Oxygen-Driven Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization.

In traditional atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), oxygen must be meticulously eliminated due to its propensity to quench radical species and halt the polymerization process. Additionally, oxygen oxidizes the lower-valent Cu catalyst, compromising its ability to activate alkyl halides and propagate polymerization. In this study, we present an oxygen-driven ATRP utilizing alkylborane compounds, a method that not only circumvents the need for stringent oxygen removal but also exploits oxygen as an essential cofactor to promote polymerization.

Construction of antibiotic-free riboflavin producer in by metabolic engineering strategies with a plasmid stabilization system.

Riboflavin, an important vitamin utilized in pharmaceutical products and as a feed additive, is mainly produced by metabolically engineered bacterial fermentation. However, the reliance on antibiotics in the production process leads to increased costs and safety risks. To address these challenges, an antibiotic-free riboflavin producer was constructed using metabolic engineering approaches coupled with a novel plasmid stabilization system.

Quantum Circuit Architecture Search on a Superconducting Processor.

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) have shown strong evidence to gain provable computational advantages in diverse fields such as finance, machine learning, and chemistry. However, the heuristic ansatz exploited in modern VQAs is incapable of balancing the trade-off between expressivity and trainability, which may lead to degraded performance when executed on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) machines. To address this issue, here, we demonstrate the first proof-of-principle experiment of applying an efficient automatic ansatz design technique, i.

Evaluation of the MDM-score system for screening mitochondrial diabetes mellitus in newly diagnosed diabetes patients: a multi-center cohort study in China.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of MDM-score system in screening for mitochondrial diabetes mellitus (MDM) with m.3243A>G mutation in newly diagnosed diabetes.

Methods: From 2015 to 2017, we recruited 5130 newly diagnosed diabetes patients distributed in 46 hospitals in China.

Controlling crystal planes of biomass-derived carbon based Mo2C NPs and the electrochemical performance.

The electrochemical property of Mo2C nanoparticles (NPs) depends on the structure and crystal planes. Herein, Mo2C nanoparticles were prepared and dispersed on carbon nanosheets by the construction of a biomass-derived carbon precursor, and the exposed dual crystal planes were also controlled by optimal conditions. The structure, compositions, and morphology of the carbon-based Mo2C were characterized, and the Mo2C NPs were well dispersed on the carbon nanosheets.

Impact of Small Vessel Disease on Patient Outcomes After Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Individual cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) markers independently predict poor prognosis after stroke. However, the impact of a single SVD, especially cumulative SVD burden, on outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis remains unclear. This study evaluated the occurrence of SVD in patients with AIS who were treated with intravenous thrombolytic therapy using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging.

Functional Analysis of in Controlling Root Regeneration from Detached Leaves.

root regeneration is the process by which adventitious roots form around the wound site from wounded or detached plant organs. The root regeneration process has been widely exploited in cutting technology used for vegetative propagation. Here, we employed detached leaf explants from to form adventitious roots for studying the process of root regeneration.

Application of a new type of double-lumen endotracheal tube in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome: study protocol for a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial (NISA).

Background: Non-invasive ventilation combined with pulmonary surfactant (PS) therapy is recognised as a method for treating neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Among the administration, methods of PS, INtubation-SURfactant-Extubation (InSurE) and less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) have been widely discussed.LISA technique prevents patients from exposure to invasive positive pressure ventilation (PPV), thus improving the long-term outcomes of the respiratory system, but it faces challenges in resource-limited areas due to complexity and cost.

Impact of cognitive biases on environmental compliance risk perceptions in international construction projects.

Introduction: This research explores the complex interplay between cognitive biases and Environmental Compliance Risk Perception (ECRP) in international construction projects. Understanding such a relationship is essential as it can have significant implications for the success and environmental sustainability of these projects.

Methods: This study analyzed a scenario-based questionnaire survey conducted with 270 international construction practitioners.

A two-step junction welding technique for achieving high-performance broadband silver nanowire transparent conductive films.

Transparent conductive films (TCFs) are critical components of various optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. The performance of TCFs is mainly ascribed to their superior transparency and low sheet resistance. However, the welding strategy for silver nanowires (AgNWs), the primary material used in TCFs, can significantly affect the optical and electrical properties of the films.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound promotes cell viability of hUSCs in volumetric bioprinting scaffolds via PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways.

The study aimed to investigate the impact of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on human urinary-derived stem cells (hUSCs) viability within three-dimensional (3D) cell-laden gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) scaffolds. hUSCs were integrated into GelMA bio-inks at concentrations ranging from 2.5% to 10% w/v and then bioprinted using a volumetic-based method.

Spatial Price Transmission and Dynamic Volatility Spillovers in the Global Grain Markets: A TVP-VAR-Connectedness Approach.

The global food market's escalating volatility has led to a complex network of uncertainty and risk transmission across different grain markets. This study utilizes the Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregression (TVP-VAR)-Connectedness approach to analyze the price transmission and volatility dynamics of key grains, including wheat, maize, rice, barley, peanut, soybean, and soybean meal, and their dynamic spillover directions, intensity, and network. By integrating the TVP-VAR-Connectedness model, this research captures the time-varying variability and interconnected nature of global grain price movements.

On Exploring the Potential of Quantum Auto-Encoder for Learning Quantum Systems.

The frequent interactions between quantum computing and machine learning revolutionize both fields. One prototypical achievement is the quantum auto-encoder (QAE), as the leading strategy to relieve the curse of dimensionality ubiquitous in the quantum world. Despite its attractive capabilities, practical applications of QAE have yet largely unexplored.

Multimodal Deep Representation Learning for Quantum Cross-Platform Verification.

Cross-platform verification, a critical undertaking in the realm of early-stage quantum computing, endeavors to characterize the similarity of two imperfect quantum devices executing identical algorithms, utilizing minimal measurements. While the random measurement approach has been instrumental in this context, the quasiexponential computational demand with increasing qubit count hurdles its feasibility in large-qubit scenarios. To bridge this knowledge gap, here we introduce an innovative multimodal learning approach, recognizing that the formalism of data in this task embodies two distinct modalities: measurement outcomes and classical description of compiled circuits on explored quantum devices, both containing unique information about the quantum devices.

[Efficient whole-cell biosynthesis of D-mannose by recombinant ].

D-mannose is a natural hexose with great economic and application values in the food, medicine, and cosmetic fields. However, most biosynthesis methods of D-mannose rely on as the host, which poses safety issues during the production process and imposes limitations on subsequent applications. This study compared the enzyme properties of mannose isomerases from multiple sources to select the most suitable source.

METTL14-mediated HOXA5 mA modification alleviates osteoporosis via promoting WNK1 transcription to suppress NLRP3-dependent macrophage pyroptosis.

Background: Osteoporosis is a commonly diagnosed metabolic bone disease. NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis are observed during osteoporosis. However, the mechanism by which NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis contributes to osteoporosis remains largely undefined.

Imputing Metagenomic Hi-C Contacts Facilitates the Integrative Contig Binning Through Constrained Random Walk with Restart.

Metagenomic Hi-C (metaHi-C) has shown remarkable potential for retrieving high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes from complex microbial communities. Nevertheless, existing metaHi-C-based contig binning methods solely rely on Hi-C interactions between contigs, disregarding crucial biological information such as the presence of single-copy marker genes. To overcome this limitation, we introduce ImputeCC, an integrative contig binning tool optimized for metaHi-C datasets.

An assessment of analytical performance using the six sigma scale in second-trimester maternal prenatal screening practices in China.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of second-trimester maternal serum screening in China, and to compare if there are differences in sigma levels across different methods and months.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to assess the analytical quality levels of laboratories by calculating the Sigma metrics with prenatal screening biomarkers: AFP, Total β-hCG, free β-hCG, uE3. Data from 591 laboratories were selected.

Impact of Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Properties and Fracture Morphology of Ti555211 Alloy.

Heat treatment is important for optimizing the strength performance and improving the toughness of titanium alloys. In this study, we investigated the impact of three heat treatment methods (β-annealing, double annealing, and solid-solution and aging treatment) on the mechanical properties and fracture morphology of Ti555211 titanium alloy. The results show that after β-annealing treatment, the alloy retains a high strength, while showing almost no ductility, and no yield strength.

Effect of heat stress on blood biochemistry and energy metabolite of the Dazu black goats.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of heat stress (HS) on physiological, blood biochemical, and energy metabolism in Dazu black goats. Six wether adult Dazu black goats were subjected to 3 experimental periods: high HS (group H, temperature-humidity index [THI] > 88) for 15 d, moderate HS (group M, THI was 79-88) for 15 d, and no HS (group L, THI < 72) for 15 d. Rectal temperature (RT) and respiratory rate (RR) were determined on d 7 and 15 of each period, and blood samples were collected on d 15 of each period.

Cetuximab combined with chemotherapy for simultaneous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma: A case report.

Background: Multiple primary carcinomas (MPCs) are defined as two or more independent primary cancers that occur simultaneously or sequentially in the same individual. Synchronous MPCs are rarer than solitary cancers or metachronous MPCs. Accurate diagnoses of synchronous MPCs and the choice of treatment are critical for successful outcomes in these cases.

Results of a Pilot External Quality Assessment Scheme for Genetic Testing of Newborns with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the ability of laboratories to perform spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) genetic testing in newborns based on dried blood spot (DBS) samples, and to provide reference data and advance preparation for establishing the pilot external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for SMA genetic testing of newborns in China.

Methods: The pilot EQA scheme contents and evaluation principles of this project were designed by National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL), National Health Commission. Two surveys were carried out in 2022, and 5 batches of blood spots were submitted to the participating laboratory each time.