Epidemiological feature analysis of SVEIR model with control strategy and variant evolution.

The complex interactions were performed among non-pharmaceutical interventions, vaccinations, and hosts for all epidemics in mainland China during the spread of COVID-19. Specially, the small-scale epidemic in the city described by SVEIR model was less found in the current studies. The SVEIR model with control was established to analyze the dynamical and epidemiological features of two epidemics in Jinzhou City led by Omicron variants before and after Twenty Measures. In this study, the total population (N) of Jinzhou City was divided into five compartments: the susceptible (S), the vaccinated (V), the exposed (E), the infected (I), and the recovered (R). By surveillance data and the SVEIR model, three methods (maximum likelihood method, exponential growth rate method, next generation matrix method) were governed to estimate basic reproduction number, and the results showed that an increasing tendency of basic reproduction number from Omicron BA.5.2 to Omicron BA.2.12.1. Meanwhile, the effective reproduction number for two epidemics were investigated by surveillance data, and the results showed that Jinzhou wave 1 reached the peak on November 1 and was controlled 7 days later, and that Jinzhou wave 2 reached the peak on November 28 and was controlled 5 days later. Moreover, the impacts of non-pharmaceutical interventions (awareness delay, peak delay, control intensity) were discussed extensively, the variations of infection scales for Omicron variant and EG.5 variant were also discussed. Furthermore, the investigations on peaks and infection scales for two epidemics in dynamic zero-COVID policy were operated by the SVEIR model with control. The investigations on public medical requirements of Jinzhou City and Liaoning Province were analyzed by using SVEIR model without control, which provided a possible perspective on variant evolution in the future.

WS2 nanosheets-based electrochemical biosensor for highly sensitive detection of tumor marker miRNA-4484.

In this paper, a few-layer WS2 nanosheets-based electrochemical biosensor was fabricated for the highly sensitive detection of breast cancer tumor marker miRNA-4484. Firstly, few-layer WS2 nanosheets were prepared by shear stripping and characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM and UV spectrophotometer. After modification of few-layer WS2 nanosheets on the electrode surface, the miRNA probe was fixed on the few-layer WS2 nanosheets by polycytosine (PolyC). Then short-chain miRNA containing PolyC was used as the blocking agent to close the excess active sites on the surface of WS2 nanosheets to complete the fabrication of the sensor biosensing interface. Finally, the current changes caused by the specific binding of miRNA-4484 to the probe were analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The results showed that the sensor had a good linear relationship for the detection of miRNA-4484 in the concentration range of 1 aM-100 fM, and the detection limit was as low as 1.61 aM. In addition, the electrochemical sensor had excellent selectivity, stability and reproducibility. The artificial sample tests indicated that the developed biosensors have the potential for clinical application in the future.

Experimental study of laser spot tracking for underwater optical wireless communication.

In this paper, a novel laser spot tracking algorithm that incorporates the Kalman filter with the continuously adaptive Meanshift algorithm (Cam-Kalm) is proposed and employed in an underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) system. Since the Kalman filter has the advantage of predicting the state information of the target spot based on its spatial motion features, the proposed algorithm can improve the accuracy and stability of the moving laser spot tracking. A 2 m optical wireless communication experimental system with auto-tracking based on a green laser diode (LD) is built to evaluate the tracking performance of different algorithms. Experimental results verify that the proposed algorithm outperforms conventional tracking algorithms in aspects of tracking accuracy, interference resistance, and response time. With the proposed Cam-Kalm algorithm, the experimental system can establish an effective communication link, while the maximum tracking speed is 20 mm/s given the forward-error-correction (FEC) threshold.

Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells in Allergy.

Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells constitute a distinct subset within the memory T cell population, serving as the vanguard against invading pathogens and antigens in peripheral non-lymphoid tissues, including the respiratory tract, intestines, and skin. Notably, TRM cells adapt to the specific microenvironment of each tissue, predominantly maintaining a sessile state with distinctive phenotypic and functional attributes. Their role is to ensure continuous immunological surveillance and protection. Recent findings have highlighted the pivotal contribution of TRM cells to the modulation of adaptive immune responses in allergic disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and dermatitis. A comprehensive understanding of the involvement of TRM cells in allergic diseases bears profound implications for allergy prevention and treatment. This review comprehensively explores the phenotypic characteristics, developmental mechanisms, and functional roles of TRM cells, focusing on their intricate relationship with allergic diseases.

Charge-density wave mediated quasi-one-dimensional Kondo lattice in stripe-phase monolayer 1T-NbSe2.

The heavy fermion physics is dictated by subtle competing exchange interactions, posing a challenge to their understanding. One-dimensional (1D) Kondo lattice model has attracted special attention in theory, because of its exact solvability and expected unusual quantum criticality. However, such experimental material systems are extremely rare. Here, we demonstrate the realization of quasi-1D Kondo lattice behavior in a monolayer van der Waals crystal NbSe2, that is driven into a stripe phase via Se-deficient line defects. Spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and first-principles calculations indicate that the stripe-phase NbSe2 undergoes a novel charge-density wave transition, creating a matrix of local magnetic moments. The Kondo lattice behavior is manifested as a Fano resonance at the Fermi energy that prevails the entire film with a high Kondo temperature. Importantly, coherent Kondo screening occurs only in the direction of the stripes. Upon approaching defects, the Fano resonance exhibits prominent spatial 1D oscillations along the stripe direction, reminiscent of Kondo holes in a quasi-1D Kondo lattice. Our findings provide a platform for exploring anisotropic Kondo lattice behavior in the monolayer limit.

The Efficacy and Safety of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Against COVID-19 in Elderly Patients.

Objective: To assess the key factors influencing the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in treating elderly patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study was conducted on patients aged ≥60 who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University for COVID-19 infection and were treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Clinical information was collected from patients and steady-state blood concentrations of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were measured. Factors associated with treatment effects were searched by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 68 (51 males and 17 females) patients had a median age of 80 (73.0-84.8) years were enrolled in this study. The blood concentration measurements (trough concentrations) of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were 5.1 (2.6-7.1) and 0.4 (0.2-0.9) µg/mL, respectively. Adverse drug reaction was reported in 4 (5.9%) patients. Univariate analysis showed that age, clinical classification, APACHE II score, total bilirubin (TBil), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total cholesterol (TC) were significantly associated with the effectiveness of treatment (P value <0.05). Concentration of nirmatrelvir was also associated with treatment outcome (P value <0.1). Based on the results of univariate analysis, the above factors were introduced into the multiple linear regression equation as independent variables, and the results showed that clinical classification was included in the regression equation model and was the most important factor affecting the treatment outcome. By receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under curve of age + biochemical indicators + APACHE II score + clinical classification was 0.968 (95% CI = 0.919-1.000; P <0.0001). Among the 68 patients included in the study, 4 cases experienced adverse drug reactions. Conclusion: Age, clinical classification, APACHE II score, TBil, AST, LDH, and TC were significantly associated with the effectiveness of treatment in elderly patients with COVID-19.

Progress in Research on the Preparation of Graphene-Based Aerogels Using γ-ray Irradiation Technology.

Graphene aerogels (GAs) are of significant interest in the scientific community due to their unique attributes, including a three-dimensional porous structure, exceptional specific surface area, and remarkable chemical stability. Researchers have made notable breakthroughs in aerogel preparation, focusing on aspects like porous structures and chemical stability. This review explores product morphologies and properties developed between 2011 and 2023, particularly examining applications of graphene aerogels with amine or alcohol radical scavengers. It offers a roadmap for researchers, suggesting possibilities for radiation-based preparation and indicating broader applications. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of aerogels and expand the potential applications of graphene aerogels across various fields.

Recent advances in postharvest technologies for reducing chilling injury symptoms of fruits and vegetables: A review.

Low temperature storage is widely used in the storage and transportation of postharvest fruits and vegetables. However, the negative effects of chilling injury (CI) on certain fruits and vegetables cannot be ignored. Therefore, efficient CI prevention technologies were used for reducing CI. This paper expounds the mechanisms of CI, common symptoms of CI and its impacts on the quality of fruits and vegetables, and summarizes the application of CI prevention technology. CI control methods are mainly classified into physical treatments (hot shock, near-freezing storage, high relative humidity storage, light-proof storage, and electromagnetic field), chemical treatments (melatonin, 1-methylcyclopropene, astragalus polysaccharides, γ-aminobutyric acid, 24-epibrassinolide, methyl jasmonate, trisodium phosphate, glycine betaine, and salicylic acid, etc.), coating treatments (sodium alginate, chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose and aloe vera gel, etc.) and their combined treatments. These treatments have enhanced antioxidant activity, enzyme activity, membrane system integrity, and energy levels, thereby reducing the CI of fruits and vegetables.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal the molecular mechanism of amino acid transport between source and sink during tea shoot development.

KEY MESSAGE: The weighted gene co-expression network analysis and antisense oligonucleotide-mediated transient gene silencing revealed that CsAAP6 plays an important role in amino acid transport during tea shoot development. Nitrogen transport from source to sink is crucial for tea shoot growth and quality formation. Amino acid represents the major transport form of reduced nitrogen in the phloem between source and sink, but the molecular mechanism of amino acid transport from source leaves to new shoots is not yet clear. Therefore, the composition of metabolites in phloem exudates collected by the EDTA-facilitated method was analyzed through widely targeted metabolomics. A total of 326 metabolites were identified in the phloem exudates with the richest variety of amino acids and their derivatives (93), accounting for approximately 39.13% of the total metabolites. Moreover, through targeted metabolomics, it was found that the content of glutamine, glutamic acid, and theanine was the most abundant, and gradually increased with the development of new shoots. Meanwhile, transcriptome analysis suggested that the expression of amino acid transport genes changed significantly. The WGCNA analysis identified that the expression levels of CsAVT1, CsLHTL8, and CsAAP6 genes located in the MEterquoise module were positively correlated with the content of amino acids such as glutamine, glutamic acid, and theanine in phloem exudates. Reducing the CsAAP6 in mature leaves resulted in a significant decrease in the content of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, leucine, asparagine, glutamine, and arginine in the phloem exudates, indicating that CsAAP6 played an important role in the source to sink transport of amino acids in the phloem. The research results will provide the theoretical basis and genetic resources for the improvement of nitrogen use efficiency and tea quality.

Guanidinium-Functionalized Polymer Dielectrics for Triboelectric Bacterial Detection.

Development of rapid detection strategies that target potentially pathogenic bacteria has gained increasing attention due to the increasing awareness for better health and safety. In this study, we evaluate an intrinsically antimicrobial polymer, 2Gdm, which is a poly(norbornene)-based functional polymer featuring guanidinium groups as side chains, for bacterial detection by the means of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and triboelectric nanosensors (TENSs). Attachment of bacteria to the sensing layer is anticipated to alter the overall triboelectric properties of the underlying polymer layer. The positively charged guanidinium functional groups can interact with the negatively charged phospholipid bilayer of bacteria and lead to bacterial death, which can then be detected by optical microscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and more advanced self-powered sensing techniques such as TENGs and TENSs. The double bonds present along the poly(norbornene) backbone allow for thermally induced cross-linking to obtain X-2Gdm and thus rendering materials remain stable in water. By monitoring the change in voltage output after immersion in various concentrations of Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), we have demonstrated the utility of X-2Gdm as a new polymer dielectric for autonomous bacterial detection. As the bacterial concentration increases, the amount of adsorbed bacteria also increases, resulting in a decrease in the surface potential of the X-2Gdm thin film; this reduction in surface potential can cause a decrease in the triboelectric output for both TENGs and TENSs, which serves as a key working mechanism for facile bacterial detection. TENG and TENS systems are capable of detecting E. coli and S. pneumoniae within a range of 4 × 105 to 4 × 108 CFU/mL with a limit of detection of 106 CFU/mL. This report highlights the promising prospects of employing TENGs and TENSs as innovative sensing technologies for rapid bacterial detection by leveraging the electrostatic interactions between bacterial cell membranes and cationic groups present on polymer surfaces.

Ozone exposure affects corneal epithelial fate by promoting mtDNA leakage and cGAS/STING activation.

Ozone is a common air pollutant associated with various human diseases. The human ocular surface is frequently exposed to ozone in the troposphere, but the mechanisms by which ozone affects the ocular surface health remain unclear. This study aimed to establish a mouse model to investigate the effects of ozone exposure on the ocular surface and the corneal epithelium. The findings revealed that ozone exposure disrupted corneal epithelial homeostasis and differentiation, resulting in corneal squamous metaplasia. Further, ozone exposure induced oxidative damage and cytoplasmic leakage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), thereby activating the cGAS/STING signaling pathway. The activation of the cGAS/STING signaling pathway triggered the activation of downstream NF-κB and TRAF6 signaling pathways, causing corneal inflammation, thereby promoting corneal inflammation and squamous metaplasia. Finally, C-176, a selective STING inhibitor, effectively prevented and treated corneal inflammation and squamous metaplasia caused by ozone exposure. This study revealed the role of mtDNA leakage-mediated cGAS/STING activation in corneal squamous epithelial metaplasia caused by ozone exposure. It also depicted the abnormal expression pattern of corneal epithelial keratin using three-dimensional images, providing new targets and strategies for preventing and treating corneal squamous metaplasia and other ocular surface diseases.

Spatial distribution, source identification, and transportation paths of plutonium in the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea.

To investigate the spatial distribution and source of plutonium isotopes in the Beibu Gulf, surface sediments were collected and analyzed using sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS). The activities of 239+240Pu in surface sediments ranged from 0.012 to 0.451 mBq/g (mean: 0.171 ± 0.138 mBq/g, n = 36), indicating a decreasing trend in a counterclockwise direction from the southern bay mouth. The counterclockwise decreasing trend in the south of the bay mouth is similar to the current in the Beibu Gulf. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in surface sediments ranged from 0.156 to 0.283 (mean: 0.236 ± 0.031, n = 36), slightly higher than that of the global fallout value of 0.18. This suggests that the Pu in the Beibu Gulf was a combination of global fallout and Pacific Proving Ground (PPG). The average contribution of the plutonium (Pu) derived from the PPG in the sediment was estimated to be 52 % ± 24 %.

An integrated plant glucose monitoring system based on microneedle-enabled electrochemical sensor.

Real-time monitoring of glucose concentration changes in plants and access to plant physiological information timely are of great significance to the development of precision agriculture. Here, we innovatively present an electrochemical sensing device that combines microneedle sensors and 3D printing technology to achieve real-time monitoring of glucose in plants in a minimally invasive manner. The device consists of two components: the inner part features a highly efficient sensing interface based on platinum wire (MPt-Au-Nafion-GOx-Pu), while the outer part consists of polymer microneedles formed by 3D printing. Additionally, the polymer hollow microneedle features a slender tip diameter of only 300 µm, minimizing plant damage during the detection procedure. The device shows good detection performance, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 33.3 µM and a detection sensitivity of 17 nA/µM·cm2. It can detect glucose concentrations in the range of 100 µM to 100 mM, providing a unique solution for timely agronomic management of crops tool. By performing 12 h real-time monitoring and salt stress treat on tomato and aloe vera, the results verified the feasibility of integrated device applied to real-time glucose detection in plants.

Enhanced management and antifouling performance of a novel NiFe-LDH@MnO2/PVDF hybrid membrane for efficient oily wastewater treatment.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have gained significant recognition for their facile synthesis and super-hydrophilic two-dimensional (2D) structure to fabricate antifouling membranes for oily wastewater separation. However, conventional PVDF membranes, due to their hydrophobic nature and inert matrix, often exhibit insufficient permeance and compatibility. In this study, a novel NiFe-LDH@MnO2/PVDF membrane was synthesized using ultrasonic, redox, and microwave-hydrothermal processes. This innovative approach cultivated grass-like NiFe-LDH@MnO2 nanoparticles within an inert PVDF matrix, promoting the growth of highly hydrophilic composites. The presence of NiFe-LDH@MnO2 resulted in pronounced enhancements in surface morphology, interfacial wettability, and oil rejection for the fabricated membrane. The optimal NiFe-LDH@MnO2/PVDF-2 membrane exhibited an extremely high pure water flux (1364 L m-2•h-1), and increased oil rejection (from 81.2% to 93.5%) without sacrificing water permeation compared to the original PVDF membrane. Additionally, the NiFe-LDH@MnO2/PVDF membrane demonstrated remarkable antifouling properties, evident by an exceptional fouling resistance ratio of 96.8% following slight water rinsing. Mechanistic insights into the enhanced antifouling performance were elucidated through a comparative "semi-immersion" investigation. The facile synthesis method, coupled with the improved membrane performance, highlights the potential application prospects of this hybrid membrane in emulsified oily wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.

Application of nasal irrigation in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Nasal irrigation (NI) for the local treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has some specificity due to the deep anatomical site of the sinuses. The purpose of this review is to help standardize the application of NI in healthcare practice, improve the prevention and treatment of CRS, and facilitate further research on the local treatment of CRS in the future. We searched the PubMed database for 342 articles in the last decade, using the keywords "saline nasal irrigation" and "chronic rhinosinusitis." We summarize the studies on the mechanism of action, rinsing solution, rinsing apparatus, and rinsing method of NI for CRS. NI plays an important role in the treatment of CRS, and it is a beneficial low-risk treatment. Isotonic saline is the most accepted flushing solution, and large-volume low-pressure flushing bottles are the flushing devices with the best flushing effect and are generally tolerated by patients. Phage, colloidal silver, and hydrogen can be further studied as components of rinses. NI plays an important role in the treatment of CRS, and it is a beneficial low-risk treatment. Further high-quality and expanded sample size studies on other flushing solutions, flushing head position, flushing frequency, and treatment courses are still needed, and lessons learned in practice.

Study on Dynamic Crack Expansion and Size Effect of Back-Filling Concrete under Uniaxial Compression.

With the continuous expansion of the application range of gob-side entry retaining technology, the depth, height, and advancing speed of coal seams also increase, which brings great problems to the stability control of surrounding rock structures of gob-side entry retaining. As one of the main bearing structures of the surrounding rock, the stability of the roadway-side support body is a key factor for the success of gob-side entry retaining. In order to study the deformation characteristics and instability mechanism of roadway-side support body, based on the roadway-side support materials of gob-side entry retaining, the dynamic expansion test of back-filling concrete cracks under uniaxial compression was carried out. The YOLOv5 algorithm was applied to establish the fine identification and quantitative characterization method of macroscopic cracks of the samples, and the dynamic expansion rule of roadway-side support body cracks and its dimensional effect were revealed by combining the fractal theory. The results show that the F1 value and average precision mean of the intelligent dynamic crack identification model reached 75% and 71%, respectively, the GIoU loss value tends to fit around 0.038, and the model reached the overall optimal solution. During the uniaxial compression process, micro cracks on the surface of the back-filling concrete first initiated at the end, and after reaching the yield stress, the macroscopic cracks developed significantly. Moreover, several secondary cracks expanded, pooled, and connected from the middle of the specimen to the two ends, inducing the overall instability of the specimen. The surface crack expansion rate, density, and fractal dimension all show stage change characteristics with the increase in stress, and the main crack expansion rate has obvious precursor characteristics. With the increase in the size, the decrease in crack density after back-filling concrete failures gradually decreases from 93.19% to 4.08%, the surface crack network develops from complex to simple, and the failure mode transits from tensile failure to shear failure. The above research results provide a basic experimental basis for design optimization and instability prediction of a roadway-side support body for engineering-scale applications.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Cation/Proton Antiporter Family in Soybean (Glycine max) and Functional Analysis of GmCHX20a on Salt Response.

Monovalent cation proton antiporters (CPAs) play crucial roles in ion and pH homeostasis, which is essential for plant development and environmental adaptation, including salt tolerance. Here, 68 CPA genes were identified in soybean, phylogenetically dividing into 11 Na+/H+ exchangers (NHXs), 12 K+ efflux antiporters (KEAs), and 45 cation/H+ exchangers (CHXs). The GmCPA genes are unevenly distributed across the 20 chromosomes and might expand largely due to segmental duplication in soybean. The GmCPA family underwent purifying selection rather than neutral or positive selections. The cis-element analysis and the publicly available transcriptome data indicated that GmCPAs are involved in development and various environmental adaptations, especially for salt tolerance. Based on the RNA-seq data, twelve of the chosen GmCPA genes were confirmed for their differentially expression under salt or osmotic stresses using qRT-PCR. Among them, GmCHX20a was selected due to its high induction under salt stress for the exploration of its biological function on salt responses by ectopic expressing in Arabidopsis. The results suggest that the overexpression of GmCHX20a increases the sensitivity to salt stress by altering the redox system. Overall, this study provides comprehensive insights into the CPA family in soybean and has the potential to supply new candidate genes to develop salt-tolerant soybean varieties.

A tuning fork gyroscope with drive-sense orthogonal thin-walled holes for high sensitivity.

A tuning fork gyroscope (TFG) with orthogonal thin-walled round holes in the driving and sensing directions is proposed to improve sensitivity. The thin walls formed by through holes produce stress concentration, transforming the small displacement of tuning fork vibration into a large concentrated strain. When piezoelectric excitation or detection is carried out here, the driving vibration displacement and detection output voltage can be increased, thereby improving sensitivity. Besides, quadrature coupling can be suppressed because the orthogonal holes make the optimal excitation and detection positions in different planes. The finite element method is used to verify the benefits of the holes, and the parameters are optimized for better performance. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the prototype gyroscope with a driving frequency of 890.68 Hz is 100.32 mV/(°/s) under open-loop driving and detection, and the rotation rate can be resolved at least 0.016 (°/s)/Hz, which is about 6.7 times better than that of the conventional TFG. In addition, the quadrature error is reduced by 2.7 times. The gyroscope has a simple structure, high reliability, and effectively improves sensitivity, which is helpful to guide the optimization of piezoelectric gyroscopes and derived MEMS gyroscopes.

Extracellular vesicles from adipose stem cells ameliorate allergic rhinitis in mice by immunomodulatory.

Background: Human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hADSCs) exert potent immunosuppressive effects in the allogeneic transplantation treatment. In mouse model of allergic rhinitis (AR), ADSCs partially ameliorated AR. However, no study has evaluated the potential therapeutic effects of hADSC-derived extracellular vesicles (hADSC-EVs) on AR. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to induce AR. One day after the last nasal drop, each group received phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or hADSC-EVs treatment. Associated symptoms and biological changes were then assessed. Results: hADSC-EV treatment significantly alleviated nasal symptoms, and reduced inflammatory infiltration. Serum levels of OVA-specific IgE, interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-γ were all significantly reduced. The mRNA levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ in the spleen also changed accordingly. The T helper (Th)1/Th2 cell ratio increased. The treatment efficacy index of hADSC-EV was higher than that of all human-derived MSCs in published reports on MSC treatment of AR. ADSC-EVs exhibited a greater therapeutic index in most measures when compared to our previous treatment involving ADSCs. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that hADSC-EVs could ameliorate the symptoms of AR by modulating cytokine secretion and Th1/Th2 cell balance. hADSC-EVs could potentially be a viable therapeutic strategy for AR. Further animal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and to optimize potential clinical protocols.