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Constructing a cross-border power energy system with multiagent power energy as an alliance is important for studying cross-border power-trading markets. This study considers multiple neighboring countries in the form of alliances, introduces neighboring countries’ exchange rates into the cross-border multi-agent power-trading market and proposes a method to study each agent’s dynamic decision-making behavior based on evolutionary game theory. To this end, this study uses three national agents as examples, constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model, and analyzes the evolution process of the decision-making behavior of each agent member state under the initial willingness value, cost of payment, and additional revenue of the alliance. This research helps realize cross-border energy operations so that the transaction agent can achieve greater trade profits and provides a theoretical basis for cooperation and stability between multiple agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the problem of integral sliding mode disturbance observer (ISDOB)-based preview repetitive control (PRC) for a class of nonlinear systems subject to external disturbances and nonlinearity. First, an ISDOB-based PRC law is presented to estimate and compensate the exogenous disturbances and nonlinearity. Next, by using a new equality constraint, a continuous-discrete two-dimensional (2D) system is established. Then, the stability of the combined controller-observer system is derived on the basis of a Lyapunov analysis, 2D system theory, and the singular-value-decomposition technique. By solving an linear matrix inequality (LMI), the gains of the controller and state observer can be obtained. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lungs are the most common site of metastasis in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. We investigated surgical management and prognostic factors of patients with refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia to assess the value of lung metastasis resection. The clinical data of patients with refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and lung metastasis treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2005 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical characteristics and survival outcomes were analyzed. In total, 213 patients with refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and lung metastasis were screened, and 148 patients who underwent unilateral lung resection were analyzed. Patients' median age was 32 years. Lobectomy was performed in 65.5% of patients, while wedge resection was performed in 34.5%. The rate of postoperative complications was 12.2%. The pathological rate was 66.2%. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery showed better surgical characteristics than thoracotomy did. Compared with lobectomy, wedge resection had a shorter operative time, shorter duration of chest tube placement, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and fewer postoperative complications. The median follow-up period was 36 months. During follow-up, 90.5% of patients achieved complete remission. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 80.4% and 92.6%, respectively. More previous chemotherapy courses and failure to achieve normal β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels postoperatively were predictors of poor prognosis. Surgical treatment of lung metastasis is valuable and safe for patients with refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. The minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic approach and wedge resection are recommended. • Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is easily metastasized to lung. • Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia patients with drug-resistant lesions have a high rate of relapse rate. • Surgical resection of lung metastasis is valuable to acquire higher complete remission rate and better prognosis. • Video-assisted thoracic surgery and wedge resection are safe and recommended in these patients. • This is the largest cohort provides unique information for the treatment in refractory GTN patients with lung metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart grid is regarded as an evolutionary regime of existing power grids. It integrates artificial intelligence and communication technologies to fundamentally improve the efficiency and reliability of power systems. One serious challenge for the smart grid is its vulnerability to cyber threats. In the event of a cyber attack, grid data may be missing; subsequently, load forecast and power planning that rely on these data cannot be processed by generation centers. To address this issue, this paper proposes a transfer learning-based framework for smart grid scheduling that is less reliant on local data while capable of delivering schedules with low operating cost. Specifically, the proposed framework contains (1) a power forecasting model based on transfer learning which can provide high quality load prediction with limited training data, (2) a novel adaptive time series prediction method with modeling time series from a covariate shift perspective that aims to train the forecasting model with a strong generalization capability, and (3) a day-ahead optimal economic power scheduling model considering a shared energy storage station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mediastinal lymphadenectomy is of great importance during esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is a severe complication caused by lymphadenectomy along the RLN. Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) can effectively identify the RLN and reduce the incidence of postoperative vocal cord paralysis (VCP). Here, we describe the feasibility and effectiveness of IONM in minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy. Methods A total of 150 patients who underwent minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy from 2016 to 2020 were enrolled in this study. We divided the patients into two groups: a neuromonitoring group (IONM, n  = 70) and a control group (control, n  = 80). Clinical data, surgical variables, and postoperative complications were retrospectively analyzed and compared. Results There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. Postoperative VCP occurred in six cases (8.6%) in the IONM group, which was lower than that in the control group (21.3%, P  = 0.032). Postoperative pulmonary complications were found in five cases (7.1%) and 14 in the control group (18.8%, P  = 0.037). The postoperative hospital stay in the IONM group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (8 vs. 12, median, P  < 0.001). The number of RLN lymph nodes harvested in the IONM group was higher than that in the control group (13.74 ± 5.77 vs. 11.03 ± 5.78, P  = 0.005). The sensitivity and specificity of IONM monitoring VCP were 83.8% and 100%, respectively. A total of 66.7% of patients with a reduction in signal showed transient VCP, whereas 100% with a loss of signal showed permanent VCP. Conclusion IONM is feasible in minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy. It showed advantages for distinguishing RLN and achieving thorough mediastinal lymphadenectomy with less RLN injury. Abnormal IONM signals can provide an accurate prediction of postoperative VCP incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the drilling process, the hydration and expansion of shale are one of the main reasons for wellbore instability, which can lead to stuck drilling and economic losses. A novel shale inhibitor (ADG) was successfully synthesized by thermal polymerization using Acrylamide (AM), Dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (DMDAAC) and Graphene as raw materials, Ammonium persulfate, and Sodium bisulfite as initiators. In order to study the structural characteristics of ADG, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric loss test (TG), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test were conducted. Simultaneously, linear swelling test, mud making test, sedimentation test, contact angle test, and montmorillonite (MMT) impregnation test were conducted to evaluate its inhibitory performance. ADG can reduce the expansion height of bentonite test blocks from 6.4 mm to 2.06 mm. After adding ADG, the settling speed can be effectively accelerated, with a settling time of only 15 min and a settling height as low as 60 mm. SEM analysis revealed that ADG had a regular flake-like structure. Compared to conventional shale inhibitors, ADG can increase the contact angle of bentonite test blocks from 26.8° to 46.8°, improving their hydrophobicity. Mechanistic studies suggested that ADG molecules could adsorb on the shale surface and block surface pores, reducing the contact area between shale and water. Additionally, small ADG molecules could penetrate the pore interiors and form hydrophobic films. The dual mechanism of ADG, inhibiting hydration and providing physical blockage, further demonstrated its excellent inhibitory performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A large electrostrain usually occurs at ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase boundaries. However, in the Ba(Ti 1 – x Zr x)O 3 (BT- x Zr) system prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method, we discovered a local electrostrain maximum in the single rhombohedral phase region at the quasi-quadruple point with a composition of BT-0.12Zr that had a relatively weak temperature sensitivity below 50 °C. Mechanisms of the local electrostrain maximum in the single-phase region of the BT- x Zr system were studied. The large coercive field and large domain size of BT-0.12Zr indicate that domain switching was not facilitated. Nevertheless, the large lattice distortion of BT-0.12Zr suggests a large intrinsic lattice strain, which predominantly contributed to the observed macroscopic electrostrain enhancement at the quasi-quadruple point composition in the single-phase region. Compared to nearby sample compositions, the largest lattice distortion of BT-0.12Zr was found to be correlated with the highest electrostrictive coefficient at the tricritical quasi-quadruple point, as deduced from phenomenological Landau analysis. Our work may shed light on the development of weakly temperature-dependent large electrostrain materials by identifying the tricritical quasi-quadruple point in ferroelectric phase diagrams. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Ba(Ti 0.88 Zr 0.12)O 3 shows high electrostrain in single rhombohedral phase region. • The enhanced strain in single phase exhibits relatively good temperature stability. • The effect stems from the highest electrostrictive coefficient of quadruple point. • Our finding provides a method to design temperature-stable, high-strain materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Isolated diaphragmatic metastasis is rarely associated with periosteal osteosarcoma.Case Presentation: A 24-year-old female patient was found to have periosteal osteosarcoma of the right humerus 11 years ago. Computed tomography showed a mass in her left chest in 2018, and thoracotomy was performed to remove the tumour. The tumour showed the same characteristics as the original periosteal osteosarcoma. Genetic analysis of the tumour sample showed a TP53 point mutation and CCNE1 gene copy number variants.Conclusions: We believe this is the first case report of haematogenous metastasis to the diaphragm of periosteal osteosarcoma, and an investigation of the genetic factors may help to unravel the underlying cause of periosteal osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to re-examine how concepts of public archaeology have been established and developed in varying social and political contexts in China, and how the recent national archaeological park project is structured as an important approach for improving public-archaeology relationships and promoting the public uses of archaeology. Since all archaeological activities in China are exclusively regulated by the state, all archaeological resources are administered for the benefit of the public. As such, concepts of public archaeology demonstrate the efforts of Chinese archaeologists to re-evaluate public-archaeology relationships and uses of archaeology through public engagement as well as archaeological communications with the public. The national archaeological park project was launched in 2006 to expand the practice of archaeology with the creation of archaeological communications, public space, and community-driven programmes. The project facilitates multiple perspectives on public archaeology practice through public education, community cohesion, re-creation of public space, and local economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: MKK9-MPK3/MPK6 cascade positively regulates IGSs' biosynthetic genes. Abstract: Glucosinolates (GSs), secondary metabolites well known for their roles in plant defense, have been implicated to play an important role in plant abiotic stress response; however, the exact role in these processes and the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are extensively involved in plant abiotic stress response. In this study, we examined the levels of four indolic glucosinolates (IGSs) in the shoots of Arabidopsis seedlings under mild osmotic stress conditions and found that 4-methoxy indolyl-3-methyl glucosinolate (4MI3G) accumulated and that MPK3 and MPK6 were activated. Loss of MPK3 or MPK6 function led to a reduction in mild osmotic stress-induced 4MI3G. Further analyses revealed that MKK9 acts upstream of MPK3 and MPK6 to promote 4MI3G accumulation. The level of 4MI3G induced by mild osmotic stress was reduced in the mkk9 mutant. Conversely, 4MI3G increased in MKK9 , a constitutively activate mutant of MKK9. Gene expression analyses indicated that the activated MKK9-MPK3/MPK6 cascade upregulates the IGS biosynthetic genes. Moreover, the lack of MYB51, the transcription factor controlling biosynthetic genes responsible for synthesizing the IGS core structure, or CYP81F2, the enzyme catalyzing core structure modification to 4MI3G, significantly reduced mild osmotic stress- and MKK9 -induced 4MI3G. Thus, our study demonstrates that mild osmotic stress promotes 4MI3G biosynthesis and the accumulation in Arabidopsis through activation of the MKK9-MPK3/MPK6 cascade and provides an MAPK-mediated signaling pathway for the IGS response to abiotic stress in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SmFe 10 V 2 -0.50Sm 2 O 3 powders were initially prepared by a reduction-diffusion method. • It shows a high coercivity of 744.9 kA/m and moderate magnetization of 61.7 Am2/kg. • Its high property is due to the nonmagnetic Sm layers surrounding SmFe 10 V 2 powders. • Our results provide a new method for developing high-coercivity magnetic powders. The remarkable intrinsic hard magnetic properties of SmFe 12 -based powders are difficult to transform into extrinsic properties for practical applications; in particular, the coercivity is insufficient because the conventional magnetic isolation structure, which relies on nonmagnetic intergranular phases and is critical for inducing high coercivity in commercial Nd 2 Fe 14 B systems, has not yet been perfected. In this study, we present a new approach for achieving magnetic isolation with a reduction-diffusion process that endows SmFe 10 V 2 powder with nonmagnetic Sm-rich layers. The optimal sample of this Sm-rich layer surrounding SmFe 10 V 2 powder has a high coercivity of 744.9 kA/m and a moderate maximum magnetization of 61.7 Am2/kg. Based on phase characterization and microstructure observation, the principal SmFe 10 V 2 magnetic phase is well maintained, and the surrounding Sm-rich layers separate the magnetic phases, weakening the ferromagnetic interaction of neighboring magnetic phases and contributing to the high coercivity. Our study presents a new method for developing high-coercivity magnetic powders by introducing nonmagnetic layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of channel bifurcation in tide-dominated deltas is poorly understood. Here, we evaluate the function of extreme events on the channel bifurcation by examining the lithology, grain size, and organic carbon stable isotope (δ13C) composition, as well as the AMS 14C and OSL ages in two sediment cores (KZ01-A and KZ02) collected close to a site of a shipwreck of a known age at the offshore section of the North Channel in the Yangtze River mouth, China. The sedimentary sequence in both cores is mostly typical of deltaic succession, changing vertically from a prodelta to a subtidal mouth shoal, and finally to a subaqueous distributary channel. In KZ01-A, a shipwreck layer underlies the succession of the subaqueous distributary channel, and the porcelain collected from the sunken ship constrains the formation of the North Channel to post-1862, which is consistent with historical literature and marine charts though not with the OSL ages of the shipwreck layer, which are overestimated, likely owing to the rapid deposition during the event. After the formation of the North Channel, the consistently more negative δ13C values in the facies of subaqueous distributary channel in KZ01-A evidence the prevalence of fluvial input. Based on the shipwreck's location in the flood-dominated tidal channel of the outer delta front platform, the ship likely sank due to a large typhoon rather than a river flood. In core KZ02, significant fluctuations in both grain size and δ13C values, such as shifting from less negative to more negative δ13C in the mouth shoal facies, indicate periods of frequent river floods and typhoon events before formation of the channel. We therefore suggest that the frequent extreme events including both typhoons and river floods in the late 19th century played an important role in the geomorphological evolution of the North Channel in the tide-dominated Yangtze River Delta. • Extreme event layer containing shipwreck wood underlies the channel succession. • Porcelain artifacts constrain the age of extreme event to post-1862. • The shipwreck in flood-dominated channel indicates typhoon rather than river flood. • δ13C values evidence the sediment sources linked to the river flood and typhoon event. • Extreme events played important roles in the evolution of the North Channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LncRNA MEG3 was down-regulated in hDPSCs during osteogenic differentiation. • LncRNA MEG3 upregulated inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. • LncRNA MEG3 could directly sponge miR-543 to regulate SMURF1-RUNX2 axis. • MiR-543 mimics reversed the inhibition of lncRNA MEG3 on hDPSCs osteogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biological roles and underlying mechanism of the long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) on osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). The expression levels of MEG3, microRNA-543 (miR-543), osterix, osteopontin, osteocalcin and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and alizarin red S staining (ARS) were used to measure the impacts exerted by MEG3, miR-543 on osteogenic differentiation. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. In addition, the targeted relationships between miR-543, MEG3, and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 1 (SMURF1) were assessed through dual luciferase reporter assay. During osteogenic induction, the expression of MEG3 was gradually reduced, whereas the expression of miR-543, osterix, osteopontin, osteocalcin and RUNX2 were gradually increased. Functional analysis implied that MEG3 overexpression or miR-543 inhibition reduced the cell proliferation, ALP activity, ARS levels, and decreased the expression of osteoblast-related proteins. Moreover, MEG3 promoted SMURF1 expression by directly targeting miR-543 as a competing endogenous RNA. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-543 or silencing SMURF1 could reverse the inhibitory effects of MEG3 on the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. In conclusion, our study revealed that overexpression of MEG3 inhibited hDPSCs osteogenic differentiation via miR-543/SMURF1/RUNX2 regulatory network, which may contribute to the functional regulation and clinical applications of hDPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Relationships of microbial corrosion and barnacle cement. • Infrared peaks of biofilm were found in the junction of barnacles and shipwreck. • Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to identify the corrosion regions. Wooden shipwrecks submerged in underwater environments are susceptible to physical and biological corrosion. This study investigates the microscopic morphology and structural composition of barnacles and the wooden surface of the Yangtze Estuary II shipwreck. Analytical techniques, including optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier infrared transform spectroscopy (FTIR) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), were employed to analyze the corrosion processes. The findings have unveiled a distinct pattern of black corrosion, prominently concentrated within the interface region where barnacles attach to the wooden shipwreck. This corrosion primarily consists of FeS, FeS 2 and Fe 3 S 4 and exhibits a notable tendency to expand along the wooden surface to interior region. Additionally, a striking ultraviolet fluorescence phenomenon emanates from the barnacle cement within the adhesion region of barnacles and the wooden surface. This observation has led to the hypothesis that the origin of this black corrosion is intricately linked to the barnacle cement, its role in biological corrosion, and subsequent biomineralization processes. To conclude, this study provides an intricate account of the microbial corrosion process influenced by barnacle cement in the context of the wooden shipwreck. The research findings offer valuable insights that can serve as a point of reference in identifying the sources of disease and implementing protective measures for waterlogged wooden cultural relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made a breakthrough in cancer therapy. Patients treated with ICIs may develop immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) due to the upregulated activity of the immune system. With the increasing use of ICIs, irAEs are more frequently reported and have become important challenges in many patients. Neurological irAEs, which include encephalitis, myelitis, aseptic meningitis, peripheral neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and myositis, consist of a distinct group of neuroinflammatory disorders. These disorders are rare but frequently severe with high mortality and morbidity. Patients with neurological irAEs are generally responsive to immune‐modulating therapy. Therefore, early recognition and treatment are the most important ways to improve their prognosis. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of neurological irAEs associated with ICIs and focus on these affecting central nervous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a common metabolic syndrome that causes a significant burden on individuals and society. Conventional therapies include lifestyle interventions, bariatric surgery, and pharmacological therapies, which are not effective and have a high risk of adverse events. Acupuncture is an effective alternative for obesity, it modulates the hypothalamus, sympathetic activity and parasympathetic activity, obesity-related hormones (leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and CCK), the brain-gut axis, inflammatory status, adipose tissue browning, muscle blood flow, hypoxia, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to influence metabolism, eating behavior, motivation, cognition, and the reward system. However, hypothalamic regulation by acupuncture should be further demonstrated in human studies using novel techniques, such as functional MRI (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalogram (EEG), and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Moreover, a longer follow-up phase of clinical trials is required to detect the long-term effects of acupuncture. Also, future studies should investigate the optimal acupuncture therapeutic option for obesity. This review aims to consolidate the recent improvements in the mechanism of acupuncture for obesity as well as discuss the future research prospects and potential of acupuncture for obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater pottery relics salvaged from shipwrecks are vulnerable to physical, chemical and biological corrosion. In this study, the microscopic morphology and structural composition of glazed pottery fragments excavated from the South China Sea as well as purple clay teapot samples from the Yangtze River Estuary II shipwreck were analyzed by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier infrared transform spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. According to the research results, the corrosion products deposited on the surface of the glazed pottery fragment from the South China Sea mainly included FeOOH and MnO2, whereas those on the surface of the purple clay teapot fragment from the Yangtze River Estuary II shipwreck primarily incorporated FeS2 and FeS. According to the corrosion phenomenon, it was speculated that the underwater pottery relics were mainly corroded by different microorganisms in the underwater environment, including manganese-oxidizing bacteria, dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria. As the corrosion process of these cultural artifacts was described and related models were established, this study provides valuable reference for the disease removal and protection of pottery relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the rapidly increasing morbidity and mortality, lung cancer has been considered one of the serious malignant tumors, affecting millions of patients globally. Currently, the pathogenesis of lung cancer remains unclear, hindering the development of effective treatment. This study aims to investigate the mechanisms of lung cancer and develop an effective therapeutic approach for intervention in preventing lung cancer progress. Methods: The USP5 levels are detected in lung cancerous and paracancerous tissue by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting methods to explore their roles in lung cancer progression. MTT, colony assay, and transwell chamber approaches are employed to measure cell viability, proliferation, and migration, respectively. Further, flow cytometry experiments are performed to examine the effect of USP5 on lung cancer. Finally, the investigations in vivo are executed using the mice subcutaneous tumor model to identify the effect of USP5 in promoting lung cancer development. Results: Notably, USP5 is highly expressed in lung cancer, USP5 overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration in the lung cancer cell lines, H1299 and A549, while knockdown of USP5 inhibited these via regulating the PARP1-mediated mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, the subcutaneous tumors model was established in C57BL/6 mice, and the volume of subcutaneous tumors was significantly reduced after silencing USP5, while increased after USP5 overexpression and decreased significantly with shRARP1 treatment at the same time. Conclusions: Together, USP5 could promote the progression of lung cancer cells by mTOR signaling pathway and interacting with PARP1, indicating that USP5 may become a new target for lung cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. While electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment in migraine has been found to attenuate pain and frequencies of attacks, the underlying mechanism of its antinociceptive effect remains poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that the serotonin system may be involved in migraine pathophysiology. Method. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to Control, Model, EA, and sham acupuncture (SA) groups. HomeCageScan was used to measure the effects on spontaneous nociceptive behaviors. Radioimmunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to evaluate the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT) in the plasma and three-key structure of the descending pain modulatory system. Results. Our study showed that EA pretreatment could produce a significant reduction in resting, freezing, and grooming behavior and a significant increase in exploration behavior. Furthermore, we found that the level of 5-HT in plasma was significantly increased, and it was significantly decreased in the descending pain modulatory system in Model group. The aforementioned results were significantly reversed in EA group; that is, the level of 5-HT was increased in the rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) and trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) region and decreased in the plasma. Conclusion. EA pretreatment exerts antinociceptive effects in a rat model of recurrent migraine, possibly via modulation of the serotonin system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single image super-resolution (SR) reconstruction plays a crucial role in various fields, including surveillance and remote sensing. However, the majority of available SR reconstruction methods are designed primarily for visible images, making it challenging to obtain satisfactory results when applied to infrared images. Given the low contrast, low resolution, and limited dataset size of infrared images, we propose a new method for infrared image SR reconstruction called Phase Invariant Reconstruction Network (PIRN), which employs a phase invariant data augmentation (PIDA) strategy, deformable convolutional layers, and a phase invariant content loss (PICL) function. PIDA, in particular, effectively expands the diversity of infrared images by randomly perturbing their amplitude spectrum, improving generalization and robustness of the model. Learnable offsets are used by deformable convolutional layers to assist the model in extracting fine-grained spatial features from infrared images. Moreover, PICL is proposed to capture texture information differences between high-resolution (HR) and SR images in order to enhance the texture details of the reconstructed images. A series of experiments and analyses on two public benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. On the fusionA-22 dataset, the proposed PIRN outperforms the SRGAN baseline model by +1.142 dB in the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) metric and +0.041 improvement in the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) metric. Additionally, our PIRN performs the best reconstruction on the fusionC-22 dataset, with a PSNR of 34.412 dB and an SSIM of 0.891. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viscosity reducer is used to reduce the high viscosity of drilling fluid containing bentonite as a continuous phase. However, the viscosity of drilling fluid increases and the rheology of the drilling fluid deteriorates at high temperature, causing problems such as reduction in rate of penetration and bit balling. As a core component, drilling fluids with bad rheology seriously affect the further development of drilling engineering, especially at high temperatures. Therefore, there is an urgent need for viscosity reducer suitable for high temperature. In this study, a high temperature-resistant viscosity reducer for water-based drilling fluid was prepared. The rheological parameters of drilling fluids containing 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 wt% viscosity reducer after aging at different temperatures were evaluated. The results showed that the rheological parameters, such as apparent viscosity, yield point, plastic viscosity, and gel strength decreased within 200℃. Otherwise, filtration volume of 1.8 and 2.2 g/cm3 compound drilling fluids containing 1 wt% viscosity reducer was less than 10 ml. And its resistance to Na+ contamination reached saturation, that is, 36% NaCl solutions. The mechanism of viscosity reduction was also investigated by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction. Viscosity reducer adsorbed on the clay particles and destroyed the network structure formed by the clay particles while releasing free water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. High-normal blood pressure has been suggested to associate with target organ damage and higher left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Our aim is to find the association between people with high-normal blood pressure and their left ventricular mass index. Materials and Methods. Given a total of 181 people with office blood pressure, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, 35 of them are normotensive (BP < 130/85 mm Hg), and 146 people with high-normal blood pressure (BP 130–139/85–89 mm Hg), divide the high-normal blood pressure group into dipper and nondipper according to their ABPM in 24 hours. All of them were performed with echocardiography to calculate LVMI. Results. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, mean systolic blood pressure (BP) of the nondipper group is (119 + 9) mmHg in 24 h, which is significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the dipper group (116 + 11) mmHg, indicating the mean systolic BP is associated with the dipper type (p < 0.05); furthermore, the higher nocturnal blood pressure is associated with the nondipper group significantly (p < 0.05), and LVMI ((121 ± 11) g/m2) of the nondipper group is also significantly higher than in the dipper group's LVMI ((108 ± 12) g/m2) (p < 0.05). The multivariate linear regression analyses revealed significant and independent associations of LVMI with these factors: triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and coefficient of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 24 hours. Conclusion. After multiple relevant clinical confounding factors were adjusted, patients with dipper and nondipper high-normal blood pressure had higher LVMI. Abnormalities in circadian blood pressure variability may be associated with the left ventricular hypertrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oesophageal leiomyomas are one of the most common benign oesophageal tumours. This retrospective, observational study summarized and compared the clinical outcomes of thoracoscopic enucleation of oesophageal leiomyoma between single-lumen endotracheal intubation with a bronchial blocker and double-lumen endotracheal intubation.Methods: A total of 36 patients who underwent thoracoscopic enucleation of oesophageal leiomyoma at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2014 and 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Fifteen patients received single-lumen endotracheal intubation combined with a right bronchial blocker (SLT-B group), and twenty-one patients received double-lumen endotracheal intubation (DLT group). Clinical data, surgical variables, and postoperative complications were analysed and compared.Results: The average tumour size in all patients was 4.3 ± 2.0 cm. The average tumour size among symptomatic patients was significantly larger than that among asymptomatic patients (5.1 ± 2.0 cm vs 3.7 ± 1.7 cm, P < 0.05). Patients in the SLT-B group had a significantly larger average tumour size than patients in the DLT group (5.4 ± 2.1 cm vs 3.5 ± 1.4 cm, P < 0.05). The SLT-B group had a significantly shorter operation time and shorter total hospital stay than the DLT group. No mucosal injury, conversion to thoracotomy, or other operative complications occurred in the SLT-B group. In the follow-up, no recurrence, dysphagia, or regurgitation was found in any of the patients.Conclusions: Compared with traditional double-lumen intubation, artificial pneumothorax-assisted single-lumen endotracheal intubation combined with a bronchial blocker for thoracoscopic oesophageal leiomyoma enucleation can achieve complete removal of larger tumours, with fewer complications and shorter hospital stays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative assessment of patients is meaningful to predict survival in patients with malignant tumors. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is one of the most significant factors related to the prognosis in various types of cancer; however, its role in esophageal cancer is still inconclusive. The aim of this study was to identify the prognostic value of PNI in predicting overall survival (OS) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: This retrospective study included 4146 ESCC patients, 3812 who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC. Other 334 had no surgery. The Preoperative PNI was measured before any therapies and calculated as 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count (per mm3). We classified the patients into three categories according to the PNI, >50, 45–50, and <45. Results: Our study showed that PNI was associated with age (P<0.0001), gender(P<0.001),tumor length (P<0.0001), T grade (P = 0.001), N staging (P = 0.017),and M staging (P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that PNI was a significant predictor of overall survival Lower PNI vs. Higher PNI group had significantly increased the hazard ratio of ESCC survival (OR = 1.2, 95% CI= 1.05-1.5, p = 0.01). The Kaplan-Meier curve suggested that high PNI group will significantly increase the OS in both surgical and non-surgical group. Conclusion: PNI is a useful predictive factor for long-term survival in ESCC. The survival rate of ESCC can be discriminated between three groups, PNI, >50, 45–50, and <45. The prognostic value of PNI can be applied for both surgical and non-surgical ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical doping is an indispensable tool to tailor the properties of the commercial piezoelectric materials. However, a high piezoelectric coefficient with enhanced thermal stability is rarely achieved by one dopant in some high-performance ferroelectrics, e.g., the recently discovered eco-friendly (Ba 0.85 Ca 0.15)(Zr 0.1 Ti 0.9)O 3 (BCZT) ceramics. In order to optimize the piezoelectric property in BCZT system by a simple way, we investigated the doping effect of Fe3+, Nb5+ and Bi3+ cations in BCZT ceramics respectively. The results indicate that only Nb5+-doped BCZT ceramics display a combination of large piezoelectric coefficient and enhanced thermal stability, compared with others. Moreover, the established phase diagrams and in-situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations reveal that such optimized piezoelectric properties after Nb5+ doping originates from (i) the low polarization anisotropy near the ambient tetragonal (T)-orthorhombic (O) phase transition and (ii) the easy domain wall motion of persistent miniaturized ferroelectric domains upon heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Er-MOF/NiS were produced by solvothermal method and annealing heat treatment. • The introduction of NiS into Er-MOF can improve catalytic activity for HER. • Er-MOF/NiS exhibits excellent catalytic activity for HER with an overpotential of 115 mV at 10 mA·cm−2. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) electrocatalysts have been extensively applied in electrochemistry, however, their inherent low conductivity has greatly limited their wide application in hydrogen production by water decomposition. Herein, we successfully prepared Er-MOF/NiS electrocatalysts using solvothermal and annealing methods. The results indicate that Er-MOF/NiS has splendid performance, and its overpotential is 115 mV at 10 mA·cm−2. The excellent electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of Er-MOF/NiS catalyst can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Er-MOF and NiS. The high surface area of Er-MOF provides more active sites, while NiS improves the conductivity of Er-MOF. This article provides a new method for developing stable and efficient rare earth MOFs HER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly developed integrated fluorescence-Raman spectral system (λex = 532 nm) for detecting Chlorophyll-a (chl-a), Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM), carotenoids and SO42− in situ was used to successfully investigate the diurnal variability of all above. Simultaneously using the integration of fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy techniques provided comprehensive marine information due to the complementarity between the different excitation mechanisms and different selection rules. The investigation took place in offshore seawater of the Yellow Sea (36°05′40′′ N, 120°31′32′′ E) in October 2014. To detect chl-a, CDOM, carotenoids and SO42−, the fluorescence-Raman spectral system was deployed. It was found that troughs of chl-a and CDOM fluorescence signal intensity were observed during high tides, while the signal intensity showed high values with larger fluctuations during ebb-tide. Chl-a and carotenoids were influenced by solar radiation within a day cycle by different detection techniques, as well as displaying similar and synchronous tendency. CDOM fluorescence cause interference to the measurement of SO42−. To avoid such interference, the backup Raman spectroscopy system with λex = 785 nm was employed to detect SO42− concentration on the following day. The results demonstrated that the fluorescence-Raman spectral system has great potential in detection of chl-a, carotenoids, CDOM and SO42− in the ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing penetration of distributed generators (DGs) makes further interconnection of multiple energy carriers possible. In this paper, an integration model comprising IEEE-33 bus distribution network and a correspondingly designed water system is proposed with DG coupling of thermal and electrical energy. The integrated energy system incorporates the constraints of the distribution network, water system, and DGs and ensures that the electrical and thermal demands of the integrated energy system are satisfied simultaneously by energy flow. An optimal procedure including optimal sizing, positioning, and operation of DGs and gas boilers in a given system was implemented while minimizing the total costs of investment and operation. The model constitutes a mixed integer nonlinear problem, as it takes the power flow calculation and the nonlinear characteristics of DG efficiency into consideration. Therefore, the particle swarm optimization algorithm is employed to simulate the proposed model. The simulation results in conjunction with numerical studies reveal the impact of the water system on the optimal configuration of DGs and the advantages of the integrated energy system on economic considerations, voltage level, and net loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yes-associated protein 65 (YAP65) has been implicated as an oncogene, and its expression is increased in human cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that alterations in YAP activity may result in tumourigenesis of the prostate. With androgen deprivation therapies becoming progressively ineffective, often leading to life-threatening androgen-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The present study aimed to analyse the role of YAP in prostate cancer (PCa), particularly in CRPC. YAP protein was detected using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis in different prostatic tissues. In addition, three specific RNA interference vectors targeting the human YAP gene were synthesised, and PC-3 cells with a stable inhibition of YAP were obtained by transfection. MTT, flow cytometry, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays were used to analyse the effects of YAP inhibition on the proliferation and apoptosis of PC-3 cells. The frequency of cells that were positive for YAP protein in PCa (78.13%) was significantly higher, compared with para-PCa (26.67%; P=0.007) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (0%; P=0.002). The frequency of cells, which were positive for the expression of YAP exhibited a positive correlation (P=0.008) with the Gleason score, the tumour-node-metastasis staging (P=0.033) and the level of prostate specific antigens (P=0.0032) in PCa. The proliferative capacity of the transfected group was significantly lower, compared with the negative control group (P=0.022). The cell-cycle of the transfected group was arrested in the G1 stage, which was detected using flow cytometry, and there was a significant increase in the apoptosis of cells in the transfected group (P=0.002). The mRNA and protein levels of TEA domain family member 1 were inhibited in the transfected group (P=0.001 and P=0.00, respectively). Therefore, it was concluded that gene transcription and protein expression of YAP may be involved in the development of PCa, particularly CRPC, and may be a novel biomarker for investigation of the occurrence and progression of CRPC. However, the mechanism underlying the modulation of YAP in CRPC remains to be fully elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ is a nuclear receptor involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism. In the present study, we sought to investigate the effects of emodin, an anthraquinone derivative isolated from the roots of Rheum palmatum, on PPARγ signalling and cholesterol efflux in macrophage foam cells. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-stimulated THP1 macrophages were incubated with different concentrations of emodin (0-10 μmol/L) for 18 h. Western blot analysis and semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to assess the expression of key genes involved in cholesterol efflux, namely PPARγ, liver X receptor (LXR) α, ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) A1 and ABCG1. In addition, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I-mediated cholesterol efflux in emodin-treated cells was measured. Expresssion of PPARγ mRNA and protein was increased in emodin-treated cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Emodin treatment also concentration-dependently induced LXRα, ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression. Moreover, emodin promoted apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux from oxLDL-loaded THP1 macrophages, which was significantly abolished by pretreatment with the PPARγ-selective antagonist GW9662 or the specific small interfering RNA for PPARγ. Together, the results demonstrate that emodin promotes cholesterol efflux from THP1 macrophages via activation of the PPARγ signalling pathway and may represent a potential anti-atherosclerotic drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Purpose: Low back pain is a global health problem in which more than 40% is caused by lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LDD). ADAMTS-5 (A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5) was shown to be involved in LDD by functional analyses. To identify whether there is an association between ADAMTS-5 and LDD, and what is the contribution of ADAMTS-5 genetic polymorphisms to MD (Mean diffusivity) changes in lumbar IVD (Intervertebral disc). We firstly genotyped selected ADAMTS-5 SNPs (Single nucleotide polymorphisms) in a Chinese Han population. After the primary analyses of allelic, genotypic, and haplotypic association, we performed SNP-SNP interaction analysis. We subsequently genotyped another 50 participants and acquired the corresponding MD values from individual lumbar IVDs. The association analysis between the genotypic groups divided by the above positive SNPs and the corresponding MD values were also performed. Significant associations were identified in rs151058, rs229052, and rs162502. None of the 2-SNP haplotypic analysis survived the 10,000 permutation test. The following interaction analysis demonstrated that rs151058 was strong associated with LDD when conditioning on rs162502. Significant difference of MD values between AA and G+ carriers was identified in rs162502. This is the first study indicating that the SNPs of ADAMTS-5 may contribute to predisposition of LDD. An interaction between rs151058 and rs229052 may exist in ADAMTS-5 with LDD. The rs162502 might be associated with altered MD values. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:686-694, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies suggest the higher the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) the greater the risk of mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the relationship between RDW and long-term outcome in CAD patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent (DES) remains unclear. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term effect of RDW in patients treated with drug-eluting stent for CAD. Methods: In total of 2169 non-anemic patients (1468 men, mean age 60.2±10.9 years) with CAD who had undergone successful PCI and had at least one drug-eluting stent were included in this study. Patients were grouped according to their baseline RDW: Quartile 1 (RDW<12.27%), Quartile 2 (12.27%≤RDW<13%), Quartile 3 (13%≤RDW<13.5%), and Quartile 4 (RDW≥13.5). Results: The incidence of in-hospital mortality and death or myocardial infarction was significantly higher in Quartiles 3 and 4 compared with Quartile 1 (P<0.05). After a follow-up of 29 months, the incidence of all-cause death and stent thrombosis in Quartile 4 was higher than in Quartiles 1, 2, and 3 (P<0.05). The incidence of death/myocardial infarction/stroke and cardiac death in Quartile 4 was higher than in Quartiles 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that RDW was an independent predictor of all-cause death (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15–1.62, P<0.001) and outcomes of death/myocardial infarction/stroke (HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.04–1.39, P = 0.013). The cumulative survival rate of Quartile 4 was lower than that of Quartiles 1, 2, and 3 (P<0.05). Conclusion: High RDW is an independent predictor of long-term adverse clinical outcomes in non-anemic patients with CAD treated with DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the variation patterns of ADC and T2 values in different age and intervertebral disc (IVD) levels, thus to identify their sensitivities in assessing age and disc level related IVDs changes. Materials and Methods: The T2 and ADC values were recorded from 345 IVDs of 69 volunteers. Kendall's correlation analysis was used to identify the relationship between age and T2/ADC mean values respectively. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc analysis was then applied to test the differences of T2 and ADC values among different IVD levels and age groups, followed by linear regression analysis between age (<45 and >45 years) and T2/ADC mean values. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Results: Significant negative correlation was observed between age and T2/ADC mean values. The T2 and ADC values showed significant differences among IVD levels and among age groups except for T2 values in age group 1 (25–34 years) and group 2 (35–44 years), and for ADC values at L1–2 level. Both T2 and ADC values showed significant differences between young (age<45 years) and elderly group (age>45 years) at each IVD level. A linear relationship was observed between age and T2/ADC mean values in the elderly group as well as in the young group for the ADC mean values, while no such tendency was identified in the young group for the T2 mean values. Conclusions: ADC values may be a more sensitive parameter than T2 in assessing age and disc level related intervertebral disc changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camalexin, a major phytoalexin in Arabidopsis thaliana , consists of an indole ring and a thiazole ring. The indole ring is produced from Trp, which is converted to indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) by CYP79B2/CYP79B3 and CYP71A13. Conversion of Cys(IAN) to dihydrocamalexic acid and subsequently to camalexin is catalyzed by CYP71B15. Recent studies proposed that Cys derivative, not Cys itself, is the precursor of the thiazole ring that conjugates with IAN. The nature of the Cys derivative and how it conjugates to IAN and subsequently forms Cys(IAN) remain obscure. We found that protein accumulation of multiple glutathione S -transferases (GSTs), elevation of GST activity, and consumption of glutathione (GSH) coincided with camalexin production. GSTF6 overexpression increased and GSTF6 -knockout reduced camalexin production. Arabidopsis GSTF6 expressed in yeast cells catalyzed GSH(IAN) formation. GSH(IAN), (IAN)CysGly, and γGluCys(IAN) were determined to be intermediates within the camalexin biosynthetic pathway. Inhibitor treatments and mutant analyses revealed the involvement of γ-glutamyl transpeptidases (GGTs) and phytochelatin synthase (PCS) in the catabolism of GSH(IAN). The expression of GSTF6 , GGT1 , GGT2 , and PCS1 was coordinately upregulated during camalexin biosynthesis. These results suggest that GSH is the Cys derivative used during camalexin biosynthesis, that the conjugation of GSH with IAN is catalyzed by GSTF6, and that GGTs and PCS are involved in camalexin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of piezoelectricity under thermal-cycling is an important consideration for the practical application of Pb-free piezoelectric materials. In this paper, we investigated the effect of thermal-cycling on the piezoelectricity of 0.5Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8)O 3 -0.5(Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3)TiO 3 (BZT-BCT) Pb-free piezoceramic. The results show that, in BZT-BCT, the tetragonal-orthorhombic (T-O) transition causes a strong piezoelectricity degradation (∼40% reduction after 60 thermal cycles between −40 °C and 50 °C), whereas the orthorhombic-rhombohedral (O-R) transition only leads to negligible degradation during the thermal-cycling test, indicating a weak depoling effect. The comparative studies made between BZT-BCT and BaTiO 3 (BT) reveal that the weak depoling effect results from the diffuseness of the O-R transition in BZT-BCT and weak domain pattern change across the transition. Our work implies that Pb-free piezoelectrics with good thermal-cycling stability can be achieved through engineering the normal ferroelectric-to-ferroelectric transition to a diffused one, which may help to design new Pb-free piezoelectric materials with good thermal-cycling stability. Image 1 • Normal ferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition leads to a poor thermal-cycling stability. • Diffuse ferroelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition causes a good thermal-cycling stability. • Good thermal-cycling stability roots in the weak domain pattern changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]