Uranyl Affinity between Uranyl Cation and Different Kinds of Monovalent Anions: Density Functional Theory and Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship Model.

In order to design effective extractants for uranium extraction from seawater, it is imperative to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the bonding properties between the uranyl cation (UO22+) and various ligands. Therefore, we employed density functional theory to investigate the complexation reactions of UO22+ with 29 different monovalent anions (L-1), exploring both mono- and bidentate coordination. We proposed a novel concept called "uranyl affinity" (Eua) to facilitate the establishment of a standardized scale for assessing the ease or difficulty of coordination bond formation between UO22+ and diverse ligands. Furthermore, we conducted an in-depth investigation into the underlying mechanisms involved. During the process of uranyl complex [(UO2L)+] formation, lone pair electrons from the coordinating atom in L- are transferred to either the lowest unoccupied molecular degenerate orbitals 1ϕu or 1δu of the uranyl ion, which originate from the uranium atom's 5f unoccupied orbitals. In light of discussion concerning the mechanisms of coordination bond formation, quantitative structure-property relationship analyses were conducted to investigate the correlation between Eua and various structural descriptors associated with the 29 ligands under investigation. This analysis revealed distinct patterns in Eua values while identifying key influencing factors among the different ligands.

Is early bilateral compression ultrasonography and D-dimer monitoring appropriately for prophylaxis and diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis after cesarean section women: a single-center observation study of Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is most prevalent among parturients following a cesarean section (CS). The objective of this study was to assess the practical utility of bilateral compression ultrasonography (CUS) of the lower limbs, coupled with D-dimer monitoring, in the early diagnosis of VTE within the Han Chinese population. METHODS: Our prospective observational study included 742 women who underwent CUS and D-dimer testing on the first day post-CS. Subsequently, telephone or outpatient follow-ups were conducted until 42 days postpartum. States of hypercoagulation and thrombosis, as indicated by CUS, were classified as CUS abnormal. A D-dimer level ≥ 3 mg/l was considered the D-dimer warning value. Early ambulation and mechanical prophylaxis were universally recommended for all parturients post-CS. A sequential diagnostic strategy, based on the 2015 RCOG VTE risk-assessment tool, was employed. Therapeutic doses of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) were administered for the treatment of thromboembolic disease. Prophylactic doses of LMWH were given for VTE prophylaxis in parturients with hypercoagulative status accompanied by D-dimer levels ≥ 3 mg/l. All high-risk women (RCOG score ≥ 4 points) were additionally treated with preventive LMWH. Statistical analyses were conducted using the R statistical software, with a two-sided P value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Fifteen cases of VTE and 727 instances without VTE were observed. The overall VTE rate post-CS was 2.02% (15/742), with 66.7% (10/15) being asymptomatic. Eleven patients received a VTE diagnosis on the first postpartum day. Among the 41 parturients exhibiting hypercoagulation ultrasound findings and D-dimer levels ≥ 3 mg/l, despite receiving pharmacological VTE prophylaxis with LMWH, 4.88% (2/41) in the high-risk group were eventually diagnosed with VTE. A total of 30.86% (229/742) exhibited normal ultrasound findings and D-dimer levels < 3 mg/l on the first day post-CS, with no VTE occurrences in the postpartum follow-up. According to RCOG's recommendation, 78.03% (579/742) of cesarean delivery women should receive prophylactic anticoagulation, while only 20.62% (153/742) met our criterion for prophylactic anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: The strategy of timely routine bilateral CUS and D-dimer monitoring is conducive to the early diagnosis and treatment of VTE, significantly reducing the use of LMWH in the Chinese Han population.

Association with the plasma atherogenic index with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in the US population.

Plasma atherogenic index (AIP) reflects a novel intricate biochemical indicator of lipids' metabolism. The involvement of lipid metabolism for pathogenesis concerning nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been established. However, the precise association across AIP and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis remains unclear. This present investigation explored the potential correlation across AIP, hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. Data were acquired through National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2020. Hepatic steatosis was detected through the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), while hepatic fibrosis was examined via liver stiffness measurement (LSM). The study employed multiple linear, Fitted smoothed curves and subgroup analyses were used for investigating relationships between the AIP, CAP, and LSM. The study recruited 6239 participants. In multivariate linear regression analysis, findings indicated a remarkable correlation between AIP and exacerbated NAFLD risk [odds ratio (95% confidence interval), 1.17 (1.12, 1.21)]. Analysis further revealed a positive link across AIP and hepatic steatosis, as indicated through the CAP [ß (95% CI), 4.07 (3.32, 4.82)]. Tests for non-linearity, revealed a non-linear correlation between AIP and CAP (inflection point = 0.22). Subgroup analyses assessed the consistency of the link across AIP and CAP, indicating that the association remained comparable across all subgroups. Following the adjustment for all relevant variables, the linear regression analysis revealed a lack of statistical significance across the AIP and hepatic fibrosis. [LSM, ß (95% CI), -0.39 (-1.06, 0.28), P = .2501]. Smooth-fitting curves examined the link across AIP and LSM and showed a U-shaped pattern, indicating their positive correlation with AIP less than 0.48. However, no significant correlation was observed with AIP more than 0.48. This study highlighted a substantial positive relationship across AIP and hepatic steatosis, as measured through CAP, and suggests that it may be used as an efficient and rapid measure for clinical prediction of hepatic steatosis.

Association of antenatal corticosteroids with mortality and morbidities in very preterm infants born to women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is the most common cause of indicated preterm delivery, but the impact of prenatal steroid exposure on the outcomes of preterm infants born to HDP mothers, who may be at risk for intrauterine hypoxia-ischemia, remains uncertain. The study objective is to evaluate the mortality and morbidities in HDP for very preterm infants (VPIs) exposed to different course of ANS. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study comprising infants with < 32 weeks gestation born to women with HDP only from 1 Jan. 2019 to 31 Dec. 2021 within 40 participating neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Sino-northern network. ANS courses included completed, partial, repeated, and no ANS. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed on administration of ANS and short-term outcomes before discharge. RESULTS: Among 1917 VPIs born to women with HDP only, 987(51.4%) received a complete course of ANS within 48 h to 7 days before birth, 560(29.2%) received partial ANS within 24 h before delivery, 100(5.2%) received repeat ANS and 270 (14.1%) did not receive any ANS. Compared to infants who received complete ANS, infants unexposed to ANS was associated with higher odds of death (AOR 1.85; 95%CI 1.10, 3.14), Severe Neurological Injury (SNI) or death (AOR 1.68; 95%CI 1.29,3.80) and NEC or death (AOR 1.78; 95%CI 1.55, 2.89), the repeated ANS group exhibits a significant negative correlation with the duration of oxygen therapy days (correlation coefficient - 18.3; 95%CI-39.2, -2.1). However, there were no significant differences observed between the full course and partial course groups in terms of outcomes. We can draw similar conclusions in the non-SGA group, while the differences are not significant in the SGA group. From KM curve, it showed that the repeated group had the highest survival rate, but the statistical analysis did not indicate a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Even partial courses of ANS administered within 24 h before delivery proved to be protective against death and other morbidities. The differences mentioned above are more pronounced in the non-SGA group. Repeat courses demonstrate a trend toward protection, but this still needs to be confirmed by larger samples.

MuSCs and IPCs: roles in skeletal muscle homeostasis, aging and injury.

Skeletal muscle is a highly specialized tissue composed of myofibres that performs crucial functions in movement and metabolism. In response to external stimuli and injuries, a range of stem/progenitor cells, with muscle stem cells or satellite cells (MuSCs) being the predominant cell type, are rapidly activated to repair and regenerate skeletal muscle within weeks. Under normal conditions, MuSCs remain in a quiescent state, but become proliferative and differentiate into new myofibres in response to injury. In addition to MuSCs, some interstitial progenitor cells (IPCs) such as fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), pericytes, interstitial stem cells expressing PW1 and negative for Pax7 (PICs), muscle side population cells (SPCs), CD133-positive cells and Twist2-positive cells have been identified as playing direct or indirect roles in regenerating muscle tissue. Here, we highlight the heterogeneity, molecular markers, and functional properties of these interstitial progenitor cells, and explore the role of muscle stem/progenitor cells in skeletal muscle homeostasis, aging, and muscle-related diseases. This review provides critical insights for future stem cell therapies aimed at treating muscle-related diseases.

Relationship Between Gout And Constitution Of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore common TCM constitutions among gout patients and investigate the potential relationship between traditional Chinese medicine's (TCM) constitution and clinical parameters. Methods: A total of 219 gout patients with 195 participants were included in this study. All participants completed a baseline questionnaire on demographic characteristics, including age, weight, and family history. The biased constitution of TCM was identified by questionnaires surveyed with a TCM constitution table. Results: Of 195 patients with gout, phlegm-damp accounted for the majority of TCM constitution classifications, followed by Qi-deficiency, damp-heat, and Yang-deficiency constitutions. Besides, patients with these four constitutions have a higher BMI, blood sugar, and homocysteine. Conclusion: The major types of constitution among these gout patients were phlegm-damp, Yang-deficiency, Qi-deficiency, and damp-heat. Gout symptoms with TCM constitutional theory may contribute to provide new insights into more rapid diagnosis and treatment for the effective prevention or therapy of gout. It is necessary to design more case-control studies and high-quality cohort in the future researches to provide a more helpful evidence-based basis for evaluating the relationship between TCM constitution and gout patients.

Cross-sectional study on dysphagia evaluation in community-dwelling older adults using the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT) -10, EAT-2, and Water Swallow Test.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a health concern that causes severe complications and affects the life quality of the older population. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT)-2 compared with the EAT-10 and the Water Swallow Test (WST) in screening for dysphagia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5,090 community-dwelling older adults. Dysphagia was evaluated using both a subjective measure, the 10-item EAT (EAT-10) and an objective measure, the WST. The kappa index in pairs were analyzed. The validity and reliability of EAT-2 were also assessed. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the EAT-2 were 96.3 % and 94.8 %, respectively. The kappa index between the EAT-2 and EAT-10 was 0.64, whereas it was 0.11 between the EAT-10 and WST. CONCLUSIONS: The EAT-2 was a simpler screening tool for dysphagia. Combining the subjective questionnaire (EAT-10 or EAT-2) and the objective test (WST) is recommended.

Polyimide/Ionic Liquids Hybrid Membranes with NH3-Philic Channels for Ammonia-Based CO2 Separation Processes.

An efficient separation technology involving ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) is of great importance for achieving low-carbon economy, environmental protection, and resource utilization. However, directly separating NH3 and CO2 for ammonia-based CO2 capture processes is still a great challenge. Herein, we propose a new strategy for selective separation of NH3 and CO2 by functional hybrid membranes that integrate polyimide (PI) and ionic liquids (ILs). The incorporated protic IL [Bim][NTf2] is confined in the interchain segment of PI, which decreases the fractional free volume and narrows the gas transport channel, benefiting the high separation selectivity of hybrid membranes. At the same time, the confined IL also provides high NH3 affinity for transport channels, promoting NH3 selective and fast transport owing to strong hydrogen bonding interaction between [Bim][NTf2] and NH3 molecules. Thus, the optimal hybrid membrane exhibits an ultrahigh NH3/CO2 ideal selectivity of up to 159 at 30 °C without sacrificing permeability, which is 60 times higher than that of the neat PI membrane and superior to the state-of-the art reported values. Moreover, the introduction of [Bim][NTf2] also reduces the permeation active energy of NH3 and reverses the hybrid membrane toward "NH3 affinity", as understood by studying the effect of temperature. Also, NH3 molecules are much easier to transport at high temperature, showing great application potential in direct NH3/CO2 separation. Overall, this work provides a promising ultraselective membrane material for ammonia-based CO2 capture processes.

First Report of Colletotrichum fructicola Causing Anthracnose on Paeonia lactiflora in China.

Paeonia lactiflora Pall is a traditional famous flower with long cultivated history in China, and has important medical and ornamental functions (Duan et al. 2022). In the middle of June 2022, anthracnose disease was observed nearly 25% (n=90) on P. lactiflora in Poyang County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province (29.00° N, 116.67° E) (Figure 1 E). The symptoms of the disease were small, round, light brown spots then grew bigger to round or irregular dark brown lesions (5 to 7 mm diameter) progressively on the leaves with disease spread (Figure 1 A). Subsequently, necrotic tissue was formed in the center and caused fade and wilt on the leaves ultimately, which reduced the medicinal and aesthetic value severely. Small pieces of diseased tissue (5 × 5 mm) were cut from the diseased junction, disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 to 45 seconds, then 1% NaClO for 1 to 2 minutes, rinsed three times with sterile water. To identify the pathogen, tissues were placed on PDA and incubated for 3 days at 28°C. Single spore isolates were cultured on PDA, the colonies of one representative strain (SY4) were originally white with a lot of aerial mycelium after 5 to 7 days at 28°C in the incubator. The center of the colony turned greyish-white, released tiny orange-yellow particles (conidia) (Figure 1 F and 1 G), which were single, colorless, elongated ovals with rounded ends and measured 11.29 to 23.24 × 3.94 to 5.60 µm (av=15.89 µm × 4.74 µm, n=50) (Figure 1 H and 1 I). The isolate SY4 was identified to Colletotrichum fructicola based on morphological characteristics (Yang et al. 2021; Li et al. 2022b). For further molecular identification, the rDNA-ITS, actin gene (ACT), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase (GAPDH), chitin synthase (CHS) and calmodulin gene (CAL) genes were amplified and sequenced with primers of ITS1/ITS4 (Gardes et al. 1993), ACT-512F/ACT-783R, GDF/GDR (Templeton et al. 1992), CHS-79F/CHS-345R (Carbone et al. 1999) and CL1C/ CL2C (Weir et al. 2012) respectively. The accession numbers in GenBank were OP523977 (ITS-rDNA), OP547618 (ACT), OP605733 (GAPDH), OP605732 (CHS), and OP605731 (CAL). The BLAST analysis revealed that these sequences were identical more than 99% with those of C. fructicola (GenBank accession Nos. MZ437948.1, MN525803.1, MN525860.1, MZ13360.1 and ON188684.1) (Figure 2). To confirm pathogenicity, the leaves were cleaned with 75% ethanol, rinsed with sterile water. After the leaf surface was dried naturally, 20 leaves were pricked at two symmetrical places on either side of the main veins of the leaf with a sterilized inoculum needle (2.0 mm in diameter), half of the wounded leaves were inoculated with 20 µL spore suspension (1.0 × 106 spores/mL) (Figure 1 C and 1 D), while the other half were inoculated with sterile water as controls (Figure 1 B). Inoculated leaves were grown for 5 days in an incubator at 28 °C and above 90% relative humidity, repeated three times. The results demonstrated that the wounded leaves with C. fructicola showed the same signs of wilting with the original disease leaves, while control leaves remained healthy. The same fungus was reisolated from the diseased leaves which confirmed with Koch's postulates. The same fungus was re-isolated from the diseased leaves while it was not isolated from control leaves, confirmed with Koch's postulates. In China, it had been reported that C. fructicola caused anthracnose on Persea americana (Li et al. 2022a) and Myrica rubra (Li et al. 2022b). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of anthracnose on P. lactiflora caused by C. fructicola in China. The results will help to develop effective control strategies for anthracnose on P. lactiflora.

Clinical parameters affecting survival outcomes in patients with low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: an international multicentre analysis.

BACKGROUND: Women with low-grade ovarian serous carcinoma (LGSC) benefit from surgical treatment; however, the role of chemotherapy is controversial. We examined an international database through the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium to identify factors that affect survival in LGSC. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with LGSC who had had primary surgery and had overall survival data available. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses of progression-free survival and overall survival, and generated Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS: Of the 707 patients with LGSC, 680 (96.2%) had available overall survival data. The patients' median age overall was 54 years. Of the 659 patients with International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology stage data, 156 (23.7%) had stage I disease, 64 (9.7%) had stage II, 395 (59.9%) had stage III, and 44 (6.7%) had stage IV. Of the 377 patients with surgical data, 200 (53.0%) had no visible residual disease. Of the 361 patients with chemotherapy data, 330 (91.4%) received first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. The median follow-up duration was 5.0 years. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 43.2 months and 110.4 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated a statistically significant impact of stage and residual disease on progression-free survival and overall survival. Platinum-based chemotherapy was not associated with a survival advantage. CONCLUSION: This multicentre analysis indicates that complete surgical cytoreduction to no visible residual disease has the most impact on improved survival in LGSC. This finding could immediately inform and change practice.

The association between nutritional status and sleep quality of Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders are a common syndrome and could affect the life quality of the older adults. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the association between nutritional status and sleep quality in the Chinese community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A total of 2,878 participants ≥ 65 years old from the Yiwu Elderly Cohort were included in the study. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). Participants were categorized as subjects with malnutrition, at risk of malnutrition or well-nourished based on their MNA-SF score. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to identify sleep disorders. PSQI score ≥ 6 was categorized as poor sleep quality. RESULTS: Among the 2,878 participants (mean age 72.71 ± 5.79 years, 50.3% men), 31.5% (n = 906) were classified as having sleep disorders, and 25.5% were identified as malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition. We found a significantly relationship between nutritional status and sleep quality in older adults, and the results showed well-nourished decreased the risk of sleep disorders (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.75). And well-nourished status was significantly associated with less daytime dysfunction, adequate sleep duration, and good subjective sleep quality (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a close association of nutritional status and sleep quality in older adults. We should pay more attention to the nutritional status of older people with sleep problems, as well as the sleep quality of older adults with malnutrition.

Super-high procoagulant activity of gecko thrombin: A gift from sky dragon.

AIMS: Gecko, the "sky dragon" named by Traditional Chinese Medicine, undergoes rapid coagulation and scarless regeneration following tail amputation in the natural ecology, providing a perfect opportunity to develop the efficient and safe drug for blood clotting. Here, gecko thrombin (gthrombin) was recombinantly prepared and comparatively studied on its procoagulant activity. METHODS: The 3D structure of gthrombin was constructed using the homology modeling method of I-TASSER. The active gthrombin was prepared by the expression of gecko prethrombin-2 in 293 T cells, followed by purification with Ni2+ -chelating column chromatography prior to activation by snake venom-derived Ecarin. The enzymatic activities of gthrombin were assayed by hydrolysis of synthetic substrate S-2238 and the fibrinogen clotting. The vulnerable nerve cells were used to evaluate the toxicity of gthrombin at molecular and cellular levels. RESULTS: The active recombinant gthrombin showed super-high catalytic and fibrinogenolytic efficiency than those of human under different temperatures and pH conditions. In addition, gthrombin made nontoxic effects on the central nerve cells including neurons, contrary to those of mammalian counterparts, which contribute to neuronal damage, astrogliosis, and demyelination. CONCLUSIONS: A super-high activity but safe procoagulant candidate drug was identified from reptiles, which provided a promising perspective for clinical application in rapid blood clotting.

[Exploration of factors for failure of non-invasive prenatal testing based on Logistic regression analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the factors for the failure of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) through multifactorial unconditional Logistic regression analysis. METHODS: A total of 3 410 pregnant women who had visited Dalian Women and Children Medical Group from July 2019 to June 2020 were selected as the study subjects and divided into first success NIPT group (n = 3 350) and first failed group (n = 60). Clinical data including age, weight, body mass index (BMI), gestational week, type of pregnancy (singleton/twin), history of delivery, heparin treatment, and conception method [natural conception/assisted reproductive technology (ART)] were collected. Independent sample t-test and Chi-square test were carried out for comparing the two groups, and multi-factorial unconditional Logistic regression analysis was carried out to explore the factors for the failure of NIPT, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnosis and predictive effects. RESULTS: Among the 3 410 pregnant women, 3 350 were assigned to the first success NIPT group, and 60 were assigned to the first failed group, and the first-time failure rate was 1.76% (60/3 410). No significant difference was found in age, weight, BMI and method of conception between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with first success group, first failed group had lower sampling gestational weeks, lower proportion of women with previous history of delivery, and higher proportion of twin pregnancies and heparin treatment (P < 0.05). Multi-factorial unconditional Logistic regression analysis indicated that sampling gestational week (OR = 0.931, 95%CI: 0.845 ~ 1.026, P < 0.001) and history of heparin use (OR = 8.771, 95%CI: 2.708 ~ 28.409, P < 0.001) are independent factors for first failed NIPT. One-way unconditional Logistic regression analysis for sampling gestational weeks indicated that the regression equation for NIPT screening failure was Logit (P) = -9.867 + 0.319 × sampling gestational week, with the area under the ROC curve being 0.742, a Jordan index of 0.427, and a cutoff value of 16.36 weeks. CONCLUSION: Gestational week and heparin treatment are independent factors for the first failed NIPT. A regression equation has been established and determined the optimal sampling gestational week to be 16.36 weeks, which may provide a reference for the timing of NIPT screening.

Molecular characterization of coxsackievirus B5 from the sputum of pneumonia children patients of Kunming, Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: CVB5 can cause respiratory infections. However, the molecular epidemiological information about CVB5 in respiratory tract samples is still limited. Here, we report five cases in which CVB5 was detected in sputum sample of pneumonia children patients from Kunming, Southwest China. METHODS: CVB5 isolates were obtained from sputum samples of patients with pneumonia. Whole-genome sequencing of CVB5 isolates was performed using segmented PCR, and phylogenetic, mutation and recombination analysis. The effect of mutations in the VP1 protein on hydration were analyzed by Protscale. The tertiary models of VP1 proteins were established by Colabfold, and the effect of mutations in VP1 protein on volume modifications and binding affinity were analyzed by Pymol software and PROVEAN. RESULTS: A total of five CVB5 complete genome sequences were obtained. No obvious homologous recombination signals comparing with other coxsackie B viruses were observed in the five isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the five CVB5 sputum isolates were from an independent branch in genogroup E. Due to the mutation, the structure and spatial of the VP1 protein N-terminus have changed significantly. Comparing to the Faulkner (CVB5 prototype strain), PROVEAN revealed three deleterious substitutions: Y75F, N166T (KM35), T140I (KM41). The last two of the three deleterious substitutions significantly increased the hydrophobicity of the residues. CONCLUSIONS: We unexpectedly found five cases of CVB5 infection instead of rhinoviruses infection during our routine surveillance of rhinoviruses in respiratory tract samples. All five patients were hospitalized with pneumonia symptoms and were not tested for enterovirus during their hospitalization. This report suggests that enterovirus surveillance in patients with respiratory symptoms should be strengthened.

Comparison of Trait Creativity Between Medical Students and Humanities Students.

Background: Students play an important role in developing a country, and attention should be paid to encouraging and supporting students' creativity, especially in higher education. Objective: Creative training is an essential part of medical education and humanities education. The purpose of this study was to compare the trait creativity between students majoring in medicine and humanities. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of students majoring in medicine and humanities was performed from July 20, 2022, to February 12, 2023. Trait creativity was assessed using the Williams Creativity Scale. Results: There were significant differences between female students and male students in the score of risk-taking (P < .05) and challenge scores (P < .05). No statistical difference was found for the score of trait creativity in four dimensions (imagination, challenging, risk-taking, and curiosity) between medical students and humanities students (P > .05). Conclusions: The study suggested that the overall trait creativity in medical students is equal to that of humanities students. However, gender differences in trait creativity still exist. Future studies should further identify more influential factors of trait creativity among university students.

Coal-gangue recognition via multi-branch convolutional neural network based on MFCC in noisy environment.

Traditional coal-gangue recognition methods usually do not consider the impact of equipment noise, which severely limits its adaptability and recognition accuracy. This paper mainly studies the more accurate recognition of coal-gangue in the noise site environment with the operation of shearer, conveyor, transfer machine and other device in the process of top coal caving. Mel Frequency Cepstrum Coefficients (MFCC) smoothing method was introduced to express the intrinsic feature of sound pressure more clearly in the coal-gangue recognition site. Then, a multi-branch convolution neural network (MBCNN) model with three branches was developed, and the smoothed MFCC feature was incorporated into this model to realize the recognition of falling coal and gangue in noisy environment. The sound pressure signal datasets under the operation of different device were constructed through a great deal of laboratory and site data acquisition. Comparative experiments were carried out on noiseless dataset, single noise dataset and simulated site dataset, and the results show that our method can provide higher correct recognition accuracy and better robustness. The proposed coal-gangue recognition approach based on MBCNN and MFCC smoothing can not only recognize the state of falling coal or gangue, but also recognize the operational state of site device.

Viewpoint-Controllable Telepresence: A Robotic-Arm-Based Mixed-Reality Telecollaboration System.

In mixed-reality (MR) telecollaboration, the local environment is remotely presented to a remote user wearing a virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) via a video capture device. However, remote users frequently face challenges in naturally and actively manipulating their viewpoints. In this paper, we propose a telepresence system with viewpoint control, which involves a robotic arm equipped with a stereo camera in the local environment. This system enables remote users to actively and flexibly observe the local environment by moving their heads to manipulate the robotic arm. Additionally, to solve the problem of the limited field of view of the stereo camera and limited movement range of the robotic arm, we propose a 3D reconstruction method combined with a stereo video field-of-view enhancement technique to guide remote users to move within the movement range of the robotic arm and provide them with a larger range of local environment perception. Finally, a mixed-reality telecollaboration prototype was built, and two user studies were conducted to evaluate the overall system. User study A evaluated the interaction efficiency, system usability, workload, copresence, and user satisfaction of our system from the remote user's perspective, and the results showed that our system can effectively improve the interaction efficiency while achieving a better user experience than two traditional view-sharing techniques based on 360 video and based on the local user's first-person view. User study B evaluated our MR telecollaboration system prototype from both the remote-user side and the local-user side as a whole, providing directions and suggestions for the subsequent design and improvement of our mixed-reality telecollaboration system.

[Effect and Persistent Effect of Thiolated Montmorillonite on Safe Production in Cadmium-contaminated Cropland].

To explore the effect and persistent effect of thiolated montmorillonite (TM) on safe production in cadmium (Cd) contaminated cropland, a two-year field experiment was conducted with different application amounts of TM. By adding to highly contaminated soils containing 2.46-3.81 mg·kg-1 Cd with no replenishment, the impacts of TM on concentrations of Cd in different parts of rice and available Cd in soils were investigated. The results showed that TM could significantly reduce the contents of Cd in brown rice as well as the contents and proportions of available Cd in soils, and its persistent effects on the passivation of Cd were obvious. After applying 0.5% or 1% TM to soils, the contents of Cd in different parts of the rice decreased significantly in the first season compared with that in the control. The contents of Cd in brown rice in the first season decreased to 0.16 mg·kg-1 and 0.08 mg·kg-1, respectively, by 84.0% and 91.9% compared with that of the control (0.98 mg·kg-1). Contents of Cd in brown rice were significantly lower than the maximum allowable amount (0.2 mg·kg-1) set by China (GB 2762-2017). Under the 0.5% and 1% treatments, the contents of Cd in brown rice of the subsequent three seasons under successive planting decreased by 50.2%-67.8% and 56.0%-81.6%, respectively, which were within the allowable amount. The proportions of available Cd in soils in the first season decreased from 48.4% under the control to 27.9% and 18.4%, respectively, which decreased by 20.5% and 29.9% under the 0.5% and 1% treatments. Compared with that in the control, proportions of available Cd in soils of the following three seasons decreased by 10.0%-17.1% and 12.4%-20.8%. There was a significant positive correlation between available Cd contents in soils and Cd contents in various parts of the rice. TM mainly reduced available Cd contents in soils, then reduced the absorption and accumulation of Cd in rice. The results of the two-year field experiment showed significant and continuous effects of TM on inhibiting Cd uptake by rice, which could be applied to the safe production in heavily Cd contaminated cropland.

Does physical activity attenuate the association between ambient PM2.5 and physical function?

BACKGROUND: Physical function (PF), such as muscle strength, performing daily activities, has gradually declined with the increase of age, causing the occurrence of disability and diseases burden. Air pollution exposure and physical activity (PA) were both linked to PF. We aimed to explore the individual and joint effects of particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5) and PA on PF. METHODS: A total of 4537 participants and 12,011 observations aged ≥45 years old from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) cohort from 2011 to 2015 were included into the study. PF was assessed by a combined score of four tests, including grip strength, walking speed, sense of balance, and chair standing tests. Air pollution exposure data was from The ChinaHighAirPollutants (CHAP) dataset. The annual PM2.5 exposure for each individual was estimated based on county-level resident addresses. We estimated the volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) by quoting metabolic equivalent (MET). Multivariate linear model was conducted for baseline analysis, and linear mixed model with random participant intercepts was constructed for cohort longitudinal analysis. RESULTS: PM2.5 was negatively associated with PF, while PA was positively associated with PF in baseline analysis. In cohort longitudinal analysis, a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated to a 0.025 point (95 % CI: -0.047, -0.003) decrease in PF score, and a 10-MET-h/week increase in PA was related to a 0.004 point (95 % CI: 0.001, 0.008) increase in PF score. The association between PM2.5 and PF decreased by increased PA intensity, and PA reversed the detrimental effects between PM2.5 and PF. CONCLUSION: PA attenuated the association of air pollution with PF at both high and low levels of air pollution, implying that PA may be an effective behavior to reduce the adverse effects of poor air quality on PF.

Inhibition of YTHDF1 prevents hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation by regulating Foxm1 translation in an m6A-dependent manner.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling. It refers to the abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), and hypoxia is an important risk factor for this progression. The present study aims to investigate the role of YTHDF1 in the regulation of hypoxic PASMC proliferation and the underlying mechanism. Human PASMCs were transfected with si-YTHDF1/2/3 followed by treatment of hypoxia, and the PASMC proliferation and Foxm1 expression were detected. Through RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and protein synthesis assay, the mechanism of YTHDF1 regulating Foxm1 was explored. Next, Foxm1 was inhibited by thiostrepton, and cell proliferation was detected. In vivo, mice received a tail vein injection of adenovirus containing si-YTHDF1 and were exposed to hypoxia treatment. Pulmonary vascular changes, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), and genes involving proliferation were analyzed. YTHDF1 silencing reduced more hypoxic PASMC proliferation and Foxm1 protein level than YTHDF2/3 silencing. Mechanical results showed that YTHDF1 interacted with Foxm1 mRNA and up-regulated Foxm1 protein level by enhancing the translation efficiency in an m6A-dependent manner. Furthermore, YTHDF1 facilitated hypoxic PASMC proliferation and proliferation marker expressions through up-regulation of Foxm1 in an m6A-dependent manner. In vivo, the YTHDF1 silencing alleviated pulmonary vascular changes and fibrosis, reduced RVSP, inhibited the interaction of YTHDF1 and Foxm1, and reduced proliferation marker levels, as compared to the PAH group. In conclusion, YTHDF1 silencing inhibits hypoxic PASMC proliferation by regulating Foxm1 translation in an m6A-dependent manner.