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Obesity has been recognized as a global epidemic by WHO, followed by many empirical evidences to prove its infectiousness. However, the inter-person spreading dynamics of obesity are seldom studied. A distinguishing feature of the obesity epidemic is that it is driven by a social contagion process which cannot be perfectly described by the infectious disease models. In this paper, we propose a novel belief decision model based on the famous Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence to model obesity epidemic as the competing spread of two obesity-related behaviors: physical inactivity and physical activity. The transition of health states is described by an SIS model. Results reveal the existence of obesity epidemic threshold, above which obesity is quickly eradicated. When increasing the fading level of information spread, enlarging the clustering of initial obese seeds, or introducing small-world characteristics into the network topology, the threshold is easily met. Social discrimination against the obese people plays completely different roles in two cases: on one hand, when obesity cannot be eradicated, social discrimination can reduce the number of obese people; on the other hand, when obesity is eradicable, social discrimination may instead cause it breaking out.

Background An increasing number of individuals undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA), which can result in pain, limited motor function and adverse complications such as infection, nausea and vomiting. Glucocorticoids have been shown anti-inflammatory and antiemetic effects, but can also elevate blood glucose levels and increase the risk of wound infection. Thus, it is essential to investigate the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoid usage in TKA. Method A comprehensive systematic search of PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane databases, to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of glucocorticoid application in TKA. The primary outcomes assessed were the postoperative pain assessment. Secondary outcomes included the range of motion in knee joint, levels of inflammatory cytokines, adverse complications, and the length of hospital stay. Results Thirty-six randomized controlled trials were included in the final analysis. The glucocorticoid group exhibited significant reduction in the resting VAS scores on postoperative days 1, 2 (POD1, 2)and postoperative 3 months (POM3), as well as decreased morphine consumption on POD1 and increased range of motion (ROM) in knee joint on POD1, 3. Additionally, the glucocorticoid group exhibited decreased levels of postoperative inflammatory cytokines and the incidence of PONV along with a shorter length of hospital stay. The blood glucose concentration was significantly increased in the glucocorticoid group on POD1 compared with the control group. While the blood glucose on POD2 and occurrence of postoperative adverse complications were similar between two groups including wound infection and venous thrombosis. The periarticular injection analgesia (PIA) group demonstrated lower VAS scores on POD2 comparing to the systemic administration (SA) group according to two studies. However, there was no significant difference of the resting VAS on POD1 and POD2 between PIA and SA group across all studies. Conclusion Perioperative glucocorticoids treatment in TKA significantly reduced short-term pain score and opioid-use which was probably not patient relevant. The application of glucocorticoids in TKA implied a beneficial trend in analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiemetic effects, as well as improved range of motion and shortened hospital stay. While it will not increase the risk of continued high glucose, postoperative wound infection and venous thrombosis.

With global climate change, atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and drought have been well documented to cause substantial challenges for tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests. Here, we conducted an experiment that measured the physiological responses of the seedlings of three dominant tree species ( Tabebuia chrysantha , Elaeocarpus sylvestris , and Bischofia javanica ) of the evergreen broad-leaved forests in South China under control (CT), drought stress (D), N addition (N), and drought stress plus N addition (N+D). We found that N addition significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content, abscisic acid (ABA) content, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), but significantly increased the content of proline (PRO), and the activities of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), and glutamine synthetase (GS) in the three species under D. Meanwhile, we also found that under drought conditions, N addition promoted the leaf transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g s ), and light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (A max ) of the three species. These results indicate that N addition can enhance the drought tolerance of the three species by osmotic adjustment and protecting the photosystem. However, the enhancement in A max and E will cause plants to face more severe drought conditions, especially B. javanica (large tree species). This study helps to explain why the evergreen broad-leaved forests in South China are gradually degrading to shrublands in recent decades.

Emerging evidence links perturbations in the microbiome to neurodegeneration in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to surgical stress. In this study, we attempted to identify preoperative differences intestinal microbiota (IM) and barrier function between pAD [prodromal AD: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and aMCI] patients and normal neurocognition (NC) patients. Additionally, the potential associations between IM and barrier function, inflammation, and the clinical characteristics of pAD were evaluated. Eighty elderly patients scheduled to undergo orthopedic surgery were consecutively enrolled and grouped as NC, SCD, and aMCI following neuropsychological assessment. IM was determined by 16S rRNA MiSeq sequencing, and PICRUSt was used to predict functional shifts in IM. Furthermore, we investigated the association between IM and plasma claudin-1, occludin, LPS, systemic inflammatory cytokines, neuropsychological assessment, and clinical characteristics. There was a lower Chao1 index in the SCD group (P = 0.004) and differences in beta diversity among the three groups (PCA: P = 0.026, PCoA: P= 0.004). The relative abundance of  was higher in the SCD group (P = 0.016, P = 0.008), and  were more enriched in the aMCI group than in the SCD group (P= 0.026). At the family level, the total abundance of Gram-negative bacteria was higher in the SCD group than in the aMCI group (P = 0.047), and the family was detected at lower levels in the SCD and aMCI groups than in the NC group (P= 0.039). At the genus level, the eleven short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria exhibited differences among the three groups. PICRUSt analysis showed that the pathways involved in SCFA catabolism, biosynthesis, and adherent junctions were reduced in SCD patients, and lipid synthesis proteins were reduced in pAD patients. Meanwhile, elevated plasma LPS and CRP were observed in SCD patients, and higher plasma occludin in aMCI patients. The IM was correlated with plasma claudin-1, LPS, inflammatory factors, neuropsychological assessment, and clinical characteristics. The intestines of SCD and aMCI patients preoperatively exhibited IM dysbiosis and barrier dysfunction, and elevated plasma LPS and CRP were observed in SCD patients.

Background Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a significant complication in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The role of the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) as a predictor of CIN and mortality in these patients remains unclear and warrants investigation. Objective To assess the relationship between SHR and CIN, as well as its impact on short-term mortality in ACS patients undergoing PCI. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the MIMIC-IV database, including 552 ACS patients. SHR was calculated as the ratio of admission glucose to estimated average glucose from hemoglobin A1c. CIN was defined as a ≥ 0.5 mg/dL or ≥ 25% increase in serum creatinine within 48 h of PCI. Logistic regression and spline models were used to analyze the association between SHR and CIN, while Kaplan–Meier curves assessed 30-day mortality. Results Higher SHR levels were independently associated with increased CIN risk (OR 2.36, 95% CI: 1.56–3.57, P  < 0.0001). A J-shaped relationship was observed, with CIN risk rising sharply when SHR exceeded 1.06. SHR was also a predictor of higher 30-day mortality ( P  < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis revealed a stronger SHR-CIN association in non-diabetic patients. Conclusion SHR is an independent predictor of CIN and short-term mortality in ACS patients undergoing PCI. It offers potential for risk stratification and clinical decision-making, especially in non-diabetic patients.

Lithium-ion capacitors are envisaged as promising energy-storage devices to simultaneously achieve a large energy density and high-power output at quick charge and discharge rates. However, the mismatched kinetics between capacitive cathodes and faradaic anodes still hinder their practical application for high-power purposes. To tackle this problem, the electron and ion transport of both electrodes should be substantially improved by targeted structural design and controllable chemical doping. Herein, nitrogen-enriched graphene frameworks are prepared via a large-scale and ultrafast magnesiothermic combustion synthesis using CO2 and melamine as precursors, which exhibit a crosslinked porous structure, abundant functional groups and high electrical conductivity (10524 S m−1). The material essentially delivers upgraded kinetics due to enhanced ion diffusion and electron transport. Excellent capacities of 1361 mA h g−1 and 827 mA h g−1 can be achieved at current densities of 0.1 A g−1 and 3 A g−1, respectively, demonstrating its outstanding lithium storage performance at both low and high rates. Moreover, the lithium-ion capacitor based on these nitrogen-enriched graphene frameworks displays a high energy density of 151 Wh kg−1, and still retains 86 Wh kg−1 even at an ultrahigh power output of 49 kW kg−1. This study reveals an effective pathway to achieve synergistic kinetics in carbon electrode materials for achieving high-power lithium-ion capacitors.A large-scale and ultrafast combustion synthesis using CO2 as feedstock is demonstrated for the fabrication of nitrogen-enriched graphene frameworks (NGF) with high electrical conductivity, which delivers an upgraded kinetics due to the enhanced ion diffusion and electron transport. Lithium-ion capacitors based on NGF as both cathode and anode exhibit a high gravimetric energy density of 151 Wh kg−1 and power output of 49 kW kg−1. This study reveals an effective pathway to achieve synergistic kinetics in electrode materials for high-performance electrochemical energy storage.

The above and below-ground biomass (AGB and BGB) relationship is often used to assess the impact of biotic and abiotic effects on the growth and development of individual plants. The AGB and BGB relationship of the same tree species in different habitats can change significantly because of environmental stress. To investigate how the tree size, the biomass allocation and BGB/AGB ratio of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit varied according to spacing and mixed plant patterns in a valley-type savanna of southwest China, we examined the growth of L. leucocephala, and sampled 23 individuals for biomass measurement in each of four treatments (close/wide spacing of Leucaena leucocephala monocultures, mixed plantation of Leucaena leucocephala and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and mixed plantation of Leucaena leucocephala and Eucalyptus citriodora), and then determined the regression relationships between AGB and BGB of L. leucocephala in different plant stands. Our results indicated that mixed planting significantly reduced all growth metrics for the tree sizes of L. leucocephala and increased the value of BGB/AGB. Changing plant spacing in monocultures had a significant impact on AGB and TB (Total Biomass) of L. leucocephala, but it had no significant effect on the other metrics. Within mixed plant schemes, L. leucocephala significantly reduced the biomass allocation to leaves and small roots and increased the allocation to coarse root biomass. There were no significant differences in tree size and biomass allocation of L. leucocephala between different spacing regimes in monocultures or between different mixtures in mixed plant stands. The correlation between BGB and AGB of L. leucocephala in all plant stands was consistent with the model of allometric growth, and AGB can be used to accurately estimate BGB. Interestingly, the correlations were not exactly the same. BGB and AGB in monoculture showed isometric growth, and their values in mixed plant stands showed allometric growth. BGB also increased faster than AGB. The findings indicated that L. leucocephala allocated more biomass to the root system when it was planted with Eucalyptus.

Adductor canal block (ACB) is commonly used for postoperative analgesia after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). However, the comparative benefits of single-injection ACB (SACB) versus continuous ACB (CACB) remain unclear. In our retrospective cohort study, patients undergoing unilateral, primary UKA were allocated to group CACB or group SACB from January 2016 to December 2023. The primary outcome was the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Secondary outcomes included the additional analgesic therapy, activity score, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), complications, and length of stay (LOS). After 1:1 propensity score matching based on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and preoperative pain score, 35 patients were included in each group (SACB and CACB). At 24 hours postoperatively, the SACB group had a slightly higher VAS pain score compared with the CACB group, though this difference was not statistically significant. The Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) activity score was significantly higher in the SACB group ( = 0.02), and the LOS was significantly shorter by approximately 3 days compared to the CACB group ( < 0.001). No significant differences were found between groups in terms of additional analgesic therapy, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), PONV, or complications. CACB did not significantly reduce postoperative pain or improve functional outcomes over three months after UKA compared to SACB. However, SACB was associated with improved immediate postoperative mobility and a shorter LOS, suggesting potential benefits for early recovery.

Evaluating variations in reproductive traits and the response of the variations to geo‐climate conditions are essential for understanding the persistence, evolution, and range dynamics of plant populations. However, there are insufficient studies to attempt to analyze the importance of geo‐climate factors in explaining within‐ or among‐population variation in reproductive traits. We examined 14 traits for 2671 cones of Pinus yunnanensis collected from nine populations in the mountains of Southwest China to characterize the patterns of phenotypic variation of traits and estimate environmental effects on these trait performances and trait variation. We found the contribution of intrapopulation variation to the overall variation was greater than the interpopulation variation and the larger coefficients of variation for the populations lying at the edge of northern and southern regions. Climatic variables are more important than geographical and tree size variables in their relationships to cone and seed traits. Populations in more humid and warmer climate expressed greater cone and seed weight and seed number but lower seed abortion rate, while the larger coefficients of variation in seed weight and number were detected in northern and southern marginal regions with drier or colder climate. Our study illustrates that intraspecific trait variation should be considered when examining plant species response to changing climate and suggests that the high variability rather than high quality of seed traits in the marginal regions with drier or colder climate might foster plant‐population persistence in stressful conditions.

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is associated with neuroinflammation by triggering the systemic inflammatory responses. Related studies have demonstrated that ulinastatin, which is a urinary trypsin inhibitor, inhibited the release of inflammatory mediators and improved postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing major surgery. However, there are controversial results put forwarded by some studies. This systemic review aimed to evaluate the effect of ulinastatin on POCD in elderly patients undergoing surgery. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Ovid to find relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ulinastatin on POCD in elderly patients undergoing surgery. The primary outcomes included the incidence of POCD and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. The secondary outcome was the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, S100β, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10. RevMan 5.3 was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Results: Ten RCTs were included finally. Compared with controls, ulinastatin significantly reduced the incidence of POCD [risk ratio (RR) = 0.29, 95% CI 0.21–0.41, test of RR = 1: Z = 7.05, p < 0.00001]. In addition, patients in the ulinastatin group have lower levels of TNF-α, S100β, CRP, and IL-6 and higher level of IL-10 in serum following surgery. Conclusion: These findings suggested that ulinastatin can be used as an anti-inflammatory drug for POCD prevention in elderly patients undergoing surgery. Systematic Review Registration Number: CRD42019137449.