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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide and its prognosis is highly heterogeneous, being related not only to underlying chronic liver disease but also to the severity of cancer cachexia. Nutritional factors play a crucial role in influencing the prognosis of HCC. Despite musculoskeletal imbalance being consistently reported as a predictor of perioperative mortality in patients with HCC, this condition is often overlooked in clinical management. Bone mineral density (BMD), which serves as a marker of nutritional status, can be assessed through CT by measuring the pixel density of the vertebral bone. Recent clinical studies have indicated that BMD serves not only as a significant risk factor for development of HCC in cirrhotic patients but also potentially functions as an independent prognostic indicator for post-treatment outcomes in patients with HCC. Preoperative abdominal CT scans provide a convenient and cost-effective method to measure BMD, offering significant assistance in prognostic evaluation of patients with HCC. A thorough grasp of the liver-bone connection, along with the conduct of higher-quality studies and the establishment of standardized methods and cutoff values for BMD measurement, could enhance approaches to manage HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the potential mechanism of action of Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang (TXYF) on inflammation-related intestinal fibrosis in mice. In addition, to examine dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induction and the stimulation of human intestinal fibroblasts (CCD-18Co) by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Methods: Chronic colitis in C57BL/6 mice was induced by administering 2 % DSS and TXYF extract (11.2 g/kg per day). An intestinal fibrosis cell model was constructed by stimulating CCD-18Co cells with TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL). The status and weight loss of colitis of the mice was assessed by Disease Activity Index (DAI) while colonic tissue injury and fibrosis were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and Masson's trichrome staining. Relative expression levels of corticotrophin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRH-R2) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in colon tissues and CCD-18Co cells were determined using Western blot. A cell model of intestinal fibrosis was constructed by stimulating CCD-18Co cells with TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL). At the same time, the cells were subjected to the intervention of TXYF drug-containing serum (TXYF-DS). Results: TXYF significantly improve the pathological changes, weight loss, and DAI score of colon tissue in DSS induced colitis mice (p < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-6 and p-STAT3 were significantly reduced, while the expression level of CRH-R2 was upregulated in the mouse colon tissue (p < 0.05). At the cellular level, TXYF-DS intervention significantly reduced cell mortality and mitigated the degree of cell fibrosis (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression level of CRH-R2 was up-regulated while that of IL-6 and p-STAT3 were down-regulated. Conclusion: TXYF ameliorates chronic intestinal fibrosis in colitis-afflicted mice by restricting IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway whilst upregulating CRH-R2 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Male overweight and obesity could affect sperm quality and reproductive health. However, the impact of body mass index (BMI) on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in oligospermia and/or asthenospermia patients is yet lacking. This study aims to assess the impact of paternal BMI on ART and neonatal outcomes among oligozoospermia and/or asthenospermia patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Materials and Methods: In this study, 2,075 couples undergoing their first fresh embryo transfer between January 2015 and June 2022 were recruited. Following the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) categories, couples were stratified into three cohorts based on paternal BMI: normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2 ), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2 ), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m2 ). Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the associations of paternal BMI with fertilization, in vitro embryonic development, and pregnancy outcomes. Logistic regression models were performed to investigate the associations of paternal BMI with pregnancy loss and neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, stratified analyses were performed based on fertilization methods, male infertility cause, and maternal BMI. Results: Higher paternal BMI is associated with a lower likelihood of achieving normal fertilized (p-trend=0.002), Day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.007), and high-quality embryos (p-trend=0.046) in IVF cycles, rather than in ICSI cycles. Paternal BMI of oligospermia or asthenospermia was negatively correlated with day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.013 and 0.030) and highquality embryos (p-trend=0.024 and 0.027). Moreover, for neonatal outcomes, paternal BMI was positively associated with macrosomia (p-trend=0.019), large for gestational age (LGA) (p-trend=0.031), and very LGA (p-trend=0.045). Conclusions: Our data suggested that higher paternal BMI was associated with fetal overgrowth, reduced fertilization, and embryonic development potential. Among males with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia, the impact of overweight and obesity on the choice of fertilization method and the long-term effects on their offspring need to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ameloblastoma is a benign but locally invasive tumour. Early diagnosis of ameloblastoma and formulating an appropriate treatment plan play a crucial role in reducing the postoperative recurrence rate. The imaging features of ameloblastoma are similar to those of other odontogenic diseases; thus, the diagnosis of ameloblastoma remains challenging. This review summarises the diagnostic techniques used for the detection of ameloblastoma and the methods for differentiating it from other benign odontogenic tumours to aid in the clinical diagnosis. A comprehensive review was conducted by searching the database of PubMed for studies published up to May 2023. Panoramic radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging have been used to detect ameloblastoma, whereas fine-needle aspiration cytology and biopsies have been used to enhance diagnostic precision and clinical diagnosis. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and FDG positron emission tomography( PET) have been used to detect metastasis of ameloblastoma to determine the prognosis of the disease. Laboratory tests are more suitable for detecting genetic alterations and identifying certain markers. Different diagnostic techniques aid in differentiating ameloblastoma from other odontogenic diseases. Combining these techniques may increase the diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected ameloblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs play a critical role in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) chondrogenesis and regulate the progression of joint regeneration in osteoarthritis. Our previous research confirmed that miR146a relieves osteoarthritis by modulating cartilage homeostasis. However, few studies have revealed the relationship between miR146a and the chondrogenesis of MSCs, and the exact mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the function of miR146a in the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and the potential mechanisms involved. MiR146a expression increased during chondrogenesis. MiR146a knockout (KO) led to the increased chondrogenesis of MSCs compared to that in wild-type (WT) MSCs, whereas the overexpression of miR146a by mimics resulted in the decreased chondrogenesis of MSCs, as determined by the mRNA expression of collagen, type II, alpha 1 (COL2A1), aggrecan, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13). Furthermore, cartilage defects could be treated better when injected with spheres induced from miR146aKO MSCs than from WT MSCs, indicating that miR146a inhibits chondrogenesis in vivo. In addition, based on miRNA-mRNA prediction analysis and a dual-luciferase reporter assay, we observed that the deletion of miR146a led to the increased expression of Lsm11 during chondrogenesis and demonstrated that miR146a targeted Lsm11 by binding to its 30-untranslated region (UTR) and inhibited its translation. The inhibition of Lsm11 by silencing RNA (siRNA) reversed the increased ability of chondrogenesis by knocking out miR146a both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that miR146a inhibits chondrogenesis by directly inhibiting Lsm11 in MSCs, which may be a novel target for treating osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Emerging evidence has suggested the detrimental role of oxidative stress in aggravating ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury in diabetic livers. Interplay between oxidative stress and mitophagy has been shown. However, the role and mechanism of mitophagy in regulating oxidative stress and IR injury in diabetic livers remain unclear. Materials and Methods: Wild‐type and db/db (DB) mice were subjected to a partial warm liver IR model. Liver injury, oxidative stress, mitophagy and related molecular pathways were analyzed. Results: Here, we found that increased liver IR injury was observed in DB mice, as evidenced by higher levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and serum aspartate, worsened liver architecture damage and more hepatocellular death. DB mice also showed increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species scavenge alleviated liver IR injury in DB mice. Mechanistic analysis showed that 5′ adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase‐mediated mitophagy was suppressed in DB mice post‐IR. Pharmacological activation of 5′ adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase by its agonist effectively restored mitophagy activation, leading to decreased mitochondrial oxidative stress and attenuated liver IR injury in DB mice. Conclusions: Our findings showed that diabetes increased oxidative stress to exacerbate liver IR injury by impairing 5′ adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase‐mediated mitophagy. Strategies targeting oxidative stress and mitophagy might provide a promising approach to ameliorate liver IR injury in diabetes patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultracompact sources of circularly polarized light are important for classical and quantum optical information processing. Conventional approaches for generating chiral emission are restricted to excitation power ranges and fail to provide high-quality radiation with perfect polarization conversion. We used the physics of chiral quasi-bound states in the continuum to demonstrate the efficient and controllable emission of circularly polarized light from resonant metasurfaces. Exploiting intrinsic chirality and giant field enhancement, we revealed how to simultaneously modify and control spectra, radiation patterns, and spin angular momentum of photoluminescence and lasing without any spin injection. The superior characteristics of chiral emission and lasing promise multiple applications in nanophotonics and quantum optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines that Chinese reception of Fredric Jameson has been as extraordinary as it has been paradoxical. Topics include considered beginning almost simultaneously with his semester-long lecture series on cultural theory and postmodernism at Peking University in 1985, the ongoing translation of his oeuvre into Chinese has corresponded with a steadily growing appetite for theoretical sophistication and development.

Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), also referred to as scavenger receptor B2, has been shown to serve multiple functions in lipid metabolism, inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress, and energy reprogramming. As a scavenger receptor, CD36 interacts with various ligands, such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1), and fatty acid (FA), thereby activating specific downstream signaling pathways. Cardiac CD36 is mostly expressed on the surface of cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. The pathophysiological process of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) encompasses diverse metabolic abnormalities, such as enhanced transfer of cardiac myocyte sarcolemmal FA, increased levels of advanced glycation end-products, elevation in oxidative stress, impaired insulin signaling cascade, disturbance in calcium handling, and microvascular rarefaction which are closely related to CD36 signaling. This review presents a summary of the CD36 signaling pathway that acts mainly as a long-chain FA transporter in cardiac myocytes and functions as a receptor to bind to numerous ligands in endothelial cells. Finally, we summarize the recent basic research and clinical findings regarding CD36 signaling in DCM, suggesting a promising strategy to treat this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human neck is a unique mechanical structure, highly flexible but fatigue prone. The rising prevalence of neck pain and chronic injuries has been attributed to increasing exposure to fatigue loading in activities such as prolonged sedentary work and overuse of electronic devices. However, a causal relationship between fatigue and musculoskeletal mechanical changes remains elusive. This work aimed to establish this relationship through a unique experiment design, inspired by a cantilever beam mechanical model of the neck, and an orchestrated deployment of advanced motion-force measurement technologies including dynamic stereo-radiographic imaging. As a group of 24 subjects performed sustained-till-exhaustion neck exertions in varied positions--neutral, extended, and flexed, their cervical spine musculoskeletal responses were measured. Data verified the occurrence of fatigue and revealed fatigue-induced neck deflection which increased cervical lordosis or kyphosis by 4-5° to 11°, depending on the neck position. This finding and its interpretations render a renewed understanding of muscle fatigue from a more unified motor control perspective as well as profound implications on neck pain and injury prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil in western Jilin, China has the properties of a saline soil, seasonal frozen soil, and a dispersive soil, in which the freezing process can induce many engineering and environmental problems, including soil secondary salinization and frost heave. During the freezing process, water, heat, stress, and even solute interact with each other. Water migration plays an important role in this process. In this paper, a sampling point in Nong'an, western Jilin was selected for soil collection and experimental tests. The experiment included two tests: the capillary water test and a water migration test subjected to freezing. The results showed that the height of capillary water is low, while the water migrates obviously after the process of freezing in different conditions. The results indicate that the bound water film hinders the capillary pores, which can impair the matric potential. During the freezing process, the temperature potential and gravitational potential can drive the water to migrate through the bound water film. For the soil in western Jilin, temperature potential plays a decisive role in water migration, but gravitational potential and matric potential have a minor effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five-membered pyrroline nitroxides with high-potential is fascinating as catholyte for aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs), however, it suffers from a primary deficiency of insufficient stability due to ring-opening side reaction. Herein we report a spatial structure regulation strategy by host-guest chemistry, encapsulating 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-1-oxyl (CPL) into hydrosoluble cyclodextrins (CDs) with an inclusion structure of N-O· head towards cavity bottom, to boost the solubility and cyclability of pyrroline nitroxides significantly. The armor-clad CPL (CPL⊂HP-β-CD) catholyte in 0.05-0.5 M presents a battery capacity fade rate as low as 0.002 %/cycle (0.233 %/day) compared to the sole CPL in 0.05 M (0.039 %/cycle or 5.23 %/day) over 500 cycles in assembled AORFBs. The optimized reclining spatial structure with N-O· head towards CD cavity bottom effectively inhibits the attack of Lewis base species on the hydrogen abstraction site in pyrroline ring, and thus avoids the ring-opening side reaction of pyrroline nitroxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on compressive sensing (CS)-based hyperspectral imaging (HSI). A band-by-band reconstruction approach, namely prior image constrained compressive sensing (PICCS)-based HSI, is proposed. Furthermore, a more effective PICCS model is built in this paper. Each hyperspectral band is reconstructed based on the previous one, which utilizes not only the sparsity of each hyperspectral band in a certain basis but also the similarity between two consecutive bands. Moreover, compared with the algorithms which reconstruct all the hyperspectral bands simultaneously, PICCS-based HSI reduces the requirements for computational ability and computational memory of the receivers. In addition, compared with the independent band-by-band reconstruction algorithms and tensor-SL[sub 0]-based HSI, PICCS-based HSI significantly reduces the number of measurements with similar or better reconstruction quality. The convergence of the two algorithms is proved and some simulations are provided to illustrate their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an integrated traction control strategy (ITCS) for distributed drive electric vehicles. The purpose of the proposed strategy is to improve vehicle economy and longitudinal driving stability. On high adhesion roads, economy optimization algorithm is applied to maximize motors efficiency by means of the optimized torque distribution. On low adhesion roads, a sliding mode control (SMC) algorithm is implemented to guarantee the wheel slip ratio around the optimal slip ratio point to make full use of road adhesion capacity. In order to avoid the disturbance on slip ratio calculation due to the low vehicle speed, wheel rotational speed is taken as the control variable. Since the optimal slip ratio varies according to different road conditions, Bayesian hypothesis selection is utilized to estimate the road friction coefficient. Additionally, the ITCS is designed for combining the vehicle economy and stability control through three traction allocation cases: economy-based traction allocation, pedal self-correcting traction allocation and inter-axles traction allocation. Finally, simulations are conducted in CarSim and Matlab/Simulink environment. The results show that the proposed strategy effectively reduces vehicle energy consumption, suppresses wheels-skid and enhances the vehicle longitudinal stability and dynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNA-21 (miR-21) is an oncogene and is significantly upregulated in tumor tissue. However, its association with T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia (T-ALL) remains poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of miR-21 on T-ALL cells by constructing Jurkat cells infected with recombinant adenovirus adv-miR-21 or adv-anti-miR-21. In addition, the target gene of miR-21 was identified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The results demonstrated that miR-21 expression in Jurkat cells was markedly upregulated. Furthermore, upregulating miR-21 expression in Jurkat cells promoted cell proliferation and invasion and decreased the apoptosis rate. By contrast, knockdown of miR-21 in Jurkat cells suppressed proliferation and invasion and increased the apoptosis rate. Furthermore, the results indicated that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 was targeted by miR-21, and that miR-21 inhibited STAT3 expression at the protein level rather than at the messenger RNA level. In conclusion, targeting the inhibition of miR-21 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with T-ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT)-like follicular dendritic cell (FDC) tumor is a rare neoplasm. We herein report the case of 19-year-old female patient with an IPT-like FDC tumor and summarize 24 cases of hepatic FDC tumors previously reported in the English literature. The patient presented with complaints of abdominal discomfort, without significant laboratory abnormalities, and underwent surgical removal of a hepatic tumor. The resected tumor was 6 cm in the longest diameter and the tumor cells were positive for CD21, CD35 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The postoperative course was uneventful and there have been no metastases or recurrence during 1 year of follow-up. The majority of the cases of hepatic IPT-like FDC tumors have a female predominance and exhibit an association with EBV infection. Their clinical manifestations and image findings are usually non-specific and the diagnosis of this disease mainly relies on pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical investigation on the structural, phonon, elastic and thermodynamic properties of the DO3-Mg3Nd compound has been conducted through the first-principles calculations within the frame of the density functional theory (DFT) and the density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) in the VASP and PHONONPY code. We calculate the phonon spectrum and phonon density of states under different pressures and find that the DO3-Mg3Nd compound keeps dynamically stable up to 100GPa. The elastic constants and thermodynamic quantities as a function of pressures and temperatures are also reported and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune responses in eukaryotes involve rapid and profound transcriptional reprogramming. Although mechanisms regulating the amplitude of defense gene expression have been extensively characterized, those controlling the speed of defense gene induction are not well understood. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis Elongator subunit 2 (AtELP2) regulates the kinetics of defense gene induction. AtELP2 is required for rapid defense gene induction and the establishment of full basal and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Surprisingly, biological or chemical induction of systemic acquired resistance (SAR), a long-lasting plant immunity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, restores pathogen resistance to Atelp2 mutant plants. Simultaneous removal of AtELP2 and NPR1, a transcription coactivator essential for full-scale expression of a subset of defense genes and the establishment of SAR, completely abolishes resistance to two different ETI-inducing pathogens. These results demonstrate that AtELP2 is an accelerator of defense gene induction, which functions largely independently of NPR1 in establishing plant immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated whether relative strength between the back and knees can differentiate and predict lifting strategy and the effects of gender, load magnitude, and knowledge of strength on the strategy. Background: Although muscular strength is thought to play a vital role in the mechanics of lifting, how localized joint strengths and their relations influence lifting strategy remains unclear. Method: Thirty-two participants (16 men and 16 women) underwent isokinetic strength tests and were then divided into two groups: one provided with the knowledge of their strength test results and the other not. They subsequently performed the same set of simulated lifting tasks while their lifting kinematics were being recorded. Postural indices to quantify the lifting strategies were derived from the kinematic data. Results: The ratio of back strength versus total knee strength and gender had significant effects on measures quantifying the lifting strategy. A statistical model incorporating gender, strength, and anthropometry achieved an R2 value of .64 and predicted correctly 76% of lifting strategies used by individual participants. Conclusion: Individuals with back strength greater than their total knee strength tended to use a back-preferred lift strategy, and vice versa, suggesting that muscular strength is a determining factor of lifting strategy. Application: An emphasis on additional knee strengthening in a training program may change the tendency of using and overstressing the back. Application of modeling and simulation technology for ergonomics design can be enhanced by more individually and accurately specified lifting strategies based on anthropometry and strength profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new computational framework for biodynamic modeling of human movement. The framework decouples the conventional dynamic modeling process into two stages: in the first stage, two-component "agonist-antagonist" torque actuators under hypothesized and testable parametric control drive the forward dynamics, and parameters are identified by tracking both kinematics and kinetics; the second stage completes the mapping from the muscle-tendon forces to the predicted joint torques. An empirical test using multifinger grasping movement data was conducted to illustrate the application of the proposed framework and showed that the model reproduced the measurement accurately in both kinematics and kinetics. The torque components exhibited consistent spatial-temporal patterns across joints, digits, and subjects. The muscle-tendon forces computed based on the model-predicted kinematics and kinetics had the peak values within the same order of magnitude as in vivo data reported in the literature. The potential to predict was also demonstrated as we applied the control parameters of one subject to another and achieved close matches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is well known that the pyridine nucleotides NAD and NADP function inside the cell to regulate intracellular signaling processes, recent evidence from animal studies suggests that NAD(P) also functions in the extracellular compartment (ECC). Extracellular NAD(P) [eNAD(P)] can either directly bind to plasma membrane receptors or be metabolized by ecto-enzymes to produce cyclic ADP-ribose and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and/or may ADP-ribosylate cell-surface receptors, resulting in activation of transmembrane signaling. In this study, we report that, in plants, exogenous NAD(P) induces the expression of pathogenesis-related ( PR) genes and resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola ES4326. Chelation of Ca2+ by EGTA significantly inhibits the induction of PR genes by exogenous NAD(P), suggesting that exogenous NAD(P) may induce PR genes through a pathway that involves Ca2+ signaling. We show that exogenous application of NAD(P) causes accumulation of the defense signal molecule salicylic acid (SA), and induces both SA/NPR1-dependent and -independent PR gene expression and disease resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that NAD(P) leaks into the plant ECC after mechanical wounding and pathogen infection, and that the amount of NAD(P) leaking into the ECC after P. syringae pv. tobacco DC3000/ avrRpt2 infection is sufficient for induction of both PR gene expression and disease resistance. We propose that NAD(P) leakage from cells losing membrane integrity upon environmental stress may function as an elicitor to activate plant defense responses. Our data provide evidence that eNAD(P) functions in plant signaling, and illustrate the potential importance of eNAD(P) in plant innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in plant defense responses. Analysis of the completed Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence has revealed the existence of 20 MAPKs, 10 MAPKKs and 60 MAPKKKs, implying a high level of complexity in MAPK signaling pathways, and making the assignment of gene functions difficult. The MAP kinase kinase 7 ( MKK7) gene of Arabidopsis has previously been shown to negatively regulate polar auxin transport. Here we provide evidence that MKK7 positively regulates plant basal and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). The activation-tagged bud1 mutant, in which the expression of MKK7 is increased, accumulates elevated levels of salicylic acid (SA), exhibits constitutive pathogenesis-related ( PR) gene expression, and displays enhanced resistance to both Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola ( Psm) ES4326 and Hyaloperonospora parasitica Noco2. Both PR gene expression and disease resistance of the bud1 plants depend on SA, and partially depend on NPR1. We demonstrate that the constitutive defense response in bud1 plants is a result of the increased expression of MKK7, and requires the kinase activity of the MKK7 protein. We found that expression of the MKK7 gene in wild-type plants is induced by pathogen infection. Reducing mRNA levels of MKK7 by antisense RNA expression not only compromises basal resistance, but also blocks the induction of SAR. Intriguingly, ectopic expression of MKK7 in local tissues induces PR gene expression and resistance to Psm ES4326 in systemic tissues, indicating that activation of MKK7 is sufficient for generating the mobile signal of SAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Identifying the impact of plant material inputs on soil amino sugar synthesis may advance our knowledge of microbial transformation processes in soils. In a 12-week laboratory microcosm incubation, 1, 2, 4, and 6% (w/w) soybean leaf or maize stalk were initially added to soil, respectively, whereas soil without plant addition was used as a control. The results showed that adding organic materials to the soil led to a net accumulation of amino sugars, because of greater microbial synthesis. The ratios of glucosamine to galactosamine and of glucosamine to muramic acid, two indicators differentiating the relative contribution to soil organic matter of fungi and bacteria, showed substantial variance across the gradient of substrate addition. Our results suggest that the amount of nutrients in a given substrate is the primary attribute determining microbial net accumulation of soil amino sugars, especially in the relatively short term, whereas the composition of nutrients might be more important in the relatively long term when nutrients are not sufficient. The use of the two ratios (glucosamine to galactosamine and glucosamine to muramic acid) reflects different dynamics of galactosamine and muramic acid during the decomposition of organic substrates in soils. Muramic acid, compared with galactosamine, is more likely to accumulate in the soil active organic fraction under abundant nutrient conditions, whereas it would be decomposed along with active organic matter when the nutrients are scarce and remain in minor quantities in the clay fraction without being attacked by microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped 60Bi2O3(40 − x)B2O3xGeO2 (BBG; x = 0, 5, 10, 15 mol%) glasses that are suitable for fiber lasers, amplifiers have been fabricated and characterized. The absorption spectra, emission spectra, and lifetime of the 4I13/2 level and quantum efficiency of Er3+:4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition were measured and calculated. With the substitution of GeO2 for B2O3, both Δλeff and σe decrease from 75 to 71 nm and 9.88 to 8.12 × 10−21 cm2, respectively. The measured lifetime of the 4I13/2 level and quantum efficiency of Er3+:4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition increase from 1.18 to 1.5 ms and 36.2% to 43.2%, respectively. The emission spectra of Er3+:4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition was also analyzed using a peak-fit routine, and an equivalent four-level system was proposed to estimate the stark splitting for the 4I15/2 and 4I13/2 levels of Er3+ in the BBG glasses. The results indicate that the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 emission of Er3+ can be exhibit a considerable broadening due to a significant enhance the peak A, and D emission. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article reports a systematic research effort aimed at establishing a normative database of thumb circumduction range of motion (ROM) and related kinematic characteristics in vivo while examining the effects of anthropometry, gender, and direction of rotation. Twenty-eight (14 men, 14 women) anthropometrically diverse participants performed maximum voluntary thumb circumductions as the trajectories of the surface markers placed on their thumb landmarks were recorded by an optoelectronic motion capture system. A globographic representation method was employed to model the measured marker trajectories, determining the center of rotation and central reference axes for thumb circumduction. Thumb ROM was quantified using (a) the joint sinuses expressing the thumb orientation change with respect to the reference axes and (b) cone volumes circumscribed by the thumb at the distal phalangeal, interphalangeal, and metacarpophalangeal levels. Data analyses resulted in statistical summaries of the derived kinematic and ROM measures with significant effects identified and regression equations predicting the cone volumes. Potential applications of this research include ergonomic design of hand-operated controls or devices and evaluation of thumb impairments or disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phasor estimation algorithms for protective relaying are required to filter out unwanted components from the input signals and retain only the components of interest. The components to be removed include harmonics and the decaying-exponential transient (dc offset) component. They affect the accuracy and the speed of convergence of the phasor estimation algorithms to a great extent This paper presents a new technique, which effectively removes the harmonics and the decaying dc component present in the input signals, within half a cycle of the power system frequency. This is achieved by means of a simple computational procedure using three off-line look-up tables. The proposed algorithm has been tested for a wide variety of signals to assess its performance. The performance is also compared with the two most popular half-cycle phasor estimation algorithms; the half-cycle least error squares algorithms and the mimic plus half-cycle Fourier algorithm. The test results show that the proposed relaying algorithm has a faster convergence and better accuracy compared to these previously proposed algorithms. The results also indicate that the proposed algorithm converges to its final value within half a cycle of the power system frequency as compared to the other two algorithms, which take more than half a cycle to converge, when a decaying dc component is present in the input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication presents an automatic soil texture classification system using hyperspectral soil signatures and wavelet-based statistical models. Previous soil texture classification systems are closely related to texture classification methods, where images are used for training and testing. In this study, we develop a novel system using hyperspectral soil textures, which provide rich information and intrinsic properties about soil textures, where two wavelet-domain statistical models, namely, the maximum-likelihood and hidden Markov models, are incorporated for the classification task. Experimental results show that these methods are both reliable and robust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author examines the ideological use of history in 'International Film Festival Films' from Mainland China in the early 1990s. The author observes that films like Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine , Tian Zhuangzhuang's The Blue Kite , and Zhang Yimou's To Live all share the post-revolutionary assumption and seek to deconstruct the 'grand-narrative' of social revolution and idealism by constructing a counter-narrative of national trauma and traumatized individual life. By analyzing the filmic text of The Blue Kite , the author argues that, instead of exploring the complexity of social change and everyday life of the Chinese twentieth century, the former Fifth Generation auteurs resorted to a visual ontology or mythology of the present, which in turn invents its past as a melodrama of 'human nature' or 'art as such'. The reason why moments of those films remain compelling, as the author argues, is not because of the new metaphysics and ahistorical conclusions at the superficial level, but lies in the fact that the visual and narrative logic of the 'new cinematic language' (as a result of the aesthetic-political upheaval of the Chinese 1980s) resists the formula of 'healing' and captures the irreducible complexity of a world of life (i.e. Mao's China) despite the ideological tendency of the global 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study investigated the effects of load magnitude and movement speed on lumbar vertebral kinematics during lifting task performance. Ten participants performed sagittally symmetric lifting movements with systematically varied load using either a normal or a faster-than-normal speed. Skin-surface markers were strategically placed over the participants' spinous processes and other landmarks representing major body joints and were recorded during the movements by a motion capture system. The center of rotation (COR) locations and segmental movement profiles for lumbar vertebrae L2 to L5 were derived and analyzed. Results suggested that (a) the COR locations and vertebral angular displacement were not significantly affected by the speed or load variation; (b) a faster speed tended to shorten the time to complete the acceleration for all the lumbar vertebrae considered; and (c) the load increase incurred a tendency for the L5 to complete the primary displacement in a briefer time while enduring greater peak acceleration and velocity. The findings lead to a better understanding of the relation between lifting dynamics and spinal motion. Potential applications of this research include the development of more accurate biomechanical models and software tools for depicting spinal motions and quantifying low-back stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a new approach that allows an angle-domain human movement model to generate, via forward kinematics, Cartesian-space human movement representation with otherwise inevitable end-point offset nullified but much of the kinematic authenticity retained. The approach incorporates a rectification procedure that determines the minimum postural angle change at the final frame to correct the end-point offset, and a deformation procedure that deforms the angle profile accordingly to preserve maximum original kinematic authenticity. Two alternative deformation schemes, named amplitudeproportional (AP) and time-proportional (TP) schemes, are proposed and formulated. As an illustration and empirical evaluation, the proposed approach, along with two deformation schemes, was applied to a set of target-directed right-hand reaching movements that had been previously measured and modeled. The evaluation showed that both deformarion schemes nullified the final frame end-point offset and significantly reduced time-averaged position errors for the end-point as well as the most distal intermediate joint while causing essentially no change in the remaining joints. A comparison between the two schemes based on time-averaged joint and end-point position errors indicated that overall the TP scheme outperformed the AP scheme. In addition, no statistically significant difference in time-averaged angle error was identified between the raw prediction and either of the deformation schemes, nor between the two schemes themselves, suggesting minimal angle-domain distortion incurred by the deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the reconstruction of the historical symbiosis between the modern and the urban Chinese mythology. Representation of a family resemblance by the duality of the metropolitan character; Origin of the intensity of the city of Shanghai; Predominance of Shanghai in commercial and academic courses.

Examines the portrayal of Shanghai, China in several Chinese literary works 'Sealed Off,' by Zhang Ailing; 'A Tale From the Cultural Revolution,' by Wang Anyi; 'Ballad of Eternal Sorrow,' by Wang Anyi.

Acidic CO2 electrolysis, enhanced by the introduction of alkali cations, presents a strategic approach for improving carbon efficiency compared to processes conducted in neutral and alkaline environments. However, a significant challenge arises from the dissolution of both organic acids and alkali cations in a strongly acidic feed stream, resulting in a considerable energy penalty for downstream separation. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) technology to separate organic acids and recover alkali cations from a strongly acidic feed stream (pH ~ 1). We show that organic acids, such as formic acid and acetic acid, are retained in molecular form in the separation chamber, achieving a rejection rate of over 90% under all conditions. Alkali cations, such as K+ and Cs+, migrate to the cathode chamber in ionic form, with their removal and recovery significantly influenced by their concentration and the pH of the feed stream, but responding differently to the types and concentrations of organic acids. The energy consumption for the removal and recovery of K+ is 4 to 8 times higher than for Cs+, and the charge efficiency is significantly influenced by the types of organic acid products and alkali cations. We conduct a series of electrochemical measurements and analyze the impedance spectroscopy, identifying that hindered mass transfer governed the electrode process. Our findings underscore the potential of FCDI as an advanced downstream separation technology for acidic electrocatalysis processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on cultural politics in China. Comparison between postmodernism in China and Chinese postmodernism; Emergence of post-socialist society; Effect of postmodernism on tradition of anti-modernist modernisms; Explanations on the neo-conservatism phenomenon; Views of the Old Left and the New Right political movements.

Offers a suggestion for the deconstruction of the literary history of Chinese socialist realism. Relevance of socialist realism in the intellectual life of China; Characteristics of Chinese socialist realism; Suggestion to create an alternative culture; Definition of socialist realism.

Presents a collection of discussions on postmodernism and China. Exploration of the terrain of what might be construed as postmodern in intellectual and creative activity; Whether the condition of contemporary Chinese societies can be included in the two concepts, postmodernity and postmodernism; Most objections to the use of postmodernism within a Chinese context; Impact of Chinese communism.

Examines nationalism, mass culture and intellectual strategies in Post-Tiananmen China. Secularization and the limits of civic nationalism; Tension between universal principles and national boundaries relevant to liberalism; Mass culture and intellectual disorders.

Explores the history and evolution of intellectual politics in Post-Tinanmen China. Evasive nature of Chinese society; Implications of Marxism and modernization ideologies; Nationalism and mass culture; Postrevolutionary conservatism; Orientalism and neocolonialism.

• A new method for detecting the position of cows' eyes and udders is proposed. • The best position for the head to make eye temperature more accurate is recognized. • The enhanced infrared image more accurately recognizes the eyes and udders of cows. • This method improves the detection accuracy of key parts of dairy cows. Mastitis is a disease that affects dairy cow health, and the timely detection of mastitis can improve the efficiency of mastitis treatment and reduce economic losses in the milk industry. To improve the detection speed and achieve automatic recognition of dairy cow mastitis, this study proposed a deep learning network EFMYOLOv3 (Enhanced Fusion MobileNetV3 You Only Look Once v3) based on the bilateral filtering enhancement of thermal images. EFMYOLOv3 is used to automatically detect dairy cow eyes and udders and is applied to the detection of mastitis in dairy cows based on thermal infrared images. We proposed a bilateral filtering image enhancement algorithm based on gray histograms to enhance image details to compensate for weak thermal image details and enhance the contrast between the foreground and background. We chose the lightweight MobileNetV3 as the backbone of YOLOv3. Based on the location attention mechanism, we used the multiscale enhanced fusion feature pyramid network structure as the feature extraction module. The feature map used for prediction was designed with the appropriate resolution and powerful multilayer semantic features to improve the accuracy of target detection. We replaced the standard convolutions in the base layer with depthwise separable convolutions to reduce the number of learning parameters. To verify the effectiveness of the target detection algorithm, the accuracy, recall, average frame rate, average accuracy and other indicators were compared with the SSD (single shot multibox detector) and YOLOv3 (You Only Look Once v3) algorithms. The test results revealed that the average frame rate of the EFMYOLOv3 algorithm is 99 frames per second (fps), and the average accuracy is 96.8%, which means that the key parts of the cow can be detected quickly and accurately. The temperature difference between the eyes and the udders was obtained by the target detection algorithm, and the mastitis detection of dairy cows was performed and compared with the somatic cell count (SCC). The results showed that the accuracy of the mastitis classification algorithm is 83.33%, and the sensitivity and specificity are 92.31% and 76.47%, respectively. This method realized accurate positioning of key parts of dairy cows and can be used for the automatic recognition of dairy cow mastitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic-scale relaxations of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) for fuel-cell catalysts are evaluated by spherical-aberration corrected environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) under reference high-vacuum and N2 atmospheres, and then under reactive H2, CO and O2 atmospheres, combined with ex situ durability test using an electrochemical half-cell. In high-vacuum, increasing roughness due to continuous relaxation of surface-adsorbed Pt atoms is quantified in real-space. Under H2 and N2 atmospheres at a critical partial pressure of 1 × 10−2 Pa the stability of the surface facets is for the first time found to be improved. The adsorption behaviour of CO molecules is investigated using experimentally measured Pt–Pt bond lengths on the topmost surface layer of Pt NPs. The deactivation of Pt NPs in the anode environment of a proton-exchange-membrane fuel-cell is demonstrated at the atomic-scale in the ETEM, and the transformation of NPs into disordered nanoclusters is systematically quantified using the partial size distribution of Pt atomic clusters under controlled heating experiments at 423, 573 and 723 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First principles calculations were used to explore the structural stability, mechanical properties, and thermodynamic properties of LaT2Al20 (T = Ti, V, Cr, Nb, and Ta) intermetallics. The calculated formation enthalpy and phonon frequencies indicate that LaT2Al20 intermetallics exhibit the structural stability. The elastic moduli (B, G, E, and Hv) indicate that these intermetallics possess the better elastic properties than pure Al. The values of Poisson’s ratio v and B/G demonstrate that LaT2Al20 intermetallics are all brittle materials. The anisotropy of elasticity and Young’s modulus (three- and two-dimensional figures) indicate that LaT2Al20 compounds are anisotropic. Importantly, the calculated thermal quantities demonstrate that LaT2Al20 intermetallics possess the better thermal physical properties than pure Al at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-stimulus responsive soft materials with integrated functionalities are elementary blocks for building soft intelligent systems, but their rational design remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an intelligent soft architecture sensitized by magnetized liquid metal droplets that are dispersed in a highly stretchable elastomer network. The supercooled liquid metal droplets serve as microscopic latent heat reservoirs, and their controllable solidification releases localized thermal energy/information flows for enabling programmable visualization and display. This allows the perception of a variety of information-encoded contact (mechanical pressing, stretching, and torsion) and noncontact (magnetic field) stimuli as well as the visualization of dynamic phase transition and stress evolution processes, via thermal and/or thermochromic imaging. The liquid metal-elastomer architecture offers a generic platform for designing soft intelligent sensing, display, and information encryption systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weak emission-line active galactic nuclei (WLAGNs) are radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that have nearly featureless optical spectra. We investigate the ultraviolet to mid-infrared spectral energy distributions of 73 WLAGNs (0.4 < z < 3) and find that most of them are similar to normal AGNs. We also calculate the covering factor of warm dust of these 73 WLAGNs. No significant difference is indicated by a KS test between the covering factor of WLAGNs and normal AGNs in the common range of bolometric luminosity. The implication for several models of WLAGNs is discussed. The super-Eddington accretion is unlikely to be the dominant reason for the featureless spectrum of a WLAGN. The present results are still consistent with the evolution scenario, i.e., WLAGNs are in a special stage of AGNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of gain-clamped erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) may be affected by the parameter drift of active and passive devices. We propose a hybrid gain-control scheme to enhance the working stability, which consists of an optical dual-fiber-Bragg-grating (FBG)-based linear cavity and an electrical fuzzybased controller. The principle of optical gain clamping is then depicted and a detailed design about dual-channel fuzzy controller is given. The experimental results show that, in the dual-FBG configuration, with 20.2-dB mean gain, the designed L-band EDFA simultaneously guarantees the ±0.1-dB stability (with 30-dB dynamic range) and the ~0.4-dB flatness in the range of 1570 to 1610 nm. In addition, under the electrical feedback control, the flatness stability of gain spectrum reaches ±0.18 dB within 60 min and the mean gain stability is about ±0.34 dB within 10-h continuous operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliability based design optimization has received increasing attention for satisfying high requirements on reliability and safety in structure design. However, in practical engineering design, there are both continuous and discrete design variables. Moreover, both aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty may associate with design variables. This paper proposes the formulation of random/fuzzy continuous/discrete variables design optimization (RFCDV-DO) and two different approaches for uncertainty analysis (probability/possibility analysis). A method named random/fuzzy sequential optimization and reliability assessment is proposed based on the idea of sequential optimization and reliability assessment to improve efficiency in solving RFCDV-DO problems. An engineering design problem is utilized to demonstrate the approaches and the efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to advances in the treatment of lymphoma, the remission and overall survival rates for this disease have improved in recent years. However, the incidence of therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia (t-MDS/AML) has increased. In order to further the understanding of the mechanisms of t-MDS/AML and reduce its incidence, the present study reports 4 cases of t-AML following treatment for lymphoma. The 4 patients presented aggressive forms of lymphoma in stage III/IV, and 3 were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. All patients had previously undergone chemotherapy containing alkylating agents and/or topoisomerase II inhibitors. The latency period between the time of primary diagnosis and occurrence of t-AML ranged from 15 to 42 months. At the time of diagnosis of t-AML, 3 of the 4 patients presented pancytopenia, whilst the remaining patient exhibited leukocytosis. The majority of the patients succumbed to their disease within 1 year of t-AML diagnosis, with the exception of the patient in case 3, who survived following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The present cases indicate that an advanced stage of disease at the time of primary diagnosis, prior exposure to radiotherapy, and administration of =4 regimens and =8 cycles of chemotherapy may be risk factors for the development of t-AML. Based on the present findings and a review of the literature, we propose that allo-HSCT should be recommended for patients at high risk of developing t-AML. In addition, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy may constitute a novel type of immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer, particularly for cases of relapsed and refractory lymphoma or leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between the expression of DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), glutathione S-transferase-P1 (GSTP1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), and the methylation status of GSTP1 and APC in prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to examine its clinical significance. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of DNMT1, GSTP1 and APC in 56 samples of PCa tissue and 10 samples of BPH tissue. Methylation-specific-PCR was used to detect the methylation status of the CpG island promoters of GSTP1 and APC. The positive rate of expression of DNMT1 in poorly-differentiated PCa, moderately-differentiated PCa, well-differentiated PCa and BPH was 86.7%, 70.6%, 55.6% and 30.0%, respectively (P<0.05); for GSTP1, the positive rate was 13.3%, 29.4%, 44.4% and 90.0%, respectively (P<0.05); and for APC, the positive rate was 23.3%, 47.6%, 55.6% and 70.0%, respectively (P<0.05). The correlation coefficient for the association between the expression of DNMT1 and GSTP1 was -0.891 (P<0.05). Between the expression of DNMT1 and APC, the correlation coefficient was -0.721 (P<0.05). GSTP1 and APC were hypermethylated in the majority of PCa tissue samples. The positive rate of methylation of these genes in poorly-differentiated PCa was 83.3% and 73.3%, respectively. By contrast, hypomethylation (or demethylation) was observed in BPH samples, in which the positive rate of methylation was 10.0% and 20.0%, respectively (P<0.05). The increased expression of DNMT1, and the reduced expression of GSTP1 and APC have an important role in the development of PCa. Due to the high expression of DNMT1 mRNA, it is likely that the hypermethylation of CpG islands contributed to the silencing of GSTP1 and APC in PCa tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood transfusion is an important treatment for patients with major burns. Understanding the predictive factors of blood product usage in major burns can improve effective transfusion therapy. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the Burn Center, First Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese Naval Military Medical University, from August 2009 to July 2019 and enrolled all patients with major burns treated in that decade. Basic information, condition, and blood-transfusion details of the patients were analyzed to identify predictive factors for blood use and prognosis. Despite a yearly decreasing trend, the frequency of use of blood-product usage in major burns was high at 57.72%, with 5.39 times and 28.76 units of blood usage per person. Burn area was the most important predictive factor for blood transfusion at different stages. Burn depth, combined with injury, age, and other factors, affected blood use. Blood use or volume correlated with prognosis; especially, platelet and cryoprecipitate use was significantly associated with increased mortality. Blood product usage in major burns patients is related not only to the clinical condition, but also to doctors' experience, which can predict prognosis. Blood use is associated with increased mortality, although we found no evidence of a causal association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]