Agomelatine promotes differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and preserves white matter integrity after cerebral ischemic stroke.

White matter injury contributes to neurological disorders after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The repair of white matter injury is dependent on the re-myelination by oligodendrocytes. Both melatonin and serotonin antagonist have been proved to protect against post-stroke white matter injury. Agomelatine (AGM) is a multi-functional treatment which is both a melatonin receptor agonist and selective serotonin receptor antagonist. Whether AGM protects against white matter injury after stroke and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, using the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of AGM in stroke mice. Sensorimotor and cognitive functions, white matter integrity, oligodendroglial regeneration and re-myelination in stroke hemisphere after AGM treatment were analyzed. We found that AGM efficiently preserved white matter integrity, reduced brain tissue loss, attenuated long-term sensorimotor and cognitive deficits in tMCAO models. AGM treatment promoted OPC differentiation and enhanced re-myelination both in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, although OPC proliferation was unaffected. Mechanistically, AGM activated low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 (LRP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) signaling thus promoted OPC differentiation and re-myelination after stroke. Inhibition of PPARγ or knock-down of LRP1 in OPCs reversed the beneficial effects of AGM. Altogether, our data indicate that AGM represents a novel therapy against white matter injury after cerebral ischemia.

Altered nucleocytoplasmic export of adenosine-rich circRNAs by PABPC1 contributes to neuronal function.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are upregulated during neurogenesis. Where and how circRNAs are localized and what roles they play during this process have remained elusive. Comparing the nuclear and cytoplasmic circRNAs between H9 cells and H9-derived forebrain (FB) neurons, we identify that a subset of adenosine (A)-rich circRNAs are restricted in H9 nuclei but exported to cytosols upon differentiation. Such a subcellular relocation of circRNAs is modulated by the poly(A)-binding protein PABPC1. In the H9 nucleus, newly produced (A)-rich circRNAs are bound by PABPC1 and trapped by the nuclear basket protein TPR to prevent their export. Modulating (A)-rich motifs in circRNAs alters their subcellular localization, and introducing (A)-rich circRNAs in H9 cytosols results in mRNA translation suppression. Moreover, decreased nuclear PABPC1 upon neuronal differentiation enables the export of (A)-rich circRNAs, including circRTN4(2,3), which is required for neurite outgrowth. These findings uncover subcellular localization features of circRNAs, linking their processing and function during neurogenesis.

Incidence, outcome, and prognostic factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation among children in Chinese mainland: a multi-center survey.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence, outcome, and prognostic factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in children in Mainland China. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 11 pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022. All pediatric patients on mechanical ventilation meeting the criteria for PMV were included in the study. Results: Out of 5,292 patients receiving mechanical ventilation, 278 children met the criteria for PMV (5.3%). After excluding case with incomplete data or lost to follow-up, the study included 250 patients. Among them, 115 were successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation, 90 died, and 45 were still on mechanical ventilation. The 6-month survival rate was 64%. The primary associated conditions of PMV were lower airway diseases (36%), central nervous system diseases (32%), and neuromuscular diseases (14%). The stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the utilization of vasoactive agents and an elevated pediatric logistic organ dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) score on the day of PMV diagnosis were significantly associated with an increased of PMV death. Specifically, the odds ratio (OR) for vasoactive agent use was 2.86; (95% CI: 0.15-0.84; P = 0.018), and for the PELOD-2 score, it was 1.37; 95% CI: 1.17-1.61; P < .001). Conversely, early rehabilitation intervention was negatively associated with the risk of PMV death (OR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.22-0.93; P = .032). Furthermore, the tracheotomy timing emerged as an independent predictor of failure to wean from PMV, with an OR of 1.08, (95% CI: 1.01-1.16; P = .030). Conclusions: The study revealed a 5.3% incidence of PMV in children requiring mechanical ventilation in China. The use of vasoactive agents and a higher PELOD-2 score at PMV diagnosis were significantly associated with an increased risk of PMV death, whereas early rehabilitation intervention was identified as crucial for improving patient outcomes. The timing of tracheostomy was identified as a high-risk factor for failure to wean from mechanical ventilation.

Wireless Intelligent Patch for Closed-loop In Situ Wound Management.

Wound infections pose a major healthcare issue, affecting the well-being of millions of patients worldwide. Effective intervention and on-site detection are important in wound management. However, current approaches are hindered by time-consuming analysis and a lack of technology for real-time monitoring and prompt therapy delivery. In this study, a smart wound patch system (SWPS) designed for wireless closed-loop and in-situ wound management is presented. The SWPS integrates a microfluidic structure, an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) based sensor, an electrical stimulation module, and a miniaturized flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The OECT incorporates a bacteria-responsive DNA hydrogel-coated gate for continuous monitoring of bacterial virulence at wound sites. Real-time detection of OECT readings and on-demand delivery of electrical cues to accelerate wound healing is facilitated by a mobile phone application linked with an FPCB containing low-power electronics equipped with parallel sensing and stimulation circuitry. In this proof-of-concept study, the functionality of the SWPS is validated and its application both in vitro and in vivo is demonstrated. This proposed system expands the arsenal of tools available for effective wound management and enables personalized treatment.

Stretchable ionic-electronic bilayer hydrogel electronics enable in situ detection of solid-state epidermal biomarkers.

Continuous and in situ detection of biomarkers in biofluids (for example, sweat) can provide critical health data but is limited by biofluid accessibility. Here we report a sensor design that enables in situ detection of solid-state biomarkers ubiquitously present on human skin. We deploy an ionic-electronic bilayer hydrogel to facilitate the sequential dissolution, diffusion and electrochemical reaction of solid-state analytes. We demonstrate continuous monitoring of water-soluble analytes (for example, solid lactate) and water-insoluble analytes (for example, solid cholesterol) with ultralow detection limits of 0.51 and 0.26 nmol cm-2, respectively. Additionally, the bilayer hydrogel electrochemical interface reduces motion artefacts by a factor of three compared with conventional liquid-sensing electrochemical interfaces. In a clinical study, solid-state epidermal biomarkers measured by our stretchable wearable sensors showed a high correlation with biomarkers in human blood and dynamically correlated with physiological activities. These results present routes to universal platforms for biomarker monitoring without the need for biofluid acquisition.

Mechanisms and translational applications of regeneration in limbs: From renewable animals to humans.

BACKGROUND: The regenerative capacity of organisms declines throughout evolution, and mammals lack the ability to regenerate limbs after injury. Past approaches to achieving successful restoration through pharmacological intervention, tissue engineering, and cell therapies have faced significant challenges. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of the mechanisms behind animal limb regeneration and the successful translation of these mechanisms for human tissue regeneration. RESULTS: Particular attention was paid to the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), the only adult tetrapod capable of limb regeneration. We will explore fundamental questions surrounding limb regeneration, such as how amputation initiates regeneration, how the limb knows when to stop and which parts to regenerate, and how these findings can apply to mammalian systems. CONCLUSIONS: Given the urgent need for regenerative therapies to treat conditions like diabetic foot ulcers and trauma survivors, this review provides valuable insights and ideas for researchers, clinicians, and biomedical engineers seeking to facilitate the regeneration process or elicit full regeneration from partial regeneration events.

Mechanical models and measurement methods of solid stress in tumors.

In addition to genetic mutations, biomechanical factors also affect the structures and functions of the tumors during tumor growth, including solid stress, interstitial fluid pressure, stiffness, and microarchitecture. Solid stress affects tumors by compressing cancer and stromal cells and deforming blood and lymphatic vessels which reduce supply of oxygen, nutrients and drug delivery, making resistant to treatment. Researchers simulate the stress by creating mechanical models both in vitro and in vivo. Cell models in vitro are divided into two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D). 2D models are simple to operate but exert pressure on apical surface of the cells. 3D models, the multicellular tumor spheres, are more consistent with the actual pathological state in human body. However, the models are more difficult to establish compared with the 2D models. Besides, the procedure of the animal models in vivo is even more complex and tougher to operate. Then, researchers challenged to quantify the solid stress through some measurement methods. We compared the advantages and limitations of these models and methods, which may help to explore new therapeutic targets for normalizing the tumor's physical microenvironment. KEY POINTS: •This is the first review to conclude the mechanical models and measurement methods in tumors. •The merit and demerit of these models and methods are compared. •Insights into further models are discussed.

The value of IL-6, PCT, qSOFA, NEWS, and SIRS to predict septic shock after Percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

BACKGROUND: There are numerous methods available for predicting sepsis following Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy. This study aims to compare the predictive value of Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SISR), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) for septicemia. METHODS: Patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy were included in the study and divided into a control group and a septic shock group. The effectiveness of qSOFA, SIRS, NEWS, Interleukin-6, and Procalcitonin was assessed, with Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and Area Under the Curve used to compare the predictive accuracy of these four indicators. RESULTS: Among the 401 patients, 16 cases (3.99%) developed septic shock. Females, elderly individuals, and patients with positive urine culture and positive nitrite in urine were found to be more susceptible to septic shock. PCT, IL-6, SIRS, NEWS, qSOFA, and surgical time were identified as independent risk factors for septic shock. The cutoff values are as follows: qSOFA score > 0.50, SIRS score > 2.50, NEWS score > 2.50, and IL-6 > 264.00 pg/ml. Among the 29 patients identified by IL-6 as having sepsis, 16 were confirmed to have developed sepsis. The qSOFA identified 63 septicemia cases, with 16 confirmed to have developed septicemia; NEWS identified 122 septicemia cases, of which 14 cases actually developed septicemia; SIRS identified 128 septicemia patients, with 16 confirmed to have developed septicemia. In terms of predictive ability, IL-6 (AUC 0.993, 95% CI 0.985 ~ 1) demonstrated a higher predictive accuracy compared to qSOFA (AUC 0.952, 95% CI 0.928 ~ 0.977), NEWS (AUC 0.824, 95% CI 0.720 ~ 0.929) and SIRS (AUC 0.928, 95% CI 0.888 ~ 0.969). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 has higher accuracy in predicting septic shock after PCNL compared to qSOFA, SIRS, and NEWS.

Association of prenatal multiple metal exposures with child neurodevelopment at 3 years of age: A prospective birth cohort study.

Prenatal exposures to toxic metals and trace elements have been linked to childhood neurodevelopment. However, existing evidence remains inconclusive, and further research is needed to investigate the mixture effects of multiple metal exposures on childhood neurodevelopment. We aimed to examine the associations between prenatal exposure to specific metals and metal mixtures and neurodevelopment in children. In this prospective cohort study, we used the multivariable linear regressions and the robust modified Poisson regressions to explore the associations of prenatal exposure to 25 specific metals with neurodevelopment among children at 3 years of age in 854 mother-child pairs from the Jiangsu Birth Cohort (JBC) Study. The Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was employed to assess the joint effects of multiple metals on neurodevelopment. Prenatal manganese (Mn) exposure was negatively associated with the risk of non-optimal cognition development of children, while vanadium (V), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), antimony (Sb), cerium (Ce) and uranium (U) exposures were positively associated with the risk of non-optimal gross motor development. BKMR identified an interaction effect between Sb and Ce on non-optimal gross motor development. Additionally, an element risk score (ERS), representing the mixture effect of multiple metal exposures including V, Cu, Zn, Sb, Ce and U was constructed based on weights from a Poisson regression model. Children with ERS in the highest tertile had higher probability of non-optimal gross motor development (RR = 2.37, 95 % CI: 1.15, 4.86) versus those at the lowest tertile. Notably, Sb [conditional-posterior inclusion probabilities (cPIP) = 0.511] and U (cPIP = 0.386) mainly contributed to the increased risk of non-optimal gross motor development. The findings highlight the importance of paying attention to the joint effects of multiple metals on children's neurodevelopment. The ERS score may serve as an indicator of comprehensive metal exposure risk for children's neurodevelopment.

Clinical evaluation of continuous irrigation with Bikerui combined with negative pressure closed drainage and platelet-rich plasma technique for treatment of stage III-IV pressure ulcer.

Introduction: As a catastrophic complication of bedridden and elderly patients, pressure ulcer usually continuously affects patients' health and quality of life, so the daily care of wounds is attached great importance in clinic. Aim: This work investigated the effect of Bikerui disinfectant + vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) + platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy on patients with stage III ~ IV pressure sore. Material and methods: In this work, 110 patients with pressure ulcer (PU) treated in our hospital were enrolled and were randomly divided into an experimental group (Exp group) and a control group (Ctrl group) by a blind selection method, with 55 cases in each group. Patients in the Ctrl group received surgical debridement + VSD for treatment, while those in the Exp group were treated with Bikerui disinfectant + VSD + PRP. Inflammatory response (IR) score, PU healing (PUH) score, healing time, dressing change frequency (DCF), dressing interval time (DIT), and scar recovery (SR) score of patients in different groups were compared. Results: The results revealed that the positive rate of bacterial culture in wound secretions in the Exp group was greatly lower than that in the Ctrl group 1 or 2 weeks after treatment (p < 0.05). The IR score in the Exp group was much lower at week 1 and 2 after treatment (p < 0.05). The total effective rate (TER) in the Exp group was obviously higher than that in the Ctrl group (94.55% vs. 76.36%). Conclusions: The results suggested that Bikerui disinfectant + VSD + PRP therapy could effectively improve the inflammatory degree of PU patients, promote the wound repair and scar recovery of patients, and greatly improve the clinical efficacy of PU patients.

TAK1 in Vascular Signaling: "Friend or Foe"?

The maintenance of normal vascular function and homeostasis is largely dependent on the signaling mechanisms that occur within and between cells of the vasculature. TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a multifaceted signaling molecule, has been shown to play critical roles in various tissue types. Although the precise function of TAK1 in the vasculature remains largely unknown, emerging evidence suggests its potential involvement in both physiological and pathological processes. A comprehensive search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies, PubMed, Web of Science, and other relevant databases were systematically searched using keywords related to TAK1, TABs and MAP3K7.In this review, we discussed the role of TAK1 in vascular signaling, with a focus on its function, activation, and related signaling pathways. Specifically, we highlight the TA1-TABs complex is a key factor, regulating vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) involved in the processes of inflammation, vascular proliferation and angiogenesis. This mini review aims to elucidate the evidence supporting TAK1 signaling in the vasculature, in order to better comprehend its beneficial and potential harmful effects upon TAK1 activation in vascular tissue.

Different effects of 24 dietary intakes on gastroesophageal reflux disease: A mendelian randomization.

BACKGROUND: In observational studies, dietary intakes are associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). AIM: To conduct a two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine whether those associations are causal. METHODS: To explore the relationship between dietary intake and the risk of GERD, we extracted appropriate single nucleotide polymorphisms from genome-wide association study data on 24 dietary intakes. Three methods were adopted for data analysis: Inverse variance weighting, weighted median methods, and MR-Egger's method. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the causal association between dietary intake and GERD. RESULTS: Our univariate Mendelian randomization (UVMR) results showed significant evidence that pork intake (OR, 2.83; 95%CI: 1.76-4.55; P = 1.84 × 10-5), beer intake (OR, 2.70, 95%CI: 2.00-3.64; P = 6.54 × 10-11), non-oily fish intake (OR, 2.41; 95%CI: 1.49-3.91; P = 3.59 × 10-4) have a protective effect on GERD. In addition, dried fruit intake (OR, 0.37; 95%CI: 0.27-0.50; 6.27 × 10-11), red wine intake (OR, 0.34; 95%CI: 0.25-0.47; P = 1.90 × 10-11), cheese intake (OR, 0.46; 95%CI: 0.39-0.55; P =3.73 × 10-19), bread intake (OR, 0.72; 95%CI: 0.56-0.92; P = 0.0009) and cereal intake (OR, 0.45; 95%CI: 0.36-0.57; P = 2.07 × 10-11) were negatively associated with the risk of GERD. There was a suggestive association for genetically predicted coffee intake (OR per one SD increase, 1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.44; P = 0.019). Multivariate Mendelian randomization further confirmed that dried fruit intake, red wine intake, cheese intake, and cereal intake directly affected GERD. In contrast, the impact of pork intake, beer intake, non-oily fish intake, and bread intake on GERD was partly driven by the common risk factors for GERD. However, after adjusting for all four elements, there was no longer a suggestive association between coffee intake and GERD. CONCLUSION: This study provides MR evidence to support the causal relationship between a broad range of dietary intake and GERD, providing new insights for the treatment and prevention of GERD.

Multi-targeted nanoarrays for early broad-spectrum detection of lung cancer based on blood biopsy of tumor exosomes.

Liquid biopsies utilizing tumor exosomes offer a noninvasive approach for cancer diagnosis. However, validation studies consistently report that in the early stages of cancer, the secretion of exosomes by cancer cells is relatively low, while bodily fluids exhibit a high abundance of other interfering biomolecules. Additionally, target mutations or differences in biomarker expression among various lung cancer subtypes may contribute to detection failures. In this study, we propose a targeted nanoarray-based early cancer diagnostic approach for multiple subtypes of lung cancer. The targeted nanoarray was constructed by modifying five targeting aptamers onto mesoporous silica nanoparticles through the conjugation between amino and carboxyl groups. The flow cytometry experiments demonstrated the specific recognition ability of the targeted nanoarray to tumor exosomes in PBS, even at biomarker expression levels as low as 1.5 %. Moreover, the TEM results indicated that the targeted nanoarray could isolate tumor exosomes in the blood of tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the targeted nanoarray could detect tumor exosomes in the blood of various lung cancer bearing mice, including at the early stages of cancer, which has just been established for 7 days. Overall, the targeted nanoarray represents a promising tool for the early detection of various subtypes of lung cancer.

Organophosphate esters in milk across thirteen countries from 2020 to 2023: Concentrations, sources, temporal trends and ToxPi priority to humans.

Recent increases in organophosphate ester (OPE) application have led to their widespread presence, yet little is known about their temporal trends in food. This study collected milk samples from 13 countries across three continents during 2020-2023, finding detectable OPEs in all samples (range: 2.25-19.7; median: 7.06 ng/g ww). Although no statistical temporal differences were found for the total OPEs during the 4-year sampling campaign, it was interesting to observe significant variations in the decreasing trend for Cl-OPEs and concentration variations for aryl-OPEs and alkyl-OPEs (p < 0.05), indicating changing OPE use patterns. Packaged milk exhibited significant higher OPE levels than those found in directly collected raw unpackaged milk, and milk with longer shelf-life showed higher OPE levels, revealing packaging material as a contamination source. No significant geographical differences were observed in milk across countries (p > 0.05), but Shandong Province, a major OPE production site in China, showed relatively higher OPE concentrations. The Monte Carlo simulation of estimated daily intakes indicated no exposure risk from OPEs through milk consumption. The molecular docking method was used to assess human hormone binding affinity with OPEs, amongst which aryl-OPEs had the highest binding energies. The Toxicological-Priority-Index method which integrated chemical property, detection frequency, risk quotients, hazardous quotients and endocrine-disrupting effects was employed to prioritize OPEs. Aryl-OPEs showed the highest scores, deserving attention in the future.

Salvianolic acid B protects against UVB-induced skin aging via activation of NRF2.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged exposure to sun radiation may result in harmful skin photoaging. Therefore, discovering novel anti-photoaging treatment modalities is critical. An active component isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B), is a robust antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. This investigation aimed to discover the therapeutic impact and pathways of salvianolic acid B for UVB-induced skin photoaging, an area that remains unexplored. METHODS: We conducted in vitro experiments on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) exposed to UVB radiation, assessing cellular senescence, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, cell viability, proliferation, migration, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial health. The potential mechanism of Sal-B was analyzed using RNA sequencing, with further validation through Western blotting, PCR, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) silencing methods. In vivo, a model of skin photoaging induced by UVB in nude mice was employed. The collagen fiber levels were assessed utilizing hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson, and Sirus red staining. Additionally, NRF2 and related gene and protein expression levels were identified utilizing PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Sal-B was found to significantly counteract photoaging in UVB-exposed skin fibroblasts, reducing aging-related decline in fibroblast proliferation and an increase in apoptosis. It was observed that Sal-B aids in protecting mitochondria from excessive ROS production by promoting NRF2 nuclear translocation. NRF2 knockdown experiments established its necessity for Sal-B's anti-photoaging effects. The in vivo studies also verified Sal-B's anti-photoaging efficacy, surpassing that of tretinoin (Retino-A). These outcomes offer novel insights into the contribution of Sal-B in developing clinical treatment modalities for UVB-induced photodamage in skin fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: In this investigation, we identified the Sal-B protective impact on the senescence of dermal fibroblasts and skin photoaging induced by radiation of UVB. The outcomes suggest Sal-B as a potential modulator of the NRF2 signaling pathway.

Predictive Value of Serum microRNA-29b-3p in Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia. This study explored serum miR-29b-3p expression in AF patients and its value in predicting AF recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Methods: Totally 100 AF patients who underwent RFCA were enrolled, with 100 individuals without AF as controls. Serum miR-29b-3p expression in participants was determined using RT-qPCR. The correlation between miR-29b-3p and atrial fibrosis markers (FGF-21/FGF-23) was assessed by Pearson analysis. The diagnostic efficacy of serum miR-29b-3p and FGF-21/FGF-23 in predicting AF recurrence after RFCA was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted to evaluate the effect of miR-29b-3p expression on the incidence of AF recurrence after RFCA. The independent risk factors for AF recurrence after RFCA were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: Serum miR-29b-3p was poorly expressed in AF patients. After RFCA, AF patients showed elevated serum miR-29b-3p expression. Serum miR-29b-3p expression in AF patients negatively correlated with serum FGF-21 and FGF-23 concentrations. The cut-off values of serum miR-29b-3p, FGF-21, and FGF-23 in identifying AF recurrence were 0.860 (sensitivity: 100.00%, specificity: 39.71%), 222.2 pg/mL (sensitivity: 96.88%, specificity: 32.35%) and 216.3 ng/mL (sensitivity: 53.13%, specificity: 70.59%), respectively. Patients with low miR-29b-3p expression had a significantly higher incidence of AF recurrence than patients with high miR-29b-3p expression. Serum miR-29b-3p expression was one of the independent risk factors for AF recurrence after RFCA. Conclusion: Low miR-29b-3p expression in AF patients has certain predictive values and is one of the independent risk factors for AF recurrence after RFCA.

NeighborNet: Learning Intra- and Inter-Image Pixel Neighbor Representation for Breast Lesion Segmentation.

Breast lesion segmentation from ultrasound images is essential in computer-aided breast cancer diagnosis. To alleviate the problems of blurry lesion boundaries and irregular morphologies, common practices combine CNN and attention to integrate global and local information. However, previous methods use two independent modules to extract global and local features separately, such feature-wise inflexible integration ignores the semantic gap between them, resulting in representation redundancy/insufficiency and undesirable restrictions in clinic practices. Moreover, medical images are highly similar to each other due to the imaging methods and human tissues, but the captured global information by transformer-based methods in the medical domain is limited within images, the semantic relations and common knowledge across images are largely ignored. To alleviate the above problems, in the neighbor view, this paper develops a pixel neighbor representation learning method (NeighborNet) to flexibly integrate global and local context within and across images for lesion morphology and boundary modeling. Concretely, we design two neighbor layers to investigate two properties (i.e., number and distribution) of neighbors. The neighbor number for each pixel is not fixed but determined by itself. The neighbor distribution is extended from one image to all images in the datasets. With the two properties, for each pixel at each feature level, the proposed NeighborNet can evolve into the transformer or degenerate into the CNN for adaptive context representation learning to cope with the irregular lesion morphologies and blurry boundaries. The state-of-the-art performances on three ultrasound datasets prove the effectiveness of the proposed NeighborNet. The code is available at: https://github.com/fjcaoww/NeighborNet.

Impacts of Soil Properties on Species Diversity and Structure in Alternanthera philoxeroides-Invaded and Native Plant Communities.

Soil properties can affect plant population dynamics and the coexistence of native and invasive plants, thus potentially affecting community structure and invasion trends. However, the different impacts of soil physicochemical properties on species diversity and structure in native and invaded plant communities remain unclear. In this study, we established a total of 30 Alternanthera philoxeroides-invaded plots and 30 control plots in an area at the geographical boundary between North and South China. We compared the differences in species composition between the invaded and native plant communities, and we then used the methods of regression analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to examine the impacts of soil physicochemical properties on four α-diversity indices and the species distribution of these two types of communities. We found that A. philoxeroides invasion increased the difference between the importance values of dominant plant species, and the invasion coverage had a negative relationship with the soil-available potassium (R2 = 0.135; p = 0.046) and Patrick richness index (R2 = 0.322; p < 0.001). In the native communities, the species diversity was determined with soil chemical properties, the Patrick richness index, the Simpson dominance index, and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, which all decreased with the increase in soil pH value, available potassium, organic matter, and ammonium nitrogen. However, in the invaded communities, the species diversity was determined by soil physical properties; the Pielou evenness index increased with increasing non-capillary porosity but decreased with increasing capillary porosity. The determinants of species distribution in the native communities were soil porosity and nitrate nitrogen, while the determinants in the invaded communities were soil bulk density and available potassium. In addition, compared with the native communities, the clustering degree of species distribution in the invaded communities intensified. Our study indicates that species diversity and distribution have significant heterogeneous responses to soil physicochemical properties between A. philoxeroides-invaded and native plant communities. Thus, we need to intensify the monitoring of soil properties in invaded habitats and conduct biotic replacement strategies based on the heterogeneous responses of native and invaded communities to effectively prevent the biotic homogenization that is caused by plant invasions under environmental changes.

The double-edged sword of workplace friendship: exploring when and how workplace friendship promotes versus inhibits voice behavior.

Extant research has demonstrated the positive roles of workplace friendships and has recently found the negative effect or the double-edged effect on employees and organizations. Unfortunately, little is known about the boundary condition of the double-edged effects of workplace friendships and the elaborated understanding of the mechanism of positive and negative effects of workplace friendship simultaneously. Our purpose is to reveal that workplace friendship is a mixed blessing by investigating when and how workplace friendships are likely to promote versus inhibit voice behavior. We propose that the double-edged effect of workplace friendship hinges on the competitive climate. Specifically, when the competitive climate is low, workplace friendship is positively related to employees' psychological safety, promoting voice behavior. In contrast, workplace friendship is positively related to employees' face concern, inhibiting voice behavior when the competitive climate is high. Our hypotheses were supported across the three waves of surveys and experimental studies. Taken together, our findings reveal the perils and benefits of workplace friendship and the importance of boundary conditions resulting in employees' differential psychological processes in friendship interaction.

Enhanced Light Absorption and Photo-Generated Charge Separation Efficiency for Boosting Photocatalytic H2 Evolution through TiO2 Quantum Dots with N-Doping and Concomitant Oxygen Vacancy.

Low-range light absorption and rapid recombination of photo-generated charge carriers have prevented the occurrence of effective and applicable photocatalysis for decades. Quantum dots (QDs) offer a solution due to their size-controlled photon properties and charge separation capabilities. Herein, well-dispersed interstitial nitrogen-doped TiO2 QDs with stable oxygen vacancies (N-TiO2-x-VO) are fabricated by using a low-temperature, annealing-assisted hydrothermal method. Remarkably, electrostatic repulsion prevented aggregation arising from negative charges accumulated in situ on the surface of N-TiO2-x-VO, enabling complete solar spectrum utilization (200-800 nm) with a 2.5 eV bandgap. Enhanced UV-vis photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (HER) reached 2757 µmol g-1 h-1, 41.6 times higher than commercial TiO2 (66 µmol g-1 h-1). Strikingly, under visible light, HER rate was 189 µmol g-1 h-1. Experimental and simulated studies of mechanisms reveal that VO can serve as an electron reservoir of photo-generated charge carriers on N-doped active sites, and consequently, enhance the separation rate of exciton pairs. Moreover, the negative free energy (-0.35 V) indicates more favorable thermodynamics for HER as compared with bulk TiO2 (0.66 V). This research work paves a new way of developing efficient photocatalytic strategies of HER that are applicable in the sustainable carbon-zero energy supply.