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Intramedullary schwannoma is a relatively rare tumor with only a few literature reports. This study was aimed to report the clinical characteristics of intramedullary schwannoma and discuss imaging findings and treatment strategies. The inclusion criterion was consecutive patients with intramedullary schwannomas who were surgically treated in our institution between 2017 and 2022. Data included clinical characteristics, radiologic features, surgical management, and prognosis. Clinical and follow-up details of all cases were collected and reviewed. This study included 3 male and 8 female patients. The mean age was 45 years (range 26–77 years). Cervical spine (4 cases, 36.4%), thoracic spine (4 cases, 36.4%), and lumbosacral spine (3 cases, 27.3%) involvement was found. Weakness, numbness and pain of limbs were the main symptoms at administration. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated lesion with spinal cord medullary invasion and well demarcated margins. The postoperative histologic examination showed benign lesions and confirmed the schwannoma. This article presented a series of 11 cases of intramedullary schwannoma with sharp margins and well-enhanced features. Prognosis and functional recovery were good after gross total resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the geodynamic evolution of northeastern China during the Late Mesozoic, we analyzed zircon U–Pb geochronological, Lu–Hf isotopic, and geochemical data for Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the southeastern margin of the Songliao Basin. Newly identified A-type rhyolite and trachyandesite yielded zircon 206Pb/238U ages of ca. 123 Ma and 117 Ma, respectively. The rhyolites are high in SiO2 (72.24–78.89 wt%) and total alkali (K2O + Na2O = 8.81–10.03 wt%), and low in MgO (0.10–0.26 wt%), CaO (0.32–0.36 wt%), Ni (0.08–2.69 ppm), and Cr (0.39–4.87 ppm) concentrations, with negative Nb, Ta, and Sr anomalies. They are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs); the calculated Zr saturation temperatures are high (828–915 °C). The A-type rhyolites possess variable zircon εHf(t) values ranging from + 5.69 to + 10.49. Petrogenetic analysis leads us to propose that the A-type rhyolites were probably formed by partial melting of a Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic juvenile lower crust. The trachyandesites have Nb/Ta (14.9–17.25), Zr/Hf (35.04–42.75), Rb/Sr (0.25–0.40), and Lu/Yb (0.14–0.15) ratios that are similar to those of mantle-derived magma, indicating a mantle source. They have εHf(t) values of + 4.71 to + 7.29 and show enrichment in LILEs and LREEs, and weak depletion in HFSEs, suggesting that the parent magma originated from partial melting of a depleted lithospheric mantle, and was subsequently metasomatized by subduction-related fluids, followed by extensive fractional crystallization during the magma evolution. Combined with the temporal and spatial distribution of Late Mesozoic igneous rocks from the southeastern margin of the Songliao Basin, we propose that Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks formed in an extensional tectonic setting that was closely related to rollback of the Paleo-Pacific (Izanagi) oceanic slab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To adapt to frequent charge and discharge and improve the accuracy in the DC microgrid with independent photovoltaics and distributed energy storage systems, an energy-coordinated control strategy based on increased droop control is proposed in this paper. The overall power supply quality of the DC microgrid is improved by optimizing the output priority of the multi-energy storage system. When photovoltaic and energy storage work simultaneously, the proposed method can dynamically adjust their working state and the energy storage unit's droop coefficient to meet the system's requirements. In DC microgrids with energy storage units of different capacities, the proposed strategy can be used to maintain the stability of bus voltage, improve the equalization speed and accuracy of the energy storage state of charge, and avoid the shutdown of energy storage units due to overcharge or discharge. Verification of the proposed strategy is implemented with MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results show the proposed control strategy's effectiveness in balancing energy supply and demand and reducing the time of charging and discharging energy storage units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A suite of Paleogene mafic rocks was collected from boreholes in the Huimin Sag of the Jiyang Depression with the aim of investigating the petrogenesis and nature of mantle source for these rocks and further providing insights into the characteristic of related mantle plume. Whole-rock geochemical data indicate that the mafic rocks have relatively lower SiO2 (42.93%–48.57%) contents and similar characteristics to alkaline basalt and belong to transitional calc-alkaline series. These samples were clearly enriched in LREEs and depleted in HREEs and were also characterized by the enrichment of LILEs, incompatible elements, and HFSEs, similar to those of the Ocean Island Basalt (OIB). In addition, they exhibited Pb enrichment; Y, Pr, and Yb depletion; absence of Nb-Ta anomalies; high Hf and low Zr; and Rb/Yb ratios exceeding 1.0, indicating characteristics of intraplate rift-type alkaline basalt. The samples exhibited (Th/Ta)PM and (La/Nb)PM ratios less than 1 and plotted within the OIB, EMI, and EMII fields, indicating that crustal components had no role in the generation of the rocks. With the exception of individual samples that have a distinctive range of ε Nd values, the majority of samples have complex ε Nd values of -1.15 to 5.56, indicating a mixture of different sources, which was also apparent in the δ18O-87Sr/86Sr diagram, in which the samples plot close to the downward nonlinear curve. Based on the isotopic and trace elemental analyses, these igneous rocks are intraplate rift-type alkaline basalt and are of mantle plume origin. The variations in 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, ε Nd values, LREEs, and HFSEs were probably due to the different locations of the mantle plume for different samples. The primary magma of the rocks likely originated from the melting of a mantle plume and the further metasomatism of lithospheric mantle, continental, or oceanic crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the deformation behavior of UNS S32750 (S32750) duplex stainless steel during low cycle fatigue was studied by controlling the number of cycles. The microstructure of the specimens under different cycles was characterized by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The microhardness of the two phases was measured by a digital microhardness instrument. The results showed that the microhardness of ferrite increases significantly after the first 4000 cycles, while the austenite shows a higher strain hardening rate after fatigue fracture, and the microhardness of ferrite and austenite increases by 23 HV and 87 HV, respectively. The two-phase kernel average misorientation (KAM) diagram showed that the continuous accumulation of plastic deformation easily leads to the initiation of cracks inside the austenite and at the phase boundaries. The evolution of dislocation morphology in the two phases was obviously different. With the increase in cycle number, the dislocation in ferrite gradually transforms from dislocation bundles and a dislocation array to a sub-grain structure, while the dislocation in austenite gradually develops from dipole array to an ordered Taylor lattice network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the four-level supply chain participated by two-echelon logistics service providers as the research object, this paper deeply studies the influence of different power structures on the optimal price and logistics service level decisions of the whole supply chain system. On this basis, this paper points out the optimal power structure of the whole supply chain system and then discusses the optimal cooperative decision-making mode to improve the operation efficiency of the supply chain system under optimal power structure. The results show that compared with the two power structures of manufacturer-led and logistics service integrator-led, the retailer-led structure is the optimal power structure, whether from the perspective of maximizing the total profit of the supply chain or the surplus of consumers. When the supply chain is facing consumers who are less sensitive to the retail price of products and more sensitive to the logistics service level, the advantages of retail-led decentralized supply chain are more significant. The centralized decision of product supply chain (PSC) and logistics service supply chain (LSSC) under different power structures is the dominant strategy, and the equilibrium strategy is Nash game adopted by both parties. At this time, the total profit of the supply chain system is the largest and the total social welfare is the largest, while the total profit and consumer surplus of the supply chain under LSSC-led structure are the smallest. When the supply chain is facing consumers with low sensitivity of logistics service level and product retail price, PSC and LSSC have more significant advantages in Nash game rather than Stackelberg game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biped models (BMs) have extensive applications in structural vibration, robotics, and sports medicine, but the differences between the walking kinematics simulated by the BM model and those measured through an experiment have not been comprehensively recognized. This paper used wireless inertial measurement units (IMUs) to monitor the acceleration of center of masses (COMs) of 6 volunteers walking under the conditions of natural and fixed-knee gait. The observations were compared with the simulations from two typical BMs and also with the measurements from former research studies. The results show that when the step frequency is lower than 2.0 Hz, the peaks of acceleration simulated by BM are close to those observed in experiments and the errors are acceptable, while the step frequency is higher than 2.0 Hz, the discrepancy between the numerical and the experimental results is increasingly larger with higher step frequencies, and the errors can reach 60% at most. The comparison between numerical and experimental results indicates that the knee-fixing assumption of BMs may lead to overestimating the peaks of accelerations, but this assumption fails to explain the different increasing rates with respect to step frequency. Further research studies about the accuracy of BMs and relative modification methods are expected for civil engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By carefully analyzing the latest composition-dependent parameters of SiGeSn alloys, we come to realize that this system could provide type-II energy band alignment at direct bandgap condition. The discovery inspires us to explore the mid-infrared interband cascade laser (ICL) in SiGeSn system. Based on the eight-band k ⋅ p model, we theoretically design three schemes of ICL, in which the active region and the carrier injectors are optimized simultaneously. Afterward, the properties of TE-mode optical gain spectrums and differential gain are investigated individually for each scheme. Furthermore, the spontaneous emission spectrums and radiative current density are also calculated. Our theoretical results indicate that the active region composed of double-electron and triple-hole quantum wells has the best gain performance, reaching 660 cm−1 for a single period of the ICL under 7.8 × 1018 cm−3 injected electron density. This work opens up another type of infrared lasers that can be developed from the group-IV system, offering a new pathway to achieving the monolithic integration in Si photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size effect on the electronic structure and optical properties of cubic CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots is investigated by using an 8-band ${k}\cdot{p} $ model based on effective-mass envelope function theory with exciton binding energy consideration. Quantum dots with smaller size have larger bandgaps due to quantum confinement. The transition matrix element (TME) is also influenced by the size. The optical gain of such material is calculated by considering TME, Fermi factor, injected carrier density, quantum dot size, and dephasing rate. Higher density of injected carrier is needed for smaller quantum dot to get a positive optical gain. The peak of optical gain has a blue shift as the size of quantum dot decreases. When the carrier density increases for a quantum dot with certain size, a blue shift in emission peak position can be observed due to band filling effect. Smaller quantum dots have higher differential optical gain at carrier densities within certain range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend the previous 30-band k ⋅ p model effectively employed for relaxed Ge1-xSnx alloy to the case of strained Ge1-xSnx alloy. The strain-relevant parameters for the 30-band k ⋅ p model are obtained by using linear interpolation between the values of single crystal of Ge and Sn that are from literatures and optimizations. We specially investigate the dependence of band-gap at L-valley and Γ-valley with different Sn composition under uniaxial and biaxial strain along [100], [110] and [111] directions. The good agreement between our theoretical predictions and experimental data validates the effectiveness of our model. Our 30-band k ⋅ p model and relevant input parameters successfully applied to relaxed and strained Ge1-xSnx alloy offers a powerful tool for the optimization of sophisticated devices made from such alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a measurement of creativity-oriented HRM systems that improve organizational creativity. This paper also aims to explore the mechanisms between them by investigating the mediating role of innovative culture and the moderating role of customer orientation. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a sample of 82 knowledge-intensive companies with 780 respondents consisting of 145 HR professionals, 512 core knowledge workers and 123 top managers in China. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and regression analysis are used to validate the measure of creativity-oriented HRM systems and test hypotheses. Findings: This study finds that creativity-oriented HRM systems are composed of three dimensions, which are creative skill-enhancing practices, intrinsic motivation-enhancing practices and empowerment-enhancing practices. These practices significantly improve organizational creativity through innovative culture. Furthermore, customer orientation moderates the effect of innovative culture on organizational creativity in such a way that the positive relationship is stronger when customer orientation is high. Originality/value: This study contributes to the strategic human resource management literature by developing and validating a measure of creativity-oriented HRM systems. Moreover, it also explores the mechanism between creativity-oriented HRM systems and organizational creativity based on a complementary perspective of innovativeness, which underlines the important mediating effect of innovative culture. More importantly, the authors propose the significance of absorbing knowledge and information from customers and put forward the moderating role that customer orientation plays, especially in an emerging country context such as China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magmatic and metasomatic rock suites can be commonly found in active convergent margins as the suprasubduction zone mantle wedge is usually impregnated by melts and fluids. Here we present petrologic, whole-rock geochemical and zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf data from metamorphic intermediate-mafic and ultramafic rocks in central Jilin Province, NE China, to constrain the Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the southeastern margin of the Xing'an-Mongolia Orogenic Belt. Lithologically, the meta-igneous rocks are composed of plagioclase-actinolite, meta-allgovite, tremolitized pyroxenite, and serpentinized peridotite. Geochronological results indicate that the protoliths of the meta-igneous rocks formed during the Early–Middle Ordovician (474–466 Ma). Geochemical features suggest that the rocks are calc-alkaline and transitional-series rocks relatively enriched in large-ion lithophile and light rare earth elements and depleted in high field strength and heavy rare earth elements, implying that they formed in a supra-subduction zone environment. Additionally, the protoliths of the plagioclase-actinolites, which display an affinity for sanukites, resulted from an equilibrium reaction between mantle peridotite and slab melts derived from the partial melting of subducting sediments during early-stage subduction; the meta-allgovite rocks were likely derived from a juvenile depleted lithospheric mantle that was metasomatized by subduction-related fluids; the ultramafic rocks are magmatic cumulates formed in a suprasubduction zone mantle wedge. Furthermore, the meta-allgovite rocks display both arc-like and MORB-like geochemical characteristics, suggesting an intra-continental back-arc basin setting. These features, combined with the presence of the abundance of zircon xenocrysts with Neoproterozoic–Paleozoic ages, as well as the results of previous studies, reflect that a small-scale and limited back-arc basin, which was related to the northward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate, probably existed close to the Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Massif during the Early–Middle Ordovician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Postoperative adhesions remain a significant concern following abdominal surgery. Polymer barriers are widely used to prevent adhesions, although none have been able to completely prevent adhesions in all situations. Therefore, it is still crucial to develop new products that are effective in a variety of surgical applications. In this study, XG with different concentrations (0.5%–2%, w/v) and molecular weight (M w) (2.5 × 106 Da–6.9 × 106 Da) were prepared to estimate their potential application as an injectable tissue adhesion barrier. The results showed that XG exerts an anti-adhesion effect in the rat abdominal cavity. For XG with M w of 5.5 × 106 Da, a 1% or greater concentration was needed to form a gel with required effect as an anti-adhesion agent. The 1% XG gel with high M w (6.9 × 106 Da) was more effective for the prevention of adhesions compared to a commercially available gel (1.2% sodium hyaluronate). Histological and cytotoxic evaluation demonstrated that XG gel showed no side effect during wound healing, and had no in vitro cytotoxicity to L929 cells. Moreover, rheological analysis was conducted to correlate the anti-adhesion effect with the rheological behavior of XG gels. This investigation suggests that XG has good potential value in intra-abdominal adhesion prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of mycotoxins and their masked forms in chicken feed poses a significant threat to both productivity and health. This review examines the multifaceted impacts of mycotoxins on various aspects of chicken well-being, encompassing feed efficiency, growth, immunity, antioxidants, blood biochemistry, and internal organs. Mycotoxins, toxic substances produced by fungi, can exert detrimental effects even at low levels of contamination. The hidden or masked forms of mycotoxins further complicate the situation, as they are not easily detected by conventional methods but can be converted into their toxic forms during digestion. Consequently, chickens are exposed to mycotoxin-related risks despite apparently low mycotoxin levels. The consequences of mycotoxin exposure in chickens include reduced feed efficiency, compromised growth rates, impaired immune function, altered antioxidant levels, disturbances in blood biochemical parameters, and adverse effects on internal organs. To mitigate these impacts, effective management strategies are essential, such as routine monitoring of feed ingredients and finished feeds, adherence to proper storage practices, and the implementation of feed detoxification methods and mycotoxin binders. Raising awareness of these hidden hazards is crucial for safeguarding chicken productivity and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Enteroviruses cause hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The host B-cells recognize the viral proteins and provoke humoral responses. Deciphering the B-cell responses to the viral epitopes helps diagnosis and vaccine development. Objectives The objective of the present study was to investigate for the first time the landscape of genome-wide linear B-cell epitopes of enterovirus 71 in HFMD population. Study design The peptides encompassing the entire coding region of EV71 were chemically synthesized and displayed on a microarray. The peptide microarray was used to screen serum samples from an HFMD population, including EV71-, CAV10-, CAV16- and CAV6-infected patients. We identified the dominant epitope-containing-peptides (DECPs) that react with the sera of more than 20% of the HFMD population and the common DECPs that cross-react with the sera from other enteroviruses-infected population. Results Ten DECPs reacting with IgM and 9 DECPs reacting with IgG antibodies were identified, of which, 6 IgM and 5 IgG common DECPs cross-reacted with the sera from other enteroviruses. Some DECPs preferentially reacted with IgG or IgM antibodies and some epitope-antibody interactions correlated with the severity of HFMD. Conclusions We uncovered the DECPs and the common DECPs among a group of enteroviruses in HFMD population and found that some epitope-antibody reactions were associated with the outcome of HFMD. These data may guide developing vaccines against the enteroviruses and help the diagnosis and prognosis of HFMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper chooses the apparent diffusion coefficient for OH− (hydroxyl ion) for concrete as an index to evaluate the corrosion degree of concrete subjected to sulfuric acid. Based on the reaction boundary layer theory, a sulfuric acid corrosion model for concrete was established and verified through experiments. The experiment design and data processing of sulfuric acid corrosion tests for concrete were carried out using uniform test design and nonparametric regression. Effects of water-cement ratio and pH value are presented on the sulfuric acid corrosion mechanism for concrete. Test results show that when the pH value was 2.50, the sulfuric acid corrosion degree of concrete was the most serious. The boundary layer effect always existed in the sulfuric acid corrosion for concrete, and the corrosion process included rapid and stable corrosion stages. The apparent diffusion coefficient for OH− for concrete increased with the decrease of pH value and the increase of water-cement ratio and cement proportion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we investigated the surgical strategy for managing retrograde type A dissection (RTAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) by reporting our experience and literature review.Methods: From June 2011 to January 2014, nine patients with RTAD received surgical repair in our institution. The mean age of these patients was 49.3±10.7 years. Data on these RTAD patients was retrospectively collected for further analysis. Literature related to RTAD after TEVAR from 2006 to 2014 was reviewed using the following terms: thoracic endovascular aortic repair, retrograde type A dissection, stent induced new entry, and surgical repair.Results: We adopted a total arch replacement combined with a stented elephant trunk implantation and partly preserved the previous TEVAR stent during operation. In-hospital death rate was 11.1% (one of nine). One patient (11.1%) developed paraparesis after operation. No late deaths or complications occurred during follow-up. Literature review identified four articles on the surgical management of RTAD after TEVAR. Our literature review also showed total arch replacement with the stented elephant trunk implantation might be associated with a better prognosis.Conclusions: Retrograde type A dissection is a serious complication after TEVAR. The induced factors of RTAD were various and complicated. Our experience and literature review indicates a combination of total arch replacement, stented elephant trunk implantation and partly preserving the previous TEVAR stent is feasible for the surgical repair of RTAD after TEVAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin sulfate (SnSO 4 ) can change the setting time and strength of cement due to the presence of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), and can reduce the content of hexavalent chromium (Cr 6+ ) in cement owing to its strong reduction ability. This paper studies the influence of stannous sulfate on physical and chemical properties of cement under different temperature and humidity conditions. Adding SnSO 4 to the cement mixer resulted in formation of calcium hydroxo-tin, (Sn 6 O 4 (OH) 4 ) and CaSn(OH) 4 . The setting time and strength of cement are obviously enhanced by the addition of stannous sulfate than that of gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O) and stannous chloride (SnCl 2 ), which can be attributed to the coupling of sulfate and stannous ions; Compared with gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O), SnSO 4 could hardly produce delayed ettringite (60 days) under hot temperature curing conditions; and water conservation may ensure the full use of stannous sulfate in cement. The total reducing capacity of the SnSO 4 on hexavalent chromium (Cr 6+ ) may decrease under hot temperature, but its reduction capacity is still higher than that of ferrous sulfate (FeSO 4 ) under the same conditions. Results from SEM showed that SnSO 4 was incorporated into the hydrated cement matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangjiagou Formation is distributed along the Changchun-Yanji suture zone in NE China and records the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. The age of the Yangjiagou Formation remains uncertain. Here, we present new data from petrology, whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and in situ zircon Hf isotope analysis of sedimentary and volcanic rocks from the Yangjiagou Formation to shed new light on the tectonic evolution of the eastern Paleo-Asian Ocean. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry zircon U-Pb age dating indicated that newly recognized volcanic interlayers in the Yangjiagou Formation formed during the Early Triassic (∼246 Ma). This, combined with previously published age data from the Yangjiagou Formation, indicated deposition during the Late Permian to Early Triassic. Early Triassic volcanic rocks (andesites) exhibit high Sr/Y and (La/Yb) N ratios but low Y contents and Yb N values, showing adakitic affinity. Geochemical data suggest that adakitic magmatism was generated by the partial melting of an oceanic slab and overlying sediments during slab detachment. Geochemical data suggest that the parental magma may have been modified by the melt-peridotite reaction during ascent through the mantle wedge. Geochemical data for sedimentary rocks from the Yangjiagou Formation reveal a low degree of weathering, compositional immaturity, and poor sorting. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology and Lu-Hf isotope analysis for two graywackes from the Yangjiagou Formation showed mixed provenance of the sedimentary rocks. The main source was determined to be felsic igneous rocks related to Paleozoic subduction and accretion along the Changchun-Yanji suture zone. The sedimentary rocks also originate from Late Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic materials from the Songliao-Jiamusi blocks, as well as Neoarchaean–Early Mesoproterozoic materials from the North China Craton. Considering our new data alongside previously published data for the Changchun-Yanji suture zone, we suggest that the Yangjiagou Formation formed in a syn -collisional setting. The existence of marine bivalves and crinoid stems in the Yangjiagou Formation and the identification of coeval thick marine carbonate deposits in the Kaiyuan region imply that a shrunken remnant ocean basin remained along the Changchun-Yanji suture zone during the Early Triassic. • Early Triassic adakitic volcanic rocks were identified from the Yangjiagou Formation. • The adakitic volcanic rocks were derived from an oceanic slab during detachment. • The sedimentation of Yangjiagou Formation took place in a syn -collisional setting. • The remnants of the Paleo-Asian Ocean still existed during the Early Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duplex stainless steel (DSS) exhibits good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, and has attracted more and more attention within the fields of both science and technology. However, the increasing levels of N and of Cr, Mo, etc., as alloying elements in DSS increase production difficulty. In particular, the N element increases the risk of Cr2N precipitation, which can seriously deteriorate the thermal plasticity of DSS, while increasing its strength. For this reason, a low-N-content 25Cr-type DSS was designed in order to adapt additive manufacturing processes. With regard to the nano-inclusions of oxide precipitation and effective grain refinement, and considering the benefits of selective laser melting fabrication, a low-N 25Cr-type duplex stainless steel with a 0.09 wt.% N content achieved high mechanical properties, with a yield strength of 712 MPa and an elongation of 27.5%, while the V-notch impact toughness was 160 J/cm2. The microstructure evolution and the reasons behind the improvement in mechanical properties will be discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: N‐acetylglutamate (NAG) is the initial and essectial substrate in the process of de novo arginine synthesis, plays an important role in intestinal development. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of in ovo feeding of NAG, 1.5 mg/egg at 17.5 days of incubation (DOI) via amnion, on hatching performance, early intestinal histomorphometry, jejunal barrier, digestive function, and growth performance of broiler chickens between 1 and 14 days of age. RESULTS: Amniotic injection of NAG had no significant effect on hatching characteristics compared with the non‐injected control group (NC group). Birds in the NAG solution‐injected group (NAG group) exhibited lower average daily feed intake and better feed efficiency during a period of 1–14 days. In comparison with the NC group, the NAG group had decreased crypt depth (CD) in the ileum and increased villus height (VH) / CD in the jejunum at 7 days, and decreased CD in duodenum and significantly increased VH in the jejunum at 14 days. However, the effects of in ovo supplementation with NAG on the density of goblet cells, and gene expression of mucin 2 and alkaline phosphatase were not significant. Chicks in the NAG group had a significantly higher mRNA expression level of trypsin and maltase in jejunum at 7 days than the NC group but not at 14 days. CONCLUSION: Amniotic injections of NAG (1.5 mg/egg) at 17.5 DOI could improve early growth performance of broilers during 1–14 days after hatching by accelerating the development of the intestine and enhancing jejunal digestive function. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GINS2, a subunit of GINS complex, is critical for the initiation of DNA replication and DNA replication fork progression. The expression of GINS2 is misregulated in many malignant tumors, such as leukemia, breast cancer and melanoma. However, the role of GINS in breast cancer remains poorly characterized. We investigate the possible effect and particular mechanism of GINS in breast cancer cells. We showed that expression of GINS2 is enriched in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Furthermore, GINS2 knockdown decreased the growth, invasive ability and stem-like property of TNBC cells. Mechanistically, silencing of GINS2 in TNBC cells caused dramatic decrease of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9). Finally, the abundance of GINS2 correlated with the advance stages of tumor in human TNBC patients. Our studies provided insight into the molecular regulation of TNBC progression and invasion. More importantly, our data suggest that GINS2 could be an outstanding therapeutic target for inhibiting invasive TNBC growth and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunlight-induced photochromic glass exhibits attractive application prospects in the field of architecture materials. In this work, a series of borosilicate aluminate photochromic glasses containing AgCl nanocrystals were prepared. The photochromic property and mechanisms were systematically investigated. The color of the glass turned from transparent to black (or dark grey) under the irradiation of 365 nm ultraviolet light (or sunlight). Placing in a dark environment, the color of photochromic glass gradually restores to its initial state. From the results of in situ TEM and XPS measurement, it is found that the photochromic and self-bleaching behavior of borosilicate aluminate glass originated from the formation and decomposition of silver nanoparticles. Utilizing the photochromic and self-bleaching properties of the glass, the transmittance of the glass could be reversibly modulated. The cycle measurement shows excellent repeatability, demonstrating the potential application of AgCl-contained borosilicate aluminate photochromic glass in the fields of smart building windows and curtain walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A practical molecular weight determination model of xanthan gum (XG), based on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, was built in this study. Two sample measurement modules, integrating sphere module and fiber-optic probe module, were compared, and the best partial least square (PLS) regression model was based on fiber-optic probe module. The values of coefficient of determination in calibration ( R 2 c ), coefficient of determination in prediction ( R 2 p ), residual predictive deviation (RPD) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were 0.967, 0.975, 6.028 and 0.250 × 10 6 Da, respectively. The molecular weight range, linearity, accuracy and precision of the established method were also validated. Furthermore, influence factors on this method were discussed in order to establish an appropriate measurement protocol. Results showed that the proposed NIR method may be suitable for practical applications in manufacturing plants and probably be accepted as a good alternative approach for fast determination of molecular weight of XG in production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell gap dependence of the electro-optical properties of reverse-mode polymer-stabilised cholesteric texture has been investigated. In this study, the morphology and electro-optical properties were analysed as a function of the thickness of the cells. The scanning electron microscopy indicates that the polymer networks become tighter with the decrease of cell gap. Increasing cell gap can improve the contrast ratio exponentially, while the threshold voltage increases linearly. The field-off response time increases, which is ascribed to the decreasing elastic force between the polymer network and the LC molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether in ovo feeding of t10,c12-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) could regulate hepatic lipid metabolism and decrease lipid accumulation in newly hatched chicks. Three hundred and sixty fertilely specific pathogen-free hatching eggs were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups. On embryonic day 11 of incubation (E11), 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, or 7.5 mg t10,c12-CLA were injected into the eggs. The results indicated that in ovo feeding of t10,c12-CLA significantly decreased the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) mass and the relative SAT weight of newly hatched chicks in linear and quadratic manners (P < 0.05). In liver, the levels of triglycerides were reduced linearly and quadratically and total cholesterol were reduced quadratically as the dose of t10,c12-CLA increased (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1a (CPT1a) content and polyunsaturated fatty acid proportion were increased quadratically in t10,c12-CLA groups (P < 0.05), accompanied by the decrease of malondialdehyde level and the increase of glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity activities (P < 0.05). In addition, in ovo feeding of t10,c12-CLA decreased the mRNA expression levels of fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 in linear and quadratic manners (P < 0.05), and decreased the mRNA expression of adipose triacylglyceride lipase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase significantly in liver (P < 0.05), accompanied by upregulating the mRNA expression of CPT1a quadratically and AMP-activated protein kinase α linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05). In SAT, the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c were decreased linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05), and the expression of PPARα and CPT1a genes were increased linearly and quadratically as the dose of t10,c12-CLA increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that in ovo feeding of t10,c12-CLA alleviates lipid accumulation in newly hatched chicks by suppressing fatty acid synthesis and stimulating lipolysis in the liver and inhibiting adipocyte differentiation in subcutaneous adipose tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionary conserved cellular energy sensor, which plays a pivotal role in mammalian energy homeostasis. The present study was aimed to explore the possible involvement of hypothalamic AMPK in feed intake regulation of broiler chickens. Hence, diets with 0, 0.05% or 0.1% α-lipoicacid (α-LA), a known AMPK inhibitor in mammals, were provided to broiler chicks for 7days. Alpha-LA exerted an anorectic effect, and the conditioned taste aversion test demonstrated that the effect was due to the alteration in satiety and not taste effects. However, the curtailed feed intake induced by α-LA disappeared on day 7. Hypothalamic AMPKα1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased by the dietary α-LA in concert with the reduced abundance in total AMPKα protein. The phosphorylated AMPKα was also decreased to a similar extend, resulting in an unaltered phosphorylated AMPKα/total AMPKα ratio. In addition, hypothalamic corticotropin releasing hormone mRNA levels were enhanced by α-LA. Interestingly, the mRNA expressions of hypothalamic orexigenic agouti-related peptide and neuropeptide Y were up-regulated, while the anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin and its transcription regulator hypoxia-inducible factor-1α were down-regulated, probably as a physiological reaction in order to counteract the altered energy balance. In conclusion, dietary α-LA decreased feed intake of broiler chicks. The anorectic effect was due to the reduced hypothalamic phosphorylated AMPKα as reflected in its decreased mRNA and protein levels. However, the anorectic effect of α-LA was progressively diminished after 7days of treatment, likely by a physiological counteractive feedback via changing neuropeptides involved in energy balance regulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Helical twisting power (HTP), an important parameter of the chiral dopant, was reported to have great influence on the electro-optical properties of reverse-mode polymer-stabilised cholesteric texture (PSCT). In this study, chiral dopants with different HTPs were used to prepare PSCT with the same pitch length. The effect of HTP on the morphology and electro-optical properties of PSCT was investigated. The scanning electron microscopy indicates that the polymer networks become tighter with the increase of HTP. It was found that the threshold voltage increases and field-off response time reduces, which is ascribed to the increasing elastic force between the polymer network and the LC molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytic formulas of Bell correlations are derived in terms of quantum probability statistics under the assumption of measuring outcome-independence and the Bell's inequalities (BIs) are extended to general bipartite-entanglement macroscopic quantum-states (MQS) of arbitrary spins. For a spin-½ entangled state we find analytically that the violations of BIs really resulted from the quantum nonlocal correlations. However, the BIs are always satisfied for the spin-1 entangled MQS. More generally the quantum nonlocality does not lead to the violation for the integer spins since the nonlocal interference effects cancel each other by the quantum statistical-average. Such a cancellation no longer exists for the half-integer spins due to the nontrivial Berry phase, and thus the violation of BIs is understood remarkably as an effect of geometric phase. Specifically, our generic observation of the spin-parity effect can be experimentally tested with the entangled photon-pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Energy homeostasis is necessary for the regulation of body composition. [•] The hypothalamus integrates peripheral and central signals to regulate appetite. [•] Birds and mammals utilize common neuropeptides with different/opposite functions. [•] AMPK has been shown to be involved in energy balance of avian species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Enterovirus-71 (EV71) infections can cause life-threatening diseases with neurological symptoms. Currently, no direct targeting antivirals are available to combat severe EV71 infection. Rupintrivir (AG7088) is a compound originally designed for Rhinovirus 3C protease. Previous computational analyses by us and crystallography studies by others suggested that rupintrivir is also a high affinity inhibitor to EV71 3C. Thus, we aimed to further evaluate its anti-EV71 activity in vivo at clinically acceptable doses. It was observed that administration of rupintrivir in suckling mice largely protected them from limb paralysis and dramatically improved survival (38.5% DMSO vs. 90.9% at 0.1mg/kg, p =0.006). Histological, immunohistochemical and quantitative RT-PCR analyses confirmed that rupintrivir profoundly alleviated virus induced necrotizing myositis, suppressed viral RNA and blocked EV71 VP1 expression in various tissues. In conclusion, we established that rupintrivir can strongly contain the spread of EV71 infection in vivo at a clinically acceptable dose (as low as 0.1mg/kg). As its safety has been fully tested in previous clinical trials, rupintrivir is suitable for immediate evaluation of potential benefits in EV71-infected individuals with life-threatening neurological symptoms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of fasting and re-feeding on hypothalamic 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels and (an)orexigenic neuropeptides. Male Arbor Acres chicks (7-day-old, n =160) were allocated to four equal treatment groups: control chicks (fed ad libitum for 48h, C48), chicks that were fasted for 48h (F48), chicks that were first fasted for 48h and then re-fed for 24h (F48C24), and chicks that were fed ad libitum for 72h (C72). Fasting for 48h significantly (P <0.05) increased the ratio of phosphorylated AMPKα to total AMPKα and phosphorylated LKB1 to total LKB1, whereas re-feeding for 24h reduced these ratios to that of the ad libitum fed C72 chicks. The gene expressions of agouti-related peptide (AgRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), melanocortin receptor 4, melanin-concentrating hormone, prepro-orexins and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 were significantly (P <0.05) increased in the fasted chicks relative to the ad libitum fed C48 group. The gene expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), as well as cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) was not affected by the nutritional status. Fasting significantly (P <0.05) decreased the mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1). The results suggest that the LKB1/AMPK signal pathway is involved in the energy homeostasis of fasted chicks, and its possible role in feed intake regulation might be mediated by the AgRP/NPY rather than the POMC/CART pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Obestatin has recently been discovered in the rat stomach. As for ghrelin, the 23-amino acid obestatin is also derived from post-translational processing of the prepro-ghrelin gene but seems to have opposite effects on feed intake. In avian species, ghrelin is mainly present in the proventriculus and decreases feed intake, as opposed to its orexigenic properties in mammals. An obestatin-like sequence was also found in the avian ghrelin precursor protein but the potential involvement of this peptide in appetite regulation of chickens is unclear. We therefore investigated the effects of a single peripheral administration of this predicted “chicken” obestatin peptide on voluntary feed intake of 7- to 9-day-old meat-type and layer-type chicks. “Chicken” obestatin was injected intraperitoneally or intravenously at a dose of 1nmol or 10nmol/100g body weight and feed intake was measured up to 4h post injection. None of these treatments did reveal any effect of the putative “chicken” obestatin on appetite of either meat-type of layer-type chicks. Furthermore, “chicken” obestatin also failed to affect the in vitro contractility of muscle strips from crop and proventriculus. In conclusion, in the given experimental settings, the putative “chicken” obestatin has indistinctive physiological effects on feed intake and in vitro muscle contractility of gut segments, and hence its functional properties in ingestive behavior of avian species remain obscure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present study was conducted to explore the effects of corticosterone (CORT) on the regulation of appetite-associated genes in laying hens. Forty eight laying hens were randomly divided into two groups: one received subcutaneous injection of CORT (2mg/kg body weight, CORT-exposed) and the other received sham-treatment (Control). Treatment of hens with CORT stimulated an increase (P<0.05) in plasma CORT, glucose, uric acid (UA), insulin, cholesterol (Chol) and triiodothyronine (T3), but the concentrations of plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and triacylglycerol (TG) were decreased (P<0.05). CORT treatment had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the mRNA levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), melanocortin receptor 4 and 5 (MCR-4 and MCR-5) and cholecystokinin (CCK) in the hypothalamus when compared with control hens. However, the expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), agouti-related protein (AgRP) and melanocortin recepter 1 (MCR-1) were significantly (P<0.05) suppressed while the mRNA levels of ghrelin and cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) were significantly upregulated (P<0.05) in CORT-treated hens. Treatment of laying hens with CORT had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the mRNA levels of CCK in the glandular stomach and the duodenum, and those of ghrelin in the glandular stomach, the duodenum and the jejunum. However, the mRNA levels of CCK in the jejunum and the ileum, and those of ghrelin in the ileum were significantly (P<0.05) suppressed by CORT treatment. In conclusion, these results suggest that CORT plays a unique role in some special neuropeptides (e.g., ghrelin, CART, POMC, CCK and MCRs) and a dynamic balance between these appetite-associated peptides in the hypothalamus and the gastrointestinal tract defines the feeding status of CORT-exposed laying hens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the experiment was to investigate the interaction between Cu intake, inflammatory challenge and oxidative stress in broiler chickens. Furthermore, it was tested whether plasma ceruloplasmin (Cp) could be a sensible parameter for dietary Cu. One hundred forty-four day old chickens were raised on a basal control diet without added copper (Group Cu-6.5, basal Cu content 6.5 mg/kg diet) or a diet supplemented with Cu at 8 or 50 mg/kg (Groups Cu-14.5 and Cu-56.5, respectively) with four replicates of 12 animals for each treatment. Starting on day 21, chickens were injected intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) once a day for 3 days. Before this challenge, Group Cu-14.5 had the lowest gain and the feed to gain ratio was the highest. After injection of LPS, however, chickens of Group Cu-14.5 had the best zoo-technical performance. For chickens of Group Cu-6.5, LPS injection resulted in elevated rectal temperature, and lower erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) activity, compared with the other groups. LPS injection increased plasma uric acid in Group Cu-6.5 significantly, but was without influence in Group Cu-56.5. At all Cu-levels, LPS injection increased erythrocyte CuZn-SOD activity and decreased thiobarbituric acid reacting substances. No significant difference in plasma Cp was found in chickens fed different dietary Cu. LPS injection significantly increased plasma Cp in Group Cu-56.5. The results suggest that varying dietary Cu levels seem to modulate the parameters involved in immunological responses and oxidant stress and that plasma Cp is not a reliable parameter for dietaryCu. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hepatic lipogenesis-induced de novo by glucocorticoids (GCs) is associated with the development of obesity and diabetes mellitus. The interaction of GCs and insulin in the regulation of hepatic lipogenesis remains unclear. The effect of exogenous GC administration on hepatic lipogenesis and fat deposition was studied in broiler chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus), and the role of insulin in the effect of GCs on hepatic lipogenesis was evaluated. Dexamethasone (DEX, 2  mg/kg body mass (BM)) administration for 3-d resulted in BM loss and increased liver and cervical adipose tissue mass compared to control and pair-fed counterparts. DEX treatment significantly ( P  <  0.05) increased plasma level of insulin in either the fed or fasting state, whereas plasma glucose level was only increased in the fed state. In fasted chickens, DEX treatment significantly ( P  <  0.01) upregulated the hepatic mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS). In the fed state, the mRNA levels of ACC and FAS were not significantly influenced by DEX treatment, nor was FAS activity. In cultured primary hepatocytes, combined DEX and insulin significantly upregulated the transcription of the genes for FAS (1.34-fold) and malic enzyme (1.72-fold). By contrast, the expression of sterol response element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) was significantly upregulated by insulin (1.67-fold) regardless of DEX. In abdominal adipose tissue, DEX treatment had no significant ( P>0.05) effect on the activities and transcription of FAS. The expressions of lipoprotein lipase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γγ were not significantly ( P>0.05) affected by DEX treatment in either the fasting or fed state. The results indicate that DEX increased hepatic de novo lipogenesis via the increased activity and expression of lipogenic enzymes. Insulin-activated gene expression for SREBP-1 is suggested to be involved in stress-augmented hepatic lipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Effect of dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid) on lipid metabolism in broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) was investigated. Male Arbor Acres chickens (1 wk old, n =30) were injected with DEX or saline for 1 wk, and a pair-fed group was included. DEX administration resulted in enhanced lipid deposition in adipose tissues. Plasma insulin increased about 3.3 fold in DEX injected chickens as against the control and hepatic triglyceride was higher as compared with the pair-fed chickens. In DEX injected chickens, the hepatic activities of malic enzyme (ME) and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) were significantly increased, while the mRNA levels of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), ME, and FAS were significantly up-regulated, compared with the control. Although the mRNA levels of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) genes in adipose tissue were not affected by DEX injection, ME activity and mRNA levels in abdominal fat pad of chickens treated with DEX are higher than those of control chickens. The results indicated that the increased hepatic de novo lipogenesis and in turn, the increased circulating lipid flux contributes to the augmented fat deposition in adipose tissues and liver in DEX-challenged chickens. The results suggest that glucocorticoids together with the induced hyperinsulinemia should be responsible for the up-regulated hepatic lipogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Image texture description and analysis technology are the basis of many practical applications in pattern recognition. This paper presents a novel and simple, yet powerful method, namely multiple channels local binary pattern (MCLBP), which is the natural extension and development of local binary pattern (LBP) algorithm for color texture representation and classification. MCLBP combines single-channel texture characteristics with multi-channel color information, which reflects the correlations and dependency among different channels. Furthermore, we decompose local color differences into color-difference signs and color-difference magnitudes and MCLBP is extended to MCLBP+M. Then, the resulted image descriptor is a histogram representation, which fuses rich features including color difference sign and color difference magnitude. Comprehensive experiments conducted on five benchmark databases, including Outex, KTH-TIPS, CUReT, STex and KTH-TIPS2-b clearly demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms most of the existed color texture features in terms of classification accuracy. Particularly, our method achieves the best classification performance in CUReT and STex databases. • A multi-channels LBP encodes inner- and inter-channel features of color images. • MCLBP extracts local features from three channels at once. • MCLBP+M characterizes both color difference signs and color difference magnitudes. • Comprehensive experiments are conducted on five benchmark datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single bit failure is the most common failure mode in static random access memory. Although a failing cell can be easily localized with bitmap data, the exact defect location within the failing cell cannot be found immediately, especially when a defect is related to contact. In this paper, a technique of contact-level passive voltage contrast has been proposed to detect such defects for a single bit failure. After an open contact was identified, subsequent transmission electron microscope analysis was performed and it was found that the root cause for the open contact was poly residue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sensitive molecular techniques are needed for rapid detection of the R292K oseltamivir-resistant mutant of influenza A(H7/N9) virus strain to monitor its transmission and guide antiviral treatment. We developed a real-time reverse transcription PCR and single nucleotide polymorphism probes to differentiate this mutant strain in mixed virus populations in human specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stylosanthes guianensis is an excellent forage legume in subtropical and tropical regions with drought tolerance, but little is known about its drought tolerance mechanism. Dehydration responsive element binding proteins (DREBs) are responsive to abiotic stresses. A SgDREB2C was cloned from S. guianensis, while SgDREB2C protein was localized at nucleus. SgDREB2C transcript was induced by dehydration treatment. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing SgDREB2C showed enhanced osmotic and drought tolerance with higher levels of relative germination rate, seedlings survival rate and Fv/Fm and lower levels of ion leakage compared with WT after osmotic and drought stress treatments. In addition, higher levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities and stress responsive gene (COR15A, COR47) transcripts were observed in transgenic Arabidopsis than in WT under drought stress. These results suggest that SgDREB2C regulated drought tolerance, which was associated with increased SOD and APX activities and stress-responsive gene expression under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new analytically modified EDFM (AEDFM) is developed to analyze the pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow using structured Cartesian grids. • The skin factor in the Well Index only accounts for the additional pressure drop within the hydraulic fracture, which can lead to substantial errors. AEDFM can effectively address this limitation. • The results show that AEDFM can accurately capture pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow around fractures. Even more significant is that AEDFM, with fewer grids, can significantly reduce computational costs. In the past few decades, multi-stage hydraulic fracturing has emerged as a crucial technology for the commercial development of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) resources. It is crucial to accurately and efficiently characterize transient fluid flow near fractures, which is a critical concern for many researchers. Discrete fracture models (DFMs) are primarily used to analyze the pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow in naturally fractured porous media. DFMs can accurately capture transient fluid flow near fractures, but they require a substantial number of grids to ensure computational accuracy, leading to higher computational costs. On the other hand, standard embedded discrete fracture models (EDFMs) based on pseudo-steady-state assumptions are computationally efficient, but they struggle to model the early transient fluid flow near fractures accurately. To address this limitation, we propose a new analytically modified EDFM (AEDFM) with structured Cartesian grids for analyzing the pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow in naturally fractured porous media. The transmissibility between the matrix and fractures is adjusted by multiplying it with a transient factor. In addition, we have validated the accuracy and efficiency of our proposed model through comparisons with results from analytical models and a standard well-testing software package. The results demonstrate the significance of our proposed model in accurately capturing transient fluid flow around fractures and reducing computational costs. In this work, we analyze the pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow using various parameter values and further evaluate the significance of the proposed modifications. The results indicate that AEDFM can effectively match the early nonlinear pressure drop near fractures compared to the standard EDFM. This work presents a powerful tool for the fast and accurate analysis of pressure transient behaviors of fluid flow in naturally fractured porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simplified assessment with scenario reduction method using hierarchical clustering;. • Proposing linear method for efficient nodal pressure estimation in damaged networks;. • Proposal reduces computation time by 100-fold for efficient seismic assessment;. • Validated across diverse post-earthquake scenarios, ensuring broad applicability;. • Comparisons among three burst simulation methods advance knowledge in this field. Water distribution systems (WDSs) are vulnerable to earthquake damage, highlighting the need to assess their seismic serviceability. While existing simulation-based methods hold promise for accurate assessments, their applicability to large networks is limited by the prohibitive computational burden and longer simulation times. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes a scenario reduction-based simulation method for efficiently evaluating earthquake-damaged WDS serviceability. Initially, a sufficient number of earthquake-damaged scenarios are generated using Mentor Carlo simulation, and a novel linear pressure estimation method (LPEM) is developed to approximate nodal pressures for each scenario. Subsequently, hierarchical clustering is employed to categorize all scenarios based on the similarities of estimated nodal pressures, after which representative scenarios are selected to estimate the system serviceability. The proposed method, tested on four benchmark WDSs across different seismic intensities, provides a reliable estimation of seismic serviceability while achieving a remarkable 100-fold enhancement in computational time compared to the conventional method. The newly proposed LPEM yields promising results in estimating nodal pressure for damaged WDSs with multiple bursts, with errors mostly below 3 m and all R2 values exceeding 0.9. This contributes significantly to the simulation-based serviceability assessment of WDSs, especially in the context of post-earthquake scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) are unique Ca2+ sensors and play crucial roles in response to abiotic stress in plants. A salt-repressed PvCML9 from halophyte seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum O. Swartz) was identified. PvCML9 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus and highly expressed in roots and stems. Overexpression of PvCML9 led to reduced salt tolerance in rice and seashore paspalum, whereas downregulating expression of PvCML9 showed increased salt tolerance in seashore paspalum as compared with the wild type (WT), indicating that PvCML9 regulated salt tolerance negatively. Na+ and K+ homeostasis was altered by PvCML9 expression. Lower level of Na+/K+ ratio in roots and shoots was maintained in PvCML9 -RNAi lines compared with WT under salt stress, but higher level in overexpression lines. Moreover, higher levels of SOD and CAT activities and proline accumulation were observed in PvCML9 -RNAi lines compared with WT under salt stress, but lower levels in overexpression lines, which altered ROS homeostasis. Based on the above data, mutation of its homolog gene OsCML9 in rice by CRISPR/Cas9 was performed. The mutant had enhanced salt tolerance without affecting rice growth and development, suggesting that OsCML9 gene is an ideal target gene to generate salt tolerant cultivars by genome editing in the future. • PvCML9 negatively regulated salt tolerance in seashore paspalum. • PvCML9 expression had reduced Na+ and K+ homeostasis under salt stress. • PvCML9 expression had also altered ROS homeostasis. • Consistently, PvCML9 negatively regulated salt tolerance in rice. • Mutation of OsCML9 led to enhanced salt tolerance without affecting rice growth and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection are challenging to be cured completely due to the existence of HIV-1 latency reservoirs. However, the knowledge of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with HIV-1 latency is limited. Therefore, identifying proteins related to HIV-1 latency could provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of HIV-1 latency, and ultimately contribute to the eradication of HIV reservoirs. Methods: An Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ)-labeled subcellular proteomic study was performed on an HIV-1 latently infected cell model (U1, a HIV-1-integrated U937 cell line) and its control (U937). Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were analyzed using STRING-DB. Selected DEPs were further evaluated by western blotting and multiple reaction monitoring technology in both cell model and patient-derived cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4)+ T cells. Finally, we investigated the relationship between a specific DEP lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2 (LAMP2) and HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat or lysosome regulation by a lysosomotropic agent hydroxychloroquine in U1 and U937 cells. Results: In total, 110 DEPs were identified in U1 cells comparing to U937 control cells. Bioinformatics analysis suggested associations of the altered proteins with the immune response and endosomal/lysosomal pathway. LAMP2, leukocyte surface antigen CD47, CD55, and ITGA6 were downregulated in HIV-1 latent cells. Downregulated LAMP2 was further confirmed in resting CD4+ T cells from patients with latent HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, both HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat and stimulation with hydroxychloroquine upregulated LAMP2 expression. Conclusions: Our results indicated the involvement of the endosomal/lysosomal pathway in HIV-1 latency in macrophage cell model. The down-modulation of LAMP2 was associated with HIV latency, and the restoration of LAMP2 expression accompanied the transition of viral latency to active infection. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of HIV-1 latency and potential strategies for eradicating HIV-1 reservoirs by targeting LAMP2 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lymph node metastasis is one of the most common ways of tumour metastasis. The presence or absence of lymph node involvement influences the cancer’s stage, therapy, and prognosis. The integration of artificial intelligence systems in the histopathological diagnosis of lymph nodes after surgery is urgent. Methods: Here, we propose a pan-origin lymph node cancer metastasis detection system. The system is trained by over 700 whole-slide images (WSIs) and is composed of two deep learning models to locate the lymph nodes and detect cancers. Results: It achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.958, with a 95.2% sensitivity and 72.2% specificity, on 1,402 WSIs from 49 organs at the National Cancer Center, China. Moreover, we demonstrated that the system could perform robustly with 1,051 WSIs from 52 organs from another medical centre, with an AUC of 0.925. Conclusion: Our research represents a step forward in a pan-origin lymph node metastasis detection system, providing accurate pathological guidance by reducing the probability of missed diagnosis in routine clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duplex stainless steels are widely used in many fields due to their excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. However, it is a challenge to achieve duplex microstructure and excellent properties through additive manufacturing. In this work, a 0.09% N 25Cr-type duplex stainless steel was prepared by additive manufacturing (AM) and heat treatment, and its corrosion resistance was investigated. The results show that, compared with S32750 duplex stainless steel prepared by a conventional process, the combination value of film resistance and charge transfer resistance of AM duplex stainless steel was increased by 3.2–5.5 times and the pitting potential was increased by more than 100 mV. The disappearance of residual thermal stress and the reasonable distribution of Cr and N elements in the two phases are the reasons for the improvement of the corrosion resistance of AM duplex stainless steel after heat treatment. In addition, the extremely high purity of AM duplex stainless steel with no visible inclusions resulted in a higher corrosion resistance exhibited at lower pitting-resistance-equivalent number values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Cretaceous Weideshan granites are associated with large-scale Au and polymetallic Cu-Mo-Pb-Zn mineralization. To investigate the petrogenesis of the Weideshan granite and constrain its tectonic setting during the Early Cretaceous, we conducted a zircon U-Pb-Hf isotope and whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic study of the granite. In situ zircon U-Pb dating of three granite samples yielded Early Cretaceous ages of 112.83 ± 0.80, 112.64 ± 0.91, and 111.82 ± 0.78 Ma. The samples had high-K calc-alkaline compositions and were enriched in the light rare earth and large-ion lithophile elements (e.g., K, Rb, Ba, Th, and U) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ti, and P). The samples had small negative Eu anomalies and initial 87Sr/86Sr and εNd(t) values of 0.70853–0.71029 and –18 to –14, respectively. The zircon εHf(t) values varied between −16 and −12, with corresponding two-stage model ages (tDM2) of 2180–2000 Ma. These characteristics indicated that the Weideshan pluton was formed in a back-arc extensional environment caused by subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate toward the Asian continent during the early Cretaceous. The magma was generated by crust–mantle interaction during lithospheric thinning. The diagenetic age of the Weideshan granites was the same as the formation age of gold and polymetallic ores in the Jiaodong area. The extensive fluid circulation induced by the magma emplacement may be the main source of ore-forming materials for the gold and polymetallic Cu-Mo-Pb-Zn deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The immune protective mechanisms during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection remain to be deciphered for the development of an effective intervention approach.Methods: We examined early responses of interleukin 37 (IL-37), a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine, in 254 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients before any clinical intervention and determined its correlation with clinical prognosis.Results: Our results demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes elevation of plasma IL-37. Higher early IL-37 responses were correlated with earlier viral RNA negative conversion, chest computed tomographic improvement, and cough relief, consequently resulted in earlier hospital discharge. Further assays showed that higher IL-37 was associated with lower interleukin 6 and interleukin 8 (IL-8) and higher interferon α responses and facilitated biochemical homeostasis. Low IL-37 responses predicted severe clinical prognosis in combination with IL-8 and C-reactive protein. In addition, we observed that IL-37 administration was able to attenuate lung inflammation and alleviate respiratory tissue damage in human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-transgenic mice infected with SARS-CoV-2.Conclusions: Overall, we found that IL-37 plays a protective role by antagonizing inflammatory responses while retaining type I interferon, thereby maintaining the functionalities of vital organs. IL-37, IL-8, and C-reactive protein might be formulated as a precise prediction model for screening severe clinical cases and have good value in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]