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Understanding the mechanisms of oxygen transport resistance of mesoporous carbon catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial to improve platinum (Pt) utilization. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to unravel the origin of local oxygen transport resistance of ionomer–Pt and water–Pt catalysts on mesoporous carbons. It was found that the adsorption resistance (Rads) on Pt surfaces was dominant to due to the formation of a dense layer. The Rads value of water–Pt catalysts was determined to be 14.32 s m−1, which was much lesser than that of ionomer–Pt catalysts. Besides, we found that Rads would be significantly affected by the presence of carbon supports, ultrathin film effects, or nearby catalysts as the carbon support would present an additional carbon dense layer, the density of which is altered when the film thickness or the distance between two Pt particles is below the threshold value. Furthermore, we calculated the oxygen transport resistance of Pt catalysts in the interior pores of mesoporous carbons, which was in good agreement with theoretical models. We found that the diffusion resistance to the local Pt nanoparticle increases nonlinearly with the depth, and the dense effect of interior Pt will lead to a remarkable increase in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a method for the design of tunable multifunctional attenuators is proposed by analyzing the characterization of dual-mode microstrip resonators loaded by a graphene-sandwiched structure (GSS). Firstly, the odd–even mode method is applied to analyze the resonance characteristics of two common GSS-loaded dual-mode resonators, which clearly describe the influence of graphene on these resonators. Then, two kinds of multifunctional attenuator with dynamically tunable attenuation are proposed based on graphene-integrated dual-mode resonators, which enables controllable characteristics and multi-frequency transmission options for traditional attenuating devices. Finally, all the proposed multifunctional attenuators are fabricated and measured. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results, which further verifies the conclusions and design method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Obesity, a global health problem, is causally implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease. Bariatric surgeries are effective treatment options for obesity; however, the effectiveness of different bariatric surgeries on cardiac structure and function is not fully understood. We undertook a systematic review and network meta‐analysis to comprehensively assess this effectiveness. Data source: PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched from their inception until November 11, 2023. Studies that compared bariatric surgeries vis‐à‐vis non‐surgical treatment, placebo, and other bariatric surgeries, as well as reported changes in left ventricular mass or its index (LVM or LVMI) or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), were summarized. Results: Total 19 studies (17 cohort studies and 2 randomized controlled trials) and 2012 adults were meta‐analyzed. Patients receiving gastric bypass had appreciably lowered LVM (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −43.86 g, 95% confidence interval [CI] −61.09 to −26.63, p < 0.01) and LVMI (standardized mean difference: −0.67, 95% CI −1.03 to −0.32, p < 0.01) compared with other bariatric surgeries. No significant improvement in LVEF was noted across all surgeries. The drop in body mass index was most pronounced for biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (WMD −16.33 kg/m2, 95% CI −21.60 to −11.05, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings of this network meta‐analysis indicated that gastric bypass proved best for the improvement in cardiac structure, and there was no obvious improvement in cardiac function for all bariatric surgeries. Further studies are required to better understand the differing effectiveness of bariatric surgeries on cardiac structure and function and the underlying molecular mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein serve as a critical pillar in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but resistance is universal. Identifying the potential key factors of drug resistance to EGFR-TKIs is essential to treat patients with EGFR mutant lung cancer. Our research here shows that bruceine H suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells; inhibited the growth of human NSCLC cell xenografts; and enhanced the therapeutic effects of gefitinib in the PC-9/GR xenograft models, possibly by inhibiting Notch3. In order to analyze the potential targets of the combination of Notch3 and EGFR-TKIs on resistance to EGFR, we analyzed the differences of gene expression between NSCLC tissues and EGFR-driven gefitinib-resistant tumoral groups and then identify through the WGCNA key genes that may provide therapeutic targets for TKI-resistant lung cancer xenograft models. We confirmed that EGFR-TKI in combination with Notch3 inhibitor can inhibit the expression of β-catenin and enhance the level of FOXO3a, leading to improved recurrence-free survival and overall survival of the xenotransplantation model. These results support that the combination of gefitinib and bruceine H may provide a promising alternative strategy for treating acquired EGFR-TKI resistance in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Time-delay effects are ubiquitous in active control systems and can significantly influence the dynamic characteristics. This paper examines an active control system for a nanobeam and analyzes the strong nonlinear vibrations influenced by displacement and velocity time-delayed feedback. Method: The periodic solutions of the system are first derived using the homotopy analysis method. Then, the Hopf bifurcation of the system is discussed with time delay as a parameter. Finally, the accuracy of the above study is verified using the Runge-Kutta method. Results and Conclusions: The study reveals that the system can exhibit multiple periodic solutions, and the time delays and feedback gain coefficients can alter the quantity and amplitude of the periodic solutions. Furthermore, positive feedback gain coefficients provide a larger stability region for the system compared to their negative counterparts. Nonlocal parameters not only increase the response region and peak values of the system but also affect its hardening behavior. A comparison with numerical solutions demonstrates that the homotopy analysis method not only provides accurate approximations but also predicts periodic solutions that numerical methods fail to capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is a prevalent proctological condition that has puzzled people since ancient times, and the most common symptom is painless bleeding. Traditional treatments include conservative treatment, nonsurgical office-based treatments, and surgery. Sclerotherapy is one of the oldest forms of nonoperative intervention and is widely used to treat internal hemorrhoids with the development of endoscopy technology. However, sclerotherapy is always accompanied by complications such as bleeding, pain, abscess, etc., when the sclerosant is injected into the wrong site. Cap-assisted endoscopic sclerotherapy (CAES), a new minimally invasive technology, was first time coined in 2015 for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease. The left-posterior–right-anterior (LPRA) anus positioning method under endoscopy provides reliable methodological support for advancing hemorrhoidal treatment via endoscopy. The current trend is that treatment for HD has shifted from being performed predominantly by the Department of Proctology Surgery to being managed mostly by the Department of Gastroenterology. This review reviewed the shifting paradigms of sclerotherapy for HD and discussed the emerging development of CAES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In karst regions, tunnel construction often encounters karst water inrush disasters, with particular difficulty in surveying and predicting fractured karst water inrush, posing high risks and lacking efficient numerical research methods to guide safety measures during construction. This study aims to clarify the mechanism of fractured karst water inrush and identify critical conditions. Through theoretical analysis, this paper established partial differential equations for fissure development in karst formations under the influence of karst activation, damage development, and crack propagation. Based on this, a complete numerical simulation method for "fluid-solid-damage" coupling of fractured karst water inrush disasters was established. By analyzing the characteristics of surrounding rock around tunnel sections under the influence of water pressure in different water-enriched cavities, critical conditions for water inrush disasters were obtained. The results indicate that as the water pressure in water-enriched cavities increases, surrounding rock deformation also increases. Additionally, under critical water inrush conditions, the displacement law of surrounding rock exhibits a significant three-stage characteristic of "slow growth stage-rapid growth stage-displacement loss stage". The research findings provide new insights into the construction risk analysis of karst tunnels in fractured rock areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel set of dimensionless numbers for predicting cavitation flow in gas-liquid flow through a throttling orifice is proposed. Multiple sets of cavitation data are obtained from the literature, and eight dimensionless groups are extracted using dimensional analysis. Subsequently, self-similarity among these groups is established, leading to the proposal of new dimensionless correlations (CfW and CfWd). Investigation results indicate that the established correlations between dimensionless groups can predict cavitation flow in orifices under a wide range of hydrodynamic and geometric conditions. The predictive model is validated using different sets of experimental data, improving accuracy (average relative error decreased by more than 57%) and covering more physical conditions compared to previous correlation predictions. Furthermore, dimensionless parameters with significant influence on the cavitation discharge coefficient are identified by the explanatory machine learning technique SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and sensitivity analysis. Based on these findings, this investigation contributes to a reduction in the number of variables involved in cavitation experiments or simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction is presented to the article "The Macroeconomic Uncertainty Premium in the Corporate Bond Market" which appeared in the August 2021 issue.

Background: Tauopathies are a group of age-related neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of pathologically hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the brain, leading to prion-like aggregation and propagation. They include Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and Pick's disease (PiD). Currently, reliable diagnostic biomarkers that directly reflect the capability of propagation and spreading of misfolded tau aggregates in peripheral tissues and body fluids are lacking. Methods: We utilized the seed-amplification assay (SAA) employing ultrasensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) to assess the prion-like seeding activity of pathological tau in the skin of cadavers with neuropathologically confirmed tauopathies, including AD, PSP, CBD, and PiD, compared to normal controls. Results: We found that the skin tau-SAA demonstrated a significantly higher sensitivity (75–80%) and specificity (95–100%) for detecting tauopathy, depending on the tau substrates used. Moreover, the increased tau-seeding activity was also observed in biopsy skin samples from living AD and PSP patients examined. Analysis of the end products of skin-tau SAA confirmed that the increased seeding activity was accompanied by the formation of tau aggregates with different physicochemical properties related to two different tau substrates used. Conclusions: Overall, our study provides proof-of-concept that the skin tau-SAA can differentiate tauopathies from normal controls, suggesting that the seeding activity of misfolded tau in the skin could serve as a diagnostic biomarker for tauopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestine, as a crucial organ of the human body, has remained enigmatic despite the remarkable advancements in modern medical technology. Over the past decades, the invention of endoscopic technology has made the noninvasive intervention of the intestine a reality, expanding diagnostic and therapeutic options for diseases. However, due to the single-treatment feature of endoscopic procedures, continuous or repeated medication administration, sampling, and decompression drainage within the intestine have yet to be fulfilled. These limitations persisted until the invention of colonic transendoscopic enteral tubing (TET) in 2014, which realized repeated fecal microbiota transplantation, medication administration, and decompression drainage for the treatment of colon perforation and intestinal obstruction, as well as in situ dynamic sampling. These breakthroughs have not gone unnoticed, gaining global attention and recommendations from guidelines and consensuses. TET has emerged as a novel microbial research tool that offers new paradigms for human microbiome research. This review aims to update the research progress based on TET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with type 1 Gaucher disease (GD1) have a significantly increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate skin α‐synuclein (αSyn) seeding activity as a biomarker for GD1‐related PD (GD1‐PD). Methods: This single‐center study administered motor and cognitive examinations and questionnaires of nonmotor symptoms to adult patients with GD1. Optional skin biopsy was performed for skin αSyn seed amplification assay (αSyn SAA) using real‐time quaking‐induced conversion assay. Results: Forty‐nine patients were enrolled, and 36 underwent skin biopsy. Two study participants had PD. Ten participants were αSyn SAA positive (27.8%), 7 (19.4%) were intermediate, and 19 (52.8%) were negative. Positive αSyn seeding activity was observed in the single GD1‐PD case who consented to biopsy. αSyn SAA positivity was associated with older age (p = 0.043), although αSyn SAA positivity was more prevalent in patients with GD1 than historic controls. Conclusions: Longitudinal follow‐up is required to determine whether skin αSyn seeding activity can be an early biomarker for GD1‐PD. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Vitamin D (VD) deficiency was reported to correlate with ulcerative colitis (UC) activity, which might be closely related to gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study aims to investigate the effects of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) on VD metabolism in UC. Methods: The serum levels of 25‐hdroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in 121 patients with UC and 53 healthy controls (HC) were detected. Subsequently, a non‐randomized control trial (non‐RCT) was conducted. Patients with UC were non‐randomly assigned to undergo WMT (n = 28) vs. conventional treatment (5‐aminosalicylic acid, 5‐ASA, n = 10). Serum levels of 25(OH)D, fecal microbiota, and the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in patients with UC were evaluated with a 3‐month follow‐up. Results: Serum VD levels collected in the clinic practice indicated that patients with UC had significantly lower VD levels than HC (P < 0.001). In the non‐RCT, serum 25(OH)D level and VDR expression significantly increased (P = 0.011, 0.026, respectively) in the WMT group, while no noticeable changes were observed in the non‐WMT group. Microbiome profiling revealed that the increase in VD levels after WMT was positively associated with the abundances of Adlercreutzia_equolifaciens, Ruminococcus_obeum, and Dorea but negatively correlated with Escherichia. Conclusions: The study suggested that WMT increases the levels of VD with characteristic changes of specific microbiota, which indicated the association between the VD and the activity of UC might be regulated by gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic science educators play a significant role in medical and health professions curricula, particularly in the biomedical science components. Although the shift from basic scientists to educators seems promising, no study has yet explored the transition process from the perspective of basic scientists themselves, especially in the early stages of their transition. An anonymous survey with voluntary participation was administered to all basic scientists in National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The survey aimed to identify the perceived challenges faced by basic scientists transitioning to basic science educators in medical and health professions education. This study consisted of Likert scale questions, followed by one multiple-choice question and two open-ended questions. Twenty-one basic scientists either postdoctoral fellows or instructors, completed the study. The study found that gaps in clinical content and experience, along with teaching pedagogy and training were among the major concerns for basic scientists aspiring to be basic science educators. These challenges and shortcomings could potentially be addressed by providing them with clinical shadowing opportunities, education mentorship and teaching training. Since most respondents lacked teaching experience, the results might differ if the majority had been involved in teaching within medical and health professions education. Nonetheless, it is important to understand and acknowledge the challenges and concerns experienced by basic scientists and examine how they can navigate them in the process of their transition to teaching medical and health professions. This also provides opportunities for personal reflection and development so that basic science educators will be more prepared for greater challenges and the ever-changing demands of contemporary medical and health professions education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide geological sequestration is a key method to alleviate global warming and enhance oil recovery, where the three-phase displacement processes of oil, water, and carbon dioxide gas in porous media are frequently encountered. In this study, a three-phase three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method coupled with special wettability and outlet boundary schemes is adopted to simulate the three-phase displacement processes in porous media. The method is validated by the contact angles on a curved surface and droplet flowing through the outlet boundary. With this method, the influences of capillary number, wettability, and local large pores on three-phase flow are investigated. In particular, different dynamic behaviors of fluids are observed at the pore scale, such as bypass-double displacement, stop-wait displacement, burst displacement, snap-off trapping, and corner flow. Further, Euler number and oil saturation are calculated to quantitatively characterize the fluidic morphology and displacement efficiency under different conditions. For all three phases, the Euler number of low capillary number, strong water-wet, and structures with large and medium pores is relatively low, indicating that the morphology of fluids is more connective. For enhancing oil recovery efficiency, high capillary number and strong water-wet structures are beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has become a routine intestinal imaging examination for Crohn's disease (CD). Sufficient bowel preparation is fundamental for MRE. Objectives: To compare the efficacy and compliance of bowel preparation between through a mid-gut tube and oral administration for MRE in CD. Design: This was an open-label, prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Methods: Eligible patients were randomized at a 1:1 ratio into an oral group (bowel preparation by oral administration) and a tubing group (bowel preparation through a mid-gut tube). Bowel preparation for MRE included bowel cleaning and bowel distention. The primary outcomes were the degree of discomfort and grade of bowel distention. The secondary outcomes were diagnostic accuracy rate through MRE, mental stress, and bowel preparation method preference. Results: A total of 95 CD patients were included in the final analysis. Subjects in the tubing group complained of less vomiting during bowel preparation than those in the oral group (p < 0.05). The degree of nausea and bloating during bowel cleaning for MRE was lower in the tubing group than in the oral group (all p < 0.05). The distention grade was higher in the tubing group compared to the oral group in the splenic flexure of the colon and rectosigmoid colon. The tubing group demonstrated a higher overall diagnostic sensitivity in ulcers compared to the oral group (p = 0.048). Additionally, bowel preparation via the mid-gut tube ameliorated mental stress (p = 0.020) and increased bowel preparation preference (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Bowel preparation through the mid-gut tube enhanced the efficacy and compliance for MRE in CD. This study highlighted the concept of physician-patient satisfaction using mid-gut tube for proper bowel preparation for MRE, enteral nutrition and microbial therapy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03541733, registered 5 May 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease associated pathological aggregates of alpha-synuclein (αSynD) exhibit prion-like spreading in synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Seed amplification assays (SAAs) such as real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) have shown high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for detecting proteopathic αSynD seeds in a variety of biospecimens from PD and DLB patients. However, the extent to which relative proteopathic seed concentrations are useful as indices of a patient's disease stage or prognosis remains unresolved. One feature of current SAAs that complicates attempts to correlate SAA results with patients' clinical and other laboratory findings is their quantitative imprecision, which has typically been limited to discriminating large differences (e.g. 5–10 fold) in seed concentration. We used end-point dilution (ED) RT-QuIC assays to determine αSynD seed concentrations in patient biospecimens and tested the influence of various assay variables such as serial dilution factor, replicate number and data processing methods. The use of 2-fold versus 10-fold dilution factors and 12 versus 4 replicate reactions per dilution reduced ED-RT-QuIC assay error by as much as 70%. This enhanced assay format discriminated as little as 2-fold differences in αSynD seed concentration besides detecting ~2-16-fold seed reductions caused by inactivation treatments. In some scenarios, analysis of the data using Poisson and midSIN algorithms provided more consistent and statistically significant discrimination of different seed concentrations. We applied our improved assay strategies to multiple diagnostically relevant PD and DLB antemortem patient biospecimens, including cerebrospinal fluid, skin, and brushings of the olfactory mucosa. Using ED αSyn RT-QuIC as a model SAA, we show how to markedly improve the inter-assay reproducibility and quantitative accuracy. Enhanced quantitative SAA accuracy should facilitate assessments of pathological seeding activities as biomarkers in proteinopathy diagnostics and prognostics, as well as in patient cohort selection and assessments of pharmacodynamics and target engagement in drug trials. Author summary: Seed amplification assays (SAAs) such as RT-QuIC detect pathological α-Syn aggregates with prion-like self-propagating (seeding) activity from various tissue biospecimens of synucleinopathy patients. However, clinical applications of current SAAs to neurodegenerative diseases can be hampered by their quantitative imprecision in stratifying levels of pathological seeds as biomarkers. In this study, we tested the influence of various assay variables including dilution factor, number of replicates, and quantitation methods in end-point dilution RT-QuIC (ED RT-QuIC) using PD and DLB patient samples, specifically brain tissue, CSF, skin, and nasal brushings. Our study highlights how assay design can markedly improve seed quantification in clinical samples. Better proteopathic seed quantification should enable more precise evaluation of pathological seeding activity to support important clinical and research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Aim] This study aims to determine how female wasp's age influences oviposition-related behaviors and offspring developmental consequences of the parasitoid Aenasius arizonensis, a biocontrol agent attacking different life stages of the invasive cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis. [Methods] The 3rd instar nymph and neonatal female adult of the mealybug were exposed to parasitism by A. arizonensis females every day across their lifetime. Female's examination/ oviposition behaviors and offspring body size at eclosion were measured and analyzed in relation to female age and host life stage at parasitism. [Results] Aenasius arizonensis females exercised a longer time for both antennal tapping and ovipositor-drilling on female adult mealybugs than on 3rd instarnymphs, but these behaviors were not affected by female wasp's age. Female wasps conducted more frequent drilling with the ovipositor on the female adult mealybug than on the 3rd instar nymph and markedly decreased the drilling frequency over female's age. Body size of offspring adults was larger from attacking the adult mealybug than attacking the 3rd instar nymph but did not vary with female's age. [Conclusion] Female wasp's age only influences host-examining behaviors while host life stage has an effect on both host-examining behaviors and offspring developmental outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of striations, and scratches in Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting surface necessitates an exploration of these features for enhancing the cutting accuracy of AWJ machining. This article investigates surface roughness and micro-scratch morphology characteristics on brass cutting surfaces. According to the variation law of surface roughness values, the cutting section can be divided into three regions: the initial region, smooth region, and rough region. Numerous micron-scale scratches were observed in the cutting section. The scratch length, width, and depth values all show an increasing trend as the cutting depth increases, with the scratch length experiencing the greatest growth and variability. The influence of position and traverse speed on scratch size was studied using variance analysis. Furthermore, the length and width of the scratches on the cutting surface are significantly influenced by their position, accounting for 89.19% and 81.13%, respectively. Traverse speed had a minor effect on scratch length and width, accounting for 0.01% and 2.64% respectively. The depth of the scratches is influenced by their position on the cutting surface at a rate of 41.12%, while traverse speed had an impact of 38.10%. Finally, a mathematical method based on standard scores was proposed to assess the quality of the cutting section based on micro-scratch dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melasma, a prevalent pigmentary disorder, is characterized by its complex etiology, propensity for recurrence, and resistance to treatment. However, there is currently no research on melasma through bibliometrics and visualisation. This study analyses the hotspots and trends in the field based on 2,709 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). We carried out bibliometric analyses using Citespace software for different countries/regions, institutions, authors, and keywords. References were also analysed using VoSviewer. The results indicate that overall, there has been an increase in publications related to melasma since 2014. According to the analysis of the collaborative network diagram, the United States, Egyptian Knowledge Bank, and Benjakul Soottawat are the most contributing countries, institutions, and authors, respectively. Reference and keyword analyses have identified the pathogenesis and treatment of melasma as a prevalent topic in recent years. And how to find new treatment options and more effective therapeutic drugs is a future research trend. This is the first bibliometric and visual analysis of melasmarelated literature to explore research hotspots and trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the differential idea, this article establishes two segmented algorithms which are the linear equations method and iterative method for solving the one-dimensional digital twin of the temperature field and pressure field of plate heat exchanger (PHE). The segmented algorithms are to consider the change of the physical properties of the fluid along the flow direction, which makes the solution of the temperature field and pressure field more accurate than that without segmentation. It can still get other important parameters besides temperature and is easy to converge with a few iterative steps. When the boundary conditions are known, it can accurately solve the heat transfer, wall temperature, convective heat transfer coefficient, temperature field and pressure field of fluid. Under six groups of test conditions, the heat exchange, temperature and pressure calculated by the two algorithms are compared with the commercial software Flownex, when the number of segments is 100, the average maximum error of each segment is not more than −0.39%, −0.97%, and 0.18%, respectively. To balance accuracy and calculation speed, this article also explores the impact of the number of segments on accuracy. It is found that when the number of segments increases to 10, the impact on the calculation accuracy can be ignored. Compared with Flownex, these two algorithms have smaller errors, and the solution speed of solving linear equations method is faster than that of iteration. It provides application value for emerging digital twin technology, data center chilled water system and other projects and industries that need to accurately control the outlet temperature and wall temperature of PHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was used to analyze the etiological distribution of refractory pneumonia in children. We compared its efficacy in pathogen diagnosis against traditional methods to provide a basis for clinical adjustment and treatment. Methods: A total of 60 children with refractory pneumonia treated at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Affiliated with the Capital Institute of Paediatrics, from September 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study. Clinical data (including sex, age, laboratory tests, complications, and discharge diagnosis) and lower respiratory tract specimens were collected, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), deep sputum, pleural effusion, lung abscess puncture fluid, traditional respiratory pathogens (culture, acid-fast staining, polymerase chain reaction, serological testing, etc.), and mNGS detection methods were used to determine the distribution of pathogens in children with refractory pneumonia and to compare the positive rate and diagnostic efficiency of mNGS and traditional pathogen detection for different types of pathogens. Results: Among the 60 children with refractory pneumonia, 43 specimens were positive by mNGS, and 67 strains of pathogens were detected, including 20.90% (14 strains) of which were Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 11.94% (8 strains) were Streptococcus pneumoniae, 7.46% (5 strains) were cytomegalovirus, and 5.97% (4 strains) were Candida albicans. Thirty-nine strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (41.03%, 16 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (10.26%, 4 strains), Candida albicans (7.69%, 3 strains), and Aspergillus (5.13%, 2 strains) were detected using traditional methods. The positive rate of mNGS detection was 90.48%, and the positive rate of the traditional method was 61.90% (p = 0.050), especially for G+ bacteria. The positive rate of mNGS was greater than that of traditional methods (p < 0.05), but they had no significant difference in detecting G-bacteria, viruses, fungi, or Mycoplasma/Chlamydia. Among the 60 patients, 21 had mixed infections, 25 had single infections, and the other 14 had unknown pathogens. Mycoplasma pneumoniae was most common in both mixed infections and single infections. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of mNGS were 95.45, 37.50, 80.77, and 75.00%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the traditional methods were 72.72, 62.50, 84.21, and 45.45%, respectively. The clinical compliance of mNGS was 80.00%, and that of the traditional method was 70.00%. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of mNGS were high, and the difference in the sensitivity for detecting G+ bacteria was statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, the differences in G-bacteria, fungi, and Mycoplasma/Chlamydia were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Due to the small sample size, statistical analysis could not be conducted on viral infections. Conclusion: mNGS has higher overall efficacy than traditional methods for the etiological diagnosis of refractory pneumonia in children. The application of mNGS can significantly improve the detection rate of pathogens in children with refractory pneumonia. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of mNGS for detecting G+ bacteria are greater than those of other methods, and it can exclude the original suspected pathogenic bacteria. Unnecessary antibiotic use was reduced, but there was no statistically significant difference in G-bacteria, fungi, or Mycoplasma/Chlamydia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the micro-grinding quality of 2.5D carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix (2.5D Cf/SiC) composite materials, their characteristics under different grinding parameters were investigated in this study. Firstly, theoretical models for the undeformed chip thickness and micro-grinding force were established. Then, orthogonal and single-factor experiments were conducted using 0.9-mm-diameter micro-grinding tools electroplated with 500# diamond abrasive particles. Through the range and variance analysis of the orthogonal experimental results, the order in which grinding parameters affect the grinding performance of 2.5D Cf/SiC composites was obtained. Single-factor experimental results indicate that the theoretical model of the micro-grinding force shows consistent trends with the experimental results. As the grinding depth ap and the feed speed vw increase, the grinding force, the surface roughness Ra, and surface defects after micro-grinding also increase, indicating that the grinding performance of 2.5D Cf/SiC composites gradually deteriorates. On the contrary, increasing the grinding speed vs can improve their grinding performance. Based on the established theoretical model, the reasons for the variation of grinding force, surface morphology, and surface roughness with grinding parameters were elaborated. This research would supply a basis for understanding the micro-grinding performance and provide guidance for improving the micro-grinding quality of 2.5D Cf/SiC composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem/progenitor cells differentiate into different cell lineages during organ development and morphogenesis. Signaling pathway networks and mechanotransduction are important factors to guide the lineage commitment of stem/progenitor cells during craniofacial tissue morphogenesis. Here, we used tooth root development as a model to explore the roles of FGF signaling and mechanotransduction as well as their interaction in regulating the progenitor cell fate decision. We show that Fgfr1 is expressed in the mesenchymal progenitor cells and their progeny during tooth root development. Loss of Fgfr1 in Gli1+ progenitors leads to hyperproliferation and differentiation, which causes narrowed periodontal ligament (PDL) space with abnormal cementum/bone formation leading to ankylosis. We further show that aberrant activation of WNT signaling and mechanosensitive channel Piezo2 occurs after loss of FGF signaling in Gli1-CreER;Fgfr1fl/fl mice. Overexpression of Piezo2 leads to increased osteoblastic differentiation and decreased Piezo2 leads to downregulation of WNT signaling. Mechanistically, an FGF/PIEZO2/WNT signaling cascade plays a crucial role in modulating the fate of progenitors during root morphogenesis. Downregulation of WNT signaling rescues tooth ankylosis in Fgfr1 mutant mice. Collectively, our findings uncover the mechanism by which FGF signaling regulates the fate decisions of stem/progenitor cells, and the interactions among signaling pathways and mechanotransduction during tooth root development, providing insights for future tooth root regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The study focuses on the shadow of prion protein (Sho) encoded by the shadow of prion protein gene (SPRN), which associates with PrP and promotes the progression of prion diseases. While genetic polymorphisms in SPRN are linked to susceptibility in several species, rabbit SPRN gene polymorphisms have not been extensively studied. Through amplicon sequencing, we identified novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the rabbit SPRN gene and found strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) between them. However, strong LD was not observed between polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP) and SPRN genes in rabbits. Comparison of amino acid sequences revealed differences in SPRN between rabbits and other species susceptible or resistant to prion diseases. This study represents the first examination of genetic features of the rabbit SPRN gene. Prion disorders are fatal infectious diseases that are caused by a buildup of pathogenic prion protein (PrPSc) in susceptible mammals. According to new findings, the shadow of prion protein (Sho) encoded by the shadow of prion protein gene (SPRN) is associated with prion protein (PrP), promoting the progression of prion diseases. Although genetic polymorphisms in SPRN are associated with susceptibility to several prion diseases, genetic polymorphisms in the rabbit SPRN gene have not been investigated in depth. We discovered two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the leporine SPRN gene on chromosome 18 and found strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) between them. Additionally, strong LD was not found between the polymorphisms of PRNP and SPRN genes in rabbits. Furthermore, nonsynonymous SNPs that alter the amino acid sequences within the open reading frame (ORF) of SPRN have been observed in prion disease-susceptible animals, but this is the first report in rabbits. As far as we are aware, this study represents the first examination of the genetic features of the rabbit SPRN gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent decision‐making in air defense operations has attracted wide attention from researchers. Facing complex battlefield environments, existing decision‐making algorithms fail to make targeted decisions according to the hierarchical decision‐making characteristics of air defense operational command and control. What's worse, in the process of problem‐solving, these algorithms are beset by defects such as dimensional disaster and poor real‐time performance. To address these problems, a new hierarchical reinforcement learning algorithm named Hierarchy Asynchronous Advantage Actor‐Critic (H‐A3C) is developed. This algorithm is designed to have a hierarchical decision‐making framework considering the characteristics of air defense operations and employs the hierarchical reinforcement learning method for problem‐solving. With a hierarchical decision‐making capability similar to that of human commanders in decision‐making, the developed algorithm produces many new policies during the learning process. The features of air situation information are extracted using the bidirectional‐gated recurrent unit (Bi‐GRU) network, and then the agent is trained using the H‐A3C algorithm. In the training process, the multihead attention mechanism and the event‐based reward mechanism are introduced to facilitate the training. In the end, the proposed H‐A3C algorithm is verified in a digital battlefield environment, and the results prove its advantages over existing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global‐scale empirical analysis of how renewable energy policies (REPs) affect carbon emissions and the mediating role of renewable energy development (RED) in this mechanism remains underexplored. To fill this research gap, we extracted and organized REPs data from IEA's databases for 135 countries until 2018 and conducted empirical analyses of these issues. We find that: (a) REPs significantly reduce global carbon emissions, especially through regulatory, economic, and R&D policies. (b) REPs' effectiveness in mitigating carbon emissions is enhanced by robust energy infrastructure, strong control of corruption, and adherence to the rule of law. Besides, the balance of REPs types does not influence their efficiency, but REPs prioritizing certain renewable energy (RE) types aligns better with carbon reduction goals. (c) RED displays a Janus‐faced influence on REPs' carbon reduction effect—renewable energy consumption (REC) positively mediates it, whereas renewable energy share (RES) exerts a negative mediation. Specifically, REC consistently reduces carbon emissions, while RES initially increases and then decreases carbon emissions, exhibiting an inverted U‐shape. (d) The initial rise in carbon emissions with RES is due to the low substitution of RE for fossil energy and the country‐specific heterogeneity in organizational, geographic, industrial, economic, demographic, and temporal factors. Plain Language Summary: This study looked at how renewable energy policies (REPs) help lower carbon emissions worldwide and the role of renewable energy development (RED) in this process. We used data from the International Energy Agency on 135 countries up to 2018. Our findings show that REPs are effective in reducing carbon emissions, particularly through laws, economic incentives, and research and development. The success of these policies is better in countries with strong energy infrastructure, good governance, and rule of law. Interestingly, not all types of REPs are equally effective; those focusing on specific types of renewable energy (RE) align more closely with carbon reduction goals. We also discovered a dual role of RED in this scenario. While the use of RE helps lower emissions, just increasing the share of RE in the overall energy mix can initially lead to more emissions before eventually decreasing them. This increase at first happens because RE doesn't immediately replace fossil fuels and because countries are different in terms of their organization, geography, industry, economy, population, and changes over time. Key Points: Renewable energy policies (REPs) cut global carbon emissions, mainly via regulatory, economic, and R&D policiesREPs' carbon reduction boosted by robust infrastructure, anti‐corruption, and law adherenceRenewable energy development has a Janus‐faced impact on REPs' carbon reduction effect [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinearly induced steady-state photon–phonon entanglement of a dissipative coupled system is studied in the bistable regime. Quantum dynamical characteristics are analysed by solving the mean-field and fluctuation equations of the system. It is shown that dissipative coupling can induce bistable behaviour for the effective dissipation of the system. Under suitable parameters, one of the steady states significantly reduces the dissipative effect of the system. Consequently, a larger steady-state entanglement can be achieved compared to linear dynamics. Furthermore, the experimental feasibility of the parameters is analysed. Our results provide a new perspective for the implementation of steady-state optomechanical entanglement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide evidence regarding mutual funds' motivation to hold lottery stocks. Funds with higher managerial ownership invest less in lottery stocks, suggesting that managers themselves do not prefer such stocks. The evidence instead supports that managers cater to fund investors' preference for such stocks. In particular, funds with more lottery holdings attract larger flows after portfolio disclosure compared with their peers, and poorly performing funds tend to engage in risk shifting by increasing their lottery holdings toward year-ends. Funds' aggregate holdings of lottery stocks contribute to their overpricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) requires deep understanding of the reactive transport processes inside the catalyst layers (CLs). In this study, a particle-overlapping model is developed for accurately describing the hierarchical structures and oxygen reactive transport processes in CLs. The analytical solutions derived from this model indicate that carbon particle overlap increases ionomer thickness, reduces specific surface areas of ionomer and carbon, and further intensifies the local oxygen transport resistance (Rother). The relationship between Rother and roughness factor predicted by the model in the range of 800-1600 s m-1 agrees well with the experiments. Then, a multiscale model is developed by coupling the particle-overlapping model with cell-scale models, which is validated by comparing with the polarization curves and local current density distribution obtained in experiments. The relative error of local current density distribution is below 15% in the ohmic polarization region. Finally, the multiscale model is employed to explore effects of CL structural parameters including Pt loading, I/C, ionomer coverage and carbon particle radius on the cell performance as well as the phase-change-induced (PCI) flow and capillary-driven (CD) flow in CL. The result demonstrates that the CL structural parameters have significant effects on the cell performance as well as the PCI and CD flows. Optimizing the CL structure can increase the current density and further enhance the heat-pipe effect within the CL, leading to overall higher PCI and CD rates. The maximum increase of PCI and CD rates can exceed 145%. Besides, the enhanced heat-pipe effect causes the reverse flow regions of PCI and CD near the CL/PEM interface, which can occupy about 30% of the CL. The multiscale model significantly contributes to a deep understanding of reactive transport and multiphase heat transfer processes inside PEMFCs. Highlights: A particle-overlapping model for reactive transport process in catalyst layers. A multiscale model coupling particle-overlapping model with cell-scale models. The model is rigorously validated from nanoscale to commercial-cell scale. Effects of catalyst layer structures on cell performance are evaluated. Phase-change-induced and capillary-driven flows in catalyst layers are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstable emotions, particularly anger, have been identified as significant contributors to traffic accidents. To address this issue, driver emotion recognition emerges as a promising solution within the realm of cyber-physical-social systems (CPSS). In this paper, we introduce SVGG, an emotion recognition model that leverages the attention mechanism. We validate our approach through comprehensive experiments on two distinct datasets, assessing the model's performance using a range of evaluation metrics. The results suggest that the proposed model exhibits improved performance across both datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pseudoachalasia is a rare disease that behaves similarly to achalasia (AC), making it sometimes difficult to differentiate. Case presentation We report a case of 49-year-old male with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction misdiagnosed as achalasia. No obvious abnormalities were found in his initial examinations including upper digestive endoscopy, upper gastrointestinal imaging and chest computed tomography (CT). During the subsequent introduced-peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), it was found that the mucosal layer and the muscular layer had severe adhesion, which did not receive much attention, delayed the clear diagnosis and effect treatment, and ultimately led to a poor prognosis for the patient. Conclusions This case suggests that when patients with AC found mucosal and muscular adhesions during POEM surgery, the possibility should be considered that the lesion may be caused by a malignant lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactants are widely used in the fracturing fluid to enhance the imbibition and thus the oil recovery rate. However, current numerical models cannot capture the physics behind capillary imbibition during the wettability alteration by surfactants. Although the interacting capillary bundle (ICB) model shows potential in characterizing imbibition rates in different pores during wettability alteration, the existing ICB models neglect the influence of wettability and viscosity ratio on the imbibition behavior, making it difficult to accurately describe the oilewater imbibition behavior within the porous media. In this work, a new ICB mathematical model is established by introducing pressure balance without assuming the position of the leading front to comprehensively describe the imbibition behavior in a porous medium under different conditions, including gaseliquid spontaneous imbibition and oilewater imbibition. When the pore size distribution of a tight rock is known, this new model can predict the changes of water saturation during the displacement process in the tight rock, and also determine the imbibition rate in pores of different sizes. The water saturation profiles obtained from the new model are validated against the waterflooding simulation results from the CMG, while the imbibition rates calculated by the model are validated against the experimental observations of gaseliquid spontaneous imbibition. The good match above indicates the newly proposed model can show the water saturation profile at a macroscopic scale while capture the underlying physics of the multiphase flow in a porous medium at a microscopic scale. Simulation results obtained from this model indicate that both wettability and viscosity ratio can affect the sequence of fluid imbibition into pores of different sizes during the multiphase flow, where less-viscous wetting fluid is preferentially imbibed into larger pores while more-viscous wetting fluid tends to be imbibed into smaller pores. Furthermore, this model provides an avenue to calculate the imbibition rate in pores of different sizes during wettability alteration and capture the non-Darcy effect in micro- and nano-scale pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To present the detailed implementation processes of the IDEAL algorithm for two-dimensional compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh, and compare the performance of the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms for solving compressible problems. What's more, the implementation processes of Delaunay mesh generation and derivation of the pressure correction equation are also introduced. Design/methodology/approach: Programming completely in C++. Findings: Five compressible examples are used to test the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms, and the comparison with measurement data shows good agreement. The IDEAL algorithm has much better performance in both convergence rate and stability over the SIMPLE algorithm. Originality/value: The detail solution procedure of implementing the IDEAL algorithm for compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh is presented in this work, seemingly first in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on the mechanical properties of soil-structure interface is the basis to solve the problem of soil-structure interaction, which involves many aspects of practical engineering. By modifying the conventional unsaturated direct shear apparatus and using the modified unsaturated direct shear apparatus, the shear tests of unsaturated sand-structure interface were carried out, and the effects of the matrix suction, the structural interface type and the net normal stress on the shear strength of the interface were studied. The experimental results show that the influence of matrix suction on the interface cohesion of unsaturated sand-structure interface is great, while that on the interface friction angle is small. With the increase of matrix suction, the shear strength of unsaturated sand-concrete interface increases first and then decreases, indicating a peak effect. The shear strength of unsaturated sand-steel interface was less affected by matrix suction. Under the condition of constant matrix suction, the shear strength of sand-steel interface increases nonlinearly with the increase of net normal stress. The influence of net normal stress on the friction angle (δb) corresponding to matrix suction is little. Finally, a shear strength formula of unsaturated sand-concrete interface was established based on peak effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micromagnets integrated into microelectromechanical systems devices are widely used in the fields of micro-energy harvesters, micro-actuators, and speakers. A novel method for fabricating NdFeB micromagnets based on vacuum negative pressure injection is presented. The influence of array element shape, size, and injection channel on the surface magnetic field was studied by Maxwell finite element analysis. A circle array of 600 µm diameter and 150 µm spacing could generate a stronger magnetic field at the edge of the magnet array. Micron-sized magnetic powders with a diameter of 5 µm mixed with the SU8 T2010 photoresist were filled into the microcavity on a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) elastomer, which was prepared by the SU8 positive membrane. The PDMS elastomer was bonded to the glass substrate and degassed by a vacuum pump to form negative pressure for rapid injection and uniform filling. By selecting a suitable binder and optimizing the mixing ratio of the magnetic powder, a 165 µm thick micromagnet with homogeneous dispersion of magnetic powder particles was achieved, and the weight percentage of magnetic powder in the SU8 photoresist was 41.8%. The remanent magnetization of micromagnets was 42 emu/g, the coercivity was 6895 Oe, and the maximum surface magnetic field strength was 1.3 mT after magnetization in a 2 T uniform magnetic field. Finally, the micromagnet array was utilized in a cantilever beam micro-actuator, which could drive the cantilever beam and exhibit an excellent linearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the body's largest organ, the skin harbors a highly diverse microbiota, playing a crucial role in resisting foreign pathogens, nurturing the immune system, and metabolizing natural products. The dysregulation of human skin microbiota is implicated in immune dysregulation and inflammatory responses. This review delineates the microbial alterations and immune dysregulation features in common Inflammatory Skin Diseases (ISDs) such as psoriasis, rosacea, atopic dermatitis(AD), seborrheic dermatitis(SD), diaper dermatitis(DD), and Malassezia folliculitis(MF).The skin microbiota, a complex and evolving community, undergoes changes in composition and function that can compromise the skin microbial barrier. These alterations induce water loss and abnormal lipid metabolism, contributing to the onset of ISDs. Additionally, microorganisms release toxins, like Staphylococcus aureus secreted α toxins and proteases, which may dissolve the stratum corneum, impairing skin barrier function and allowing entry into the bloodstream. Microbes entering the bloodstream activate molecular signals, leading to immune disorders and subsequent skin inflammatory responses. For instance, Malassezia stimulates dendritic cells(DCs) to release IL-12 and IL-23, differentiating into a Th17 cell population and producing proinflammatory mediators such as IL-17, IL-22, TNF-α, and IFN-α.This review offers new insights into the role of the human skin microbiota in ISDs, paving the way for future skin microbiome-specific targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeds are the "chip" of agriculture, and the crop germplasm resources were the national strategic resources. In order to find out the current situation of crop germplasm resources in Fujian Province, prevent the loss of resources and protect the local varieties which were near extinction, Fujian Province has carried out the third national mass survey and collection of crop germplasm resources. Through this "action", a total of 6235 germplasm resources were collected, including more than 1,000 new germplasm resources and 33 crop germplasm resources introduced from Taiwan. Through the identification and evaluation, 252 germplasm resources with excellent traits were screened out, and more than 30 germplasm resources were used as the parents for resource innovation, which provided a basis for the future protection and utilization of germplasm resources in Fujian Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric material is the core part of all kinds of micro-piezoelectric devices (piezoelectric energy harvesters, piezoelectric sensors, etc.). Based on the first principle, this paper theoretically predicts a kind of organic–inorganic lead-free hybrid perovskite monolayer (ATHP)2XY4 (X = Ge, Sn; Y = Cl, Br, I) with a large out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient (d31). Combined with the finite element simulation, it shows excellent performance in the piezoelectric energy harvester. Through the first-principles theoretical calculation, the density, elastic tensor, piezoelectric stress tensor, and dielectric coefficient of the (ATHP)2XY4 monolayer can be obtained. The thermodynamic stability and mechanical stability of the materials are judged by ab initio molecular dynamics and stress–strain relationship analysis, respectively. The piezoelectric coefficient of the material is calculated, in which the d31 of (ATHP)2SnBr4 is the largest (d31 = 35.04 pm/V), which is still 7 times that of the bulk AlN and at least one order of magnitude larger than that of other 2D materials. The finite element simulation results of a simple piezoelectric beam show that the voltage output of the piezoelectric beam reaches 27.79 V. Our research shows that lead-free hybrid perovskite monolayer (ATHP)2XY4 has strong competitiveness in the application of environment-friendly and bio-friendly micro-piezoelectric devices. In addition, the cross-scale simulation method from the first principles to the finite element method is of great significance for the optimization of micro-piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wurtzite aluminum nitride (w-AlN) piezoelectric film plays a key role in modern MEMS actuators and sensors. Density functional theory can be used to predict the elastic and piezoelectric properties of AlN containing various charged vacancies, thereby obtaining methods for improving the piezoelectric properties. The theoretical investigations suggested that the Young's modulus of defectants are smaller than that of intrinsic AlN, indicating that charged vacancies can effectively improve the elastic properties of AlN. A high piezoelectric coefficient d33 values were obtained in V Al 3 − , V N 1 + and V N 3 + that may be a cause of the non-symmetrical charges assignation. This work suggests that the elasticity and piezoelectricity of AlN films can be effectively enhancing using the introduction of charged vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]