Integrating MRI-based radiomics and clinicopathological features for preoperative prognostication of early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma patients: in comparison to deep learning approach.

OBJECTIVES: The roles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -based radiomics approach and deep learning approach in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) have not been explored. Herein, we aim to develop prognosis-predictive models based on MRI-radiomics and clinical features for AC patients. METHODS: Clinical and pathological information from one hundred and ninety-seven patients with cervical AC was collected and analyzed. For each patient, 107 radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted MRI images. Feature selection was performed using Spearman correlation and random forest (RF) algorithms, and predictive models were built using support vector machine (SVM) technique. Deep learning models were also trained with T2-weighted MRI images and clinicopathological features through Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Kaplan-Meier curve was analyzed using significant features. In addition, information from another group of 56 AC patients was used for the independent validation. RESULTS: A total of 107 radiomics features and 6 clinicopathological features (age, FIGO stage, differentiation, invasion depth, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), and lymph node metastasis (LNM) were included in the analysis. When predicting the 3-year, 4-year, and 5-year DFS, the model trained solely on radiomics features achieved AUC values of 0.659 (95%CI: 0.620-0.716), 0.791 (95%CI: 0.603-0.922), and 0.853 (95%CI: 0.745-0.912), respectively. However, the combined model, incorporating both radiomics and clinicopathological features, outperformed the radiomics model with AUC values of 0.934 (95%CI: 0.885-0.981), 0.937 (95%CI: 0.867-0.995), and 0.916 (95%CI: 0.857-0.970), respectively. For deep learning models, the MRI-based models achieved an AUC of 0.857, 0.777 and 0.828 for 3-year DFS, 4-year DFS and 5-year DFS prediction, respectively. And the combined deep learning models got a improved performance, the AUCs were 0.903. 0.862 and 0.969. In the independent test set, the combined model achieved an AUC of 0.873, 0.858 and 0.914 for 3-year DFS, 4-year DFS and 5-year DFS prediction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the prognostic value of integrating MRI-based radiomics and clinicopathological features in cervical adenocarcinoma. Both radiomics and deep learning models showed improved predictive performance when combined with clinical data, emphasizing the importance of a multimodal approach in patient management.

HIF1 activation safeguards cortical bone formation against impaired oxidative phosphorylation.

Energy metabolism, through pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) and glycolysis, plays a pivotal role in cellular differentiation and function. Our study investigates the impact of OxPhos disruption in cortical bone development by deleting Mitochondrial Transcription Factor A (TFAM). TFAM controls OxPhos by regulating the transcription of mitochondrial genes. The cortical bone, constituting the long bones' rigid shell, is sheathed by the periosteum, a connective tissue layer populated with skeletal progenitors that spawn osteoblasts, the bone-forming cells. TFAM-deficient mice presented with thinner cortical bone, spontaneous midshaft fractures, and compromised periosteal cell bioenergetics, characterized by reduced ATP levels. Additionally, they exhibited an enlarged periosteal progenitor cell pool with impaired osteoblast differentiation. Increasing Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1a (HIF1) activity within periosteal cells significantly mitigated the detrimental effects induced by TFAM deletion. HIF1 is known to promote glycolysis in all cell types. Our findings underscore the indispensability of OxPhos for the proper accrual of cortical bone mass and indicate a compensatory mechanism between OxPhos and glycolysis in periosteal cells. The study opens new avenues for understanding the relationship between energy metabolism and skeletal health and suggests that modulating bioenergetic pathways may provide a therapeutic avenue for conditions characterized by bone fragility.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line (CSBZZUi001-A) from a female Alzheimer's patient carrying the PSEN1 709 T > C heterozygous mutation.

Pluripotent stem cells were generated through the electroporation of episomal plasmids, containing crucial reprogramming factors, into skin fibroblasts extracted from a female Alzheimer's patient harboring the PSEN1 709 T > C (p.Phe237Leu) heterozygous mutation. The pluripotent stem cells exhibit a normal karyotype and express pivotal stem cell markers including TRA-1-60, Nanog, SOX2, and OCT4. Furthermore, their capacity to differentiate into the three germ layers in in vivo teratoma experiments has been substantiated. The pluripotent stem cell line can serve as a cellular model for Alzheimer's disease, offering significant value in elucidating the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of the disease.

Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Pivotal Trial of Biodegradable Balloon Rectal Spacer for Prostate Radiation Therapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Rectal spacers have been shown to reduce rectal side effects in patients receiving prostate radiation. However, concerns remain regarding precise and reproducible gel injection. We evaluated efficacy and safety of a novel rectoprostatic spacer balloon which allows potential for controlled, adaptable deployment. This study tested co-primary hypotheses: 1) Balloon spacer would result in ≥ 25% reduction of rectal V70 in > 75% of subjects, and 2) Implantation procedure-related and rectal ≥ Grade 1 adverse events within 6 months (duration ≥ 2 days, CTCAE 4.0) would be non-inferior in balloon vs control subjects. MATERIALS/METHODS: 222 subjects were enrolled at 16 centers. All patients had T1-T3 prostate cancer without MRI evidence of posterior extraprostatic invasion. Randomization was 2:1 (balloon: control) and subject-blinded. Patients underwent transperineal TRUS-guided fiducial placement +/- balloon, followed by IMRT (81 Gy in 1.8 Gy fractions or biologically equivalent hypofractionated dose). For efficacy comparisons, plans were generated by a central core lab on pre- and post-implant CT scans. RESULTS: The primary efficacy endpoint was met, with 97.9% of balloon subjects (139/142) having rectal V70 reduction >25% (p<0.001). Mean V70 was 7.0 % pre- vs 1.1% post- implant. The primary safety endpoint was met with balloon subjects experiencing fewer ≥ Grade 1 events, 18% vs 23% (p < 0.001 for non-inferiority). On pre-defined secondary endpoint of ≥ Grade 2 events, rates trended lower in balloon subjects (4.3% vs 6.5%, p=0.527). Mean perirectal spacing was 19 ±3.7mm and maintained through radiation treatment (18 ±3.9mm). Balloon resorption was observed on 6-month CT in 98.5% (133/135) of subjects. The EPIC QOL instrument was collected throughout study, and did not differ statistically between the study arms. CONCLUSIONS: Biodegradable rectal spacer balloon was effective in significantly reducing dose to rectum, and associated with decreased cumulative rectal plus implantation-related adverse events. Balloon resorption was consistently observed by 6 months.

Waiting for self-healing as a primary management strategy for lower lip mucoceles.

OBJECTIVES: Oral mucoceles are most frequently encountered on the lower lip. A variety of treatment options are currently employed, including surgical excision, pharmacological injections, and laser therapy. However, each of these approaches may introduce risks and potential complications. Clinical practice has demonstrated a potential for self-healing in lower lip mucoceles, making a conservative observational approach more appealing. This research is a prospective study aimed at evaluating the self-healing capacity of lower lip mucoceles. METHODS: In this prospective study, patients with mucoceles were encouraged to intentionally delay medical intervention and to wait for self-healing. Disappearance of the mucocele for at least 3 months was defined as self-healing. RESULTS: Thirty patients with lower lip mucoceles were included. With no intervention, 24 patients (80%) reported self-healing of lower lip mucoceles. The mean natural duration of the mucoceles was 3.63 (± 4.7; 1-24) months. After self-healing of the mucocele, the patients were followed up for 17.21 (± 9.45; 2-30) months and there were no reported recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Lower lip mucoceles have a high potential for self-healing and patients may be routinely encouraged to wait for self-healing. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The high self-healing rate observed in this study suggests that a conservative, non-interventional approach might be considered as the first-line management for lower lip mucoceles.

Development and Application of a Mitochondrial Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicator in Narcosis.

Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) plays a crucial role in the function of cells and organelles, involving various cellular physiological processes, including energy production, formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), unfolded protein stress, and cell survival. Currently, there is a lack of genetically encoded fluorescence indicators (GEVIs) for MMP. In our screening of various GEVIs for their potential monitoring MMP, the Accelerated Sensor of Action Potentials (ASAP) demonstrated optimal performance in targeting mitochondria and sensitivity to depolarization in multiple cell types. However, mitochondrial ASAPs also displayed sensitivity to ROS in cardiomyocytes. Therefore, two ASAP mutants resistant to ROS were generated. A double mutant ASAP3-ST exhibited the highest voltage sensitivity but weaker fluorescence. Overall, four GEVIs capable of targeting mitochondria were obtained and named mitochondrial potential indicators 1-4 (MPI-1-4). In vivo, fiber photometry experiments utilizing MPI-2 revealed a mitochondrial depolarization during isoflurane-induced narcosis in the M2 cortex.

Integration of C3H15-mediated transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation confers plant thermotolerance in Arabidopsis.

Heat stress is an environmental factor that significantly threatens crop production worldwide. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms governing plant responses to heat stress are not fully understood. Plant zinc finger CCCH proteins have roles in stress responses as well as growth and development through protein-RNA, protein-DNA, and protein-protein interactions. Here, we reveal an integrated multi-level regulation of plant thermotolerance that is mediated by the CCCH protein C3H15 in Arabidopsis. Heat stress rapidly suppressed C3H15 transcription, which attenuated C3H15-inhibited expression of its target gene HEAT SHOCK TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR A2 (HSFA2), a central regulator of heat stress response (HSR), thereby activating HEAT SHOCK COGNATE 70 (HSC70.3) expression. The RING-type E3 ligase MED25-BINDING RING-H2 PROTEIN 2 (MBR2) was identified as an interacting partner of C3H15. The mbr2 mutant was susceptible to heat stress compared to wild-type plants, whereas plants overexpressing MBR2 showed increased heat tolerance. MBR2-dependent ubiquitination mediated the degradation of phosphorylated C3H15 protein in the cytoplasm, which was enhanced by heat stress. Consistently, heat sensitivities of C3H15 overexpression lines increased in MBR2 loss-of-function and decreased in MBR2 overexpression backgrounds. Heat stress-induced accumulation of HSC70.3 promoted MBR2-mediated degradation of C3H15 protein, implying that an auto-regulatory loop involving C3H15, HSFA2, and HSC70.3 regulates HSR. Heat stress also led to the accumulation of C3H15 in stress granules (SGs), a kind of cytoplasmic RNA granule. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms plants use to respond to heat stress, which will facilitate technologies to improve thermotolerance in crops.

The Effects of Lentinan on the Hematological and Immune Indices of Dairy Cows.

In this study, we investigated the effects of lentinan (LNT) on hematological parameters, immune indices, and metabolite levels in dairy cows. We randomly assigned forty Holstein cows to four treatment groups. The treatments consisted of 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/d of LNT. Compared with the control group, the addition of 10 g/d of LNT decreased the content of ALT and IL-8 but simultaneously increased the content of IL-4 in the cows' serum. Supplementation with 10 g/d of LNT decreased the levels of lymphocyte, RDW, ALT, AST, TC, IL-2, and IL-8, but, concurrently, in-creased the levels of granulocytes and IL-4 in their serum. In addition, supplementation with 15 g/d of LNT decreased the levels of RDW, TC, IL-2, and IL-8, but, at the same time, increased the levels of IL-4 and IgM in their serum. For the metabolomic analysis, cows fed with 0 and 10 g/d of LNT were selected. The results showed that 10 metabolites, including reduced nicotinamide riboside and trehalose, were upregulated in the 10 g/d group. These differential metabolites were enriched in tyrosine metabolism and trehalose degradation and altered two metabolic pathways of ubiquinone and other terpene quinone biosynthesis, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism. These findings provide evidence that LNT could be used to reduce the risk of inflammation in dairy cows.

Optimization of Composite Enzymatic Extraction, Structural Characterization and Biological Activity of Soluble Dietary Fiber from Akebia trifoliata Peel.

In order to reduce the waste of Akebia trifoliata peel and maximize its utilization, in this study, on the basis of a single-factor experiment and the response surface method, the optimum technological conditions for the extraction of soluble dietary fiber from Akebia trifoliata peel with the compound enzyme method were obtained. The chemical composition, physical and chemical properties, structural characterization and biological activity of the purified soluble dietary fiber (AP-SDF) from the Akebia trifoliata peel were analyzed. We discovered that that the optimum yield was 20.87% under the conditions of cellulase addition 600 U/g, enzymolysis time 100 min, solid-liquid ratio 1:24 g/mL and enzymolysis temperature 51 °C. At the same time, AP-SDF was a porous network structure cellulose type I acidic polysaccharose mainly composed of arabinoxylan (36.03%), galacturonic acid (27.40%) and glucose (19.00%), which possessed the structural characteristic peaks of the infrared spectra of polysaccharides and the average molecular weight (Mw) was 95.52 kDa with good uniformity. In addition, the AP-SDF exhibited high oil-holding capacity (15.11 g/g), good water-holding capacity and swelling capacity, a certain antioxidant capacity in vitro, hypoglycemic activity in vitro for α-glucosidase inhibition and hypolipidemic activity in vitro for the binding ability of bile acids and cholesterol. These results will provide a theoretical basis for the development of functional products with antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, which have certain application value in related industries.

Cognitive shadows in perimenopause: linking subjective cognitive decline (SCD) to menopausal symptom severity.

OBJECTIVE: As women approach perimenopause, the incidence of Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) rises. This study aims to investigate the association between SCD and the severity of perimenopausal symptoms. SETTING: Conducted at The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University Menopause Clinic from November 2022 to June 2023. Participants, aged 40-55 years, were classified as perimenopausal using the STRAW + 10 criteria. METHODS: SCD was assessed separately using the Chinese version of the SCD-Q9 scale and the SCD International Working Group (SCD-I) conceptual framework, while perimenopausal symptoms were evaluated with the Modified Kupperman Index (MKI). Linear relationships between MKI scores and SCD-Q9 scores were clarified using both univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Additionally, a multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between MKI scores and SCD classification based on SCD-I criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were the Modified Kupperman Index scores, SCD-Q9 questionnaire scores, and the diagnosis of SCD based on SCD-I criteria. RESULTS: Among 101 participants, the average MKI score was 18.90 ± 9.74, and the average SCD-Q9 score was 4.57 ± 2.29. Both univariate and multivariate linear regressions demonstrated a positive correlation between these scores. A multivariate Logistic regression analysis, using MKI as the independent variable and SCD-I criteria classification as the dependent variable, revealed a significant positive association. CONCLUSIONS: A notable association exists between SCD and perimenopausal symptoms severity. This underscores the potential clinical importance of addressing perimenopausal symptoms to mitigate SCD risks in women. Further studies should focus on clarifying the causality between these factors.

Neurotransmitter accumulation and Parkinson's disease-like phenotype caused by anion channelrhodopsin opto-controlled astrocytic mitochondrial depolarization in substantia nigra pars compacta.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a mitochondria-related neurodegenerative disease characterized by locomotor deficits and loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Majority of PD research primarily focused on neuronal dysfunction, while the roles of astrocytes and their mitochondria remain largely unexplored. To bridge the gap and investigate the roles of astrocytic mitochondria in PD progression, we constructed a specialized optogenetic tool, mitochondrial-targeted anion channelrhodopsin, to manipulate mitochondrial membrane potential in astrocytes. Utilizing this tool, the depolarization of astrocytic mitochondria within the SNc in vivo led to the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in SNc, subsequently resulting in excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and locomotor deficits. Consequently, in vivo calcium imaging and interventions of neurotransmitter antagonists demonstrated that GABA accumulation mediated movement deficits of mice. Furthermore, 1 h/day intermittent astrocytic mitochondrial depolarization for 2 weeks triggered spontaneous locomotor dysfunction, α-synuclein aggregation, and the loss of DA neurons, suggesting that astrocytic mitochondrial depolarization was sufficient to induce a PD-like phenotype. In summary, our findings suggest the maintenance of proper astrocytic mitochondrial function and the reinstatement of a balanced neurotransmitter profile may provide a new angle for mitigating neuronal dysfunction during the initial phases of PD.

Primate-Specific DAZ Regulates Translation of Cell Proliferation-Related mRNAs and is Essential for Maintenance of Spermatogonia.

Primate-specific DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) has evolved in the azoospermia factor c (AZFc) locus on the Y chromosome. Loss of DAZ is associated with azoospermia in patients with deletion of the AZFc region (AZFc_del). However, the molecular mechanisms of DAZ in spermatogenesis remain uncertain. In this study, the molecular mechanism of DAZ is identified, which is unknown since it is identified 40 years ago because of the lack of a suitable model. Using clinical samples and cell models, it is shown that DAZ plays an important role in spermatogenesis and that loss of DAZ is associated with defective proliferation of c-KIT-positive spermatogonia in patients with AZFc_del. Mechanistically, it is shown that knockdown of DAZ significantly downregulated global translation and subsequently decreased cell proliferation. Furthermore, DAZ interacted with PABPC1 via the DAZ repeat domain to regulate global translation. DAZ targeted mRNAs that are involved in cell proliferation and cell cycle phase transition. These findings indicate that DAZ is a master translational regulator and essential for the maintenance of spermatogonia. Loss of DAZ may result in defective proliferation of c-KIT-positive spermatogonia and spermatogenic failure.

Enormous myxoid/round cell liposarcoma: A case report.

Myxoid/round cell liposarcomas (MRCLPS) are a rare soft tissue sarcoma. We report the largest sarcoma in our institutional history. We discuss the patient's surgical management and treatment of the tumor and challenges given its dimensions. Several complications arose following primary resection that were managed by a multidisciplinary team. Although MRCLPS can vary in size, large MRCLPS must be treated cautiously given the potential for complications. Additionally, multidisciplinary treatment of MRCLPS is essential in diagnosing and treating these complex cases.

DGK5-mediated phosphatidic acid homeostasis interplays with reactive oxygen species in plant immune signaling.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphatidic acid (PA) are important second messengers in plant immunity. PA binding to RBOHD, an NADPH oxidase responsible for ROS production, enhances RBOHD stability and promotes ROS production. Distinct phosphorylation of the lipid kinase DGK5 optimizes the PA burst in regulating ROS production.

Construction of AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor-based biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and virions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report an ultrasensitive SARS-CoV-2 immunosensor by integration of an AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) and anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody. The AlGaN/GaN HEMT immunosensor has demonstrated the capability to detect SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins at an impressively low concentration of 10-22 M. The sensor was also applied to pseudoviruses and SARS-CoV-2 ΔN virions that display the Spike proteins with a single virion particle sensitivity. These features validate the potential of AlGaN/GaN HEMT biosensors for point of care tests targeting SARS-CoV-2. This research not only provides the first HEMT biosensing platform for ultrasensitive and label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Oral bacteriome and mycobiome of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy with different tongue coatings treated with a Chinese herbal formula.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Moshen Fuyuan Formula (MSFY) is one of the representative Chinese medicine compound for Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), that originate from Fang Ji Huang Qi decoction in the Han dynasty. IMN is usually accompanied by different tongue coatings in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and tongue microorganisms are important factors affecting the formation of the tongue coating. Recently, oral microbiomes, including bacteria and fungi, have been identified as pivotal factors that contribute to disease development. However, the regulation of oral microbiomes by MSFY has not been defined. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this work, we explore the characteristics of oral bacteria and fungi in IMN patients with different tongue coatings, and clarify the therapeutic effect of MSFY based on oral microbiome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 24 patients with IMN, including 11 with white tongue (IMN-W) and 13 with yellow tongue (IMN-Y), and recruited an additional 10 healthy individuals. Patients with IMN were treated with the MSFY. The oral bacteriome and fungi before and after treatment were detected using full-length 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer gene sequencing. RESULTS: The therapeutic effect of MSFY on patients with yellow tongue coating was more significant than that on patients with white tongue coating. In terms of oral bacteriome, Campylobacter bacteria were enriched in patients with yellow tongue and could be a promising biomarker for yellow coating. Enrichment of Veillonella parvula_A may partially account for the therapeutic effect of MSFY. As for oral fungi, Malassezia globosa was enhanced in patients with IMN-W and reduced in patients with IMN-Y. Notably, it was reduced by MSFY. We also found that mycobiome-bacteriome interactions were highly complex and dynamic in patients with IMN. CONCLUSION: The regulation of the dynamic balance between oral fungi and bacteria by MSFY contributes to the treatment of IMN. This study determined the oral bacteriome and mycobiome of patients with IMN with different tongue coatings before and after MSFY treatment, which aids in promoting personalized treatment in clinical TCM and provides direction for investigating the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicines.

Influence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on response to antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although hepatitis B virus infection is the leading cause of chronic liver injury globally, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is gradually gaining attention as another major chronic liver disease. The number of patients having chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with concomitant hepatic steatosis has increased. AIM: To analyze the effect of NAFLD on the response to antiviral treatment in patients with CHB. METHODS: Relevant English studies were systematically searched across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until October 2023. Studies in which the treatment outcomes were compared between patients with CHB only and those with CHB and hepatic steatosis were included. RESULTS: Of the 2502 retrieved studies, 11 articles were finally included. Biochemical response until 48 wk (OR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.50-1.53, P = 0.000) and 96 wk (OR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.24-0.53, P = 0.24) and virological response until 96 wk (OR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.43-1.49, P = 0.097) were lower in patients with hepatic steatosis than in patients with CHB alone. CONCLUSION: Hepatic steatosis lowers the biochemical response to antiviral treatment in patients with CHB.

Open-Set Recognition of Individual Cows Based on Spatial Feature Transformation and Metric Learning.

The automated recognition of individual cows is foundational for implementing intelligent farming. Traditional methods of individual cow recognition from an overhead perspective primarily rely on singular back features and perform poorly for cows with diverse orientation distributions and partial body visibility in the frame. This study proposes an open-set method for individual cow recognition based on spatial feature transformation and metric learning to address these issues. Initially, a spatial transformation deep feature extraction module, ResSTN, which incorporates preprocessing techniques, was designed to effectively address the low recognition rate caused by the diverse orientation distribution of individual cows. Subsequently, by constructing an open-set recognition framework that integrates three attention mechanisms, four loss functions, and four distance metric methods and exploring the impact of each component on recognition performance, this study achieves refined and optimized model configurations. Lastly, introducing moderate cropping and random occlusion strategies during the data-loading phase enhances the model's ability to recognize partially visible individuals. The method proposed in this study achieves a recognition accuracy of 94.58% in open-set scenarios for individual cows in overhead images, with an average accuracy improvement of 2.98 percentage points for cows with diverse orientation distributions, and also demonstrates an improved recognition performance for partially visible and randomly occluded individual cows. This validates the effectiveness of the proposed method in open-set recognition, showing significant potential for application in precision cattle farming management.

Does the opening of producer services promote the wage growth of the downstream manufacturing industry?-Empirical evidence from Chinese manufacturing listed companies.

Based on the vertical connection between upstream and downstream industries, a unique theoretical model is constructed to analyse the impact mechanism of the opening of producer services on downstream manufacturing wage growth. The empirical tests are carried out using the data of China's manufacturing listed companies from 1999 to 2020. Our findings indicate that the opening of producer services has an inverted-U-shaped impact on downstream manufacturing wage growth, and the average level of the opening of producer services in the sample period is lower than the corresponding threshold. Overall, it is in the stage of promoting the wage growth of the downstream manufacturing industry. The opening of producer services mainly affects the wage growth of the downstream manufacturing industry through two channels: labour productivity and labour income share. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that the wages of capital and technology-intensive and low-competitive manufacturing industries are relatively strongly promoted by the opening of producer services. Therefore, promoting the orderly opening of producer services and strengthening the technological links between industries will help promote the wage growth of downstream manufacturing industries.

Design of High-Gain Antenna Arrays for Terahertz Applications.

A terahertz band (0.1-10 THz) has the characteristics of rich spectrum resources, high transmission speed, strong penetration, and clear directionality. However, the terahertz signal will suffer serious attenuation and absorption during transmission. Therefore, a terahertz antenna with high gain, high efficiency, and wide bandwidth is an indispensable key component of terahertz wireless systems and has become a research hotspot in the field of antennas. In this paper, a high-gain broadband antenna is presented for terahertz applications. The antenna is a three-layer structure, fed by a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW), using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material as the dielectric substrate, and the metal through-hole of the dielectric substrate forms a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) structure. The metal fence structure is introduced to reduce the coupling effect between the radiation patches and increase the radiation bandwidth and gain. The center frequency is 0.6366 THz, the operating bandwidth is 0.61-0.68 THz, the minimum value of the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is 1.00158, and the peak gain is 13.14 dBi. In addition, the performance of the designed antenna with a different isolation structure, the length of the connection line, the height of the substrate, the radius of the through-hole, and the thickness of the patch is also studied.