Search

To achieve stable combustion within supersonic combustors, the strut-based mixing augmentation techniques are commonly employed. Large Eddy Simulations (LES) are employed to capture the intricate details of the combustion process in this study, focusing on the influence of shock waves induced by the leading edge of the strut and recirculation zones formed at the trailing edge on flame structure and stability. The effects of five struts with different leading edge angles on the stabilization characteristics of lifted jet flames were investigated, and a novel wedge-shaped strut was proposed. The results reveal that variations on the leading-edge angle of the struts lead to significant differences in the morphology of the jet flames. Under conditions permitting stable combustion, a strut with a 5° leading edge half-angle exhibits the highest combustion efficiency, though the combined effects of shock waves and recirculation zones in the 7° leading edge half-angle strut are also noteworthy. Based on these findings, a novel wedge-shaped strut design is introduced, which combines the characteristics of both strut types. The novel wedge-shaped strut achieves a combustion efficiency of 97 % at the slight cost of additional total pressure loss, providing a foundation for further optimization. • The stabilization properties of lifted jet flames induced by struts were investigated numerically. • A wedge-shaped strut combustor was proposed based on the parametric study. • A combustion efficiency level of 97 % was achieved with a 3 % increase in total pressure loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with tracheotomy are often monitored in the anesthesia recovery room after reoperation. During this period, oxygen therapy is necessary, and the existing tracheostomy oxygen supply device has many defects. To evaluate the efficacy of a self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device on oxygen therapy during postoperative anesthesia recovery. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, E and C, with 30 patients in each group, and admitted to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Patients in group E received oxygen through a self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device, while patients in group C were supplied oxygen through a unilateral nasal cannula. Respiration (R), pulse oximetry (SpO2), and the number of patients on ventilators were recorded at the time of admission (T0) and one hour after admission (T1). Rapid dry blood gas analyses were performed on 0.6 ml samples of arterial blood collected at T0 and T1. Compared to group C, patients in group E had significantly higher arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), total carbon dioxide (T-CO2), and actual bicarbonate (AB), while arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was significantly reduced (P< 0.01 or < 0.05). Compared to T0, PaO2 decreased in both groups at T1, PaCO2 decreased in group E, while SaO2, T-CO2, and AB decreased in group C (P< 0.01 or < 0.05). We found that using the self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device in postoperative anesthesia recovery had advantages such as a secure connection to the tracheostoma, adjustable oxygen concentration, air filtration, and the ability to switch oxygen supply between the ventilator and humidifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a major role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which facilitates the progression of CRC. It is critical to understand how CAFs promote the progression of CRC for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this study was to understand how CAF-derived stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its interactions with the corresponding C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) promote CRC progression. Our study focused on their roles in promoting tumor cell migration and invasion and their effects on the characteristics of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which ultimately impact patient outcomes. Here, using in vivo approaches and clinical histological samples, we analyzed the influence of secreted SDF-1 on CRC progression, especially in terms of tumor cell behavior and stemness. We demonstrated that CAF-secreted SDF-1 significantly enhanced CRC cell migration and invasion through paracrine signaling. In addition, the overexpression of SDF-1 in CRC cell lines HT29 and HCT-116 triggered these cells to generate autocrine SDF-1 signaling, which further enhanced their CSC characteristics, including those of migration, invasion, and spheroid formation. An immunohistochemical study showed a close relationship between SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression in CRC tissue, and this significantly affected patient outcomes. The administration of AMD3100, an inhibitor of CXCR4, reversed the entire phenomenon. Our results strongly suggest that targeting this signaling axis in CRC is a feasible approach to attenuating tumor progression, and it may, therefore, serve as an alternative treatment method to improve the prognosis of patients with CRC, especially those with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic CRC following standard therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with poor prognosis of breast cancer. Thiostrepton exerts anti-tumor activities against several cancers including TNBC. Herein we discussed the new molecular mechanisms of thiostrepton in TNBC. Thiostrepton inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell viability, accompanied by a decrease of c-FLIP and p-SMAD2/3. c-FLIP overexpression reduced the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to thiostrepton, while SMAD2/3 knockdown increased the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to thiostrepton. Moreover, c-FLIP overexpression significantly increased the expression and phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 proteins and vice versa. In conclusion, our study reveals c-FLIP/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway as a novel mechanism of antitumor activity of thiostrepton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listeria monocytogenes is capable of forming biofilms on the food contact surfaces, increasing the risk of food contamination by this pathogen. The disinfectant benzalkonium chloride (BC) is commonly used to control L. monocytogenes in the food industry. This study aimed to investigate effects of BC on L. monocytogenes biofilms. Biofilm biomass was measured by the microplate method with crystal violet staining. Results from the broth microdilution method showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BC against L. monocytogenes 10403S was 8 µg·mL-1. Sub-MICs of BC inhibited the biofilm formation and lethal concentrations of BC removed mature biofilms of L. monocytogenes 10403S. The presence of BC reduced extracellular proteins and exopolysaccharides in biofilms. Additionally, upregulation of quorum sensing gene luxS and agrBDCA and downregulation of flagellum motility genes flaA, motA, and motB were observed in the presence of BC. The BC disinfectant has an excellent anti-biofilm activity against L. monocytogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Bo Mou's Constructive-Engagement Strategy of Comparative Philosophy (CESCP) to explore philosophical practice as a novel paradigm that applies philosophy to everyday life. The study advocates for a transformative methodology that seeks truth through critical engagement, joint contributions, and diverse methodological tools, advancing the discipline towards a comprehensive world philosophy. Philosophical practice, characterized by its engagement with human experience and existential inquiries, integrates Eastern and Western philosophies to guide individuals in the art of living. It offers a philosophical alternative to psychological counseling, focusing on reasoning to address life's challenges and ethical dilemmas. The paper examines the integration of Chinese philosophy, particularly Confucianism, into philosophical practice, highlighting its relevance for contemporary counseling. It discusses Confucianism's impact on philosophical practice, advances in self-cultivation and gong-fu theory, and the holistic Confucian view of body-mind integration, contrasting it with some Western approaches. We conclude that the practical dimensions of Confucianism oppose Western theoretical philosophy but align with Western philosophical practice. By employing CESCP, this research enriches philosophical practice, integrating diverse philosophies while respecting each tradition's context. The approach combines Eastern relational perspectives with Western analytical depth, enhancing philosophical counseling and contributing to a global philosophical dialogue. This fusion of horizons aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and develop universally relevant wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, emulsion and mine water samples were collected from the Daliuta area, and the emulsion composition was analyzed. The typical pollutants in the emulsion were triethanolamine, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrite, and sodium hyponitrotriacetate. Furthermore, migration and transformation studies were conducted with respect to these typical pollutants in the emulsion. When the mine water was passed through the aeration zone of a water accumulation leaching device, the pollutant concentrations considerably decreased, resulting in significant adsorption and migration effects. Subsequently, the adsorption effect was significantly reduced. The adsorption rate of sodium benzoate and sodium hyponitrotriacetate increased with an increase in the emulsion concentration on the 30th day. The adsorption rate of sodium nitrite in 1 L mine water with 20 mL emulsion on the 30th day was 86.4%. The noncarcinogenic health risk assessment and exposure index (EI) model calculations of the simulated mine water containing emulsion revealed that all the hazard quotient (HQ) and EI values of carcinogens were >1. Furthermore, reference pollutant concentrations under the specific conditions of HQ and EI were obtained. These study findings are expected to provide scientific data support for local governments to strengthen geological environment management in mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroidectomy is a frequent surgical procedure to treat both malignant and some benign forms of thyroid disease. Hypocalcemia is a prevalent complication in individuals who underwent thyroidectomy, which is typically treated with intravenous or oral calcium treatment. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy of preoperative vitamin D (VD) or calcium supplementation in preventing hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. Relevant studies were identified through a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate study quality. The pooled data from relevant studies were analyzed using Review Manager 4.1 and Stata 14.0. All dichotomous variables were subjected to the calculation of 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and odds ratios (ORs). In total, this meta-analysis included 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) encompassing 930 patients (740 women, 190 men) who had thyroidectomy alone or in conjunction with additional neck surgery procedures. Significant decreases in hypocalcemia incidence were observed when patients underwent preoperative calcium or vitamin D supplementation (OR 0.59 (95% CI, 0.44–0.81); P = 0.0009), although such preoperative supplementation had no impact on the length of hospitalization due to hypocalcemia as compared to the absence of any prophylactic treatment (OR −0.02 (95% CI, −0.32–0.29); P = 0.91). Preoperative calcium or vitamin D supplementation decreased overall hypocalcemia rates in patients who underwent thyroidectomy. The combination of vitamin D and calcium intake was superior to vitamin D alone in preventing postoperative hypocalcemia. However, these results require additional validation through the completion of well-designed large-scale RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most challenging breast cancer subtype. Molecular stratification and target therapy bring clinical benefit for TNBC patients, but it is difficult to implement comprehensive molecular testing in clinical practice. Here, using our multi-omics TNBC cohort (N = 425), a deep learning-based framework was devised and validated for comprehensive predictions of molecular features, subtypes and prognosis from pathological whole slide images. The framework first incorporated a neural network to decompose the tissue on WSIs, followed by a second one which was trained based on certain tissue types for predicting different targets. Multi-omics molecular features were analyzed including somatic mutations, copy number alterations, germline mutations, biological pathway activities, metabolomics features and immunotherapy biomarkers. It was shown that the molecular features with therapeutic implications can be predicted including the somatic PIK3CA mutation, germline BRCA2 mutation and PD-L1 protein expression (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.78, 0.79 and 0.74 respectively). The molecular subtypes of TNBC can be identified (AUC: 0.84, 0.85, 0.93 and 0.73 for the basal-like immune-suppressed, immunomodulatory, luminal androgen receptor, and mesenchymal-like subtypes respectively) and their distinctive morphological patterns were revealed, which provided novel insights into the heterogeneity of TNBC. A neural network integrating image features and clinical covariates stratified patients into groups with different survival outcomes (log-rank P < 0.001). Our prediction framework and neural network models were externally validated on the TNBC cases from TCGA (N = 143) and appeared robust to the changes in patient population. For potential clinical translation, we built a novel online platform, where we modularized and deployed our framework along with the validated models. It can realize real-time one-stop prediction for new cases. In summary, using only pathological WSIs, our proposed framework can enable comprehensive stratifications of TNBC patients and provide valuable information for therapeutic decision-making. It had the potential to be clinically implemented and promote the personalized management of TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue fever is a well-studied vector-borne disease in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Several methods for predicting the occurrence of dengue fever in Taiwan have been proposed. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the relationship between air quality indices (AQIs) and dengue fever in Taiwan. Results: This study aimed to develop a dengue fever prediction model in which meteorological factors, a vector index, and AQIs were incorporated into different machine learning algorithms. A total of 805 meteorological records from 2013 to 2015 were collected from government open-source data after preprocessing. In addition to well-known dengue-related factors, we investigated the effects of novel variables, including particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 10 µm (PM10), PM2.5, and an ultraviolet index, for predicting dengue fever occurrence. The collected dataset was randomly divided into an 80% training set and a 20% test set. The experimental results showed that the random forests achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9547 for the test set, which was the best compared with the other machine learning algorithms. In addition, the temperature was the most important factor in our variable importance analysis, and it showed a positive effect on dengue fever at < 30 °C but had less of an effect at > 30 °C. The AQIs were not as important as temperature, but one was selected in the process of filtering the variables and showed a certain influence on the final results. Conclusions: Our study is the first to demonstrate that AQI negatively affects dengue fever occurrence in Taiwan. The proposed prediction model can be used as an early warning system for public health to prevent dengue fever outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of specific Facebook activities (e.g., posting photos, comparing oneself to others) on body image (e.g., perceived attractiveness, weight concerns) and self-esteem (e.g., self-worth, confidence) among Taiwanese junior high school students to understand the potential psychological effects of these activities on adolescents. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 384 Taiwanese junior high school students completed self-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS software to explore the relationships between Facebook usage, body image, and self-esteem. Our study reveals that gender, grade, and BodyMass Index (BMI) play a crucial role in shaping body image, with a positive correlation between body image and self-esteem. Interestingly, Facebook usage does not moderate the relationship between body image and self-esteem among these students. These findings provide valuable insights into the factors influencing adolescent self-esteem and body image, shedding light on a complex issue. Our research has important implications for targeted interventions in psychology, education, and sociology to improve adolescent mental health. By understanding social media's influence on self-perception and self-esteem, we can develop strategies to mitigate adverse effects and promote healthier online behaviors. These applications underscore the practical relevance of our findings and their potential to inform and improve current practices. Our study breaks new ground by providing fresh insights into social media's effects on body image and self-esteem among Taiwanese adolescents. By highlighting Facebook usage's non-moderating role, our research contributes to a broader understanding of social media's psychological impact and encourages further exploration of this complex and vital area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The significantly increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) over the last few decades triggers the demands of T2DM animal models to explore the pathogenesis, prevention, and therapy of the disease. The altered lipid metabolism may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of T2DM. However, the characterization of molecular lipid species in fasting serum related to T2DM cynomolgus monkeys is still underrecognized. Methods: Untargeted and targeted LC-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS-based lipidomics approaches were applied to characterize and compare the fasting serum lipidomic profiles of T2DM cynomolgus monkeys and the healthy controls. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that 196 and 64 lipid molecules differentially expressed in serum samples using untargeted and targeted lipidomics as the comparison between the disease group and healthy group, respectively. Furthermore, the comparative analysis of differential serum lipid metabolites obtained by untargeted and targeted lipidomics approaches, four common serum lipid species (phosphatidylcholine [18:0_22:4], lysophosphatidylcholine [14:0], phosphatidylethanolamine [PE] [16:1_18:2], and PE [18:0_22:4]) were identified as potential biomarkers and all of which were found to be downregulated. By analyzing the metabolic pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism was associated with the pathogenesis of T2DM cynomolgus monkeys. Conclusion: The study found that four downregulated serum lipid species could serve as novel potential biomarkers of T2DM cynomolgus monkeys. Glycerophospholipid metabolism was filtered out as the potential therapeutic target pathway of T2DM progression. Our results showed that the identified biomarkers may offer a novel tool for tracking disease progression and response to therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HE 1005-1439 is a carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star with [Fe/H] ∼ − 3.0 , which is largely enhanced in elements produced by slow neutron-capture process (s-process; e.g., [Ba/Fe]=1.16 ± 0.31 , [Pb/Fe]= 1.98 ± 0.19), and mildly enhanced in elements produced by rapid neutron-capture process (r-process; e.g., [Eu/Fe]=0.46 ± 0.22). The neutron-capture element patterns of the star can not be fitted by the s-process model or intermediate process (i-process) model. Studying the astrophysical origins of chemical elements in the star based on the method of abundance decomposition can help understanding the formation and evolution of the CEMP stars. Using the combination of s-process and r-process abundances, we fully fit the abundance patterns of the neutron-capture elements of this star. We find that the neutron-capture elements are mainly produced by the s-process of the AGB companion with low mass and low metallicity, and the r-process nucleosynthesis also contributes a little to this star. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemorrhoids, a gastrointestinal tract disorder, are common during pregnancy. However, large-scale epidemiological studies on hemorrhoids during pregnancy are limited. Therefore, this study used analyzed data from a nationwide population-based database to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment of hemorrhoids in Taiwan. Materials and Methods: This retrospective population-based study used data from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Taiwan Birth Certificate Application to collect the medical records of women who were pregnant at any time during 2009–2018. Hemorrhoids was defined by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) (455. X) and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) (K64.X, O22.4X) with related treatment. Results: We enrolled 1,608,804 deliveries in 1,070,708 women. The proportion of hemorrhoids increased with age in both primipara and multipara women. Of the pregnant women, 31% received oral medication, and 93.2% used the topical ointment to treat their hemorrhoids. Few patients (1.8%) required procedure or surgery during pregnancy, and 41.4% of those patients underwent procedure or surgery in their first trimester. The cumulative incidence of hemorrhoids during pregnancy was significantly higher in women with a history of hemorrhoids and those with multifetal pregnancies. No significant difference in the incidence of hemorrhoids was observed between multiparous and primiparous women. Conclusion: Women with a history of hemorrhoids or those carrying multiple fetuses had an increased risk of hemorrhoids during pregnancy. The most commonly used treatment for hemorrhoids during pregnancy was topical ointments, with only a small proportion (1.8%) of patients requiring procedure or surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility is a vast and comprehensive system where many new multimodal technology revolutions occur. To make strategies of sustainable development, policy makers particularly focus on the residents’ trip scenarios in the long-term future affected by policies but not the extreme accuracy of the predictions. In this paper, we construct a strategic and integrated model of residents’ travel demand and trip pattern based on system dynamics methods. Changes from and relationships between policies, markets and consumers under electrification, automation and sharing revolution in mobility have been considered in this model. This model follows the utility methods in travel cost calculation from MARS and retains the original framework of travel pattern. Moreover, it includes new modes and models under technology revolutions such as (1) new sharing patterns: paratransit; (2) new travel modes: customized shuttle bus and sharing cars and (3) new vehicle models: EVs and Avs. As using the three-level classification system of ownership—mode—model, this strategic analysis model demonstrated a comprehensive structure of future mobility. The validity of model was verified through a case study of Shanghai 2035 with three scenarios developed under possible policy directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractHorizontal supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) pipe-flow studies in the heat transfer literature commonly use a fixed-length adiabatic hydraulic development section prior to the heat transfer region. It is expected that the length of the adiabatic entrance region is long enough to generate hydrodynamically fully developed flow, such that the influence of the entrance is eliminated. However, despite the criteria for subcritical flows being well established, the criteria defining the adiabatic entrance length for sCO2 flows are not as clear. In this paper, 6-mm-diameter round tubes with heat-flux-to-mass-flux ratios (q/G) equal to 60 J/kg are considered. The tubes have adiabatic entrance lengths between 0 and 1000 mm (0 and 167D), followed by a 500 mm (83D) heat transfer cooling section. An assessment of the effect of adiabatic entrance lengths on flow development and heat transfer behavior is given. An analysis of several flow features such as centerline pressure, centerline velocity, axial velocity profile, wall shear stress, and local heat transfer coefficient are presented. Based on findings for a 6-mm-diameter tube with cooling heat flux boundary conditions and a q/G ratio equal to 60 J/kg, it has been determined that a critical adiabatic length, which is the minimum entrance length necessary to achieve hydrodynamically fully developed flow, of greater than 60D is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intractable brittleness and opacity of the crystalline semiconductor restrict the prospect of developing low‐cost imaging systems. Here, infrared visualization technologies are established with large‐area, semi‐transparent organic upconversion devices that bring high‐resolution invisible images into sight without photolithography. To exploit all photoinduced charge carriers, a monolithic device structure is proposed built on the infrared‐selective, single‐component charge generation layer of chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (ClAlPc) coupled to two visible light‐emitting layers manipulated with unipolar charges. Transient pump‐probe spectroscopy reveals that the ClAlPc‐based device exhibits an efficient charge dissociation process under forward bias. This process is indicated by the prompt and strong features of electroabsorption screening. Furthermore, by imposing the electric field, the ultrafast excited state dynamic suggests a prolonged charge carrier lifetime from the ClAlPc, which facilitates the charge utilization for upconversion luminance. For the first time, >30% of the infrared photons are utilized without photomultiplication strategies owing to the trivial spectrum overlap between ClAlPc and the emitter. In addition, the device can broadcast the acoustic signal by synchronizing the device frequency with the light source, which enables to operate it in dual audio‐visual mode. The work demonstrates the potential of upconversion devices for affordable infrared imaging in wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor stability is a significant challenge to organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites for practical optoelectronic applications, which results from their inherent ionic nature and soft structures. The coordination bonding strategy is supposed to be a valid approach by enhancing the interaction between the cations and inorganic frameworks. Herein, the first pair of cation‐coordinated perovskites with high stability, achieved through coordination bonds between the cations and [PbXn] anions instead of the weak hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force presented in conventional ionic perovskites, is reported. In L/R‐(4HOPD)PbBr3 (4HOPD = 4‐hydroxypiperidine cation) (L/R=Left/Right–handed), one of the six halogen atoms is replaced by an oxygen atom from the cation. The PbO bond contributes to the high stability under a double 85 test. L/R‐(4HOPD)PbBr3 crystallizes in the tetragonal system, belonging to one of 11 enantiomorphic space group types, P41212 and P43212. Similar to quartz, the chirality originates from the helical assembly of achiral units. The chirality‐induced optical rotatory power is 16.84° mm−1 at 404 nm. Moreover, the uniaxial negative birefringent property with a comparable Δn value makes it a good alternative to quartz. The remarkable stability of this new perovskite presents significant potential for further investigation into stable perovskites and their applications in optical rotation and polarizing optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-doped biochar performs much better in dye adsorption due to its rich functional groups. Soybean cake, a by-product of soybean oil production, comprises rich contents of cellulose, lignin, and protein. Therein, simple direct carbonization was utilized to prepare self-nitrogendoped biochar (SCB). The results showed that the N content of SCB was 6.81 wt%, and its specific surface area was 18.8 m2/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results confirmed that the surface of SCB was rich in pyridine-N, pyrrole-N, graphite-N, and oxidized-N functional groups. The adsorption capacity of SCB for Rhodamine B was 17.2 mg/g, which is higher compared with other unactivated biochars. The results of thermodynamic parameters indicate that Rhodamine B adsorption on SCB is an endothermic, entropy-increasing, and spontaneous process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work involves the preparation of WC/Co/Ni blends using different mixing ratios to form Co/Ni/WC composite-based coatings by laser cladding. The effect of each component and their mixtures on the mechanical properties was evaluated using a mixture design approach. The morphologies and microstructures of the laser clads were characterized using a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction techniques. Cracking behavior and fracture based on residual stresses are explored. In addition, the mathematical models between the three-component mixtures and the mechanical properties of the laser clad were established. The results showed that the welds containing 50 % WC-50 % Ni alloys were successfully deposited by laser cladding with favorable mechanical properties. These welds reduced the remarkable fracture crack activities and did not cause delamination in the laser clads. An increase in WC content significantly enhances wear resistance and microhardness, except for the crack susceptibilities in all mixtures. Additionally, when increased Co/Ni on WC, the reduction of adhesive wear is more significant than that of abrasive wear. Wear resistance is improved by the high content of WC particles in the laser-clad joints. Based on the mixture models, better mixed ratios for the blends that were developed using a multi-objective superimposed optimization technique make these blended materials promising candidates and can ensure the quality of laser clads. The findings from this study will greatly contribute to optimizing the blend ratio of the three-ingredient mixture based on mixture design to enhance structural evolution and mechanical properties, and also obtain better quality laser-clad coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricate SrRuO3/PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 heterostructures each with an in-plane tensile-strained SrRuO3 layer and investigate the effect of an applied electric field on anomalous Hall effect. The four-fold symmetry of anisotropic magnetoresistance and the nonmonotonic variation of anomalous Hall resistivity are observed. By applying positive electric field or negative electric field, the intersecting hump-like feature is suppressed or enhanced, respectively. The sign and magnitude of the anomalous Hall conductivity can be effectively controlled with an electric field under a high magnetic field. The electric-field-modulated anomalous Hall effect is associated with the magnetization rotation in SrRuO3. The experimental results are helpful in modulating the magnetization rotation in spintronic devices based on SrRuO3 heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effects of HBV infection on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: This is a prospective study. Thirty patients with RA and 30 patients with SLE admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from January 2020 to December 2021 with co-infection of HBV were randomly selected and divided into two groups. Both groups were given anti-HBV treatment. An additional 60 patients with a healthy physical examination during the same period were also selected as a control group. The disease activity, immune function and serum inflammatory factor levels were compared between the RA group and the SLE group before and after treatment. Results: After anti-HBV treatment, DAS scores in the RA group and SLEDAI scores in the SLE group were significantly lower than before treatment(P<0.05). The levels of IgG, IgA, IgM and CD8+ in the RA group and the SLE group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment. The levels of CCP, RF, ESR and CRP in the RA group before and after treatment were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). The levels of ESR and CRP in the SLE group before and after treatment were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Conclusion: Patients in the RA and SLE groups after HBV infection have an increased degree of inflammatory response in their organism, an altered normal state of immunoglobulin and T-lymphocyte subsets, and a loss of organism immune function, leading to an increase in disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of Spiroplasma bloodstream infection in a patient in China who developed pulmonary infection, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock after emergency surgery for type A aortic dissection. One organism closely related to Spiroplasma eriocheiris was isolated from blood culture and identified by whole-genome sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report 5 clustered acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in long-term care facilities in Utah, USA, that were linked to healthcare employees working at multiple facilities. Four outbreaks were caused by norovirus genotype GIX. We recommend continued norovirus surveillance and genotyping to determine contributions of this genotype to norovirus outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online tests offer many advantages but they still belong to assessment, which may make learners have anxiety. Thus, students may experience certain emotion. Academic emotion is a branch of emotion and has great effects on student learning. Such effects can be associated with individual differences, especially prior knowledge. To this end, this study examined the influences of academic emotion and prior knowledge in the context of an online test. The results indicated that the positive academic emotion of high prior knowledge learners (HPKs) and low prior knowledge learners (LPKs) was connected with their pre-test scores while no connection was found for their post-test scores. Additionally, HPKs had higher positive academic emotion and lower negative academic emotion than LPKs. On the other hand, HPKs got better pre-and post-test scores than LPKs whereas LPKs had higher gain scores. Furthermore, HPKs and LPKs exhibited different behavior sequences. More specifically, LPKs tended to acquire small-scaled information from the Chinese hint only while HPKs preferred to obtain both small-scaled information and large-scaled information from the Chinese hint and sentence hint, respectively. According to the findings of this study, we develop a framework, which can be applied to help understand the needs of HPKs and LPKs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance electronic systems require efficient heat dissipation devices. Vapor chambers (VCs) are practical thermal solutions for lightweight portable electronics that have limited heat dissipation space. A functional VC requires an interior wick to sustain the capillary circulation of the condensed fluid back to the heated region. The capillary wick performance can be indexed by the ratio of liquid permeability to the effective pore size of the wick structure. This study describes the capillary behavior of a thin hierarchical dendritic copper film (<100 μm thick) prepared by electrodeposition and thermal sintering. The effects of the electrodeposition current density, deposition time, and sintering temperature on the capillary performance of the dendritic copper films were investigated. The relationship between the wicking capability and dendritic morphology, tailored by the electrodeposition process, was explored. A post-deposition sintering treatment was found to be beneficial for improving the structural integrity, adhesion, and capillary performance of dendritic copper wicks. A very high capillary performance (0.81 μm) was realized on a 30-μm-thick dendritic copper wick that matches the need for ultrathin VCs used in highly compact electronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lexical tones and emotions are conveyed by a similar set of acoustic parameters; therefore, listeners of tonal languages face the challenge of processing lexical tones and emotions in the acoustic signal concurrently. This study examined how emotions affect the acoustics and perception of Mandarin tones. In Experiment 1, Mandarin tones were produced by professional actors with angry, fear, happy, sad, and neutral tones of voice. Acoustic analyses on mean F0, F0 range, mean amplitude, and duration were conducted on syllables excised from a carrier phrase. The results showed that emotions affect Mandarin tone acoustics to different degrees depending on specific Mandarin tones and specific emotions. In Experiment 2, selected syllables from Experiment 1 were presented in isolation or in context. Listeners were asked to identify the Mandarin tones and emotions of the syllables. The results showed that emotions affect Mandarin tone identification to a greater extent than Mandarin tones affect emotion recognition. Both Mandarin tones and emotions were identified more accurately in syllables presented with the carrier phrase, but the carrier phrase affected Mandarin tone identification and emotion recognition to different degrees. These findings suggest that lexical tones and emotions interact in complex but systematic ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context • Hepatitis B can develop into cirrhosis, and most liver cancers evolve on the basis of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Many patients are already at an advanced stage when diagnosed. In recent years, clinicians have advocated detection of liver cancer using multiple markers in combination to improve the sensitivity and specificity of testing. Objective • The study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of using four tumor indicators—urea, alpha L-fucosidase (AFU), carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and comparing the use of combined indicators to use of a single indicator for the diagnosis of liver cancer. Design • The research team performed a prospective study. Setting • The study took place at Clinical Laboratory, Baoding People’s Hospital, Baoding City, Hebei Province, China. Participants • Participants were 98 patients with chronic hepatitis B, who became the CHB group; 102 patients with liver cirrhosis, who became the cirrhosis group, and 100 patients with liver cancer, who became the liver cancer group. They all had been admitted to the hospital between March 2019 and March 2021. Outcome Measures • The research team measured the urea, AFU, CA153, CA125, and AFP levels of the three groups, constructed an ROC curve, and analyzed the diagnostic values of the indicators singly and in combination for liver cancer. Results • For the levels of urea, AFU, CA153, CA125, and AFP, the CHB group’s levels were significantly lower than those of the cirrhosis and liver cancer groups (both P < .001), and the cirrhosis group’s levels were significantly lower than those of the liver cancer group (P < .001). In the CHB group, the compensatory group’s levels were significantly lower than those of the decompensated group (P < .05). In the cirrhosis group, no significant differences existed between the levels of the grade A and grade B groups (P < .001), between those of the grade A and grade C groups (P < .001), or between those of the grade B and grade C groups (P < .001). In the cirrhosis group, the levels of the no ascites group were significantly lower than those of the ascites group (P < .05). In the liver cancer group, the levels of the stage I-II group were significantly lower than those of the stage III and stage IV groups (both P < .05), and those of the stage III group were significantly lower than those of the stage IV group (P < .05). The levels of the <5cm group were significantly lower than those of the ≥5cm group (P < .001). The value of using a combination of indicators for diagnosis was significantly higher than that of a single indicator (P < .001). Conclusions • Urea, AFU, CA153, CA125, and AFP all have diagnostic value in the evaluation of chronic hepatitis B-cirrhosis and liver cancer, with the highest efficacy, sensitivity and specificity from a combined test and diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two-talker babble compromised Mandarin word recognition in noise more than speech-shaped noise. • Non-native word recognition was not affected disproportionately by noise. • Both native listeners and non-native learners used lexical knowledge to overcome noise. • Only native listeners used their knowledge about the tonal sound pattern of words. Adverse listening conditions typically trigger the use of linguistic knowledge, which helps the listener compensate for the impoverished acoustic signal. It is not clear, however, whether linguistic knowledge facilitates non-native speech perception in the same way as it does native speech perception. This study examined how native listeners and non-native learners use distributional characteristics of the Mandarin lexicon for word recognition in noise. Monosyllabic Mandarin words varying in syllable token frequency and syllable-tone co-occurrence probabilities were mixed with speech-shaped noise and two-talker babble at two signal-to-noise ratios. Participants were asked to listen to the speech and type the perceived syllable and tone word. The results showed that two-talker babble was more disruptive than speech-shaped noise, and a lower signal-to-noise ratio was more detrimental than a higher signal-to-noise ratio. However, neither noise type or noise level affected non-native word recognition disproportionately. Syllable token frequency facilitated word recognition for both listener groups, but only the native listeners showed robust use of syllable-tone co-occurrence probabilities for word recognition. For all listeners, lexical proficiency correlated positively with word recognition performance. These results suggest that lexical proficiency accounts for the use of distributional knowledge regardless of the type or level of noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics were used as supports to fabricate Ag3PO4/UiO-66-NH2@PET (PAU-X) for adsorption and light-responsive desorption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). PAU-X can capture SMX in the dark and desorb SMX under visible light. The breakage of the Ag-N bond between Ag3PO4 and SMX was the main mechanism of the desorption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with polychromatic colors has been widely studied due to its great applications in chiroptical, optoelectronics, and spintronics. However, the realization of white CPL in single‐component solid‐state materials remains a great challenge and suffers from the incompatibility between high efficient luminescence and large asymmetric discrimination. Here, by exploiting self‐trapped exciton mechanism and chirality induction strategy, a pair of 1D chiral perovskites, (RR/SS‐DMPZ)PbBr4 (where DMPZ = cis‐2,5‐dimethylpiperazine divalent cation), is reported to achieve white CPL with both high quantum yield of 28.4% and large photoluminescence asymmetry factor |glum| of 2.32 × 10−2. The crystal structures are featured by 1D double‐chain structure composed of distorted octahedra with short PbPb distances as the structural origin of the high photoluminescence yield. The high |glum| value is caused by efficient chiral induction due to the multiple hydrogen bonds between the chiral host composed of the enantiopure organic cations containing two stereocenters and the inorganic emitting guest. The self‐trapped exciton emission mechanism is demonstrated by density functional theory calculations and variable‐temperature photoluminescence and femtosecond‐transient absorption spectroscopy studies. The photo‐luminescent white light‐emitting diodes exhibit good stability and can be used as single‐component white light emitters. This work provides applicable strategies to explore single‐component white CPL emitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compositional design and surface decoration are generally utilized to develop efficient perovskite oxide-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Surface decoration via in situ exsolution of metal or alloy nanoparticles on the perovskite oxides' surface has been reported as an efficient approach to enhance the OER activity. However, the perovskite oxides prepared for exsolution fabricated by solid-state reactions have limited surface areas. In this work, nanoporous La0.9CoxFe1−xO3 (x = 0, 0.1, and 0.2) are fabricated by dealloying and annealing approaches. The nanoporous perovskites are exsolved in a 5 vol% H2/Ar atmosphere to form Fe or CoxFey nanoparticles on the surface. The results reveal that exsolution promotes OER performance. The Co contents and surface oxygen vacancies are also associated with the OER activity. For the reduced La0.9Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (R-LCF28), an overpotential of 352 mV with a Tafel slope of 62.10 mV dec−1 is achieved, which is 72 mV lower than that of the un-reduced LCF28. The stability test proves that R-LCF28 also has better stability than reduced La0.9Co0.1Fe0.9O3 (R-LCF19). This work demonstrates that nanoporous perovskite oxides with alloy nanoparticles anchored on the surface can be fabricated via dealloying combined with annealing and exsolution methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive experimental study on high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF)- sprayed tungsten carbide/cobalt deposits using laser cladding was conducted. Based on the principles of central composite design, a response surface methodology was elaborated. The results show that a higher thermal gradient cannot be easily generated in the cladding, the claddings had completely melted, and the structure is highly dense without microcracks. The brighter white splats indicate unmolten material. The resulting lower residual stress decreases the fracture crack activities and does not easily induce delamination in the laser clads. Experimental data indicate that the predictions of the second-order model are quite accurate, and it is a reliable predictor of the stress for laser-based HVOF coatings. Findings from this study would contribute considerably to optimizing the experiments and achieving an enhanced structural evolution in the protective coating of traditional handicraft products by laser cladding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strengthening effect of reinforced concrete (RC) members externally bonded (EB) with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates is significantly affected by interfacial debonding failure. To improve the connection between FRP sheets and concrete, a novel type of anchor device for FRP sheets called buckle was proposed in this study. This device can effectively lock the end of the sheet using a patented method of wrapping. In addition to conventional external bonding, bolts were installed on the buckles to form hybrid anchored (HA) FRP sheet. To verify the effectiveness of this new method, a precracked RC beam was prepared in comparison with two undamaged beams strengthened with EB or HA FRP sheets. As observed, end buckles can limit the development of cracks regardless of initial cracking. Despite the occurrence of intermediate debonding due to initial cracks, both the ultimate capacity and failure ductility were significantly improved. Owing to the end buckles, the debonding resistance was excellent, and the initial cracking of the beam hardly affected the strengthening effect. In addition, existing formulas were used to calculate the lower limit of the ultimate load of the specimen strengthened with HA FRP, which was still higher than that of the specimen strengthened by EB FRP. Therefore, the results confirmed that the debonding resistance was greatly enhanced due to the locking of the FRP sheet via end buckles, and the proposed method is useful to guarantee the strengthening effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk sericin (SS) is a byproduct of the silk production process that consists of 18 amino acids and numerous polar groups. SS has a range of unique physical, chemical, and biological properties, such as mechanical strength, antioxidant activity, pH responsiveness, low immunogenicity, biocompatibility, and the ability to promote cell proliferation. These properties make SS useful in various fields, including food and biomedicine. It can also be easily modified into biomaterials through cross-linking, copolymerization, and combination with other polymers. This review summarizes the potential applications of SS-based biomaterials in the food and biomedicine industries, including as food additives, food packaging, in vitro/vivo monitoring, drug delivery systems, and wound healing. In addition, the future development possibilities of SS or SS-based biomaterials are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has emerged as an effective and safe anticancer therapeutic strategy by catalytic generation of hydroxyl radicals via Fenton chemistry to kill notorious cancer cells. Herein, we decorated the Cubased nanoparticles with pH-responsive ZnO nanoparticles to give new Zn/Cu nanoparticles (Zn/Cu NPs) which showed good biocompatibility and stability for enhanced therapeutic efficacy of CDT. The newly developed Zn/Cu NPs had a small size of ~20 nm, which could prolong blood circulation time of NPs and facilitate their accumulation in tumor tissues. The mode of therapeutic mechanism was experimentally verified. Upon arriving at the acidic cancer cells, ZnO on Zn/Cu NPs dissolved leading to the release of Cu2þ ions which were then reduced by the overexpressed glutathione (GSH), yielding Cuþ ions. The presence of Cuþ ions favorably catalyzed the conversion of endogenous H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals by Fenton-like reactions. Such generated ROS would cause serious oxidative damage to cellular constituents resulting in cell death. Importantly, as the Zn/Cu NPs are pH sensitive, they exhibited much higher cytotoxicity against tumor cells than normal cells. In vivo studies also demonstrated that Zn/Cu NPs could effectively inhibit tumor growth without adverse side effects. Therefore, these Zn/Cu NPs hold great potential for direct and effective tumor therapy for personalized medicine applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete piles are a common obstacle in an antilanding obstacle field. To research the damage ability of concrete piles with different shaped charges, penetration tests of concrete piles with different standoff distances (SODs) were carried out with explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) and jetting projectile charges (JPCs). The pressure was measured at different positions inside the concrete piles during the penetration process, and the failure mechanism and damage characteristics of the concrete piles were analyzed. The penetration velocity of the JPC was measured by placing reticular targets inside the concrete pile. The results show that the damage ability of JPCs to concrete piles is stronger than that of EFPs. When the SOD is in the range of 20∼50 cm, an EFP causes slight damage to a concrete pile. With the increase in SOD, the penetration capacity of JPCs increases, but the damage ability of JPCs decreases. When the SOD is 15 cm, a JPC causes severe damage to a concrete pile, and when the SOD is in the range of 20∼40 cm, a JPC causes moderate damage. When attacking targets with obvious side boundary effects, such as concrete piles, the SOD that results in the strongest damage is not the SOD that results in the strongest penetration ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of a very large number of sensors which are deployed in the specific area of interest. A sensor is an electronic device equipped with a small processor and has a small-capacity memory. The WSN has the functions of low cost, easy deployment, and random reconfiguration. In this paper, an energy-efficient load balancing tree-based data aggregation scheme (LB-TBDAS) for grid-based WSNs is proposed. In this scheme, the sensing area is partitioned into many cells of a grid and then the sensor node with the maximum residual energy is elected to be the cell head in each cell. Then, the tree-like path is established by using the minimum spanning tree algorithm. In the tree construction, it must meet the three constraints, which are the minimum energy consumption spanning tree, the network depth, and the maximum number of child nodes. In the data transmission process, the cell head is responsible for collecting the sensing data in each cell, and the collected data are transmitted along the tree-like path to the base station (BS). Simulation results show that the total energy consumption of LB-TBDAS is significantly less than that of GB-PEDAP and PEDAP. Compared to GB-PEDAP and PEDAP, the proposed LB-TBDAS extends the network lifetime by more than 100%. The proposed LB-TBDAS can avoid excessive energy consumption of sensor nodes during multi-hop data transmission and can also avoid the hotspot problem of WSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy has been developed with difficulty in intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy. Although mechanical stapling has been widely used for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy, manual suture holds great promise with the emergence of high-resolution 3D vision and robotic surgery. After exploration of how to improve the safety and efficiency of intracorporeal suture for esophagojejunostomy, we recommended the technique of single-layer running "trapezoid-shaped" suture. The cost-effectiveness was analyzed by comparing with conventional mechanical stapling. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed the patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer from January 2010 to December 2021. The patients were divided into two cohorts based on the methods of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy: manual suture versus stapling suture. Propensity score matching was performed to match patients from the two cohorts at a ratio of 1:1. Then group comparison was made to determine whether manual suture was non-inferior to stapling suture in terms of operation time, anastomotic complications, postoperative hospital stay, and surgical cost. Results: The study included 582 patients with laparoscopic total gastrectomy. The manual and stapling suture for esophagojejunostomy were performed in 50 and 532 patients, respectively. In manual suture cohort, the median time for the whole operation and digestive tract reconstruction were 300 min and 110 min. There was no anastomotic bleeding and stenosis but two cases of anastomotic leak which occurred at 3 days after surgery. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 11 days. After propensity score matching, group comparison yielded two variables with statistical significance: time for digestive tract reconstruction and surgery cost. The manual suture cohort spent less money but more time for esophagojejunostomy. Intriguingly, the learning curve of manual suture revealed that the time for digestive tract reconstruction was declined with accumulated number of operations. Conclusions: Laparoscopic single-layer running "trapezoid-shaped" suture appears safe and cost-effective for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after total gastrectomy. Although the concern remains about prolonged operation time for beginners of performing the suture method, adequate practice is expected to shorten the operation time based on our learning curve analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics in the environment are accumulated worldwide, posing a great threat to ecological security and human health. Considering that waste PET plastics contain rich industrial raw materials like terephthalic acid (H 2 BDC) and ethylene glycol (EG), it was essential to recycle waste PET plastics for the sustainable development of human society. Recent studies have indicated that waste PET plastics could be converted into high value-added metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composites. In addition, producing MOFs using waste PET plastics via chemical recycling method displayed high potential in realizing closed-loop recycling of waste PET plastics. Up to now, PET-derived MOFs-based functional materials have been used in adsorption, separation, catalysis, advanced oxidation processes, supercapacitor and antibacterial. This review systematically summarized the recent advances in PET-derived MOFs-based functional materials, which will deepen the understanding of the preparation, characterization and applications of waste PET plastic-derived MOFs-based functional materials. [Display omitted] • Conversion of waste PET plastics into value-added MOFs-based functional materials • The status of MOFs-based materials produced from PET plastic was reviewed. • The hydrolysis methods and synthesis methods of waste PET plastic were summarized. • The interaction mechanism of MOFs-based materials in various studies were analyzed. • The research trends of this field were prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to study the robustness and centrality of interdependent networks for building reliable interdependent systems. Here, we consider a nonlinear load-capacity cascading failure model on interdependent networks, where the initial load distribution is not random, as usually assumed, but determined by the influence of each node in the interdependent network. The node influence is measured by an automated entropy-weighted multi-attribute algorithm that takes into account both different centrality measures of nodes and the interdependence of node pairs, then averaging for not only the node itself but also its nearest neighbors and next-nearest neighbors. The resilience of interdependent networks under such a more practical and accurate setting is thoroughly investigated for various network parameters, as well as how nodes from different layers are coupled and the corresponding coupling strength. The results thereby can help better monitoring interdependent systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of image processing and recognition technology, the technology of crop phenotype recognition is becoming more mature. In order to achieve accurate and rapid determination of leaf area and area coefficient of winter wheat with different varieties and different growth stages, VB.net and OpenCV software were used in the study. In the image processing and packaging library based on NET platform, a winter wheat leaf morphology measurement algorithm with machine vision was developed, and a software was designed and developed. The software can realize distortion calibration of digital images and simultaneously measure the length, width and area of multiple leaves. And then in order to verify the effect of software measurement, 100 green expanded leaves of winter wheat were selected, and the accuracy and stability of image recognition method were analyzed by comparing with the leaf length and width measured manually. The leaf area measured by WinDIAS leaf area analysis system. The results showed that the correlation coefficients of the winter wheat leaf length, width and area measured by image recognition method, manual and WinDIAS were more than 0.975 respectively, while the normalized root mean square errors were less than 0.10%. For the distortion calibration function of digital images, the maximum relative error between the measurement results and the original image is only 2% after the calibration of the image with the horizontal (vertical) scaling of 50% and the vertical (horizontal) beveling of 30°. It is suggested that the recognition method of winter wheat leaf morphology based on machine vision can accurately calibrate various distorted images, while it can be used as a new method to accurately measure the area, length and width of multiple leaves at the same time. It can be popularized and applied in agricultural scientific measurement, agricultural information service and agricultural meteorological observation service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a nonlinear system with unmodeled dynamics and output disturbances, an adaptive neural network based control strategy is designed. For the unknown output interference, this article introduces a new module between the system output and the tracking signal for the first time. By constructing a new state, system becomes a new system without unknown output interference. In order to alleviate the major influence caused by the system dynamic disturbance and unknown time delay, appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functions, and backstepping technology are employed. In designing some adaptive methods, the unmodeled dynamics, disturbances, and unknown time‐varying virtual coefficients are processed. Unknown function is approximated by neural network. All signals are semi‐global uniform ultimate boundedness. Simulation effectively verifies the control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The status of DNA methylation in primary tumor tissue and adjacent tumor-free tissue is associated with the occurrence of aggressive colorectal cancer (CRC) and can aid personalized cancer treatments at early stages. Tumor tissue and matched adjacent nontumorous tissue were extracted from 208 patients with CRC, and the correlation between the methylation levels of PTGER4 and ZNF43 at certain CpG loci and the prognostic factors of CRC was determined using the MassARRAY System testing platform. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test, a Chi-square test, and McNemar's test were used for group comparisons, and Kaplan–Meier curves and a log-rank test were used for prediction. The hypermethylation of PTGER4 at the CpG_4, CpG_5, CpG_15, and CpG_17 tumor tissue sites was strongly correlated with shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.38–7.73 for RFS, HR = 2.35 and 95% CI = 1.17–4.71 for PFS, HR = 4.32 and 95% CI = 1.8–10.5 for OS]. By contrast, RFS and PFS were significantly longer in the case of increased methylation of ZNF43 at the CpG_5 site of normal tissue [HR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.07–5.08 for RFS, HR = 2.42 and 95% CI = 1.19–4.91 for PFS]. Aberrant methylation at specific CpG sites indicates tissue with aggressive behavior. Therefore, the differential methylation of PTGER4 and ZNF43 at specific loci can be employed for the prognosis of patients with CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The products of the SuFEx reaction between sulfonimidoyl fluorides and phenols, sulfonimidates, are shown to display dynamic covalent chemistry with other phenols. This reaction was shown to be enantiospecific, finished in minutes at room temperature in high yields, and useful for both asymmetric synthesis and sustainable polymer production. Its wide scope further extends the usefulness of SuFEx and related click chemistries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The products of the SuFEx reaction between sulfonimidoyl fluorides and phenols, sulfonimidates, are shown to display dynamic covalent chemistry with other phenols. This reaction was shown to be enantiospecific, finished in minutes at room temperature in high yields, and useful for both asymmetric synthesis and sustainable polymer production. Its wide scope further extends the usefulness of SuFEx and related click chemistries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, the use of sub-bottom profiler sonar signals is limited to inversing the physical parameters of the sediment in the surface layer (first layer). In this study, based on the acoustic theory of porous medium, the acoustic inversion of the physical parameters of the lower layer (second layer) sediment is studied. When acoustic waves propagate in water and sediment media, interlayer reflection and transmission, intralayer attenuation, and other processes change the energy. The reflection and transmission coefficients of acoustic waves incident perpendicularly to the water—sediment and sediment—sediment interfaces are derived, and the effects of the reflection and transmission process of acoustic waves on the amplitude are quantified. The relationship between the frequency shift and relaxation time of the transmitted signal in different particle size sediments is established to estimate the corresponding attenuation coefficient using the frequency shift of each layer signal. On this basis, combined with the diffusion process of acoustic waves, the equation for extracting the acoustic wave reflection and transmission coefficients of each layer at the interface is derived from the measured sonar signal. Further calculations show that the sediment parameters have a greater influence on the reflection coefficient, and the feasibility of calculating the physical parameters of the lower sediment using the reflection coefficient has been proved. Under the premise of obtaining the physical parameters of surface sediment, this study provides specific methods and steps for inverting the physical parameters of the lower sediment. The on-site detection in the Xiaolangdi reservoir area of the Yellow River, combined with the sediment sampling test results, proved that the proposed method of inversion of the lower sediment parameters based on the porous medium acoustic theory is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]