReR was acquired from ancient books, doctoral and master's dissertations, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), ScienceDirect, classical literature, and clinical reports. Several electronic databases were also incorporated. RESULTS: In traditional usage, LReR had been traditionally employed for the treatment of anemofrigid headaches, colds, and joint pain. It possessed therapeutic properties for facial skin disorders, thereby facilitating skin regeneration. It has been subjected to comprehensive chemical analysis, resulting in the identification and isolation of 190 compounds, including phthalides, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenes, steroids, volatile oil, fatty acids, and other constituents. The pharmacological activities have been in-depth explored through modern in vivo and in vitro studies, confirming its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-melanin effects. Furthermore, it exhibited pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and vasodilatory properties. This study provides a basic to contribute to the advancement of research, medicinal applications and product development related to LReR. CONCLUSIONS: Considering its traditional and contemporary applications, phytochemical composition, and pharmacological properties, LReR was regarded as a valuable botanical resource for pharmaceutical and pest control purposes. While certain constituents had demonstrated diverse pharmacological activities and application potential, further elucidation was required to fully understand their specific actions and underlying mechanisms. Hence, there was a need to conduct additional investigations to uncover its material foundation and mode of action.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and clinical studies of Cimicifugae Rhizoma: a comprehensive review.

Cimicifugae Rhizoma, generally known as "Sheng Ma" in China, has great medicinal and dietary values. Cimicifugae Rhizoma is the dried rhizome of Cimicifuga foetida L., Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. and Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom., which has been used to treat wind-heat headache, tooth pain, aphtha, sore throat, prolapse of anus and uterine prolapse in traditional Chinese medicine. This review systematically presents the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical studies, quality control and toxicity of Cimicifugae Rhizoma in order to propose scientific evidence for its rational utilization and product development. Herein, 348 compounds isolated or identified from the herb are summarized in this review, mainly including triterpenoid saponins, phenylpropanoids, chromones, alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The crude extracts and its constituents had various pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiviral, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporosis and relieving menopausal symptoms. The recent research progress of Cimicifugae Rhizoma in ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacological effects demonstrates the effectiveness of its utilization and supplies valuable guidance for further research. This review will provide a basis for the future development and utilization of Cimicifugae Rhizoma.

Plasmonic Alloys Enhanced Metabolic Fingerprints for the Diagnosis of COPD and Exacerbations.

Accurate diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and exacerbations by metabolic biomarkers enables individualized treatment. Advanced metabolic detection platforms rely on designed materials. Here, we design mesoporous PdPt alloys to characterize metabolic fingerprints for diagnosing COPD and exacerbations. As a result, the optimized PdPt alloys enable the acquisition of metabolic fingerprints within seconds, requiring only 0.5 µL of native plasma by laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry owing to the enhanced electric field, photothermal conversion, and photocurrent response. Machine learning decodes metabolic profiles acquired from 431 individuals, achieving a precise diagnosis of COPD with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.904 and an accurate distinction between stable COPD and acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) with an AUC of 0.951. Notably, eight metabolic biomarkers identified accurately discriminate AECOPD from stable COPD while providing valuable information on disease progress. Our platform will offer an advanced nanoplatform for the management of COPD, complementing standard clinical techniques.

A target tracking method based on adaptive occlusion judgment and model updating strategy.

Target tracking is an important research in the field of computer vision. Despite the rapid development of technology, difficulties still remain in balancing the overall performance for target occlusion, motion blur, etc. To address the above issue, we propose an improved kernel correlation filter tracking algorithm with adaptive occlusion judgement and model updating strategy (called Aojmus) to achieve robust target tracking. Firstly, the algorithm fuses color-naming (CN) and histogram of gradients (HOG) features as a feature extraction scheme and introduces a scale filter to estimate the target scale, which reduces tracking error caused by the variations of target features and scales. Secondly, the Aojmus introduces four evaluation indicators and a double thresholding mechanism to determine whether the target is occluded and the degree of occlusion respectively. The four evaluation results are weighted and fused to a final value. Finally, the updating strategy of the model is adaptively adjusted based on the weighted fusion value and the result of the scale estimation. Experimental evaluations on the OTB-2015 dataset are conducted to compare the performance of the Aojmus algorithm with four other comparable algorithms in terms of tracking precision, success rate, and speed. The experimental results show that the proposed Aojmus algorithm outperforms all the algorithms compared in terms of tracking precision. The Aojmus also exhibits excellent performance on attributes such as target occlusion and motion blur in terms of success rate. In addition, the processing speed reaches 74.85 fps, which also demonstrates good real-time performance.