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The grading of products is important in many ways. One of the important activities after harvesting agricultural products is product grading based on shape and color dimensions. This activity in the agricultural transformation industries, Bas Controller, improves various processes on fruits and vegetables with the same dimensions, which improves the storage conditions of the product, creates added value for the farmer, and gives the consumer the power to choose. The main focus of this study is the application of image processing in the field of identification and classification of fruits. It is an application that has received much less attention than other applications of image processing. The proposed systems presented in this article, are software solutions based on image processing techniques, including histogram matching techniques, for detection, Sable edge detection algorithms, Private edge and Kenny edge, Otsu threshold limit, and clustering method It is an automatic mean and classification of different degrees of fruit. In addition, it has been mentioned more about the examination and description of product grading and clustering methods, that by using the proposed application hardware and its connection with the software, a big step can be taken in product quality grading. This method can be used in product classification and packaging. The accuracy rate for peaches, lemons, apples, and tomatoes is 94.58%, 88.23%, 70%, and 93.33%, respectively. The best accuracy for all 20 sample levels is for peach fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When mineral resources are extracted using underground mining methods in hilly regions, landslides or slope failures can be induced frequently. In this study, slope collapse disasters in mountain mining areas were analyzed. The model test and numerical simulation of the slope impacted by repeated mining were carried out. The crack evolution and failure process were analyzed to reveal the instability mechanism. The results show that the rock mass would topple to the inside of the slope first, when the subsidence of overlying rock was induced by the mining of the upper coal seam. When repeated mining was performed in the lower coal seam, the mining induced macro-cracks that could connect with natural fissures, inducing the outward displacement of the slope. Then, the rock mass at the foot of the slope has to bear the upper load, which is also squeezed out by the collapsed rock mass, forming the potential slip zone. Finally, the instability is caused by the shear slip of the slope toe rock mass. Therefore, the instability evolution of the slope under underground repeated mining disturbance can be divided into four stages as follows: roof caving and overlaying rock subsidence, joint rock toppling, fracture penetration, and slope toe shearing and slope slipping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstructed atomic insulator is recently proposed as an unconventional material, in which electric charge centers localized at sites away from the atoms. A half-filling surface state would emerge at specific interfaces cutting through these charge centers and avoid intersecting any atoms. In this article, we utilized photoemission spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations to study one of the obstructed atomic insulator candidates, NiP2. A floating surface state with large effective mass that is close to the Fermi level and isolated from all bulk states is resolved on the (100) cleavage plane, implying better catalytic activity in this plane than the previously studied surfaces. Density functional theory calculation results elucidate that this floating surface state is originated from the obstructed Wannier charge centers, albeit underwent surface reconstruction. Our findings not only shed lights on the study of obstructed atomic insulators, but also provide possible route for development of new catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) is reported increasingly often in young women, and this aggressive disease lacks effective methods of targeted therapy. Since mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) is an important biomarker for predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, it is important to investigate the clinicopathological features and immune microenvironment of dMMR ECAs. We assessed 617 ECAs from representative tissue microarray sections, gathered clinicopathologic information, reviewed histological characteristics, and performed immunohistochemical staining for MMR, programmed cell death 1 (PD-L1), and other immune markers. Of 617 ECA samples, 20 (3.2%) cases had dMMR. Among them, loss of MMR-related proteins expression was observed in 17/562 (3.0%) human papilloma virus-associated (HPVA) adenocarcinoma and 3/55 (5.5%) non-HPV-associated (NHPVA) adenocarcinoma. In NHPVA cohort, dMMR status was observed in 3 (3/14, 15.0%) patients with clear cells. dMMR ECAs had a higher tendency to have a family history of cancer, larger tumor size, p16 negative, HPV E6/E7 mRNA in situ hybridization (HPV E6/E7 RNAscope) negative, and lower ki-67 index. Among the morphological variables evaluated, poor differentiation, necrosis, stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, peritumoral lymphocytes, and lymphoid follicles were easily recognized in the dMMR ECAs. In addition, dMMR ECAs had higher CD3+, CD8+, CD38+, CD68+ and PD-1+ immune cells. A relatively high prevalence of PD-L1 expression was observed in dMMR ECAs. dMMR ECAs were significantly more likely to present with a tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes -high/PD-L1-positive status. In conclusion, dMMR ECAs have some specific morphological features and a critical impact on the immune microenvironment, which may provide insights into improving responses to immunotherapy-included comprehensive treatment for ECAs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is sudden, recurrent, and transient central nervous system dysfunction caused by abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain. Ferroptosis and pyroptosis are newly discovered ways of programmed cell death. One of the characteristics of ferroptosis is the oxidative stress generated by lipid peroxides. Similarly, pyroptosis has unique pro-inflammatory properties. As both oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are significant contributors to the pathogenesis of epilepsy, increasing evidence shows that ferroptosis and pyroptosis are closely related to epilepsy. This article reviews the current comprehension of ferroptosis and pyroptosis and elucidates potential mechanisms by which ferroptosis and pyroptosis may contribute to epilepsy. In addition, we also highlight the possible interactions between ferroptosis and pyroptosis because they reportedly coexist in many diseases, and increasing studies have demonstrated the convergence of pathways between the two. This is of great significance for explaining the occurrence and development of epilepsy and provides a new therapeutic perspective for the treatment of epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional measurement of drilling fluid rheological parameters suffers from significant lag due to the inability of the instruments to promptly capture real-time parameters of the drilling fluid. These measurement models are typically constructed based on fixed temperature conditions and empirical formulas, rendering them inadequate for complex temperature gradient environments. Consequently, this limitation results in increased prediction errors, severely compromising the precise monitoring of drilling fluid performance. Aiming at the problems of low accuracy and poor stability of drilling fluid measurements under variable temperature conditions, a support vector machine-based calibration model for drilling fluid rheological parameters in a variable temperature environment is proposed in this paper. First, the measurement principle of the double-tube differential pressure rheology real-time measurement device is analyzed. The relationship between shear stress and shear rate is then established using differential pressure sensor and flow rate data. Utilizing the gray wolf optimization algorithm to optimize the kernel function weights and parameters, an SVM-based calibration model for predicting drilling fluid rheology correction parameters is constructed. Finally, a real-time monitoring platform for drilling fluid is developed. Experimental results show that the maximum relative errors for the predictions of apparent viscosity, plastic viscosity, and yield point are within ±5%, with coefficients of determination (R2) all greater than 0.95. These results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in accurately monitoring the rheological performance of drilling fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify key factors influencing the therapeutic efficacy of the ketogenic diet (KD) for children with drug‐resistant epilepsy and elucidate their interconnected relationships to optimize clinical practice. Methods: Participants were selected from children receiving KD treatment at West Second University Hospital of Sichuan University from September 2015 to October 2023. Clinical factors pre‐KD and post‐KD (at the third month) were analyzed systematically using an analytical framework. Descriptive analyses, univariate analyses, and multivariate regression analyses were performed for the entire cohort and subgroups of genetic and non‐genetic (i.e., structural and unknown) etiologies. Thereby, the most significant predictors were identified for each relevant dependent variable. Path analysis diagrams were used for visual representation. Results: Of 156 patients, genetic etiology was prevalent (38.5%). In the genetic subgroup, channelopathies predicted lower baseline seizure frequency and increased chance of seizure freedom with KD. Frequent seizures and complex history of anti‐seizure medications (ASMs) predicted severe baseline psychomotor abnormalities. Younger age at KD initiation benefited psychomotor improvement. In the non‐genetic subgroup, lower baseline seizure frequency increased the likelihood of seizure freedom post‐KD. Concurrent use of multiple ASMs helped achieve ≥50% seizure reduction. Boys were more likely to experience psychomotor improvement. A significant correlation was found between ≥50% seizure reduction and psychomotor improvement in both subgroups. Delayed KD initiation (longer epilepsy duration at KD start) was related to a greater number of ASMs used, infrequent seizures, and older age at epilepsy onset. In addition, patients with channelopathies had delayed initiation of KD. Significance: Children with genetic epilepsy display more pronounced characteristics of epileptic encephalopathy. Early KD intervention is crucial for channelopathies, notably SCN1A variants. For other drug‐resistant epilepsy cases, KD alongside diverse ASMs may improve seizure control and developmental outcomes. However, the patient population benefiting most from early KD tends to start the treatment later, urging a re‐evaluation of KD decision‐making paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of deep learning-based networks for dehazing using paired clean-hazy image datasets to address complex real-world haze scenarios in daytime environments and cross-dataset challenges remains a significant concern due to algorithmic inefficiencies and color distortion. To tackle these issues, we propose SwinTieredHazymers (STH), a dehazing network designed to adaptively discern pixel intensities in hazy images and compute haze residue for clarity restoration. Through a unique three-branch design, we hierarchically modulate haze residuals by leveraging the global features brought by Transformer and the local features brought by Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) which has led to the algorithm's widespread applicability. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach surpasses advanced single-image dehazing methods in both quantitative metrics and visual fidelity for real-world hazy image dehazing, while also exhibiting strong performance in cross-dataset dehazing scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An mHealth-based school health education platform (EduSaltS) was promoted in real-world China to reduce salt intake among children and their families. This progress evaluation explores its implementation process and influencing factors using mixed methods. Methods: The mixed-methods process evaluation employed the RE-AIM framework. Quantitative data were collected from a management website monitoring 54,435 third-grade students across two cities. Questionnaire surveys (n = 27,542) assessed pre- and post-education effectiveness. Mixed-effects models were used to control cluster effects. Qualitative interviews (23 individuals and 8 focus groups) identified program performance, facilitators, and barriers. Findings were triangulated using the RE-AIM framework. Results: The program achieved 100% participation among all the third-grade classes of the 208 invited primary schools, with a 97.7% registration rate among all the 54,435 families, indicating high "Reach." Qualitative interviews revealed positive engagement from children and parents through the "small hands leading big hands" strategy. The high completion rate of 84.9% for each health cloud lesson and the significant improvement in salt reduction knowledge and behaviors scores from 75.0 (95%CI: 74.7–75.3) to 80.9 (95%CI: 80.6–81.2) out of 100 demonstrated the "Effect" of EduSaltS. The program's "Adoption" and "Implementation" were supported by attractive materials, reduced workload via auto-delivered lessons/activities and performance evaluation, and high fidelity to recommended activities, with medians 3.0 (IQR: 2.0–8.0)/class and 9.0 (IQR: 5.0–14.0)/school. Stable course completion rates (79.4%-93.4%) over one year indicated promising "Maintenance." Apart from the facilitating features praised by the interviewees, government support was the basis for the scaling up of EduSaltS. Barriers included the lack of smartphone skills among some parents and competing priorities for schools. Unhealthy off-campus environments, such as excessive use of salt in pre-packaged and restaurant foods, also hindered salt reduction efforts. The program's scalability was evident through its integration into existing health education, engagement of local governments and adaptation across various mobile devices. Conclusions: The mHealth-based school health education program is scalable and effective for public salt reduction in China. Identified barriers and facilitators can inform future health program scale-ups. The program's successful implementation demonstrates its potential for broader application in public health initiatives aimed at reducing dietary salt intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nusinersen for the treatment of 5q-spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) among Chinese pediatric patients. Methods: Using a longitudinal, multi-center registry, both prospective and retrospective data were collected from pediatric patients with 5q-SMA receiving nusinersen treatment across 18 centers in China. All patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were included consecutively. Motor function outcomes were assessed post-treatment by SMA type. Safety profile was evaluated among patients starting nusinersen treatment post-enrollment. Descriptive analyses were used to report baseline characteristics, effectiveness, and safety results. Results: As of March 2nd, 2023, 385 patients were included. Most patients demonstrated improvements or stability in motor function across all SMA types. Type II patients demonstrated mean changes [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 4.4 (3.4–5.4) and 4.1 (2.8–5.4) in Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE), and 2.4 (1.7–3.1) and 2.3 (1.2–3.4) in Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) scores at months 6 and 10. Type III patients exhibited mean changes (95% CI) of 3.9 (2.5–5.3) and 4.3 (2.6–6.0) in HFMSE, and 2.1 (1.2–3.0) and 1.5 (0.0–3.0) in RULM scores at months 6 and 10. Of the 132 patients, 62.9% experienced adverse events (AEs). Two patients experienced mild AEs (aseptic meningitis and myalgia) considered to be related to nusinersen by the investigator, with no sequelae. Conclusions: These data underscore the significance of nusinersen in Chinese pediatric patients with SMA regarding motor function improvement or stability, and support recommendations on nusinersen treatment by Chinese SMA guidelines and continuous coverage of nusinersen by basic medical insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine jatrophane diterpenoids were isolated from the whole plant Euphorbia helioscopia, including two new ones, helioscopnins A (1) and B (2). Comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and ECD calculations elucidated their structures, including absolute configurations. All compounds were evaluated for bioactivity towards autophagic flux by flow cytometry using HM mCherry-GFP-LC3 cells. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 significantly increased autophagic flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a viable therapeutic option for women diagnosed locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). However, the factors influencing pathological response are still controversial. We collected pair specimens of 185 LACC patients before and after receiving NACT and conducted histological evaluation. 8 fresh tissues pre-treatment were selected from the entire cohort to conducted immune gene expression profiling. A novel pathological grading system was established by comprehensively assessing the percentages of viable tumor, inflammatory stroma, fibrotic stroma, and necrosis in the tumor bed. Then, 185 patients were categorized into either the good pathological response (GPR) group or the poor pathological response (PPR) group post-NACT, with 134 patients (72.4%, 134/185) achieving GPR. Increasing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes volume (TILV) pre-treatment were correlated with GPR, with TILV emerging as an independent predictive factor for GPR. Additionally, CIBERSORT analysis revealed noteworthy differences in the expression of immune makers between cPR and non-cPR group. Furthermore, a significantly heightened density of CD8 + T cells and a reduced density of FOXP3 + T cells were observed in GPR than PPR. Importantly, patients exhibiting GPR or inflammatory type demonstrated improved overall survival and disease-free survival. Notably, stromal type was an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Our study indicates the elevated TILV in pre-treatment specimens may predict a favorable response to NACT, while identifying stromal type in post-treatment specimens as an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, we proposed this pathological grading system in NACT patients, which may offer a more comprehensive understanding of treatment response and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The advances in deep learning-based pathological image analysis have invoked tremendous insights into cancer prognostication. Still, lack of interpretability remains a significant barrier to clinical application. Methods: We established an integrative prognostic neural network for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), towards a comprehensive evaluation of both architectural and fine-grained information from whole-slide images. Then, leveraging on multi-modal data, we conducted extensive interrogative approaches to the models, to extract and visualize the morphological features that most correlated with clinical outcome and underlying molecular alterations. Results: The models were developed and optimized on 373 iCCA patients from our center and demonstrated consistent accuracy and robustness on both internal (n = 213) and external (n = 168) cohorts. The occlusion sensitivity map revealed that the distribution of tertiary lymphoid structures, the geometric traits of the invasive margin, the relative composition of tumor parenchyma and stroma, the extent of necrosis, the presence of the disseminated foci, and the tumor-adjacent micro-vessels were the determining architectural features that impacted on prognosis. Quantifiable morphological vector extracted by CellProfiler demonstrated that tumor nuclei from high-risk patients exhibited significant larger size, more distorted shape, with less prominent nuclear envelope and textural contrast. The multi-omics data (n = 187) further revealed key molecular alterations left morphological imprints that could be attended by the network, including glycolysis, hypoxia, apical junction, mTORC1 signaling, and immune infiltration. Conclusions: We proposed an interpretable deep-learning framework to gain insights into the biological behavior of iCCA. Most of the significant morphological prognosticators perceived by the network are comprehensible to human minds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to solve the current pricing and coordination problems in the fresh produce supply chain by proposing a dynamic pricing and coordination differential game model based on traceability goodwill to optimize the operational efficiency and profitability of the supply chain. Freshness and traceability are critical consumer trust and brand value factors incorporated into the dynamic pricing and coordination model in the agricultural supply chain. The research methodology of this paper integrates critical factors such as supply chain cost and market demand to construct a comprehensive differential game model. It also highlights the motivation of dynamic pricing strategy and coordination mechanism based on traceability goodwill. Through traceability goodwill, operating companies can better assess and manage product quality and improve consumer trust in agricultural products, thus enhancing brand value. The dynamic pricing strategy based on traceability goodwill can flexibly adjust prices according to changes in the quality characteristics of agricultural products and market demand, realizing a dynamic balance between supply and demand. On the other hand, the mutual cost-sharing and coordination mechanism promotes the synergy between the various links of the supply chain. It improves overall efficiency through cooperation coo, coordination, and other means. The validity and reliability of the model are verified through numerical simulation experiments. The numerical simulation results show that the dynamic pricing and coordination model based on traceability will significantly improve supply chain efficiency and profitability compared with the traditional model. Specifically, the interests of supply chain participants are balanced, and the overall supply chain operational efficiency is improved. The main contribution of this study is to propose a dynamic pricing and coordination model based on traceability goodwill and verify its superiority through numerical simulation experiments. This study provides a valuable reference for fresh agricultural products supply chain management and offers new ideas for improving supply chain efficiency and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, autosomal recessive, neuromuscular disease that leads to progressive muscular weakness and atrophy. Nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved for SMA in China in February 2019. We report interim results from a post-marketing surveillance phase 4 study, PANDA (NCT04419233), that collects data on the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of nusinersen in children with SMA in routine clinical practice in China. Methods: Participants enrolled in PANDA will be observed for 2 years following nusinersen treatment initiation. The primary endpoint is the incidence of adverse events (AEs)/serious AEs (SAEs) during the treatment period. Efficacy assessments include World Health Organization (WHO) Motor Milestones assessment, the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), and ventilation support. Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of nusinersen are measured at each dose visit. Results: Fifty participants were enrolled as of the January 4, 2023, data cutoff: 10 with infantile-onset (≤ 6 months) and 40 with later-onset (> 6 months) SMA. All 50 participants have received at least one dose of nusinersen; 6 have completed the study. AEs were experienced by 45 (90%) participants and were mostly mild/moderate; no AEs led to nusinersen discontinuation or study withdrawal. Eleven participants experienced SAEs, most commonly pneumonia (n = 9); none were considered related to study treatment. Stability or gain of WHO motor milestone was observed and mean HINE-2 scores improved in both subgroups throughout the study. No serious respiratory events occurred, and no permanent ventilation support was initiated during the study. Pre-dose nusinersen CSF concentrations increased steadily through the loading-dose period, with no accumulation in plasma after multiple doses. Conclusion: Nusinersen was generally well tolerated with an acceptable overall safety profile, consistent with the known safety of nusinersen. Efficacy, safety, and nusinersen exposure are consistent with prior observations. These results support continuing PANDA and evaluation of nusinersen in Chinese participants with SMA. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04419233. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of asphalt mastic are crucial in determining the moisture sensitivity of asphalt mixtures, but the adhesion performance of the mastic has not been quantitatively described. To address this gap, this study calculated the asphalt mastic surface energy using the equation-of-state method, and established a moisture sensitivity (MS) index based on it. The effectiveness of this index was verified through Marshall testing. First, the surface energy of asphalt and filler was measured, and the critical volume fraction of the mastic was determined using the two-point method. Second, the interaction parameters of asphalt and filler were calculated using the equation-of-state method, and the surface energy of the mastic was obtained. Then the MS index was established to evaluate the moisture sensitivity of asphalt mixtures. This new index utilizes the surface energy and aggregate to quantitatively evaluate adhesion, considering the specific surface area of the aggregate and the thickness of asphalt film. Finally, the MS was validated through Marshall tests of asphalt mixtures. The results demonstrated that the MS obtained by the calculated surface energy exhibits a strong linear correlation with the moisture sensitivity of asphalt mixtures. The goodness of fit reached above 0.90 and the highest was 0.965. This study provided a novel approach to characterize the moisture sensitivity of asphalt mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by Rajan's study and existing economic reform theories (especially the lobby theory), we highlight income inequality as a driver of financial liberalisations. However, no evidence yet supports this idea. To verify this liberalisation‐induced‐by‐inequality hypothesis, the nexus of income inequality and financial liberalisations is formalised and empirically investigated in this paper. We utilise an ordered logit model with two‐way fixed effects and panel data from 91 countries to conduct the analyses. The baseline empirical results indicate that income inequality is a positive and significant determinant of financial liberalisations in aggregate and three component indicators. The results for three component indicators remain stable after a series of robustness checks, including mitigating the potential endogeneity via IV‐2SLS, Lewbel instrumental variable technique and difference within group, assessing the bias from the unobservable variables, considering the persistent and learning effects of liberalisations and the interaction effects, alternating the measures of income inequality, reducing business cycle, and using financial reforms rather financial liberalisation as independent variable. The results for aggregate liberalisations are slightly unstable in models with persistent and learning effects. Thus, liberalisation‐induced‐by‐inequality hypothesis is generally confirmed. In addition, the impacts of income inequality on financial liberalisations are widely heterogeneous across countries, the rate of change in income inequality and wealth inequality could also predict the occurrence of financial liberalisations, and the evidence that income inequality makes the poor easier access credits (i.e., Rajan's hypothesis) is found. Finally, the role is investigated of financial liberalisations in shaping banking stability, and we find that financial liberalisations can enhance growth and lower financial risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is a monogenic disease caused by biallelic mutations in adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2). The varying phenotypes of the disease often lead to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. We report an 11‐year‐old boy with DADA2 and provide a preliminary analysis of genotype–phenotype correlation. The age of onset of the disease was 8 years old. The disease successively involved the brainstem, muscles, joints, and cerebrum. After three relapse–remission episodes over 3 years, the patient was finally diagnosed with DADA2 by whole‐exome sequencing. Compound heterozygous variants in the ADA2 gene (NM_001282225.2: c.1072G>A, p.Gly358Arg; c.419dupC, p.Arg141Lysfs*37) were found in the patient. He did not receive anti‐TNF therapy and had no relapse after a 8‐month follow‐up. We identified a novel variant of the ADA2 gene, and the associated disease course may follow a relapse–remission pattern. Homozygous mutations of p.Gly358Arg can cause pure red cell aplasia, whereas compound heterozygous variations may lead to different phenotypes. Variants in the catalytic domain and frameshift mutations may also cause relatively benign phenotypes besides causing hematological disorders. Further studies are needed to clarify the genotypic–phenotypic relationship of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triangle‐path in a graph G $G$ is a sequence of distinct triangles T1,T2,...,Tm ${T}_{1},{T}_{2},\ldots ,{T}_{m}$ in G $G$ such that for any i,j $i,j$ with 1≤ii+1 $j\gt i+1$. A connected graph G $G$ is triangularly connected if for any two nonparallel edges e $e$ and e′ $e^{\prime} $ there is a triangle‐path T1T2⋯Tm ${T}_{1}{T}_{2}\cdots {T}_{m}$ such that e∈E(T1) $e\in E({T}_{1})$ and e′∈E(Tm) $e^{\prime} \in E({T}_{m})$. For ordinary graphs, Fan et al. characterize all triangularly connected graphs that admit nowhere‐zero 3‐flows or 4‐flows. Corollaries of this result include the integer flow of some families of ordinary graphs, such as locally connected graphs due to Lai and some types of products of graphs due to Imrich et al. In this paper, Fan's result for triangularly connected graphs is further extended to signed graphs. We proved that a flow‐admissible triangularly connected signed graph admits a nowhere‐zero 4‐flow if and only if it is not the wheel W5 ${W}_{5}$ associated with a specific signature. Moreover, this result is sharp since there are infinitely many unbalanced triangularly connected signed graphs admitting a nowhere‐zero 4‐flow but no 3‐flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The simultaneous occurrence of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and autoimmune diseases has been noted and debated in some epidemiological research. This bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to investigate the causal relationships between autoimmune diseases and POI. Methods: We obtained summary-level data for ten autoimmune diseases and POI from published large-scale genome-wide association studies and the FinnGen consortium of European ancestry. A series of filtering steps was performed to discern independent genetic variants. Causal estimates were mainly calculated by the inverse variance weighting method and verified through multiple sensitivity analyses. Results: Of the ten autoimmune diseases, genetically predicted Addison's disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.47, P = 0.003) and systemic lupus erythematosus (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.24, P = 0.021) were associated with an increased risk of POI, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. In addition, there were weak associations between liability to POI and elevated risks of type 1 diabetes (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.00–1.10, P = 0.046) and autoimmune thyroid disease (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05, P = 0.015). Conclusion: This study revealed that Addison's disease and systemic lupus erythematosus are potential risk factors for POI, underscoring the necessity to consider the impact of autoimmune factors in the diagnosis and treatment of POI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puerins, a kind of nitrogen-containing polyphenol compound with unique structure, is a kind of catechin derivative first isolated from ripened Pu-erh tea. In this paper, the effects of puerins V-VII on breast cancer cells were studied. Four breast cancer cell lines with different receptor phenotypes were used as models, and MTT assay, proteomics detection and apoptosis detection were carried out. The results show that all puerins V, VI and VII had obvious inhibitory effects on the four kinds of breast cancer cells. Proteomics analysis indicates that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly concentrated in the metabolic pathway, followed by cancer pathway and adhesion spot signal pathway under the intervention of puerins V-VII. Apoptosis detection demonstrates that all three puerins compounds could induce the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells. This study first reported the anti-breast cancer activity and preliminary mechanism of puerins V-VII, which provided basic information for studying the anti-cancer active substances of ripened Pu-erh tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal‐fired power plants minimize costs subject to output and emission constraints. We model the plants' choice of coal quality and emission abatement to minimize costs under these constraints, allowing for heterogeneous unobserved generation productivity and abatement efficiency. We derive and estimate the plants' cost functions to recover the production technologies. Our data set is a balanced panel of 76 U.S. coal‐fired power plants from 1995 to 2005, when the emission permit trading system was viable. We find a dramatic growth in abatement efficiency, a major goal of the Acid Rain Program. By contrast, the growth in generation productivity is positive but small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the literature shows that stricter environmental regulations deter exports and inward foreign direct investment (FDI), few studies examine the impacts on outward FDI, especially for developing countries. In this paper, we analyse this issue in the context of China, which is the largest developing country in terms of FDI. We collect the transaction-level data of all the overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by Chinese firms from 2000 to 2019. For the identification of the causal effect, we exploit the implementation of the Environmental Protection Law in 2015 as a quasi-natural experiment and carry out the difference-in-difference-in-differences analysis (DDD). The results show significant impacts of stricter environmental regulations on outward FDI. When the provincial emission reduction target increases by 10% points, the number of overseas M&A transactions in the high-polluting industries has increased by 32 every year since 2015. Moreover, the investments are more likely towards countries with better environmental protection. This suggests that firms aim at gaining cleaner technologies via M&As rather than transferring pollution abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traditional Chinese medicine, Aurantii Fructus Immatures (AFIs) have been utilized for more than 2000 years. The proportions of different fruit parts are crucial for evaluating AFI quality in China. However, the basis for this statement's substance is unclear. Differences in quality are intimately correlated with a plant's metabolite composition. On the basis of a widely targeted metabolome, this study intended to investigate the metabolite composition and evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the peel and pulp of an AFI. Metabolites were identified and quantified by UHPLC-QqQ-MS. To assess their antioxidant ability, DPPH and ABTS assays were carried out. There were 1327 chemical compounds identified by UHPLC-QqQ-MS. After screening the differential metabolites using a multivariate statistical analysis, it was found that there were 695 significant differences in the metabolites between the peel and the pulp. Among them, it was discovered that the content of active ingredients in the peel group was higher than that in the pulp group. Furthermore, the aqueous extracts from the peel showed stronger antioxidant capacities than those from the pulp. The metabolites and antioxidant capacities were significantly different between the peel and the pulp. This study of different fruit parts might provide a guide for AFI quality assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel strategy is developed for the first time, referred to as high‐concentration cobalt ion‐assisted hydration (HCCAH) utilizing zeolitic imidazolate framework‐67 (ZIF‐67) as a precursor, to produce independent and flat α‐cobalt hydroxide nanosheets (CHN). These nanosheets offer abundant contact sites for binding with virus surface proteins. The formation of CHN involves the in situ transformation from ZIF‐67, due to the matching of the hydrolysis rate of ZIF‐67 and in situ growth rate of cobalt hydroxide orchestrated by high concentration of cobalt ions. Notably, the CHN contains a higher proportion of trivalent cobalt, which is shown to enhance the binding with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) Spike protein and induce protein structural denaturation, as demonstrated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Antiviral experiments using pseudovirus and authentic viruses have confirmed the promising antiviral performance of CHN. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated the excellent biocompatibility of CHN. This research opens up new possibilities for the application of cobalt hydroxide nanosheets and serves as a valuable reference for the design of antiviral nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel triple helical-like complex [Dy2K2L3(NO3)2]·3DMF (1) based on a designed Schiff base N′1,N′3-bis((E)-3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-malonohydrazide (H4L) was synthesized with good chemical and thermal stabilities. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis showed that 1 presents a tetranuclear triple helical-like structure via the coordination mode of Dy : K : L with 2 : 2 : 3 stoichiometry. Fluorescence measurements showed that 1@EtOH has excellent fluorescence turn-on/off response ability for aluminium ions and 4,5-dimethyl-2-nitroaniline (DMNA) with outstanding selectivity, sensitivity, and anti-interference ability. The calculated limit of detection (LOD) values for 1@EtOH to Al3+ and DMNA were found to be 0.53 and 3.33 μM, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation showed that the fluorescence response mechanism can be explained by the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism; meanwhile, the inner filter effect (IFE) of DMNA can also affect the emission of 1@EtOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel mononuclear 4‐vinylpyridine‐based Fe(III) complexes [FeL(4‐VP)]BPh4 (4‐VP=4‐vinylpyridine; H2L=bis(salicylicdeneaminopropyl)amine, H2salten, 1; H2L=bis(salicylicdeneaminopropyl)methylamine, H2saltenMe, 2; H2L=bis(3‐methoxysalicylideneaminopropyl)methylamine, 3‐OMeH2saltenMe, 3) were synthesized and characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that 1–3 both present the mononuclear structure based on 4‐VP coordinated with bis(salicylicdeneaminopropyl)amine and its derivatives, which give 2D architectures by various interactions among cations and counter‐ions. Magnetic studies showed that both 1 and 2 exhibit one‐step complete spin‐crossover (SCO) behaviours with critical transition temperatures (T1/2) of 178 and 87 K respectively, while 3 exhibits one‐step incomplete spin crossover behaviour (T1/2,3=93 K). The introduction of methyl groups on the amine nitrogen of the Schiff base ligands in 2 and 3 give the bigger repulsive effect, further decrease the cooperation of spin centres, resulting in their spin transition occurring at lower temperatures. In addition, the presence of C−H⋯O weak interactions in 1 and 3 with synergistic effect, led to their spin transition temperatures being higher than that of 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by mussel chemistry, we presented a facile and eco‐friendly method to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using dopamine as a reductant and stabilizer. The synthesized AgNPs as an antibacterial agent and photothermal filler were further introduced to random copolymers of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate (MMA‐co‐BA) via latex mixing. The morphology and structure of the formed AgNPs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis spectrum, and x‐ray powder diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the synthesized AgNPs were spherical in the size of 5–30 nm with the characteristic crystalline structure of AgNPs. Mechanical properties of MMA‐co‐BA were significantly enhanced by the introduction of AgNPs. The MMA‐co‐BA/Ag nanocomposite films showed antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Moreover, the scratches on the MMA‐co‐BA/Ag nanocomposite film can be healed under infrared light irradiation, which indicated that AgNPs enhanced the self‐healing ability of the MMA‐co‐BA. This work offers a viable avenue for developing antibacterial activity and self‐healing multifunctional coatings. Highlights: Silver nanoparticles modified by dopamine are introduced to acrylic copolymer.Acrylic copolymer/Ag nanocomposites exhibit antibacterial activity.Acrylic copolymer/Ag nanocomposites have photothermal performance.Acrylic copolymer/Ag nanocomposites have self‐healing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines have been the primary remedy in the global fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, a critical viral immunogen, is affected by the heterogeneity of its glycan structures and relatively low immunogenicity. Here, we describe a scalable synthetic platform that enables the precise synthesis of homogeneously glycosylated RBD, facilitating the elucidation of carbohydrate structure–function relationships. Five homogeneously glycosylated RBDs bearing biantennary glycans were prepared, three of which were conjugated to T-helper epitope (Tpep) from tetanus toxoid to improve their weak immune response. Relative to natural HEK293-derived RBD, synthetic RBDs with biantennary N -glycan elicited a higher level of neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mice. Furthermore, RBDs containing Tpep elicited significant immune responses in transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Our collective data suggest that trimming the N -glycans and Tpep conjugation of RBD could potentially serve as an effective strategy for developing subunit vaccines providing efficient protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Naturally occurring alkaloids are particularly suitable for use as pesticide precursors and further modifications due to their cost‐effectiveness, unique mechanism of action, tolerable degradation, and environmental friendliness. The famous tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a persistent plant pathogenic virus that can parasitize many plants and severely reduce crop production. To treat TMV disease, TMV helicase acts as a crucial target by hydrolyzing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to provide energy for double‐stranded RNA unwinding. RESULTS: To seek novel framework alkaloid leads targeting TMV helicase, this work successfully established an efficient screening platform for TMV helicase inhibitors based on natural alkaloids. In vivo activity screening, enzyme activity detection, and binding assays showed that Rutaecarpine from Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth exhibited excellent TMV helicase inhibitory properties [dissociation constant (Kd) = 1.1 μm, half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 227.24 μm] and excellent anti‐TMV ability. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations depicted that Rutaecarpine could stably bind in active pockets of helicase with low binding energy (ΔGbind = −17.8 kcal/mol) driven by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. CONCLUSION: Given Rutaecarpine's laudable bioactivity and structural modifiability, it can serve as a privileged building block for further pesticide discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Obesity increases risks of male infertility, but bariatric surgery does not improve semen quality. Recent uncontrolled studies suggest that a low-energy diet (LED) improves semen quality. Further evaluation within a randomized, controlled setting is warranted. Methods Men with obesity (18-60 years) with normal sperm concentration (normal count) (n = 24) or oligozoospermia (n = 43) were randomized 1:1 to either 800 kcal/day LED for 16 weeks or control, brief dietary intervention (BDI) with 16 weeks' observation. Semen parameters were compared at baseline and 16 weeks. Results Mean age of men with normal count was 39.4 ± 6.4 in BDI and 40.2 ± 9.6 years in the LED group. Mean age of men with oligozoospermia was 39.5 ± 7.5 in BDI and 37.7 ± 6.6 years in the LED group. LED caused more weight loss than BDI in men with normal count (14.4 vs 6.3 kg; P <.001) and men with oligozoospermia (17.6 vs 1.8 kg; P <.001). Compared with baseline, in men with normal count total motility (TM) increased 48 ± 17% to 60 ± 10% (P <.05) after LED, and 52 ± 8% to 61 ± 6% (P <.0001) after BDI; progressive motility (PM) increased 41 ± 16% to 53 ± 10% (P <.05) after LED, and 45 ± 8% to 54 ± 65% (P <.001) after BDI. In men with oligozoospermia compared with baseline, TM increased 35% [26] to 52% [16] (P <.05) after LED, and 43% [28] to 50% [23] (P =.0587) after BDI; PM increased 29% [23] to 46% [18] (P <.05) after LED, and 33% [25] to 44% [25] (P <.05) after BDI. No differences in postintervention TM or PM were observed between LED and BDI groups in men with normal count or oligozoospermia. Conclusion LED or BDI may be sufficient to improve sperm motility in men with obesity. The effects of paternal dietary intervention on fertility outcomes requires investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection has many neurological manifestations, and its effects on the nervous system are increasingly recognized. There has been no systematic analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics in children exhibiting neurological symptoms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The primary aim of this study was to describe the EEG characteristics caused by COVID-19 infection in children who were showing neurological symptoms and to assess the relationship between COVID-19-related EEG changes and clinical features in these children. Method: This study included 125 pediatric patients infected with SARS-CoV2 and showing neurological symptoms, and their continuous EEG was recorded. In addition, the demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients were analyzed and the correlation between the two was investigated. Results: Abnormal EEG findings were detected in 31.20% (N = 39) of the patients. Abnormal discharges (43.59%) were the most common EEG abnormalities, followed by background abnormalities (41.03%). The proportion of patients diagnosed with febrile seizure was higher in the normal EEG group than in the abnormal EEG group (P = 0.002), while the opposite was true for epilepsy and encephalitis/encephalopathy (P = 0.016 and P = 0.003, respectively). The independent associated factors of abnormal EEG were age and total length of stay (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Non-specific EEG abnormalities were found in COVID-19-related encephalitis/encephalopathy. Conclusion: Our study corroborated that a small group of pediatric patients infected by COVID-19 and showing neurological symptoms may exhibit abnormal EEG. This study could help improve the understanding of clinical and EEG characteristics in children with COVID-19 and inform triage policies in other hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a crucial element in the replication and transcription of RNA viruses. Although the RdRps of lethal human coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), SARS‐CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanism of the catalytic subunit NSP12, which is involved in pathogenesis, remains unclear. In this study, the biochemical and cell biological results demonstrate the interactions between SARS‐CoV‐2 NSP12 and seven host proteins, including three splicing factors (SLU7, PPIL3, and AKAP8). The entry efficacy of SARS‐CoV‐2 considerably decreased when SLU7 or PPIL3 was knocked out, indicating that abnormal splicing of the host genome was responsible for this occurrence. Furthermore, the polymerase activity and stability of SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp were affected by the three splicing factors to varying degrees. In addition, NSP12 and its homologues from SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV suppressed the alternative splicing of cellular genes, which were influenced by the three splicing factors. Overall, our research illustrates that SARS‐CoV‐2 NSP12 can engage with various splicing factors, thereby impacting virus entry, replication, and gene splicing. This not only improves our understanding of how viruses cause diseases but also lays the foundation for the development of antiviral therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consistent hyperglycaemia on retinal microvascular tissues is recognized as a vital inducer of diabetic retinopathy (DR) pathogenesis. In view of the essential functionality of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in multiple human diseases, we aim to figure out the exact role and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA HOXD Cluster Antisense RNA 1 (HAGLR) in DR pathogenesis. Serum specimens from patients with proliferative DR and healthy volunteers were collected for measuring HAGLR levels. Human primary retinal pigment epithelium (HRPE) cells kept in high glucose (HG) condition were applied to simulating hyperglycaemia of DR pathology in vitro. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, either pyroptosis was assess using Cell Counting Kit‐8 TUNEL, flow cytometry, and enzyme‐linked immunoassay assays. Bioinformatics analysis was subjected to examine the interaction between HAGLR and N6‐methyladenosine (m6A)‐bind protein IGF2BP2, as determined using RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull‐down. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to assess the HAGLR‐miR‐106b‐5p‐PTEN axis. Levels of pyroptosis‐associated biomarkers were detected using western blotting. Aberrantly overexpressed HAGLR was uncovered in the serum samples of DR patients and HG‐induced HRPE cells, of which knockdown attenuated HG‐induced cytotoxic impacts on cell apoptosis and pyroptosis. Whereas, reinforced HAGLR further aggravated these effects. IGF2BP2 positively regulated HAGLR in a m6A‐dependent manner. HAGLR served as a sponge for miR‐106b‐5p to upregulate PTEN, thereby activating Akt signaling cascade. Rescue assays demonstrated that PTEN overexpression abolished the inhibition of silenced HAGLR on pyroptosis in HRPE cells. HAGLR, epigenetically modified by IGF2BP2 in an m6A‐dependent manner, functioned as a sponge for miR‐106b‐5p, thereby activating PTEN/Akt signaling cascade to accelerate DR pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intraclass correlation coefficient ρ is used as a measure of the degree of resemblance among family members with respect to some biological or psychological attribute, such as blood pressure level or IQ. Many studies have been done in the area. However, a significant gap in the literature is that few statistics are available to test the significance ( H 0 : ρ = 0 against H A : ρ ≠ 0 ) of this important biological measure and no study is available as to the performance of these statistics with respect to level and power. In this paper we develop three large sample test statistics and compare these, in terms of level and power, using extensive simulation studies of these, the Wald test developed in this paper is found to have a very simple form and highest power while maintaining level well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel mononuclear complex In(H2nha)3 (1) (H3nha = 3-hydroxy-2-napthanoic hydroxamic acid) was synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that 1 possesses a centrosymmetric structure consisting of one In(III) and three partially deprotonated ligands. Luminescent studies suggested that 1 could selectively and sensitively recognize Al3+ and B4O72− through fluorescence enhancement effect, even could be directly observed with naked eyes under 365 nm ultraviolet lamp, and their detection limits can be as low as 1.3 and 6.2 μM, respectively. Moreover, the mechanism of their fluorescence enhancement was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A new family of trinuclear windwheel complexes with molecular formula [MII3(tpa)3(μ‐ttc)](ClO4)3·n(sol) (ttc = 1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐trithiol; tpa = tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine; M = Mn, n = 2, sol = CH3CN, 1; M = Co, n = 1, sol = CH3CN, 2; M = Ni, n = 0, 3) were synthesized and characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction revealed that three metal centers in 1—3 are connected by ttc bridge, forming a regular triangular MII3 core. Each metal center is bonded by chelating S, N atoms from ttc and by N atoms from tpa. Magnetic studies showed that 1—3 displayed antiferromagnetic behavior and further gave the easy‐axis anisotropy (D = −0.77 cm−1 for 1 and −8.13 cm−1 for 2) and easy‐plane anisotropy (D = 5.08 cm−1 for 3). Moreover, 2 exhibited field‐induced slow magnetic relaxation behavior and their effective energy barriers were roughly evaluated Ueff = 6.9 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is widely used in nondestructive tests of asphalt pavements, but the characteristics of its detection data need to be extracted manually, and it is very difficult to determine the hidden distress efficiently and accurately inside the asphalt pavement. Therefore, to recognize hidden distress inside asphalt pavement intelligently and improve the efficiency and accuracy of GPR for asphalt pavement detection, this research used the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm combined with GPR detection technology. Significantly, the image of the dielectric properties distribution of the road was obtained by processing the GPR detection data, and the GPR detection image data set was established. Moreover, this research dealt with the imbalance of the data set by weighting the loss value. Next, this research designed a CNN model with a simple structure, called visual GPR (VGPR), and used the GPR image data set to train, validate, and test the VGPR. Finally, the model was fine-tuned according to the results, and the optimal hyperparameters were selected. The results show that VGPR converges fast in the training process, and no obvious overfitting phenomenon exists. During the test, the weighted average F1 score in the comprehensive metrics reached 99.626%, indicating that VGPR has excellent generalization performance. When VGPR uses a graphics processing unit for computing, the image recognition efficiency can meet the engineering requirements. A comparison of VGPR with other CNN models reveals that when using the same GPR detection image data set, VGPR has the best recognition effect. In summary, the method detailed herein can quickly and accurately identify the hidden distress of the asphalt pavement and provide a guarantee for the maintenance and operation of the expressway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When using non-destructive testing equipment to evaluate the quality of asphalt pavement, the asphalt pavement mixtures will exhibit different dielectric properties under dissimilar temperature conditions since the external electric field is affected by ambient temperature, which interferes with the accuracy of non-destructive testing. To improve the accuracy of non-destructive testing and quantify the influence of temperature on the dielectric properties of asphalt mixtures, a dielectric model suitable for describing the relationship between the relative dielectric constants of asphalt mixtures and temperature is established. The relative dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the two types of asphalt mixtures are measured at different temperatures to verify the accuracy of the dielectric model, and the goodness of model fit verifies wide applicability of the model. This temperature-based asphalt mixture dielectric model has great significance for quantifying the influence of temperature on the dielectric properties. Furthermore, the model shows that the dielectric properties of different asphalts and aggregates have different temperature sensitivity, and the concept of conductance activation energy proposed in this research provides innovative approaches for the optimisation of asphalt mixtures and raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An active disturbance rejection controller for a 2-DOF underwater manipulator is proposed in this study. The manipulator system has the characteristics of non-linearity, strong coupling and uncertainties within its model. Its operation is often disturbed by unknown water currents, so the anti-disturbance control of underwater manipulators has always been a challenge. The proposed controller in this study basically does not rely on the precise mathematical model of the object, and the model even can be decoupled. This method can eliminate the influence of model errors, time-varying parameters and external interference on the control effect. First, the entire manipulator treats different joints as several subsystems. For each joint subsystem, hydrodynamic forces, coupling terms between joints and unknown environmental disturbances are regarded as total disturbances. Subsequently, an extended state observer was designed to estimate and compensate for the total interference. In order to improve the disturbance observation effect of the extended state observer, the inertia matrix of the system is used to decouple the static part. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by both simulation and experiments. From the comparisons, it is confirmed that the quality of our controller in the presence of a certain inertial matrix error is better than traditional PD and continuous sliding mode control in terms of accuracy, dynamic characteristics as well as robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent heart arrhythmia in elderly adults aged 80 years or older. The red cell distribution width (RDW) to albumin ratio has been acknowledged as a reliable prognostic marker for poor outcomes in a variety of disorders. However, there exists limited scientific evidence on the association of RDW to albumin (RAR) with mortality in geriatric individuals with AF. Methods: From January 2015 to June 2020, a retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary academic institution that diagnosed 1,141 elderly adults with AF. The RAR value was calculated as the ratio of RDW (%) to albumin (g/dL). The potential association between RAR and cardiovascular mortality and the risk of all-cause mortality within 28 days was evaluated by means of multivariable Cox regression analysis. Results: The 28-day all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were 8.7% and 3.3%, respectively. Increased RAR tertiles were found to be significantly associated with greater all-cause mortality (T1: 1.6%; T2: 6.2%; T3: 18.1%, p < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (T1: 0.8%; T2: 2.9%; T3: 6.3%, p < 0.001) using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Continuous RAR had a positive association with all-cause mortality (hazard ratios [HR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23–1.65) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05–1.64), even after accounting for numerous confounding variables. In comparison to the T1 group, individuals with the highest RAR levels displayed a greater risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.11–6.74) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 2.59, 95% CI: 0.69–9.78). Increased RAR levels were related to higher rates of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality across almost all subgroups. Conclusion: RAR is independently correlated with 28-day all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in AF-affected individuals aged ≥80. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A suspension bridge that uses suspension cables as the major bearing structure has the most robust spanning capacities. There are two types of anchorage: gravity-type anchorage and tunnel-type anchorage (TTAs). The TTAs structure exhibits complex mechanical and deformation characteristics under tens of thousands of tons of load transferred from bridge cables. A large-scale field model test method is proposed to reveal the mechanical rock mass properties of the TTAs under different loading conditions, and its theoretical and related technologies are studied based on more than twenty years of applications. Four parts are included in the study. Firstly, the technical development of the TTAs model test is summarized with practical engineering applications. On this basis, the theoretical basis of the field model test of the TTAs is studied from two aspects: the scale representativeness and the similarity theory of the model test. The technical points of the recommended TTAs field test are proposed in the third section. Finally, to evaluate the potential bearing properties of the TTAs in a planned super-large railway suspension bridge, a case study with a large-scale TTAs model test in the field is introduced. The test results show that TTA technology can supply sufficient bearing capacity to the high-tonnage railway suspension bridge with a total cable load of 860MN under complex and fractured rock mass condition. The composite TTAs structure bearing a load of tens of thousands of tons transferred from main cables in the design of highway or railway suspension bridges represents significant technical progress in rock mechanics. Highlights: Based on more than twenty years of applicaitons, a large-scale field model test method is proposed to reveal the mechanical rock properties of the tunnel-type anchorage(TTAs) under different loading conditions, and its theoretical and related technologies are studied. In order to evaluate the potential bearing properties of the TTAs in a planned super-large railway suspension bridge with a toal cable load of 860MN, a case study with a large-scale TTAs model test in the field is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether a Bayesian interpretation might help prevent misinterpretation of statistical findings and support authors to differentiate evidence of no effect from statistical uncertainty. Design: A Bayesian re‐analysis to determine posterior probabilities of clinically important effects (e.g., a large effect is set at a 4 percentage point difference and a trivial effect to be within a 0.5 percentage point difference). Posterior probabilities greater than 95% are considered as strong statistical evidence, and less than 95% as inconclusive. Sample: 150 major women's health trials with binary outcomes. Main Outcome Measures: Posterior probabilities of large, moderate, small and trivial effects. Results: Under frequentist methods, 48 (32%) were statistically significant (p‐value ≤ 0.05) and 102 (68%) statistically non‐significant. The frequentist and Bayesian point estimates and confidence intervals showed strong concordance. Of the statistically non‐significant trials (n = 102), the Bayesian approach classified the majority (94, 92%) as inconclusive, neither able to confirm or refute effectiveness. A small number of statistically non‐significant findings (8, 8%) were classified as having strong statistical evidence of an effect. Conclusions: Whilst almost all trials report confidence intervals, in practice most statistical findings are interpreted on the basis of statistical significance, mostly concluding evidence of no effect. Findings here suggest the majority are likely uncertain. A Bayesian approach could help differentiate evidence of no effect from statistical uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plant viral diseases, namely 'plant cancer', are extremely difficult to control. Even worse, few antiviral agents can effectively control and totally block viral infection. There is an urgent need to explore and discover novel agrochemicals with high activity and a unique mode of action to manage these refractory diseases. Results: Forty‐one new phenothiazine derivatives were prepared and their inhibitory activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was assessed. Compound A8 had the highest protective activity against TMV, with a half‐maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 115.67 μg/mL, which was significantly better than that of the positive controls ningnanmycin (271.28 μg/mL) and ribavirin (557.47 μg/mL). Biochemical assays demonstrated that compound A8 could inhibit TMV replication by disrupting TMV self‐assembly, but also enabled the tobacco plant to enhance its defense potency by increasing the activities of various defense enzymes. Conclusion: In this study, novel phenothiazine derivatives were elaborately fabricated and showed remarkable anti‐TMV behavior that possessed the dual‐action mechanisms of inhibiting TMV assembly and invoking the defense responses of tobacco plants. Moreover, new agrochemical alternatives based on phenothiazine were assessed for their antiviral activities and showed extended agricultural application. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The exact pathophysiology of TS is still elusive. Previous studies have identified default mode networks (DMN) abnormalities in patients with TS. However, these literatures investigated the neural activity during the tic suppression, not a true resting-state. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the neural mechanism of Tourette's syndrome (TS) from the perspective of topological organization and functional connectivity within the DMN by electroencephalography (EEG) in resting-state. Methods: The study was conducted by analyzing the EEG data of TS patients with graph theory approaches. Thirty children with TS and thirty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, and all subjects underwent resting-state EEG data acquisition. Functional connectivity within the DMN was calculated, and network properties were measured. Results: A significantly lower connectivity in the neural activity of the TS patients in the β band was found between the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex/retrosplenial cortex (t = -3.02, p < 0.05). Compared to HCs, the TS patients' local topological properties (degree centrality) in the left temporal lobe in the γ band were changed, while the global topological properties (global efficiency and local efficiency) in DMN exhibited no significant differences. It was also demonstrated that the degree centrality of the left temporal lobe in the γ band was positively related to the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale scores (r = 0.369, p = 0.045). Conclusions: The functional connectivity and topological properties of the DMN of TS patients were disrupted, and abnormal DMN topological property alterations might affect the severity of tic in TS patients. The abnormal topological properties of the DMN in TS patients may be due to abnormal functional connectivity alterations. The findings provide novel insight into the neural mechanism of TS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous clinic models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) mainly focused on the overall survival, whereas a simple-to-use tool for predicting the response to the first TACE and the management of risk classification before TACE are lacking. Our aim was to develop a scoring system calculated manually for these patients. A total of 437 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent TACE treatment were carefully selected for analysis. They were then randomly divided into two groups: a training group comprising 350 patients and a validation group comprising 77 patients. Furthermore, 45 HCC patients who had recently undergone TACE treatment been included in the study to validate the model's efficacy and applicability. The factors selected for the predictive model were comprehensively based on the results of the LASSO, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The discrimination, calibration ability and clinic utility of models were evaluated in both the training and validation groups. A prediction model incorporated 3 objective imaging characteristics and 2 indicators of liver function. The model showed good discrimination, with AUROCs of 0.735, 0.706 and 0.884 and in the training group and validation groups, and good calibration. The model classified the patients into three groups based on the calculated score, including low risk, median risk and high-risk groups, with rates of no response to TACE of 26.3%, 40.2% and 76.8%, respectively. We derived and validated a model for predicting the response of patients with HCC before receiving the first TACE that had adequate performance and utility. This model may be a useful and layered management tool for patients with HCC undergoing TACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracking coalescence is the linking process of multiple cracks; the ordinary differential and partial differential equations cannot be solved at the crack coalescence positions. To solve these shortcomings, the asphalt mixture ordinary state–based peridynamic (OSB-PD) numerical model was established to simulate the crack coalescence in AC-13, AC-20, and PAC-13 asphalt mixtures. The simulated crack trajectories expressed that the wing crack, the branched crack of splitting, and diagonal cracks can coalesce to develop into a connected crack network. The random distribution crack trajectories constituted nine crack coalescence categories. The fractal dimension (FD) of crack coalescence trajectories ranged from 1.58 to 1.81; it expresses the self-similarity of crack coalescence trajectories. The crack coalescence process included (1) the crack tips moving forward, (2) the crack tips contacting each other, and (3) the crack tips connecting together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]