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The article provides an overview of the aquatic plant industry in China in 2023, highlighting various lotus festivals and events that took place in different cities. Despite travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese colleagues made significant contributions to the field. These events showcased different cultivars of ornamental lotus and waterlilies, and included exhibitions, symposiums, and cultural activities. The article emphasizes the success of these events and their importance in promoting the aquatic plant field in China. [Extracted from the article]

A low permittivity microwave dielectric ceramic, Li-containing silicate (LiGaSiO 4), was synthesized using the standard solid-state reaction method. The nominal LiGaSiO 4 ceramic exhibited a relative permittivity of approximately 4.4. The effects of nonstoichiometric Li on the microstructure, sintering behavior, and microwave dielectric properties of LiGaSiO 4 were comprehensively investigated. Excess Li content (6 mol%) significantly improved the relative density (96.1 %) and microwave dielectric properties (ε r ∼5.34, Q × f ∼55,600 GHz, and τ f ∼ -48.6 ppm/°C), while reducing the optimum sintering temperature from 1070 °C to ∼1010 °C. Additionally, the incorporation of 2 wt% LiF further reduced densification temperature (∼940 °C). The regulation of the τ f was achieved through the addition of CaTiO 3 ceramic, and a patch antenna was designed and fabricated using a modified Li 1.06 GaSiO 4 -LiF-CaTiO 3 composite ceramic. The resulting patch antenna resonates at 5.87 GHz with an impressive bandwidth of 83.1 MHz, while both simulated and measured results demonstrate excellent agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the current status and future prospects of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical laboratory, providing an overview of published and partially available models categorized along typical process steps of laboratory testing. It discusses how AI applications, ranging from laboratory orders to result reporting, are shaping the field of laboratory medicine, offering insights into available commercial AI solutions and research publications up to November 2023.

Landscape ecology is vital and significantly contributes to the country's social and economic growth. This concept is directly linked with sustainable development goals, and a growing potential exists that landscape ecology will replace conventional landscaping practices as the authoritative framework for environmentally responsible landscaping. Decentralizing spatial planning policy requires local actors to work together to determine what physical changes must be made to the environment to reflect their respective values. To be applicable in such bottom‐up landscape‐development processes, this study checks the relationship between the landscape ecological perspective and the financial development of China over the period 1995–2021 by using the autoregressive distributed lag model. The findings indicated that green investment, environmental pressure and energy consumption play a significant role in China's financial development. Landscape ecological research should pay more attention to these dilemmas as a unifying common ground to produce a joint knowledge base that can be incorporated into multifunctional, actor‐led landscape development. This research adds value to the modern pattern‐process model in landscape ecology by developing this idea into a knowledgeable framework. Subsequently, this study promotes green investment activities and consumption of energy sources so that landscape ecology aims should be obtained through interdisciplinary research. Future research can be done by taking the emerging economies into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degeneration of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) has been implicated in cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease. The role of the NBM volumes in the cognitive function in isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) has not been explored. We investigated changes in NBM volumes and their associations with cognitive deficits in iRBD. Baseline NBM volumes were compared between 29 iRBD patients and 29 healthy controls by using structural MRI data from the Parkinson Progression Marker Initiative database. Partial correlation analyses were used to evaluate cross-sectional relationships between baseline NBM volumes and cognitive performance in iRBD. Linear mixed models were applied to assess between-group differences in longitudinal cognitive changes, and whether baseline NBM volumes could predict longitudinal changes of cognition in iRBD. Compared with controls, NBM volumes were significantly reduced in iRBD patients. In patients with iRBD, higher NBM volumes were significantly associated with greater performance in global cognition function. In the longitudinal analyses, iRBD patients showed more severe and rapid decline on tests of global cognition compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, greater baseline NBM volumes were significantly associated with greater follow-up Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, thus predicting less longitudinal cognitive changes in iRBD. This study provides important in vivo evidence for an association between the NBM degeneration and cognitive impairments in iRBD. • iRBD patients demonstrated significantly reduced NBM volumes. • NBM volumes were positively correlated with scores of global cognition in iRBD. • iRBD patients showed significant decline in global cognition over time. • Baseline NBM volumes of iRBD predict longitudinal changes in global cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on pelagic polychaete community structure in the western North Pacific is available for the subarctic region (Station K2) but not for the subtropical region. Hence, we analyzed day–night vertically stratified samples collected in eight layers within the first 1000 m of the water column during four seasons in 1 year, using the same sampling method as St. K2, at the subtropical region (Station S1). At St. S1, 27 species of pelagic polychaetes belonging to 13 genera and six families were identified. The annual mean abundance was 35.0 ind. 1000 m−3 and the biomass was 17.3 mg WW 1000 m−3. At St. S1, the numbers of genera and species were higher and the annual mean abundance and biomasses were much lower than St. K2. The pelagic polychaetes often peaked in the mesopelagic layer at St. K2, with the carnivores and particle feeders peaking in the epipelagic and mesopelagic layers, respectively. At St.S1, the carnivorous species predominated throughout the entire water column, and were most abundant in the epipelagic layer. Thus, In the western Pacific Ocean, the subarctic pelagic polychaete community structure changed vertically with feeding ecology. On the other hand, the subtropical community may be adapted to conditions of high irradiance and light transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertically stratified day and night samples were collected from a depth of up to 1000 m during four seasons at a single station in the western subarctic Pacific. Subsequently, the abundance, biovolume, community structure and population structure of the pelagic amphipods were evaluated from the imaging analysis using ZooScan. The stable isotope ratio (δ15N) was also measured for each species. In total 10 amphipod species were identified in total, and their community structures were separated into four groups. The four communities were characterized by the upper-layer community dominated by Themisto pacifica , and the deep-water community that was characterized by the absence of T. pacifica. The other two groups were observed for the intermediate depths at night only, which was characterized by the low abundance of T. pacifica performing diel vertical migration from those depths. The deep-dwelling species displayed higher δ15N and positive relationships were detected with the habitat depth of each species. For the predominant T. pacifica , population structure (cohort) analysis was possible based on equivalent spherical diameter data from ZooScan. This study demonstrates that imaging analysis by ZooScan is applicable for analyses of minor taxonomic groups (amphipods) in zooplankton communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their possible applications in dielectric energy-storage capacitor devices, (Bi 0.5 Na 0.5)TiO 3 -based (BNT) relaxor ferroelectric (RFE) ceramics are feasible alternatives to lead-containing electroceramics. Good energy-storage performance (ESP), including high recoverable energy density (W rec) and good energy discharge efficiency (η), is required to achieve device miniaturization and long device lifetimes. An advanced method was used to overcome the challenges of A-site ionic disordered RFE in achieving high inducible polarization and low hysteresis, with the former dictating a large W rec and the latter dictating a high η. In this study, an ABO 3 perovskite-structured complex end-member Bi(Mg 2/3 Nb 1/3)O 3 (BMN) was added to a 0.7Bi 0.5 Na 0.4 K 0.1 TiO 3 –0.3Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 TiO 3 (0.7BNKT–0.3BST) matrix. The differences in the valence states and ionic radii of Mg2+, Ti4+, and Nb5+ increased the local electric field fluctuation, which contributed to the expanded dielectric relaxation properties. The combined substantial prevention of hysteresis and remanent polarization suggests high potential applicability for ESP. Finally, an enhancement in W rec to 4.98 J/cm3 was achieved in 0.595BNKT–0.255BST–0.15BMN with an ultrahigh η of 97.3% in a medium-strength electric field of 300 kV/cm. The ESP also demonstrated good thermostability between 30 and 120 °C. Furthermore, the strategy used in this study to generate RFEs can serve as a guide for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about the taxonomic and size composition of mesozooplankton is of critical importance for both fisheries and oceanography. In this study, we collected an annual time series of mesozooplankton samples in Funka Bay and analysed them using ZooScan to reveal the seasonal changes in taxonomic and size structure. Both zooplankton abundance and biovolume peaked in April and were dominated by an appendicularian Oikopleura labradoriensis which has been reported as being are being important food source for flatfish larvae. Furthermore, Noctiluca scintillans was abundant from September to December. The occurrence of this species may be related to the recent increase in the transport of Tsugaru Warm Current water into the bay. The Normalized Biomass Size Spectra (NBSS) was significant for 16 of 21 sampling dates. Insignificant NBSS, with an extremely flat slope, was observed for January-March. Significant NBSS with a flat slope was observed in April. Then, the relatively steep slopes of the NBSS were the case from mid-May to December. These seasonal changes in the slope of NBSS suggest that the energy transfer efficiency for higher trophic levels varied seasonally. The observed slopes of the NBSS in Funka Bay ranged from-1.09 to -0.30, which was flatter than the theoretical value (-1) and the previously reported values for the oceanic region of the western North Pacific. This suggests that the energy transfer efficiency to organisms at higher trophic levels in the Funka Bay is higher than in the adjacent oceanic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the clinical effect and impact of exercise-diet therapy combined with Insulin Aspart Injection on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods. The objects of study were patients with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and 62 patients with GDM who were diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin release test from February 2017 to February 2019. According to the severity of the disease, enrolled patients were informed to have appropriate exercise and diet control or Insulin Aspart Injection on this basis until the completion of delivery. By using 50 pregnant women with normal glucose as the control, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 1-hour postprandial glucose (1hPG), 2-hour postprandial glucose (2hPG), nocturnal glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were compared between the PGDM group and the GDM group before and after treatment; besides, further comparison was made in terms of glucose compliance rate, islet B-cell secretory function, and insulin resistance after treatment. The pregnant women were examined by B-ultrasound at 24 and 26 weeks of gestation to check if the fetus had abnormalities in the central nervous system and the heart. Further B-ultrasound examination was performed at 32 and 37 weeks of gestation to check the problems such as polyhydramnios and stillbirth. In addition, a comparative analysis was carried out in terms of the adverse pregnancy outcomes and complications, associated with the comparison of the results after treatment with control group. Results. After treatment, the levels of FPG, 1hPG, 2hPG, nocturnal glucose, and HbA1c were decreased in the PGDM group and GDM group than those before treatment, especially in the GDM group, with significant difference still when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that the blood glucose compliance rate in the GDM group was higher than that in the PGDM group, showing a better therapeutic effect. Fasting insulin (FINS) and homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the GDM group were significantly higher than those in control group, but lower than those in the PGDM group (P < 0.01), while the level of HOMA-β was lower in the GDM group than that in the control group and higher than that in PGDM (P < 0.01). Further ultrasound examination revealed the presence of fetal cardiac abnormality, polyhydramnios, stillbirth, and problems, showing a higher incidence in the PGDM group but almost nonexistence in the control group. In addition, the incidence of hypertension, macrosomia, premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage, and infection were obviously higher in the PGDM group than those in the GDM group and control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Exercise-diet therapy combined with Insulin Aspart Injection can effectively control the blood glucose level of pregnant patients with GDM, improve the pregnancy outcome to a certain extent, and ensure the health of pregnant women and fetus, which is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free relaxor bulk ceramics (LFRBCs) have the advantages of environment-friendliness, diffuse phase transition near room temperature (RT) and large heat absorption capacity, so as to be candidates for medium and large electric refrigeration and cooling equipment. Although considerable efforts have been made to explore LFRBCs with a large adiabatic temperature change (Δ T) near room temperature, the RT Δ T of LFRBCs is still too weak, baffling their practical applications. In addition, common strategy for achieving a large RT Δ T is mainly tuning phase transitions by compositional engineering. Unfortunately, this strategy is not enough to realize the required properties for EC cooling devices. In this work, based on the general phenomenological expressions of EC effect, we proposed a new strategy, i.e. coordinated regulation of phase transitions and applied electric fields, to achieve a large RT Δ T and a wide using temperature range in LFRBCs simultaneously. Encouragingly, the Δ T calculated using the indirect method inclines from 0.96 K to 1.7 K ranging from 300 K to 360 K in 0.25 mol. % La3+ doped Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8)O 3 ceramic under electric field change of 150 kV cm−1, which is much higher than that calculated using the indirect method so far in many LFRBCs designed using previous strategy for EC refrigeration, demonstrating a big step in LFRBCs for EC refrigeration. The large RT Δ T and broad operating temperature range are mainly attributed to diffuse phase transition near room temperature and a high applied electric field. Most importantly, this work provides a significant guideline to develop new LFRBCs with high comprehensive EC properties for high-efficiency cooling devices, which will bring a series of new LFRBCs with a large room-temperature Δ T in a wide temperature range for next-generation refrigeration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the nonstoichiometric effect of (Bi 0.5 Na 0.5)TiO 3 (BNT) ceramics on their properties, we propose a novel chemical expression, (Bi 0.5+ x Na 0.5−3 x)TiO 3. The nonstoichiometric effect of BNT can be explored in compounds with this composition without being hampered by the charge imbalance problem. With x ranging from −0.02 to 0.02, we find that the morphological, dielectric, ferroelectric, and electrostrain properties differ considerably between Na-rich and Bi-rich ceramic samples. The average grain size (AGS) increased significantly in Na-rich samples compared to that in stoichiometric BNT, while it decreased slightly in Bi-rich samples. The dielectric characteristics measured from 30 °C to 500 °C indicate that conductivity is activated in Na-rich nonstoichiometric samples but is effectively suppressed in Bi-rich nonstoichiometric samples. The ferroelectric properties also show the same trend. In Na-rich samples, elliptical polarization against electric field (P - E) hysteresis loops were detected, indicating a conductive character induced by high electric field loading. However, saturated P - E loops are observed in Bi-rich samples with well-inhibited conductivity. Furthermore, compared to stoichiometric BNT and nonstoichiometric x = 0.02 Bi-rich samples, (Bi 0.5+ x Na 0.5−3 x)TiO 3 samples with x = 0.01 exhibit higher electrostrain from 30 °C to 150 °C. Based on the assumption of charge balance, our findings indicated that the presence of 1 mol% excess Bi would facilitate significant improvement in the dielectric, ferroelectric, and electrostrain properties of BNT and BNT-based systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain is a distributed system that maintains a public ledger using consensus protocols. The practical byzantine fault tolerance (PBFT) protocol is vital in consortium blockchains. However, there are still problems with system centralization, consensus inefficiency, high communication complexity, and other issues in PBFT and its improved algorithms. These restrict its widespread application in realistic environments. In this work, we propose a grouping-classification practical byzantine fault tolerance (GC-PBFT) improvement algorithm based on credit. First, we construct a credit model to dynamically evaluate the credit of nodes and rank them in descending order. Second, a grouping-classification model is built to divide nodes into three subgroups. Then, primary node, supervisory node, and consensus node are selected from these subgroups randomly, ensuring that the node roles are constantly updated to improve the security and fairness of the system. Additionally, the consensus process is simplified to improve the efficiency of the consensus and reduce communication complexity. Finally, experiments show that compared with PBFT and its improved algorithms, the GC-PBFT algorithm reduces communication complexity from O (N 2) to O(N). In addition, active and honest nodes can obtain higher credit, which lowers the possibility of malicious nodes being selected as consensus nodes, leading to higher consensus efficiency and better decentralization characteristics for the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pelagic polychaetes are distributed from the sea surface to greater depths of the oceans worldwide, but little information is available regarding their ecology. This study investigated the vertical distribution of abundance, biomass and community structure of pelagic polychaetes at a single station in the western subarctic Pacific based on day–night vertical stratified samples collected from a 0 to 1000 m water column during four seasons covering 1 year. The polychaete abundance and biomass ranged from 0 to 757 ind. 1000 m−3 and 0–6.1 mg WW m−3, respectively. Ten pelagic polychaete species belonging to nine genera and six families were identified. From cluster analysis based on abundance, the polychaete community was divided into five communities. Each community occurred at different depth layers. Two surface groups seen at 0–200 m were dominated by two carnivorous species: Tomopteris septentrionalis and Typhloscolex muelleri. The deepest group, dominated by the particle feeder Pelagobia longicirrata , was seen at 500–1000 m. Two transition groups occurred in the intermediate depths. These vertical distributions of the pelagic polychaete communities were common throughout the season and day. Water mass, food availability and the oxygen minimum layer are put forth as environmental factors that affect the pelagic polychaete community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to detect the formaldehyde content in building interiors, ZnO nanowire was used as the target for monitoring formaldehyde. ZnO nanowires were synthesized by hydrothermal method using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and sodium citrate (C6H5Na3O7) as raw materials. The crystal structure and micromorphology of the prepared ZnO nanowires were analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDS. Structural characterization results show that the prepared ZnO nanowires have good crystallinity and high purity, with an average diameter of (39 ±10) nm, a length of about 400 nm, and good dispersion. As-prepared ZnO nanowires were brushed-coated on a ceramic tube, assembling into a gas sensor, and investigated systematic gas-sensing properties of sensor. The gas sensing test results show that the ZnO nanowire-based gas sensor has excellent gas-sensitivity properties to HCHO gas, and obtain a maximum sensitivity of 15.2 to 50 x 10-6 HCHO gas at the optimal working temperature of 125 °C. In addition, it has good stability, reproducibility and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aligned DNA sequences have been widely used for quantitatively analyzing and interpreting evolutionary processes. By comparing the information between intraspecific polymorphism with interspecific divergence in two sibling species, Poisson random field (PRF) theory offers a statistical framework with which various genetic parameters such as natural selection intensity, mutation rate and speciation time can be effectively estimated. A recently developed time-inhomogeneous PRF model has reinforced the original method by removing the assumption of stationary site frequency, but it keeps the assumption that the two sibling species share same effective population size with their ancestral species. This paper explores a relaxation of this biologically unrealistic assumption by hypothesizing that each of the two descendant species experienced a sudden change in population size at the times of the divergence from their most recent common ancestor. The newly developed PRF model with non-constant population size is applied to a set of 91 genes in African population of Drosophila to make statistical inference of the various genetic parameters under a hierarchical Bayesian framework and carried out with a multi-layer Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling scheme. In order to meet the intensive computational demand, a R program is integrated with C++ code and a parallel executing technique is designed to run the program with multiple CPU cores. • A population genetics model for two closely related biological species with different population sizes. • The divergence time estimates suggest that Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans had diverged, respectively, 47.94 million years ago and 11.95 million years ago from their most recent common ancestor. • Drosophila melanogaster has a larger population size compared to Drosophila simulans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stemona is a medicinal plant that has been used in China for thousands of years to treat respiratory diseases such as cough and tuberculosis. The tuberostemonine is the component of the Stemona tuberosa Lour., Stemona sessilifolia (Miq.) Miq. or Stemona japonica (Blume) Miq. (The plant name has been checked with http://www.theplantlist.org), of which multiple biological activities has been verified. However, whether it may alleviate pulmonary fibrosis via regulating ferroptosis mechanism has not been confirmed. The aim of this study is to observe whether tuberostemonine alleviates pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing the function of the SLC7A11/glutamate antiporter to restrain the ferroptosis. We validated the effects of tuberostemonine and ferroptosis on TGF-β1-induced proliferation of human lung fibroblast and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. In vitro, the ferroptosis effect of TGF-β1 on human lung fibroblast were examined and the activity of ɑ-SMA, collagen, hydroxyproline and ferrous ions in cells were also examined. In vivo, ferroptosis impacts respiratory function. Inflammatory manifestations, hydroxyproline, collagen activity and ferrous ions in the lung or blood were subject to evaluation. Tuberostemonine significantly improved respiratory function in mice with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, decreased cellular and lung hydroxyproline content, reduced inflammation and collagen deposition in cells and lung, and promoted an increase in the SLC7A11 and GPX4 proteins. Tuberostemonine inhibits the ferroptosis phenomenon, up-regulates SLC7A11, GPX4 and GSH, and down-regulates the accumulation of iron and ROS. Tuberostemonine significantly inhibited ferroptosis and improved pulmonary fibrosis both in vivo and vitro. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Synthesis parameters of silicalite-1 membrane were optimized. • Highly (h 0 h)-oriented silicalite-1 membranes were better than (h 0 h)& c -oriented one. • The best membrane displayed excellent performance for butane isomer separation. Abstract Tubular oriented silicalite-1 membranes were prepared on the inner surface of α -alumina tubes by secondary (seeded) growth. Membrane microstructures including orientation, thickness and defect densities which affected membrane performance could be regulated by synthesis optimization for butane isomer separation. Synthesis parameters such as synthesis temperature, synthesis time and solution composition were modified. Membrane orientation was greatly affected by synthesis temperature. Two typical membranes of highly (h 0 h)-oriented and mixed (h 0 h)&c-oriented membranes were obtained after synthesis optimization. Four highly (h 0 h)-oriented silicalite-1 membranes prepared under optimized synthesis conditions showed ideal H 2 /SF 6 selectivities of 1325 ± 35, which was much higher than that of mixed (h 0 h)& c -oriented membrane M3 (3 0 0), indicating that the former membranes had fewer boundary defects. These highly (h 0 h)-oriented membranes displayed n -butane permeances and separation factors were (2.26 ± 0.23) × 10−7 mol (m2 s Pa)−1 and 32.7 ± 2.5 for an equimolar n -butane/ i -butane mixture at 333 K, respectively. The low deviations in permeance and selectivity indicate that membrane synthesis had a good reproducibility. This average n -butane permeance for these highly (h 0 h)-oriented membranes was 4 times higher than that of mixed (h 0 h)& c -oriented membrane M3. Both kinds of highly (h 0 h)- and (h 0 h)& c - silicalite-1 membranes displayed the similar trend with test temperature and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) is a cholesterol sensor that plays a critical role in regulating intracellular cholesterol levels, but the association between SCAP and foam cell formation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is poorly understood. Using tissue-specific SCAP knockdown in apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-/- mice, we sought to search the mechanism through which SCAP signaling affects VSMC foam cell development. VSMC-specific SCAP knockdown mice were generated by Cre/LoxP-mediated gene targeting in ApoE-/- mice. Breeding SCAPflox/flox mice with SM22α-Cre mice resulted in no viable offspring with the homozygote SM22-Cre: SCAPflox/flox genotype due to embryonic lethality. We found that the heterozygote SM22α-Cre:SCAPflox/+:ApoE-/- mice fed a Western diet for 12 wk had significantly fewer atherosclerotic plaques in their aortas than the control mice due to reduced cholesterol uptake and synthesis. Furthermore, we found that autophagy in VSMCs was increased in SM22α-Cre:SCAPflox/+:ApoE-/- mice. Similarly, in vitro, SCAP knockdown in human coronary artery VSMCs by RNA interference reduced lipid accumulation and increased autophagy under LDL cholesterol loading. SCAP knockdown in VSMCs reduced oxidative stress and increased AMPK phosphorylation, which contributed to the up-regulation of autophagy in vivo and in vitro. VSMC-specific SCAP knockdown decreased the lipid accumulation and intracellular oxidative stress, increased excessive lipid clearance by enhancing lipid autophagy mediated by the reactive oxygen species/AMPK pathway in VSMCs, and consequently alleviated atherosclerosis plaque formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a Poisson random field model for estimating the distribution of selective effects of newly arisen nonsynonymous mutations that could be observed as polymorphism or divergence in samples of two related species under the assumption that the two species populations are not at mutation-selection-drift equilibrium. The model is applied to 91Drosophila genes by comparing levels of polymorphism in an African population of D. melanogaster with divergence to a reference strain of D. simulans. Based on the difference of gene expression level between testes and ovaries, the 91 genes were classified as 33 male-biased, 28 female-biased, and 30 sex-unbiased genes. Under a Bayesian framework, Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations are implemented to the model in which the distribution of selective effects is assumed to be Gaussian with a mean that may differ from one gene to the other to sample key parameters. Based on our estimates, the majority of newly-arisen nonsynonymous mutations that could contribute to polymorphism or divergence in Drosophila species are mildly deleterious with a mean scaled selection coefficient of -2.81, while almost 86% of the fixed differences between species are driven by positive selection. There are only 16.6% of the nonsynonymous mutations observed in sex-unbiased genes that are under positive selection in comparison to 30% of male-biased and 46% of female-biased genes that are beneficial. We also estimated that D. melanogaster and D. simulans may have diverged 1.72 million years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dryer in which drying of material is being done by rotation moving of the drying stands around which hot air is streaming represents an innovative technical solution. Counter-streaming movement of the rotor with drying stands through the stream of hot air enables a higher drying intensity. In order to get a clearer picture of the hot air streaming among the drying stands and the effects of the individual components on the streaming of fluid through rotary dryer, it is necessary to perform a detailed CFD analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of zooplankton and other marine organisms are useful for evaluating trophic levels and the food web structure of marine ecosystems. Further, taxonomic variations and regressions between δ15N and δ13C can provide details of regional differences in the food web structure. Despite their ecological importance, information on the taxonomic differences in the stable isotopes of various pelagic biota and vertical, latitudinal, and size variations in the stable isotopes of the mesozooplankton are scarce in the western North Pacific. In this study, we compared regional differences in the taxonomic variations of the stable isotopes of the all pelagic organisms collected by gillnets and various plankton nets in the subarctic and transitional domains (37–44°N) of the western North Pacific during spring. Additionally, we evaluated the vertical, size, and latitudinal variations in the stable isotopes of mesozooplankton in the western North Pacific. Regressions between δ15N and δ13C were highly significant for the subarctic and transitional domains, while they varied significantly between the two regions (P < 0.0001, ANCOVA). These regional differences in the stable isotopes were characterised by the high δ15N and low δ13C values in the subarctic region, whereas the opposites trend was observed in the transitional domains. Vertical observations from the sea surface to a depth of 3000 m at five stations (29°, 31°, 33°, 37°, and 41°N) showed that there were no significant changes in the δ13C stable isotope of mesozooplankton with depth across the stations. However, for δ15N, the significance of regressions increased with increasing depths at the subtropical stations (29°, 31°, and 33°N), while no significant trends with depth were observed for the subarctic and transitional domain stations (37°, 41°N). The dominance of interzonal copepods (e.g., Neocalanus spp.) in the mesozooplankton biomass in the subarctic and transitional region may mask the vertical changes in δ15N values in that region. Further, δ13C varied neither with size nor latitude. In contrast, δ15N showed clear size and latitudinal patterns. Thus, δ15N values increased with increasing zooplankton size (112 μm < 407 μm < 925 μm), and significant regressions increased with increasing latitude for all three size classes (P < 0.001). Subsequent ANCOVA revealed that the regression did not vary with organism size. Thus, the changing latitudinal patterns in δ15N values (higher for high latitude) had much greater effects than the size differences for mesozooplankton. • We investigated vertical, latitudinal, and size variations in SI of mesozooplankton. • Mesozooplankton showed no significant vertical changes in δ13C with depth to 3000 m. • For δ15N, it increased with increasing depth in the subtropics. • No significant depth trends were found in the subarctic and transitional domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly ( h0h ) - oriented silicalite-1 membranes were reproducibly prepared on the inner surface of α -alumina tubes by secondary (seeded) growth of a randomly oriented seed layer. The ideal selectivities of H 2 /SF 6 and N 2 /SF 6 were 2400 and 1500, respectively, indicating that the membrane had few boundary defects. The best silicalite-1 membrane displayed n -butane permeance of 3.1 × 10 −7 mol (m 2 s Pa) −1 (=926 GPU) and n -butane/ i -butane separation factor of 29 for an equimolar n -butane/ i -butane binary mixture at 333 K. Preferentially oriented and uniform silicalite-1 layers are responsible for the high separation performance. Mixture n -butane/ i -butane separation factors were always higher than ideal selectivities. The effects of temperature, pressure, feed concentration, feed flow rate, sweep gas flow rate and water vapor in feed on the membrane performance were studied. The separation mechanisms including preferential adsorption, molecular sieve and competitive diffusion were discussed for the n -butane/ i -butane separation through the silicalite-1 membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that manual inspection of the yarn-dyed fabric can be time consuming and inefficient, we propose a yarn-dyed fabric defect classification method by using a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a modified AlexNet. CNN shows powerful ability in performing feature extraction and fusion by simulating the learning mechanism of human brain. The local response normalization layers in AlexNet are replaced by the batch normalization layers, which can enhance both the computational efficiency and classification accuracy. In the training process of the network, the characteristics of the defect are extracted step by step and the essential features of the image can be obtained from the fusion of the edge details with several convolution operations. Then the max-pooling layers, the dropout layers, and the fully connected layers are employed in the classification model to reduce the computation cost and extract more precise features of the defective fabric. Finally, the results of the defect classification are predicted by the softmax function. The experimental results show promising performance with an acceptable average classification rate and strong robustness on yarn-dyed fabric defect classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is known to be crucial for the regulation of embryogenesis and cell differentiation, and its constitutive activation is associated with a wide range of malignancies. There are two major principles for an activated Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The first is caused by the failure of the destruction complex, mainly due to the decreased expression of the tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC); the second is the mutation of the β-catenin (CTNNB1) protein itself. Wilms tumors (WTs) are also thought to be malignancies with a high rate of Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. The aim of this study was to analyze a large cohort of WT for activated Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Methods: The transcription of axis inhibition protein 2 (AXIN2) and APC was analyzed by real-time PCR. Expression was compared with those in healthy renal tissues as a control. Methylation status of the APC promoter was measured by pyrosequencing and correlated with APC expression. Finally, the mutations of CTNNB1 itself were detected by Sanger sequencing.Results: The analysis was done in a cohort of 103 WTs, treated in our institution. There was a significant overexpression of AXIN2 in WTs (P < 0.0001), with 33 (32 %) tumors showing higher expression (median + 3× SD) than normal kidney tissue. In contrast, the expression of APC as well as its promoter methylation did not differ from control (P = 0.78; P = 0.82). Finally, there were only seven (6.8 %) mutations detectable in CTNNB1, and five out of seven were seen in WTs with AXIN2 overexpression.Conclusion: The finding that AXIN2, one of the major Wnt target genes, is overexpressed in our cohort of WTs, is indicative for the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. However, neither the alteration of APC nor frequent CTNNB1 mutations were seen in our analyses. Therefore, other mechanisms might be responsible for the common activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti 1 − x Al x N thin films with x varying from 0.72 to 0.86 were deposited using a high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) method in this research. The current-voltage characteristics of the Ti 30 Al 70 target was first investigated to determine the HiPIMS parameters for film deposition. The microstructure and hardness of the resulting films grown under different target powers and different N 2 /Ar flux ratios have been studied. It was found that the dual phases of cubic-Ti 1 − x Al x N and wurtzite-AlN co-exist in the resulting films while the grain sizes of wurtzite-AlN are all smaller than that of the cubic-Ti 1 − x Al x N. The deposition rate, ranging from 4 to 9 nm/min, decreases with increasing N 2 /Ar flux ratio or decreasing target power. N/(Al + Ti) ratio, varying between 0.5 and 1.3, was found to increase with increasing N 2 /Ar ratio. Films having the highest hardness of 22.3 GPa was obtained when the duty cycle was 3%, the power was 1.8 kW, and the N 2 /Ar flux ratio was 0.46. The hardness exhibits a strong dependence to the N/(Al + Ti) ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further understand the benefits of biochar in crop production and remediation of heavy metal pollution, the effects of biochar on the growth of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Taikong 36’ and cadmium (Cd) accumulation in plant tissues were evaluated in the artificially Cd-polluted water-soil. The results showed that plant biomass significantly increased with the proportion (0–32%) of biochar in the soil mix. However, the impacts of biochar on plant physiological indicators were not clear. Compared with the control, the addition of 32% biochar significantly decreased Cd content in rhizomes, petioles, and leaves of N. nucifera ‘Taikong 36’ by 69, 81, 55%, respectively. Correspondingly, the bioaccumulation coefficient of Cd was reduced, by a maximum of 71%, and the Cd transfer coefficient from underground to aboveground tissues increased up to 1.3 fold. The bioaccumulation coefficient of Cd in rhizomes was significantly lower than that of leaves, indicating that biochar mitigated the effect of heavy metal ions and reduced the accumulation of Cd in the edible parts of lotus. Therefore, biochar has potential in green agriculture production and remediation of heavy-metal polluted water and soil due to its positive effects: improving plant growth and reducing heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY We were able to reduce heating irregularities in equipment for heating beverage cans by using the high-frequency induction heating method and determining the resulting improvement in the heating efficiency. The heating irregularity between the top and bottom of the can was reduced to less than 3°C by improving the arrangement of the heating coils for the beverage can by thinning the winding and changing the circuit configuration. The efficiency of power conversion was improved from 93.0% to 97.4%. In this paper, the configuration of the equipment and the experimental results are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitivity and specificity are often used to assess the performance of a diagnostic testwith binary outcomes. Wald-type test statistics have been proposed for testing sensitivity and specificity individually. In the presence of a gold standard, simultaneous comparison between two diagnostic tests for noninferiority of sensitivity and specificity based on an asymptotic approach has been studied by Chen et al. (2003). However, the asymptotic approach may suffer from unsatisfactory type I error control as observed from many studies, especially in small tomediumsample settings. In this paper, we compare three unconditional approaches for simultaneously testing sensitivity and specificity. They are approaches based on estimation, maximization, and a combination of estimation and maximization. Although the estimation approach does not guarantee type I error, it has satisfactory performance with regard to type I error control. The other two unconditional approaches are exact. The approach based on estimation and maximization is generally more powerful than the approach based on maximization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tries to demonstrate the changing facets of age-constructions and -identities in verbal interactions, and seeks to trace the (re-)productions of age as a culturally anchored conceptual category with fuzzy edges. The variability and flexibility of the concept of age will first be explained with the help of a semantic analysis of the lexemes' antonymy. Addressing age-related compliments, the second part expands on this by analyzing the different roles images of ageing play in interactive verbal routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] HIV-1 Vpr has effect on HCV infection during HIV/HCV coinfection. [•] HIV-1 Vpr increases the infection of HCV full-length genome, including HCV wild type and reporter viruses. [•] HIV-1 Vpr increases the replication of HCV subgenomic replicon. [•] HIV-1 Vpr does not affect HCV entry and translation. [•] HIV-1 Vpr increases HCV RNA replication. [•] HIV-1 Vpr can partially overcome the anti-HCV effect of IFN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mutation frequencies can be modeled as a Poisson random field (PRF) to estimate speciation times and the degree of selection on newly arisen mutations. This approach provides a quantitative theory for comparing intraspecific polymorphism with interspecific divergence in the presence of selection and can be used to estimate population genetic parameters. Although the original PRF model has been extended to more general biological settings to make statistical inference about selection and divergence among model organisms, it has not been incorporated into phylogeographic studies that focus on estimating population genetic parameters for nonmodel organisms. Here, we modified a recently developed time-dependent PRF model to independently estimate genetic parameters from a nuclear and mitochondrial DNA data set of 22 sister pairs of birds that have diverged across a biogeographic barrier. We found that species that inhabit humid habitats had more recent divergence times and larger effective population sizes than those that inhabit drier habitats, and divergence time estimated from the PRF model were similar to estimates from a coalescent species-tree approach. Selection coefficients were higher in sister pairs that inhabited drier habitats than in those in humid habitats, but overall the mitochondrial DNA was under weak selection. Our study indicates that PRF models are useful for estimating various population genetic parameters and serve as a framework for incorporating estimates of selection into comparative phylogeographic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic and geological changes across time are presumed to have shaped the rich biodiversity of tropical regions. However, the impact climatic drying and subsequent tropical rainforest contraction had on speciation has been controversial because of inconsistent palaeoecological and genetic data. Despite the strong interest in examining the role of climatic change on speciation in the Neotropics there has been few comparative studies, particularly, those that include non-rainforest taxa. We used bird species that inhabit humid or dry habitats that dispersed across the Panamanian Isthmus to characterize temporal and spatial patterns of speciation across this barrier. Here, we show that these two assemblages of birds exhibit temporally different speciation time patterns that supports multiple cycles of speciation. Evidence for these cycles is further corroborated by the finding that both assemblages consist of ‘young’ and ‘old’ species, despite dry habitat species pairs being geographically more distant than pairs of humid habitat species. The matrix of humid and dry habitats in the tropics not only allows for the maintenance of high species richness, but additionally this study suggests that these environments may have promoted speciation. We conclude that differentially expanding and contracting distributions of dry and humid habitats was probably an important contributor to speciation in the tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply a recently developed time-dependent Poisson random field model to aligned DNA sequences from two related biological species to estimate selection coefficients and divergence time. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to estimate species divergence time and selection coefficients for each locus. The model assumes that the selective effects of non-synonymous mutations are normally distributed across genetic loci but constant within loci, and synonymous mutations are selectively neutral. In contrast with previous models, we do not assume that the individual species are at population equilibrium after divergence. Using a data set of 91 genes in two Drosophila species, D. melanogaster and D. simulans, we estimate the species divergence time tdiv = 2:61Ne (or 1.68 million years, assuming the haploid effective population size Ne = 6:45 x 105 years) and a mean selection coefficient per generation μγ= 1:98/Ne. Although the average selection coefficient is positive, the magnitude of the selection is quite small. Results from numerical simulations are also presented as an accuracy check for the time-dependent model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A eulogy for artist Louise Bourgeois is presented, with a discussion on her influence on modern and contemporary art.

Multilevel inverter circuit generates the stair-like voltage without using transformer and interphase reactor, and it is the circuit which realizes reduction in the harmonics and enlargement of the capacity. In addition, the application of PWM control improves the waveform, and reduces the switching component to the conventional half, and the filter capacity is reduced. In this paper, improvement on the voltage utilization factor and feedback control of output voltage are applied to multilevel inverter circuit. For the DC power supply with the intense fluctuation, it is necessary to construct inverter circuit which can supply stabilized AC voltage. One-chip microcomputer with various functions is used for the control equipment of this circuit, and miniaturization and cost reduction of the control equipment are realized. Here, the control principle and experimental results of this equipment are mainly reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 170(3): 40–47, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20906 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with artist Ann Hamilton is presented. She details how her art works relate to religion. When asked why she does not present labor as demeaning or soul-chilling, she says she wants to present labor as redemptive. The artist details her experiences when she began doing art installations.

Introduction: Exposure to high positive Gz gravity forces impose extreme physiological stress on the pilot resulting in G-induced loss of consciousness, visual disturbances and catastrophic consequences. Multiple measures to improve +Gz tolerance were identified. Objectives: The aim of the study is to measure the physiological and straining G-tolerance with and without G- suits among novice cadets by using Human centrifuge (ATFS-400). Materials and Methods: 75 novice cadets without anti G-suit were subjected to gradual-onset rate (GOR) acceleration using Human centrifuge (ATS 400) at 0.1G/s. Data were taken as physiological run when the subject experienced visual symptom by pushing greyout' button before executing muscle straining. Muscle straining were executed until the subject's experience the second grey- out. Similar profile was repeated after two minutes of rest but with the subjects wearing anti G -suit. Results: The mean of physiological G-tolerance without and with G- suit are 5.011 ± 0.95 Gz and 5.88 ± 1.15 Gz respectively, whereas the mean straining G- tolerance without G suit is 6.45 ± 0.91 Gz and with G-suit is 7.1 ± 0.96 Gz respectively. However, straining without G -suit is shown to provide a higher additional G- protection of 1.417 ± 0.65 Gz as compared to that with G- suit 1.21 ± 0.56 Gz (p-value < 0.000). Conclusion: G-protection from muscle straining seems less in novice cadets with no previous high +Gz exposure because it may not be correctly executed in novice cadets because of perception of protection from G-suit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on misread signals in art. Filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot to death by Muslim immigrant Mohammed Bouyeri due to van Gogh's film "Submission: Part I" which featured verses from the Koran written on a naked woman. It has been criticized that the strategy used by van Gogh had been lifted from artist Shirin Neshat. Misread signals in art can be traced in immigrant history as artists in the U.S. have had the means and the audience to announce news from their homelands.

Presents three readback signal detection methods for real-time head disk spacing variation measurement under vibration conditions. PW[sub50] parameter estimation method; Thermal detection method; Thermal signal detection method; Experimental results; Conclusion.

Presents information on a study which proposed a novel active flying height control method for the suppression of head-disk spacing variation in hard disk drives under shock or vibration conditions. Detection of real-time head-disk spacing variation using thermal signal method; Real-time flying height variation control; Conclusions.

The long-term benefits of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy after achieving sustained virological response (SVR) remain uncertain in the Chinese population. This study evaluates the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic decompensation, and all-cause mortality among Chinese hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs. We included patients diagnosed since 2011 and followed them until November 1, 2022. The primary outcomes were HCC, hepatic decompensation, and mortality. Multivariable proportional hazards model was used to assess the impact of SVR and cirrhosis status. The cohort consisted of 1272 patients with SVR (92.1%) and 109 without SVR (7.9%), with a median follow-up of 61 months. The incidence of HCC was significantly lower in the SVR group (5.1 per 1000 person-years) compared to the no-SVR group (15.0 per 1000 person-years). Achieving SVR was associated with a significantly reduced risk of HCC (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.32; 95% CI 0.16–0.67). Cirrhosis was linked to an increased risk of developing HCC and hepatic decompensation. These findings highlight the importance of early DAA treatment, particularly for patients with cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Surgical castration is a common practice for controlling animal reproduction. However, surgical castration can cause pain and stress and may even lead to psychological harm. As an alternative, GnRH vaccines can lower androgen levels without surgery. In this study, we compared the effects of a newly developed GnRH vaccine and surgical castration in rats. Both methods effectively suppressed sexual behavior, but surgical castration resulted in significant depression and social withdrawal, while the vaccinated rats did not exhibit these behavioral issues. This suggests that GnRH immunocastration may be a more humane method that better aligns with animal welfare standards. Castration is often employed in animal management for reproductive control. However, it is important to evaluate its impact on animal welfare. In this study, we developed rat models for both surgical (n = 6) and GnRH immunocastration (n = 6) to assess the effects of these castration methods on physiological and behavioral characteristics. The novel GnRH-based vaccine significantly increased serum GnRH antibody levels and drastically reduced testosterone, with the testes shrinking to one-fifth the size of those in the control group, thereby halting spermatogenesis at the secondary spermatocyte stage. Behavioral evaluations demonstrated that sexual behavior was significantly suppressed in both surgically and immunologically castrated groups compared to the control, confirming the effectiveness of both methods. However, psychological tests revealed significant signs of depression and social deficits in the surgically castrated group, whereas the behavior of the GnRH-immunocastrated group did not significantly differ from the control. Furthermore, no significant differences in learning and memory were observed among the three groups in the water maze test. Compared to surgical castration, GnRH immunocastration offers effective results and better animal welfare, providing a more humane alternative for livestock management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Neoantigens are novel proteins presented on the cell surface and derived from the accumulation of somatic mutations in tumor cells. They can be recognized by the immune system and may play a crucial role in boosting immune responses against tumor cells. The impact of neoantigen expression and T-cell activation status on overall survival was investigated in a breast cancer cohort. We found that high neoantigen expression and T-cell activation status was correlated with improved patient survival in the study population. This result supports that neoantigens are promising to serve as immunogenic agents for immunotherapy in breast cancer. Neoantigens are derived from tumor-specific somatic mutations. Neoantigen-based synthesized peptides have been under clinical investigation to boost cancer immunotherapy efficacy. The promising results prompt us to further elucidate the effect of neoantigen expression on patient survival in breast cancer. We applied Kaplan–Meier survival and multivariable Cox regression models to evaluate the effect of neoantigen expression and its interaction with T-cell activation on overall survival in a cohort of 729 breast cancer patients. Pearson's chi-squared tests were used to assess the relationships between neoantigen expression and clinical pathological variables. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to identify correlations between neoantigen expression, mutation load, and DNA repair gene expression. ERCC1, XPA, and XPC were negatively associated with neoantigen expression, while BLM, BRCA2, MSH2, XRCC2, RAD51, CHEK1, and CHEK2 were positively associated with neoantigen expression. Based on the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, patients with a high level of neoantigen expression and activated T-cell status showed improved overall survival. Similarly, in the T-cell exhaustion and progesterone receptor (PR) positive subgroups, patients with a high level of neoantigen expression showed prolonged survival. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the T-cell activation and PR negative subgroups. In conclusion, neoantigens may serve as immunogenic agents for immunotherapy in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition-metal oxalates (TMOs) have demonstrated great potentials as the promising anode material for lithium ion batteries. Herein, a hierarchical structure was designed and constructed using manganese oxalate framework with accurate iron doping strategy. Owing to the synergistic effect from mixed metal oxalates and staggered conductive network from porous sheet morphology, the Mn 0.8 Fe 0.2 C 2 O 4 with optimal Fe doping presents ultra-efficient lithium storage ability. For example, The as-prepared Mn 0.8 Fe 0.2 C 2 O 4 electrode delivers an initial discharge capacity of 2275 mAh∙g−1, and the reversible capacity around 1903/2018 mAh∙g−1 after 100/200 cycles at 100 mA∙g−1, respectively. Besides, it also demonstrates excellent rate performance, and a high discharge capacity of 1045 mAh∙g−1 after 500 cycles at 500 mA∙g−1. The improved electrochemical performance is superior to previously reported for metal oxalates. Therefore these strategies about the hierarchical synthesis of different morphologies of Mn x Fe 1-x C 2 O 4 can display a huge application prospect in the industrialization of lithium ion battery anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a symmetrical pulse-width modulation alternating current chopper voltage controller designed to operate with single-phase inductive loads with a reduced number of controlled switches. Diagram of the proposed PWM ac chopper voltage controller; Circuit configuration; Switching patterns of the gating signals; Block diagram of the control circuit.