RBS and ABS Coordinated Control Strategy Based on Explicit Model Predictive Control.

During the braking process of electric vehicles, both the regenerative braking system (RBS) and anti-lock braking system (ABS) modulate the hydraulic braking force, leading to control conflict that impacts the effectiveness and real-time capability of coordinated control. Aiming to enhance the coordinated control effectiveness of RBS and ABS within the electro-hydraulic composite braking system, this paper proposes a coordinated control strategy based on explicit model predictive control (eMPC-CCS). Initially, a comprehensive braking control framework is established, combining offline adaptive control law generation, online optimized control law application, and state compensation to effectively coordinate braking force through the electro-hydraulic system. During offline processing, eMPC generates a real-time-oriented state feedback control law based on real-world micro trip segments, improving the adaptiveness of the braking strategy across different driving conditions. In the online implementation, the developed three-dimensional eMPC control laws, corresponding to current driving conditions, are invoked, thereby enhancing the potential for real-time braking strategy implementation. Moreover, the state error compensator is integrated into eMPC-CCS, yielding a state gain matrix that optimizes the vehicle braking status and ensures robustness across diverse braking conditions. Lastly, simulation evaluation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing manifest that the proposed eMPC-CCS effectively coordinates the regenerative and hydraulic braking systems, outperforming other CCSs in terms of braking energy recovery and real-time capability.

Intelligent Vehicle Path Planning Based on Optimized A* Algorithm.

With the rapid development of the intelligent driving technology, achieving accurate path planning for unmanned vehicles has become increasingly crucial. However, path planning algorithms face challenges when dealing with complex and ever-changing road conditions. In this paper, aiming at improving the accuracy and robustness of the generated path, a global programming algorithm based on optimization is proposed, while maintaining the efficiency of the traditional A* algorithm. Firstly, turning penalty function and obstacle raster coefficient are integrated into the search cost function to increase the adaptability and directionality of the search path to the map. Secondly, an efficient search strategy is proposed to solve the problem that trajectories will pass through sparse obstacles while reducing spatial complexity. Thirdly, a redundant node elimination strategy based on discrete smoothing optimization effectively reduces the total length of control points and paths, and greatly reduces the difficulty of subsequent trajectory optimization. Finally, the simulation results, based on real map rasterization, highlight the advanced performance of the path planning and the comparison among the baselines and the proposed strategy showcases that the optimized A* algorithm significantly enhances the security and rationality of the planned path. Notably, it reduces the number of traversed nodes by 84%, the total turning angle by 39%, and shortens the overall path length to a certain extent.

Multifunctional iron-apigenin nanocomplex conducting photothermal therapy and triggering augmented immune response for triple negative breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a formidable challenge due to its low sensitivity to many chemotherapeutic drugs and a relatively low overall survival rate in clinical practice. Photothermal therapy has recently garnered substantial interest in cancer treatment, owing to its swift therapeutic effectiveness and minimal impact on normal cells. Metal-polyphenol nanostructures have recently garnered significant attention as photothermal transduction agents due to their facile preparation and favorable photothermal properties. In this study, we employed a coordinated approach involving Fe3+ and apigenin, a polyphenol compound, to construct the nanostructure (nFeAPG), with the assistance of ß-CD and DSPE-PEG facilitating the formation of the complex nanostructure. In vitro research demonstrated that the formed nFeAPG could induce cell death by elevating intracellular oxidative stress, inhibiting antioxidative system, and promoting apoptosis and ferroptosis, and near infrared spectrum irradiation further strengthen the therapeutic outcome. In 4T1 tumor bearing mice, nFeAPG could effectively accumulate into tumor site and exhibit commendable control over tumor growth. Futher analysis demonstrated that nFeAPG ameliorated the suppressed immune microenvironment by augmenting the response of DC cells and T cells. This study underscores that nFeAPG encompasses a multifaceted capacity to combat TNBC, holding promise as a compelling therapeutic strategy for TNBC treatment.

Impact of biochar on the antibiotic resistome and associated microbial functions in rhizosphere and bulk soil in water-saving and flooding irrigated paddy fields.

The addition of biochar in paddies under the condition of water-saving irrigation can simultaneously achieve soil improvement and water conservation, but little is known about the role of these two regulations in mediating the fate of antibiotic resistome in paddy soils. Here, metagenomic analysis was conducted to investigate the effects and intrinsic mechanisms of biochar application and irrigation patterns on propagation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in paddy soils. The addition of biochar in paddy soil resulted in a reduction of approximately 1.32%-8.01% in the total absolute abundance of ARGs and 0.60%-22.09% in the numbers of ARG subtype. Compared with flooding irrigation, the numbers of detected ARG subtype were reduced by 1.60%-22.90%, but the total absolute abundance of ARGs increased by 0.06%-5.79% in water-saving irrigation paddy soils. Moreover, the combined treatments of flooding irrigation and biochar could significantly reduce the abundance of ARGs in paddy soils. The incremental antibiotic resistance in soil induced by water-saving irrigation was likewise mitigated by the addition of biochar. Correlation analyses indicated that, the differences in soil physicochemical properties under biochar addition or irrigation treatments contributed to the corresponding changes in the abundance of ARGs. Moreover, the variations of microbial community diversity, multidrug efflux abundance and transport system-related genes in paddy soil were also important for mediating the corresponding differences in the abundance of ARGs under the conditions of biochar addition or irrigation treatments. The findings of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of biochar application in mitigating antibiotic resistance in paddy soils. However, it also highlighted a potential concern relating to the elevated antibiotic resistance associated with water-saving irrigation in paddy fields. Consequently, these results contribute to a deeper comprehension of the environmental risks posed by ARGs in paddy soils.

L-shaped association of serum α-Klotho and frailty among the middle-aged and older adults: results from NHANES 2007-2016.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is common and not limited to older age group. Serum α-Klotho works as a biomarker of anti-aging effect. However, there is limited research about the relationship between them in middle-aged and older people and controversy still exists. METHODS: Based on data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2016, we constructed weighted logistic regression models and conducted sensitivity tests to investigate the correlation between frailty and α-Klotho among people aged 40 to 79. And then their relationship was visualized by Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS). Finally, the stratified analyses and interaction tests of covariables was presented in the forest plot. RESULTS: A total of 7052 individuals were involved in this study, with mean age of 62.76 ± 0.18 years and females accounting for 51.05%. 2554 of them were in "frailty". After adjustment for relevant covariables, weighted logistic regression models showed that the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval [ORs (95%CI)] of correlation between frailty and Natural Logarithm(ln)-transformed α- Klotho[ln(α-Klotho)] was 0.63 (0.50, 0.79); we then performed a sensitivity analysis and found that the results remained stable. In model 3, individuals in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 showed statistical differences compared with the lowest ln(α-Klotho) quartiles, ORs (95% CI) were 0.74 (0.59, 0.93), 0.72 (0.57, 0.91), 0.71 (0.57, 0.87), respectively. Subsequently, non-linear associations were exhibited by RCS (p<0.001). The turning point for α-Klotho and ln(α-Klotho) were 785.7(pg/ml) and 6.67, respectively. Finally, analysis of the relationship between different levels of ln(α-Klotho) and frailty in different populations revealed differences between groups. The results of the interaction test showed that no other covariables had significant interaction with serum α-Klotho in our study. CONCLUSION: The L-shaped and negative correlation was found between α-Klotho and frailty among people aged 40 to 79 in the NHANES from 2007 to 2016.

Ultraviolet B radiation-induced JPH203-loaded keratinocyte extracellular vesicles exert etiological interventions for psoriasis therapy.

Psoriasis is a multifactorial immuno-inflammatory skin disease, characterized by keratinocyte hyperproliferation and aberrant immune activation. Although the pathogenesis is complex, the interactions among inflammation, Th17-mediated immune activation, and keratinocyte hyperplasia are considered to play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of psoriasis. Therefore, pharmacological interventions on the "inflammation-Th17-keratinocyte" vicious cycle may be a potential strategy for psoriasis treatment. In this study, JPH203 (a specific inhibitor of LAT1, which engulfs leucine to activate mTOR signaling)-loaded, ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation-induced, keratinocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (J@EV) were prepared for psoriasis therapy. The EVs led to increased interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) content due to UVB irradiation, therefore not only acting as a carrier for JPH203 but also functioning through inhibiting the IL-1-mediated inflammation cascade. J@EV effectively restrained the proliferation of inflamed keratinocytes via suppressing mTOR-signaling and NF-κB pathway in vitro. In an imiquimod-induced psoriatic model, J@EV significantly ameliorated the related symptoms as well as suppressed the over-activated immune reaction, evidenced by the decreased keratinocyte hyperplasia, Th17 expansion, and IL17 release. This study shows that J@EV exerts therapeutic efficacy for psoriasis by suppressing LAT1-mTOR involved keratinocyte hyperproliferation and Th17 expansion, as well as inhibiting IL-1-NF-κB mediated inflammation, representing a novel and promising strategy for psoriasis therapy.

Fe-involved nanostructures act as photothermal transduction agents in cancer photothermal therapy.

Cancer, a disease notorious for its difficult therapy regimen, has long puzzled researchers. Despite attempts to cure cancer using surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, their effectiveness is limited. Recently, photothermal therapy (PTT), a rising strategy, has gained attention. PTT can increase the surrounding temperature of cancer tissues and cause damage to them. Fe is widely used in PTT nanostructures due to its strong chelating ability, good biocompatibility, and the potential to induce ferroptosis. In recent years, many nanostructures incorporating Fe3+ have been developed. In this article, we summarize PTT nanostructures containing Fe and introduce their synthesis and therapy strategy. However, PTT nanostructures containing Fe are still in their infancy, and more effort must be devoted to improving their effectiveness so that they can eventually be used in clinics.

Simulating soil salinity dynamics, cotton yield and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation by ensemble machine learning.

Cotton is widely used in textile, decoration, and industry, but it is also threatened by soil salinization. Drip irrigation plays an important role in improving water and fertilization utilization efficiency and ensuring crop production in arid areas. Accurate prediction of soil salinity and crop evapotranspiration under drip irrigation is essential to guide water management practices in arid and saline areas. However, traditional hydrological models such as Hydrus require more variety of input parameters and user expertise, which limits its application in practice, and machine learning (ML) provides a potential alternative. Based on a global dataset collected from 134 pieces of literature, we proposed a method to comprehensively simulate soil salinity, evapotranspiration (ET) and cotton yield. Results showed that it was recommended to predict soil salinity, crop evapotranspiration and cotton yield based on soil data (bulk density), meteorological factors, irrigation data and other data. Among them, meteorological factors include annual average temperature, total precipitation, year. Irrigation data include salinity in irrigation water, soil matric potential and irrigation water volume, while other data include soil depth, distance from dripper, days after sowing (for EC and soil salinity), fertilization rate (for yield and ET). The accuracy of the model has reached a satisfactory level, R2 in 0.78-0.99. The performance of stacking ensemble ML was better than that of a single model, i.e., gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT); random forest (RF); extreme gradient boosting regression (XGBR), with R2 increased by 0.02%-19.31%. In all input combinations, other data have a greater impact on the model accuracy, while the RMSE of the S1 scenario (input without meteorological factors) without meteorological data has little difference, which is -34.22%~19.20% higher than that of full input. Given the wide application of drip irrigation in cotton, we recommend the application of ensemble ML to predict soil salinity and crop evapotranspiration, thus serving as the basis for adjusting the irrigation schedule.

A Biomimetic Nanoparticle Exerting Protection against Acute Liver Failure by Suppressing CYP2E1 Activity and Scavenging Excessive ROS.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe liver disease caused by many reasons. One of them is the overdosed acetaminophen (APAP), which is metabolized into N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), an excessive toxic metabolite, by CYP2E1, resulting in excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), exhausted glutathione (GSH), and thereafter hepatocyte necrosis. N-acetylcysteine is the Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for detoxification of APAP, but it has limited clinical application due to the short therapeutic time window and concentration-related adverse effects. In this study, a carrier-free and bilirubin dotted nanoparticle (B/BG@N) is developed, which is formed using bilirubin and 18ß-Glycyrrhetinic acid, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) is then adsorbed to mimic the in vivo behavior of the conjugated bilirubin for hitchhiking. The results demonstrate that B/BG@N can effectively reduce the production of NAPQI as well as exhibit antioxidant effects against intracellular oxidative stress via regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signal axis and reducing the production of inflammatory factors. In vivo study shows that B/BG@N can effectively improve the clinical symptom of the mice model. This study suggests that B/BG@N own increases circulation half-life, improves accumulation in the liver, and dual detoxification, providing a promising strategy for clinical ALF treatment.

Glutamine-Based Metabolism Normalization and Oxidative Stress Alleviation by Self-Assembled Bilirubin/V9302 Nanoparticles for Psoriasis Treatment.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Even though the pathogenesis remains unclear, T helper 17 (Th17) cells-mediated inflammation and keratinocyte-involved proliferation are considered to play key roles during the occurrence and the development of psoriasis. Therefore, suppressing the infiltration/function of Th17 and the abnormal hyperplasia of keratinocytes can be a rational strategy for ameliorating and treating psoriasis. In this study, a self-assembly nanoparticle (BVn) is developed with bilirubin (an endogenous antioxidant) and V9302 (a blocker of ASCT2, an amino acid transporter mediating glutamine influx for providing energy and activating mammalian target of rapamycin [mTOR] pathway) to intervene the local metabolism and alleviate oxidative stress for psoriasis treatment. BVn effectively suppresses inflammatory keratinocyte proliferation and scavenges excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the in vivo psoriasis mouse model, BVn shows increased permeation and delayed retention in the psoriatic lesion and reverses the psoriasis-related symptoms, evidenced by the normalized keratinocyte condition and decreased Th17 infiltration/activation. Mechanism study indicates that BVn not only cut off the energy supply but also suppressed cell proliferation or lymph cell expansion by deactivating mTOR pathway, besides alleviated oxidative stress. BVn-based glutamine metabolism modulation strategy offers a promising strategy for psoriasis therapy.

An Adhesive Bioink toward Biofabrication under Wet Conditions.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is driving significant innovations in biomedicine over recent years. Under certain scenarios such as in intraoperative bioprinting, the bioinks used should exhibit not only cyto/biocompatibility but also adhesiveness in wet conditions. Herein, an adhesive bioink composed of gelatin methacryloyl, gelatin, methacrylated hyaluronic acid, and skin secretion of Andrias davidianus is designed. The bioink exhibits favorable cohesion to allow faithful extrusion bioprinting in wet conditions, while simultaneously showing good adhesion to a variety of surfaces of different chemical properties, possibly achieved through the diverse bonds presented in the bioink formulation. As such, this bioink is able to fabricate sophisticated planar and volumetric constructs using extrusion bioprinting, where the dexterity is further enhanced using ergonomic handheld bioprinters to realize in situ bioprinting. In vitro experiments reveal that cells maintain high viability; further in vivo studies demonstrate good integration and immediate injury sealing. The characteristics of the bioink indicate its potential widespread utility in extrusion bioprinting and will likely broaden the applications of bioprinting toward situations such as in situ dressing and minimally invasive tissue regeneration.

Soil nitrogen functional transformation microbial genes response to biochar application in different irrigation paddy field in southern China.

Growing evidence points to the controlled irrigation (CI) and biochar application (BA) having agricultural economic value and ecological benefits, but their synergistic effect and microbial mechanism of nitrogen conversion remain unknown in paddy fields. The effects of different BA (0, 20, 40 t/hm2) on the soil nitrogen functional transformation microbial genes (nifH, AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA) in different irrigation (CI, flooding irrigation) were clarified. After one seasonal growth of paddy, the correlation between the abundance of functional genes OUT and soil nitrogen transformation environment factors during the typical growth period was analyzed. High-throughput sequencing results illustrated that the application of CC (40 t/hm2 biochar) increased the nifH genes bacterial community abundance; the abundance of dominant microorganism increased by 79.68~86.19%. Because biochar can potentially control the rates of N cycling in soil systems by adsorbing ammonia and increasing NH4+ storage, it increased soil NH4+-N and NO3--N content by 60.77% and 26.14%, improving microbial nitrogen fixation. Rare species Nitrosopumilus, Nitrosococcus, and Methylocystis appeared in biochar treatments group, which increased the diversity of microbial in paddy. The combined use of CI and BA affected soil inorganic nitrogen content, temperature (T), pH, Eh, etc., which affected urease, urea hydrolysis, and nitrogen functional transformation microorganism genes. Correlation analysis shows that soil NH4+-N, T, and Eh, respectively, are significant factors for the formation of nifH, AOA-amoA, and AOB-amoA soil bacterial communities, respectively. This study suggests that to maintain the biodiversity of soil and realize the sustainable development of rice cultivation, CI is of great importance in combination with BA.

Vesicle-mediated transport-related genes are prognostic predictors and are associated with tumor immunity in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Globally, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is a progressive disorder that arises from multiple genetic and environmental factors. Dysregulated expression of vesicle-mediated transport-related genes (VMTRGs) have been reported in several cancers. However, the prognostic significance of VMTRGs in LUAD has yet to be established. Methods: The VMTRG profiling data for 482 LUAD patients and 59 normal controls were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Altas (TCGA). Univariate Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses were performed to construct and optimize the risk model. Several GEO datasets were used to validate the risk model. The roles of these genes were investigated via the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. Differences in immune cell infiltrations between risk groups were evaluated using five algorithms. "pRRophetic" was used to investigate anti-cancer drug sensitivities in two groups. Expression of these five genes in LUAD samples and adjacent normal tissues were evaluated by qRT-PCR. Colony formation and wound healing assays were performed to assess the significance of CNIH1 and AP3S1 in LUAD cells. Results: We identified 85 prognosis-associated VMTRGs that could be constructed a risk model for LUAD patients, indicating their potential importance in LUAD development. The risk model including the five VMTRGs (CNIH1, KIF20A, GALNT2, GRIA1, and AP3S1) was associated with clinical outcomes. Tumor stage and risk score were found to be independent prognostic factors for LUAD patients. The five VMTRGs were also correlated with activation of the Notch and p53 signaling pathways. The risk model was significantly associated with immune responses and with high-level expression of immune checkpoints. High-risk group patients were more sensitive to several chemotherapeutic drugs and Lapatinib. Furthermore, CNIH1 and AP3S1 promoted LUAD cell growth and migration in vitro. Conclusion: We constructed a VMTRG-based risk model for effective prediction of prognostic outcomes for LUAD patients. The risk model was associated with immune infiltration levels. These five hub genes are potential targets for immune therapy combined with chemotherapy in LUAD.

Therapeutic effect of a MUC1-specific monoclonal antibody-drug conjugates against pancreatic cancer model.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies without effective targeted therapies. MUC1 has emerged as a potential common target for cancer therapy because it is overexpressed in a variety of different cancers including the majority of pancreatic cancer. However, there are still no approved monoclonal antibody drugs targeting MUC1 have been reported. Recently, we generated a humanized MUC1 antibody (HzMUC1) specific to the interaction region between MUC1-N and MUC1-C. In this study, we generated the antibody drug conjugate (ADC) by conjugating HzMUC1 with monomethyl auristatin (MMAE), and examined the efficacy of HzMUC1-MMAE against the MUC1-positive pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Western blot and immunoprecipitation were used to detect MUC1 in pancreatic cancer cells. MUC1 localization in pancreatic cancer cells was determined by confocal microscopy. HzMUC1 was conjugated with the monomethyl auristatin (MMAE), generating the HzMUC1-MMAE ADC. Colony formation assay and flow cytometry were used to assess the effects of the HzMUC1-MMAE cell viability, cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Capan-2 and CFPAC-1 xenograft model were used to test the efficacy of HzMUC1-MMAE against pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: HzMUC1 antibody binds to MUC1 on the cell surface of pancreatic cancer cells. HzMUC1-MMAE significantly inhibited cell growth by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Importantly, HzMUC1-MMAE significantly reduced the growth of pancreatic xenograft tumors by inhibiting cell proliferation and enhancing cell death. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that HzMUC1-ADC is a promising novel targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer. HzMUC1-ADC should also be an effective drug for the treatment of different MUC1-positive cancers.

Effect of Irrigation and Fertilizer Management on Rice Yield and Nitrogen Loss: A Meta-Analysis.

Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer application are two important factors affecting yield and nitrogen loss in rice fields; however, the interaction effects of different irrigation schedules and combined management of nitrogen fertilizer application on yield and nitrogen loss in rice fields remain unknown. Therefore, we collected 327 sets of data on rice yield and 437 sets of data on nitrogen loss in rice fields from 2000 to 2021 and investigated the effects of different water-saving irrigation schedules, nitrogen application levels, and water-nitrogen couplings on rice yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and nitrogen loss (N2O emissions, nitrogen runoff, nitrogen leaching, and ammonia volatilization) by meta-analysis using conventional flooding irrigation and no nitrogen treatment as controls. The results showed that alternate wet and dry irrigation and controlled irrigation had increasing effects on rice yield. Alternate wet and dry irrigation had a significant yield-increasing effect (average 2.57% increase) and dry cultivation significantly reduced rice yield with an average 21.25% yield reduction. Water-saving irrigation reduces nitrogen runoff and leaching losses from rice fields but increases N2O emissions, and alternate wet and dry irrigation has a significant effect on increasing N2O emissions, with an average increase of 67.77%. Most water-saving irrigation can increase nitrogen use efficiency. Among water-saving irrigation methods, the effect of controlled irrigation on increasing nitrogen use efficiency is 1.06%. Rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency both showed a trend of increasing then decreasing with nitrogen fertilizer application, and nitrogen loss gradually increased with the amount of nitrogen fertilizer input. Water-nitrogen coupling management can significantly reduce nitrogen loss in rice fields while saving water and increasing yield. Based on the analysis of the data in this study, when the irrigation amount was 300~350 mm and the nitrogen application amount was 200~250 kg/ha, the rice yield and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency were at a high level, which corresponded to the irrigation schedule of controlled irrigation or alternating wet and dry irrigation in the literature. However, different rice-growing areas are affected by rainfall and land capability, etc. Further optimization and correction of the adapted water and fertilizer management system for paddy fields are needed. The optimal water-nitrogen pattern of this study can achieve high rice yield and reduce nitrogen loss.

[Comparison of vesselplasty and percutanous kyphoplasty in the treatment of Kümmell disease].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy between vesselplasty and percutanous kyphoplasty (PKP) in the treatment of Kümmell disease. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with Kümmell disease from July 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different therapeutic methods, the patients were divided into vesselplasty group and PKP group. There were 20 patients in vesselplasty group, including 2 males and 18 females, aged from 54 to 83 years with an average of (67.40±7.44)years, 1 case of T10 fracture, 3 cases of T12 fracture, 9 cases of L1 fractures, 5 cases of L2 fractures and 2 cases of L3 fractures. There were 20 patients in PKP group, including 3 males and 17 females, aged from 56 to 81 with an average of(67.20±7.01) years, 2 cases of T10 fracture, 1 case of T11 fracture, 6 cases of T12 fracture, 10 cases of L1 fracture and 1 case of L3 fracture. Visual analogue scale(VAS), Cobb angle, anterior vertebral height were recorded before operation, 1 day after operation and 1 year after operation. Oswestry Disability Index(ODI) was recorded before operation, 1 month after operation and 1 year after operation. And bone cement leakage rate was compared between two groups after operation. RESULTS: All the patient were followed up for more than 1 year. In vesselplasty group, VAS score was 1.20±0.41, ODI was(13.50±3.10)%, Cobb angle was(17.20±3.12)° and anterior vertebral height was(20.20±1.35) mm at 1 year after operation. In PKP group, VAS score was 1.15±0.40, ODI was (13.20±3.00)%, Cobb angle was (17.10±3.19)° and anterior vertebral height was (20.10±1.37) mm at 1 year after operation. These index was significantly better than pre-operation through intra-group comparison(P<0.05), and there was no statistically difference between the two groups(P>0.05). There were 20 cases (20 vertebrae) in vesselplasty group, of which 1 case had bone cement leakage at the upper endplate, with a leakage rate of 5%(1/20). In PKP group, there were 20 cases (20 vertebrae), 3 cases of upward endplate leakage(3/7), 1 case of downward endplate leakage(1/7), 1 case of leakage to the front of the vertebral body(1/7), 2 cases of leakage to the side of the vertebral body(2/7), with a leakage rate of 35% (7/20). The difference between two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Vesselplasty in the treatment of Kümmell disease can better reduce leakage rate of bone cement and reduce complications.

A multifunctional micropore-forming bioink with enhanced anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as an enabling tool for various biomedical applications, such as tissue regeneration and tissue model engineering. To this end, the development of bioinks with multiple functions plays a crucial role in the applications of 3D bioprinting technologies. In this study, we propose a new bioink based on two immiscible aqueous phases of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and dextran, further endowed with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This micropore-forming GelMA-dextran (PGelDex) bioink exhibited excellent printability with vat-polymerization, extrusion, and handheld bioprinting methods. The porous structure was confirmed after bioprinting, which promoted the spreading of the encapsulated cells, exhibiting the exceptional cytocompatibility of this bioink formulation. To extend the applications of such a micropore-forming bioink, interleukin-4 (IL-4)-loaded silver-coated gold nanorods (AgGNRs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were simultaneously incorporated, to display synergistic anti-infection behavior and immunomodulatory function. The results revealed the anti-bacterial properties of the AgGNR-loaded PGelDex bioink for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The data also indicated that the presence of IL-4 and MSCs facilitated macrophage M2-phenotype differentiation, suggesting the potential anti-inflammatory feature of the bioink. Overall, this unique anti-bacterial and immunomodulatory micropore-forming bioink offers an effective strategy for the inhibition of bacterial-induced infections as well as the ability of immune-regulation, which is a promising candidate for broadened tissue bioprinting applications.

Can ensemble machine learning be used to predict the groundwater level dynamics of farmland under future climate: a 10-year study on Huaibei Plain.

Accurate and simple prediction of farmland groundwater level (GWL) is an important aspect of agricultural water management. A farmland GWL prediction model, GWPRE, was developed that integrates four machine learning (ML) models (support vector machine regression, random forest, multiple perceptions, and the stacking ensemble model) with weather forecasts. Based on the GWL and meteorological data of five monitoring wells (N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5) in Huaibei plain from 2010 to 2020, the feasibility of predicting GWL by meteorological factors and ML algorithm was tested. In addition, the stacking ensemble model and future meteorological data after Bayesian model averaging were introduced for the first time to predict GWL under future climate conditions. The results showed that GWL showed an increasing trend in the past decade, but it will decrease in the future. The performance of the stacking ensemble model was better than that of any single ML model, with RMSE reduced by 4.26 ~ 96.97% and the running time reduced by 49.25 ~ 99.40%. GWL was most sensitive to rainfall, and the sensitivity index ranged from 0.2547 to 0.4039. The fluctuation range of GWL of N1, N2, and N3 was 1.5 ~ 2.5 m in the next decade. Due to the possible high rainfall, the GWL decreased in 2024 under RCP 2.6 and 2026 under RCP 8.5. It is worth noting that although the stacking ensemble model can improve the accuracy, it is not always the best among ML models in terms of portability. Nevertheless, the stacking ensemble model was recommended for GWL prediction under climate change.

Andrographolide suppresses osteoarthritis progression by regulating circ_Rapgef1/miR-383-3p/NLRP3 signaling axis.

BACKGROUND: Andrographolide (AD) has been reported to play a potential anti-arthritic role by facilitating the proliferation and inhibiting the apoptosis of chondrocytes. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the protective role of AD in osteoarthritis (OA) remains to be elucidated. METHODS: OA mice model was established via anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) operation. OA cell model was established through treating mice primary chondrocytes with LPS (1 µg/mL, 24 h). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the supernatant. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. The intermolecular interaction was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: AD administration reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the synovial tissues of ankle joint and suppressed the inflammatory response in OA mice model in vivo. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation suppressed the proliferation and induced the apoptosis and inflammation of chondrocytes, and AD treatment protected chondrocytes from LPS-induced dysfunction. Circular RNA (circRNA) Rap guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (circ_Rapgef1) overexpression attenuated AD-mediated protective effects in OA cell model. Circ_Rapgef1/microRNA-383-3p (miR-383-3p)/Nod-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) axis was identified in this study for the first time. Circ_Rapgef1 overexpression-mediated effects were partly reversed by the overexpression of miR-383-3p in chondrocytes. NLRP3 silencing partly overturned miR-383-3p knockdown-mediated effects in chondrocytes. Circ_Rapgef1 overexpression up-regulated the expression of NLRP3 partly by targeting miR-383-3p in chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: Circ_Rapgef1 suppressed AD-mediated protective effects in OA partly by regulating miR-383-3p/NLRP3 signaling.

Functional genera for efficient nitrogen removal under low C/N ratio influent at low temperatures in a two-stage tidal flow constructed wetland.

A two-stage tidal flow constructed wetland (referred to as TFCW-A and TFCW-B) was used to treat low chemical oxygen demand/total nitrogen (COD/TN or simply C/N) ratio influent at low temperatures (<15 °C). The influence of the flooding-resting time (A: 8 h-4 h, B: 4 h-8 h) and effluent recirculation on nitrogen removal and microbial community characteristics were explored. TFCW-B achieved optimal average nitrogen removal efficiency with effluent recirculation (96.05% ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N); 78.43% TN) and led to nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) accumulation due to the lack of a carbon source and longer resting time. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were inhibited at low temperatures. Except for nrfA, AOA, AOB, narG and nirS were separated by the flooding-resting time rather than by spatial position. Furthermore, the dominant genera in TFCW-A were Arthrobacter, Rhodobacter, Pseudomonas, and Solitalea, whereas prolonging resting time promoted the growth of Thauera and Zoogloea in TFCW-B. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Zoogloea and Rhodobacter had the strongest correlations with other genera. Moreover, the NH4+-N concentration was significantly positively influenced by Arthrobacter, Rhodobacter, Pseudomonas, and Solitalea but negatively influenced by Thauera and Zoogloea. There was no significant correlation between TN and the dominant genera. This study not only provides a practicable system for wastewater treatment with a low C/N ratio but also presents a theoretical basis for the regulation of microbial communities in nitrogen removal systems at low temperatures.