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The purpose of this research is to design a flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism to solve the load impact problem in the grinding process of permanent magnet electric spindle. Firstly, combined with the structure and usage scene of the grinding permanent magnet electric spindle, according to the design principles and technical indicators, a novel flexible variable stiffness vibration damping joint is proposed. Then the stiffness and energy storage model of the flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism is established, and the stiffness and energy storage characteristics of the mechanism are analyzed. The strength and dynamic characteristics of the flexible variable stiffness mechanism are analyzed by Ansys and Adams, respectively. Finally, an experimental platform for the comprehensive performance verification of the flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism is built to verify the dynamic characteristics and damping effect of the mechanism. The research results show that the designed flexible variable stiffness structure has better vibration damping effect and can improve the grinding performance of the permanent magnet electric spindle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to develop a stacking model for accurately predicting axillary lymph node (ALN) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) using longitudinal MRI in breast cancer. Methods: We included patients with node-positive breast cancer who received NAC following surgery from January 2012 to June 2022. We collected MRIs before and after NAC, and extracted radiomics features from the tumour, peritumour, and ALN regions. The Mann–Whitney U test, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and Boruta algorithm were used to select features. We utilised machine learning techniques to develop three single-modality models and a stacking model for predicting ALN response to NAC. Results: This study consisted of a training cohort (n = 277), three external validation cohorts (n = 313, 164, and 318), and a prospective cohort (n = 81). Among the 1153 patients, 60.62% achieved ypN0. The stacking model achieved excellent AUCs of 0.926, 0.874, and 0.862 in the training, external validation, and prospective cohort, respectively. It also showed lower false-negative rates (FNRs) compared to radiologists, with rates of 14.40%, 20.85%, and 18.18% (radiologists: 40.80%, 50.49%, and 63.64%) in three cohorts. Additionally, there was a significant difference in disease-free survival between high-risk and low-risk groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The stacking model can accurately predict ALN status after NAC in breast cancer, showing a lower false-negative rate than radiologists. Trial registration number: The clinical trial numbers were NCT03154749 and NCT04858529. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rhizoctonia solani is an important plant pathogen worldwide, and causes serious tobacco target spot in tobacco in the last five years. This research studied the biological characteristics of four different anastomosis groups strains (AG-3, AG-5, AG-6, AG-1-IB) of R. solani from tobacco. Using metabolic phenotype technology analyzed the metabolic phenotype differences of these strains. Results: The results showed that the suitable temperature for mycelial growth of four anastomosis group strains were from 20 to 30oC, and for sclerotia formation were from 20 to 25oC. Under different lighting conditions, R. solani AG-6 strains produced the most sclerotium, followed by R. solani AG-3, R. solani AG-5 and R. solani AG-1-IB. All strains had strong oligotrophic survivability, and can grow on water agar medium without any nitrutions. They exhibited three types of sclerotia distribution form, including dispersed type (R. solani AG-5 and AG-6), peripheral type (R. solani AG-1-IB), and central type (R. solani AG-3). They all presented different pathogenicities in tobacco leaves, with the most virulent was noted by R. solani AG-6, followed by R. solani AG-5 and AG-1-IB, finally was R. solani AG-3. R. solani AG-1-IB strains firstly present symptom after inoculation. Metabolic fingerprints of four anastomosis groups were different to each other. R. solani AG-3, AG-6, AG-5 and AG-1-IB strains efficiently metabolized 88, 94, 71 and 92 carbon substrates, respectively. Nitrogen substrates of amino acids and peptides were the significant utilization patterns for R. solani AG-3. R. solani AG-3 and AG-6 showed a large range of adaptabilities and were still able to metabolize substrates in the presence of the osmolytes, including up to 8% sodium lactate. Four anastomosis groups all showed active metabolism in environments with pH values from 4 to 6 and exhibited decarboxylase activities. Conclusions: The biological characteristics of different anastomosis group strains varies, and there were significant differences in the metabolic phenotype characteristics of different anastomosis group strains towards carbon source, nitrogen source, pH, and osmotic pressure. Highlights: Phenotyping differences in carbon, nitrogen, and pH metabolism, as well in osmotic pressure among four anastomosis groups (AG-3, AG-5, AG-6, AG-1-IB) of R. solani were different. Nitrogen substrates of amino acids and peptides were the main metabolic substrates for R. solani AG-3. R. solani AG-3 and AG-6 showed a wide range of adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Encephalitozoon hellem (E. hellem) infection is a zoonotic disease, rarely observed in individuals, causing various clinical manifestations including diarrhea, keratoconjunctivitis, cystitis, etc. E. hellem infection after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is a rare, serious complication. Case presentation: Herein, we present a case of E. hellem infection developing during HLA-haploidentical HSCT in a 9-year-old boy who suffered from aplastic anemia. On 15 days after HSCT, the patient developed recurrent and prolonged fever, diarrhea and hematuria. It is challenging to differentiate whether the symptoms mentioned in this case are caused by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or a specific infection. Based on the result of metagenomic nextgeneration sequencing (mNGS) and clinical observation, the patient was diagnosed as E. hellem infection, and received albendazole and decreased the immunosuppressive treatment. Finally, he had recovered. Conclusion: We should pay attention to the uncommon disease caused by the E. hellem infection after HSCT, especially in cases with immune reconstitution unrecovered. Among those rare infection, mNGS can be performed for better understanding the source of infection and targeted therapy, which can benefit the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) present a promising avenue for next‐generation grid‐scale energy storage. However, realizing all‐climate SIBs operating across a wide temperature range remains a challenge due to the poor electrolyte conductivity and instable electrode interphases at extreme temperatures. Here, we propose a comprehensively balanced electrolyte by pairing carbonates with a low‐freezing‐point and low‐polarity ethyl propionate solvent which enhances ion diffusion and Na+‐desolvation kinetics at sub‐zero temperatures. Furthermore, the electrolyte leverages a combinatorial borate‐ and nitrile‐based additive strategy to facilitate uniform and inorganic‐rich electrode interphases, ensuring excellent rate performance and cycle stability over a wide temperature range from −45 °C to 60 °C. Notably, the Na||sodium vanadyl phosphate cell delivers a remarkable capacity of 105 mAh g−1 with a high rate of 2 C at −25 °C. In addition, the cells exhibit excellent cycling stability over a wide temperature range, maintaining a high capacity retention of 84.7 % over 3,000 cycles at 60 °C and of 95.1 % at −25 °C over 500 cycles. The full cell also exhibits impressive cycling performance over a wide temperature range. This study highlights the critical role of electrolyte and interphase engineering for enabling SIBs that function optimally under diverse and extreme climatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) present a promising avenue for next‐generation grid‐scale energy storage. However, realizing all‐climate SIBs operating across a wide temperature range remains a challenge due to the poor electrolyte conductivity and instable electrode interphases at extreme temperatures. Here, we propose a comprehensively balanced electrolyte by pairing carbonates with a low‐freezing‐point and low‐polarity ethyl propionate solvent which enhances ion diffusion and Na+‐desolvation kinetics at sub‐zero temperatures. Furthermore, the electrolyte leverages a combinatorial borate‐ and nitrile‐based additive strategy to facilitate uniform and inorganic‐rich electrode interphases, ensuring excellent rate performance and cycle stability over a wide temperature range from −45 °C to 60 °C. Notably, the Na||sodium vanadyl phosphate cell delivers a remarkable capacity of 105 mAh g−1 with a high rate of 2 C at −25 °C. In addition, the cells exhibit excellent cycling stability over a wide temperature range, maintaining a high capacity retention of 84.7 % over 3,000 cycles at 60 °C and of 95.1 % at −25 °C over 500 cycles. The full cell also exhibits impressive cycling performance over a wide temperature range. This study highlights the critical role of electrolyte and interphase engineering for enabling SIBs that function optimally under diverse and extreme climatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 13–15% of breast cancer/BC patients diagnosed as pathological complete response/pCR after neoadjuvant systemic therapy/NST suffer from recurrence. This study aims to estimate the rationality of organoid forming potential/OFP for more accurate evaluation of NST efficacy. Methods: OFPs of post-NST residual disease/RD were checked and compared with clinical approaches to estimate the recurrence risk. The phenotypes of organoids were classified via HE staining and ER, PR, HER2, Ki67 and CD133 immuno-labeling. The active growing organoids were subjected to drug sensitivity tests. Results: Of 62 post-NST BC specimens, 24 were classified as OFP-I with long-term active organoid growth, 19 as OFP-II with stable organoid growth within 3 weeks, and 19 as OFP-III without organoid formation. Residual tumors were overall correlated with OFP grades (P < 0.001), while 3 of the 18 patients (16.67%) pathologically diagnosed as tumor-free (ypT0N0M0) showed tumor derived-organoid formation. The disease-free survival/DFS of OFP-I cases was worse than other two groups (Log-rank P < 0.05). Organoids of OFP-I/-II groups well maintained the biological features of their parental tumors and were resistant to the drugs used in NST. Conclusions: The OFP would be a complementary parameter to improve the evaluation accuracy of NST efficacy of breast cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its advantages of high transmission accuracy, dependable operation and high efficiency, gear transmission is the most significant and widely used type of mechanical transmission. It is used extensively in aerospace, machinery, transportation, instrument manufacturing and other industries. However, the relative sliding friction between the meshing tooth surfaces will produce a lot of heat, which will not only lower the transmission efficiency but also lead to failures like gluing and pitting of the gear teeth. Combined with the domestic and international research progress in gear thermal analysis, three aspects of theoretical calculation, numerical simulation and experimental research of gear transmission thermal analysis are analyzed, and key research directions are proposed. The analysis results show that the current methods of gear transmission system thermal analysis have their different advantages and disadvantages. The integration of multiple methods and improvement of existing technologies are expected to be one of the key research focuses in this field in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tietonggou pluton is mainly composed of gabbroic diorite and diorite. The petrology, zircon U-Pb age, and geochemistry of the Tietonggou diorite have been studied to determine its petrogenesis and metallogenic significance. The diorite samples have 56–58 wt% SiO2 and 11–14 wt% Al2O3 and are peraluminous and sodic (Na2O/K2O = 1.29–2.07). All the samples are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Ba, and Sr) but depleted in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Zr, Nb, and Ta), suggesting subduction-related affinities. The rocks have narrow ranges of (206Pb/204Pb)t (18.5–19.0), (207Pb/204Pb)t (15.71–15.75), and (208Pb/204Pb)t (38.4–39.0) ratios, respectively. Zircons from the Tietonggou diorite yielded a weighted average U-Pb age of 132.86 ± 0.92 Ma (MSWD = 0.48), whilst those from the nearby Laowa diorite yielded 129.72 ± 0.61 Ma (MSWD = 1.05). This suggests that the rocks represent Early Cretaceous plutons, coeval with the peak lithospheric thinning in eastern North China Craton (NCC). The magma likely originated from partial melting of the enriched lithospheric mantle and was contaminated by ancient lower NCC crustal materials. Our study clarifies the tectonic background of the Tietonggou pluton and provides support for the study of the genesis of Fe–skarn deposits in western Shandong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Frontiers in Oncology, discusses the importance of precision therapy and biomarkers in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). HNSCC is a prevalent cancer worldwide, and despite current therapies, recurrence and metastasis remain common. The article highlights the need for clinically significant biomarkers to improve therapeutic prediction and explores novel drug targets and combination therapies involving immune checkpoint inhibitors. The article includes several studies that analyze different biomarkers and their impact on HNSCC prognosis and treatment outcomes. Overall, the research emphasizes the importance of expanding research on biomarkers for HNSCC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options. [Extracted from the article]

Dermatomyositis represents an autoimmune disorder characterized by notable skin and muscular manifestations. The annual incidence of dermatomyositis stands at approximately (5~10)/1 million individuals. Notably, patients with malignant tumors exhibit an elevated risk of developing dermatomyositis compared to the general population. However, in cases where dermatomyositis co-occurs with malignancy, the efficacy of hormone therapy alone tends to be suboptimal. Moreover, reports addressing the correlation between tumor treatment and the management of dermatomyositis are scarce. A 60-year-old male patient presented with dermatomyositis, initially manifesting through symptoms such as rash, muscle weakness, and dysphagia. Despite undergoing standard hormone therapy, there was no discernible improvement in the dermatomyositis symptoms. Considering the patient's concomitant troublesome cough, further investigations were conducted, including CT, PET-CT, and pathological biopsy. These assessments confirmed the diagnosis of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (T1cN3M0 IIIB). Notably, in this patient, dermatomyositis was suspected to be a paraneoplastic syndrome associated with small cell lung cancer. Standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy were employed to treat the small cell lung cancer, resulting in partial remission after two treatment cycles. As the malignancy regressed, a notable improvement in dermatomyositis symptoms was observed, subsequently leading to a gradual reduction in the prescribed hormone dosage. In conclusion, we present a comprehensive case study of dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic syndrome throughout the treatment process. The response to tumor therapy coincided with the amelioration of dermatomyositis symptoms. Therefore, diligent malignancy screening is imperative for patients diagnosed with dermatomyositis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To give timely and accurate diagnosis in the early stage of demagnetization failure for effective control and treatment, based on wavelet packet analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) dimensionality reduction, and least squares support vector machine(LSSVM), the extraction of features and the classification of demagnetization faults are completed. Since it is difficult to collect real data sets of demagnetization faults in practice, a two-dimensional finite element simulation model of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) under uniform demagnetization and partial demagnetization faults is established based on the Maxwell simulation platform. The wavelet packet analysis is used to extract the demagnetization feature of the A-phase current of the PMSM. Based on PCA dimensionality reduction, the dimensionality reduction of fault features is realized. The LSSVM is used to identify the fault and complete the fault classification. The simulation results show that the method has a high classification accuracy rate for demagnetization faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable electronics have impacted many aspects of human life including health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and human‐machine interfacing. However, the rapid development also accelerates the generation of electronic waste (e‐waste), which is threatening the health of ecological systems. Accordingly, high‐performance biodegradable materials suitable for transient electronics are highly demanded and challenging. In this work, a fully biodegradable and biocompatible ionotronic skin is designed based on double‐network natural polyelectrolytes derivatives. It consists of carboxylated chitosan (CCS) and sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) polymerized in glycerol and water followed by cross‐linking with hydrogen bonds and electrostatic attraction (namely SBMAX‐CCSY‐Glyz). By macromolecular engineering, the ionotronic skin exhibits high ionic conductivity, good compliance with skin, as well as complete degradability, which is capable of transient measurement of electrophysiology. Applied on the sciatic nerve of bullfrog, it can accurately record action potentials and fully degrade in only 3 days without any residue. Such biodegradable and biocompatible ionotronic skin will shed light on the design of ionotronic materials for future transient electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and further probe the prognostic implications of CDKN2A mutations, particularly within a subset receiving immunotherapy. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, we evaluated the nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) data from Foundation Medicine (FM) for patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021. Patients were stratified based on CDKN2A loss-of-function (LOF) versus wild-type (WT) categorizations, with a focused subgroup analysis on those administered immunotherapy. Results: The study encompassed 77 patients, of which 62 had undergone immunotherapy. The median duration of follow-up was 22.6 months. For the CDKN2A LOF group, the median overall survival (OS) was 16.5 months, contrasted with 30.0 months in the CDKN2A WT group (P=0.014). Notably, female gender (hazard ratio [HR]=4.526, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.934- 10.180, P=0.0003) and CDKN2A LOF (HR=2.311, 95% CI: 1.156-4.748, P=0.019) emerged as independent risk factors for mortality in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. Within the immunotherapy subset, the median OS was 11.7 months for the CDKN2A LOF group, and 22.5 months for the CDKN2A WT group (P=0.017). Further, the female gender (HR=4.022, 95% CI: 1.417-10.710, P=0.006), CDKN2A LOF (HR=4.389, 95% CI: 1.782-11.460, P=0.002), and a combined positive score below 1 (HR=17.20, 95% CI: 4.134-79.550, P<0.0001) were identified as significant predictors of mortality among patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC receiving immunotherapy. Conclusion: Alterations manifesting as LOF in the CDKN2A gene stand as robust indicators of unfavorable survival outcomes in HNSCC patients, including the subset that underwent immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The expression of pyroptosis related factors GSDMD, Caspase-1, NLRP3, IL-1ß, IL-18 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in ovarian endometriosis was investigated and their correlations analyzed. Methods: A total of 50 patients with endometriosis who underwent ovarian cystectomy in the Department of Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from January 2022 to January 2023 were enrolled as endometriosis group. In addition, 55 patients with normal endometrial tissue who underwent hysteroscopic surgery in the hospital during the same period were selected as the control group, and patients with endometriosis were excluded during the operation. RT-qPCR, Western Blot was used to detect the expression of pyroptosis-related factor and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway mRAN, protein in the above tissues, and the correlation between the expression of the two was analyzed by Pearson correlation test. Results: The expression of pyroptosis-related factors and mRAN of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in ectopic ovarian cyst tissues was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that pyroptosis-related factors in ectopic ovarian cysts were positively correlated with the mRNA expression levels of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The pyroptosis correlation factors GSDMD, Caspase-1, NLRP3, IL-1ß, IL-18 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways are highly expressed in ovarian endometriosis, and the pyroptosis-related factors are positively correlated with the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, suggesting that the regulation of endometriosis by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is likely to be achieved by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis of multiple samples separately can be costly and lead to batch effects. Exogenous barcodes or genome-wide RNA mutations can be used to demultiplex pooled scRNA-seq data, but they are experimentally or computationally challenging and limited in scope. Mitochondrial genomes are small but diverse, providing concise genotype information. We developed "mitoSplitter," an algorithm that demultiplexes samples using mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) variants, and demonstrated that mtRNA variants can be used to demultiplex large-scale scRNA-seq data. Using affordable computational resources, mitoSplitter can accurately analyze 10 samples and 60,000 cells in 6 h. To avoid the batch effects from separated experiments, we applied mitoSplitter to analyze the responses of five non-small cell lung cancer cell lines to BET (Bromodomain and extraterminal) chemical degradation in a multiplexed fashion. We found the synthetic lethality of TOP2A inhibition and BET chemical degradation in BET inhibitor-resistant cells. The result indicates that mitoSplitter can accelerate the application of scRNA-seq assays in biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase mask optimization is one of the critical steps in designing a wavefront coding system to extend the depth of field (DoF). As a classical phase mask, a cubic phase mask was taken as an example. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was applied to calculate the parameters of the cubic phase mask by introducing the modulation transfer function as the optimization criterion and a threshold as a constraint. The quality of the subsequent image restoration is guaranteed on the premise of the extended DoF. Finally, the improved PSO was proved to be faster, more efficient, and more accurate compared to the simulated annealing algorithm and the traditional PSO. The experimental results verify that the cubic phase mask optimized by the improved PSO can achieve DoF extension in the wavefront coding system. The improved PSO can also be applied to other phase masks of wavefront coding systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement process of six-sigma DMAIC refers to the process that the industry performs to enhance process quality via the following five procedures: (1) define, (2) measure, (3) analyze, (4) improve, and (5) control. It is a common tool used in the industry to ameliorate and enhance process quality. In addition, the process capability index is a tool that the industry most frequently uses to measure process quality. Though many studies have discussed six-sigma methods, none of the specific theoretical models could be provided as a reference for the above five DMAIC improvement steps, making it difficult to control the effect. In order to solve this problem, this paper developed the multi-characteristic process capability analysis chart, MPCAC, using the process capability index and applied the method of statistical inference as a tool promoting define, measure, and analyze in the improvement process of six-sigma DMAIC. Additionally, the testing of the orthogonal table in the Taguchi method can efficiently assist process engineers in finding the optimum combination of machining parameters to improve or boost the process quality level of the quality characteristics by reducing the number and the cost of experiments. Therefore, this paper then adopted the testing of the orthogonal table in the Taguchi method as a tool for process improvement in the fourth step. Finally, according to the optimal combination of machining parameters improved in the fourth step, a standard operating procedure for transistor gaskets was established as a tool for process control in the fifth step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make the gear better adapt to the high temperature environment, the effects of tooth surface friction and thermal deformation on the dynamic characteristics of the gear were studied. First, based on the basic theory of gear nonlinear dynamics, the backlash model is established considering the effects of thermal deformation. Then, an improved multi-degree-of-freedom nonlinear dynamic model of gears is established taking into account the effects of thermal deformation and friction. The effect of tooth surface friction and thermal deformation on the system motion state is analyzed. Finally, to better analyze the relationship between impact vibration and transmission efficiency, the percussion vibration index is introduced. Compared with the existing research, a gear multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic model is established by considering the influence of tooth surface friction and thermal deformation. The percussion vibration index is introduced as an indicator of gear running health. The research result can provide reference for the optimization and cooling of the gear transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method to extract Sr-90 from high-level liquid waste (HLLW) using N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl as the extractant and tri-n-butyl phosphate as the phase modifier. The process was tested with real HLLW with a recovery percentage of 99.91% of Sr-90. The results show that the proposed process for Sr extraction is efficient in the treatment of commercial HLLW and separation of Sr-90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult neurogenesis is a multistage process during which newborn neurons are generated through the activation and proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and integrated into existing neural networks. Impaired adult neurogenesis has been observed in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, suggesting its critical role in cognitive function, brain homeostasis, and neural repair. Over the past decades, mounting evidence has identified a strong association between metabolic status and adult neurogenesis. Here, we aim to summarize how amino acids and their neuroactive metabolites affect adult neurogenesis. Furthermore, we discuss the causal link between amino acid metabolism, adult neurogenesis, and neurological diseases. Finally, we propose that systematic elucidation of how amino acid metabolism regulates adult neurogenesis has profound implications not only for understanding the biological underpinnings of brain development and neurological diseases, but also for providing potential therapeutic strategies to intervene in disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal biopotential monitoring is an essential part of wearable healthcare. For 24 × 7 h detection of electrophysiological signals, commercialized gel electrodes cannot satisfy the demands, in particular for monitoring in humidity or underwater. Epidermal electrodes that can be stable and operated underwater are required. Here, a highly conductive and optically camouflaged ionic skin for epidermal biopotential monitoring under aquatic circumstances is designed. There is a fluorine‐dipole interaction system consisting of fluorine‐rich segment in the polyurethane backbone and fluorine‐cation bonded 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl‐sulfonyl) imide ([EMIM]+ [TFSI]−) ion pairs distributed in the polymer matrix. Benefitting from the fluorine‐cation interaction, the ionic skin gains remarkable ionic conductivity (1.04 × 10−3 S cm−1), high optical transmittance (92%), and improved mechanical strength (3.1 MPa of Young's modulus). Via cations caught by fluorine‐rich segments, its ionic conductivity can keep stable even by rinsing or fierce washing in water. The epidermal electrode based on such ionic skin can accurately measure a variety of electrophysiological signals undboth atmospheric and aquatic environments, exhibiting robust and excellent signal quality. As the first demonstration of ionic skin‐based electrophysiological electrodes, the ionic skin paves a new way for all‐day wearable healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a group of clinically rare tumors that develop in the uterus from placental tissue. Currently, its satisfactory curability derives from the timely and accurately classification and refined management for patients. This study aimed to discover biomarkers that could predict the outcomes of GTN patients after first-line chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 65 GTN patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into the good or poor outcome group and the clinical characteristics of the patients in the two groups were compared. Furthermore, the serum peptide profiles of all patients were uncovered by using weak cation exchange magnetic beads and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Feature peaks were identified by three machine learning algorithms and then models were constructed and compared using five machine learning methods. Additionally, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry was used to identify the feature peptides. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) risk score was associated with poor outcomes. Eight feature peaks (m/z =1287, 2042, 2862, 2932, 2950, 3240, 3277 and 6626) were selected for model construction and validation by the three algorithms. Based on the panel combining FIGO risk score and peptide serum signatures, the neural network (nnet) model showed promising performance in both the training (AUC=0.9635) and validation (AUC=0.8788) cohorts. Peaks at m/z 2042, 2862, 2932, 3240 were identified as the partial sequences of transthyretin, fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA), beta-globin and FGA, respectively. Conclusion: We combined FIGO risk score and serum peptide signatures using the nnetmethod to construct themodel which can accurately predict outcome of GTN patients after first-line chemotherapy. With thismodel, patients can be further classified and managed, and those with poor predicted outcomes can be given more attention for developing treatment failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-Down's syndrome acute megakaryocytic leukemia (non-DS-AMKL) is a subtype of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML), whose prognosis, prognostic factors and treatment recommendations have not yet to be defined in children. We conducted a retrospective study with 65 newly diagnosed non-DS-AMKL children from August 2003 to June 2020 to investigate the clinical impact of factors and clinical outcome. Among all 65 patients, 47 of them were treated at our center who received three different regimens due to time point of admission (CAMS-another, CAMS-2009 and CAMS-2016 protocol), and the efficacy were compared. Patients with newly diagnosed non-DS-AMKL accounted for 7.4% of pediatric AML cases. The median age of the patients was 18 months at diagnosis, and over 90% of them were under three-years-old. The overall survival (OS) rates were 33.3% ± 1.7%, 66.7% ± 24.4% and 74.2% ± 4.0% for three groups (CAMS-another, CAMS-2009 and CAMS-2016 regimen), respectively. In CAMS-2016 group, the complete remission (CR) rate after induction was 67.7% (21/31), while the total CR rate after all phases of chemotherapywas 80.6% (25/31). The 2-year survival probability did not significantly improve in patients underwent HSCT when compared with non-HSCT group (75.0% ± 4.7% vs. 73.9% ± 4.6%, p=0.680). Thosewho had a "dry tap" during BM aspiration at admission had significantly worse OS than those without "dry tap" (33.3% ± 8.6% vs. 84.0% ± 3.6%, p=0.006). Moreover, the results also revealed that patients with CD34+ had significantly lower OS (50.0% ± 6.7% vs. 89.5% ± 3.5%, p=0.021), whereas patients with CD36+ had significantly higher OS than those who were negative (85.0% ± 4.0% vs. 54.5% ± 6.6%, p=0.048). In conclusion, intensive chemotherapy resulted in improved prognosis of non-DSFrontiers AMKL children and subclassification may base on "dry tap" and immunophenotypic. Although some progress has been made, outcomes of non-DS-AMKL children remain unsatisfactory, especially in HSCT group, when compared with other AML types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation technology of graphene-based coatings on cobalt-based cemented carbides and the friction properties of graphene-based coatings were researched. Based on cooling rate, growth temperature, and methane flow rate, Raman spectroscopy was used to evaluate the influence of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on graphene-based coatings. The results show that at the growth temperature of 1000 °C, the cooling rate of 15 °C/min and methane flow rate of 10 sccm are more favorable for the growth of pure graphene coating with fewer layers on a cemented carbide surface. As methane flow boosts, the number of graphene layers increases and amorphous carbon is generated. The resulting tribological properties demonstrate that the friction coefficient of graphene-based coatings decreases as the friction load increases. The above results indicate that the graphene-based coating on a cemented carbide surface can be prepared by regulating its composition and defects through technological parameters, and it is viable to use graphene-based coating as anti-wear coating for cutting tools. The results provide a reference for the preparation and properties of cemented carbide surface graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have made remarkable breakthroughs in the treatment of lung cancer, bringing significant survival benefits to the patients. A number of adverse events aggravated by immunotherapy in patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases have been reported in the past, especially skin toxicity, such as rash, pruritus, erythema, and vitiligo. However, whether the exacerbated autoimmune disease is reversible and when it will return to its original state after immunotherapy discontinuation is still inconclusive. In our report, we described a patient diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer whose vitiligo was stable for about 10 years. We followed up and observed the patient's skin depigmentation for the complete time window, from aggravation of application anti-programmed cell death-1 receptor antibody (anti-PD-1 antibody) to recovery after the withdrawal. We presented the objective images at particular time points using reflectance confocal microscopy and wood's light. We found that the use of anti-PD-1 antibody aggravated in skin toxicity, but it was reversible, the time window from the beginning to recovery status was approximately 9 months. We used this real case scenario to explain the relationships between immunotherapy and autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone metastases are common complications of solid tumors. The outcome is poor despite major progress in cancer therapies. We describe a multicenter, open-label, phase 1, dose escalation and expansion trial of JMT103, a novel fully humanized receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-targeting monoclonal antibody, in adults with bone metastases from solid tumors. The study assessed the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of JMT103. Patients received JMT103 at doses of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mg/kg every 4 weeks for 3 cycles. Among 59 patients enrolled, 20 and 39 patients participated in the dose-escalation and dose-expansion phases, respectively. One dose-limiting toxicity was observed at 2.0 mg/kg. The maximum tolerated dose was not determined. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 29 (49.2%) patients, most commonly hypophosphatemia (30.5%), hypocalcemia (23.7%), and hypermagnesemia (10.2%). No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported. Two patients died due to disease progression, which were attributed to gastric cancer and lung neoplasm malignant respectively. Dose proportionality occurred between exposure levels and administered dose was within a dose range of 0.5 to 3.0 mg/kg. The suppression of urinary N-telopeptide corrected for creatinine was rapid, significant, and sustained across all doses of JMT103, with the median change from baseline ranging from –61.4% to –92.2% at day 141. JMT103 was well tolerated in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors, with a manageable safety profile. Bone antiresorptive activity shows the potential of JMT103 for treatment of bone metastases from solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alterations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene play a key role in the development of various human tumors, and targeted therapy has transformed the treatment paradigm for these oncogene-driven tumors. However, primary or acquired resistance remains a challenge. ALK gene variants (such as gene rearrangements and mutations) also play a key role in the tumor immune microenvironment. Immunotherapy targeting the ALK gene has potential clinical applications. Here, we review the results of recent studies on the immunological relevance of ALK-altered tumors, which provides important insights into the development of tumor immunotherapies targeting this large class of tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the Aminoadipate-Semialdehyde Synthase (AASS) gene encoding a-aminoadipic semialdehyde synthase lead to hyperlysinemia-I, a benign metabolic variant without clinical significance, and hyperlysinemia-II with developmental delay and intellectual disability. Although both forms of hyperlysinemia display biochemical phenotypes of questionable clinical significance, an association between neurologic disorder and a pronounced biochemical abnormality remains a challenging clinical question. Here, we report that Aass mutant male and female mice carrying the R65Q mutation in a-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) domain have an elevated cerebral lysine level and a normal brain development, whereas the Aass mutant mice carrying the G489E mutation in saccharopine dehydrogenase (SDH) domain exhibit elevations of both cerebral lysine and saccharopine levels and a smaller brain with defective neuronal development. Mechanistically, the accumulated saccharopine, but not lysine, leads to impaired neuronal development by inhibiting the neurotrophic effect of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI). While extracellular supplementation of GPI restores defective neuronal development caused by G498E mutation in SDH of Aass. Altogether, our findings not only unravel the requirement for saccharopine degradation in neuronal development, but also provide the mechanistic insights for understanding the neurometabolic disorder of hyperlysinemia-II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvent extraction, complexing ability, and basicity of tetradentate N-donor 2,9-bis(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (CyMe4-BT- Phen) and its derivatives functionalized by Br, hydroxyphenyl, nitryl were discussed and compared. It was demonstrated that four BTPhen ligands are able to selectively extract Am(lll) over Eu(lll). It was notable that the distribution ratio of 5-nitryl-CyMe4-BTPhen for Eu(lll) was suppressed under 0.02, which was much lower compared to DEu(lll) = 1 by CyMe4-BTPhen. The analysis of the effect of the substituent on the affinity to lanthanides was conducted by UV/vis and fluorescence spectroscopic titration. The stability constants of various ligands with Eu(lll) were obtained by fitting titration curve. Additionally, the basicity of various ligands was determined to be 3.1 ± 0.1, 2.3 ± 0.2, 0.9 ± 0.2, 0.5 ± 0.1 by NMR in the media of CD3OD with the addition of DClO4. The basicity of ligands follows the order of L1 > L2 > L3 > L4, indicating the tendency of protonation decreases with the electron-withdrawing ability increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gear wear failure is one of the important failures of the gear system in the shearer cutting section. To reveal the influence mechanism of shearer cutting gear wear on the system dynamic characteristics, considering coupling factors such as time-varying meshing stiffness, dynamic gear clearance, internal error excitation, end load constraint and bearing radial clearance under wear failure, an improved dynamic model of shearer drive gear system is introduced to present an in-depth investigation of uniform wear of gear teeth effect. The dynamic meshing stiffness of gears under different degrees of wear is analysed. Furthermore, the bifurcation diagram is utilized to observe the motion state of the system experiencing different excitation frequencies, support damping as well as terminal loads. It is demonstrated that the gear surface wear could bring a change in gear dynamic transmission error, vibration impact state and amplitude, which is mainly manifested in increasing the unstable area and the vibration amplitude of the gear system, providing a method for monitoring and diagnosing of gear surface faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study combined theoretical analysis, numerical simulation via FLAC3D software, innovative design, and field measurements for establishing the mechanical model of the stressed coal rock and deriving the deformation and failure characteristics of the roadway in a steep coal seam. The No. 49# steep-seam working face of the Xintie Coal Mine, China, was used as a case study with asymmetrical force characteristics of the mining roadway. The roof and the right side of the roadway under study were identified as the main deformation and failure zones in the roadway of the steep working face. Next, a rigid/flexible support method that fully enclosed two sides and the roof was designed and substantiated. It comprised three pre-stressed resin anchor cables combined with anchor rods, iron net, and steel bands for the roadway roof support; besides, three anchor rods were combined with iron net and steel bands for supporting the right side of the roadway. A novel self-mobile forepoling hydraulic support group with side and roof support functions was developed. A grouting reinforcement was applied to the crushed coal rock in the geologic anomaly zone to enhance the overall performance. Finally, the measured displacements of the roof and the floor were found to exceed those of the roadway sides. The whole advancing process of the steep-seam working face was conditionally split into three segments, namely, Segment I with no mining effect (at a distance over 50 m from the working face), Segment II with a mining effect (at 20 ~ 50 m from the working face), and Segment III with a strong mining effect (20 m in front of the working face). The displacement at the deepest point on the roof was the maximal, followed by that in the range of 0 ~ 1.5 m, which made it possible to reduce the number of anchors on the left side of the roadway required by the conventional symmetric support mode. The performed field measurements proved that the proposed asymmetric support mode ensured the mining safety requirements of the working face under normal mining operations, being more cost-effective and efficient than the conventional symmetric one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ionic liquids as a new ideal 'green solvent' have been widely used in hydrometallurgy industry. Compared with traditional organic solvents, it is more prominent in the extraction and separation of metal ions. This paper mainly expounds the development, types and properties of ionic liquids, and reviews the research progress of ionic liquids as extraction solvents for separation of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, heavy metals and transition metal ions, and expounds their extraction results. It is found that the addition of chelating agent m imidazolium ionic liquids could improve the extraction rate, and the imidazolium ionic liquids containing alcohol-sulfur functional groups have obvious effects on the extraction and separation of many metal ions. Alkali metals and alkaline-earth metals can be successfully separated by ionic liquid extraction combined with electrical sedimentary faces. There are also some functional ionic liquids with high extraction efficiency for heavy metal ions in industrial wastewater and public sewage. The weak ability of ionic liquids to extract transition metal ions needs to be enhanced by adding other extract ants. In this paper, the application status of ionic liquid extraction separation is pointed out, and the future development direction of ionic liquid in the field of extraction is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the second cause of cancer-associated death among women and seriously endangers women's health. Therefore, early identification of breast cancer would be beneficial to women's health. At present, circular RNA (circRNA) not only exists in the extracellular vesicles (EVs) in plasma, but also presents distinct patterns under different physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, we assume that circRNA could be used for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Here, we developed classifiers for breast cancer diagnosis that relied on 259 samples, including 144 breast cancer patients and 115 controls. In the discovery stage, we compared the genome-wide long RNA profiles of EVs in patients with breast cancer (n=14) and benign breast (n=6). To further verify its potential in early diagnosis of breast cancer, we prospectively collected plasma samples from 259 individuals before treatment, including 144 breast cancer patients and 115 controls. Finally, we developed and verified the predictive classifies based on their circRNA expression profiles of plasma EVs by using multiple machine learning models. By comparing their circRNA profiles, we found 439 circRNAs with significantly different levels between cancer patients and controls. Considering the cost and practicability of the test, we selected 20 candidate circRNAs with elevated levels and detected their levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In the training cohort, we found that BCExoC, a nine-circRNA combined classifier with SVM model, achieved the largest AUC of 0.83 [95% CI 0.77-0.88]. In the validation cohort, the predictive efficacy of the classifier achieved 0.80 [0.71-0.89]. Our work reveals the application prospect of circRNAs in plasma EVs as non-invasive liquid biopsies in the diagnosis and management of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a highly lethal and debilitating disease with a variety of etiologies. To date, there is no effective therapeutic modality for a complete cure. The pathological mechanisms of spinal cord injury at the molecular gene and protein expression levels remain unclear. Methods: This study used single-cell transcriptomic analysis and protein microarray analysis to analyzes changes in the gene expression profiles of cells and secretion of inflammatory factors respectively, around the lesion site in a rat SCI model. Results: Single-cell transcriptomic analysis found that three types of glial cells (microglia, astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte) becomes activated after acute injury, with GO exhibiting a variety of inflammatory-related terms after injury, such as metabolic processes, immune regulation, and antigen presentation. Protein microarray results showed that the levels of four inflammatory cytokines favoring SCI repair decreased while the levels of nine inflammatory cytokines hindering SCI repair increased after injury. Conclusion: These findings thus reveal the changes in cellular state from homeostatic to reactive cell type after SCI, which contribute to understand the pathology process of SCI, and the potential relationship between glial cells and inflammatory factors after SCI, and provides new theoretical foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of secondary SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and imperceptible monitoring of electrophysiological signals is of primary importance for wearable healthcare. Stiff and bulky pregelled electrodes are now commonly used in clinical diagnosis, causing severe discomfort to users for long-time using as well as artifact signals in motion. Here, we report a ~100 nm ultra-thin dry epidermal electrode that is able to conformably adhere to skin and accurately measure electrophysiological signals. It showed low sheet resistance (~24 Ω/sq, 4142 S/cm), high transparency, and mechano-electrical stability. The enhanced optoelectronic performance was due to the synergistic effect between graphene and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), which induced a high degree of molecular ordering on PEDOT and charge transfer on graphene by strong π-π interaction. Together with ultra-thin nature, this dry epidermal electrode is able to accurately monitor electrophysiological signals such as facial skin and brain activity with low-motion artifact, enabling human-machine interfacing and long-time mental/physical health monitoring. Novel dry electrodes with enhanced mechano-electrical stability and conformability are attractive for long-time electrophysiological signal monitoring. Here, the authors report polymer-covered CVD-grown graphene with enhanced optoelectronic performance for biopotential monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal the system vibration mechanism, comprehensive consideration of the motor rotor vibration form and the electromechanical coupling effect, a torsional vibration coupling model of the rotor system under electromagnetic effects and terminal load disturbance is established based on the motor theory and Maxwell equations. According to the Melnikov method, the balance point and stability region of the undisturbed Hamilton system are analyzed, and the influence of the system damping and terminal load on the torsional characteristics of the PMSM rotor system is clarified. The specific path and mechanism of the PMSM rotor system instability of the shearer cutting section are revealed. The load excitation f and the system damping u are selected as single control variables, respectively, to analyze the movement state of the system when different variables change. This research can provide a reference for system parameter optimization and selection of common working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical analysis and experimental data show that the acoustic emission (AE) technology can detect the internal leakage state of the valve online. One of its key technologies is to determine the relationship between the characteristic of valve internal leakage AE signal (VILAES) and leakage rate and various parameters. However, most of the currently established models are a single‐variable model. In addition, the repeated and verification experiments are rarely introduced, and most experiments are conducted under a large leakage rate. To this end, the mixed multiple‐variable model is built to describe the relationship between the characteristics of VILAES and leakage rates, pressures, valve calibres and flow coefficients for the same type of valve. In the experiments, two rounds of experiments were performed for the same valve; then, a round of experiments was carried out after moving the sensor, and two rounds of experiments were conducted for two valves with the same parameters. In modelling, the VILAES is filtered first, and then the characteristics of the filtered signal are calculated. The mixed multiple‐variable model is established by the least‐squares support vector machine. The results show that the mixed multiple‐ variable model could realise online internal leakage for valves with different calibres and flow coefficients under different pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]