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Tumor therapy resistance presents a significant challenge in cancer treatment. Although substantial strides have been made in the domains of early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions within contemporary medicine, a considerable proportion of patients inevitably encounter resistance to treatment, culminating in therapeutic inefficacy and unfavorable clinical outcomes. Typically, such resistance is exhibited by tumor cells acquiring refractoriness to radiotherapy, chemotherapeutic drugs, targeted agents, and immunotherapeutic modalities. Accumulating data in recent years have increasingly implicated interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pivotal mediator of inflammatory responses, in not only the initiation, advancement, metastatic behavior, and immune escape of tumors but also in the promotion of resistance to various oncologic treatments. This review delineates current findings concerning the involvement of IL-6 in tumor-related therapeutic applications, with emphasis on its impact on prognosis, therapeutic resistance, and potential treatment pathways, aiming to facilitate the strategic integration of IL-6 in the refinement of cancer treatment approaches.

Orf virus is a globally distributed zoonotic pathogen that mainly infects sheep and goats, although cases of human infection have been occasionally reported. In this study, we reported a rare case of human infection with Orf virus in China. A 66-year-old shepherd in Jining City of Shandong Province, China, presented to the hospital with multiple purulent nodules on his right arm, left wrist, and jaw that had developed over the last 8 days. About 20 days before admission, he had come into direct contact with infected sheep. Infection with the Orf virus was diagnosed based on amplification and analysis of the viral B2L gene, which exhibited the highest nucleotide identity (99.46%) to an Orf virus strain from Russia but was relatively distant from other Orf strains from China. The F1L gene was also recovered, although it had lower identity (98.71%) to the China strains. Our results imply that clinicians in China need to stay alert for Orf infection in humans to ensure accurate and prompt diagnosis, especially in endemic areas.

The specific air jet of a diffuser is formed by the complex internal structure, which affects the outlet airflow distribution of the diffuser directly and the indoor environment distribution indirectly. If the diffusers are developed based on their actual geometry structure and their boundary conditions are set as their inlet flowrate, the simulated indoor temperature distribution will be more accurate. However, it is noted that many problems may arise, such as model complexity, many grid cells, and slow convergence of calculations. Therefore, this paper focuses on a simplified method for four-way square diffusers in a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of indoor non-uniform temperature distribution. Firstly, the airflow distribution is simulated on the outlet air supply cross-section of the diffuser. Then, according to the outflow characteristics of the diffuser, the diffuser model is simplified and simulated in an experimental room. Finally, the temperature distribution at the 1.2 m height plane is obtained from CFD simulation and compared with the experimental results. The results show that the 68-point air supply opening model can well simulate the effects of the outlet airflow distribution of the diffuser, and the simulated indoor temperature distribution meets the experiment results well. The deviations for three scenarios are between −7.4~1.7% and the average deviation is −3.0%, while the root mean square error of temperature for three scenarios is 0.7 °C, 0.7 °C, and 1.0 °C, respectively. The results also demonstrate the mutual influence of the airflow from different diffusers and the indoor non-uniform temperature distribution under the action of multiple diffusers. The proposed method can contribute to balancing the model complexity and the accuracy in CFD simulation, especially for multiple diffusers in the room.

This paper proposes a meta-modeling workflow to forecast the cooling and heating loads of buildings at individual and district levels in the early design stage. Seven input variables, with large impacts on building loads, are selected for designing meta-models to establish the MySQL database. The load profiles of office, commercial, and hotel models are simulated with EnergyPlus in batches. A sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) model based on the deep-learning method of a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) is introduced to achieve rapid forecasting of all-year hourly building loads. The method performs well with the load effective hour rate (LEHR) of around 90% and MAPE less than 10%. Finally, this meta-modeling workflow is applied to a district as a case study in Shanghai, China. The forecasting results well match the actual loads with R2 of 0.9978 and 0.9975, respectively, for the heating and cooling load. The LEHR value of all-year hourly forecasting loads is 98.4%, as well as an MAPE of 4.4%. This meta-modeling workflow expands the applicability of building-physics-based methods and improves the time resolution of conventional data-driven methods. It shows small forecasting errors and fast computing speed while meeting the required precision and convenience of engineering in the building early design stage.

IntroductionMosquitoes are major vectors of various human pathogenic viruses, posing a significant and evolving public health threat. This is particularly true for China’s Shandong Province, which documented its northernmost local dengue fever outbreak in 2017, highlighting its vulnerability to sustained mosquito-borne disease transmission. In the context of the lack of universal vaccines, enhancing surveillance to inform precision control is critical. This study aims to characterize the population dynamics, seasonal patterns, and long-term trends of vector mosquitoes in Shandong Province from 2018 to 2024, thereby generating actionable evidence for targeted prevention strategies.MethodsMosquito surveillance data collected across Shandong Province from 2018 to 2024 were systematically analyzed. The composition of mosquito vector assemblages was quantified and applied an integrated analytical framework: Degree of seasonal aggregation of mosquito populations were quantified using the concentration method, and peak timing, along with peak activity periods, was determined through circular statistical analysis. And the Joinpoint regression model was used to evaluate long-term trends in abundance and identify significant changes over the study period.ResultsDuring the entire research period, Culex pipiens pallens was the predominant species in the monitoring work conducted in Shandong Province. From 2018 to 2024, the overall concentration degree of mosquito density in Shandong Province was M = 0.737, with γ = 0.722 (p < 0.05). The population peak occurred on July 30, and the peak activity period extended from June 13 to September 15. Significant regional variation was observed. The peak day occurred earliest in Linyi City, while Weihai recorded the latest peak day. From a long-term perspective, the province’s mosquito density exhibited a non-significant downward trend. Significant divergence in trends was observed between cities: Jinan, Yantai and Liaocheng exhibited marked decreases, whereas Weihai, Rizhao and Linyi showed significant increases.ConclusionsVector mosquito populations in Shandong Province show distinct seasonal, with peak activity concentrated from mid-June to mid-September. Culex pipiens pallens was the dominant species. And regarding long-term trends, variations exist in mosquito density across cities within Shandong. These findings highlight the need for region-specific control measures and sustained surveillance to support precise prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.

This paper proposes a decentralized cooling system combined with a traditional computer room air conditioning unit and server-level heat pipe exchangers for thermal environment optimization in a data center. Two cooling strategies, with heat exchangers installed above and below the servers respectively, are proposed and compared with the original CRACs system in terms of thermal environment. The simulation results of the original data center model are in good agreement with the on-site measurement results, and thus its reliability can be validated. The results show that a decentralized cooling system can effectively improve the thermal environment in data centers. To obtain the highest cooling efficiency, altogether 18 cases, where heat pipe exchangers were installed at different locations and heights, are analyzed and compared. The results show that the thermal environment is optimal when heat pipe exchangers are installed 0.01 m below each server. The local hotspot temperature is reduced by 6.8 °C, and the temperature distribution of the rack is the most uniform, which can effectively reduce the heat accumulation in data centers.

This study examined three different approaches to reduce the heating cost while maintaining indoor thermal comfort at acceptable levels in an educational office building, including decentralized (DDRC) and centralized demand response control (CDRR) and limiting peak demand. The results showed that although all these approaches did not affect the indoor air temperature significantly, the DDRC method could adjust the heating set point to between 20–24.5 °C. The DDRC approach reached heating cost savings of up to 5% while controlling space heating temperature without sacrificing the thermal comfort. The CDRC of space heating had limited potential in heating cost savings (1.5%), while the indoor air temperature was in the acceptable range. Both the DDRC and CDRC alternatives can keep the thermal comfort at good levels during the occupied time. Depending on the district heating provider, applying peak demand limiting of 35% can not only achieve 13.6% maximum total annual district heating cost saving but also maintain the thermal comfort level, while applying that of 43% can further save 16.9% of the cost, but with sacrificing a little thermal comfort. This study shows that demand response on heating energy only benefited from the decentralized control alternative, and the district heating-based peak demand limiting has significant potential for saving heating costs.

In response to the call for global carbon peaking and neutrality, this study mainly focuses on the comparison of energy-related carbon emissions and the performance of two promising heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning technologies (a ground source heat pump (GSHP) and cogeneration systems) over both short (2021–2030) and long (2031–2050) periods, considering the UK decarbonization plans. The simulation model of the building with the GSHP system is validated by the actual building heating energy data in 2020 and 2021, with yearly deviations of only 0.4–0.5%. The results show that the cogeneration system performed better than the GSHP system in a scenario when there was no electricity decarbonization plan in the future. However, under all of the MARKet ALlocation (MARKAL) scenarios, the GSHP system performed much better than the cogeneration system in terms of carbon reduction in both periods, which can achieve 47.8–84.4% and maximum 97.5% carbon emission savings in short and long-term periods, respectively, compared with the cogeneration system. Due to the truth that electricity decarbonization plans will be optimized and executed in the future, the GSHP system is more promising and recommended compared with cogeneration system in both short- and long-term periods in terms of only decarbonization potentials (e.g., reducing carbon emission and achieving carbon-related environmental protection).

Abstract Background Problems with cognitive function are found in many major psychiatric disorders. In schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they are among the core symptoms. Based on a growing recognition that there is little diagnostic specificity for any single cognitive impairment, there is an increasing emphasis on investigating impairments across psychiatric disorders. This approach, which is consistent with the NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative, is expected to lead to a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in cognitive deficits. An increase in neuronal background noise has been identified as a neuronal correlate of inattention. Because the dopamine system has been found to play a critical role in modulating neuronal noise, dopamine dysfunction may play a substantial role in generating the excessive noise that has been found to characterize information processing in both schizophrenia and ADHD. This issue can be studied noninvasively via electrophysiological examination of the retina, a distinct neural network. Both basic research and human studies indicate that retinal information processing is under strong dopaminergic modulation (Bubl, Biol. Psychiatry, 2010; Bubl, Br J Psychiatry, 2012). We have previously demonstrated an elevated level of background noise at a very early stage in visual information processing in untreated patients with ADHD (Bubl, Plos One, 2015). Moreover, background noise was associated with inattention measures in these subjects. To further address the hypothesis that elevated retinal noise reflects dopaminergic dysfunction, we report here on a new study that compared retinal background noise in patients with ADHD both before and after therapy, as well as in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Neuronal noise was assessed using pattern electroretinogram (PERG), an objective electrophysiological measure for retinal network function from the photoreceptors to the retinal ganglion cells. A total of 20 patients diagnosed with ADHD were tested both before and after treatment with methylphenidate (MPH). The control group consisted of 21 healthy subjects. The PERGs were recorded in a steady state mode in response to checkerboard stimuli of 12 reversals/s. Data collection with people with schizophrenia is ongoing, and results will be reported at SIRS. Results Before treatment, the patients with ADHD presented with elevated background noise (higher by 127%) in comparison to the control group. After treatment, noise level did not differ from what was observed in the control group. Retinal background noise was found to be highly correlated with the severity of the ADHD symptoms. The results will be discussed in relationship to our findings in patients with schizophrenia. Discussion These data provide further evidence for the hypothesis that elevated background noise is linked to ADHD and cognitive deficits. The findings are of special relevance because ADHD is a disorder with a dedicated treatment option for cognitive symptoms. Interestingly, a similar pathophysiological mechanism for cognitive dysfunction has been proposed for both schizophrenia and ADHD. However, because ADHD medications, such as MPH, typically elevate dopamine levels, potentially leading to exacerbation of psychotic symptoms, different approaches for treating cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia need to be explored. On this basis, current approaches used to target neuronal noise and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia will be discussed and their relevance for future research will be addressed.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is by far the most common autoimmune blistering dermatosis that mainly occurs in the elderly. The BP180 is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which is highly immunodominant in BP. The structure and location of BP180 indicate that it is a significant autoantigen and plays a key role in blister formation. Autoantibodies from BP patients react with BP180, which leads to its degradation and this has been regarded as the central event in BP pathogenesis. The consequent blister formation involves the activation of complement-dependent or -independent signals, as well as inflammatory pathways induced by BP180/anti-BP180 autoantibody interaction. As a multi-epitope molecule, BP180 can cause dermal-epidermal separation combining each epitope with specific immunoglobulin, which also facilitates blister formation. In addition, some inflammatory factors can directly deplete BP180, thereby leading to fragility of the dermal-epidermal junction and blister formation. This review summarizes recent investigations on the role of BP180 in BP pathogenesis to determine the potential targets for the treatment of patients with BP.