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Red root rot disease is a devastating fungal disease of rubber trees caused by Ganoderma pseudoferreum (Wakef). Biocontrols using beneficial microorganisms are safe and sustainable. We isolated a DHR18 endophytic bacterium from a healthy rubber tree to obtain a new efficient antagonistic bacterium for red root rot disease affecting rubber trees and evaluated the mechanism of action involved using a double culture assay, genome annotation analysis, and the ethyl acetate extraction method. The results revealed that the DHR18 strain inhibits G. pseudoferreum growth and has broad-spectrum antifungal activity by secreting cell wall hydrolases (proteases and chitinases), indole-3-acetic acid, and siderophores. Furthermore, it fixes nitrogen and is involved in biofilm formation and phosphate solubilisation, improving disease resistance and tree growth. The results showed that the antifungal substances secreted by DHR18 are mainly lipopeptides. Simultaneously, DHR18 enhanced the rubber tree resistance to G. pseudoferreum by increasing the activities of defence enzymes superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, catalase, and polyphenol oxidase. The results indicate that B. arboris DHR18 has biocontrol potential and could be used as a candidate strain for the control of red root rot disease in rubber trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The axillary lymph node status (ALNS) and internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLN) expression associated with breast cancer are closely linked to prognosis. This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict survival at 3, 5, and 10 years in patients with various lymph node statuses. Methods: We obtained data from patients with breast cancer between 2004 and 2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER database). Chi-square analysis was performed to test for differences in the pathological characteristics of the groups, and Kaplan–Meier analysis and the log-rank test were used to plot and compare the correlation between overall survival (OS) and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS). The log-rank test was used for the univariate analysis, and statistically significant characteristics were included in the multivariate and Cox regression analyses. Finally, Independent factor identification was included in constructing the nomogram using R studio 4.2.0; area under curve (AUC) values were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration, and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves were plotted for evaluation. Results: A total of 279,078 patients were enrolled and analysed, demonstrating that the isolated tumour cells (ITC) group had clinicopathological characteristics similar to those of micrometastases (Mic). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify each subgroup's independent risk factors and construct a nomogram. The AUC values were 74.7 (95% CI 73.6–75.8), 72.8 (95% CI 71.9–73.8), and 71.2 (95% CI 70.2–72.2) for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS, respectively, and 82.2 (95% CI 80.9–83.6), 80.1 (95% CI 79.0–81.2), and 75.5 (95% CI 74.3–76.8) for BCSS in overall breast cancer cases, respectively. AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS in the ITC group were 64.8 (95% CI 56.5–73.2), 67.7 (95% CI 62.0–73.4), and 65.4 (95% CI 60.0–70.7), respectively. For those in the Mic group, AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 72.9 (95% CI 70.7–75.1), 72.4 (95% CI 70.6–74.1), and 71.3 (95% CI 69.6–73.1), respectively, and AUC values for BCSS were 77.8 (95% CI 74.9–80.7), 75.7 (95% CI 73.5–77.9), and 70.3 (95% CI 68.0–72.6), respectively. In the IMLN group, AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 75.2 (95% CI 71.7–78.7), 73.4 (95% CI 70.0–76.8), and 74.0 (95% CI 69.6–78.5), respectively, and AUC values for BCSS were 76.6 (95% CI 73.0–80.3), 74.1 (95% CI 70.5–77.7), and 74.7 (95% CI 69.8–79.5), respectively. The ROC, calibration, and DCA curves verified that the nomogram had better predictability and benefits. Conclusion: This study is the first to investigate the predictive value of different axillary lymph node statuses and internal mammary lymph node metastases in breast cancer, providing clinicians with additional aid in treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic graphene plasmons (GPs) exhibit an exceptional density of electromagnetic states within the mid-infrared (MIR) and terahertz frequency ranges, leading to a pronounced near-field amplification and localization at the nanometer scale. This characteristic renders them highly promising for the development of ultra-sensitive plasmon-enhanced MIR sensing and spectroscopic applications. However, the tight spatial confinement inherent to acoustic GPs results in a significant momentum mismatch, which in turn leads to poor coupling efficiency with light in free space. To overcome this limitation, we leverage numerical simulations to show that GPs can act as an intermediary to facilitate efficient excitation of acoustic GPs by incident MIR radiation, achieving an extinction spectrum peak value of approximately 0.9. The proposed gas sensor based on the acoustic GP resonator is composed of pristine, large-area graphene, an array of periodic metal nanocubes, and a slender polyethylenimine (PEI) layer that adsorbs CO2, situated between the nanocubes and the graphene sheet. The sensing performance of the proposed sensor is numerically investigated. It is demonstrated that by incorporating a CO2-absorbing material into the acoustic GPs, we can perform highly sensitive assessments of the absorption bands within the PEI layer upon CO2 adsorption. The observed behavior of the acoustic GPs indicates a weakening and broadening with increasing CO2 concentrations, a phenomenon attributed to the alteration in the permittivity of the PEI in the interstitial layer due to CO2 adsorption. Numerical simulation results indicate that the sensitivity of the proposed hybrid gas sensor can reach up to 0.0183% ppm−1, which offers a remarkable 95-fold enhancement over the gas sensor based on graphene nanoribbons. Our findings underscore the potential of acoustic GP nanoresonators as a transformative platform for ultrasensitive plasmon-enhanced sensing applications, particularly when integrated with various gas adsorption layers or molecular agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research mainly focuses on the influence of different voltage forms on partial discharge for the interturn insulation of a transformer, and the discharge characteristics and its mechanism of interturn insulation under the action of preload are unclear. Therefore, a partial discharge test platform under the synergistic action of preloading force and electrical stress is constructed based on the actual operation conditions of the interturn insulation of a 750 kV transformer. Then, the partial discharge characteristics and its mechanism is explored by using (OM, SEM, FTIR, XRD, EDS, FEA). It is found that the statistical parameters and damage degree of interturn insulation decrease first and then increase with the increase in preload. Moreover, there is an inflection point at 1000 N. The reason is that the preload causes the deformation of the holes and air gaps between the layers of insulating paper and in the insulating paper. As a result, the contact area and volume of partial discharge are changed, which further changes the characteristics of partial discharge for interturn insulation. This study can provide a reference for the maintenance and structural optimization of 750 kV transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation control is a fundamental task in the realm of autonomous multiagent systems. To drive a group of agents to maneuver continuously with the desired formation, this paper studies the finite‐time affine formation control problem with disturbances, input constraints and safety guarantee. A non‐singular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) is implemented to achieve finite‐time convergence of all followers to their desired positions. Additionally, an auxiliary system is deployed to address input constraints resulting from the physical properties of the affine formation system. To mitigate the impact of lumped disturbances, a finite‐time disturbance observer (FTDO) is employed to estimate the disturbances and compensate for their effects. Based on FTDO, the auxiliary system and the above NTSMC, a finite‐time robust controller is developed as the nominal controller. By modifying the nominal controllers to comply with safety constraints, control barrier functions are employed to ensure the safety of the formation system in obstacle‐filled environment. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of this method are validated through simulations and real‐world experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutamine synthetase (GS) is vital in maintaining ammonia and glutamate (Glu) homeostasis in living organisms. However, the natural enzyme relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to activate Glu, resulting in impaired GS function during ATP-deficient neurotoxic events. To date, no reports demonstrate using artificial nanostructures to mimic GS function. In this study, we synthesize aggregation-induced emission active polyP-Mn nanosheets (STPE-PMNSs) based on end-labeled polyphosphate (polyP), exhibiting remarkable GS-like activity independent of ATP presence. Further investigation reveals polyP in STPE-PMNSs serves as phosphate source to activate Glu at low ATP levels. This self-feeding mechanism offers a significant advantage in regulating Glu homeostasis at reduced ATP levels in nerve cells during excitotoxic conditions. STPE-PMNSs can effectively promote the conversion of Glu to glutamine (Gln) in excitatory neurotoxic human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) and alleviate Glu-induced neurotoxicity. Additionally, the fluorescence signal of nanosheets enables precise monitoring of the subcellular distribution of STPE-PMNSs. More importantly, the intracellular fluorescence signal is enhanced in a conversion-responsive manner, allowing real-time tracking of reaction progression. This study presents a self-sustaining strategy to address GS functional impairment caused by ATP deficiency in nerve cells during neurotoxic events. Furthermore, it offers a fresh perspective on the potential biological applications of polyP-based nanostructures. Glutamine synthetase (GS) relies on Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to activate glutamate (Glu) and are vital for maintaining ammonia and Glu homeostasis, but GS function is impaired during ATP-deficient neurotoxic events. Here the authors report polyphosphate-manganese nanosheets having GS-like activity independent of ATP to promote the conversion of Glu to glutamine in excitatory neurotoxic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to multidrug resistance and the high risk of recurrence, effective and less toxic alternative pancreatic cancer treatments are urgently needed. Pancreatic cancer cells are highly resistant to apoptosis but sensitive to ferroptosis. In this study, an innovative nanoplatform (AsIr@PDA) was developed by electrostatic adsorption of a cationic iridium complex (IrFN) onto two‐dimensional (2D) arsenene nanosheets. This nanoplatform exhibits superior ferroptosis‐inducing effects with high drug loading capacity and, importantly, excellent anti‐cancer immune activation function, leading to efficient elimination of pancreatic tumors with no observable side effects. Interestingly, AsIr@PDA significantly prevents the recurrence of pancreatic cancer in vivo when compared with a cisplatin‐loaded nanoplatform. This designed nanoplatform demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy by synergistic ferroptosis‐induced chemotherapy with immunotherapy via an all‐in‐one strategy, providing new insights for future pancreatic cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to multidrug resistance and the high risk of recurrence, effective and less toxic alternative pancreatic cancer treatments are urgently needed. Pancreatic cancer cells are highly resistant to apoptosis but sensitive to ferroptosis. In this study, an innovative nanoplatform (AsIr@PDA) was developed by electrostatic adsorption of a cationic iridium complex (IrFN) onto two‐dimensional (2D) arsenene nanosheets. This nanoplatform exhibits superior ferroptosis‐inducing effects with high drug loading capacity and, importantly, excellent anti‐cancer immune activation function, leading to efficient elimination of pancreatic tumors with no observable side effects. Interestingly, AsIr@PDA significantly prevents the recurrence of pancreatic cancer in vivo when compared with a cisplatin‐loaded nanoplatform. This designed nanoplatform demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy by synergistic ferroptosis‐induced chemotherapy with immunotherapy via an all‐in‐one strategy, providing new insights for future pancreatic cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to accurately predict the rheological behavior of the blends of two incompatible polymers is critical to the polymer industry. The constitutive modeling of incompatible polymer blends requires understanding the structure and dynamics of the blends across different length scales. The polydispersity of chain length at the molecular level and nonuniformity of flow field due to dispersed domains at the mesoscopic level present significant challenges to this industrially relevant problem. This work proposes a modeling framework for linear and nonlinear rheology of industrial incompatible polymer blends with sea-island morphology. For the individual components, we adopt the Rolie-Double-Poly model and generate the relaxation spectrum from an optimized molecular weight distribution. We derive a new mixing rule without empirical parameters from the flow field analysis inside and outside the droplets. The phase interface, modeled by an ellipsoidal model, contributes to the apparent rheology only at low shear rates. Our modeling approach is verified by the shear and extensional rheology of eight polymer blends with a broad range of viscosity ratios (0.01–100). We also show that the model has the ability to predict the nonlinear rheological behaviors of incompatible polymer blends with known molecular weight distributions and phase morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban street greening, a key component of urban green spaces, significantly impacts residents' physical and mental well-being, contributing substantially to the overall quality and welfare of urban environments. This paper presents a novel framework that integrates street greenery with accessibility, enabling a detailed evaluation of the daily street-level greenery visible to residents. This pioneering approach introduces a new measurement methodology to quantify the quality of urban street greening, providing robust empirical evidence to support its enhancement. This study delves into Nanjing's five districts, employing advanced image semantic segmentation based on machine learning techniques to segment and extract green vegetation from Baidu Street View (BSV) images. Leveraging spatial syntax, it analyzes street network data sourced from OpenStreetMap (OSM) to quantify the accessibility values of individual streets. Subsequent overlay analyses uncover areas characterized by high accessibility but inadequate street greening, underscoring the pressing need for street greening enhancements in highly accessible zones, thereby providing valuable decision-making support for urban planners. Key findings revealed that (1) the green view index (GVI) of sampled points within the study area ranged from 15.79% to 38.17%, with notably better street greening conditions observed in the Xuanwu District; (2) the Yuhua District exhibited comparatively lower pedestrian and commuting accessibility than the Xuanwu District; and (3) approximately 139.62 km of roads in the study area demonstrated good accessibility but lacked sufficient greenery visibility, necessitating immediate improvements in their green landscapes. This research utilizes the potential of novel data and methodologies, along with their practical applications in planning and design practices. Notably, this study integrates street greenery visibility with accessibility to explore, from a human-centered perspective, the tangible benefits of green landscapes. These insights highlight the opportunity for local governments to advance urban planning and design by implementing more human-centered green space policies, ultimately promoting societal equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addressed the critical role of isolating switches in controlling circuit connections for the stable operation of the substation. Our research introduced an innovative state detection system that utilized depth information guidance, comprising a controllable pan-tilt mechanism, a depth camera, and an industrial computer. The software component employed a two-stage strategy for precise isolating switch detection. Initially, the red green blue with depth (RGB-D) saliency network identified the approximate area of the isolating switch target. Subsequently, a fully connected conditional random field was applied to extract accurate detection results. The real-time state of the isolating switch was determined based on the geometric relationship between its arms. This approach enhanced the accuracy of isolating switch detection, ensuring practical applicability in engineering scenarios. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to advancing isolating switch monitoring through depth information guidance, promoting a more robust and reliable power system. The key improvement is implementing a two-stage strategy, combining RGB-D saliency analysis and conditional random field processing, resulting in enhanced accuracy in isolating switch detection. As validated through extensive experiments, the proposed system's successful application in practical engineering underscores its effectiveness in meeting the accuracy requirements for isolating switch detection and state detection. This innovation holds promise for broader applications in power systems, showcasing its potential to elevate the reliability and efficiency of electrical networks. Code of the proposed system is available at: https://github.com/miaomiao0909/Isolating-Switch-Detection/tree/master. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural rubber is an important national strategic and industrial raw material. The leaf anthracnose of rubber trees caused by the Colletotrichum species is one of the important factors restricting the yields of natural rubber. In this study, we isolated and identified strain Bacillus velezensis SF334, which exhibited significant antagonistic activity against both C. australisinense and C. siamense, the dominant species of Colletotrichum causing rubber tree leaf anthracnose in the Hainan province of China, from a pool of 223 bacterial strains. The cell suspensions of SF334 had a significant prevention effect for the leaf anthracnose of rubber trees, with an efficacy of 79.67% against C. siamense and 71.8% against C. australisinense. We demonstrated that SF334 can lead to the lysis of C. australisinense and C. siamense mycelia by causing mycelial expansion, resulting in mycelial rupture and subsequent death. B. velezensis SF334 also harbors some plant probiotic traits, such as secreting siderophore, protease, cellulase, pectinase, and the auxin of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and it has broad-spectrum antifungal activity against some important plant pathogenic fungi. The genome combined with comparative genomic analyses indicated that SF334 possesses most genes of the central metabolic and gene clusters of secondary metabolites in B. velezensis strains. To our knowledge, this is the first time a Bacillus velezensis strain has been reported as a promising biocontrol agent against the leaf anthracnose of rubber trees caused by C. siamense and C. australisinense. The results suggest that B. velezensis could be a potential candidate agent for the leaf anthracnose of rubber trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In challenging environments, feature-based visual SLAM encounters frequent failures in frame tracking, introducing unknown poses to robotic applications. This paper introduces an immediate approach for recovering untracked camera poses. Through the retrieval of key information from elapsed untracked frames, lost poses are efficiently restored with a short time consumption. Taking account of reconstructed poses and map points during local optimizing, a denser local map is constructed around ambiguous frames to enhance the further SLAM procedure. The proposed method is implemented in a SLAM system, and monocular experiments are conducted on datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our method can reconstruct the untracked frames in nearly real time, effectively complementing missing segments of the trajectory. Concurrently, the accuracy and robustness for subsequent tracking are improved through the integration of recovered poses and map points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the absence of standardized work practices, work safety measures, efficient work procedures, and suitable line planning methods for exploring seabed topography using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with side-scan sonar systems, this paper proposes a design framework for side-scan sonar measurement technology based on AUVs. Detailed research has been conducted on line planning methods that differ significantly from those used in shipborne operations. The new line planning method was developed based on the performance characteristics of AUV equipment, the principles of motion modes, and shipborne side-scan sonar operations. The validity of the line planning method was verified through actual sea experiments using different types of AUVs in various terrains. The experimental results demonstrate that the new survey line planning method is distinct from existing AUV path planning methods and is highly applicable for conducting seabed topography exploration operations. Furthermore, the technical design scheme studied in this article is applicable in different sea areas and ensures the safety, operational efficiency, and data quality of AUVs. It holds significant importance for marine science engineering and practical applications. The article also features an analysis of successful data collected from AUVs equipped with side-scan sonar for conducting seabed topography exploration operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the prevailing approach in which data from side-scan sonar (SSS) from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are primarily processed and visualized post mission, failing to meet the requirements in terms of timeliness for on-the-fly image acquisition, this paper introduces a novel method for real-time processing and superior imaging of navigation strip data from SSS aboard AUVs. Initially, a comprehensive description of the real-time processing sequence is provided, encompassing the integration of multi-source navigation data using Kalman filtering, and high-pass filtering of attitude and heading data to exclude anomalies, as well as the use of bidirectional filtering techniques within and between pings, ensuring real-time quality control of raw data. In addition, this study adopts the semantic segmentation Unet network for automatic real-time tracking of seafloor lines, devises a real-time correction strategy for radial distortion based on historical echo data, and utilizes the alternating direction multiplier method for real-time noise reduction in strip images. With the combined application of these four pivotal techniques, we adeptly address the primary challenges in real-time navigation data processing. In conclusion, marine tests conducted in Bohai Bay substantiate the efficacy of the methodologies delineated in this research, offering a fresh paradigm for real-time processing and superior visualization of SSS navigation strip data on AUVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea level variabilities in the southwest Pacific contribute to the variations of equatorial current bifurcation and the Indonesian Throughflow transport. These processes are closely related to the recharge/discharge of equatorial heat content and dynamic distribution of anthropogenic ocean heating over the Indo-Pacific basin, thus being of profound significance for climate variability and change. Here we identify the major features of seasonal and interannual sea level variabilities in this region, confirming the dominance of the first baroclinic mode in the tropics (contributing 60%–80% of the variances) and higher baroclinic modes in the extratropics (40%–60% of the seasonal variance). Seasonally, except in the western Coral Sea where the Ekman pumping is significant, the wind-driven first-mode baroclinic Rossby waves originating to the east of the date line control the sea level variations over most tropical Pacific regions. In the domain where the 1.5-layer reduced gravity model becomes deficient, the surface heat fluxes dominate, explaining ∼40%–80% of sea level variance. For interannual variability, ∼40%–60% of the variance are El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) related. The wind-driven Rossby and Kelvin waves east of the date line explain ∼40%–78% of the interannual variance in the tropical Pacific. Outside the tropics, small-scale diffusive processes are presumed critical for interannual variability according to a thermodynamic analysis using an eddy-permitting ocean model simulation. Further process and predictive understandings can be achieved with the coupled climate models properly parameterizing the subgrid-scale processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, smart homes have garnered extensive attention as a prominent application scenario of IoT technology. However, the unique characteristics of smart homes have brought forth serious security threats, emphasizing the paramount importance of identity authentication and access control. The conventional centralized approach is plagued by the issue of having a "single point of failure," while existing distributed solutions are constrained by limited device resources and the complexities of identity authentication. To tackle these challenges, this paper proposes a smart home authentication and access control model based on decentralized identifiers (DIDs). By leveraging the inherent decentralization of DIDs, which rely on blockchain, a distributed environment is constructed, effectively mitigating the problem of the "single point of failure." In this model, every participant in the smart home system, including users and smart devices, is uniquely identified by DIDs and through the integration of an improved capability-based access control scheme, which streamlines the user identity authentication process, reduces authentication complexity, and enables convenient cross-household access with a single registration. Our experimental results demonstrate that the application of decentralized identifiers provides the model with various security attributes, including confidentiality, integrity, and traceability. Additionally, the model exhibits low time costs for each module, ensuring timely responses to access service requests and incurring lower gas consumption compared to other Ethereum-based methods. Thus, our research proposes a lightweight authentication and access control solution suitable for smart home environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the lack of systematic research on bathymetric surveys with multi-beam sonar carried by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in unfamiliar waters, this paper proposes a method for multi-beam bathymetric surveys based on the constant-depth mode of AUVs, considering equipment safety, operational efficiency, and data quality. Firstly, basic principles for multi-beam bathymetric surveys under the constant-depth mode are proposed based on multi-beam operational standards and AUV constant-depth mode characteristics. Secondly, a vertical effective height model for the vehicle is established, providing vertical constraints and a basis for determining fixed depth in constant-depth missions. Subsequently, according to these basic principles and the vertical effective height model, the operational process for multi-beam bathymetric surveys in unfamiliar waters under the AUV constant-depth mode is outlined. Finally, we validate the proposed method through sea trials in the Xisha Sea of the South China Sea. The test results show that the method proposed in this paper not only ensures the vehicle safety operation and multi-beam data quality, but also improves the operation efficiency by about 68%, demonstrating the reliability of the proposed method and its significant engineering value and guidance implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current methods of fusing side-scan sonar images fail to tackle the issues of shadow removal, preservation of information from adjacent strip images, and maintenance of image clarity and contrast. To address these deficiencies, a novel curvelet-transform-based approach that integrates the complementary attribute of details from side-scan sonar strip images is proposed. By capitalizing on the multiple scales and orientations of the curvelet transform and its intricate hierarchical nature, myriad fusion rules were applied at the corresponding frequency levels, enabling a more-tailored image fusion technique for side-scan sonar imagery. The experimental results validated the effectiveness of this method in preserving valuable information from side-scan sonar images, reducing the presence of shadows and ensuring both clarity and contrast in the fused images. By meeting the aforementioned challenges encountered in existing methodologies, this approach demonstrated great practical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamond-coated tools often fail due to coating graphitization and delamination caused by poor coating adhesion, large contact stress, and thermochemical reactions. To address these issues, this research utilized a combination of micro-nano double-layer diamond coating, WS2 coating, and micro-textures. The WS2 coating inhibits the graphitization of the diamond coating through a transfer film mechanism, while the micro-textures and nanocrystalline diamond coating store WS2, resulting in a prolonged lubrication life. Additionally, the influence of micro-texture on coating-substrate residual stress and coating-substrate mechanical interlocking was discussed, and it was proved that proper micro-textures effectively improve the coating adhesion. Under the same cutting flux conditions, taking coating peeling as the judging standard, the cutting distance of textured WS2/Micro-Nano diamond coating tool is more than three times that of ordinary, diamond-coated tools, which greatly improves the service life of the tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs) demonstrate great potential in the development of smart materials owing to their attractive dynamic properties. However, as they suffer from the inherent weak bonding of most noncovalent cross‐links, it remains a significant challenge to construct SPNs with outstanding mechanical performance. Herein, we exploit the cryptand/paraquat host‐guest recognition motifs as cross‐links to prepare a class of highly strong and tough SPNs. Unlike those supramolecular cross‐links with relatively weak binding abilities, the cryptand‐based host‐guest interactions have a high association constant and steady complexing structure, which effectively stabilizes the network and resists mechanical deformation under external force. Such favorable structural stability endows our SPNs with greatly enhanced mechanical performance, compared with the control‐1 cross‐linked by the weakly complexed crown ether/secondary ammonium salt motif (tensile strength: 21.1±0.5 vs 2.8±0.1 MPa; Young's modulus: 102.6±4.8 vs 2.1±0.3 MPa; toughness: 90.4±2.0 vs 10.8±0.6 MJ m−3). Moreover, our SPNs also retain abundant dynamic properties including good abilities in energy dissipation, reprocessability, and stimuli‐responsiveness. These findings provide novel insights into the preparation of SPNs with enhanced mechanical properties, and promote the development of high‐performance intelligent supramolecular materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs) demonstrate great potential in the development of smart materials owing to their attractive dynamic properties. However, as they suffer from the inherent weak bonding of most noncovalent cross‐links, it remains a significant challenge to construct SPNs with outstanding mechanical performance. Herein, we exploit the cryptand/paraquat host‐guest recognition motifs as cross‐links to prepare a class of highly strong and tough SPNs. Unlike those supramolecular cross‐links with relatively weak binding abilities, the cryptand‐based host‐guest interactions have a high association constant and steady complexing structure, which effectively stabilizes the network and resists mechanical deformation under external force. Such favorable structural stability endows our SPNs with greatly enhanced mechanical performance, compared with the control‐1 cross‐linked by the weakly complexed crown ether/secondary ammonium salt motif (tensile strength: 21.1±0.5 vs 2.8±0.1 MPa; Young's modulus: 102.6±4.8 vs 2.1±0.3 MPa; toughness: 90.4±2.0 vs 10.8±0.6 MJ m−3). Moreover, our SPNs also retain abundant dynamic properties including good abilities in energy dissipation, reprocessability, and stimuli‐responsiveness. These findings provide novel insights into the preparation of SPNs with enhanced mechanical properties, and promote the development of high‐performance intelligent supramolecular materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast deformation of entangled melts is known to cause chain stretching due to affinelike straining of the entanglement network. Since the chain deformation may also result in perturbations of covalent bond angles and bond length, there are always possible enthalpic effects. In this study, we first subject polystyrene and PMMA of different molecular weights to either uniaxial melt extension or planar extension and subsequently impose rapid thermal quenching to preserve the chain deformation. Then, such pre-melt-deformed samples are annealed at various temperatures below the glass transition temperature Tg. During annealing, these samples can undergo appreciable contraction on a time scale much shorter than the alpha relaxation time. Significant retractive stress is observed when such contracting samples are held fixed during the annealing. The stress level can be nearly as high as the Cauchy stress produced during melt stretching. These observations not only allowed us to investigate glassy chain dynamics as well as the molecular nature of mechanical stress but may also suggest that pre-melt-stretched polymers can cause segmental mobilization in the glassy state. The available evidence indicates that the retractive stress is enthalpic in origin, associated with the conformational distortion at the bond level produced by melt stretching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-read sequencing has demonstrated great potential for characterizing all types of structural variations (SVs). However, existing algorithms have insufficient sensitivity and precision. To address these limitations, we present DeBreak, a computational method for comprehensive and accurate SV discovery. Based on alignment results, DeBreak employs a density-based approach for clustering SV candidates together with a local de novo assembly approach for reconstructing long insertions. A partial order alignment algorithm ensures precise SV breakpoints with single base-pair resolution, and a k-means clustering method can report multi-allele SV events. DeBreak outperforms existing tools on both simulated and real long-read sequencing data from both PacBio and Nanopore platforms. An important application of DeBreak is analyzing cancer genomes for potentially tumor-driving SVs. DeBreak can also be used for supplementing whole-genome assembly-based SV discovery. Long-read sequencing is promising for the detection of structural variants (SVs), which requires algorithms with high sensitivity and precision. Here, the authors develop DeBreak, an algorithm for comprehensive and accurate SV detection in long-read sequencing data across different platforms, which outperforms other SV callers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that the acoustic stealth of an underwater vehicle composed of a non-watertight structure has been facing severe challenges. The origins of this effect are associated with the fact that the coupling between the water and the mechanical structure is not negligible because both sides are in the water. Along these lines, the idea of forward absorption and backward reflection was proposed in this work to address this issue. More specifically, a composite underwater acoustic metamaterial (AM) was designed based on different layers, namely a sound absorption layer and a sound insulation layer from the outside to the inside. The sound absorption layer was made of a soft rubber matrix with embedded steel scatterers (ESs) to enrich the coupled resonance effects, while the sound insulation layer was composed of hard rubber with a built-in cavity to improve the impedance mismatching between the AM and the water. The impact of the number and thickness of the embedded ESs on the acoustic performance of the AM was also thoroughly investigated via a finite element method (FEM). A fast non-dominated genetic algorithm (NAGA-II) with elite strategy was used to optimize the position and the size of the ESs. The optimization results revealed the high absorption at the forward incidence and the high reflection at the backward incidence. Thus, our work provides a novel and effective approach for improving the acoustic stealth of underwater vehicles composed of non-watertight structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In addition to the analgesic effect, peripheral neural blocks also prevent cognitive impairment and peripheral inflammation induced by surgery. However, it is unknown if there is collateral impact on cognitive improvement after bariatric surgery. Methods: In this pilot study, 75 patients with severe obesity for selective laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) were recruited and randomized into three groups (1:1:1) as general anesthesia (GA) group, transverse abdominis plane block (TAPB) group, and quadratus lumborum block (QLB) group. Bilateral TAPB or QLB was performed (0.33% ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg) before the standardized general anesthesia. Cognitive test battery was completed before LSG and in 1-month and 3-month follow-up. The levels of peripheral inflammatory cytokines were determined at equivalent time points. Results: Patients with LSG exhibited massive cognitive improvement in postoperative 3 month without or with TAPB or QLB (Ptime < 0.001). Compared to GA, QLB significantly strengthened performance in MoCA (β = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.08, 1.05). IL-6, IL-8, and high-sensitivity CRP significantly verified among three groups. Changes in IL-6 within postoperative 3 months were negatively correlated with MMSE and MoCA, and positively correlated with AVLT-DR for QLB group. Similar correlation was found in the GA group for changes in IL-6 and AVLT-IR. Conclusion: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy ideally improved memory and attention as early as postoperative 1 month. QLB promoted cognitive improvement in MoCA, which was negatively correlated with changes in IL-6. More precise trials are needed to determine the overall effect of peripheral neural block on cognition following bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crosslinking plays a crucial role in determining mechanical properties of polymer materials. Although various crosslinks based on covalent or noncovalent bonds have been adopted, it remains an enormous challenge to develop a crosslink which could endow corresponding polymer network with robust yet dynamic properties. Herein, we report a crosslink simultaneously having dynamic property and woven geometry, and the polymer network with woven crosslinks (WPN) could integrate the merits of covalent polymer network (CPN) and supramolecular polymer network (SPN). In specific, the WPN not only exhibits comparable stiffness, strength, elastic recovery, and anti‐fatigue property to those of CPN, but also possesses decent mechanical adaptivity and ductility, similar to those of SPN. Particularly, its toughness and puncture resistance are much superior to those of the others. Besides, the dynamicity of woven crosslink also imparts good performances of self‐healing and processability to WPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crosslinking plays a crucial role in determining mechanical properties of polymer materials. Although various crosslinks based on covalent or noncovalent bonds have been adopted, it remains an enormous challenge to develop a crosslink which could endow corresponding polymer network with robust yet dynamic properties. Herein, we report a crosslink simultaneously having dynamic property and woven geometry, and the polymer network with woven crosslinks (WPN) could integrate the merits of covalent polymer network (CPN) and supramolecular polymer network (SPN). In specific, the WPN not only exhibits comparable stiffness, strength, elastic recovery, and anti‐fatigue property to those of CPN, but also possesses decent mechanical adaptivity and ductility, similar to those of SPN. Particularly, its toughness and puncture resistance are much superior to those of the others. Besides, the dynamicity of woven crosslink also imparts good performances of self‐healing and processability to WPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes a many-objective MATLAB with a COMSOL joint parallel simulation optimization method in order to solve the current situation of low efficiency, single objective, and poor effect in acoustic optimization design research for a sound-absorbing structure. Our proposed method combines the means for population partitioning, monitoring, and adaptive normalization, within the framework of the NSGA-III algorithm, which takes the hyperplane deployment scheme into account in its entirety. Compared to the traditional genetic algorithm toolbox of the joint COMSOL optimization scheme, it is shown that the joint parallel simulation optimization method that is constructed in this paper achieves a higher optimization efficiency and a better experimental performance, thereby aiding in the identification of the optimal solution to multiple objectives. The optimization efficiency can increase linearly as the number of available cores on the computer increases. This method is then used to construct a parallel, low-frequency, broadband, highly-sound-absorbing structure. Without any constraints on the optimization objective, the diversity of the optimization results is evident within the parameter optimization range of this paper. The optimization results are stable and substantial, with constrained optimization objectives that have some reference value. In addition, the proposed method can solve acoustic vibration optimization problems and can be applied to other finite element optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vision-assisted technologies in industrial manual operation such as augmented reality (AR) are increasingly popular. They require high positioning accuracy and robustness to operate normally. However, narrow spaces, moving hands, or tools may occlude or obscure local visual features of operation environments and thus affect the positioning accuracy and robustness of operating position. The resultant misguidance may even cause misoperation of operators. This paper proposes a marker-less monocular vision point positioning method for vision-assisted manual operation in industrial environments. The proposed method can accurately and robustly locate the target point of operation using constraint minimization method even if the target area has no corresponding visual features in the case of occlusion and improper illumination. The proposed method has three phases: intersection generation, intersection optimization, and target point solving. In the intersection generation phase, a certain number of intersections of epipolar lines are generated as candidate target points using fundamental matrices. Here, the solving constraint is converted from point-to-line to point-to-points. In the intersection optimization phase, the intersections are optimized to two different sets through the iterative linear fitting and geometric mean absolute error methods. Here, the solving constraint is further converted from point-to-points to point-to-point sets. In the target point solving phase, the target point is solved as a constrained minimization problem based on the distribution constraint of the two intersection sets. Here, the solving constraint is finally converted from point-to-point sets to point-to-point, and the unique optimal solution is obtained as the target point. The experimental results show that this method has a better accuracy and robustness than the traditional homography matrix method for the practical industrial operation scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and wearable electronic devices have broad applications in human–machine interaction and personal health monitoring. To meet different application scenarios, in this work, an antibacterial, antifreezing, stretchable, and self‐healing organohydrogel‐based triboelectric nanogenerator (O‐TENG) for biomechanical energy harvesting and self‐powered sensing is developed. Through integrating Ag nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide sheets (Ag@rGO) into poly(vinyl alcohol)‐polyacrylamide (PVA‐PAAm) dual‐network organohydrogel with dynamic borate bonds, denoted as Ag@rGO/PVA‐PAAm, the organohydrogel has high conductivity, good stretchability, and antifreezing and self‐healing properties. When using Ag@rGO/PVA‐PAAm as the electrode layer of O‐TENG, it can effectively inhibit Gram‐negative bacterium E. coli and Gram‐positive bacterium S. aureus while showing high cytocompatibility. With the self‐healing and antifreezing property, the fabricated O‐TENG has stable output performance under room temperature and low temperature of −30 °C, even after Ag@rGO/PVA‐PAAm is damaged and self‐healed. This O‐TENG is demonstrated to harvest mechanical energy and is used as self‐powered sensors for recognizing handwriting and wrist motion state. This work provides a new pathway for design and application of multifunctional flexible wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To develop and validate a practical nomogram for predicting the probability of patients with impacted ureteral stone.Methods: Between June 2020 to March 2021, 214 single ureteral stones received ureteroscopy lithotripsy (URSL) were selected in development group. While 82 single ureteral stones received URSL between April 2021 to May 2021 were included in validation group. Independent factors for predicting impacted ureteral stone were screened by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The relationship between preoperative factors and stone impaction was modeled according to the regression coefficients. Discrimination and calibration were estimated by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve and calibration curve respectively. Clinical usefulness of the nomogram was evaluated by decision curve analysis.Results: Age, ipsilateral stone treatment history, hydronephrosis and maximum ureteral wall thickness (UWTmax) at the portion of stone were identified as independent predictors for impacted stone. The AUROC curve of development and validation group were 0.915 and 0.882 respectively. Calibration curve of two groups showed strong concordance between the predicted and actual probabilities. Decision curve analysis showed that the predictive nomogram had a superior net benefit than UWTmax for all examined probabilities.Conclusions: We developed and validated an individualized model to predict impacted ureteral stone prior to surgery. Through this prediction model, urologists can select an optimal treatment method and decrease intraoperative and postoperative complications for patients with impacted ureteral calculus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to public health globally. Irrational utilization of antibiotics being one of the main reasons of antibiotic resistant. Children as a special group, there's more chance of getting infected. Although most of the infection is viral in etiology, antibiotics still are the most frequently prescribed medications for children. Therefore, high use of antibiotics among children raises concern about the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing. This systematic review aims to measuring prevalence and risk factors for antibiotic utilization in children in China.Methods: English and Chinese databases were searched to identify relevant studies evaluating the prevalence and risk factors for antibiotic utilization in Chinese children (0-18 years), which were published between 2010 and July 2020. A Meta-analysis of prevalence was performed using random effect model. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and modified Jadad score was used to assess risk of bias of studies. In addition, we explored the risk factors of antibiotic utilization in Chinese children using qualitative analysis.Results: Of 10,075 studies identified, 98 eligible studies were included after excluded duplicated studies. A total of 79 studies reported prevalence and 42 studies reported risk factors for antibiotic utilization in children. The overall prevalence of antibiotic utilization among outpatients and inpatients were 63.8% (35 studies, 95% confidence interval (CI): 55.1-72.4%), and 81.3% (41 studies, 95% CI: 77.3-85.2%), respectively. In addition, the overall prevalence of caregiver's self-medicating of antibiotics for children at home was 37.8% (4 studies, 95% CI: 7.9-67.6%). The high prevalence of antibiotics was associated with multiple factors, while lacking of skills and knowledge in both physicians and caregivers was the most recognized risk factor, caregivers put pressure on physicians to get antibiotics and self-medicating with antibiotics at home for children also were the main factors attributed to this issue.Conclusion: The prevalence of antibiotic utilization in Chinese children is heavy both in hospitals and home. It is important for government to develop more effective strategies to improve the irrational use of antibiotic, especially in rural setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is one of the major causes of infertility. We previously demonstrated that transplantation of menstrual blood-derived stromal cells (MenSCs) effectively improved ovarian function in a murine model of POI. Recent studies indicated that mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes were important components in tissue repair. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of MenSCs-derived exosomes (MenSCs-Exos) in a rat model of POI and its mechanism in restoring ovulation. Methods: Ovaries of 4.5-day-old Sprague Dawley rats (SD rats) were cultured in vitro to evaluate the effects of MenSCs-Exos exposure on early follicle development. Furthermore, POI in rats was induced by intraperitoneal administration of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD). Forty-eight POI rats were randomly assigned to four groups, each receiving a different treatment: PBS, MenSCs, MenSCs-Exos, and Exo-free culture supernatant of MenSCs. Estrous cyclicity, ovarian morphology, follicle dynamics, serum hormones, pregnancy outcomes, and molecular changes were investigated. Results: Exposure to MenSCs-Exos promoted the proliferation of granulosa cells in primordial and primary follicles in vitro and increased the expression of early follicle markers Deleted In Azoospermia Like (DAZL) and Forkhead Box L2 (FOXL2) while inhibiting follicle apoptosis. In vivo, MenSCs-Exos transplantation effectively promoted follicle development in the rat model of POI and restored the estrous cyclicity and serum sex hormone levels, followed by improving the live birth outcome. In addition, transplantation of MenSCs-Exos regulated the composition of the ovarian extracellular matrix and accelerated the recruitment of dormant follicles in the ovarian cortex and increased proliferation of granulosa cells in these follicles. Conclusion: MenSCs-Exos markedly promoted follicle development in vitro and in vivo and restored fertility in POI rats, suggesting a restorative effect on ovarian functions. The therapeutic effect of MenSCs-Exos transplantation was sustainable, consistent with that of MenSCs transplantation. Our results suggested that MenSCs-Exos transplantation may be a promising cell-free bioresource in the treatment of POI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several reports have shown that Rab14 is dysregulated in human cancers suggesting that it is an oncogenic protein closely related to tumorigenesis. However, whether Rab14 plays a role in the development and progression of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Methods: Rab14 protein levels were examined in 115 cases of NSCLC tissues and 6 cancer cell lines. Rab14 knockdown was performed in H1299 and A549 cell lines. Rab14 plasmid transfection was performed in the LK2 cell line. The biological roles and mechanisms of Rab14 were examined using MTT, colony formation, Matrigel invasion assay, migration assay, cell cycle analysis, Western blotting, and RT-qPCR. Results: We found that Rab14 was upregulated in 65 of 115 lung cancer tissues. Rab14 high expression was significantly correlated with advanced TNM stage and nodal metastasis. Rab14 protein levels were higher in lung cancer cell lines than in normal bronchial cell line. Functionally, Rab14 overexpression increased growth rate, colony formation, invasion/migration ability and cell cycle progression, while Rab14 siRNA decreased the cell proliferation rate, colony numbers and inhibited invasion/migration ability and cell cycle progression. Rab14 upregulated cyclin D1, cyclin E, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and downregulated p27 protein and mRNA levels in both A549 and H1299 cell lines, while Rab14 siRNA produced the opposite effects. Further study showed that Rab14 overexpression increased luciferase reporter activity from transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD) protein. Accordingly, Rab14 increased total Yes-associated protein (YAP) and nuclear YAP protein while decreased phosphorylated (p)-YAP and cytoplasmic YAP protein expression. Cycloheximide treatment showed that Rab14 downregulated the level of YAP degradation. Depletion of YAP using siRNA abolished the influence of Rab14 on cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CTGF. YAP knockdown also partly abolished the effects of Rab14 on cell proliferation and invasion. Conclusion: In summary, our data showed that Rab14 is overexpressed in human NSCLC. Rab14 facilitated proliferation and invasion, possibly through regulation of YAP signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a recently emerging non-apoptotic mode of cell death involving the production of iron-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we described a mitochondria-targeted iridium (III) complex IrFN that exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against a variety of cancer cells, especially the A2780 human ovarian cancer cells, through the ferroptosis pathways. Mechanistic studies by label-free quantitative proteomics profiling indicated that heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1)-mediated ferroptosis process was activated by IrFN. The study on iron-dependent cell death, ROS accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and over released iron further confirmed the ferroptosis processes. mRNA transcription quantification, in vitro over-expression of HMOX1, and RNAi-mediated knock-down experiments suggested that IrFN activated the over-expression of HMOX1. Our report revealed the first case of anticancer iridium complex leading to ferroptosis, highlighting ferroptosis as a promising approach in future design of metallodrugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the gamma ray radiation effect on the characteristics of inkjet-printed semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sSWCNTs) thin-film transistors (TFTs) is investigated. The devices with top gate dielectrics consisted of BaTiO3 and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were characterized before and after 150 krad 60Co gamma radiation in air. It reveals that the radiation results in a positive threshold voltage shift from -0.5 to 3.6 V (with a drain voltage biased at -1 V). The hysteresis decreases slightly from 1.2 to 0.5 V, indicating that the BaTiO3/PMMA dielectric layer effectively encapsulates the sSWCNTs TFTs from absorbing molecules in the environment. Furthermore, the charge pumping current ICP is measured with a gate voltage pulsed at 100 kHz. The maximum ICP increases from 90 to 140nA, which translates to an increase in the interface trap density from 4.5×1011 to 1.1×1012 cm-2eV-1. The charge pumping measurements at the frequency of 10∼250 kHz show that the increase of ICP induced by radiation is obvious when f>30 kHz but is little when f<30 kHz, which indicates that the radiation induced charge traps locate near sSWCNTs. The BaTiO3/PMMA gate dielectric remains to be a good insulator with a leakage current of less than 60 pA after radiation. Such printed flexible TFTs with the polymer gate dielectric possess similar radiation tolerant compared to convention devices on rigid substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]