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Context. Many novel methods have been proposed to mitigate stellar activity for exoplanet detection as the presence of stellar activity in radial velocity (RV) measurements is the current major limitation. Unlike traditional methods that model stellar activity in the RV domain, more methods are moving in the direction of disentangling stellar activity at the spectral level. As deep neural networks have already been proven to be one of the most effective tools in data mining, in this work, we explore their potential in the context of Earth-like planet detection in RV measurements. Aims. The goal of this paper is to present a novel convolutional neural network-based algorithm that efficiently models stellar activity signals at the spectral level, enhancing the detection of Earth-like planets. Methods. Based on the idea that the presence of planets can only produce a Doppler shift at the spectral level while the presence of stellar activity can introduce a variation in the profile of spectral lines (asymmetry and depth change), we trained a convolutional neural network to build the correlation between the change in the spectral line profile and the corresponding RV, full width at half maximum (FWHM) and bisector span (BIS) values derived from the classical cross-correlation function. Results. This algorithm has been tested on three intensively observed stars: Alpha Centauri B (HD 128621), Tau ceti (HD 10700), and the Sun. By injecting simulated planetary signals at the spectral level, we demonstrate that our machine learning algorithm can achieve, for HD 128621 and HD 10700, a detection threshold of 0.5 m s−1 in semi-amplitude for planets with periods ranging from 10 to 300 days. This threshold would correspond to the detection of a ~4 M⊕ in the habitable zone of those stars. On the HARPS-N solar dataset, thanks to significantly more data, our algorithm is even more efficient at mitigating stellar activity signals and can reach a threshold of 0.2 m s−1, which would correspond to a 2.2 M⊕ planet on the orbit of the Earth. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that such low detection thresholds are reported for the Sun, but also for other stars, and therefore this highlights the efficiency of our convolutional neural network-based algorithm at mitigating stellar activity in RV measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) exhibit comparable thermal and chemical stability to ionic liquids, coupled with excellent ionic conductivity. Moreover, they boast a higher degree of safety owing to lower toxicity and increased accessibility. Hence, the utilization of DES in gel preparation emerges as an effective solution to address the challenges associated with the inadequate stability of traditional hydrogels and the heightened toxicity of gels composed of ionic liquids. In this paper, eutectogels with excellent low-temperature sensing properties were prepared by using methacrylic acid (MAA) and pyrrole (Py) as monomers and DES as solvent. The eutectogel exhibits excellent sensing capability, with a gauge factor reaching 5.21. Additionally, DES prepared using choline chloride and urea endows the eutectogel with good freeze resistance, enabling sensing at −20 °C while maintaining stability. Moreover, the eutectogel accurately monitors changes in environmental temperature, providing a promising material for temperature-measuring flexible wearable sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the types and vertical distribution of aerosols plays a significant role in evaluating the influence of aerosols on the climate system. Based on the aerosol optical properties obtained from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), this study analyzed the long-term aerosol characteristics of seven cities in East Asia (Ulaanbaatar, Beijing, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Lhasa, Hong Kong, and Bangkok) from 2007 to 2021, including the spatiotemporal variations of aerosol optical depth (AOD), the vertical stratification characteristics of aerosols, and the main aerosol subtype. The results showed that, except for Lhasa, the AOD values of all cities exhibited a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing over the years. Except for Shanghai, the high values of AOD in the other cities occurred in the spring and summer seasons, while the low values occurred in the autumn and winter seasons. In all four seasons, the AOD contribution within the 1–3 km range accounted for more than 50% of the total. In the autumn and winter seasons, this proportion reached over 80%. The main types of aerosols and their contributions varied at different altitudes. Overall, dust, polluted continental/smoke, polluted dust, and elevated smoke dominated in all aerosol layers across each city. On the other hand, clean marine, clean continental, and dusty marine had very small proportions, accounting for less than 5% of all the cities' aerosol layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn‐ion capacitors (ZICs) take advantage of batteries and supercapacitors in delivering high energy and power densities for energy storage by using porous carbons due to their low cost, lightweight, high conductivity, and good stability. However, it remains a grand challenge to regulate the mesoporous structures of carbons, including pore sizes and surface functional groups, which are essential for ion transport and electrochemical reactions of ZICs. Herein, a bi‐directional electrolysis strategy is developed to directly reduce CO2 to oxygen‐rich mesoporous carbons (OMCs) with adjustable pore sizes and oxygen‐bearing functional groups, which are preferred for ZICs as theoretically proved by density functional theory (DFT). The designed OMCs exhibit a remarkable energy density of 216.6 Wh kg−1 and performance retention of 90% after 15000 cycles. When assembled in the flexible ZICs, the OMCs demonstrate a high capacitance of 329.5 mAh g−1. This work presents a novel strategy for synthesizing OMCs through a decarbonization process and reveals the crucial role of microstructure and surface functional groups in promoting the performance of ZICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, multiple ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) for the significant duration (DS) of shallow crustal earthquakes have been proposed, but there are few GMPEs for subduction intraslab and interface earthquakes in Japan, and corresponding spatial correlation models have not been published. To address this issue, we first select ground-motion records with moment magnitude 4 ≤ Mw ≤ 9, rupture distance Rrup ≤ 300 km, and peak ground acceleration ≥ 10 gal based on the K-NET and KiK-net databases. Then, for intraslab and interface earthquakes in the subduction zone, based on previous works, the traditional source duration term is simplified, a depth term is added, and new GMPEs for DS of earthquakes in the subduction zone in Japan are developed. The rationality and reliability of the prediction model proposed in this study are verified by residual analysis and comparison with the previous models. Finally, according to the intra-event residuals, a spatial correlation model of DS is established by using a semivariogram and exponential model. The results show that DS of subduction interface earthquakes is larger than that of subduction intraslab earthquakes on the whole, but the spatial correlation coefficient of subduction interface earthquakes decreases more slowly with increasing separation distance than that of subduction intraslab earthquakes, and the significant duration of the spatial correlation is related to site effects and path effects. The results provide a reference for the development of GMPEs based on nonergodic assumptions, regional seismic hazard analysis and loss assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the problem of target detection in noisy environments for the Dual-Functional Radar Communication (DFRC) integration system has been a hot topic. In this paper, to suppress the noise and further enhance the target detection performance, a novel manifold Riemannian Improved Armijo Search Conjugate Gradient algorithm (RIASCG) framework has been proposed which jointly optimizes the integrated transmitting waveform and receiving filter. Therein, the reference waveform is first designed to achieve excellent pattern matching of radar beamforming. Furthermore, to ensure the quality of system information transmission, the energy of multi-user interference (MUI) of communication signals is incorporated as the constraint. Additionally, the typical similarity constraint is introduced to ensure the transmitting waveform with a good ambiguity function. Finally, simulation results demonstrate that the designed waveform not only enhances the system's target detection performance in noisy environments but also achieves a relatively good multi-user communication ability when compared with other prevalent waveforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectra of two series of InAs/AlAs short-period superlattices were measured at room temperature to investigate the impact of strain on the phonon modes taking into consideration the confinement effect and interface mode. The evolution of strain in the InAs layer and the AlAs layer was studied in (InAs)2/(AlAs)2 superlattices grown at various temperatures (400–550 °C). While the strain existed in the AlAs layer remained almost constant, the strain in the InAs layer varied significantly as the growth temperature increased from 500 to 550 °C. The confinement effect on the optical phonons was analyzed based on results from (InAs)n/(AlAs)n grown at 450 °C (n = 2, 3, 4, and 5). Additionally, the confinement effect was found to be stronger in shorter periods with higher interface quality. The interface phonon modes were resolved between the longitudinal optical and transverse optical phonon modes, which assist in the rough estimation of the thickness of the layers. The disorder-activated acoustic phonon modes at the low-frequency side were also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, non-contact human–computer interactions have aroused much attention. In this paper, we mainly propose a dual view observation system based on the frontal and side millimeter-wave radars (MWR) to collect echo data of the Air writing digits "0~9", simultaneously. Additionally, we also propose a novel distance approximation method to make the trajectory reconstruction more efficient. To exploit these characteristics of spatial-temporal adjacency in handwriting digits, we propose a novel clustering algorithm, named the constrained density-based spatial clustering of application with noise (CDBSCAN), to remove background noise or clutter. Moreover, we also design a robust gesture segmentation method by using twice-difference and high–low thresholds. In our trials and comparisons, based on the trajectories formulated by echo data series of time–distance and time–velocity of dual views, we present a lightweight-based convolution neural network (CNN) to realize these digits recognition. Experiment results show that our system has a relatively high recognition accuracy, which would provide a feasible application for future human–computer interaction scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multifunctional ceramifiable silicone foam was fabricated with MWCNT and MXene. • The foam showed outstanding flame retardancy and ceramization performance. • The foam could trigger the fire-alarm system within 3 s when being burned. • The foam displayed excellent repeat fire-warning capability and thermal stability. • The foam exhibited good mechanical and piezoresistive sensing performance. The development of multifunctional silicone foam with high fire safety is of great significance to realize intelligent fire protection but challenging. Herein, a multifunctional ceramifiable fire-retardant silicone foam (MCSF) was fabricated by Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheet (MXene), multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), Karstedt catalyst (Pt) and vinyl dimethylsiloxane via water–oil interface induced self-assembly and dehydrogenation foaming at room temperature. MCSF possessed low density and good mechanical properties. Its improved thermoelectric performance and sensitive fire-warning capability of MCSF were attributed to the skeleton supporting effect and unique electron transport effect between MWCNT and MXene. When being burned, MCSF was able to trigger the fire-warning system within 2.4 s and repeatedly alarm the fire reignition. Furthermore, owing to the synergism between APTES and Pt, MCSF exhibited good ceramization performance. When encountered high temperature, the MCSF surface rapidly ceramized, generating a ceramic-like barrier layer to block the further flame ablation, and it quickly self-extinguished after removing from flame. Besides, MCSF showed impressive thermal insulation and durable piezoresistive sensing. This work provides a new strategy for the preparation and application of multifunctional fireproof polymer foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study provides new insight of the environmental governance on community levels. • Higher cadmium content of soil affect the sustainability of community. • Community characteristics with cluster analysis help identify relevant recommendations. • Hierarchical control strategies are recommended to improve rural sanitation. Equitable access to sanitation for all is a goal of sustainable development, notably in rural areas. However, studies including economic, socio-cultural, and other factors that have been conducted to comprehensively assess rural sanitation at the community level in developing countries are limited. This study aimed to investigate the current state of rural environmental sanitation on the community level and to evaluate the characteristics of the diverse sub-clusters. A multidimensional environmental sanitation survey was conducted on 400 communities in Chongqing, China in 2020, and the priority options for improving sub-clusters' sanitation were explored using cluster analysis. Among all communities, more than 60 % had positive village appearance, 50.50 % had domestic sewage treatment, and the coverage rate of household sanitary toilets was 72.28 %. The average content for lead, cadmium (Cd), and chromium in soil was 26.01, 0.53, and 54.47 mg/kg, respectively. The communities were clustered into 3 groups (I, II, III) based on similar characteristics including basic information, village appearance, water, sanitation, hygiene management, bio-vector control, and soil pollution. The proportion of cluster I, II, and III was 39.25 % (157/400), 31.75 % (127/400), and 29.00 % (116/400), respectively. Each cluster had its sanitation characteristics, and significant differences among the sub-clusters were observed in Cd of soil (p = 0.001), domestic sewage disposal ratio (p < 0.001), and environmental health funding (p = 0.001). To sum up, the environmental sanitation in rural areas of Chongqing was better than that of the national average in China, but the Cd content of farmland soil was higher. Our study provides novel evidence for assessing the characteristics of rural sanitation at the community level, and communities with similar environmental health status were clustered into the same group, while the heterogeneity of different sub-cluster was thoroughly characterized. The hierarchical control strategy should be performed in communities based on different characteristics and deficiencies of the clusters to improve environmental sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An undisclosed polysaccharide, BCP80–2, was isolated from Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. Structural investigation revealed that BCP80–2 consists of ten monosaccharide residues including t- α -Ara f -(1→, →3,5)- α -Ara f -(1→, →5)- α -Ara f -(1→, →4)- β -Xyl p -(1→, →3)- α -Rha p -(1→, →4)- β -Man p -(1→, t- β -Glc p -(1→, →6)- α -Glc p -(1→, t- β -Gal p -(1→, and→3)- α -Gal p -(1→. In vivo activity assays showed that BCP80–2 significantly suppressed neoplasmic growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis in zebrafish. Mechanistic studies have shown that BCP80–2 inhibited cell migration of HepG2 cells by suppressing the FAK signaling pathway. Moreover, BCP80–2 also activated immunomodulation and upregulated the secretion of co-stimulatory molecules CD40, CD86, CD80, and MHC-II. In conclusion, BCP80–2 inhibited tumor progression by targeting the FAK signaling pathway and activating CD40-induced adaptive immunity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A series of NLCs were constructed based on SEs and peptide lipids for DNA delivery. • The COL-6 with sucrose laurate exhibits highest transfection efficiency. • SEs increased the interaction of NLC to DNA, it decreased with the increase of SE carbon chain length. • SEs contributed to the formation of ordered membrane structure and enhanced stability. • The addition of SEs enhances lipid aggregation, and DNA molecules twine around the NLCs or are partially compressed within them. Sucrose esters (SEs) have great potential in the field of nucleic acid delivery due to their unique physical and chemical properties and good biosafety. However, the mechanism of the effect of SEs structure on delivery efficiency has not been studied. The liposomes containing peptide lipids and SEs were constructed, and the effects of SEs on the interaction between the liposomes and DNA were studied. The addition of SEs affects the binding rate of liposomes to DNA, and the binding rate gradually decreases with the increase of SEs' carbon chain length. SEs also affect the binding site and affinity of liposomes to DNA, promoting the aggregation of lipids to form liposomes, where DNA wraps around or compresses inside the liposomes, allowing it to compress DNA without damaging the DNA structure. COL-6, which is composed of sucrose laurate, exhibits the optimal affinity for DNA, and SE promotes the formation of ordered membrane structure and enhances membrane stability, so that COL-6 exhibits a balance between rigidity and flexibility, and thus exhibits the highest delivery efficiency of DNA among these formulations. This work provides theoretical foundations for the application of SE in gene delivery and guides for the rational design of delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The integrated car routing and train formation optimization problem is formulated. • An efficient simulated annealing based heuristics is presented to solve the problem. • Applicability of the model and solution approach is verified by a real-world case. • Result indicates that the solving method can promptly provide a quality solution. An essential problem encountered in a railway freight transport system is determining the best formation plan on a capacity-constrained physical network. The formation plan is not only the foundation of railway operations, but also the basis of train scheduling, yard and terminal management, and infrastructure resource planning. An integrated optimization of the traffic routing and train formation plan aims at designing a globally optimal train service network to decide: between which pairs of reclassification yards (terminals) should provide a block, the frequencies of the train services, the physical paths of traffic, and the block sequences of shipments. This study proposes a non-linear binary programming model to address the integrated problem to minimize the total costs of accumulation, reclassification, and travel distances while satisfying various practical requirements. An efficient simulated annealing based heuristic solution approach is developed to solve the mathematical model. We use a penalty function method to tackle the capacity constraints and a customized method for the operational requirements. The feasibility of the solving approach is tested using a numerical case study based on the east-west railway channel of China. The computational results of a national-scale example based on the China railway network consisting of 235 nodes indicates that the proposed model and approach can achieve good quality solutions within an acceptable computing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An liquid-anode-assisted molten salt electrolysis method was develop to synthesize core–shell zinc-carbon composites, Zn@C/PC. • Oxidation of the Zn anode resulted in the in-situ production of Zn2+ at the Zn anode/electrolyte interface. • Electrochemical co-reduction of the generated Zn2+ and CO 3 2– ions led to the formation of Zn@C/PC. • The optimal Zn@C/PC exhibited a high reversible capacity and superior cycling stability for use as a LIB anode. Zinc-carbon composite materials are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, volume expansion of Zn deteriorates the capacity and cycling stability. Fabricating carbon-encapsulated Zn structures represents an effective strategy for mitigating the volume expansion of Zn. In this study, we present a facile molten salt electrolysis approach, in which a liquid Zn anode and CO 2 were strategically utilized to facilitate the synthesis of core–shell Zn@C nanospheres embedded in a honeycomb-like porous carbon matrix (Zn@C/PC). The Zn2+ ions, generated in-situ through the oxidation of Zn anode surface, undergo co-reduction with the CO 2 -replenished CO 3 2–, resulting in the production of Zn@C/PC series. Benefiting from its composition and structure, the optimal Zn@C/PC shows high reversible capacity (1271 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1) and superior cycling stability, with a capacity retention rate of 81.4 % after 1250 cycles under 2 A g−1. The introduced liquid-anode-assisted molten salt electrolysis offers a novel approach for producing high-performance energy storage materials. Moreover, conversion of CO 2 into materials applicable to energy applications represents a promising pathway for advancing carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise power or signal variance is an important performance parameter or indicator used for many applications in signal processing and wireless communications. This paper investigates power estimation of random noises on sensor networks by using measurements taken over a subset of nodes. In many circumstances, the power values are typically smooth on the network, that is, the powers measured by neighboring nodes tend to have similar values. Using this smoothness, the power-estimation problem is formulated as a regularized optimization problem involving minimization of a sum of non-negative log-likelihood and the total variation. To find its optimal solution, a primal–dual hybrid gradient (PDHG) algorithm is developed, which uses primal–dual updates to achieve good estimation results. To further improve the estimation performance, two variants of the PDHG algorithm are also proposed: one has faster convergence by using a variable step-size searching strategy, and the other is robust to outliers and can identify abnormal nodes by using an outlier-rejection scheme. Several numerical experiments confirm the efficiency of our proposed algorithms. • A PDHG algorithm for power estimation with incomplete measurements is developed. • Two improved variants of the PDHG algorithm are also presented. • One of them has faster convergence via adaptively adjusting the step-sizes. • And the other is robust to abnormal nodes or outlier-corrupted measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of metaverse, augmented reality and human–robot teleoperation, action recognition plays an increasingly important role. In this work, we propose a Lightweight Feedforward Cross-channel Information Sharing Network (Sharing-Net) for action recognition. A multi-feature input module is constructed, which includes Cartesian Motion features, Global Joint Distances (GJD), and Global Joint Angles (GJA). The three types of features can tackle the problems of velocity differentiation, viewpoint diversification and object-distance variation, respectively. In order to take full use of the restricted parameters caused by the lightweight structure to enhance the accuracy under the premise of guaranteeing high speed, a multi-feature cross-channel information sharing mechanism is proposed. Dynamic nonlinear composite mapping between feature channels uses cross-channel residual blocks to share data information and establish coupling relationships. Extensive experiments on 3 public datasets and a self-built dataset verify the effectiveness of proposed methods. Compared with the state-of-the-art (SOAT) methods, Sharing-Net achieves the best accuracy with high speed on JHMDB and SHREC and performs superior balance of accuracy and computational cost on NTU RGB+D. • A multi-feature input module including Cartesian motion, GJD and GJA is proposed. • A general multi-feature cross-channel information sharing mechanism is proposed. • Hand-gesture-based robot teleoperation experiments are conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the application of nanoparticles formed by coupling metal nanomaterials of photothermal therapy with polysaccharides as modified carriers in the targeted treatment of liver cancer has attracted extensive attention. In the present work, an undescribed homogeneous polysaccharide BCP50–2 was obtained from Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. The structural analysis displayed that BCP50–2 contained galactose and a small amount of arabinose, and was mainly composed of six monosaccharide residues: →3,5)- α - l -Ara f -(1→, →4)- β - d -Gal p -(1→, →4,6)- β - d -Gal p -(1→, →3)- α- l -Gal p -(1→, terminal α - l -Ara f , and terminal β - d -Gal p. To enhance the antitumor activity of BCP50–2, BCP50–2-AuNRs were prepared by coupling BCP50–2 with gold nanorods for the treatment of liver cancer. BCP50–2-AuNRs were rod-shaped with a long diameter of 26.8 nm and had good photothermal conversion effects. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, BCP50–2-AuNRs possessed photothermal effects and suppressed the growth of HepG2, A549, and MCF-7 cells. In addition, BCP50–2-AuNRs inhibited the development of liver cancer by inducing cell apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G2/M phases, and inhibiting cell migration. Moreover, BCP50–2-AuNRs inhibited tumor proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in zebrafish. In summary, BCP50–2-AuNRs may be potentially useful for cancer treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the application of nanoparticles formed by coupling metal nanomaterials of photothermal therapy with polysaccharides as modified carriers in the targeted treatment of liver cancer has attracted extensive attention. In the present work, an undescribed homogeneous polysaccharide BCP50–2 was obtained from Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. The structural analysis displayed that BCP50–2 contained galactose and a small amount of arabinose, and was mainly composed of six monosaccharide residues: →3,5)- α - l -Ara f -(1→, →4)- β - d -Gal p -(1→, →4,6)- β - d -Gal p -(1→, →3)- α- l -Gal p -(1→, terminal α - l -Ara f , and terminal β - d -Gal p. To enhance the antitumor activity of BCP50–2, BCP50–2-AuNRs were prepared by coupling BCP50–2 with gold nanorods for the treatment of liver cancer. BCP50–2-AuNRs were rod-shaped with a long diameter of 26.8 nm and had good photothermal conversion effects. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, BCP50–2-AuNRs possessed photothermal effects and suppressed the growth of HepG2, A549, and MCF-7 cells. In addition, BCP50–2-AuNRs inhibited the development of liver cancer by inducing cell apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G2/M phases, and inhibiting cell migration. Moreover, BCP50–2-AuNRs inhibited tumor proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in zebrafish. In summary, BCP50–2-AuNRs may be potentially useful for cancer treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The single‐component adaptive Metropolis (SCAM) algorithm, as one of the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling methods, is very effective at solving high‐dimensional posterior joint probability distributions. However, studies show that the SCAM algorithm is prone to generating duplicate samples, thus lowering the sampling efficiency and causing large calculation errors. To solve this problem, a modified SCAM algorithm is proposed in the present study. In the modified algorithm, the expression of the variance of the proposal distribution is redefined so that the Markov chain formed by the sample sequence is relatively stable. With the obtained structural response, the posterior joint probability distribution of the physical parameters of the structure is achieved using Bayesian theory, which is then combined with the modified SCAM algorithm to solve the posterior marginal probability distribution and the optimal estimates. Hence, the structural damage is identified. The validity, reliability, and practicability of the modified SCAM algorithm are verified through theoretical analysis, a numerical simulation of the structural example, and a shaking table test. The results show that the modified SCAM algorithm not only enhances the accuracy of the calculation results but also increases the sampling efficiency. This method can be used as a reference for physical parameter identification and damage assessment of the engineering structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) and VEGF siRNA could inhibit cancer development with synergistic efficacy. However, efficient and safe delivery systems with high encapsulation efficiency of PTX and a long-time release of drugs are urgently needed. In this study, novel nanoparticles (PTX/siRNA/FALS) were constructed by using tripeptide lipid (L), sucrose laurate (S), and folate-PEG2000-DSPE (FA) to co-deliver PTX and siRNA. The cancer cell targeting nanoparticle carrier (PTX/siRNA/FALS) showed anticipated PTX encapsulation efficiency, siRNA retardation ability, improved cell uptake and sustained and controlled drug release. It led to significant anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo by efficient inhibition of VEGF expression and induction of cancer cell apoptosis. Importantly, the biocompatibility of the carriers and low dosage of PTX required for effective therapy greatly reduced the toxicity to mice. The targeting nanoparticles show potential as an effective co-delivery platform for RNAi and chemotherapy drugs, aiming to improve the efficacy of cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreground object segmentation is a critical step for many image analysis tasks. While automated methods can produce high-quality results, their failures disappoint users in need of practical solutions. We propose a resource allocation framework for predicting how best to allocate a fixed budget of human annotation effort in order to collect higher quality segmentations for a given batch of images and automated methods. The framework is based on a prediction module that estimates the quality of given algorithm-drawn segmentations. We demonstrate the value of the framework for two novel tasks related to predicting how to distribute annotation efforts between algorithms and humans. Specifically, we develop two systems that automatically decide, for a batch of images, when to recruit humans versus computers to create (1) coarse segmentations required to initialize segmentation tools and (2) final, fine-grained segmentations. Experiments demonstrate the advantage of relying on a mix of human and computer efforts over relying on either resource alone for segmenting objects in images coming from three diverse modalities (visible, phase contrast microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 42 trials including 8249 participants are enrolled in our meta-analysis. • A traditional and net meta-analysis was performed to test the diagnostic value of NfL. • NfL increases in all kinds of neurodegenerative disease compared to healthy controls. • NfL in CSF and blood differentiates neurodegenerative dementia from healthy controls. • NfL concentration is ranked among neurodegenerative dementia using cluster analysis. The diagnostic value of neurofilament light chain protein in neurodegenerative dementia diseases is still controversial. A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant case-control studies conducted through October 2018. Traditional and net meta-analyses were performed based on 42 studies that tested the diagnostic performance of neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) concentration in CSF and serum/plasma from patients with neurodegenerative dementia. CSF and serum/plasma NfL levels were significantly increased in patients with neurodegenerative dementia diseases. Network meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in CSF NfL levels during mild cognitive impairment, whereas an increase was observed in vascular dementia compared to Alzheimer's disease. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve and cluster analysis showed that the NfL concentration in CSF (vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer's disease) and serum/plasma (frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease) ranked first among neurodegenerative dementia diseases. NfL is an important biomarker that can help clinical neurologists make early diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, so patients can receive prompt treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Global nitrogen (N) enrichment likely alters plant community composition and increases productivity, consequently affecting ecosystem stability. Meanwhile, the effects of N addition on plant community composition and productivity are often influenced by phosphorus (P) nutrition, as the effects of N and P addition and interactions between N and P on plant community structure and productivity are still not well understood. An in situ experiment with N and P addition was conducted in a temperate meadow in northeastern China from 2013 to 2016. The responses of plant community composition, structure, functional group cover, richness and productivity to N and P additions were examined. N addition significantly reduced species richness and diversity but increased aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) during the four-study-year period. P addition exerted no significant impact on species richness, diversity or ANPP but reduced cover of grasses and increased legume cover. Under N plus P addition, P addition alleviated the negative effects of N addition on community structure by increasing species richness and covers of legume and forbs. N and P additions significantly altered plant community structure and productivity in the functional groups. N addition significantly increased the cover of gramineous and reduced the cover of legume, P addition significantly increased legume cover. Our observations revealed that soil nutrient availability regulates plant community structure and ANPP in response to nutrient enrichment caused by anthropogenic activities in the temperate meadow. Our results highlight that the negative influence of N deposition on plant community composition might be alleviated by P input in the future. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • N addition reduced plant species richness and diversity. • Phosphorus (P) addition alleviated the negative effects of N addition on community composition. • N and P additions reduced relative abundance of grasses, but increased relative abundance of forbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel method developed for six-legged robots to turn valves. • Detecting the position and the size of the valve based on force sensing. • A 0-DOF tool is installed on the robot to perform the valve turning task. • The real-time trajectory planning strategy is designed for the robot. Abstract According to previous studies, usually multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulators are installed on robots to perform the valve turning task, and vision systems are used to detect the valve data. However, vision systems are limited in the environment with less visibility and the internal force always occurs as the multi-DOF manipulator is compelled to follow the valve exactly by a firm grasp. In this paper, a novel valve turning method based on force sensing is proposed and implemented to the six-legged robot. Firstly, the method can enable the robot to judge the valve position through force sensing in the case of poor vision situation. Moreover, a 0-DOF tool is installed on the body of the robot. By integrating with the body, the tool has enough workspace to perform the operation task. Compared with the multi-DOF manipulator, loose grasp achieved by the 0-DOF tool helps to reduce the internal force during the valve turning process. In addition, the real-time trajectory planning strategy is designed for the robot. Based on the above initiatives, experiments are carried out to demonstrate effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the stellar mass, age, luminosity, star-formation rate, and impact parameter of quasar absorber host galaxies can aid in the understanding of galaxy formation and evolution as well as in testing their models. We derive the spectral energy distribution (SED) and impact parameter limits of low redshift (z abs= 0.37–0.55) Mg ii absorbers and of higher redshift (z abs= 1.0–2.5) 2175 Å dust absorbers (2DAs). We use an imaging stacking technique to statistically boost the signal-to-noise ratio to increase detection of the absorber host galaxies. The point spread function (PSF) of the background quasar is modelled with principal component analysis. This method efficiently reduces the uncertainty of traditional PSF modelling. Our SED for Mg ii absorbers indicates that low-redshift Mg ii absorber host galaxies are likely star-forming galaxies transitioning into red quiescent galaxies, with a low star formation rate of 2.2 M⊙yr−1. From the stacked images and simulations, we show that the average impact parameter of 2DAs is >5 times smaller than that of Mg ii absorbers, at <7 kpc instead of Mg ii absorbers' 48 kpc, indicating that 2DAs are likely associated with disc components of high-redshift galaxies. This means that 2DAs are likely good probes to study precursors to the Milky Way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional biomass-based aerogels with mechanically robust and high fire safety are urgently needed for the development of environmentally-friendly intelligent fire fighting but challenging. Herein, a novel polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ)/cellulose/MXene composite aerogel (PCM) with superior comprehensive performance was fabricated by ice-induced assembly and in-situ mineralization. It exhibited light weight (16.2 mg·cm−3), excellent mechanical resilience, and rapidly recovered after being subjected to the pressure of 9000 times of its own weight. Moreover, PCM demonstrated outstanding thermal insulation, hydrophobicity and sensitive piezoresistive sensing. In addition, benefiting from the synergism of PMSQ and MXene, PCM displayed good flame retardancy and improved thermostability. The limiting oxygen index of PCM was higher than 45.0 %, and it quickly self-extinguished after being removed away from fire. More importantly, the rapid electrical resistance reduction of MXene at high temperature endowed PCM with sensitive fire-warning capability (trigger time was less than 1.8 s), which provided valuable time for people to evacuate and relief. This work provides new insights for the preparation and application of the next-generation high performance biomass-based aerogels. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several models have been proposed and developed to formulate prediction equations for the significant duration (D S) of shallow crustal and subduction earthquakes. However, no equation for D S and a corresponding spatial correlation model have been proposed for upper mantle earthquakes. To address records are selected from the Kyoshin network (K-net) and Kiban Kyoshin network (KiK-net) databases in this study for shallow crustal and upper mantle earthquake with moment magnitudes of 4 ≤ M w ≤ 7.3, rupture distances R rup ≤ 300 km and peak ground accelerations (PGAs) ≥ 0.01 g. A new prediction equation is established for D S of shallow crustal and upper mantle earthquakes in Japan by considering the influences of M w , R rup , the time-averaged shear-wave velocity to 30 m V S 30 , the difference between the measured and predicted values of the overburden thickness for a shear wave velocity of 1000 m/s δZ 1 , and the depth to the top of the rupture Z tor on the D S of ground motion. The rationality and reliability of the proposed prediction model is confirmed using residual analysis and by comparison with existing prediction models. Based on intra-event residuals and single-station intra-event residuals, a semivariogram function and exponential model are used to analyze the spatial correlation of D S , which provides a reference basis for the development of GMPEs based on the nonergodic hypothesis, and regional seismic risk analysis and loss assessment. • GMPEs for significant duration of shallow crustal earthquakes in Japan is modified. • GMPEs for significant duration of upper mantle earthquakes in Japan is presented. • Spatial correlation model of significant duration is developed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A feasibility–economic–environment assessment system for EVs is established. • Real-world travel trajectories and charging infrastructures are considered. • Economic and environmental benefits are explored under TCO and LCA frameworks. • Ride-hailing electrification is feasible under the current infrastructure and technology. • Electrification can reduce 47–66 t CO 2 and save 14000–24500 $ per vehicle. Ride-hailing has become a common travel choice in global megacities. However, ride-hailing fleets are facing severe challenges toward electrification owing to high travel intensity, high price sensitivity, inconvenience related to charging, and range anxiety. This study established a comprehensive feasibility–economic–environment assessment system to explore the applicability, life-cycle economic as well as carbon reduction benefits of ride-hailing electrification. For full-time ride-hailing vehicle drivers who face the greatest electrification challenges, it is found that charging station service radius of 1 km, average charging power of 37.5 kW, and state of charge of 30–70% as charging threshold are optimal for balancing the charging feasibility and driving experience. Ride-hailing electrification for full-time drivers can achieve synergetic economic and environmental benefits by saving 14000–24500 $ and reducing 47–66 t of CO 2 emissions in a whole lifetime. This research suggests that developing a smart order dispatch system for ride-hailing to guide more efficient charging activities would help relieve range anxiety and further promote ride-hailing electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal signaling together with synapse activity in the central nervous system requires a precisely regulated microenvironment. Recently, the blood-brain barrier is considered as a “neuro-glia-vascular unit,” a structural and functional compound composed of capillary endothelial cells, glial cells, pericytes, and neurons, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of the microenvironment in and out of the brain. Tight junctions and adherens junctions, which function as barriers of the blood-brain barrier, are two well-known kinds in the endothelial cell junctions. In this review, we focus on the less-concerned contribution of gap junction proteins, connexins in blood-brain barrier integrity under physio-/pathology conditions. In the neuro-glia-vascular unit, connexins are expressed in the capillary endothelial cells and prominent in astrocyte endfeet around and associated with maturation and function of the blood-brain barrier through a unique signaling pathway and an interaction with tight junction proteins. Connexin hemichannels and connexin gap junction channels contribute to the physiological or pathological progress of the blood-brain barrier; in addition, the interaction with other cell-cell-adhesive proteins is also associated with the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. Lastly, we explore the connexins and connexin channels involved in the blood-brain barrier in neurological diseases and any programme for drug discovery or delivery to target or avoid the blood-brain barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bi-directional electrolysis strategy was developed for the synthesis of metal – carbon core – shell structure. • Ni@OC was synthesized via the coupled electroreduction of CO 2 and in-situ generated NiO template. • Conversion of CO 2 into carbon materials with enhanced functionality. • Anodic polarization was fully utilized for NiO formation. A bi-directional electrolysis method for synthesizing metal–carbon core–shell structure was reported, wherein a nickel-encapsulated octahedral carbon (Ni@OC) was synthesized in molten salt via the coupled electroreduction of CO 2 and NiO formed by in-situ electrochemical oxidation of Ni. An in-situ generated NiO directs the self-template formation of Ni@OC. By etching the nickel core from Ni@OC with hydrochloric acid, difficult-to-prepare hollow octahedral carbon (HOC) is obtained. The plausible formation mechanism of Ni@OC was unraveled by a series of control experiments. When used as negative materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Ni@OC exhibits enhanced specific capacitance (433.6 mAh g−1 at 25 mA g−1) and stability (83.3% capacity retention after 4800 cycles at 2000 mA g−1) relative to HOC. The performance improvement can be attributed to the Ni core, which helps to improve the capacity and alleviates the structural collapse during the lithiation/delithiation process. This study not only develops new structures but also presents a unique technological pathway for the sustainable synthesis of functional metal-encapsulated carbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses surface defects such as micro-cracks and phase change layer on the surface of Ti6Al4V workpieces after short electric arc machining (SEAM). The effects of process parameters on surface integrity (surface crack density (SCD), phase change layer thickness (PCLT), and surface roughness (Ra)) are analyzed using Taguchi L32 orthogonal experimental system. SCD and PCLT are estimated from scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs of the workpiece surface based on the micro-crack area and cross-sectional phase change layer area, respectively, by ImageJ software. The combination of parameters under the optimal index is analyzed by the graph of the variation of the output index with the processing parameters, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) results show that voltage, feeding speed, and milling depth have the greatest effect on surface integrity. Finally, the 16 best sets of solutions satisfying the objective function are predicted using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA II), which are obtained from the Pareto optimal bound, and the accuracy of the predicted solution sets is verified experimentally with an estimation error of less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multifunctional fire protection nanocoating (MFNC) was constructed via layer-by-layer. • MFNC exhibited accurate temperature-sensing performance. • MFNC could trigger the fire alarm less than 4 s when being burned. • MFNC exhibited outstanding flame retardancy and good self-healing performance. • MFNC showed good piezoresistive sensing capability. The development of flame-retardant coating with sensitive fire warning is imperative but highly challenging in the "Internet of Everything Era". In this study, a multifunctional fire protection nanocoating (MFNC) was fabricated on the surface of flammable materials by dip-coating Ti 3 C 2 T X (MXene), montmorillonite (MMT) nanosheet, and 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone-containing cellulose (UPC) via layer-by-layer assembly. The MXene/UPC layer endowed the nanocoating with accurate temperature sensing capability because of the outstanding conductivity and unique thermoelectric characteristic of MXene. When being burnt, MFNC was able to trigger the fire-warning system in less than 4 s. Owing to the MMT/UPC layer, MFNC showed excellent flame retardancy due to the barrier and catalytic carbonization of MMT. MFNC led to the increase in the limiting oxygen index of the flammable materials by up to 40.0% and the vertical burning test reached the UL94 V-0 rating. More importantly, attributed to the multiple hydrogen bond interactions of UPC, MFNC displayed good self-healing capability. Its fire-warning performance could quickly recover after being damaged. Furthermore, MFNC exhibited sensitive piezoresistive sensing ability, which makes it a promising candidate for application in firefighter motion detection. Our work provides new insights into the fabrication and application of multifunctional smart and efficient fire-protection coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multifunctional fire protection nanocoating (MFNC) was constructed via layer-by-layer. • MFNC exhibited accurate temperature-sensing performance. • MFNC could trigger the fire alarm less than 4 s when being burned. • MFNC exhibited outstanding flame retardancy and good self-healing performance. • MFNC showed good piezoresistive sensing capability. The development of flame-retardant coating with sensitive fire warning is imperative but highly challenging in the "Internet of Everything Era". In this study, a multifunctional fire protection nanocoating (MFNC) was fabricated on the surface of flammable materials by dip-coating Ti 3 C 2 T X (MXene), montmorillonite (MMT) nanosheet, and 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone-containing cellulose (UPC) via layer-by-layer assembly. The MXene/UPC layer endowed the nanocoating with accurate temperature sensing capability because of the outstanding conductivity and unique thermoelectric characteristic of MXene. When being burnt, MFNC was able to trigger the fire-warning system in less than 4 s. Owing to the MMT/UPC layer, MFNC showed excellent flame retardancy due to the barrier and catalytic carbonization of MMT. MFNC led to the increase in the limiting oxygen index of the flammable materials by up to 40.0% and the vertical burning test reached the UL94 V-0 rating. More importantly, attributed to the multiple hydrogen bond interactions of UPC, MFNC displayed good self-healing capability. Its fire-warning performance could quickly recover after being damaged. Furthermore, MFNC exhibited sensitive piezoresistive sensing ability, which makes it a promising candidate for application in firefighter motion detection. Our work provides new insights into the fabrication and application of multifunctional smart and efficient fire-protection coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As sucrose esters (SEs) are natural and biodegradable excipients with excellent drug dissolution and drug absorption/permeation in controlled release systems, we firstly incorporated SE into liposomes for gene delivery in this article. A peptide-based lipid (CDO14), Gemini-based quaternary ammonium-based lipid (CTA14), and mono-head quaternary ammonium lipid (CPA14), and SE as helper lipid, were prepared into liposomes which could enhance the interactions between liposomes and pDNA. Most importantly, the liposomes with helper lipid SE showed higher transfection and lower cytotoxicity than those without SE in Hela and A549 cells. It was also found that the transfection efficiency increased with the increase of SE content. The selected liposome, CDO14/SE, was able to deliver siRNA against luciferase for silencing gene in lung tumors of mice, with little in vivo toxicity. The results convincingly demonstrated SEs could be highly desirable candidates for gene delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to identify conditions under which parents' monitoring behaviors are most strongly linked to adolescents' negative reactions (i.e., feelings of being controlled and invaded). 242 adolescents (49.2% male; M age = 15.4 years) residing in the United States of America reported parental monitoring and warmth, and their own feelings of being controlled and invaded and beliefs in the legitimacy of parental authority. Analyses tested whether warmth and legitimacy beliefs moderate and/or suppress the link between parents' monitoring behaviors and adolescents' negative reactions. Monitoring was associated with more negative reactions, controlling for legitimacy beliefs and warmth. More monitoring was associated with more negative reactions only at weaker levels of legitimacy beliefs, and at lower levels of warmth. The link between monitoring and negative reactions is sensitive to the context within which monitoring occurs with the strongest negative reactions found in contexts characterized by low warmth and weak legitimacy beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate insulin secretion and content in islet β cells after intravenous glucose load in mice. Materials and methods Acute hyperglycemia (≥ 16.7 mmol/L) in C57BL/J6 mice was achieved by hyperglycemic clamp. Mice were divided into four groups: a 2-hour and a 4-hour high glucose-infusion (2 h-HG and 4 h-HG) with 25% dextrose groups and control groups with saline infusion of the same duration. Insulin levels and response were measured using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) in mice and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) for isolated islets after overnight culture. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy (EM) for islet β cells were used after the hyperglycemic clamp to study morphologic changes of insulin granules and to assess the impact of acute glucose load on islet histology. Key findings Blood glucose at 15, 30, 60 and 120 min was significantly higher in 4 h-HG compared with the other groups. Serum plasma insulin significantly decreased only at 15 min as a first-phase insulin response (FPIR). Insulin secretion at 2.8 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose stimulus in 4 h-HG group decreased 77% and 64% more than those in 2 h-HG, respectively (P < 0.05). Similarly, residual insulin content in islet β cells after 2.8 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose challenge decreased 30% and 43% more than those in 2 h-HG, respectively (P < 0.05). EM showed decreased insulin granules in islet cells and swollen mitochondria only in 4 h-HG. Significance Short time intravenous glucose load blunted FPIRs and decreased insulin content of islet β cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an improved frequency domain turbo equalization (IFDTE) with iterative channel estimation and feedback to achieve both a good performance and low complexity in underwater acoustic communications (UWACs). A selective zero-attracting (SZA) improved proportionate normal least mean square (SZA-IPNLMS) algorithm is adopted by utilizing the sparsity of the UWAC channel to estimate it using a training sequence. Simultaneously, a set-membership (SM) SZA differential IPNLMS (SM SZA-DIPNLMS) with variable step size is adopted to estimate the channel status information (CSI) in the iterative channel estimation with soft feedback. In this way, the computational complexity for iterative channel estimation is reduced effectively with minimal performance loss. Different from traditional schemes in UWACs, an IFDTE with expectation propagation (EP) interference cancellation is adopted to estimate the a posteriori probability of transmitted symbols iteratively. A bidirectional IFDTE with the EP interference cancellation is proposed to further accelerate the convergence. THe simulation results show that the proposed channel estimation obtains 1.9 and 0.5 dB performance gains, when compared with those of the IPNLMS and the l 0 -IPNLMS at a bit error rate (BER) of 10 − 3 . The proposed channel estimation also effectively reduces the unnecessary updating of the coefficients of the UWAC channel. Compared with traditional time-domain turbo equalization and FDTE in UWACs, the IFDTE obtains 0.5 and 1 dB gains in the environment of SPACE'08 and it obtains 0.5 and 0.4 dB gains in the environment of MACE'04 at a BER of 10 − 3 . Therefore, the proposed scheme obtains a good BER performance and low complexity and it is suitable for efficient use in UWACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed spectral structures in the low-temperature photoluminescence (3.5 K) of an InAlAs random alloy grown by molecular beam epitaxy on an InP substrate were studied, with three clearly distinguished emission peaks. Based on the temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements, the two peaks at 1.5404 and 1.5229 eV are localized state emissions, and the one at 1.4916 eV is likely caused by longitudinal optical (LO) phonon replica. The peak assignments are also supported by excitation intensity-dependent photoluminescence spectrum and Raman spectrum measurements. The peak at 1.5229 eV shows a strongly localized behavior evidenced by the typical inverted S-shaped variation of the peak position with respect to increased temperatures which can be well described by the localized-state ensemble (LSE) model. A localization energy of around 19.8 meV is determined for the 1.5229 eV emission at 3.5 K. The temporal behaviors of these emissions at 3.5 K were also discussed based on the time-resolved photoluminescence spectra. The findings here unveil the characteristics of the localized states in the InAlAs alloy and may be useful for developing optoelectronic devices in the near IR region. • Carrier localization effect in In composition engineered InAlAs alloy. • Quantitative analysis of the localization effect by the localized-state ensemble model. • Carrier recombination dynamics reveal by time-resolved photoluminescence. • A localization energy of 19.8 meV and an attempt-to-escape time of 12.6 ps at low temperature. • Possible identification of LO-phonon replica in the photoluminescence spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based prodrug nanocarriers with tumor-targeting and controlled-release properties are in great demand for enhanced cancer treatment. Hyaluronic acid (HA), which has excellent biocompatibility and targeting ability for cluster determinant 44 (CD44), has been proposed for delivering drugs that have poor solubility and high toxicity. Herein, podophyllotoxin (PPT) was conjugated to HA via ester and disulfide linkages to construct a pH- and reduction-responsive prodrug (HA-S-S-PPT). The micelles self-assembled from HA-S-S-PPT prodrug efficiently accumulated at tumor site due to HA receptor-mediated endocytosis. HA-S-S-PPT micelles exhibited 33.1% higher cumulative release than HA-NH-CO-PPT micelles (sensitive only to pH) owing to their dual responsiveness to pH and reduction. HA-S-S-PPT micelles achieved excellent antitumor activity in vivo , with the tumor inhibition rate reaching 92%, significantly higher than that of HA-NH-CO-PPT micelles (65%), and negligible systemic toxicity. This controllable-targeting nanoparticle system provides a potential platform for clinical application of PPT. [Display omitted] • A pH and reduction dual-responsive prodrug (HA-S-S-PPT) was synthesized. • HA-S-S-PPT could selectively accumulate at tumor site via HA-mediated targeting. • HA-S-S-PPT showed controlled PPT release in tumor microenvironment. • HA-S-S-PPT achieved enhanced antitumor effect with inhibition rate reaching 92%. • HA-S-S-PPT prodrug micelles exhibited negligible systemic toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lowest Unique Bid Auction (LUBA) booms recently through the Internet. A typical distribution pattern of bid price in this reverse auction has been found and needs to be interpreted. The distribution curve is a decreasing one whose slope has a close relationship with the number of agents participating in the auction. To explain this stylized fact, we develop a model assuming that agents prefer to bid on the price at which the probability of winning is higher. The bid distributions of actual auctions with the number of agents less than 200 can be fitted very well using the parameters for the value of items and the number of bids. When this number becomes larger, however, a deviation occurs between prediction and empirical data, which can be adjusted by introducing cognitive illusion of the bid number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermal therapy is a novel strategy for cancer treatment, which can kill tumor cells by converting light energy into heat energy through irradiating photothermal conversion materials with laser. As a common photothermal agent, gold nanorods (GNRs) have characteristics of high conversion efficiency and long circulation time in vivo. However, improving stability and reducing toxicity of GNRs remain a significant challenge. In this research, a simple and novel strategy for the synthesis of modified GNRs was proposed. The polysaccharide CL90 was obtained from lemon, which was modified to afford thiolated lemon polysaccharide (SH-CL90). SH-CL90 was used to prepare stable GNRs and give the composite GNRs-SH-CL90, which was found to have good stability in PBS solution and possess high photothermal conversion effects and photothermal stability. The biological experiments revealed that GNRs-SH-CL90 inhibited tumor cell proliferation under near-infrared light irradiation and could induce apoptosis significantly. Furthermore, in vivo experiments supported that GNRs-SH-CL90 could inhibit the proliferation and migration of tumor cells. All the experiments demonstrated that GNRs-SH-CL90 might be promising in the field of cancer treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Though the delivery of siRNA into cells, tissues or organs remains to be a big obstacle for its applications, recently siRNA therapeutics has developed rapidly and already there are clinical trials ongoing or planned. Some non-viral vectors have attracted much more attention and shown the great potential for combating the delivery obstacle. As a novel class of lipid like materials lipidoids have the advantages of easy synthesis and large library of compounds. Cell penetrating peptides and chitosans have been used for the delivery of bioactive molecules for many years, but they are showing great promise for the delivery of siRNA. The hybrids of inorganic particles and the conjugates of siRNA have indicated the complex utilization different materials may provide another solution to the delivery problem. The most exciting thing is some clinical trials are undergoing, which provokes the hope of real curing method by using RNAi mediated by some non-viral vectors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduced soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks. • Neither elevated temperature nor N deposition alter the response of soil C and N stocks to AM fungi. • AM fungi can mitigate the negative effect of increasing N accumulation on ecosystem stability. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are key players in the soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles; on the one hand, AM fungi have been influenced by global changes, while on the other hand, they are involved in shaping the future climate. However, few field studies have combined AM fungi with both elevated temperatures and N deposition to examine their potential combined effects on the stocks of soil C and N in temperate meadow ecosystems. A 5-year experiment was conducted to explore the effects of AM fungal reductions on soil C and N stocks under elevated temperatures and N deposition. The stock of soil C and N and the C:N ratio were measured. The results showed that AM fungi significantly reduced soil C stocks by 8.5% across all treatment combinations compared to the AM fungi suppression treatment, and slight soil C accumulation was detected across the five years. The response of the soil C stocks was not influenced by elevated temperatures and N deposition simultaneously. The soil N stocks in the treatments without AM fungal suppression were, on average, 9.7% lower across all treatments than those in the AM fungal suppression treatment. AM fungi, elevated temperatures, and N deposition did not affect the soil C:N ratio. The robust decreases in soil C and N stocks caused by AM fungi observed here, even when combined with other global changes, suggest that AM fungi might accelerate soil C losses in temperate meadow ecosystems; however, there is a strong potential for reduced soil N accumulations to mitigate the negative impact of increasing N deposition on the stability of grassland ecosystems under future global changes. Overall, our results highlight that the effect of AM fungi on soil C and N stocks has a high resistance to global warming and N deposition in temperate meadow ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A second-level maintenance planning model for high-speed trains is proposed. • Various extensions of the original model to get ready for real-world applications are discussed. • A real-world case is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed solution approach. This paper addresses the synchronized electric multiple unit (EMU) train assignment and maintenance scheduling problem for a weekly planning period. To guarantee the safe operation of railways, the focus of this study is to coordinate the maintenance plans of all the EMU trains with a given fleet size, so as to make trains available to meet operational requirements. A 0 and 1 programming model is proposed to mathematically describe the problem. The objective is to minimize the mileage losses of all EMU trains by considering the train operational requirements and depot capacity restrictions. An important feature distinguishing this model from existing literature is that it is able to handle multi-day maintenance packet scenarios. To make the model computationally manageable, we apply various linearization techniques to refine the model into a linear one. A real-world case is considered to demonstrate the proposed solution approach, which indicates that the model can be solved to the optimum within a very short computational time using a state-of-the-art optimization solver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharide-based biomaterials (e.g., chitosan, dextran, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and heparin) have received great attention in healthcare, particularly in drug delivery for tumor therapy. They are naturally abundant and available, outstandingly biodegradable and biocompatible, and they generally have negligible toxicity and low immunogenicity. In addition, they are easily chemically or physically modified. Therefore, PSs-based nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively investigated for the enhancement of tumor treatment. In this review, we introduce the synthetic pathways of amphiphilic PS derivatives, which allow the constructs to self-assemble into NPs with various structures. We especially offer an overview of the emerging applications of self-assembled PSs-based NPs in tumor chemotherapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), gene therapy and immunotherapy. We believe that this review can provide criteria for a rational and molecular level-based design of PS-based NPs, and comprehensive insight into the potential of PS-based NPs used in multiple cancer therapies. • Polysaccharide-based nanoparticles show great potential in drug delivery systems. • Synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic polysaccharide derivatives are reviewed. • Multiple cancer therapy strategies via polysaccharide-based NPs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) translational parallel manipulator (TPM) by using a topological design method of parallel mechanism (PM) based on position and orientation characteristic (POC) equations. The proposed PM is only composed of lower-mobility joints and actuated prismatic joints, together with the investigations on three kinematic issues of importance. The first aspect pertains to geometric modeling of the TPM in connection with its topological characteristics, such as the POC, degree of freedom and coupling degree, from which its symbolic direct kinematic solutions are readily obtained. Moreover, the decoupled properties of input-output motions are directly evaluated without Jacobian analysis. Sequentially, based upon the inverse kinematics, the singular configurations of the TPM are identified, wherein the singular surfaces are visualized by means of a Gröbner based elimination operation. Finally, the workspace of the TPM is evaluated with a geometric approach. This 3-DOF TPM features less joints and links compared with the well-known Delta robot, which reduces the structural complexity. Its symbolic direct kinematics and partially-decoupled property will ease path planning and dynamic analysis. The TPM can be used for manufacturing large work pieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials with intrinsic enzyme activity (nanozymes) have been widely used as artificial enzymes in biomedicine, especially in tumor diagnosis and treatment. Herein, a kind of water-soluble silver nanozyme (Ag@GQD) was developed with a simple method, which showed two enzymatic activities (peroxidase and oxidase-like activity). Based on the excellent catalytic performance of oxidase-like activity, a simple and highly sensitive colorimetric detection strategy for glutathione (GSH) was established. What's more, after absorbing DOX, Ag/DOX@GQD could realize the combined treatment of reactive oxygen species and chemotherapy. In conclusion, this study provided evidences that Ag@GQD is effective in tumor diagnosis and treatment, which provided new ideas for exploring nanozymes based on the integration of diagnosis and treatment. • Nanozymes (Ag@GQD) exhibiting dual enzyme-like activities were synthesized using a straightforward method. • Based on oxidase-like activity of Ag@GQD, an in vitro method for detecting tumor marker (GSH) was established. • After loading the chemotherapy drug DOX onto Ag@GQD (Ag/DOX@GQD), a synergistic tumor treatment approach combining reactive oxygen species and chemotherapy was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]