[Analysis of saliva and intestinal microbial community in children with severe caries based on 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology].

PURPOSE: The characteristics of saliva and intestinal microbial community in children with high caries and no caries were analyzed by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. METHODS: Among 431 children aged 3-5 years old in Zunyi City who were investigated previously by our team, 25 children in the high caries group and the same in the caries-free group were selected for fecal and saliva samples. 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial flora structure of the samples and identify the species with different relative abundance at the species level. SPSS 18.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The diversity of intestinal flora in the high caries group was higher than that in the caries-free group, and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05). The diversity of salivary flora in the high caries group was more than that in the caries-free group, with no significant difference(P＞0.05). At phylum level,there was no significant difference in intestinal and salivary flora between children with high caries and children without caries. At gene level, Blautia, [Eubacterium] hallii group and [Eubacterium] eligens group in the intestine of caries-free group were significantly higher than those of high caries group(P＜0.05), while Parasutterella and Christensenellaceae R-7 group were significantly lower than those of high caries group(P＜0.05). At gene level, Peptostreptococcus in saliva of caries-free group was significantly higher than that in high caries group(P＜0.05). Dialister, Kingella, Escherichia-Shigella and Treponema in saliva of caries-free group were significantly lower than those in high caries group(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in species composition of intestinal flora but no in salivary flora between children with high caries and children without caries.

Beyond network centrality: individual-level behavioral traits for predicting information superspreaders in social media.

Understanding the heterogeneous role of individuals in large-scale information spreading is essential to manage online behavior as well as its potential offline consequences. To this end, most existing studies from diverse research domains focus on the disproportionate role played by highly connected 'hub' individuals. However, we demonstrate here that information superspreaders in online social media are best understood and predicted by simultaneously considering two individual-level behavioral traits: influence and susceptibility. Specifically, we derive a nonlinear network-based algorithm to quantify individuals' influence and susceptibility from multiple spreading event data. By applying the algorithm to large-scale data from Twitter and Weibo, we demonstrate that individuals' estimated influence and susceptibility scores enable predictions of future superspreaders above and beyond network centrality, and reveal new insights into the network positions of the superspreaders.

Investigating the Impact of SN-38 on Mouse Brain Metabolism Based on Metabolomics.

Purpose: SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), the active metabolite of irinotecan, has been extensively studied in drug delivery systems. However, its impact on neural metabolism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the toxic effects of SN-38 on mouse brain metabolism. Methods: Male mice were divided into an SN-38 group and a control group. The SN-38 group received SN-38 (20 mg/kg/day) via intraperitoneal injection, while the control group was given an equal volume of a blank solvent mixture (DMSO and saline, ratio 1:9). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to analyze differential metabolites in the cortical and hippocampal regions of the SN-38-treated mice. Results: SN-38 induced metabolic disturbances in the central nervous system. Eighteen differential metabolites were identified in the hippocampus and twenty-four in the cortex, with six common to both regions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed statistically significant alterations in six metabolic pathways in the hippocampus and ten in the cortex (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study is the first to demonstrate the neurotoxicity of SN-38 in male mice through metabolomics. Differential metabolites in the hippocampal and cortical regions were closely linked to purine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and glyceride metabolism, indicating disruptions in the blood-brain barrier, energy metabolism, and central signaling pathways.

Spot position scheme on a quadrant detector for a spaceborne laser communication system.

The paper proposes a spot positioning method based on a four-quadrant detector for the limited computing power and memory of spaceborne laser communication, in which the adaptive interpolation segmentation (AIS) algorithm is used to fit the theoretical position curve. The algorithm uses linear operations though the fitting process and the simulated result indicates that it has higher positioning accuracy in the center area of the quadrant detector. A spot receiving and positioning system was built for experimentation and the final location of the spot was calculated. The positioning error is analyzed to evaluate the performance of the whole system. It is shown that the positioning accuracy is highest in the stable communication area of the system. In result, the scheme achieves high accuracy with simple operations, which is more suitable for spaceborne laser communication systems to release more performance for communication.

Broadband photoelectric fusion transceiver-multiplexed conversion system with high spurious rejection.

In this paper, a broadband photoelectric fusion transceiver-multiplexed system is proposed to realize a frequency converter. The system achieves a high spurious suppression ratio through two frequency conversions that utilize the advantages of microwave and photonics technology simultaneously to reduce the complexity of the system and improve the effective spectrum utilization. In addition, the core components, such as the Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), are multiplexed in the up and down frequency conversion link. High-frequency local oscillator (LO) signals are used to keep image frequency signals and various kinds of spurious signals obtained by beating frequency outside the system bandwidth. Experimental results demonstrate that the operating frequency ranges from 2 to 18 GHz with high performance for both transmitter and receiver. The image rejection is 57.35 dB for up-conversion and 46.56 dB for down-conversion, and the in-band spurious suppression achieves at least 55.02 dB. At the same time, the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) can reach at least 89.11d B⋅H z 2/3.

Gaps and opportunities in modelling human influence on species distributions in the Anthropocene.

Understanding species distributions is a global priority for mitigating environmental pressures from human activities. Ample studies have identified key environmental (climate and habitat) predictors and the spatial scales at which they influence species distributions. However, regarding human influence, such understandings are largely lacking. Here, to advance knowledge concerning human influence on species distributions, we systematically reviewed species distribution modelling (SDM) articles and assessed current modelling efforts. We searched 12,854 articles and found only 1,429 articles using human predictors within SDMs. Collectively, these studies of >58,000 species used 2,307 unique human predictors, suggesting that in contrast to environmental predictors, there is no 'rule of thumb' for human predictor selection in SDMs. The number of human predictors used across studies also varied (usually one to four per study). Moreover, nearly half the articles projecting to future climates held human predictors constant over time, risking false optimism about the effects of human activities compared with climate change. Advances in using human predictors in SDMs are paramount for accurately informing and advancing policy, conservation, management and ecology. We show considerable gaps in including human predictors to understand current and future species distributions in the Anthropocene, opening opportunities for new inquiries. We pose 15 questions to advance ecological theory, methods and real-world applications.

Aqueous degradation of tioxazafen: Kinetics, products, pathways, and toxicity.

Tioxazafen (TXF) is the first 1,2,4-oxadiazole nematicide. In the present study, the aqueous degradation of TXF was investigated in terms of hydrolysis and photolysis. Under the irradiation of simulated sunlight, TXF degraded very fast in ultrapure water and buffers with half-lives (t1/2s) <8.3 min. A sole photoproduct (PP) PP228a was isolated, and identified by spectroscopic means (UV, IR, HRMS, and 1H NMR) to be the thiophen-3-yl isomer converted from its thiophen-2-yl parent. Comparing with TXF, PP228a had quite extended t1/2s ranging from 6.9 to 7.9 d. The photolysis kinetics of TXF and PP228a showed no pH-dependence, and varied for each individual compound as affected by nitrate, fulvic acid, and humic acid. Besides, both compounds were hydrolytically stable. 6 PPs of PP228a were identified, with two of them being its isomers. The mechanisms involved in the process included the biradical photosensitization, photoinduced electron transfer, and ring contraction-ring expansion reactions. The 48 h-EC50 to Daphnia magna was 0.808 mg/L for PP228a comparing to >1.12 mg/L for TXF, while the results of Vibrio fischeri assays indicated that one or more PPs of PP228a might have higher toxicity.

Modeling Global Environmental Fate and Quantifying Global Source-Receptor Relationships of Short-, Medium-, and Long-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins.

Decades-long emissions and long-range transport of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) have resulted in their pervasive presence in the global environment. The lack of an understanding of the global distribution of short-, medium-, and long-chain CPs (SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs) hinders us from quantitatively tracing their origins in remote regions. Using the BETR-Global model and historical emission estimates, we simulate the global dispersion of CPs from 1930 to 2020. Whereas contamination trends in the main contaminated regions (East Asia, Europe, North America, and South Asia) diverge, CP concentrations in the Arctic, Antarctica, and the Tibetan Plateau all increase. By 2020, East Asian, European, and North American emissions contributed 38%, 26%, and 18% of CP contamination in the High Arctic, respectively, while Southern hemispheric emissions and emissions around the Tibetan Plateau primarily contribute to CP contamination in central Antarctica and on the Plateau, respectively. Our results emphasize the important contribution of (i) European and North American emissions to historical CP contamination in remote regions and current MCCP and LCCP contamination in the High Arctic and (ii) East Asian emission to current SCCP and MCCP contamination of all three remote regions. These results can help to evaluate the effectiveness of potential global and regional CP emission-reduction strategies.

Selective hydrogenation of vanillin over a graphene-encapsulated nitrogen-doped bimetallic magnetic Ni/Fe@NDC nano-catalyst.

One of the main obstacles to the development of sustainable biomass feedstocks today is the research of selective hydrogenation of biomass platform compounds for the synthesis of high-value chemicals. This work reports on the synthesis of a Ni/Fe bimetallic catalyst with nitrogen-doped carbon serving as the carrier, hydrogen serving as the primary donor, and isopropanol serving as the reaction medium and serving as a secondary donor. Vanillin was catalytically hydrogenated to produce 4-methylguaiacol, a complete hydrogenation product, under a reaction temperature of 200 °C for four hours. A single product with a good yield (95.26% conversion and selectivity up to 99%) was achieved by the moderate conditions, offering a potential route for the catalytic hydrogenation of biomass platform compounds.

Complementary vitrification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash from grate furnaces and fluidised bed incinerators via a co-reduction process.

The increasing application of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) emphasises the need for MSWI fly ash (FA) safe treatment. Based on the compositional complementarity of FA from grate furnaces (G-FA) and fluidised bed incinerators (F-FA), we proposed a co-reduction process to treat G-FA and F-FA together for producing vitrified slag and ferroalloys. The clean vitrified slag and Fe-Cr-Ni-Cu alloy were obtained with the mass ratios of 1:9 âˆ¼ 6:4 (G-FA:F-FA) at 1300℃, which is about 300℃ lower than the conventional G-FA vitrification. The metals Zn, Cd, and Pb were mostly volatilised into the flue gas for potential recovery from the secondary FA. The thermodynamic SiO2-Al2O3-CaO ternary system demonstrated that an optimal mass ratio of the two complementary FA types contributes to the system shifting to the low-temperature melting zone. The co-reduction process of G-FA and F-FA could be a promising option for FA beneficial reutilization with environmental advantages.

Black phosphorus, an advanced versatile nanoparticles of antitumor, antibacterial and bone regeneration for OS therapy.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. In the clinic, usual strategies for OS treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, all of these therapies have complications that cannot be ignored. Therefore, the search for better OS treatments is urgent. Black phosphorus (BP), a rising star of 2D inorganic nanoparticles, has shown excellent results in OS therapy due to its outstanding photothermal, photodynamic, biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This review aims to present current advances in the use of BP nanoparticles in OS therapy, including the synthesis of BP nanoparticles, properties of BP nanoparticles, types of BP nanoparticles, and modification strategies for BP nanoparticles. In addition, we have discussed comprehensively the application of BP in OS therapy, including single, dual, and multimodal synergistic OS therapies, as well as studies about bone regeneration and antibacterial properties. Finally, we have summarized the conclusions, limitations and perspectives of BP nanoparticles for OS therapy.

Finite element analysis of the effect of tibial osteotomy on the stress of polyethylene liner in total knee arthroplasty.

AIM: To explore the effects of tibial osteotomy varus angle combined with posterior tibial slope (PTS) on the stress of polyethylene liner in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by building finite element model (FEM). METHODS: Established the FEM of standard TKA with tibial osteotomy varus angle 0° to 9° were established and divided into 10 groups. Next, each group was created 10 FEMs with 0° to 9° PTS separately. Calculated the stress on polyethylene liner in each group in Abaqus. Finally, the relevancy between tibial osteotomy angle and polyethylene liner stress was statistically analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: As the varus angle increased, the area of maximum stress gradually shifted medially on the polyethylene liner. As the PTS increases, the percentage of surface contact forces on the medial and lateral compartmental of the polyethylene liner gradually converge to the same. When the varus angle is between 0° and 3°, the maximum stress of the medial compartmental surfaces of polyethylene liner rises smoothly with the increase of the PTS. When the varus angle is between 4° and 9°, as the increase of the PTS, the maximum stress of polyethylene liner rises first and then falls, forming a trough at PTS 5° and then rises again. Compared to the PTS, the varus angle has a large effect on the maximum stress of the polyethylene liner (p < .001). CONCLUSION: When the varus angle is 0° to 3°, PTS 0° is recommended, which will result in a more equalized stress distribution of the polyethylene liner in TKA.

Digital financial inclusion and upgrading of consumption structure: Evidence from rural China.

Based on the perspective of spatial economy, this paper focuses on the primary effects and spatial characteristics of Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) on the upgrading of rural consumption structure (URCS) in China, conducting a literature review and theoretical analysis. It then uses statistical data collected over the years and the Digital Financial Inclusion Index (DFII) of Peking University to prepare panel data for 31 provinces in China (aside from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2011 to 2020 for empirical testing. The results are as follows: DFI can considerably boost URCS, and there is a strong spatial neighbor impact, that is, it is affected by random shocks in surrounding provinces via its spatial effect; DFI has nonlinear characteristics in the process of fostering URCS, with the threshold variables of income level and family sizes; the impact of DFI on URCS is spatially heterogeneous, and the promotion of the eastern region is better than other zones. These results can inform policymakers about rural development and provide valuable references to push forward rural vitalization.

A preliminary study on calcifying nanoparticles in dental plaque: Isolation, characterization, and potential mineralization mechanism.

OBJECTIVES: Calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs), referred to as nanobacteria (NB), are recognized to be associated with ectopic calcification. This study aims to isolate and culture CNPs from the dental plaque of patients with periodontal disease and investigate their possible role in unravelling the aetiology of periodontal disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Supragingival and subgingival plaques were sampled from 30 periodontitis patients for CNPs isolation and culture. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) content changes were tracked over time. Positive samples underwent thorough morphological identification via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, Alizarin red S (ARS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The chemical composition of CNPs analysis involved calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) content determination, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). RESULTS: The subgingival plaque dental group exhibited a higher CNPs isolation rate at 36.67% (11/30) compared to the supragingival dental plaque group at 66.67% (20/30). ALP activity varied among the positive, negative and control groups. Morphological observation characterized the CNPs as round, oval, and ellipsoid particles with Ca deposits. Chemical analysis revealed the Ca/P ratio was 0.6753. Hydroxyl, methyl, carbonate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, and dihydrogen phosphate were detected by FTIR; the main chemical components detected by XRD were hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate. CONCLUSION: CNPs were found in periodontitis-related dental plaque and exhibited the potential to develop calcified structures resembling dental calculus. However, the potential involvement of ALP in CNPs formation requires deeper exploration, as does the precise nature of its role and the interrelation with periodontitis demand a further comprehensive investigation.

Soliton structures for the (3 + 1)-dimensional Painlevé integrable equation in fluid mediums.

The (3 + 1)-dimensional Painlevé integrable equation are a class of nonlinear differential equations with special properties, which play an important role in nonlinear science and are of great significance in solving various practical problems, such as many important models in fields such as quantum mechanics, statistical physics, nonlinear optics, and celestial mechanics. In this work, we utilize the Hirota bilinear form and Mathematica software to formally obtain the interaction solution among lump wave, solitary wave and periodic wave, which has not yet appeared in other literature. Additionally, using the ( G ' / G ) -expansion method, we provide a rich set of exact solutions for the (3 + 1)-dimensional Painlevé integrable equation, which includes two functions with arbitrary values. This method is the first to be applied to the (3 + 1)-dimensional Painlevé integrable equation. By giving some 3D graphics and density maps, the dynamic properties are analyzed and demonstrated, which is beneficial for promoting understanding and application of the (3 + 1)-dimensional Painlevé integrable equation.

Clinical characteristics of late-onset myasthenia gravis.

Objective: Late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG) often has comorbidities, and its initial symptoms may be ignored or misdiagnosed as other diseases. There were few large surveys on LOMG. Our study aimed to summarize clinical characteristics of LOMG to improve the rate of correct MG diagnosis. Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 240 LOMG patients with onset age ≥65 years old who were treated at PLA General Hospital from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2023. Results: The male to female ratio was 1:1.2 (P = 0.699). MGFA clinical classification: Class I 31.3%, Class IIa 12.9%, Class IIb 51.3%, Class IIIa 0.8%, Class IIIb 0.8%, Class IV 0.4%, Class V2.5%. The onset symptom was ptosis in 78.8% and diplopia was in 18.8%. Swallowing dysfunction in the stage of LOMG was in 41.7%. The incidence of thymoma in LOMG was 14.2%. 85.4% of patients antibodies against the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are detected. The overall incidence of supramaximal repetitive nerve stimulation (Jolly test) was 57.1%, among which the highest positive rate (50.7%) was in the facial nerve. Jolly test of Class IIb was tested in the highest positive rate and Class I was in the lowest one (χ2 = 7.023, P = 0.030). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the incidence of LOMG between males and females. The clinical manifestations were mainly Class I and Class II, and severe MG was rare. The most common onset symptom was ptosis. The incidence of LOMG with thymoma was low. Supramaximal repetitive nerve stimulation (Jolly test) of the facial nerve was the easiest to detect and Jolly test of Class IIb was tested in the highest positive rate and Class I was in the lowest one.

Application of Natural Medicinal Plants Active Ingredients in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant cancer of the head and neck, with high morbidity and mortality, ranking as the sixth most common cancer in the world. The treatment of OSCC is mainly radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, however, the prognosis of patients is still poor and the recurrence rate is high. This paper reviews the range of effects of natural medicinal plant active ingredients (NMPAIs) on OSCC cancer, including the types of NMPAIs, anti-cancer mechanisms, involved signaling pathways, and clinical trials. The NMPAIs include terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, coumarins, and volatile oils. These active ingredients inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and autophagy, inhibit migration and invasion of OSCC cells, and regulate cancer immunity to exert anti-cancer effects. The mechanism involves signaling pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B, nuclear factor kappa B, miR-22/WNT1/ß-catenin and Nrf2/Keap1. Clinically, NMPAIs can inhibit the growth of OSCC, and the combined drug is more effective. Natural medicinal plants are promising candidates for the treatment of OSCC.

LncRNA in periodontal tissue-derived cells on osteogenic differentiation in the periodontitis field.

OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis can lead to the destruction of periodontal tissues and potentially tooth loss. Numerous periodontal tissue-derived cells display osteogenic differentiation potential. The presence of differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in these cells indicate their ability to regulate the process of osteogenic differentiation. We aim to elucidate the various lncRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal tissue-derived cells in the field of periodontitis at epigenetic modification, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases to identify relevant literature in the field of periodontitis discussing the role of lncRNAs in regulating osteogenic differentiation of periodontal tissue-derived cells. The identified literature was subsequently summarized for comprehensive review. RESULTS: In this review, we have comprehensively summarized the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal tissue-derived cells in the field of periodontitis and discussed how these lncRNAs provide novel perspectives for understanding the pathogenesis and progression of periodontitis. CONCLUSION: These results indicate the pivotal role of lncRNAs as regulators in the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal tissue-derived cells, providing a solid basis for future investigations on the role of lncRNAs in the periodontitis field.

Improving Tuber Yield of Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) through Nitrogen Fertilization in Sandy Farmland.

The cultivation of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) on marginal lands is a feasible and effective way to increase food production in Northern China. However, the specific influence of nitrogen fertilizer application on the growth dynamics, tuber expansion, overall yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of tiger nuts cultivated on these sandy lands is yet to be fully elucidated. From 2021 to 2022, we conducted a study to determine the effect of N fertilizers on the leaf function morphology, canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), tuber yield, and NUE of tiger nut. The results indicate that the tuber yield and NUE are closely related to the specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area index (LAI), leaf nitrogen concentration per area (NA), CAP, and tuber expansion characteristics. Notably, significant enhancements in the SLA, LAI, NA, and CAP during the tuber expansion phase ranging from the 15th to the 45th day under the 300 kg N ha-1 treatment were observed, subsequently leading to increases in both the tuber yield and NUE. Moreover, a maximum average tuber filling rate was obtained under the N300 treatment. These improvements led to substantial increases in the tuber yield (32.1-35.5%), nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE, 2.1-5.3%), nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPP, 4.8-8.1%), and nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE, 3.4-5.7%). Consequently, 300 kg N ha-1 of N fertilizers is the most effective dose for optimizing both the yield of tiger nut tubers and the NUE of tiger nut plants in marginal soils. Structural equation modeling reveals that N application affects the yield and NUE through its effects on leaf functional traits, the CAP, and the tuber filling characteristics. Modeling indicates that tuber expansion characteristics primarily impact the yield, while CAP predominantly governs the NUE. Above all, this study highlights the crucial role of N fertilizer in maximizing the tiger nut tuber yield potential on marginal lands, providing valuable insights into sustainable farming in dry areas.

Transport and risk of airborne pathogenic microorganisms in the process of decentralized sewage discharge and treatment.

Sewage treatment processes are a critical anthropogenic source of bioaerosols and may present significant health risks to plant workers. Compared with the specialization and scale of urban sewage treatment, many decentralized treatment models are flexible and extensive. These treatment facilities are usually close to residential areas owing to the pipe network layout and other restrictions. Bioaerosols generated by these facilities may present a serious and widespread occupational and non-occupational exposure risk to nearby residents, particularly the elderly and children. An understanding of the characteristics and exposure risks of bioaerosols produced during decentralized sewage treatment is lacking. We compared bioaerosol emission characteristics and potential exposure risks under four decentralized sewage discharge methods and treatment models: small container collection (SCC), open-channel discharge (OCD), single household/combined treatment (SHCT), and centralized treatment (CT) in northwest China. The OCD mode had the highest bioaerosol production, whereas the CT mode had the lowest. The OCD model contained the most pathogenic bacterial species, up to 43 species, including Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, Cladosporium, and Alternaria. Risk assessments indicated bioaerosol exposure was lower in the models with sewage treatment (SHCT and CT) than in those without (SCC and OCD). Different populations exhibited large variations in potential risks owing to differences in time spent indoors and outdoors. The highest risk was observed in males exposed to the SCC model. This study provides a theoretical basis and theories for the future joint prevention and control of the bioaerosol exposure risk from decentralized sewage treatment.