Search

Piezocatalysis and piezo‐photocatalysis technology is a continuously developing catalytic technology based on the piezoelectric effect of catalysts, which breaks the barrier between mechanical and chemical energy. The piezoelectric polarization field formed by the mechanical deformation of piezoelectric materials is proven to effectively manipulate band structures, improve the separation of electron‐hole pairs and enhance the catalytic activity, thus alleviating energy crises and environmental issues. Herein, this review first introduces the technology of piezocatalysis and piezo‐photocatalysis, comprehensively summarizes the synthesis methods of piezo(photo)catalysis materials, and analyzes and discusses the measures to optimize the performance of piezo(photo)catalysts. The following systematically summarizes the characteristics and development of the current main piezo(photo)catalytic systems, and discusses the application of first principles calculations in piezo(photo)catalysis in combination with practical researches. Subsequently, the main application progress of piezo(photo)catalysis in environmental remediation, energy conversion, and biomedical therapy fields is presented. In the end, the current challenges, development direction, and future prospects are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a common disease among women, which can cause many complications and seriously threaten women's physical and mental health. Currently, hormone replacement therapy is the primary treatment for premature ovarian failure. However, the side effects are serious and will increase the chance of breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Deer blood hydrolysate (DBH) is the product of enzymatic hydrolysis of deer blood, has antioxidant, anti-ageing, and anti-fatigue effects, and has the potential to improve premature ovarian failure. Methods: In our experiment, a mouse model of premature ovarian failure was established through intraperitoneal injection of 400 mg/kg/d of D-gal for 42 days. At the same time, different doses of DBH were gavaged to observe its ameliorative effect on premature ovarian failure. Results: The experimental findings indicated that DBH could restore the irregular oestrus cycle of POF mice, improve the abnormal amounts in serum hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2), increase the number of primordial follicles and decrease the number of atretic follicles. In addition, DBH also raised the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in mice. The WB assay results showed that gavage of DBH restored the decrease in the indication of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Heme Oxygenase-1 (Ho-1), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) proteins and reduced the elevated expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (Caspase-3) proteins that were induced by D-gal. Conclusions: To sum up, the present research indicated that DBH can ameliorate D-gal-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway and the Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 apoptosis pathway, which can be used for further development as a nutraceutical product to improve premature ovarian failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIRS) is widely used in milk quality detection, dairy herd improvement (DHI), and other fields. It is an economical, fast, accurate, and nondestructive batch tool for determining production performance phenotypes of dairy cows. Milk is one of the most important ways to provide the human body with the fatty acids it needs. There are a huge number of dairy cows in China. Therefore, it is possible to control fatty acid production in the milk source through targeted husbandry and breeding on large pastures to improve the quality of milk production. However, this work has not yet officially begun in China. In summary, our work uses FT-MIRS for the first time to study the phenotypic properties of milk fatty acid content and the genetic mechanism of its formation and to estimate genetic parameters. At the same time, SNPs significantly related to fatty acid content were discovered and the genes or adjacent genes had critical regulatory effects on milk fat synthesis, milk protein synthesis, adipocyte differentiation, mammary gland development, milk synthesis, and growth and development in dairy cows, thus providing a new perspective for cow genetic selection in China. Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIRS) can be used for quantitative detection of milk components. Here, milk samples of 458 Chinese Holstein cows from 11 provinces in China were collected and we established a total of 22 quantitative prediction models in milk fatty acids by FT-MIRS. The coefficient of determination of the validation set ranged from 0.59 (C18:0) to 0.76 (C4:0). The models were adopted to predict the milk fatty acids from 2138 cows and a new high-throughput computing software HiBLUP was employed to construct a multi-trait model to estimate and analyze genetic parameters in dairy cows. Finally, genome-wide association analysis was performed and seven novel SNPs significantly associated with fatty acid content were selected, investigated, and verified with the FarmCPU method, which stands for "Fixed and random model Circulating Probability Unification". The findings of this study lay a foundation and offer technical support for the study of fatty acid trait breeding and the screening and grouping of characteristic dairy cows in China with rich, high-quality fatty acids. It is hoped that in the future, the method established in this study will be able to screen milk sources rich in high-quality fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital malformation of the aortic valve with various structural characteristics. Different types of BAV can cause secondary aortic diseases, including calcific aortic valve stenosis and aortic dilation, although their pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we first established patient-specific BAV simulation models and silicone models (Type 0 A-P, Type 1 R-N, and Type 1 L-R) based on clinical computed tomography angiography (CTA) and pressure data. Next, we applied a research method combining fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation and digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) experiment to quantitatively analyze the hemodynamic, structural mechanical, and flow field characteristics of patients with different BAV types. Simulation-based hemodynamic parameters and experimental results were consistent with clinical data, affirming the accuracy of the model. The location of the maximum principal strain in the patient-specific model was associated with the calcification site, which characterized the mechanism of secondary aortic valve stenosis. The maximum wall shear stress (WSS) of the patient-specific model (>67.1 Pa) exceeded 37.9 Pa and could cause endothelial surface injury as well as remodeling under long-term exposure, thus increasing the risk of aortic dilation. The distribution of WSS was mainly caused by BAV type, resulting in different degrees of dilation in different parts guided by the type. The patient-specific model revealed a maximum viscous shear stress (VSS) value of 5.23 Pa, which was smaller than the threshold for shear-induced hemolysis of red blood cells (150 Pa) and platelet activation (10 Pa), but close to the threshold for platelet sensitization (6 Pa). The results of flow field characteristics revealed a low risk of hemolysis but a relative high risk of thrombus formation in the patient-specific model. This study not only provides a basis for future comprehensive research on BAV diseases, but also generates relevant insights for theoretical guidance for calcific aortic valve stenosis and aortic dilation caused by different types of BAV, as well as biomechanical evidence for the potential risk of hemolysis and thrombus formation in BAV, which is of great value for clinical diagnosis and treatment of BAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion-like fullerenes (OLFs) have spherical and tunable shell structures that make them perfect solid lubricants, but their molecular mechanical properties are largely unknown as they are extremely difficult to measure. In this computational study, double-shelled OLFs C60@C180, C80@C180, C60@C240 and C80@C240 are subject to uniaxial elastic strains to obtain their mechanical response. Compressive and tensile elastic moduli are calculated using density functional theory with van der Waals correction. We found that the tensile elastic moduli of the single- and double-shelled fullerenes are always larger than the compressive ones by about 50% to 100%. Inserting C80 into C180 causes an increase in compressive elastic modulus from 96.8 GPa to 178.6 GPa, while inserting C60 into C240 cause much smaller increases. The key factor that determines the stiffening effects is the relative sizes of the inner and outer shells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human body that plays an important physiological function in life. Compared with inorganic selenium, organic selenium has high bioavailability and low toxicity, making it a superior source of selenium supplementation. Bioactive selenium-containing peptides are important forms of organic selenium, mainly be isolated from selenium-enriched plants and obtained from synthetic pathway, which have become a research hotspot in recent years due to their multiple healthful biological activities. In this review, the isolation and artificial chelating preparation, and the common sources of plant-derived bioactive selenium-containing peptides, as well as their various bioactivities such as antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anticancer, hypotensive are summarized. This review would provide a theoretical reference for the development and utilization of plant-derived bioactive seleniumcontaining peptides in functional foods and medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the limited supply of autologous bone grafts, there is a need to develop more bone matrix materials to repair bone defects. Xenograft bone is expected to be used for clinical treatment due to its exact structural similarity to natural bone and its high biocompatibility. In this study, decellularized antler cancellous bone matrix (DACB) was first prepared, and then the extent of decellularization of DACB was verified by histological staining, which demonstrated that it retained the extracellular matrix (ECM). The bioactivity of DACB was assessed using C3H10T1/2 cells, revealing that DACB enhanced cell proliferation and facilitated cell adhesion and osteogenic differentiation. When evaluated by implanting DACB into nude mice, there were no signs of necrosis or inflammation in the epidermal tissues. The bone repair effect of DACB was verified in vivo using sika deer during the antler growth period as an animal model, and the molecular mechanisms of bone repair were further evaluated by transcriptomic analysis of the regenerated tissues. Our findings suggest that the low immunogenicity of DACB enhances the production of bone extracellular matrix components, leading to effective osseointegration between bone and DACB. This study provides a new reference for solving bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed small crafts are extensively used in various environments. However, these planing vessels are prone to motion instabilities, particularly during turning and course-changing maneuvers. Understanding their behavior under a fixed yaw angle is crucial in the early design stages. This paper presents a numerical study to evaluate the influence of yaw angle on the hydrodynamic performance of high-speed planing hulls. The results indicate that the yaw angle has a significant influence on the hull's running attitudes, as well as hydrodynamic forces and moments. At large yaw angles, air is drawn into the roll-down side, resulting in a small dynamic wetted surface area in high-speed cases. A negative pressure region is observed under high-speed conditions, with asymmetric conditions accentuating (mitigating) this negative pressure region on the roll-down (roll-up) sides. The peaks of sectional lift and resistance are typically observed near the stagnation line in most cases. The sectional sway force is more pronounced behind the center of gravity when the planing speed is slightly above the critical velocity of the trim angle, resulting in a positive yaw moment and suggesting a trend toward a reduction in the yaw angle. It is evident that the aerodynamic resistance on the transom surface is considerable in high-speed cases. The understanding of these phenomena is crucial for the effectiveness of high-speed small craft designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders nowadays. Studies have shown that 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) can effectively improve depressive symptoms in mice. However, its mechanism needs to be further explored. In this study, we used an integrated approach combining network pharmacology and transcriptomics to explore the potential mechanisms of PPT for depression. First, the potential targets and pathways of PPT treatment of depression were screened through network pharmacology. Secondly, the BMKCloud platform was used to obtain brain tissue transcription data of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model mice and screen PPT-altered differential expression genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed using network pharmacology and transcriptomics. Finally, the above results were verified by molecular docking, Western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In this study, we demonstrated that PPT improved depression-like behavior and brain histopathological changes in CUMS mice, downregulated nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and elevated serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) after PPT treatment compared to the CUMS group. Eighty-seven potential targets and 350 DEGs were identified by network pharmacology and transcriptomics. Comprehensive analysis showed that transthyretin (TTR), klotho (KL), FOS, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway were closely associated with the therapeutic effects of PPT. Molecular docking results showed that PPT had a high affinity for PI3K, AKT, TTR, KL, and FOS targets. Gene and protein level results showed that PPT could increase the expression of PI3K, phosphorylation of PI3K (p-PI3K), AKT, phosphorylation of AKT (p-AKT), TTR, and KL and inhibit the expression level of FOS in the brain tissue of depressed mice. Our data suggest that PPT may achieve the treatment of depression by inhibiting the expression of FOS, enhancing the expression of TTR and KL, and modulating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of abnormalities and disorders in the central nervous system (CNS) and/or the peripheral nervous system (PNS). However, the complete pathogenesis of neural differentiation disorders caused by HCMV infection remains to be fully elucidated. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a high proliferation and neurogenic differentiation capacity. Since SHEDs originate from the neural crest of the early embryonic ectoderm, SHEDs were hypothesized to serve as a promising cell line for investigating the pathogenesis of neural differentiation disorders in the PNS caused by congenital HCMV infection. In this work, SHEDs were demonstrated to be fully permissive to HCMV infection and the virus was able to complete its life cycle in SHEDs. Under neurogenic inductive conditions, HCMV infection of SHEDs caused an abnormal neural morphology. The expression of stem/neural cell markers was also disturbed by HCMV infection. The impairment of neural differentiation was mainly due to a reduction of intracellular cholesterol levels caused by HCMV infection. Sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP2) is a critical transcription regulator that guides cholesterol synthesis. HCMV infection was shown to hinder the migration of SREBP2 into nucleus and resulted in perinuclear aggregations of SREBP2 during neural differentiation. Our findings provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of nervous system diseases caused by congenital HCMV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a CuPc/Bi-MOF cascade heterojunction is synthesized exhibiting an excellent NH3 yield (7.13 μg h−1 cm−2) and stability. Characterization studies show that the cascade heterostructure with a unique morphology and oxygen vacancies offers new insights into future photoelectrocatalytic material design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-LEDs (μLEDs) have advantages in terms of brightness, power consumption, and response speed. In addition, they can also be used as micro-sensors implanted in the body via flexible electronic skin. One of the key techniques involved in the fabrication of μLED-based devices is transfer printing. Although numerous methods have been proposed for transfer printing, improving the yield of μLED arrays is still a formidable task. In this paper, we propose a novel method for improving the yield of μLED arrays transferred by the stamping method, using an innovative design of piezoelectrically driven asymmetric micro-gripper. Traditional grippers are too large to manipulate μLEDs, and therefore two micro-sized cantilevers are added at the gripper tips. A μLED manipulation system is constructed based on the micro-gripper together with a three-dimensional positioning system. Experimental results using this system show that it can be used successfully to manipulate μLED arrays. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: HIGHLIGHTS • A piezoelectrically driven asymmetric micro-gripper is proposed. • A μLED manipulation system is constructed based on the micro-gripper together with a three-dimensional positioning system. • A single μLED array is manipulated by the proposed micro-gripper-based system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) serve as the immune system's primary transportation hub outside of the affected ablated tissue. This study aims to explore the transcriptomic profiling of the immune response in PBMCs induced by microwave ablation (MWA) in low-risk thyroid cancer. Methods. For eight patients diagnosed with low-risk thyroid cancer, 10 ml of peripheral venous blood was collected before MWA as well as one day and one month after MWA. mRNA was extracted from PBMCs for transcriptome next-generation gene sequencing and qRT-PCR analyses. The plasma samples were used for chemokine detection purposes. Results. One day and one month after MWA, there were significant changes in GSEA, particularly in the NF-kappa B-TNFα pathway, inflammatory response, and early and late estrogen response. Common changes in differently expressed genes resulted in a significant downregulation of tumor-promoting genes (BCL3, NR6A1, and PFKFB3). One day after low-risk thyroid cancer MWA, GO enrichment analysis mainly revealed processes related to oxygen transport and other pathways. One month after MWA, GO enrichment analysis mainly revealed regulation of toll-like receptor signaling and other pathways. Furthermore, inflammation-related cytokines and regulatory genes, as well as tumor-promoting cytokines and regulatory genes, were downregulated after MWA. Conclusions. This study presents a comprehensive profile of the systemic immune response induced by thermal ablation for treating low-risk thyroid cancer. More significantly, this study provides valuable insight into potential references for systemic antitumor immunity of ablation against low-risk thyroid cancer. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1900024544. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have proven that different tillage measures have significant different effects on soil structure, hydrology properties and soil erosion. However, few studies have clarified the dynamic changes in soil aggregate stability and infiltration properties during crop growth under four tillage measures. Methods: Four field plots (150 m x 15 m) managed by four tillage methods including wide ridge tillage (DT), no-tillage (NT), contour ridge tillage (CT) and traditional tillage (CK) were built in 2021 to evaluate their effects on dynamic changes of soil structure and water conductivity during crop growth. Soybean was the seasonal crop. Soil bulk density, soil porosity, soil aggregate stability and soil infiltration characteristics were measured to assess dynamic changes in soil aggregate stability and infiltration from June to October 2022. Results: The results showed that NT significantly increased soil bulk density by up to 21.62% compared with CK, while DT did not show significantly increase in soil bulk density. DT, NT and CT could greatly increase the capillary porosity and proportion of capillary porosity to total porosity. DT and NT also improved the stability of soil water-stable aggregates by 3.37% and 10.6%. In terms of soil infiltration properties, all three tillage methods increased the initial, stable and average infiltration rates by 8.4%-52.94%, of which the DT and NT showed the greatest improvement. The soil infiltration process of four tillage measures could be better fitted by Horton model than Kostiakov and Philip models. Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC) of CK exhibited a significant negative correlation with soil bulk density and capillary porosity, and showed a positive correlation with total porosity and geometric average diameter of water-stable aggregate (GMD), whereas the other three treatments only displayed a significant correlation with the stability of soil water-stable aggregate. Conclusion: The results suggest that DT, NT and CT have potential to improve soil structure and infiltration capacity compared with CK, and contribute to preventing and controlling soil erosion in sloping farmland of Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ongoing climate change is projected to intensify drought stress globally. Understanding the response mechanisms of Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz. (moso bamboo) to long-term drought is crucial, given its significance as a carbon sequestration resource. In this study, precipitation exclusion was implemented to simulate drought stress and we investigated the effects of long-term drought on the photosynthetic parameters, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency of moso bamboo. The results showed that throughout all growth seasons, the maximum net photosynthetic rates (Pmax) of bamboo at all ages under long-term drought conditions (after 8 years of precipitation exclusion treatment) were significantly lower than those of the control (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that long-term drought reduced the maximum photosynthetic capacity of the bamboo at all ages. Under long-term drought conditions, there were many seasons where the light saturation point (LSP) of first-degree (1–2 years old) bamboo and third-degree (5–6 years old) bamboo under drought was significantly lower than those of the control, while the LSP value of second-degree (3–4 years old) bamboo under drought was significantly higher than that of the control. This suggests that long-term drought reduced the ability of first-degree and third-degree bamboo to utilize strong light, while improving the ability of second-degree bamboo to utilize strong light in summer, autumn, and winter. Under long-term drought conditions, the light compensation point (LCP) and the apparent quantum efficiency (AQY) of the bamboo decreased. It can be concluded that long-term drought reduced the ability of first-degree bamboo to utilize weak light in all seasons, as well as the ability of second-degree bamboo to utilize weak light in spring and autumn; meanwhile, it improved the ability of second-degree bamboo to utilize weak light in summer and winter, and the ability of third-degree bamboo to utilize weak light in spring, summer, and autumn. In the high light range (PARi > 1000 µmol · m−2 · s−1), there were significant differences in stomatal conductance (gs) among different the different treatments of bamboo, which were influenced by both the growing season and the forest age. Compared to the control, under drought conditions, the stomatal conductance of third-degree bamboo increased in spring and that of the second-degree bamboo increased in autumn. The correlation analysis showed that the relationship between the stomatal conductance and vapor pressure deficit (VPDL) of bamboo under long-term drought conditions showed a significant polynomial relationship in both high and low light ranges. The correlation between the instantaneous water use efficiency (iWUE) and VPDL for the drought and control treatments of bamboo also showed a significant polynomial relationship in high light ranges. It was found that long-term drought changed the photosynthetic parameters of the bamboo, reflecting its ability to tolerate and adapt to drought in different seasons. Age-related differences in photosynthetic parameters should be fully considered in forest age structure adjustments and forest thinning procedures to strengthen the light intensity and maintain the opening of the stoma. These results provide a theoretical basis for the efficient and sustainable cultivation of bamboo under global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the mechanical factors for distal stent graft‐induced new entry (dSINE) in aortic dissection patients and discussed these factors in conjunction with aortic morphology. Two patients (one dSINE and one non‐dSINE), with the same age, gender, and type of implanted stent, were selected, then aortic morphological parameters were calculated. In addition, the stent material parameters used by the patients were also fitted. Simulations were performed based on the patient's aortic model and the stent graft used. The true lumen segment at the distal stent graft was designated as the "dSINE risk zone," and mechanical parameters (maximum principal strain, maximum principal stress) were computed. When approaching the area with higher mechanical parameters in the dSINE risk zone, dSINE patient exhibited higher values and growth rates in mechanical parameters compared to non‐dSINE patient. Furthermore, dSINE patient also presented larger aortic taper ratio, stent oversizing ratio, and expansion mismatch ratio of the distal true lumen (EMRDTR). The larger mechanical parameters and growth rates in dSINE patient corresponded to a greater aortic taper ratio, stent oversizing ratio, and EMRDTR. The failure of dSINE prediction by the stent tortuosity index indicated that mechanical parameters were the fundamental reasons for dSINE development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healing of skin wounds, myocardial, and spinal cord injuries in salamander, newt, and axolotl amphibians, and in mouse neonates, results in scar-free regeneration, whereas injuries in adult mice heal by fibrosis and scar formation. Although both types of healing are mediated by macrophages, regeneration in these amphibians and in mouse neonates also involves innate activation of the complement system. These differences suggest that localized complement activation in adult mouse injuries might induce regeneration instead of the default fibrosis and scar formation. Localized complement activation is feasible by antigen/antibody interaction between biodegradable nanoparticles presenting α-gal epitopes (α-gal nanoparticles) and the natural anti-Gal antibody which is abundant in humans. Administration of α-gal nanoparticles into injuries of anti-Gal-producing adult mice results in localized complement activation which induces rapid and extensive macrophage recruitment. These macrophages bind anti-Gal-coated α-gal nanoparticles and polarize into M2 pro-regenerative macrophages that orchestrate accelerated scar-free regeneration of skin wounds and regeneration of myocardium injured by myocardial infarction (MI). Furthermore, injection of α-gal nanoparticles into spinal cord injuries of anti-Gal-producing adult mice induces recruitment of M2 macrophages, that mediate extensive angiogenesis and axonal sprouting, which reconnects between proximal and distal severed axons. Thus, α-gal nanoparticle treatment in adult mice mimics physiologic regeneration in amphibians. These studies further suggest that α-gal nanoparticles may be of significance in the treatment of human injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Study aims to investigate the consistency of delayed enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (DE-CMR) and 18F-FDG PET myocardial imaging in evaluating myocardial viability before CABG. Methods: The study analyzed data from 100 patients who were examined with DE-CMR, PET imaging, and echocardiography before and after CABG. All subjects were followed up for 6–12 month post- CABG. Results: DE-CMR and PET imaging have high consistency (90.1%; Kappa value = 0.71, p < 0.01) in determining myocardial viability. The degree of delayed enhancement was negatively correlated with the improvement in myocardial contractile function in this segment after revascularization (P < 0.001). The ratio of scarred myocardial segments and total DE score was significantly lower in the improvement group than non-improvement group. Multivariate regression identified that hibernating myocardium (OR = 1.229, 95%CI: 1.053–1.433, p = 0.009) was influencing factor of LVEF improvement after CABG. Conclusion: Both imaging techniques are consistent in evaluating myocardial viability. Detecting the number of hibernating myocardium by PET is also important to predict the left heart function improvement after CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to overcome the problem of pesticide resistance, it is necessary to discover novel pesticides with new mechanisms of action. Herein, a series of novel pyrimidin‐4‐amine derivatives containing trifluoroethyl sulfide moiety were designed and synthesized. Bioassays indicated that the title compounds synthesized possessed excellent acaricidal activity against Tetranychus urticae and fungicidal activity against Erysiphe graminis and Puccinia sorghi. Especially, the acaricidal activity of 5‐chloro‐6‐(difluoromethyl)‐N‐(2‐(2‐fluoro‐4‐methyl‐5‐((2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)thio)phenoxy)ethyl)pyrimidin‐4‐amine (compound T4, LC50 = 0.19 mg/L) against T. urticae was close to commercial acaricide cyenopyrafen, and the fungicidal activity of 5‐chloro‐6‐(difluoromethyl)‐2‐methyl‐N‐(2‐(3‐((2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)thio)phenoxy)ethyl)pyrimidin‐4‐amine (compound T15, EC50 = 1.32 mg/L) against P. sorghi. was superior to commercial fungicide tebuconazole. The synthesis and characterization of these compounds were given and the structure–activity relationships were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing stable and efficient nonprecious‐metal‐based oxygen evolution catalysts in the neutral electrolyte is a challenging but essential goal for various electrochemical systems. Particularly, cobalt‐based spinels have drawn a considerable amount of attention but most of them operate in alkali solutions. However, the frequently studied Co–Fe spinel system never exhibits appreciable stability in nonbasic conditions, not to mention attract further investigation on its key structural motif and transition states for activity loss. Herein, we report exceptional stable Co–Fe spinel oxygen evolution catalysts (~30% Fe is optimal) in a neutral electrolyte, owing to its unique metal ion arrangements in the crystal lattice. The introduced iron content enters both the octahedral and tetrahedral sites of the spinel as Fe2+ and Fe3+ (with Co ions having mixed distribution as well). Combining density functional theory calculations, we find that the introduction of Fe to Co3O4 lowers the covalency of metal‐oxygen bonds and can help suppress the oxidation of Co2+/3+ and O2−. It implies that the Co–Fe spinel will have minor surface reconstruction and less lattice oxygen loss during the oxygen evolution reaction process in comparison with Co3O4 and hence show much better stability. These findings suggest that there is still much chance for the spinel structures, especially using reasonable sublattices engineering via multimetal doping to develop advanced oxygen evolution catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of poor heat resistance, deformation, and swelling, a turning test of polycarbonate was carried out under dry cutting, water cooling, ultra-low temperature cooling, and the shape of the surface was analyzed. The morphological differences of machined surfaces were explained from the perspective of relaxation time of molecular chains, crazing generation, and brittle-toughness transition. It is found that, on polycarbonate surfaces, dry cutting produces a large number f strong crazing, water-cooled cutting produced a large number of fine crazing, while the ultra-low temperature cooling cutting produces less crazing. Therefore, ultra-low temperature cooling has a positive effect on improving the processing quality of polycarbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanation has attracted considerable attention in organic synthesis because nitriles are key structural motifs in numerous important dyes, agrochemicals, natural products and drug molecules. As the fourth generation of cyanating reagents, isocyanides occupy a prominent place in the synthesis of nitriles due to their favorable stability, easy operability and high reactivity. In recent years, three types of cyanation with isocyanides have been established: the cleavage of the C–NC bond of tertiary alkyl isocyanides (Type I), the rearrangement of aryl isocyanides with azides (Type II), and the reductive cyanation of ketones with α-acidic isocyanides (Type III). This review focuses on advances in cyanation with isocyanides with an emphasis on reaction scope, limitations and mechanisms, which could reveal their remarkable value and superiority for accessing various nitriles. In addition, the future development prospects of this specific field are also introduced. We believe that this feature article will serve as a comprehensive tool to navigate cyanation with isocyanides across the vast area of synthetic chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate potential improvements in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules when conventional ultrasound (US) is combined with contrast-enhanced US (CEUS). Methods We recruited 515 participants with 323 malignant and 192 benign nodules, who underwent both US and CEUS examinations at 8 different medical centers in China between October 2020 and October 2021. We assessed the malignancy of thyroid nodules in US using the American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS). Diagnostic criteria for US and US + CEUS were developed by investigators based on evaluations of sonographic features. Using multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, we compared diagnostic performance between the 2 methods based on criteria identified by investigators and via statistical models. Results On the basis of diagnostic criteria identified by investigators, we measured statistically significant differences in area under the curve (AUC) values between ACR TIRADS (0.83) and CEUS TIRADS (0.87; P <.001). On the basis of diagnostic regression models, we found statistically significant differences in AUC values between US (0.76) and US + CEUS (0.84; P =.001). Models based on US + CEUS outperformed those based on US alone (Akaike information criterion of 347.7 and significant improvement in integrated discrimination). These results were confirmed by similar analyses applied to a validation cohort. Conclusion The accuracy of conventional US for differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules can be improved by combining this approach with CEUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintenance of proteome integrity is essential for cell function and survival in changing cellular and environmental conditions. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the major site for the synthesis of secretory and membrane proteins. However, the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins can perturb ER protein homeostasis, leading to ER stress and compromising cellular function. Eukaryotic organisms have evolved sophisticated and conserved protein quality control systems to ensure protein folding fidelity via the unfolded protein response (UPR) and to eliminate potentially harmful proteins via ER-associated degradation (ERAD) and ER-phagy. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of ER protein homeostasis in plants and discuss the crosstalk between different quality control systems. Finally, we will address unanswered questions in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is a common degenerative disease which has a great impact on people's daily lives, but there is still a certain market gap in the drug research about it. Palmatine, one of the main components of Huangteng, the rattan stem of Fibraurea recisa Pierre (Menispermaceae), has potential in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of palmatine on amyloid beta protein 25–35-induced rat pheochromocytoma cells and AD mice and to investigate its mechanism of action. CCK8 assays, ELISA, the Morris water maze assay, fluorescent probes, calcein/PI staining, immunofluorescent staining and Western blot analysis were used. The experimental results show that palmatine can increase the survival rate of Aβ25-35-induced PC12 cells and mouse hippocampal neurons, reduce apoptosis, reduce the content of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, GSH, SOD, MDA and ROS, improve the learning and memory ability of AD mice, inhibit the expression of Keap-1 and Bax, and promote the expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and Bcl-2. We conclude that palmatine can ameliorate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation produced by Aβ25-35-induced PC12 cells and mice by modulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that palmatine may have a potential therapeutic effect on AD and could be further investigated as a promising therapeutic agent for AD. It provides a theoretical basis for the development of related drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viologens, a typical group of electrochromic materials, show rich color changes under the external electrical stimulus. Recently, some of the viologen derivatives are reported to exhibit good luminescent performance. However, their luminescence colors are difficult to adjust owing to the strong electron‐accepting properties of viologens, which seriously hinders their applications in smart light‐emitting devices. In this work, the color/emission dual‐switchable viologen derivative Phen‐vio is designed and synthesized by introducing fluorophore 1,10‐phenanthroline into 4,4′‐bipyridine, for multicolor large‐area and patterned electrochromic/electrofluorochromic devices. Under voltage driving of −2.3 and −2.8 V, the devices exhibited reversible color and fluorescence color changes from light yellow to dark orange to dark blue, and from yellow to orange to green, respectively. Moreover, the devices displayed a high color contrast ratio of up to 77% at 600 nm. More importantly, the driving voltages of the devices do not vary with the change of the device area, which is huge application potential in smart windows and tags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical use of dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging (D-MPI) of cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) cardiac-dedicated SPECT is growing, showing a higher application value than conventional SPECT. The prognostic value of ischemia in patients with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) remains an important challenge for investigation. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) measured with low-dose D-MPI of CZT cardiac-dedicated SPECT in the assessment of patients with INOCA. Methods: Consecutive screening of patients with INOCA and obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD) who had coronary angiography (CAG) data was performed within three months before or after D-MPI imaging. The patients who met the inclusion criteria were retrospectively analyzed and follow-up by telephone was performed. The enrolled patients were then divided into the INOCA and OCAD groups. INOCA was defined as signs and/or symptoms of myocardial ischemia but with < 50% epicardial stenosis. OCAD was defined as obstructive stenosis (≥ 50% stenosis) of epicardial coronary arteries or their major branches on the CAG. Medical treatments, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were studied. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve, Log-rank test, and univariable COX regression analysis were used to evaluate the prognosis of patients and associated predictors, with P < 0.05 being considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 303 patients (159 males and 144 females) were enrolled for the final analysis after excluding 24 patients who were lost to follow-up. The mean age of the included cases was 61.94 ± 8.59 years, of which 203 (67.0%) cases were OCAD and 100 (33.0%) cases were INOCA, respectively. The median follow-up was 16 months (14-21 months). Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed that the incidence of MACE was similar in the INOCA and OCAD groups (log-rank P = 0.2645), while those with reduced MFR showed a higher incidence of MACE than those with normal MFR (log-rank P = 0.0019). The subgroup analysis in the OCAD group revealed that 105 patients with reduced MFR had a higher incidence of MACE than those with normal MFR (log-rank P = 0.0226). The subgroup analysis in the INOCA group showed that 37 patients with reduced MFR had a higher incidence of MACE than those with normal MFR in the INOCA group (log-rank P = 0.0186). Univariable Cox regression analysis showed for every 1 unit increase in MFR, the risk of MACE for INOCA was reduced by 66.1% and that for OCAD by 64.2%. For each 1 mL·g−1·min−1 increase in LV-sMBF, the risk of MACE was reduced by 72.4% in INOCA patients and 63.6% in OCAD patients. Conclusions: MFR measured with low-dose D-MPI CZT SPECT provides incremental prognostic value in patients with INOCA. Patients with reduced MFR show an increased risk of MACE, increased symptom burdens, and impaired quality of life. INOCA patients with reduced MFR experienced higher rate of MACE than OCAD patients with normal MFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological-related disorders are diseases that affect the body's neurons or peripheral nerve tissue, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of neurological disorders can cause serious harm to the quality of life and functioning of the patient. The use of traditional therapeutic agents such as dopamine-promoting drugs, anticholinergic drugs, cholinesterase inhibitors, and NMDA receptor antagonists is often accompanied by a series of side effects such as drug resistance, cardiac arrhythmia, liver function abnormalities, and blurred vision. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find a therapeutic drug with a high safety profile and few side effects. Herbal medicines are rich in active ingredients that are natural macromolecules. Ginsenoside is the main active ingredient of ginseng, which has a variety of pharmacological effects and is considered to have potential value in the treatment of human diseases. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that ginsenosides Rg2 and Rh1 have strong pharmacological activities in the nervous system, with protective effects on nerve cells, improved resistance to neuronal injury, modulation of neural activity, resistance to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, improvement of brain damage after eclampsia hemorrhage, improvement of memory and cognitive deficits, treatment of AD and vascular dementia, alleviation of anxiety, pain, and inhibition of ionic-like behavior. In this article, we searched the pharmacological research literature of Rg2 and Rh1 in the field of neurological diseases, summarized the latest research progress of the two ginsenosides, and reviewed the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of Rg2 and Rh1, which provided a new way of thinking for the research of the active ingredients in ginseng anti-neurological diseases and the development of new drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper numerically investigates the vortex and film composite cooling performance under rotating conditions. The cooling performance of the adiabatic and conjugate models is compared under the range of 0–4000 r/min. The conjugate model contains the fluid region: the cascade, the film holes, and the internal vortex cooling chamber, as well as the solid region: the blade material between the internal flow and the mainstream flow. The adiabatic model is established by removing the blade material part in the conjugate model. The dimensionless temperature θ inversely proportional to the temperature is adopted. Results show that the blade leading edge temperature doesn't vary linearly with the rotating speed. The stagnation line of the mainstream flow on the blade leading edge moves from the pressure surface to the suction surface. The maximum θ appears at 1500 r/min when the stagnation line stays certainly on the row of film holes located on the pressure surface and is 7.86% higher than the minimum θ. The minimum θ appears at 2500 r/min when the stagnation line stays on the position between the rows of film holes. The distribution of θ is much uniform, and the value of θ is much higher in the conjugate cases than the adiabatic cases due to the heat conduction through the blade material. The highest aerodynamic parameter appears at 2000 r/min due to its relatively low blade leading edge temperature and low coolant consumption and is 41% higher than the aerodynamic parameter at 0 r/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous research identified the Kruppel like factor 6 (KLF6) gene as a prospective candidate for milk production traits in dairy cattle. The expression of KLF6 in the livers of Holstein cows during the peak of lactation was significantly higher than that during the dry and early lactation periods. Notably, it plays an essential role in activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) signaling pathways. The primary aim of this study was to further substantiate whether the KLF6 gene has significant genetic effects on milk traits in dairy cattle. Results: Through direct sequencing of PCR products with pooled DNA, we totally identified 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the KLF6 gene. The set of SNPs encompasses 7 located in 5′ flanking region, 2 located in exon 2 and 3 located in 3′ untranslated region (UTR). Of these, the g.44601035G > A is a missense mutation that resulting in the replacement of arginine (CGG) with glutamine (CAG), consequently leading to alterations in the secondary structure of the KLF6 protein, as predicted by SOPMA. The remaining 7 regulatory SNPs significantly impacted the transcriptional activity of KLF6 following mutation (P < 0.005), manifesting as changes in transcription factor binding sites. Additionally, 4 SNPs located in both the UTR and exons were predicted to influence the secondary structure of KLF6 mRNA using the RNAfold web server. Furthermore, we performed the genotype-phenotype association analysis using SAS 9.2 which found all the 12 SNPs were significantly correlated to milk yield, fat yield, fat percentage, protein yield and protein percentage within both the first and second lactations (P < 0.0001 ~ 0.0441). Also, with Haploview 4.2 software, we found the 12 SNPs linked closely and formed a haplotype block, which was strongly associated with five milk traits (P < 0.0001 ~ 0.0203). Conclusions: In summary, our study represented the KLF6 gene has significant impacts on milk yield and composition traits in dairy cattle. Among the identified SNPs, 7 were implicated in modulating milk traits by impacting transcriptional activity, 4 by altering mRNA secondary structure, and 1 by affecting the protein secondary structure of KLF6. These findings provided valuable molecular insights for genomic selection program of dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biosynthesis of C27–29 sterols from their C30 precursor squalene involves C24-alkylation and the removal of three methyl groups, including two at the C4 position. The two C4 demethylation reactions require a bifunctional enzyme known as 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/C4-decarboxylase (3βHSD/D), which removes an oxidized methyl (carboxylic) group at C4 while simultaneously catalyzing the 3β-hydroxyl→3-keto oxidation. Its loss-of-function mutations cause ergosterol-dependent growth in yeast and congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defect (CHILD) syndrome in humans. Although plant 3βHSD/D enzymes were well studied enzymatically, their developmental functions remain unknown. Here we employed a CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-editing approach to generate knockout mutants for two Arabidopsis 3βHSD/D genes, HSD1 and HSD2, and discovered the male gametophytic lethality for the hsd1 hsd2 double mutation. Pollen-specific expression of HSD2 in the heterozygous hsd1 hsd2/+ mutant not only rescued the pollen lethality but also revealed the critical roles of the two HSD genes in embryogenesis. Our study thus demonstrated the essential functions of the two Arabidopsis 3βHSD/D genes in male gametogenesis and embryogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. This study aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets based on the expression profiles of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in TNBC. Methods: The Limma package was used to identify DEGs in TCGA and GEO datasets. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and western blotting were used to determine the expression of ZDHHC9 in TNBC tissues. Flow cytometry assay and tissue immunofluorescence analysis were used to detect infiltration of multiple immune cells in tumor tissue at different levels of ZDHHC9 expression. Results: ZDHHC9 was identified as a key factor associated with resistance to ICB therapy through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Subsequently, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and western blotting verified that ZDHHC9 expression was elevated in TNBC cancer tissues and that elevated expression of ZDHHC9 was associated with the poor survival of patients with TNBC. Analysis of data from several public datasets revealed that patients with high ZDHHC9 expression had an increased proportion of Ki-67 + breast cancer cells and tended to be basal-like breast cancer. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that high expression of ZDHHC9 significantly predicted the efficacy and responsiveness of immunotherapy in TNBC. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ZDHHC9 is a valuable marker for guiding the classification, diagnosis and prognosis of TNBC and developing specific targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile protocol for the preparation of indole–isoindole derivatives was developed and proceeds via a palladium-catalyzed [3+2] cyclization of isocyanides with alkynyl imines. In this transformation, the palladium catalyst has a triple role, serving simultaneously as a π acid, a transition-metal catalyst and a hydride ion donor, thus enabling the dual function of isocyanide both as a C1 synthon for cyanation and a C1N1 synthon for imidoylation. Significantly, the reaction is the sole successful example for accessing indole–isoindole derivatives, and will open up new avenues to assemble unique N-heterocycle frameworks. Furthermore, the synthetic value of this protocol is demonstrated in the late-stage modification of physiologically active molecules and in the construction of aggregation-induced emission compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a toxic food/feed contaminant and the liver is its main target organ, thus it poses a great danger to organisms. Dihydromyricetin (DHM), a natural flavonoid compound, can be used as a food additive with high safety and has been shown to have strong hepatoprotective effects. In this experiment, PPI network and KEGG pathway analysis were constructed by network pharmacological analysis technique using software and platforms such as Swiss, String, and David and Cytoscape. We screened AFB1 and DHM cross-targets and pathways of action, followed by molecular docking based on the strength of binding affinity of genes to DHM. In addition, we exposed AFB1 (200 μg/kg) to mice to establish a liver injury model. Histological observation, biochemical assay, oxidative stress indicator assay, TUNEL staining and Western blot were used to evaluate the liver injury. Network pharmacological results were screened to obtain 25 cross-targets of action and 20 pathways of action. It was found that DHM may exert anti-hepatic injury effects by inhibiting the overexpression of Caspase-3 protein and increasing the expression of Bcl-2 protein. DHM (200 mg/kg) was found to reduce AFB1-induced liver indices such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate acyltransferase (AST), and attenuate hepatic histopathological damage through animal models. Importantly, DHM inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in liver tissue and attenuated AFB1-induced oxidative stress injury by increasing glutathione-S-transferase (GST) glutathione (GPX) catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Meanwhile, DHM also restored the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and antioxidant proteins, Nrf2, Keap1 and its downstream HO-1, and down-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Caspase-3 in AFB1-induced liver tissues. The results confirmed that liver injury caused by AFB1 exposure could be alleviated by DHM, providing valuable guidance for in-depth study of DHM in the treatment of liver-related diseases, and laying the foundation for in-depth development and utilization of DHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain homogeneous Sanghuangporus vaninii polysaccharides with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, a response surface method (RSM) was used to compare the polysaccharide extraction rate of hot water extraction and ultrasonic-assisted extraction from Sanghuangporus vaninii. The optimal conditions for ultrasonic-assisted extraction were determined as follows: an extraction temperature of 60 °C, an extraction time of 60 min, a solid–liquid ratio of 40 g/mL, and an ultrasonic power of 70 W. An SVP (Sanghuangporus vaninii polysaccharides) extraction rate of 1.41% was achieved. Five homogeneous monosaccharides were obtained by gradient ethanol precipitation with diethylaminoethyl–cellulose (DEAE) and SephadexG-100 separation and purification. The five polysaccharides were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography, the ultraviolet spectrum, the Fourier transform infrared spectrum, TG (thermogravimetric analysis), the Zeta potential, and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The five polysaccharides had certain levels of antioxidant activity in vitro. In addition, we the investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharides derived from Sanghuangporus vaninii on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells and Kupffer cells. Further, we found that SVP-60 significantly inhibited the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells and promoted the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Our study provides theoretical support for the potential application of Sanghuangporus vaninii in the field of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control performance of quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in complex environments can be affected by external disturbances and other factors. In this paper, an adaptive neural network backstepping controller based on the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is designed for a quadrotor UAV with internal uncertainties, input–output constraints and external disturbances. Radial basis function neural networks are used to approximate the uncertainties in the dynamic model of the UAV, while the minimum parameter learning method is combined to accelerate the adjustment speed of neural network weights. A robust term is designed to balance the total system disturbance and improve the anti-interference performance. The BLF is used to handle the output constraint so that the constrained parameters cannot break the predefined constraints. An auxiliary system is introduced to solve input saturation and avoid the dependence of tracking error on the input amplitude in the method of approximating input saturation using the smoothing function. The stability of the control system is demonstrated by the Lyapunov method. The simulation results show that the proposed method has high tracking accuracy compared with the backstepping dynamic surface control method, and the input and output are in the predefined range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) isolator composed of a curved beam (as spider foot) and a linear spring (as spider muscle) inspired by the precise capturing ability of spiders in vibrating environments. The curved beam is simplified as an inclined horizontal spring, and a static analysis is carried out to explore the effects of different structural parameters on the stiffness performance of the QZS isolator. The finite element simulation analysis verifies that the QZS isolator can significantly reduce the first-order natural frequency under the load in the QZS region. The harmonic balance method (HBM) is used to explore the effects of the excitation amplitude, damping ratio, and stiffness coefficient on the system's amplitude-frequency response and transmissibility performance, and the accuracy of the analytical results is verified by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta integral method (RK-4). The experimental data of the QZS isolator prototype are fitted to a nine-degree polynomial, and the RK-4 can theoretically predict the experimental results. The experimental results show that the QZS isolator has a lower initial isolation frequency and a wider isolation frequency bandwidth than the equivalent linear isolator. The frequency sweep test of prototypes with different harmonic excitation amplitudes shows that the initial isolation frequency of the QZS isolator is 3 Hz, and it can isolate 90% of the excitation signal at 7 Hz. The proposed biomimetic spider-like QZS isolator has high application prospects and can provide a reference for optimizing low-frequency or ultra-low-frequency isolators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates an FPGA architecture whose primary function is to accelerate parallel computations involved in the rapid-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm. The RRT algorithm is inherently serial, while in each computing step there are many computations that can be executed simultaneously. Nevertheless, how to carry out these parallel computations on an FPGA so that a high degree of acceleration can be realized is the key issue. Membrane computing is a parallel computing paradigm inspired from the structures and functions of eukaryotic cells. As a newly proposed membrane computing model, the generalized numerical P system (GNPS) is intrinsically parallel; so, it is a good candidate for modeling parallel computations in the RRT algorithm. Open problems for the FPGA implementation of the RRT algorithm and GNPS include: (1) whether it possible to model the RRT with GNPS; (2) if yes, how to design such an FPGA architecture to achieve a better speedup; and (3) instead of implementing GNPSs with a fixed-point-number format, how to devise a GNPS FPGA architecture working with a floating-point-number format. In this paper, we modeled the RRT with a GNPS at first, showing that it is feasible to model the RRT with a GNPS. An FPGA architecture was fabricated according to the GNPS-modeled RRT. In this architecture, computations, which can be executed in parallel, are accommodated in different inner membranes of the GNPS. These membranes are designed as Verilog modules in the register transfer level model. All the computations within a membrane are triggered by the same clock impulse to implement parallel computing. The proposed architecture is validated by implementing it on the Xilinx VC707 FPGA evaluation board. Compared with the software simulation of the GNPS-modeled RRT, the FPGA architecture achieves a speedup of a 10 4 order of magnitude. Although this speedup is obtained on a small map, it reveals that this architecture promises to accelerate the RRT algorithm to a higher level compared with the previously reported architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate an AI (artificial intelligence)-aid method in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) to differentiate ischemia in coronary artery disease. Methods: We retrospectively selected 599 patients who had received gated-MPI protocol. Images were acquired using hybrid SPECT-CT systems. A training set was used to train and develop the neural network and a validation set was used to test the predictive ability of the neural network. We used a learning technique named "YOLO" to carry out the training process. We compared the predictive accuracy of AI with that of physician interpreters (beginner, inexperienced, and experienced interpreters). Results: Training performance showed that the accuracy ranged from 66.20% to 94.64%, the recall rate ranged from 76.96% to 98.76%, and the average precision ranged from 80.17% to 98.15%. In the ROC analysis of the validation set, the sensitivity range was 88.9 ~ 93.8%, the specificity range was 93.0 ~ 97.6%, and the AUC range was 94.1 ~ 96.1%. In the comparison between AI and different interpreters, AI outperformed the other interpreters (most P-value < 0.05). Conclusion: The AI system of our study showed excellent predictive accuracy in the diagnosis of MPI protocols, and therefore might be potentially helpful to aid radiologists in clinical practice and develop more sophisticated models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although having attracted growing interest, the design and preparation of metal–organic crystalline nanotube arrays (MO-CNAs) remains a challenge. Herein, a Pb⋯S metal–nonmetal secondary interaction strategy was proposed to prepare a Pb(II)-based MO-CNA (Pb-HTT), endowing Pb-HTT with high thermal/chemical stability, a porous structure, and open metal sites. With unique unsaturated metal centers for guest accommodation, Pb-HTT exhibited the best sensing performance with both response time <0.1 min and theoretical limit of detection <0.1 ppb in comparison to all reported room-temperature NO2 chemiresistive sensing materials. It also showed highly selective sensing toward NO2 among 10 interfering gases. The experimental XANES data and theoretical calculation verified the exact active sites of Pb centers on Pb-HTT and revealed the sensing mechanism. Notably, this study not only provides a useful metal–nonmetal secondary interaction strategy for the construction of MO-CNAs, but also accelerates the application of semiconducting CNAs in structure-directed functional electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on surface runoff and soil moisture in the source region of the Yellow River is analyzed, which will provide a scientific basis for the rational use and protection of water resources in the source area. In this paper, the SWAT hydrological model was coupled with the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) to predict future changes in surface runoff and soil moisture in the source region of the Yellow River. The prediction of surface runoff and soil moisture in the Yellow River Basin was analyzed by a linear regression model. The SWAT model rate had a calibration period R2 of 0.876 and a validation period R2 of 0.972. The trend of surface runoff and annual mean temperature in the source region of the Yellow River from 2011 to 2022 showed an overall increasing trend, and soil moisture showed a general decreasing trend. 2011–2022 trends between surface runoff and annual mean temperature in the source region of the Yellow River showed a highly significant difference, indicating that surface runoff flow was significantly influenced by temperature. The difference between the trends in soil moisture and the annual mean temperature was highly significant. The surface runoff fluctuated greatly in different years, and the surface runoff changed greatly in different scenarios of CMIP5 (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5). For all three climate change scenarios, the surface runoff displayed a downward trend. The surface runoff showed a similar uneven distribution for all scenarios on a yearly cycle. Under the three climate scenarios, the runoff was highest between May and August, with a slowly increasing trend from January to April and a slightly decreasing trend from September to December. The interannual and interannual distribution of soil water was basically consistent with the distribution of surface runoff, and there was an overall trend in the length of all soil water reduction scenarios. Surface runoff and soil moisture are and will be greatly affected by climate change (mainly temperature and precipitation). Under the three climate scenarios, the precipitation increases to some extent, but the surface runoff and soil moisture will both decrease, which may be attributed to the greater evaporation than the precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]