Dyslipidaemia is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and immune dysfunction, but the immunological effects of dietary phytosterols in humans remain unclear. We conducted a secondary analysis of an outcome-assessor-blinded, randomised controlled feeding trial to evaluate the effects of a high-phytosterol (HPS) diet, using phytosterol-enriched corn–wheat germ blended oil (CWGO), compared with a low-phytosterol (LPS) diet using peanut oil, on systemic inflammatory markers, humoural immune markers and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in Chinese adults with dyslipidaemia. After a 2-week run-in period, 104 participants were randomised to the HPS group (n 52) or the LPS group (n 52) for 12 weeks. In intention-to-treat analyses, the HPS group had a higher CD4+:CD8+ ratio at 12 weeks than the LPS group (adjusted mean difference: 0·561; 95 % CI 0·060, 1·063; P = 0·03) and a lower CD8+ T-cell count (adjusted mean difference: −116·315 cells/μl; 95 % CI −215·781, –16·849; P = 0·02). No significant between-group differences were observed for systemic inflammatory markers, humoral immune markers or most other lymphocyte subset outcomes. In per-protocol analyses, the difference in CD4+:CD8+ ratio remained significant, whereas the reduction in CD8+ T-cell count was attenuated. These exploratory findings suggest that a 12-week phytosterol-enriched CWGO intervention may be associated with changes in T-cell subset balance in adults with dyslipidaemia, although the results should be interpreted cautiously given the exploratory nature of this secondary analysis.

Wind farms extract momentum from the atmospheric flow, generating wind-speed deficits both within the plant, and extending downstream. When located offshore, these deficits modulate air–sea coupling, potentially impacting coastal upwelling in sensitive regions. We investigate impacts of wind farms on coastal upwelling using kilometre-scale, three-way-coupled simulations with the coupled ocean–atmosphere–wave–sediment transport system for the US West Coast. Wind-farm effects are represented by a generalised turbine drag formulation, an idealised, height-dependent body force whose magnitude is systematically varied. This approach isolates the leading-order fluid-dynamical response in a realistic coastal configuration. The atmospheric adjustment exhibits an approximately linear relation between drag force and wind-speed deficit, with wakes that expand downstream and increase in magnitude as drag increases. An empirical orthogonal function analysis of sea-surface-temperature anomalies reveals the emergence of a canonical dipole pattern under strong drag forcing. Subsurface diagnostics show consistent shoaling of the mixed layer and suppressed upward velocities in areas near wind-farm region, accompanied by compensating enhancements of shoaling closer to the coast. These results identify turbine drag as a control parameter in assessing interactions between wind-farm wake and coastal upwelling and provide scaling relationships for understanding offshore wind-farm effects on the coastal circulation dynamics.

Stall flutter is suppressed on a NACA0012 airfoil at a low Reynolds number (Re $=$ 1000–5000) through a counter-intuitive strategy: targeted enhancement of the second leading-edge vortex (sLEV) via phase-optimised surface morphing, in contrast to the conventional paradigm of suppressing vortices. Two distinct flow topologies are identified: (I) boundary-layer-eruption-induced leading-edge vortex (LEV) shedding at large amplitudes ($A_\alpha$ ≥ 10°), accompanied by sLEV formation, and (II) bluff-body-type shedding at small amplitudes ($A_\alpha$ ≤ 5°) without sLEV. A new circulation scaling is introduced to identify topology I, which drives severe structural oscillations. Flow-structure analysis reveals a novel sLEV–trailing-edge vortex (TEV) interaction mechanism that mitigates stall flutter: strengthening sLEV triggers a chain effect that weakens the TEV, elevates the aerodynamic moment trough and disrupts the feedback loop sustaining the oscillation. An energy-based map is constructed to characterise the boundary of stall flutter across control parameters and to enable rapid prediction of control performance. By combining the clustering-based vortex-induced load partitioning method with this energy framework, an optimal phase indicator is established: actuation synchronised with the peak sLEV-induced moment consistently yields near-optimal control performance, providing a direct quantitative link between pre-control flow features and optimal control parameters. A phase-locked-loop strategy further demonstrates that surface morphing with an amplitude an order of magnitude smaller than the characteristic LEV scale can nonetheless achieve complete suppression of stall flutter within the topology I regime. These findings not only demonstrate the efficacy of surface morphing control but also offer new physical insight into stall flutter dynamics and their precision control via targeted vortex interactions.

Dysregulation of fatty acids metabolism has been associated with the risk of osteoarthritis (OA), yet current evidence from epidemiological or genetic studies remains inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the phenotypic association and genetic architecture between total fatty acids, saturated fatty acids (SFA), MUFA, PUFA and OA. Leveraging individual-level data from the UK Biobank, combined with the hitherto largest genome-wide association studies of fatty acids (n 136 016) and OA (n 826 690) in European individuals, we implemented a comprehensive analytical framework. This included observational and genetic analyses, incorporating phenotypic associations, genetic correlations, cross-trait meta-analysis, enrichment analysis and Mendelian randomisation (MR). Observational analysis identified SFA as a risk factor, while MUFA and PUFA as protective factors for OA. Despite a lack of genome-wide genetic correlation, statistically significant local signals were detected within three specific genomic regions. Cross-trait meta-analysis identified sixty-eight pleiotropic loci shared between fatty acids and OA, of which nine were novel. Enrichment analysis revealed the shared genes were enriched in lipoprotein metabolism, immune response and inflammation regulation pathways. Two-sample MR provided evidence for a causal relationship of MUFA and PUFA on OA that survived false discovery rate correction. This study supports associations between circulating fatty acids and OA, with MUFA and PUFA exerting a protective role. Our findings provide new perspectives into OA prevention especially regarding the potential dietary interventions.

Ultrafast vortex beams are essential in many scientific and industrial fields owing to their unique spatial and temporal characteristics. We demonstrate a passively mode-locked ytterbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Yb:YAG) thin-disk oscillator that directly generates high-power femtosecond vortex beams with excellent beam quality. Using Kerr-lens mode-locking assisted by a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, we achieve 594 fs Laguerre–Gaussian vortex pulses with 50 W average power at a 68.5 MHz repetition rate, representing the highest power reported for a femtosecond vortex oscillator. By replacing the planar output coupler with a coated axicon, we further realize stable mode-locking and efficient generation of first-order Bessel vortex beams. This compact and integrated design eliminates external mode converters, enabling robust generation of high-power ultrafast structured light. The demonstrated source provides a promising platform for precision material processing, strong-field vortex dynamics and quantum optical studies.

In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a high-power supercontinuum (SC) that covers from visible to mid-infrared (MIR) in a GeO2-core fiber (GCF) bundle via incoherent beam combination. In the experiment, the SC generation in a single GCF was initially explored, and an SC spanning from visible to MIR regions was obtained, with average power of less than 10 W. To increase the output power, we fabricated a 3×1 high-power GCF-based tapered fiber bundle, incoherently combining three channels of the previously mentioned replicas. This yielded a broadband SC spectrum with a maximum average power of 23.1 W and a spectral bandwidth covering 0.73–3.1 μm. The obtained spectrum power fluctuation was measured over 1 hour, showing a root mean square value of 0.7%. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest power SC from visible to MIR regions obtained in GCFs pumped by 1.55 μm high-power pulses.

This study tested the effects of soil amendment with orange peel powder (Citrus sinensis L.) on Brassica rapa growth, the performance of the aphid Myzus persicae Sulzer, and the foraging behaviour of its parasitoid Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead. Three peel: soil ratios (1:10, 1:15, 1:20 w/w) were compared with an unamended control. The 1:10 amendment significantly reduced seed germination, plant height, leaf size, and fresh weight, while the 1:20 amendment also decreased fresh weight. Aphid nymphal development was significantly delayed in the 1:10 and 1:15 treatments, and adult weight gain was reduced in the 1:15 treatment. Aphid population growth and parasitoid foraging time were unaffected across treatments. The results indicate that orange peel amendments can delay aphid development but also suppress plant growth at higher concentrations, highlighting the need for optimized application rates. This study supports further exploration of orange peel as a sustainable soil amendment in integrated pest management.

This study systematically evaluates the effects of probiotic interventions on gut microbiota and clinical outcomes in diabetic patients to determine the optimal target population and conditions for effective use, with an emphasis on precision treatment. A comprehensive search was performed across PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), and Wanfang databases until April 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing probiotics as adjunctive therapy for diabetes were included. The control group received standard care, and the intervention group received probiotics alongside standard care. Data were managed with Endnote and Excel, and analyses were conducted using Revman 5.3 and Stata 16. Twelve RCTs involving 1113 participants were included. Probiotics significantly increased fecal Lactobacillus (standardized mean difference (SMD) 1.42, P < 0.0001, I2 = 95 %) and Bifidobacterium levels (SMD 1.27, P < 0.0001, I2; = 90 %) and reduced fasting plasma glucose (SMD −0.35, P = 0.004). Subgroup analysis showed that shorter intervention durations (≤ 3 months) improved FPG, HbA1c, and Bifidobacterium levels, while younger patients (≤ 60 years) experienced the most significant improvements in Bifidobacterium levels. In conclusion, probiotics improve gut microbiota and clinical outcomes in diabetic patients, with intervention duration and patient age as key factors influencing treatment effectiveness.

Evidence regarding the association between dietary choline intake and mortality in individuals with diabetes remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between dietary choline intake and all-cause, CVD and cancer-related mortality among adults with diabetes. A total of 4712 participants with diabetes were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 cycles. Dietary choline intake was estimated using two 24-h dietary recalls, and mortality outcomes were ascertained via linkage to National Death Index records through 31 December 2019. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analyses were employed to assess the associations between choline intake and mortality. Restricted cubic spline models were used to examine potential non-linear relationships, and threshold analyses were conducted to identify inflection points. Over a median follow-up of 6·42 years, 805 deaths were documented, including 267 from CVD and 126 from cancer. A U-shaped association was observed between dietary choline intake and all-cause mortality (Pfor non-linearity < 0·0001). Compared with the lowest quartile, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 0·64 (95 % CI 0·47, 0·88) for the second quartile, 0·59 (0·43, 0·82) for the third and 0·69 (0·43, 1·09) for the highest quartile. No significant associations were found between choline intake and either CVD or cancer mortality. These findings indicate a U-shaped relationship between dietary choline intake and all-cause mortality in individuals with diabetes, with intakes between 286·77 and 538·86 mg/d associated with the lowest risk – providing potential implications for dietary guidance in diabetes management.

Compressibility transformations have received considerable attention for extending well-established incompressible wall models to high-speed flows. While encouraging progress has been made in mean velocity scalings, research on temperature transformations has lagged behind. In this study, we rigorously derive a general framework for both velocity and temperature transformations directly from the compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and their ‘incompressible’ counterparts, elucidating how these transformations guide the development of compressible algebraic RANS models in the inner layer. The introduction of the mixed Prandtl number further links the mean momentum and energy transport, facilitating the formulation of novel temperature transformations through integration with arbitrary mean velocity scalings, thereby unifying existing transformation methods while providing a systematic approach for further improvement. A detailed evaluation using direct numerical simulation databases of canonical compressible wall-bounded turbulent flows (CWBTFs) demonstrates that temperature transformations based on the Griffin–Fu–Moin and our recently proposed velocity scalings exhibit superior accuracy and robustness across a wide range of Reynolds and Mach numbers, as well as varying wall thermal boundary conditions. We also perform a preliminary investigation into the applicability of the proposed integral mean temperature–velocity relation and inverse temperature transformations for near-wall temperature modelling in cold-wall boundary layer flows, where discontinuities caused by non-monotonic temperature distributions are effectively avoided. Although the omission of higher-order terms in deriving the total heat flux equation enables closed-form wall modelling, it remains a key limitation to the model’s accuracy at the current stage. Future work may therefore need to address this issue to achieve further advances. These findings enhance the physical understanding of mean momentum and energy transport in canonical CWBTFs, and offer promising prospects for advancing near-wall temperature modelling within RANS and wall-modelled large eddy simulation frameworks.

Anthracological studies of preserved wooden building materials can help reveal ancient networks of resource mobilisation. Here, the authors report on the analysis of 657 charred timbers from four ancillary pits at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The frequent use of dark coniferous wood (fir, spruce and hemlock) indicates sophisticated logistical planning and labour organisation—matching historic records of Qin administrative ascendency—because these species required sourcing from across many kilometres of rugged terrain. Identification of a temporal shift towards the use of higher-elevation species points to the ecological impact of large-scale timber harvesting.

Objective: Optimized teaching methods in medical students to improve skills of occupational protection against infectious diseases and reduce the risk of developing infectious occupational exposure in clinical practice. Methods: Establish a database of infectious occupational exposure cases in clinical practice based on monitoring data. Teaching guided by cases and videos-based scenario was carried out in the experimental group and traditional theoretical teaching was carried out in the control group in medical students. And then conducted a questionnaire survey on knowledge and skills of occupational protection against infectious diseases and observed the frequency and the prescriptive disposal measures of infectious occupational exposure in clinical practice in two groups. Results: The infectious occupational exposure database included a total of 95 typical cases in 6 categories, including various sharp weapon injuries and mucosal exposure. There were 116 medical students involved in the study across the course of 12 months. The incidence of infectious occupational exposure in medical students during clinical practice internships was 18.9%. Compared with the control group, the awareness rate of knowledge and skills of occupational protection against infectious diseases significantly increased (91.8% vs 87.0%, P<0.05), the incidence of infectious occupational exposure during clinical internships has decreased (15.6% vs 23.1%, P<0.05), and the implementation rate of prescriptive disposal measures after exposure has increased (91.7% vs 83.3%, P<0.05) in the experimental group in medical students. Conclusion: The case-based scenario teaching in medical students improved skills of occupational protection against infectious diseases and decreased the incidence of infectious occupational exposure during clinical internships. The effect of the optimized teaching methods was significant which is recommended to carry out widely.

Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), commonly known as the fall armyworm (FAW), is an invasive pest known for its rapid migration, strong adaptability, and wide host range. Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a specific class of Hsps associated with the molecular mechanisms of insect growth and development and the response to abiotic stresses, such as extreme temperatures, ultraviolet (UV) rays, and pesticides. Herein, six sHsps, SfsHsp11.2, SfsHsp15.8, SfsHsp20.2, SfsHsp21.4, SfsHsp22, and SfsHsp26.6, were successfully cloned and identified from FAW. The six SfsHsps all have an α-crystallin domain in their amino acid sequences. Furthermore, we investigated the expression patterns of these six SfsHsps in different tissues and developmental stages of FAW using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Their expression levels in adult FAW were also analysed under extreme temperatures (36°C and 4°C) and UV-A stress for different durations (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min). Our findings revealed distinct expression profiles for the six SfsHsps in different FAW tissues and developmental stages. Notably, under temperature and UV-A stress, most SfsHsp genes were significantly upregulated in adults. Our findings strongly indicate that SfsHsps are crucial in the development and stress response of S. frugiperda.

We present a unified framework derived from the total heat flux equation, enabling the direct formulation of the relationship between mean temperature and velocity fields, as well as the development of mean temperature scalings in compressible turbulent channel flows. The proposed mean temperature–velocity relationship, combined with a simple damping function model for the mixed Prandtl number, demonstrates high efficacy in channels with both symmetric and asymmetric thermal boundary conditions across a range of Mach and Reynolds numbers. In contrast, the state-of-the-art generalised Reynolds analogy (GRA) relation (Zhang et al., 2014, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 739, pp. 392–420) is shown to be insufficient for asymmetric cases due to mismatched boundary conditions at the effective boundary layer edge. By introducing a mean temperature decomposition, we clarify that while the GRA relation effectively characterises the component associated with turbulence production and viscous dissipation, it fails to account for the contribution arising from non-zero edge total heat flux. Furthermore, we rigorously derive mean temperature transformations compatible with arbitrary velocity scalings for the first time. These findings provide some physical insights into the mean momentum and heat transport in compressible wall-bounded turbulence, and may be helpful for developing near-wall models.

Triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) is a surrogate marker of subcutaneous fat. Evidence is limited about the association of sex-specific TSF with the risk of all-cause mortality among maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal relationship of TSF with all-cause mortality among MHD patients. A multicenter prospective cohort study was performed on 1034 patients undergoing MHD. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The median (interquartile range) of TSF was 9·7 (6·3–13·3 mm) in males and 12·7 (10·0–18·0 mm) in females. Over a median follow-up of 4·4 years (interquartile range, 2·4–7·9 years), there were 548 (53·0 %) deaths. When TSF was assessed as sex-specific quartiles, compared with those in quartile 1, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95 % CI) of all-cause mortality in quartile 2, quartile 3 and quartile 4 was 0·93 (0·73, 1·19), 0·75 (0·58, 0·97) and 0·69 (0·52, 0·92), respectively (P for trend = 0·005). Moreover, when analysed by sex, increased TSF (≥9·7 mm for males and ≥18 mm for females) was significantly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality (quartile 3–4 v. quartile 1–2; HR, 0·70; 95 % CI: 0·55, 0·90 in males; quartile 4 v. quartile 1–3; HR, 0·69; 95 % CI: 0·48, 1·00 in females). In conclusion, high TSF was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in MHD patients.