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Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are pivotal for data acquisition, yet reliability is severely constrained by routing voids induced by sparsity, uneven energy, and high dynamicity. To address these challenges, the Hybrid Acoustic-Optical Adaptive Void-handling Protocol (HAO-AVP) is proposed to satisfy the requirements for highly reliable communication in complex underwater environments. First, targeting uneven energy, a reinforcement learning mechanism utilizing Gini coefficient and entropy is adopted. By optimizing energy distribution, voids are proactively avoided. Second, to address routing interruptions caused by the high dynamicity of topology, a collaborative mechanism for active prediction and real-time identification is constructed. Specifically, this mechanism integrates a Markov chain energy prediction model with on-demand hop discovery technology. Through this integration, precise anticipation and rapid localization of potential void risks are achieved. Finally, to recover damaged links at the minimum cost, a four-level progressive recovery strategy, comprising intra-medium adjustment, cross-medium hopping, path backtracking, and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)-assisted recovery, is designed. This strategy is capable of adaptively selecting recovery measures based on the severity of the void. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared with existing mainstream protocols, the void identification rate of the proposed protocol is improved by approximately 7.6%, 8.4%, 13.8%, 19.5%, and 25.3%, respectively, and the void recovery rate is increased by approximately 4.3%, 9.6%, 12.0%, 18.4%, and 24.2%, respectively. In particular, enhanced robustness and a prolonged network life cycle are exhibited in sparse and dynamic networks.

At present, remote sensing (RS) is applied in detecting vehicle exhaust emissions, and usually the RS emission results in a definite vehicle specific power (VSP) range are used to evaluate vehicle emissions and identify high-emitting vehicles. When the VSP exceeds this range, the corresponding vehicle emission RS data will not be used to assess vehicle emissions. This method is equivalent to setting only one VSP Bin qualified for vehicle emission evaluation, and generally only one threshold limit is given for each emission pollutant without considering the fluctuation characteristics of vehicle emissions with VSP. Therefore, it is easy to cause misjudgment in identifying high-emitting vehicles and is not conducive to scientific management of vehicle emissions. In addition, the vehicle emissions outside the selected VSP Bin are more serious and should be included in the scope of supervision. This research proposed the methods of vehicle classifications and VSP Binning in order to categorize the driving conditions of each kind of vehicles, and a big data approach was proposed to analyze the vehicle emission RS data in each VSP Bin for vehicle emission evaluation.

Three-dimensional shear wave elastography (3D-SWE) is a promising method in distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules. By combining with conventional method, it may further improve the diagnostic value. The study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of American College of Radiology (ACR) thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) combined with 3D-SWE in ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules. All nodules were examined by conventional ultrasonography, ACR TI-RADS classification, and 3D-SWE examination. Conventional ultrasonography was used to observe the location, size, shape, margin, echogenicity, taller-than-wide sign, microcalcification, and blood flow of thyroid nodules, and then ACR TI-RADS classification was performed. The Young's modulus values (3D-C-Emax, 3D-C-Emean, and elastography standard deviation [3D-C-Esd]) were measured on the reconstructed coronal plane images. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the best diagnostic efficiency among 3D-C-Emax, 3D-C-Emean, and 3D-C-Esd was selected and the cut-off threshold was calculated. According to the surgical pathology, they were divided into benign group and malignant group. And appropriate statistical methods such as t -test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the difference between the two groups. On this basis, 3D-SWE combined with conventional ACR TI-RADS was reclassified as combined ACR TI-RADS to determine benign or malignant thyroid nodules. Of the 112 thyroid nodules, 62 were malignant and 50 were benign. The optimal cut-off value of three-dimensional maximum Young's modulus in coronal plane (3D-C-Emax) was 51.5 kPa and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.798. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of conventional ACR TI-RADS were 0.828, 83.9%, 66.0%, and 75.9%, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of combined ACR TI-RADS were 0.845, 90.3%, 66.0%, and 79.5%, respectively. The difference between the two AUC values was statistically significant. Combined ACR TI-RADS has higher diagnostic efficiency than conventional ACR TI-RADS. The sensitivity and accuracy of combined ACR TI-RADS showed significant improvements. It can be used as an effective method in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Metabolic reprogramming in stromal cells plays an essential role in regulating tumour growth. The metabolic activities of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) are incompletely characterized. Here, we identify TAM-derived factors and their roles in the development of CRC. We demonstrate that ABHD5, a lipolytic co-activator, is ectopically expressed in CRC-associated macrophages. We demonstrate in vitro and in mouse models that macrophage ABHD5 potentiates growth of CRC cells. Mechanistically, ABHD5 suppresses spermidine synthase (SRM)-dependent spermidine production in macrophages by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species-dependent expression of C/EBPɛ, which activates transcription of the srm gene. Notably, macrophage-specific ABHD5 transgene-induced CRC growth in mice can be prevented by an additional SRM transgene in macrophages. Altogether, our results show that the lipolytic factor ABHD5 suppresses SRM-dependent spermidine production in TAMs and potentiates the growth of CRC. The ABHD5/SRM/spermidine axis in TAMs might represent a potential target for therapy. ABHD5 is a co-activator of lipolysis. Here the authors show that in tumour-associated macrophages ABHD5 inhibits ROS-dependent induction of C/EBP ɛ , which transcriptionally activates spermidine synthase, and that blocking ABHD5 delays colorectal cancer growth in mice by inhibiting spermidine production.

Objective Investigating preoperative anxiety and its determinants among patients with gastrointestinal tumors, and assessing the efficacy of dexmedetomidine in improving vital signs among patients with moderate to severe anxiety. Methods A total of 100 patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic gastrointestinal tumor resection were included in the study. Preoperative data were collected, and anxiety levels were assessed. Patients with moderate to severe anxiety were randomly assigned to one of three groups: regular-dose dexmedetomidine (Group D1), low-dose dexmedetomidine (Group D2), and control (Group C). The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate of patients in all three groups were compared at four different time points: upon entering the operating room (T0), during arterial puncture needle insertion (T1), during anesthesia induction (T2), and upon successful insertion of the endotracheal tube (T3). Results The average GAD-7 score among patients was 11.01 ± 3.710, and it correlated with age, level of education, and occupation ( P  < 0.05). Patients with moderate to severe anxiety upon entering the operating room exhibited higher systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate compared to those with mild anxiety ( P  < 0.05). Compared to Group C, both Groups D1 and D2 showed similar systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate at the T0 time point ( P  > 0.05). However, their systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate at time points T1, T2, and T3 were lower than those of Group C ( P  < 0.05). Conclusion Preoperative anxiety levels of patients with gastrointestinal tumors are associated with age, educational background, and occupation. Patients experiencing moderate to severe anxiety tend to exhibit elevated blood pressure and increased heart rate upon entering the operating room. Administering a low dose of dexmedetomidine has been observed to improve the vital signs of such patients with anxiety during arterial puncture and catheterization, anesthesia induction, and tracheal intubation.

Background Acne is a chronic facial disease caused by Propionibacterium acnes , which proliferates within sebum-blocked skin follicles and increases inflammatory cytokine production. Several therapeutic drugs and products have been proposed to treat acne, yet no single treatment that ensures long-term treatment efficacy for all patients is available. Here, we explored the use of facial autologous fat transplant of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to dramatically reduce acne lesions. Methods THP-1 cells were treated with active P. acnes for 24 h at different multiplicities of infection, and alterations in inflammatory factors were detected. To study the effect of THP-1 on inflammasome-related proteins, we first co-cultured ADSCs with THP-1 cells treated with P. acnes and evaluated the levels of these proteins in the supernatant. Further, an acne mouse model injected with ADSCs was used to assess inflammatory changes. Results Propionibacterium acnes- mediated stimulation of THP-1 cells had a direct correlation with the expression of active caspase-1 and interleukin (IL)-1β in an infection-dependent manner. ADSCs significantly reduced the production of IL-1β induced by P. acnes stimulation through the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3)/caspase-1 pathway. The results showed that ADSCs inhibit the skin inflammation induced by P. acnes by blocking the NLRP3 inflammasome via reducing the secretion of IL-1β in vivo. Conclusions Our findings suggest that ADSCs can alter IL-1β secretion by restricting the production of mitochondria ROS, thereby inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway in P. acnes -induced inflammatory responses. This study indicates that anti‐acne therapy can potentially be developed by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Coal mining in the aeolian sandy regions of western China has caused extensive land degradation. Traditional single-component soil amendments have proven inadequate for ecological restoration, underscoring the need for integrated and sustainable strategies to restore soil fertility and vegetation. A pot experiment using alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) evaluated the effects of weathered coal, cow manure, and potassium polyacrylate combined in a three-factor three-level orthogonal design on plant growth, nutrient uptake, and soil properties. Results showed that compared with the control (C0O0P0), amendment treatments significantly increased alfalfa fresh weight (+47.57~107.38%), dry weight (+43.46~104.93%), plant height (+43.46~104.93%), and stem diameter (+12.62~31.52%), along with improved plant phosphorus and potassium concentrations (+15.41~46.65%). Soil fertility was also notably enhanced, with increases in soil organic matter, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) ranging from 4.25% to 777.78%. In contrast, soil pH and bulk density were significantly reduced. The optimal amendment combination was identified as 10 g·kg−1 weathered coal, 5 g·kg−1 cow manure, and 0.6 g·kg−1 potassium polyacrylate. Structural equation modeling revealed that the amendments promoted plant growth both directly by improving soil conditions and indirectly by enhancing nutrient uptake. However, high doses (30 g·kg−1) of weathered coal may inhibit plant growth, and the co-application of high-dose weathered coal or manure with potassium polyacrylate may lead to antagonistic effects. This study provides fundamental insights into soil–plant interactions and proposes a sustainable amendment strategy for improving aeolian sandy soils, which could support future ecological reclamation efforts in coal mining area.

Controlling NOx and CO2 emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs) is receiving increasing attention. Accurate measurement of HDDV NOx and CO2 emissions is the prerequisite for HDDV emission control. Vehicle emission regulations srecommend the measurement of NOx and CO2 emissions from vehicles using an emission analyzer, which is expensive and unsuitable to measure a large number of vehicles in a short time. The on-board diagnostics (OBD) data stream of HDDVs provides great convenience for calculating vehicle NOx and CO2 emissions by providing the engine fuel flow rate, NOx sensor output, and air mass flow. The calculated vehicle NOx and CO2 emissions based on the OBD data were validated by testing a heavy-duty truck’s emissions on the chassis dynamometer over the CHTC-HT driving cycle, showing that the calculated NOx and CO2 emissions based on the OBD data are consistent with the measured results by the emission analyzer. The calculated vehicle fuel consumptions based on the OBD data were close to the calculated results based on the carbon balance method and the measured results by the fuel flowmeter. The experimental results show that accessing vehicle NOx and CO2 emissions based on the OBD data is a convenient and applicable method.

To investigate serum TL1A levels and their correlation with Th17 cells, IL-17, and IL-21 in children with Graves' disease (GD). Thirty-seven children (12 males and 25 females) aged 9-14 years with newly diagnosed and untreated GD were enrolled in this study. Serum TL1A, IL-17, and IL-21 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was determined by flow cytometry. The correlation between serum TL1A levels and Th17 cells, IL-17, and IL-21 was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Serum TL1A levels and the percentage of Th17 cells were significantly higher in children with GD compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). Serum IL-17 and IL-21 levels were also significantly elevated in GD patients (P<0.05). Serum TL1A levels positively correlated with the percentage of Th17 cells (r=0.625, P<0.05), IL-17 (r=0.573, P<0.05), and IL-21 (r=0.542, P<0.05) in children with GD. Serum TL1A levels are increased in children with GD and positively correlate with Th17 cells, IL-17, and IL-21, suggesting that TL1A may play a role in the pathogenesis of GD by regulating Th17 cell differentiation and the production of IL-17 and IL-21.

Plant specialization and pollination network structure play important roles in community assembly. Floral traits can mediate plant–pollinator interactions and thus have important impacts on nestedness and modularity of pollination network. When such traits are phylogenetically conserved, therefore, phylogeny and traits should predict network structure to similar degrees. Moreover, conserved network structures were also found attributed to pollination syndrome or pollination system. However, we still know little about the relation between pollination syndrome and pollination network, especially under a phylogenetic framework. Herein, we established a phylogenetic framework including five floral traits (flower density, floral size, floral shape, floral symmetry, and floral color) and five species-level metrics (species strength, weighted closeness, specialization d ’, nestedness contribution, and modularity contribution) to test how floral traits could directly or indirectly influence species’ specialization and network structure in central China. Phylogenetic signals were found in all floral traits except flower density. Structural equation model and phylogenetic structural equation model results showed that both floral size and floral density affected plant specialization and its contribution to network modularity indirectly. However, compared with phylogenetic independent flower density, phylogenetic conserved floral size had much more complexed influences, having a direct influence both on species’ specialization and on modularity contribution. In this nested and modular network, abundant species with larger flowers tend to be more central and had larger values of z . Floral shape, symmetry, and color could act as co-flowering filters in pollination sharing and help to shape network modularity. Our results emphasize that phylogenetically conserved traits partially represent pollination syndrome and are important drivers for modular structure of local pollination network. This study may improve the understanding how the evolutionary history and ecological process drive local network structure and dynamics.