Prediction of lead accumulation risk and safe planting zone delineation of rice in Guizhou Province using machine learning.

The uneven distribution of lead (Pb) in rice and soil across the primary rice-growing regions of southern China has led to challenges in assessing rice quality and associated health risks. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a fast and precise method for forecasting the accumulation of Pb in soils and rice to evaluate the environmental risks of heavy metals. We utilized eight machine learning models to fit the training data and find the optimal model based on 1,396 pairs of soil-rice samples collected during field surveys in Guizhou Province.

Unveiling the impact of polystyrene and low-density polyethylene microplastics on arsenic toxicity in earthworms.

The high global production combined with low recycling rates of polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) contributes to the abundance of these commonly used plastics in soil, including as microplastics (MPs). However, the combined effects of MPs and heavy metals, such as arsenic (As) on earthworms are poorly understood. Here, we show that neither PS nor LDPE altered the effects of As on the survival, growth, and reproduction of the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

Will personalized ultrafractionated stereotactic adaptive radiotherapy (PULSAR) or split-course SBRT based on systemic therapy (3S) be future directions in the Field of SBRT?

The combined use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and immunotherapy is a promising new development. However, the optimal modality for combining SBRT with immunotherapy needs further study. Timmerman and colleagues reported that the time split between radiotherapy and α-PD-L1 therapy can affect the therapeutic effect and introduced a new SBRT paradigm-personalized ultrafractionated stereotactic adaptive radiation therapy (PULSAR).

Quercetin and taxifolin enhance immunity in Chinese sucker (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) and increase its resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila.

This study investigated the effects of short-term exposure to flavonoids, specifically quercetin and taxifolin, on the transcriptomic responses of Chinese sucker (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) to validate their influence on gene expression related to immunity, antioxidant activity, and metabolism. Using transcriptomic data, we also analyzed their influence on relevant immune genes and examined the Chinese suckers' resistance to A. hydrophila.

Transcriptomic analysis of codon usage patterns and gene expression characteristics in leafy spurge.

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an important herb and potential energy source with medicinal value. Codon usage bias (CUB) is a static feature of genes and genomes that results from adaptation and selection during long-term evolution and facilitates molecular breeding in transgenic plants. Here, we used TransDecoder to identify candidate coding regions from the downloaded leafy spurge transcriptome and generate coding region annotation files based on reference genomes.

Viewing angle controller using two parallel alignment liquid crystal cells for automotive systems.

We proposed a viewing angle controller (VAC) for car co-driver displays (CDDs). This VAC, integrated with the co-driver display, provides necessary information to the co-driver while minimizing driver distraction. It comprises two parallel alignment liquid crystal cells and two negative C films.

From time-inconsistency to time-consistency for optimal stopping problems.

For optimal stopping problems with time-inconsistent preference, we measure the inherent level of time-inconsistency by taking the time required to turn the naive strategies into the sophisticated ones. In particular, when in a repeated experiment, the naive agent can observe her actual sequence of actions that is inconsistent with what she has planned at the initial time, and she would then choose her immediate action based on the observations of her later actual behavior. The procedure is repeated until her actual sequence of actions is consistent with her plan at any time.

A novel regulatory axis of MSI2-AGO2/miR-30a-3p-CGRRF1 drives cancer chemoresistance by upregulating the KRAS/ERK pathway.

The KRAS/ERK pathway is crucial in cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance, yet its upstream regulatory mechanism remains elusive. We identified MSI2 as a new promoter of chemotherapy resistance in cancers. MSI2 directly binds to a specific class of mature miRNAs by recognizing the 'UAG' motif and interacts with the essential effector AGO2, highlighting MSI2 as a novel regulatory factor within the miRNA pathway.

Fast and Smart State Characterization of Large-Format Lithium-Ion Batteries via Phased-Array Ultrasonic Sensing Technology.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, making accurate state transition monitoring a key research topic. This paper presents a characterization method for large-format LIBs based on phased-array ultrasonic technology (PAUT). A finite element model of a large-format aluminum shell lithium-ion battery is developed on the basis of ultrasonic wave propagation in multilayer porous media.

Serum CHI3L1 Levels Predict Overall Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients after Hepatectomy.

The Chitinase 3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) is currently used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. However, its prognostic value for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the CHI3L1 in HCC patients after hepatectomy.

Natural Silkworm Cocoon-Derived Separator with Na-Ion De-Solvated Function for Sodium Metal Batteries.

The commercialization of sodium batteries faces many challenges, one of which is the lack of suitable high-quality separators. Herein, we presented a novel natural silkworm cocoon-derived separator (SCS) obtained from the cocoon inner membrane after a simple degumming process. A Na||Na symmetric cell assembled with this separator can be stably cycled for over 400 h under test conditions of 0.

A Fully Printable and Integrated System with Long-Term Stability for Versatile and Multimodal Perspiration Tracking.

Real-time and continuous monitoring of physiological status via noninvasive sweat sensing shows promise for personalized healthcare and fitness management. However, the largely varied perspiration rates in different body statuses introduce challenges for effective sweat collection and accurate sensing. Herein, a fully printable strategy was developed to realize fully integrated patches for wireless sensing of sweat biomarker levels and perspiration rates with desirable stability and versatility.

Establishment of a platform based on dual RPA combined with CRISPR/Cas12a for the detection of and its KPC resistance gene.

Carbapenem resistant (CRKP) can cause serious hospital- and community-acquired infections. Treatment for CRKP infection is limited, resulting in prolonged hospitalization and high consultation costs. The KPC genotype has the highest detection rate of CRKP, and its mortality rate is higher than the overall mortality rate of CRKP.

Spherical echo-planar time-resolved imaging (sEPTI) for rapid 3D quantitative and susceptibility imaging.

Purpose: To develop a 3D spherical EPTI (sEPTI) acquisition and a comprehensive reconstruction pipeline for rapid high-quality whole-brain submillimeter and QSM quantification.

Methods: For the sEPTI acquisition, spherical k-space coverage is utilized with variable echo-spacing and maximum k ramp-sampling to improve efficiency and signal incoherency compared to existing EPTI approaches. For reconstruction, an iterative rank-shrinking B estimation and odd-even high-order phase correction algorithms were incorporated into the reconstruction to better mitigate artifacts from field imperfections.

Integrin A5B1-mediated endocytosis of polystyrene nanoplastics: Implications for human lung disease and therapeutic targets.

The extensive use of plastic products has exacerbated micro/nanoplastic (MPs/NPs) pollution in the atmosphere, increasing the incidence of respiratory diseases and lung cancer. This study investigates the uptake and cytotoxicity mechanisms of polystyrene (PS) NPs in human lung epithelial cells. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant changes in cell adhesion pathways following PS-NPs exposure.

Distinct regional vulnerability to Aβ and iron accumulation in post mortem AD brains.

Introduction: The paramagnetic iron, diamagnetic amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and their interaction are crucial in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, complicating non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging for prodromal AD detection.

Methods: We used a state-of-the-art sub-voxel quantitative susceptibility mapping method to simultaneously measure Aβ and iron levels in post mortem human brains, validated by histology. Further transcriptomic analysis using Allen Human Brain Atlas elucidated the underlying biological processes.

Novel analgesic peptide derived from Cinobufacini injection suppressing inflammation and pain via ERK1/2/COX-2 pathway.

Inflammatory pain is a chronic pain caused by peripheral tissue inflammation, seriously impacting the patient's life quality. Cinobufacini injection, as a traditional Chinese medicine injection preparation, shows excellent efficacy in anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatment in patients with advanced tumors. In this study, a novel analgesic peptide CI5 with anti-inflammatory and analgesic bio-functions that naturally presents in Cinobufacini injection and its regulatory mechanism are reported.