Seed germination is a pivotal period of plant growth and development. This process can be divided into four major stages, swelling absorption, seed coat dehiscence, radicle emergence and radicle elongation. Cupressus gigantea, a tree native to Tibet, China, is characterized by its resistance to stresses such as cold, and drought, and has a high economic and ecological value. Nevertheless, given its unique geographic location, its seeds are difficult to germinate. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the mechanisms involved in seed germination in this species to improve the germination efficiency of its seeds, thereby protecting this high-quality resource. Here, our findings indicate that seed germination was enhanced when exposed to a 6-h/8-h light/dark photoperiod, coupled with a temperature of 20°C. Furthermore, the application of exogenous GA3 (1 mg/ml, about 2.9 mM) stimulated the germination of C. gigantea seeds. Subsequently, proteomics was used to detect changes in protein expression during the four stages of seed germination. We identified 34 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), including 13 at the radicle pre-emergence stage, and 17 at the radicle elongation stage. These DEPs were classified into eight functional groups, cytoskeletal proteins, energy metabolism, membrane transport, stress response, molecular chaperones, amino acid metabolism, antioxidant system and ABA signalling pathway. Most of them were found to be closely associated with amino acid metabolism. Combined, these findings indicate that, along with temperature and light, exogenous GA3 can increase the germination efficiency of C. gigantea seeds. Our study also offers insights into the changes in protein expression patterns in C. gigantea seeds during germination.

Schistosomiasis, a parasite infectious disease caused by Schistosoma japonicum, often leads to egg granuloma and fibrosis due to the inflammatory reaction triggered by egg antigens released in the host liver. This study focuses on the role of the egg antigens CP1412 protein of S. japonicum (SjCP1412) with RNase activity in promoting liver fibrosis. In this study, the recombinant egg ribonuclease SjCP1412, which had RNase activity, was successfully prepared. By analysing the serum of the population, it has been proven that the anti-SjCP1412 IgG in the serum of patients with advanced schistosomiasis was moderately correlated with liver fibrosis, and SjCP1412 may be an important antigen associated with liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis. In vitro, the rSjCP1412 protein induced the human liver cancer cell line Hep G2 and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells apoptosis and necrosis and the release of proinflammatory damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In mice infected with schistosomes, rSjCP1412 immunization or antibody neutralization of SjCP1412 activity significantly reduced cell apoptosis and necroptosis in liver tissue, thereby reducing inflammation and liver fibrosis. In summary, the SjCP1412 protein plays a crucial role in promoting liver fibrosis during schistosomiasis through mediating the liver cells apoptosis and necroptosis to release DAMPs inducing an inflammatory reaction. Blocking SjCP1412 activity could inhibit its proapoptotic and necrotic effects and alleviate hepatic fibrosis. These findings suggest that SjCP1412 may be served as a promising drug target for managing liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis japonica.

Many studies have investigated the positivity rate of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) after hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) immunization. However, the antibody level, assessed monthly or at more frequent intervals after each of the three doses, particularly within the first year after birth, has not been previously reported. To elucidate the level of antibody formation at various times after vaccination, the current study used the available detection data of HBsAb in hospitalized children to analyze the HBsAb level after immunization combined with their vaccination history. Both the positivity rate and geometric mean concentration (GMC) increased sequentially with immunization doses, reaching their peaks earlier after the third dose than after the first two doses, and the rate of HBsAb positivity was able to reach 100% between 11 and 90 days after completing the three doses of HepB. Within one year after receiving the three doses, the antibody positivity rate and GMC were maintained above 90% and 100 mIU/mL, respectively, and subsequently steadily declined, reaching the lowest value in the 9th and 10th years. The current findings reveal, in more detail, the level of antibody formation at different times following each dose of HepB in hospitalized children, particularly in the age group up to one year after vaccination. For the subjects of this study, we prefer to believe that the proportion of HBsAb non-response should be less than 5% after full immunization with HepB, provided that the appropriate time for blood collection is chosen.

By combining the technique of energy selective surface and frequency selective rasorber, an energy selective rasorber is proposed, which performs selective energy protection in the low communication frequency band (0.8–2 GHz) and wave-absorbing property in the high-frequency band (6–18 GHz). The design consists of two layers, of which the bottom one contains a lumped diode structure for energy selection function in the transmission band, while together with the top layer, they perform a wideband wave absorbing function. The simulated and measured results agree well with each other, and both show good absorption in 6–18 GHz and energy-selective property around 1.86 GHz. That is, when the incident power changes from −30 to 14 dBm, the reflection coefficient changes from below −22 dB to above −2 dB, while the transmission coefficient changes from above −3 dB to below −17 dB.

This paper studies the synchronization control of the blanket remote maintenance robot (BRMR) of the China fusion engineering test reactor (CFETR). First, the general state space mathematical model of BRMR was established by using a physical-based method. Second, based on the receding horizon optimization of model predictive control (MPC) and cross-coupling error reduction in cross-coupling control (CCC), the innovative MPC-CCC controller was proposed to realize the single-system and multisystem error convergence and high accuracy transportation of blanket through the high accuracy synchronization control of BRMR. Third, to verify the control effectiveness of the MPC-CCC controller, two types of simulations and experiments were implied compared with the original proportional-integral (PI) controller in Mover. Results showed that simulation and experiments were highly consistent. It is found that the use of an MPC-CCC controller can result in up to a 70% reduction in displacement error and up to a 59% reduction in synchronization error compared to the PI controller. And the accuracy of the MPC-CCC controller satisfies the real requirement of the maintenance process of the blanket. This work provides the theoretical basis and practical experience for the highly stable, safe, and efficient maintenance of blankets in the future.

Aorto-right-atrial fistula is an uncommon condition with an unclear pathogenesis. We present the case of a 3-year-old girl with a giant omphalocele repaired days after birth and incidentally discovered with a celiacomesenteric trunk-to-right atrium fistula. Three-dimensional reconstruction CT unveiled its anatomical pattern, and the fistula was successfully closed using a Amplatzer vascular plug II percutaneously.

Accurate assessments of potassium intake in children are important for the early prevention of CVD. Currently, there is no simple approach for accurate estimation of potassium intake in children. We aim to evaluate the accuracy of 24-h urinary potassium excretion (24UKV) estimation in children using three common equations: the Kawasaki, Tanaka and Mage formulas, in a hospital-based setting. A total of 151 participants aged 5–18 years were initially enrolled, and spot urine samples were collected in the whole 24-h duration to measure the concentrations of potassium and creatinine. We calculated the mean difference, absolute and relative difference and misclassification rate between measured 24UKV and the predicted ones using Kawasaki, Tanaka and Mage formulas in 129 participants. The mean measured 24UKV was 1193·3 mg/d in our study. Mean differences between estimated and measured 24UKV were 1215·6, −14·9 and 230·3 mg/d by the Kawasaki, Tanaka and Mage formulas, respectively. All estimated 24UKV were significantly different from the measured values in all the time point (all P < 0·05), except for the predicted values from Tanaka formula using morning, afternoon and evening spot urine. The proportions with relative differences over 40 % were 87·2%, 32·5% and 47·3 % for Kawasaki, Tanaka and Mage formulas, respectively. Misclassification rates were 91·5 % for Kawasaki, 44·4 % for Tanaka and 58·9 % for Mage formula at the individual level. Our findings showed that misclassification could occur on the individual level when using Kawasaki, Tanaka and Mage formulas to estimate 24UKV from spot urine in the child population.

Flexible electrode is an indispensable component of emerging portable, flexible, and wearable electronic devices. Although various flexible electrodes with different dimensions and functions have been explored, developing a new electrode material with excellent mechanical reliability and superior electrical performance remains a challenge. Here, a graphene-covered Cu composite electrode film with a total thickness of ∼100 nm is successfully fabricated onto a flexible polyimide substrate by means of a series of assembly methods including physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and transfer technique. The composite electrode film on the flexible substrate exhibits evidently enhanced tensile strength, monotonic bending, and repeatedly bending fatigue reliability as well as electrical performance compared with that of the bared Cu film electrode. Such excellent mechanical performances are attributed to the role of the graphene coating in suppressing fatigue damage formation and preventing crack advance. It is expected that the chemical vapor-deposited graphene-covered Cu composite electrode would extend the potential ultrathin metal film electrode as the innovative electrode material for the next-generation flexible electronic devices.

Spearman’s hypothesis tested at the subtest level of an IQ battery states that differences between races on the subtests of an IQ battery are a function of the g loadings of these subtests, such that there are small differences between races on subtests with low g loadings and large differences between races on subtests with high g loadings. Jensen (1998) stated that Spearman’s hypothesis is a law-like phenomenon. It has also been confirmed many times at the level of items of the Raven’s Progressive Matrices. This study hypothesizes that with concern to Spearman’s hypothesis, subtests and items function in fundamentally the same way, and tested whether Spearman’s hypothesis is confirmed at the item level for White–East Asian comparisons. A group of Korean young adults (N=205) was compared with other groups of young adults from Canada, the US, Russia, Peru and South Africa (total N=4770) who took the Advanced Progressive Matrices. Spearman’s hypothesis was strongly confirmed with a sample-size-weighted r with a value of 0.63. Computing the g loadings of the items of the Raven with either the Raven-g or the Wechsler-g led to the same conclusions. Tests of Spearman’s hypothesis yielded less-strong outcomes when the 36-item Advanced Progressive Matrices were used than when the 60-item Standard Progressive Matrices were used. There is a substantial correlation between sample size and the outcome of Spearman’s hypothesis. So, all four hypotheses were confirmed, showing that a part of the subtest-level nomological net replicates at the item level, strengthening the position that, with concern to Spearman’s hypothesis, subtests and items function fundamentally the same. It is concluded that Spearman’s hypothesis is still a law-like phenomenon. Detailed suggestions for follow-up research are made.

Seed reserves play vital roles in seed germination and seedling growth and their variation may be related to various environment factors, plant traits and phylogenetic history. Here, the evolutionary correlation associated with seed mass and altitude and carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) allocation of seeds among 253 alpine herbaceous plants was tested. In this study, phylogeny had strong limitations on nutrient allocation of seeds across species, and species from younger phylogenetic groups tended to have higher N and P contents, which might be considered as the evolutionary selection of seed plants. Higher seed N and P content would help seedlings to gain more survival chance and stronger competitive capacity, and their progeny would be more likely to be preserved. When phylogeny was considered, altitude only had a significant positive effect on P content, but the negative effects on seed mass were all expressed. The independent effects of altitude and seed mass suggest that the nutrient allocation of seeds might be affected by both environment and plant traits. In addition, altitude and seed mass displayed partial overlapping effects on nutrient allocation of seeds. The negative effects of seed mass were affected slightly by altitude, whereas altitude only had a significant positive effect on P content when seed mass was controlled. Above all, seed P content showed obvious and general correlations with seed mass, altitude and age of clade, which indicated that higher seed P content might be an adaptive selection of species associated with growth and survival of progeny.