Explore the vast range of titles available.

Variable-diameter deployable carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites possess deformation and load-bearing functions and are composed of stiff-flexible coupled preforms and matrix. The stiff-flexible coupled preform, serving as the reinforcing structure, directly determines the deployable properties, and its forming technology is currently a research challenge. This paper designs a braiding and needle-punching (BNP) composite preform forming technology suitable for stiff-flexible coupled preforms. Before forming, the preform is partitioned into flexible and rigid zones, with braiding and needle-punching performed layer by layer in the respective zones. A retractable rotating device is developed to form the stiff-flexible coupled preform, achieving a diameter variation rate of up to 26.6% for the BNP preform. A structural parameter model is also established to describe the geometric parameter changes in the deformation and load-bearing areas of the preform during deployment as a function of the braiding angle. Based on experiments, this paper explains the performance changes of BNP composites concerning the structural parameters of the preform. Experimental analysis shows that as the braiding angle increases, the tensile performance of BNP composites significantly decreases, with the change rate of tensile strength first decreasing and then increasing. Additionally, when the braiding angle is less than 21.89°, the impact toughness of BNP composites remains within the range of 83.66 ± 2 kJ/m 2 . However, when the braiding angle exceeds 21.89°, the impact toughness of BNP composites gradually decreases with increasing braiding angle. Furthermore, a hybrid agent model based on Latin hypercube sampling and error back-propagation neural network is developed to predict the tensile and impact properties of BNP composites with different structural parameters, with maximum test relative errors of 1.89% for tensile strength and 2.37% for impact toughness.

Background and Aims. Psychological disorders are prevalent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to study whether electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (MB) can improve anxiety behavior in DSS-induced colitis mice and to investigate whether this effect is related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Methods. The colitis model was established by drinking 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). DSS-induced colitis mice were treated by EA or MB. Disease activity index (DAI) was scored; intestinal morphological and pathological structure was observed; anxiety behavior was tested by the elevated plus maze and open field. The concentration of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol (CORT) in serum was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The protein expression of CRH in the colon and hypothalamus was detected by Western blot (WB). Results. Both EA and MB treatments can improvethe morphology of their distal colonic mucosal epithelia, as well as the disease activity index. Meanwhile, anxiety behavior in colitis mice was improved slightly after EA and MB treatment. In addition, the levels of CRH and CORT in the serum were slightly improved after EA and MB treatment. These effects are further supported by WB results. The expression of CRH in the colon and hypothalamus was increased significantly after treatment, compared with the model group. Conclusion. EA and MB were able to regulate the concentration of CRH in serum and protein expression in the peripheral and central at different levels and promote the recovery of the HPA axis that may be the basis for EA and MB to improve colonic pathology and alleviate anxiety behavior in DSS-induced colitis.

Previous studies have confirmed that acupuncture and moxibustion is an effective way for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the exact mechanism is unclear yet. In this study, DSS-induced UC mice were treated by electroacupuncture and moxibustion, and the genome of intestinal flora was subsequently detected by high-throughput sequencing in order to explore the detailed mechanism in terms of intestinal flora. The results indicated that the alpha diversity indices and beta diversity of intestinal flora were improved by electroacupuncture and moxibustion treatments, especially by the moxibustion treatment. These treatments inhibited Streptococcus, Odoribacter, and Allobaculum whereas it facilitated Lactobacillus on genus level. Further correlation analysis showed that the alpha diversity indices were positively correlated with the percentage of Treg cells in CD4+ cells but negatively correlated with the percentage of Th17 in CD4+ cells. These data indicated that both electroacupuncture and moxibustion can promote the intestinal flora diversity, providing a new view to understand the relationship between host and microbiome when using some external therapies.

Objectives. To study the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion on the hippocampus astrocyte and microglia activation in the ulcerative colitis model and to evaluate the mitochondria activity. Methods. 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mice were treated by EA or moxibustion. Intestinal pathological structure was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining; the expression of GFAP or S100b (markers for astrocyte), Iba-1 (a marker for microglia), and Mitofilin (a marker for mitochondria) in hippocampus was detected by immunofluorescence staining or western blot. Results. The results demonstrated that both EA and moxibustion could improve the morphology of distal colonic mucosal epithelia in DSS-induced colitis mice. Expression of GFAP in the hippocampus was significantly increased after EA or moxibustion treatment. The effects were further supported by WB results. Meanwhile, expression of mitofilin in the hippocampus CA1 and CA3 regions showed the same trend as that of GFAP. Expression of Iba-1 in the hippocampus showed no significant difference after EA or moxibustion treatment, while the state of microglia changed from resting in control mice to activated state in colitis mice. Conclusion. EA and moxibustion were able to modulate the activation of astrocyte, microglial, and mitochondria in the hippocampus area in the colitis model.

Aim. To investigate the relationship between the effects of electroacupuncture/moxibustion and the balance of Th17/Treg in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) and to preliminary compare the effects of the above two methods. Methods. DSS-induced UC mice were treated by electroacupuncture and moxibustion. Disease activity index (DAI) was scored; intestinal pathological structure and ultrastructure were observed. The levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, and TGF-β in plasma were measured by ELISA. The percentages of Treg and Th17 in spleen lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Also, the expressions of TLR2, TLR4, RORγt, and FOXP3 in the distal colon were detected by immunohistochemistry or western blot. Results. Both electroacupuncture and moxibustion can relieve UC. These effects are further supported by ELISA results. In addition, the ratio of Treg and Th17 in spleen lymphocytes and the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 are significantly improved. Also, the expression of RORγt and FOXP3 in distal colon were improved. Besides, the effect of moxibustion is better than that of electroacupuncture on TLR2, TLR4, and FOXP3 expression (P<0.05). Conclusion. Both electroacupuncture and moxibustion may ameliorate UC by regulating the balance of Th17/Treg. Whether moxibustion has better efficacy than electroacupuncture needs further study.

Background Depression is associated with smoking and inflammation. However, whether inflammation and metabolic insulin resistance mediate the relationship between smoking and depression remains unclear. Methods We analyzed 15,391 participants from the 2005–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), representing approximately 92,321,194 individuals in the USA. Data on depressive symptoms (assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), smoking (assessed via smoking questionnaire), and Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and metabolic insulin resistance score (METS-IR) were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of smoking on all-cause mortality among individuals with depressive symptoms was assessed. Results Weighted logistic regression analysis showed that current smoking was significantly associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 2.46–3.69, P  < 0.001), with consistent findings across subgroups. Weighted generalized linear regression indicated that smoking upregulates SII and METS-IR levels. Specifically, current smokers had SII and METS-IR levels 86.1 (95% CI: 67.5–104.8) and 0.01 (95% CI: 0.005–0.02) units higher than never-smokers, respectively. Restricted cubic spline models demonstrated nonlinear dose-response relationships between SII, METS-IR, and depressive symptom severity ( P for nonlinear < 0.05). SII and METS-IR mediated 0.69% and 0.86% of the relationship between smoking and depressive symptoms, respectively. Lastly, smoking appeared to increase all-cause mortality in individuals with depressive symptoms. Conclusions The positive association between smoking and depressive symptoms is partly mediated by SII and METS-IR. Smoking cessation may alleviate depressive symptoms and improve survival in individuals with depressive symptoms.

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been demonstrated to be associated with various types of cancer, but its specific relationship with kidney cancer remains inconclusive. Therefore, this study conducts a Meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the potential link between metabolic syndrome and the risk of kidney cancer development. Methods Observational studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers extracted study characteristics and assessed the quality of the studies. A random-effects model was employed to account for heterogeneity, and subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the impact of study characteristics on the results. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot symmetry and Egger’s regression test. Results Six studies were included, with 10 results extracted for the Meta-analysis. The findings indicated that MetS is an independent risk factor for kidney cancer (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.31–1.59, P  < 0.001). Heterogeneity between studies was significant (Cochran’s Q test, P  < 0.001; I 2  = 83.7%), indicating substantial variability. Subgroup analyses revealed consistent associations across gender, follow-up duration, and MetS diagnostic criteria ( P  > 0.05), but significant variations by race and study design ( P  < 0.05). The funnel plot appeared symmetrical, and Egger’s regression test ( P  = 0.425) confirmed a low risk of publication bias. Conclusion MetS is independently associated with an increased susceptibility to RCC in the adult population, although the strength of this association varies across different study designs and regions due to the observed heterogeneity.

Background Capecitabine (CAP) is widely used in cancer treatment for its oral convenience and tumor targeting. However, its effectiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is suboptimal, possibly due to metabolic enzyme expression differences. This study aims to analyze these enzymes’ expression differences and explore their correlation with clinical pathological factors, to inform personalized CAP treatment. Methods This retrospective study used Immunohistochemistry (IHC) to analyze tumor and non-tumorous samples from HCC patients for CAP metabolic enzyme expression. PRM protein quantification was performed on 10% of samples to validate IHC results. Clinical and pathological data were collected, and multivariable linear regression was used to identify independent risk factors. Results This study analyzed 60 HCC patients with hepatitis B and cirrhosis, revealing significant differences in CAP metabolic enzymes expression between tumor and non-tumorous tissues, with greater individual differences in tumors. Cytidine deaminase (CDA) levels in tumors decreased as liver function deteriorated ( P  = 0.023), while thymidine phosphorylase (TP) levels increased ( P  < 0.001). Tumor tissue had lower levels of carboxylesterase 1–2 (CES1-2), CDA, and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) but higher TP levels than non-tumorous and normal liver tissues. In tumor tissue, CDA (CV: 118.70%, SD: 3.897) and CES2 (CV: 94.90%, SD: 2.910) showed the greatest individual variability. Multivariable linear regression identified independent risk factors affecting CAP metabolic enzyme expression. Conclusion This study has found significant variability in the expression of CAP metabolic enzymes across individuals and tissues. Developing a treatment flowchart based on metabolic enzymes provides a foundation for personalized HCC treatment and enhances the effectiveness of CAP therapy. Clinical Trial Number : Not applicable.

Endometrial carcinoma remains a public health concern with a growing incidence, particularly in younger women. Preserving fertility is a crucial consideration in the management of early-onset endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEEC), particularly in patients under 40 who maintain both reproductive desire and capacity. To illuminate the molecular characteristics of EEEC, we undertook a large-scale multi-omics study of 215 patients with endometrial carcinoma, including 81 with EEEC. We reveal an unexpected association between exposome-related mutational signature and EEEC, characterized by specific CTNNB1 and SIGLEC10 hotspot mutations and disruption of downstream pathways. Interestingly, SIGLEC10 Q144K mutation in EEECs resulted in aberrant SIGLEC-10 protein expression and promoted progestin resistance by interacting with estrogen receptor alpha. We also identified potential protein biomarkers for progestin response in fertility-sparing treatment for EEEC. Collectively, our study establishes a proteogenomic resource of EEECs, uncovering the interactions between exposome and genomic susceptibilities that contribute to the development of primary prevention and early detection strategies for EEECs. This study of Chinese endometrioid endometrial carcinomas describes the proteogenomic differences between early-onset and late-onset tumors, finding that SIGLEC10 mutation may contribute to tumorigenesis and progestin resistance in early cases.

The implementation of the atomic clock circuit usually adopts frequency processing scheme. However, the quantization error in frequency processing greatly limits the frequency stability of the atomic clock's output from theoretical calculations. This paper analyzes the cause of quantization error and its relationship with the degree of signal synchronization. Based on this relationship, we study the effect of phase synchronization on frequency stability and explore how to effectively suppress quantization errors to improve measurement accuracy. Experiments show that using the regularity of phase information obtain continuous and lossless phase information. It can improve the accuracy of the gate acquisition and reduce the influence of quantization errors. Frequency stability can be improved from 1/τ1/2 to 1/τ. The research on this relationship can be applied in various fields, such as high precision measurement of time and frequency, communication technology, navigation signal processing, and even defense science and technology for essential improvements.