Bovine mastitis harms milk quality and cattle health. Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP) are well-known milk-derived bioactive peptides with anti-inflammatory activity. However, the impact of VPP and IPP on mastitis remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and the underlying mechanisms of VPP and IPP in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. When cells were treated with LPS (1 µg/mL) for 24 h, the protein levels of pro-inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6)) and chemokine (monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)) were markedly increased, and the protein level of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) was reduced. Both VPP and IPP with concentrations of 50 and 100 µM reversed these phenomena and further inhibited the protein expression of β-casein induced by LPS. In a mouse mastitis model, different concentrations of VPP and IPP (300, 600 µM/kg) pretreatment alleviated histopathological lesions in the mammary gland and suppressed the mRNA expression of TNFα, IL1β, and IL6 induced by LPS. VPP and IPP also maintained the integrity of the blood–milk barrier in mice. RNA-seq analyses indicated that enriched phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways likely contribute to the changes observed (P < 0.05 and |log2 fold change (FC)| ≥ 1). Notably, fibronectin was identified as an important hub by protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis and molecular docking combined with molecular dynamics simulation. In summary, VPP and IPP exerted a protective effect on LPS-induced inflammation by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via fibronectin.

This paper provides an overview of the current status of ultrafast and ultra-intense lasers with peak powers exceeding 100 TW and examines the research activities in high-energy-density physics within China. Currently, 10 high-intensity lasers with powers over 100 TW are operational, and about 10 additional lasers are being constructed at various institutes and universities. These facilities operate either independently or are combined with one another, thereby offering substantial support for both Chinese and international research and development efforts in high-energy-density physics.

The linear collisionless plasma response to a zonal-density perturbation in quasisymmetric stellarators is studied, including the geodesic-acoustic-mode oscillations and the Rosenbluth–Hinton residual flow. While the geodesic-acoustic-mode oscillations in quasiaxisymmetric configurations are similar to tokamaks, they become non-existent in quasi-helically symmetric configurations when the effective safety factor in helical-angle coordinates is small. Compared with concentric-circular tokamaks, the Rosenbluth–Hinton residual is also found to be multiplied by a geometric factor $\mathcal {C}$ that arises from the flux-surface-averaged classical polarization. Using the near-axis-expansion framework, we derive an analytic expression for $\mathcal {C}$, which varies significantly among different configurations. These analytic results are compared with numerical simulation results from the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code GTC, and good agreement with the theoretical Rosenbluth–Hinton residual level is achieved when the quasisymmetry error is small enough.

This study conducts experimental investigations into wake-induced vibration (WIV) of a circular cylinder placed downstream of an oscillating cylinder. Surprisingly, it is observed that the previously identified WIV phenomenon, characterized by a sustained increase in amplitude at higher reduced velocities, does not occur when the upstream cylinder oscillates at large amplitudes. Instead, a different phenomenon, which we refer to as the ‘wake-captured vibration’, becomes dominant. The experiments reveal a negative correlation between the vortex-induced vibration amplitude response of the upstream cylinder and the WIV amplitude response of the downstream cylinder. Through a quasi-steady and linear instability analysis, the study demonstrates that the previously proposed wake-displacement mechanism may not be applicable for predicting the cylinder WIV response in the wake of an oscillating body. This is because the lift force gradients across the wake, measured through stationary cylinder experiments, decrease significantly when the upstream cylinder vibrates at higher amplitudes. Consequently, actively controlled vibration experiments are conducted to systematically map the hydrodynamic properties of the downstream cylinder vibrating in the wake of an oscillating cylinder. The findings align with observations from free-vibration experiments, and help to explain the amplitude and frequency response of WIV. Additionally, wake visualization through particle image velocimetry is conducted to provide further insights into the complex wake and vortex–body interactions.

Tea can improve the progression of some metabolic diseases through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but its impact on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is still controversial. The aim of this paper is to identify the relationship between tea and NAFLD by Mendelian randomisation (MR) and complete clinical validation using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. MR used data from Genome Wide Association Study, with inverse-variance weighted (IVW) as principal analytical methods. The reliability of the results was verified by a series of sensitivity and heterogeneity tests. Subsequently, clinical validation was conducted using NHANES (2005–2018), involving 22 257 participants, grouped by the type of tea. Green tea drinkers were categorised into four groups (Q1–Q4) by quartiles of green tea intake, from lowest to highest (similar for black tea drinkers and other tea drinkers). Models were constructed by logistic regression to estimate the role of tea consumption (Q1–4) on NAFLD. Finally, using fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) to evaluate the severity of hepatic fibrosis, the effect of tea consumption (Q1–4) on the degree of hepatic fibrosis was investigated by linear regression. IVW method (OR = 0·43, 95 % CI: 0·21, 0·85, P = 0·01) and weighted median method (OR = 0·35, 95 % CI: 0·14, 0·91, P = 0·03) revealed there was a causal relationship between tea and NAFLD. An array of sensitivity analyses validated the reliability of results. Analysis of NHANES indicated tea drinker present a slightly lower prevalence of NAFLD than non-tea drinker (green tea drinkers: 47·6 %, black tea drinkers: 46·3 %, other tea drinker: 43·2 %, non-tea drinkers: 48·1 %, P < 0·05). After adjusting for confounders, compared with the lowest black tea consumption (Q1), the population with the highest black tea consumption (Q4) was independently related to lower presence of NAFLD (Q4: OR = 0·69, 95 % CI: 0·50, 0·93, P < 0·05), such association remained stable in the overweight subgroup. As further analysed, Q4 also displayed a significant negative correlation with the level of hepatic fibrosis in patients with NAFLD (β = –0·073, 95 % CI: –0·126, −0·020, P < 0·01).Tea reduces the morbidity of NAFLD and ameliorates hepatic fibrosis degree in those already suffering from the disease.

Salivary iodine concentrations (SIC) and urinary iodine concentrations are correlated. This study aimed to verify the use of SIC as a biomarker for estimating iodine intake in pregnant and lactating women and to diagnose abnormal thyroid function. A cross-sectional study was conducted in northern Xinjiang, China. Participants provided venous blood, random urine, saliva and milk samples. A total of 607 pregnant and 171 lactating women volunteered to participate in the study. The average daily iodine intake was calculated for each participant. Pregnant women were divided according to trimester. The median daily iodine intake was 436·41 μg/d in the first trimester, 425·83 μg/d in the second trimester and 430·56 μg/d in the third trimester. The average daily iodine intake in lactating women was 416·16 μg/d. Different indicators were used to diagnose excessive iodine intake (> 500 μg/d). Among pregnant women, SIC had an AUC of 0·62 (P < 0·01), sensitivity of 51·75 % and specificity of 65 %. Among lactating women, SIC had an AUC of 0·63 (P = 0·03), sensitivity of 43·52 % and specificity of 85 %. SIC was an effective biomarker for diagnosing abnormal thyroid function (P = 0·03). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that SIC is a reliable biomarker for evaluating both iodine nutrition status and abnormal thyroid function in pregnant and lactating women.

The elasto-inertial focusing and rotating characteristics of spheroids in a square channel flow of Oldroyd-B viscoelastic fluids are studied by the direct forcing/fictitious domain method. The rotational behaviours, changes in the equilibrium positions and travel distances are explored to analyse the mechanisms of spheroid migration in viscoelastic fluids. Within the present simulated parameters (1 ≤ Re ≤ 100, 0 ≤ Wi ≤ 2, 0.4 ≤ α ≤3), the results show that there are four kinds of equilibrium positions and six (five) kinds of rotational behaviours for the elasto-inertial migration of prolate (oblate) spheroids. We are the first to identify a new rotational mode for the migration of prolate spheroids. Only when the particles are initially located at a corner and wall bisector, some special initial orientations of the spheroids have an impact on the final equilibrium position and rotational mode. In other general initial positions, the initial orientation of the spheroid has a negligible effect. A higher Weissenberg number means the faster the particles migrate to the equilibrium position. The spheroid gradually changes from the corner (CO), channel centreline (CC), diagonal line (DL) and cross-section midline (CSM) equilibrium positions as the elastic number decreases, depending on the aspect ratio, initial orientation and rotational behaviour of the particles and the elastic number of the fluid. When the elastic number is less than the critical value, the types of rotational modes of the spheroids are reduced. By controlling the elastic number near the critical value, spheroids with different aspect ratios can be efficiently separated.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a technique that directly injects a single sperm into the cytoplasm of mature oocytes. Here, we explored the safety of single-sperm cryopreservation applied in ICSI. This retrospective study enrolled 186 couples undergoing ICSI-assisted pregnancy. Subjects were allocated to the fresh sperm (group A)/single-sperm cryopreservation (group B) groups based on sperm type, with their clinical baseline/pathological data documented. We used ICSI-compliant sperm for subsequent in vitro fertilization and followed up on all subjects. The recovery rate/cryosurvival rate/sperm motility of both groups, the pregnancy/outcome of women receiving embryo transfer, and the delivery mode/neonatal-related information of women with successful deliveries were recorded. The clinical pregnancy rate, cumulative clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, premature delivery rate, live birth delivery rate, neonatal birth defect rate, and average birth weight were analyzed. The two groups showed no significant differences in age, body mass index, ovulation induction regimen, sex hormone [anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)/luteinizing hormone (LH)] levels, or oocyte retrieval cycles. The sperm recovery rate (51.72%-100.00%) and resuscitation rate (62.09% ± 16.67%) in group B were higher; the sperm motility in the two groups demonstrated no significant difference and met the ICSI requirements. Group B exhibited an increased fertilization rate, decreased abortion rate, and increased safety versus group A. Compared with fresh sperm, the application of single-sperm cryopreservation in ICSI sensibly improved the fertilization rate and reduced the abortion rate, showing higher safety.

Thriving at work is closely related to the way employees are embedded in their social contexts, such as the structure of their communication relations with coworkers. In previous research, communication relations have been found to negatively relate to thriving at work. However, social network theory suggests that communication relations are beneficial in obtaining resources in the workplace, which might increase thriving at work. To reconcile the seemingly conflicting mechanisms, we draw on social network theory to unpack the mechanisms underlying communication relations by considering the instrumental and expressive roles. Using a structural equation model, we investigate the indirect effects of communication networks on thriving at work via advice-seeking networks (instrumental) and friendship networks (expressive). Our findings indicate communication relations are negatively related to thriving at work via advice-seeking relations, but are positively related to thriving at work via friendship relations.

Accurately predicting neurosyphilis prior to a lumbar puncture (LP) is critical for the prompt management of neurosyphilis. However, a valid and reliable model for this purpose is still lacking. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for the accurate identification of neurosyphilis in patients with syphilis. The training cohort included 9,504 syphilis patients who underwent initial neurosyphilis evaluation between 2009 and 2020, while the validation cohort comprised 526 patients whose data were prospectively collected from January 2021 to September 2021. Neurosyphilis was observed in 35.8% (3,400/9,504) of the training cohort and 37.6% (198/526) of the validation cohort. The nomogram incorporated factors such as age, male gender, neurological and psychiatric symptoms, serum RPR, a mucous plaque of the larynx and nose, a history of other STD infections, and co-diabetes. The model exhibited good performance with concordance indexes of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.83–0.85) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78–0.86) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, along with well-fitted calibration curves. This study developed a precise nomogram to predict neurosyphilis risk in syphilis patients, with potential implications for early detection prior to an LP.

Buckminsterfullerene (C60) is one of the most important carbon-based nanoparticles (CNPs). Industrial-scale production of C60 has reached the level of tons; release to the environment has been confirmed (Tremblay, 2002; Qiao et al., 2007). The present study was devoted to study of the effect of clay minerals on the migration process of C60. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to study the interaction of CNPS with clay minerals through study of the adsorption of C60 on various surfaces of kaolinite and pyrophyllite in vacuum and aqueous environments. Two kinds of surfaces, hydrophobic siloxane surfaces and hydrophilic hydroxyl surfaces, were investigated. C60 is mainly adsorbed onto the vacancy of the six-membered ring, composed of SiO4 tetrahedra or AlO6 octahedra, on clay-mineral surfaces. A single adsorption layer consisting of C60 molecules with an ordered hexagonal arrangement is presented for all surfaces in vacuum. In aqueous environments, however, the monolayer appears on the siloxane surfaces only, while a cluster of C60 molecules is formed on the hydroxyl surfaces. Free energies prove that the attachment of two C60 molecules is stronger than the adsorption of C60 onto the hydroxyl surface in water, which is the reason for unfavorable formation of C60 monolayer. On the other hand, the adsorption free energy is more negative on the hydrophobic siloxane surface, explaining the monolayer formation. The existence of water, which forms hydration layers on the surfaces of clay minerals, produces energy barriers, and reduces the adsorption affinity to some extent. Because clay minerals act as geosorbents in the environment, the present study is significant in terms of understanding the migration and fate of CNPS in nature.

The congruence between rock quantity and biodiversity through the Phanerozoic has long been acknowledged. Rock record bias and common cause are the most discussed hypotheses: the former emphasizes that the changes in diversity through time fully reflect rock availability; the latter posits that the correlation between rock and fossil records is driven by a common cause, such as sea-level changes. Here, we use the Geobiodiversity Database (GBDB), a large compilation of the rock and fossil records, to test the rock bias hypothesis. In contrast to other databases on fossil occurrences, the section-based GBDB also records unfossiliferous units. Our multiple regression analysis shows that 85% of the variation in sampled diversity can be attributed to the rock record, meaning that major peaks and drops in observed diversity are mainly due to the rock record. Our results support a strong covariation between the number of unfossiliferous units and sampled diversity, indicating a genuine rock bias that arose from sampling effort that is independent of fossil content. This provides a compelling argument that the rock record bias is more prominent than common cause in explaining large-scale variations in sampled diversity. Our study suggests that (1) no single proxy can fully represent rock record bias in predicting biodiversity, (2) rock bias strongly governs sampled diversity in both marine and terrestrial communities, and (3) unfossiliferous strata contain critical information in predicting diversity of marine and terrestrial animals.

Abnormalities in the zona pellucida (ZP) adversely affect oocyte maturation, embryo development and pregnancy outcomes. However, the assessment of severity is challenging. To evaluate the effects of different degrees of ZP abnormalities on embryo development and clinical outcomes, in total, 590 retrieval cycles were scored and divided into four categories (control, mild, moderate and severe) based on three parameters: perivitelline space, percentage of immature oocytes and percentage of oocytes with abnormal morphology. As the severity of abnormal ZP increased, both the number of retrieved oocytes and mature oocytes decreased. The fertilization rate did not differ significantly among groups. The rates of embryo cleavage and day-3 high-quality embryos in the mild group and the moderate group did not vary significantly between the two groups but were significantly higher than those in the severe group. The blastulation rates of the abnormal ZP groups were similar; however, they were lower than those of the control group. Moreover, the cycle cancellation rate of the severe abnormal ZP group was as high as 66.20%, which was significantly higher than that of the other three groups. Although the rates of cumulative clinical pregnancy and live births were lower than those in the control group, they were comparable among the abnormal ZP groups. There were no differences in the neonatal outcomes of the different groups. Together, ZP abnormalities show various degrees of severity, and in all patients regardless of the degree of ZP abnormalities who achieve available embryos, there will be an opportunity to eventually give birth.