Chronic atrophic gastritis and risk of incident upper gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous literature has explored the relationship between chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and isolated cancers within the upper gastrointestinal cancers; However, an integrative synthesis across the totality of upper gastrointestinal cancers was conspicuously absent. The research objective was to assess the relationship between CAG and the risk of incident upper gastrointestinal cancers, specifically including gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, and oesophagogastric junction cancer. METHODS: Rigorous systematic searches were conducted across three major databases, namely PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, encompassing the timeline from database inception until August 10, 2023. We extracted the necessary odds ratio (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for subsequent meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using Stata 17.0 software. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included a total of 23 articles encompassing 5858 patients diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal cancers. CAG resulted in a statistically significant 4.12-fold elevated risk of incident gastric cancer (OR = 4.12, 95% CI 3.20-5.30). Likewise, CAG was linked to a 2.08-fold increased risk of incident oesophageal cancer (OR = 2.08, 95%CI 1.60-2.72). Intriguingly, a specific correlation was found between CAG and the risk of incident oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.77-2.95), while no significant association was detected for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.17-2.26). Moreover, CAG was correlated with a 2.77-fold heightened risk of oesophagogastric junction cancer (OR = 2.77, 95%CI 2.21-3.46). Notably, for the same type of upper gastrointestinal cancer, it was observed that diagnosing CAG through histological methods was linked to a 33-77% higher risk of developing cancer compared to diagnosing CAG through serological methods. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicated a two- to fourfold increased risk of gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, and oesophagogastric junction cancer in patients with CAG. Importantly, for the same upper gastrointestinal cancer, the risk of incident cancer was higher when CAG was diagnosed histologically compared to serological diagnosis. Further rigorous study designs are required to explore the impact of CAG diagnosed through both diagnostic methods on the risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers.

Leaching behaviour of 226Ra from uranium tailings and adsorption behaviour in geotechnical medias.

The leaching process of uranium tailings is a typical water-rock interaction. The release of 226Ra from uranium tailings depends on the nuclides outside the intrinsic properties of uranium tailings on the one hand, and is influenced by the water medium on the other. In this paper, a uranium tailings repository in southern China was used as a research object, and uranium tailings at different depths were collected by drilling samples and mixed to analyse the 226Ra occurrence states. Static dissolution leaching experiments of 226Ra under different pH conditions, solid-liquid ratio conditions, and ionic strength conditions were carried out, and the adsorption and desorption behaviours of 226Ra in five representative stratigraphic media were investigated. The results show that 226Ra has a strong adsorption capacity in representative strata, with adsorption distribution coefficient Kd values ranging from 1.07E+02 to 1.29E+03 (mL/g) and desorption distribution coefficients ranging from 4.97E+02 to 2.71E+03 (mL/g), but the adsorption is reversible. The 226Ra in uranium tailings exists mainly in the residual and water-soluble states, and the release of 226Ra from uranium tailings under different conditions is mainly from the water-soluble and exchangeable state fractions. Low pH conditions, low solid-liquid ratio conditions and high ionic strength conditions are favourable to the release of 226Ra from uranium tailings, so the release of 226Ra from uranium tailings can be reduced by means of adjusting the pH in the tailings and setting up a water barrier. The results of this research have important guiding significance for the management of existing uranium tailings ponds and the control of 226Ra migration in groundwater, which is conducive to guaranteeing the long-term safety, stability and sustainability of uranium mining sites.

Risk factors for pterygium: Latest research progress on major pathogenesis.

A pterygium is a wedge-shaped fibrovascular growth of the conjunctiva membrane that extends onto the cornea, which is the outer layer of the eye. It is also known as surfer's eye. Growth of a pterygium can also occur on the either side of the eye, attaching firmly to the sclera. Pterygia are one of the world's most common ocular diseases. However, the pathogenesis remains unsolved to date. As the pathogenesis of pterygium is closely related to finding the ideal treatment, a clear understanding of the pathogenesis will lead to better treatment and lower the recurrence rate, which is notably high and more difficult to treat than a primary pterygium. Massive studies have recently been conducted to determine the exact causes and mechanism of pterygia. We evaluated the pathogenetic factors ultraviolet radiation, viral infection, tumor suppressor genes p53, growth factors, oxidative stress, apoptosis and neuropeptides in the progression of the disease. The heightened expression of TRPV1 suggests its potential contribution in the occurrence of pterygium, promoting its inflammation and modulating sensory responses in ocular tissues. Subsequently, the developmental mechanism of pterygium, along with its correlation with dry eye disease is proposed to facilitate the identification of pathogenetic factors for pterygia, contributing to the advancement of understanding in this area and may lead to improved surgical outcomes.

MFFLR-DDoS: An encrypted LR-DDoS attack detection method based on multi-granularity feature fusions in SDN.

Low rate distributed denial of service attack (LR-DDoS) is a special type of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, which uses the vulnerability of HTTP protocol to send HTTP requests to applications or servers at a slow speed, resulting in long-term occupation of server threads and affecting the normal access of legitimate users. Since LR-DDoS attacks do not need to send flooding or a large number of HTTP requests, it is difficult for traditional intrusion detection methods to detect such attacks, especially when HTTP traffic is encrypted. To overcome the above problems, we proposed an encrypted LR-DDoS attack detection and mitigation method based on the multi-granularity feature fusion (MFFLR-DDoS) for software defined networking (SDN). This method analyzes the encrypted session flow from the time sequence of packets and the spatiality of session flow and uses different deep learning methods to extract features, to obtain more effective features for abnormal traffic detection. In addition, we used the advantages of SDN architecture to perform real-time defense against LR-DDoS attacks by the way of SDN controller issuing flow rules. The experimental results showed that the MFFLR-DDoS model had a higher detection rate than advanced methods, and could mitigate LR-DDoS attack traffic online and in real-time.

Sesame bacterial wilt significantly alters rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure, function, and metabolites in continuous cropping systems.

Bacterial wilt is the leading disease of sesame and alters the bacterial community composition, function, and metabolism of sesame rhizosphere soil. However, its pattern of change is unclear. Here, the purpose of this study was to investigate how these communities respond to three differing severities of bacterial wilt in mature continuously cropped sesame plants by metagenomic and metabolomic techniques, namely, absence (WH), moderate (WD5), and severe (WD9) wilt. The results indicated that bacterial wilt could significantly change the bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere soil of continuously cropped sesame plants. The biomarker species with significant differences will also change with increasing disease severity. In particular, the gene expression levels of Ralstonia solanacearum in the WD9 and WD5 treatments increased by 25.29% and 33.61%, respectively, compared to those in the WH treatment (4.35 log10 copies g-1). The occurrence of bacterial wilt significantly altered the functions of the bacterial community in rhizosphere soil. KEEG and CAZy functional annotations revealed that the number of significantly different functions in WH was greater than that in WD5 and WD9. Bacterial wilt significantly affected the relative content of metabolites, especially acids, in the rhizosphere soil, and compared with those in the rhizosphere soil from WH, 10 acids (including S-adenosylmethionine, N-acetylleucine, and desaminotyrosine, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil from WD5 or WD9 significantly increased. In comparison, the changes in the other 10 acids (including hypotaurine, erucic acid, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid, etc.) were reversed. The occurrence of bacterial wilt also significantly inhibited metabolic pathways such as ABC transporter and amino acid biosynthesis pathways in rhizosphere soil and had a significant impact on two key enzymes (1.1.1.11 and 2.6.1.44). In conclusion, sesame bacterial wilt significantly alters the rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure, function, and metabolites. This study enhances the understanding of sesame bacterial wilt mechanisms and lays the groundwork for future prevention and control strategies against this disease.

Novel Drug Delivery Systems for the Management of Fungal Keratitis.

Fungal keratitis (FK) is a dangerous corneal infection that is common in tropical and subtropical areas. Its incidence is extremely high, and ocular trauma and contact lenses can lead to FK, but its common treatment such as using topical antifungal eye drop instillation is often less effective because of several drawbacks of the drugs typically used, including limited ocular penetration, high frequency of dosing, poor biocompatibility, and the potential for severe drug reactions. Therefore, the development of novel drug delivery devices for the treatment of FK is urgent. The urgent need for novel drug delivery devices to treat FK has led to the development of several techniques, including nanoparticles (NPs), in situ forming hydrogels, contact lenses, and microneedles (MNs). However, it is important to note that the main mechanisms differ between these techniques. NPs can transport large amounts of drugs and be taken up by cells owing to their large surface area and small size. In situ forming hydrogels can significantly extend the residence time of drugs because of their strong adhesive properties. Contact lenses, with their comfortable shape and drug-carrying capacity, can also act as drug delivery devices. MNs can create channels in the cornea, bypassing its barrier and enhancing drug bioavailability. This article will go over novel medication delivery techniques for treating FK and make a conclusion about their advantages and limitations in anticipation to serve the best option for the individual therapy of FK.

SEPDB: a database of secreted proteins.

Detecting changes in the dynamics of secreted proteins in serum has been a challenge for proteomics. Enter secreted protein database (SEPDB), an integrated secretory proteomics database offering human, mouse and rat secretory proteomics datasets collected from serum, exosomes and cell culture media. SEPDB compiles secreted protein information from secreted protein database, UniProt and Human Protein Atlas databases to annotate secreted proteomics data based on protein subcellular localization and disease markers. SEPDB integrates the latest predictive modeling techniques to measure deviations in the distribution of signal peptide structures of secreted proteins, extends signal peptide sequence prediction by excluding transmembrane structural domain proteins and updates the validation analysis pipeline for secreted proteins. To establish tissue-specific profiles, we have also created secreted proteomics datasets associated with different human tissues. In addition, we provide information on heterogeneous receptor network organizational relationships, reflective of the complex functional information inherent in the molecular structures of secreted proteins that serve as ligands. Users can take advantage of the Refreshed Search, Analyze, Browse and Download functions of SEPDB, which is available online at https://sysomics.com/SEPDB/. Database URL:  https://sysomics.com/SEPDB/.

The Associations of Two Novel Inflammation Biomarkers, SIRI and SII, with Mortality Risk in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Background: The associations of two novel inflammation biomarkers, systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII), with mortality risk in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) are not well-characterized. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with CHF in two medical centers of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China. The outcomes of this study included in-hospital mortality and long-term mortality. Associations of SIRI and SII with mortality were assessed using multivariable regressions and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Results: A total of 6232 patients with CHF were included in the present study. We documented 97 cases of in-hospital mortality and 1738 cases of long-term mortality during an average 5.01-year follow-up. Compared with patients in the lowest quartile of SIRI, those in the highest quartile exhibited 134% higher risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-4.72) and 45% higher risk of long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.25-1.67). Compared with patients in the lowest quartile of SII, those in the highest quartile exhibited 27% higher risk of long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11-1.46). In ROC analyses, SIRI showed better prognostic discrimination than C-reactive protein (area under the curve: 69.39 vs 60.91, P = 0.01, for in-hospital mortality; 61.82 vs 58.67, P = 0.03, for 3-year mortality), whereas SII showed similar prognostic value with C-reactive protein. Conclusion: SIRI and SII were significantly associated with mortality risk in patients with CHF. SIRI may provide better prognostic discrimination than C-reactive protein.

Impact of body mass index on long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention stratified by diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) caused by obesity have increased in recent years. The impact of obesity on long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with or without DM remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from 1918 patients who underwent PCI. Patients were categorized into four groups based on body mass index (BMI, normal weight: BMI < 25 kg/m2; overweight and obese: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and DM status (presence or absence). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and unplanned repeat revascularization). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.0 years, no significant differences in MACCE, myocardial infarction, or stroke were observed among the four groups. Overweight and obese individuals exhibited lower all-cause mortality rates compared with normal-weight patients (without DM: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37 to 0.78; with DM: HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.86). In non-diabetic patients, the overweight and obese group demonstrated a higher risk of unplanned repeat revascularization than the normal-weight group (HR:1.23, 95% CI:1.03 to 1.46). After multivariable adjustment, overweight and obesity were not significantly associated with MACCE, all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned repeat revascularization in patients with and without diabetes undergoing PCI. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity did not demonstrate a significant protective effect on long-term outcomes in patients with and without diabetes undergoing PCI.

Propionate promotes ferroptosis and apoptosis through mitophagy and ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis elicits anti-leukemia immunity.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly propionate and butyrate, have been reported in many cancers. However, the relationship between propionate and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unclear. Additionally, Acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) has been reported to regulate immunity in solid tumors, but there are still many gaps to be filled in AML. Here, we discovered the underlying mechanism of propionate and ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis for immunotherapy. Our results showed that the level of propionate in the AML patients' feces was decreased, which was correlated to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Moreover, we demonstrated that propionate suppressed AML progression both in vivo and in vitro. In mechanism, propionate induced AML cells apoptosis and ferroptosis. The imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox homeostasis induced by propionate caused mitochondrial fission and mitophagy, which enhanced ferroptosis and apoptosis. Furthermore, ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis caused by propionate increased the immunogenicity of AML cells, induced the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs). The increased level of immunogenicity due to ferroptosis enable propionate-based whole-cell vaccines to activate immunity, thus further facilitating effective killing of AML cells. Collectively, our study uncovers a crucial role for propionate suppresses AML progression by inducing ferroptosis and the potential mechanisms of ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis in the regulation of AML immunity.

Histograms of computed tomography values in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant osteogenic lesions.

BACKGROUND: The use of histogram analysis of computed tomography (CT) values is a potential method for differentiating between benign osteoblastic lesions (BOLs) and malignant osteoblastic lesions (MOLs). PURPOSE: To explore the diagnostic efficacy of histogram analysis in accurately distinguishing between BOLs and MOLs based on CT values. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 25 BOLs and 25 MOLs, which were confirmed through pathology or imaging follow-up, were included in this study. FireVoxel software was used to process the lesions and obtain various histogram parameters, including mean value, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis, entropy value, and percentiles ranging from 1st to 99th. Statistical tests, such as two independent-sample t-tests and the Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction, were employed to compare the differences in histogram parameters between BOLs and MOLs. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in several histogram parameters between BOLs and MOLs, including the mean value, coefficient of variation, skewness, and various percentiles. Notably, the 25th percentile demonstrated the highest diagnostic efficacy, as indicated by the largest area under the curve in the ROC curve analysis. CONCLUSION: Histogram analysis of CT values provides valuable diagnostic information for accurately differentiating between BOLs and MOLs. Among the different parameters, the 25th percentile parameter proves to be the most effective in this discrimination process.

Manganese Enhances the Osteogenic Effect of Silicon-Hydroxyapatite Nanowires by Targeting T Lymphocyte Polarization.

Biomaterials encounter considerable challenges in extensive bone defect regeneration. The amelioration of outcomes may be attainable through the orchestrated modulation of both innate and adaptive immunity. Silicon-hydroxyapatite, for instance, which solely focuses on regulating innate immunity, is inadequate for long-term bone regeneration. Herein, extra manganese (Mn)-doping is utilized for enhancing the osteogenic ability by mediating adaptive immunity. Intriguingly, Mn-doping engenders heightened recruitment of CD4+ T cells to the bone defect site, concurrently manifesting escalated T helper (Th) 2 polarization and an abatement in Th1 cell polarization. This consequential immune milieu yields a collaborative elevation of interleukin 4, secreted by Th2 cells, coupled with attenuated interferon gamma, secreted by Th1 cells. This orchestrated interplay distinctly fosters the osteogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells and effectuates consequential regeneration of the mandibular bone defect. The modulatory mechanism of Th1/Th2 balance lies primarily in the indispensable role of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and the phosphorylation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In conclusion, this study highlights the transformative potential of Mn-doping in amplifying the osteogenic efficacy of silicon-hydroxyapatite nanowires by regulating T cell-mediated adaptive immunity via the MnSOD/AMPK pathway, thereby creating an anti-inflammatory milieu favorable for bone regeneration.

Autophagy-mediated NKG2D internalization impairs NK cell function and exacerbates radiation pneumonitis.

Introduction: Radiation pneumonitis is a critical complication that constrains the use of radiation therapy for thoracic malignancies, leading to substantial morbidity via respiratory distress and lung function impairment. The role of Natural killer (NK) cells in inflammatory diseases is well-documented; however, their involvement in radiation pneumonitis is not fully understood. Methods: To explore the involvement of NK cells in radiation pneumonitis, we analyzed tissue samples for NK cell presence and function. The study utilized immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, and immunoprecipitation to investigate CXCL10 and ROS levels, autophagy activity, and NKG2D receptor dynamics in NK cells derived from patients and animal models subjected to radiation. Result: In this study, we observed an augmented infiltration of NK cells in tissues affected by radiation pneumonitis, although their function was markedly diminished. In animal models, enhancing NK cell activity appeared to decelerate the disease progression. Concomitant with the disease course, there was a notable upsurge in CXCL10 and ROS levels. CXCL10 was found to facilitate NK cell migration through CXCR3 receptor activation. Furthermore, evidence of excessive autophagy in patient NK cells was linked to ROS accumulation, as indicated by immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. The association between the NKG2D receptor and its adaptor proteins (AP2 subunits AP2A1 and AP2M1), LC3, and lysosomes was intensified after radiation exposure, as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. This interaction led to NKG2D receptor endocytosis and subsequent lysosomal degradation. Conclusion: Our findings delineate a mechanism by which radiation-induced lung injury may suppress NK cell function through an autophagy-dependent pathway. The dysregulation observed suggests potential therapeutic targets; hence, modulating autophagy and enhancing NK cell activity could represent novel strategies for mitigating radiation pneumonitis.

Downregulation of BUBR1 regulates the proliferation and cell cycle of breast cancer cells and increases the sensitivity of cells to cisplatin.

Breast cancer (BC) is a significant tissue for women's health worldwide. The spindle assembly checkpoint protein family includes BUBR1 (Bub1-related kinase or MAD3/Bub1b). High expression of BUBR1 promotes cell cycle disorders, leading to cell carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanism and the role of BUBR1 in BC progression are unclear. The published dataset was analyzed to evaluate the clinical relevance of BUBR1. BUBR1 was knocked down in BC cells using shRNA. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the cell viability, and mRNA and protein expression levels were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot (WB). Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. Subcutaneous xenograft model was used to assess in vivo tumor growth. BUBR1 was found to be highly expressed in BC. The high expression of BUBR1 was associated with poor prognosis of BC patients. Upon BUBR1 knockdown using shRNA, the proliferation and metastatic ability of cells were decreased. Moreover, the cells with BUBR1 knockdown underwent cell cycle arrest. And the results showed that BUBR1 loss inhibited the phosphorylation of TAK1/JNK. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated the knockdown of BUBR1 rendered the BC cells more sensitive to cisplatin. In summary, BUBR1 may be a potential therapeutic target for BC and targeting BUBR1 may help overcome cisplatin resistance in BC patients.

Design and application of a novel telemedicine system jointly driven by multinetwork integration and remote control: Practical experience from PLAGH, China.

In China, several problems were common in the telemedicine systems, such as the poor network stability and difficult interconnection. A new telemedicine system jointly driven by multinetwork integration and remote control has been designed to address these problems. A multilink aggregation algorithm and an overlay network for telemedicine system (ONTMS) were developed to improve network stability, and a non-intervention remote control method was designed for Internet of Things (IoT) devices/systems. The authors monitored the network parameters, and distributed the questionnaire to participants, for evaluating the telemedicine system and services. Under a detection bandwidth of 8 Mbps, the aggregation parameters of Unicom 4G, Telecom 4G, and China Mobile 4G were optimal, with an uplink bandwidth, delay, and packet loss ratio (PLR) of 7.93 Mbps, 58.80 ms, and 0.06%, respectively. These parameters were significantly superior to those of China Mobile 4G, the best single network (p < 0.001). Through the ONTMS, the mean round-trip transporting delay from Beijing to Sanya was 76 ms, and the PLR was 0 at vast majority of time. A total of 1988 participants, including 1920 patients and 68 doctors, completed the questionnaires. More than 97% of participants felt that the audio and video transmission and remote control were fluent and convenient. 96% of patients rated the telemedicine services with scores of 4 or 5. This system has shown robust network property and excellent interaction ability, and satisfied the needs of patients and doctors.

Investigation of LGALS2 expression in the TCGA database reveals its clinical relevance in breast cancer immunotherapy and drug resistance.

Breast cancer (BRCA) is known as the leading cause of death in women worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Traditional therapeutic strategies such as surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can cause adverse reactions such as drug resistance. Immunotherapy, a new treatment approach with fewer side effects and stronger universality, can prolong the survival of BRCA patients and even achieve clinical cure. However, due to population heterogeneity and other reasons, there are still certain factors that limit the efficacy of immunotherapy. Therefore, the importance of finding new tumor immune biomarker cannot be emphasized enough. Studies have reported that LGALS2 was closely related to immunotherapy efficacy, however, it is unclear whether it can act as an immune checkpoint for BRCA immunotherapy. In the current study, changes in LGALS2 expression were analyzed in public datasets such as TCGA-BRCA. We found that LGALS2 expression was associated with immune infiltration, drug resistance and other characteristics of BRCA. Moreover, high LGALS2 expression was closely related to immunotherapy response, and was associated with methylation modifications and clinical resistance for the first time. These findings may help to elucidate the role of LGALS2 in BRCA for the development and clinical application of future immunotherapy strategies against BRCA.

Soil Water Deficit Reduced Root Hydraulic Conductivity of Common Reed (Phragmites australis).

Alterations in root hydraulics in response to varying moisture conditions remain a subject of debate. In our investigation, we subjected common reeds (Phragmites australis) to a 45-day treatment with four distinct soil moisture levels. The findings unveiled that, in response to drought stress, the total root length, surface area, volume, and average diameter exhibited varying degrees of reduction. Anatomically, drought caused a reduction in root diameter (RD), cortex thickness (CT), vessel diameter (VD), and root cross-sectional area (RCA). A decrease in soil moisture significantly reduced both whole- and single-root hydraulic conductivity (Lpwr, Lpsr). The total length, surface area, volume, and average diameter of the reed root system were significantly correlated with Lpwr, while RD, CT, and RCA were significantly correlated with Lpsr. A decrease in soil moisture content significantly influenced root morphological and anatomical characteristics, which, in turn, altered Lpr, and the transcriptome results suggest that this may be associated with the variation in the expression of abscisic acid (ABA) and aquaporins (AQPs) genes. Our initial findings address a gap in our understanding of reed hydraulics, offering fresh theoretical insights into how herbaceous plants respond to external stressors.

Leaching behaviour and mechanism of U, 226Ra and 210Pb from uranium tailings at different pH conditions.

A large number of radionuclides remain in uranium tailings, and U, 226Ra and 210Pb leach out with water chemistry, causing potential radioactive contamination to the surrounding environment. In this paper, uranium tailings from a uranium tailings pond in southern China were collected at different depths by means of borehole sampling, mixed and homogenised, and analysed for mineral and chemical composition, microscopic morphology, U, 226Ra and 210Pb fugacity, static leaching and dynamic leaching of U, 226Ra and 210Pb in uranium tailings at different pH conditions. The variation of U, 226Ra and 210Pb concentrations in the leachate under different pH conditions with time was obtained, and the leaching mechanism was analysed. The results showed that the uranium tailings were dominated by quartz, plagioclase and other minerals, of which SiO2 and Al2O3 accounted for 65.45% and 13.32% respectively, and U, 226Ra and 210Pb were mainly present in the residue form. The results of the static leaching experiments show that pH mainly influences the leaching of U, 226Ra and 210Pb by changing their chemical forms and the particle properties of the tailings, and that the lower the pH the more favourable the leaching. The results of dynamic leaching experiments during the experimental cycle showed that the leaching concentration and cumulative release of U, 226Ra and 210Pb in the leach solution were greater at lower pH conditions than at higher pH conditions, and the leaching of U, 226Ra and 210Pb at different pH conditions was mainly from the water-soluble and exchangeable states. The present research results are of great significance for the environmental risk management and control of radioactive contamination in existing uranium tailings ponds, and are conducive to ensuring the long-term safety, stability and sustainability of uranium mining sites.

Csp3-H Imination Using Arylazo Sulfone as a N Source: An Approach to Access Imines.

An unprecedented Csp3-H imination reaction using arylazo sulfones as the readily accessible and stable N source is reported. The synthetic virtues are demonstrated through mild conditions, simple operation, good air compatibility, and functional group tolerance, as well as suitability for gram-scale reaction. The resulting imines can be further converted to α-amino acids. The presented results shed light on an unusual usage of arylazo sulfones and will inspire novel experimental design by using arylazo sulfones as the N source.

A Method of DDoS Attack Detection and Mitigation for the Comprehensive Coordinated Protection of SDN Controllers.

Software defined networking (SDN) improves the flexibility and programmability of the network by separating the control plane and the data plane and effectively realizes the global control of the network infrastructure. However, the centralized structure design of SDN exposes the controller to potential threats. Attackers have used the active flow table delivery mode to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on the SDN controller, resulting in the controller failure and seriously affecting the network performance. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes a defense framework called CC-Guard. The framework consists of four modules: attack detection triggering, switch migration, anomaly detection, and mitigation. Among them, the attack detection trigger module improves the system's timely response to DDoS attacks. The switch migration module effectively unclogs the controller congestion problem and provides convenience for network flow transmission. The anomaly detection module uses a coarse-grained method for two-stage detection, which improves the detection accuracy. The mitigation module uses the idea of cross-domain cooperation of the controller to clear the abnormal flow in the blacklist. Experimental results show that our proposed CC-Guard has real-time DDoS attack defense capability and high detection accuracy, as well as efficient network resource utilization.