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C4 plants are expected to have faster stomatal movements than C3 species because they tend to have smaller guard cells. However, little is known about how the evolution of C4 photosynthesis influences stomatal dynamics in relation to guard cell size and environmental factors. We studied photosynthetically diverse populations of the grass Alloteropsis semialata, showing that the origin of C4 photosynthesis in this species was associated with a shortening of stomatal guard and subsidiary cells. However, for a given cell size, C4 and C3–C4 intermediate individuals had similar or slower light‐induced stomatal opening speeds than C3 individuals. Conversely, when exposed to decreasing light, stomata in C4 plants closed as fast as those in non‐C4 plants. Polyploid formation in some C4 plants led to larger stomatal cells and was associated with slower stomatal opening. Conversely, diversification of C4 diploid plants into wetter environments was associated with an acceleration of stomatal opening. Overall, there was significant relationship between light‐saturated photosynthesis and stomatal opening speed in the C4 plants, implying that photosynthetic energy production was limiting for stomatal opening. Stomatal dynamics in this wild grass therefore arise from the evolving interplay between photosynthetic physiology and the size and biochemical function of stomatal complexes. Summary statement: Stomatal dynamics in a wild grass arise from the evolving interplay between photosynthetic physiology and the size and biochemical function of stomatal complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the anti-inflammatory properties of the hypoxia-mimetic drug deferoxamine (DFO) have been reported, its potential as a treatment for periodontitis remains unknown. This study investigated the therapeutic benefits of DFO on osteoclastogenesis and inflammation in periodontitis progression. Methods: RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with DFO before stimulation with lipopolysaccharides from Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g-LPS). Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and inflammatory factors were measured, followed by analysis of relevant inflammatory pathways. Immunofluorescence and molecular biology methods were employed to assess osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells after nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) induction. A rat model of periodontitis was es\lished using ligature wires, and alveolar bone loss was assessed via micro-computed tomography. Osteoclastogenesis and periodontal inflammation were assessed through immunohistochemistry as well as hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: DFO reduced the P.g-LPS-induced inflammatory factor expression (P < 0.0001) and upregulated HIF-1α (P = 0.0278) in RAW264.7 cells. DFO suppressed NF-κB signaling by inhibiting NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation. DFO pretreatment inhibited osteoclast development by decreasing F-actin rings synthesis, reducing the number of mature osteoclasts (P < 0.0001) and downregulating osteoclast-specific markers (P < 0.05). In rat periodontitis models, DFO treatment reduced tissue inflammation, osteoclastogenesis, and alveolar bone loss (P  < 0.05). Conclusion: DFO effectively prevented osteoclast development, alveolar bone loss, and inflammation associated with periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histones methyltransferase NSD3 targeting H3K36 is frequently disordered and mutant in various cancers, while the function of NSD3 during cancer initiation and progression remains unclear. In this study, it is proved that downregulated level of NSD3 is linked to clinical features and poor survival in lung adenocarcinoma. In vivo, NSD3 inhibited the proliferation, immigration, and invasion ability of lung adenocarcinoma. Meanwhile, NSD3 suppressed glycolysis by inhibiting HK2 translation, transcription, glucose uptake, and lactate production in lung adenocarcinoma. Mechanistically, as an intermediary, NSD3 binds to PPP1CB and p‐STAT3 in protein levels, thus forming a trimer to dephosphorylate the level of p‐STAT3 by PPP1CB, leading to the suppression of HK2 transcription. Interestingly, the phosphorylation function of PPP1CB is related to the concentration of carbon dioxide and pH value in the culture environment. Together, this study revealed the critical non‐epigenetic role of NSD3 in the regulation of STAT3‐dependent glycolysis, providing a piece of compelling evidence for targeting the NSD3/PPP1CB/p‐STAT3 in lung adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The protein oxidation of soybean meal, resulting from storage, can detrimentally impact the intestinal digestive and absorptive functions in animals. Meanwhile, quercetin can regulate protein and lipid metabolism, intestinal transporter numbers, and gut microbiota in animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of quercetin supplementation on the intestinal digestive and absorptive functions and microbiota in rats fed protein-oxidized soybean meal. The results of this study indicated that the protein-oxidized soybean meal decreased the relative weights of the digestive organs and the duodenal villus height, thereby reducing the apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids in the rats. Transcriptomics and microbiomics revealed that quercetin supplementation alleviated these adverse effects primarily by upregulating the pathway of intestinal amino acid transmembrane transporter activity and improving the cecal microbial composition. To clarify the nutritional mechanisms of quercetin mitigation in the digestive and absorptive functions in rats fed protein-oxidized soybean meal, 48 three-week-old male SD rats were randomly allocated into a 2 × 2 factorial design with two soybean meal types (fresh soybean meal or protein-oxidized soybean meal) and two quercetin levels (0 or 400 mg/kg) for a 28-day feeding trial. The protein-oxidized soybean meal treatment decreased (p < 0.05) the relative weights of the pancreas, stomach, and cecum, duodenal villus height, pancreatic and jejunal lipase activities, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids, and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and ether extract. The supplementation of quercetin in the protein-oxidized soybean meal diet reversed (p < 0.05) the decreases in the duodenal length, ileal villus height, lipase activity, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids, and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and ether extract. Transcriptomics revealed that the "alanine transport" and "lipid digestion and absorption" pathways were downregulated by the protein-oxidized soybean meal compared with fresh soybean meal, while the "basic amino acid transmembrane transporter activity" and "lipid digestion and absorption" pathways were upregulated by the quercetin supplementation. Microbiomics revealed that the protein-oxidized soybean meal increased the protein-degrading and inflammation-triggering bacteria in the cecum, while the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria were elevated by the quercetin supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation testing is widely used in offshore oil and gas development, and predicting the sampling time of pure fluids during this process is very important. However, existing formation testing methods have problems such as long duration and low efficiency. To address these issues, this paper proposes a hybrid-driven method based on physical models and machine learning models to predict fluid sampling time in formation testing. In this hybrid-driven model, we establish a digital twin model to simulate a large amount of experimental data (6000 cases, totaling over 1 million data points) and significantly enhance the correlation between features using physical formulas. By applying advanced machine learning algorithms, we achieve real-time predictions of fluid sampling time with an accuracy of up to 92%. Additionally, we use optimizers to improve the model's accuracy by 3%, ultimately reaching 95%. This model provides a novel approach for optimizing formation testing that is significant for the efficient development of offshore oil and gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate velocity measurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is essential in various applications. Traditional vision-based methods rely heavily on visual features, which are often inadequate in low-light or feature-sparse environments. This study presents a novel approach to measure the axial velocity of UAVs using motion blur images captured by a UAV-mounted monocular camera. We introduce a motion blur model that synthesizes imaging from neighboring frames to enhance motion blur visibility. The synthesized blur frames are transformed into spectrograms using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique. We then apply a binarization process and the Radon transform to extract light-dark stripe spacing, which represents the motion blur length. This length is used to establish a model correlating motion blur with axial velocity, allowing precise velocity calculation. Field tests in a hydropower station penstock demonstrated an average velocity error of 0.048 m/s compared to ultra-wideband (UWB) measurements. The root-mean-square error was 0.025, with an average computational time of 42.3 ms and CPU load of 17%. These results confirm the stability and accuracy of our velocity estimation algorithm in challenging environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To discover the populations of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from different layers of human maxillary sinus membrane (hMSM) and evaluate their osteogenic capability. Materials and Methods: hMSM was isolated into a monolayer using the combined method of physical separation and enzymatic digestion. The localization of MSCs in hMSM was performed by immunohistological staining and other techniques. Lamina propria layer‐derived MSCs (LMSCs) and periosteum layer‐derived MSCs (PMSCs) from hMSM were expanded using the explant cell culture method and identified by multilineage differentiation assays, colony formation assay, flow cytometry and so on. The biological characteristics of LMSCs and PMSCs were compared using RNA sequencing, reverse transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, transwell assay, western blotting and so forth. Results: LMSCs and PMSCs from hMSMs were both CD73‐, CD90‐ and CD105‐positive, and CD34‐, CD45‐ and HLA‐DR‐negative. LMSCs and PMSCs were identified as CD171+/CD90+ and CD171−/CD90+, respectively. LMSCs displayed stronger proliferation capability than PMSCs, and PMSCs presented stronger osteogenic differentiation capability than LMSCs. Moreover, PMSCs could recruit and promote osteogenic differentiation of LMSCs. Conclusions: This study identified and isolated two different types of MSCs from hMSMs. Both MSCs served as good potential candidates for bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability to predict catastrophic failures and anticipate challenges relating to trafficability enables quadruped robots to adjust their planned trajectory in time to prevent any damages. In this paper, an estimation‐based method is proposed to describe the validity of the trajectory from the viewpoint of the traction performance of the terrain. The main contribution of this study lies in equipping quadruped robots with the ability to comprehend the strength characteristics of the terrain and assess the validity of trajectory planning by anticipating potential catastrophic motion failures. To this end, a novel perception method of the foot terrain interface based on proprioception is proposed to estimate terrain strength parameters. The vehicle–terrain traction model is extended to a legged locomotion pattern to estimate the traction limits of the terrain. The trafficability anticipation is driven by combining the traction limits of the terrain and the expected ground reaction force, as obtained by the model‐based predictive methods. The validity of this method is verified using a quadruped robot test platform. Results highlight the potential of the presented approach, in which the anticipation of trafficability, grounded in the understanding of the terrain strength, serves as the explicit foundation for altering trajectories to avert motion failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) has caused significant economic losses in the global swine industry. As a potential drug for treating diarrhea, the antiviral properties of attapulgite deserve further study. Methods: In this study, various methods such as RT-qPCR, Western blot, viral titer assay, Cytopathic Effect, immunofluorescence analysis and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect the antiviral activity of attapulgite and to assess its inhibitory effect on PEDV. Results: When exposed to the same amount of virus, there was a significant decrease in the expression of the S protein, resulting in a viral titer reduction from 10-5.613 TCID50/mL to 10-2.90 TCID50/mL, which represents a decrease of approximately 102.6 folds. Results of cytopathic effect and indirect immunofluorescence also indicate a notable decrease in viral infectivity after attapulgite treatment. Additionally, it was observed that modified materials after acidification had weaker antiviral efficacy compared to powdered samples that underwent ultrasonic disintegration, which showed the strongest antiviral effects. Conclusion: As a result, Attapulgite powders can trap and adsorb viruses to inhibit PEDV in vitro, leading to loss of viral infectivity. This study provides new materials for the development of novel disinfectants and antiviral additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of geometry and flow characteristics under stress is of great significance for many natural and technological processes. In this paper, a three-dimensional rough single fracture model is reconstructed based on three-dimensional morphology scanning technology. The geometric deformation and flow characteristics of natural fracture inside tight sandstone under varied shear displacements and loads are simulated using the finite element method. The results show that the primary factors causing variations in flow characteristics are geometrical deformations under stress such as reduced apertures, expanded contact areas, and degradation of roughness. With the increasing stress, the aperture and contact area of the fracture would experience an evident decrease and increase, respectively, leading to an increase in the flow resistance. Simultaneously, the degradation of roughness would exacerbate these changes in the aperture and contact area. For the rougher fracture, the permeability and flow area can be maintained higher value due to its smaller geometric deformation and a more uniform stress distribution. Furthermore, shear displacement modifies the mismatch between the top and lower fracture surfaces, resulting in a decrease in flow rate and permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a major bacterial infection that causes economic losses in the global poultry industry. Palygorskite (PAL) has been shown to enhance growth performance while improving antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of broilers. This study evaluated the protective effects of PAL on growth performance and liver function in broilers subjected to APEC challenge. A total of 320 one-day-old male Arbor Acres chicks were divided into 4 groups with 8 replicates of 10 birds each, based on a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (basal diet or 5 g/kg PAL-supplemented diet) and inoculation (bacterial culture medium or APEC). PAL increased body weight gain (BWG) prior to APEC challenge (P  < 0.05). However, APEC caused losses in BWG, feed intake (FI), and feed efficiency, along with increased relative hepatic weight, hepatic pathology scores, and hepatic-cell apoptosis rate (P  < 0.05). Compared to normal birds, APEC increased interleukin (IL)-1β, interferon-γ (IFN- γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) levels, as well as lysozyme (LZM) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, while decreasing total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and IL-10 levels, and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in both serum and liver, APEC also raised alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, but reduced total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, and IgM levels in serum (P  < 0.05). Moreover, APEC increased hepatic mRNA level of IL-1β , IFN-γ , TNF-α , nuclear factor kappa B, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), while inhibited mRNA level of IL-10 (P  < 0.05). In contrast, PAL increased BWG and FI, and alleviated hepatic-cell apoptosis rate during the challenge period (P  < 0.05). Incorporation of PAL reduced triglyceride and NO contents, ALT, and AST activities, while increasing TP, ALB, IL-10, IgG, and IgM levels in serum, enhancing serum T-SOD and CAT activities, elevating hepatic T-AOC and CAT activities, inhibiting hepatic MDA accumulation, and reducing IL-1β levels and LZM activity in both liver and serum (P  < 0.05). An interactive effect was found for hepatic TNF-α and iNOS mRNA expression, in which PAL inhibited their mRNA expression in APEC-challenged birds (P  < 0.05). Overall, PAL addition partially mitigated the negative impact of the APEC challenge on the growth performance and liver function of broiler chicks at an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls represent a significant cause of injury among the elderly population. Extensive research has been devoted to the utilization of wearable IMU sensors in conjunction with machine learning techniques for fall detection. To address the challenge of acquiring costly training data, this paper presents a novel method that generates a substantial volume of synthetic IMU data with minimal actual fall experiments. First, unmarked 3D motion capture technology is employed to reconstruct human movements. Subsequently, utilizing the biomechanical simulation platform Opensim and forward kinematic methods, an ample amount of training data from various body segments can be custom generated. Synthetic IMU data was then used to train a machine learning model, achieving testing accuracies of 91.99% and 86.62% on two distinct datasets of actual fall-related IMU data. Building upon the simulation framework, this paper further optimized the single IMU attachment position and multiple IMU combinations on fall detection. The proposed method simplifies fall detection data acquisition experiments, provides novel venue for generating low cost synthetic data in scenario where acquiring data for machine learning is challenging and paves the way for customizing machine learning configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of rutin on laying performance, egg quality, serum biochemical parameters, serum immunoglobulin, and antioxidant status in laying hens fed a diet containing stored soybean meal (SBM). The dietary treatments used were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 types of SBM (FSM: SBM was stored in the cold storage warehouses at −20 °C for 45 days and was considered as fresh SBM; RTSM: SBM was stored in room temperature warehouse (15 °C to 25 °C), average temperature was 20 °C for 45 days) and 2 levels of rutin (0 and 500 mg/kg). In total, 384 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (220 days of age) were randomly divided into 4 groups with eight replicates. Pre-feeding period was 1 week, and the experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The results showed that the RTSM diet had no effect on laying performance (p > 0.05). Compared with the diet without rutin, diet with 500 mg/kg rutin exhibited a tendency to increase egg mass compared with the diet without rutin (p = 0.096), and there was a trend of interaction effect on average egg weight (p = 0.061). The RTSM diet decreased the egg Haugh unit significantly compared with the FSM diet at the end of 8th week (p < 0.05). Compared with the diet without rutin, dietary rutin supplementation could affect egg quality as evidenced by increased eggshell thickness, albumen height, egg yolk colour at the end of 4th week and increased eggshell strength and eggshell thickness at the end of 8th week (p < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary rutin supplementation increased urea nitrogen, decreased the immunoglobulin M (IgM) content in serum compared with the diet without rutin (p < 0.05). Compared with the diet without rutin, dietary supplementation with rutin improved the total antioxidant capacity in the serum and liver (p < 0.05). The interactions of SBM × Rutin were observed on egg yolk ratio at the end of 8th week, and the urea nitrogen and IgM content in serum. These findings suggested that diet with RTSM had adverse effects on egg quality in laying hens. The RTSM diet negatively impacted egg quality of laying hens over time when compared to the FSM diet. Dietary rutin supplementation could improve the egg quality, and antioxidant capacity of laying hens. Dietary with soybean meal stored in room temperature warehouse reduced egg quality of laying hens. Dietary rutin supplementation improved egg quality and antioxidant capacity of laying hens independent of stored SBM. There was a significant interaction between stored soybean meal and rutin on egg yolk ratio, serum UN and IgM levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein oxidation of soybean meal (SBM) during storage may have adverse effects on the intestinal health of laying hens. Moreover, rutin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which might be used as a feed additive to mitigate the intestinal damage caused by oxidised protein of SBM. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rutin supplementation on intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, immunity and caecal microbiota in laying hens fed a diet containing stored SBM. A total of 384 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (220 days) were randomly allocated into four groups with eight replicates of 12 laying hens each according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 types of SBM (FSM: SBM was stored in the cold storage warehouses at −20 °C for 45 days, and was considered as fresh and control SBM; RTSM: SBM was stored in room temperature warehouse (15 °C to 25 °C), average temperature was 20 °C for 45 days) and 2 levels of rutin (0 and 500 mg/kg). The results showed that the RTSM diet decreased the ileal glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, the jejunal superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and ileal NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) mRNA expression levels (p < 0.05), and tended to decrease the jejunal superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), ileal glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and increase the jejunal interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) mRNA expression levels. Dietary rutin decreased the jejunal crypt depth (CD) (p < 0.05), increased the jejunal total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and GSH-Px activities (p < 0.05), decreased the content of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the jejunum (p < 0.05), and significantly reduced levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IFN-γ, and IL-4 in the ileal mucosa (p < 0.05). Dietary rutin increased SOD2, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NQO1 mRNA expression levels in the jejunum and GPX1, Nrf2 and NQO1 mRNA expression levels in the ileum, and decreased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), IL-1β, IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression in the jejunum and NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expressions in the ileum. What's more, dietary rutin changed the caecal microbiota. PCoA analysis indicated significant structural differences among four groups (p < 0.05), and SBM × Rutin interactions were found in Actinobacteriota and unclassifiedk_norank_d_ Bacteria at the phylum level (p < 0.05). These results suggested that RTSM had slight adverse effects on the intestinal health, and dietary rutin improved intestinal morphology, exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects via Nrf2 and NF-κB signal pathways, and changed the composition of caecal microbiota. The RTSM diet has adverse effects on the intestinal health of laying hens compared with the FSM diet. Dietary rutin improved the intestinal health by increasing the intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory effects. Dietary soybean meal and rutin changed the composition of caecal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robots are now working outside of industrial fences more and more closely with humans. Safety is the primary requirement for intimate human–robot interactions. Contacts could happen at any and multipoints of robot. Tactile sensors have great potentials for contact sensing. However, their implementation for the whole-body compliance of robots upon unknown contacts is still challenging. In this work, a systematic solution is proposed. A dual-arm humanoid platform is constructed with distributed tactile sensors on its arms and body. Cheap and easy accessed resistive flexible tactile sensors are used. A data collection and signal processing system is developed for the sensing system with scalable capabilities. External contacts on the robot can be monitored by a visualized system. The multipoint contact force is calculated with the sensor positions taken into consideration. A PD controller-based compliant force control algorithm is proposed in the joint space of the robot. Particularly, a geometry-based force propagation method is introduced in order to achieve overall whole-body compliance of the robot. Experiments verified the whole-body compliance of the robot arms. Safety could then be maintained for frequent human–robot interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facial pose variation presents a significant challenge to facial expression recognition (FER) in real‐world applications. Significant bottlenecks exist in the field of multiview facial expression recognition (MFER) including a lack of high‐quality MFER datasets, and the limited model robustness in real‐world MFER scenarios. Therefore, this article first introduces a metahuman‐based MFER dataset (MMED), which effectively addresses the issues of insufficient quantity and quality in existing datasets. Second, a conditional cascade VGG (ccVGG) model is proposed, which can adaptively adjust expression feature extraction based on the input image's pose information. Finally, a hybrid training and few‐shot learning strategy are proposed that integrates our MMED dataset with a real‐world dataset and quickly deploys it in real‐world application scenarios using the proposed Meta‐Dist few‐shot learning method. Experiments on the Karolinska Directed Emotional Face (KDEF) dataset demonstrate that the proposed model exhibits improved robustness in multiview application scenarios and achieves a recognition accuracy improvement of 28.68% relative to the baseline. It demonstrates that the proposed MMED dataset can effectively improve the training efficiency of MFER models and facilitate easy deployment in real‐world applications. This work provides a reliable dataset for the MFER studies and paves the way for robust FER in any view for real‐world deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of repairing significant bone defects requires the recruitment of a considerable number of cells for osteogenesis-related activities, which implies the consumption of a substantial amount of oxygen and nutrients. Therefore, the limited supply of nutrients and oxygen at the defect site is a vital constraint that affects the regenerative effect, which is closely related to the degree of a well-established vascular network. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), which is an essential transcription factor activated in hypoxic environments, plays a vital role in vascular network construction. HIF-1α, which plays a central role in regulating cartilage and bone formation, induces vascular invasion and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells to promote and maintain extracellular matrix production by mediating the adaptive response of cells to changes in oxygen levels. However, the application of HIF-1α in bone tissue engineering is still controversial. As such, clarifying the function of HIF-1α in regulating the bone regeneration process is one of the urgent issues that need to be addressed. This review provides insight into the mechanisms of HIF-1α action in bone regeneration and related recent advances. It also describes current strategies for applying hypoxia induction and hypoxia mimicry in bone tissue engineering, providing theoretical support for the use of HIF-1α in establishing a novel and feasible bone repair strategy in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of a bubble bursting to generate droplets exists in industrial and environmental systems and has a subtle impact on our daily lives. A bubble generated by gas injection or heating rises to the free surface and undergoes floating, drainage, and eventually bursting processes to produce film and jet droplets. The interrelated processes make it difficult to understand the characteristics of a bubble burst. Thus, a summary of the individual stages of a single bubble from generation to burst is necessary. First, we describe the calculation method and simple expressions for the shape of a bubble floating on a free surface. Next, we discuss the bubble drainage model and its influencing factors as this directly determines the time evolution of the film thickness. As an essential factor that affects the film thickness, the bubble drainage time is defined as the bubble lifetime. We compare the bubble lifetime distributions in the published literature and explore the associated influencing factors. Then, we investigate the bubble bursting dynamics and focus on the bubble film opening process once a hole appears on its surface. As a legacy of bubble burst, we explore the production process, size, and number of film and jet droplets. Finally, we discuss the enrichment phenomenon and the enrichment factors of film and jet droplets when releasing particles entrained by droplets. This review considers a series of processes for bubble burst to generate droplets and concentrates on the mechanism and experimental correlations with a summary and future prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral nerves participate in bone growth and repair by secreting neurotransmitters, and enable new bone to possess physiological bone-sensing capability. However, it is difficult to achieve synchronized nerve regeneration during the healing process of large bone defects at present. As a bioactive nanomaterial, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can promote neuronal differentiation and myelination of Schwann cells (SCs), while enhancing the adhesion and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) through its strong non-covalent binding ability. In this study, 3D printing-based rGO/GelMA hydrogels with enhanced osteogenic and neurogenic dual differentiation were used to simultaneously load SCs and BMSCs. By changing the concentration of rGO(0.03%/0.05%/0.1%), the compressive strength, rheological properties and aperture of the hydrogel can be improved. In vitro, cell live/death staining, phalloidin staining and SEM showed that cells loaded on the hydrogel had a high survival rate (85%) and good adhesion ability. In vivo, we found that the rGO/GelMA hydrogel exhibited the same low inflammatory response compared to the pure-GelMA group and the cell-only group, but surrounded by collagen fibers. Meanwhile, the osteogenic and neural proteins in the rGO/GelMA group were found to be highly expressed in immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. In this study, a scaffold material containing double cells was used to promote synergistic regeneration of nerves and bone, providing a promising strategy for the preparation of personalized and functionalized biomimetic bone material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of synbiotics supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, immune function, and intestinal barrier function in broilers subjected to cyclic heat stress. One hundred and forty-four 22-day-old male broilers were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups of six replicates each for a 21-day study, with eight birds per replicate. Broilers in the control group were reared at a thermoneutral temperature and received a basal diet. Broilers in the other two heat-stressed groups were fed a basal diet supplemented without (heat-stressed group) and with 1.5 g/kg synbiotic (synbiotic group). One and a half gram of the synbiotic consisted with 3 × 109 colony forming units (CFU) Clostridium butyricum, 1.5 × 109 CFU Bacillus licheniformis, 4.5 × 1010 CFU Bacillus subtilis, 600 mg yeast cell wall, and 150 mg xylooligosaccharide. Compared with the control group, heat stress increased rectal temperatures at 28, 35, and 42 days of age, respectively (P < 0.05). Birds subjected to heat stress had reduced weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency during 22 to 42 days (P < 0.05). In contrast, supplementation with the synbiotic decreased rectal temperature at 42 days of age and elevated weight gain of heat stress–challenged broilers (P < 0.05). Heat-stressed broilers exhibited a lower superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in jejunal mucosa and a higher malondialdehyde accumulation in serum, liver and jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), and the regressive SOD activity was normalized to control level when supplementing synbiotic (P < 0.05). Heat stress increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in serum and IL-1β content in jejunal mucosa of broilers (P < 0.05). Synbiotic reduced IL-1β level in serum of broilers subjected to heat stress (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, elevated serum diamine oxidase activity and reduced jejunal villus height were observed in broilers of the heat-stressed group (P < 0.05), and the values of these two parameters in the synbiotic group were intermediate (P > 0.05). Heat stress upregulated mRNA abundance of IL-1β and IFN-γ and downregulated gene expression levels of occluding and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa of broilers (P < 0.05). The alterations in the mRNA expression levels of jejunal IL-1β and ZO-1 were reversed by the synbiotic (P > 0.05). In conclusion, dietary synbiotics could improve growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal barrier function in heat-stressed broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed at evaluating the in vitro adsorption capability of chitooligosaccharide (COS) with some metal elements (Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb) at different pH values along with potential effects of dietary COS supplementation on growth performance, mineral content, meat quality and oxidant status in broilers. Day‐old male chicks were randomly distributed into two groups and offered a basal diet supplemented with or without 30 mg kg−1 COS for 42 days. RESULTS: In vitro trials demonstrated that Fe levels were higher (P < 0.001) in the COS‐treated group compared with the non‐treated group at pH of 2.5. However, these levels became lowered when pH values were raised to 5 (P < 0.01) or 6 (P < 0.001). Similarly, COS adsorbed more (P < 0.05) Zn at pH values of 2.5 and 6, and Cd contents at pH of 2.5 for 70 min when compared with the control. For in vivo trial, the feed‐to‐gain ratio, serum Cu (P < 0.01), hepatic Mn, Cr (P < 0.05) and intramuscular Cd (P < 0.01) were lower in response to COS treatment. Supplementation of COS improved (P < 0.05) meat quality of broilers in terms of lower drip loss, cooking loss and malondialdehyde content with a concomitant increase (P < 0.01) in the pH of breast meat at 24 h post mortem. CONCLUSION: COS adsorbed heavy metal ions not only in vitro but also in broilers, and dietary supplementation with 30 mg kg−1 COS improved growth performance, breast meat quality and oxidant status in broilers. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immediate implant placement is considered a well-accepted procedure due to its advantages and predictable survival rates. However, data on immediate implantation in posterior sockets with infection and bone defects are limited. The purpose of this clinical report was to describe 3 cases of hopeless posterior teeth with periapical infection and relatively large destruction that were successfully treated with immediate implant placement. The mean follow-up time was 22 months. On the basis of correct clinical decision and treatment procedure, immediate implant placement may be a reliable treatment option for compromised posterior sockets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient oxygen is required to maintain normal cellular and physiological function, such as a creature's development, breeding, and homeostasis. Lately, some researchers have reported that both pathological hypoxia and environmental hypoxia might affect bone health. Adaptation to hypoxia is a pivotal cellular event in normal cell development and differentiation and in pathological settings such as ischemia. As central mediators of homeostasis, hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) can allow cells to survive in a low-oxygen environment and are essential for the regulation of osteogenesis and skeletal repair. From this perspective, we summarized the role of HIF-1 and HIF-2 in signaling pathways implicated in bone development and skeletal repair and outlined the molecular mechanism of regulation of downstream growth factors and protein molecules such as VEGF, EPO, and so on. All of these present an opportunity for developing therapies for bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a semi‐crystalline thermoplastic polymer that has been gradually used in the repair of bone defects because of its well chemical stability, reliable biocompatibility, excellent X‐ray radiolucency, and low modulus. However, PEEK is a biologically inert material, and planktonic bacteria can adhere to its surface and eventually form biofilms, allowing for the rapid development of implant‐related infections. This review mainly introduces two important antibacterial modification strategies: antibacterial coating and surface morphology modification. Antibacterial coating include antibiotics, natural extracts, antimicrobial peptides, polymers, metals and metal oxides, selenium, fluoride, silicon nitride, and graphene oxide. These coatings can exert their antibacterial effect by inhibiting bacterial adhesion, killing bacteria by contact, or actively releasing antimicrobial substances. In terms of antibacterial surface topography, different surface microstructures have their respective antibacterial functions. Conical or cylindrical structures can exert stress on the bacterial surface causing the rupture of the cell membrane to kill bacteria. Nano protrusions or particles smaller than the size of bacteria can inhibit the adhesion of bacteria by reducing the contact area of bacteria and PEEK. The pit structure close to the size of bacteria can prevent the contact between adjacent bacteria and delay or prevent the formation of biofilm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated the effects of dietary rutin supplementation on the intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and microbiota of aged laying hens. The results showed that 500 mg/kg rutin supplementation increased the villus height of jejunum (P < 0.05). Rutin affected the immune system of the ileum and the jejunum. In the jejunum, a diet with 500 mg/kg rutin supplementation enhanced secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and reduced tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) levels (P < 0.05). A diet with 1000 mg/kg rutin supplementation increased jejunal sIgA, immunologlobulin M (IgM), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels while decreasing interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β), TNF- α , and interferon- γ (IFN- γ) levels (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, a diet with 500 mg/kg rutin increased sIgA, immunologlobulin G (IgG), IgM, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and reduced TNF- α and IFN- γ levels in the ileum (P < 0.05). In the ileum, a diet with 1000 mg/kg rutin supplementation raised sIgA, IgG, IgM, IL-4, and IL-10 levels while decreasing IL-1 β , TNF- α , and IFN- γ levels (P < 0.05). At the family level, a diet with 500 mg/kg rutin supplementation raised the relative abundance of Monoglobaceae and decreased the relative abundance of Eubacteriaceae (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. In the 1000 mg/kg rutin group, the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Unclassified Coriobacteriale was considerably lower and the relative abundance of Monoglobaceae was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). This study showed that a diet with rutin supplementation can improve the intestinal health of aged laying hens, and the mechanism is related to improving the intestinal morphology and intestinal immune status, and regulating the intestinal microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate patient‐reported outcomes and radiographic results of simultaneous implant placement in severely atrophic maxilla using flapless endoscope‐assisted osteotome sinus floor elevation with platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF), also defined as PESS, and to compare the results with those of lateral sinus floor elevation (LSFE). Methods: Patients with a residual bone height (RBH) of 2–6 mm were included in a randomised controlled trial. PESS was performed with PRF as the sole grafting material. LSFE was performed using deproteinised bovine bone matrix. Patient‐reported outcomes were recorded on a visual analogue scale (VAS‐pain) and visual rating scale (VRS‐swelling and VRS‐willingness). Peri‐implant bone height (PBH), bone mineral density (BMD) and sinus grafting remodelling index were measured using CBCT immediately postoperatively and 3rd, 6th and 18th months post‐surgery. Results: The study population consisted of 20 patients in each group. The RBH of two groups averaged 3.35 ± 0.79 mm and 2.92 ± 0.63 mm with no significant difference (p >.05). VAS‐pain was 18.0 (IR 15.0–22.5) and 35.0 (IR 32.5–37.0) in the PESS and LSFE groups, respectively (p <.01). VAS‐pain decreased with time in both groups. VRS‐swelling was lower in the PESS group than LSFE group. VRS‐willingness was higher in the PESS group than LSFE group (p <.01). At 18 months post‐surgery, the marginal bone loss was 0.60 ± 0.25 mm and 0.69 ± 0.35 mm in the two groups with no significant difference (p =.52). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, PESS was associated with lower postoperative morbidity and was more tolerable than LSFE. PESS could be a reliable procedure for sinus floor elevation in patients with insufficient RBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The existence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in Schneiderian membrane has not been determined. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are MSCs in Schneiderian membrane, and the effect of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on osteogenic differentiation of these cells and on new bone formation in maxillary sinus after maxillary sinus floor elevation. Methods: Schneiderian membrane derived mesenchymal stem cells (SM-MSCs) were isolated from rabbit maxillary sinus. Cells were identified by flow cytometry and multipotential differentiation. Real-time cell analysis assay, fluorescence staining, transwell assay, and wound healing assay were used to determine the effects of PRF stimulation on cell proliferation and migration. The osteogenic differentiation ability of cells stimulated by PRF or osteoinductive medium was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase staining, alizarin red staining, PCR and Western blot. Equivalent volume Bio-oss and the mixture of Bio-oss and PRF were used as bone graft materials for maxillary sinus floor elevation. Micro-CT, bone double-staining, HE staining, Masson staining, and toluidine blue staining were used to evaluate the osteogenic effect in 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. Results: The cell surface markers were positive for expression of CD90, CD105, and negative for expression of CD34, CD45. SM-MSCs had the ability of osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. PRF could stimulate proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation of SM-MSCs, which was achieved by up-regulating ERK 1/2 signaling pathway. PRF could accelerate the formation of new bone in maxillary sinus and increase the amount of new bone formation. Conclusions: MSCs existed in Schneiderian membrane, and PRF stimulation could promote cell proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation. The application of PRF in maxillary sinus floor elevation could accelerate bone healing and increase the quantity and quality of new bone. PRF, as autologous graft materials, might offer a promising strategy for the clinical bone formation during MSFE procedure. 6kDexyoSUyN5j1q7bTF377 Video Abstract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, bone tissue engineering (BTE), as a multidisciplinary field, has shown considerable promise in replacing traditional treatment modalities (i.e., autografts, allografts, and xenografts). Since bone is such a complex and dynamic structure, the construction of bone tissue composite materials has become an attractive strategy to guide bone growth and regeneration. Chitosan and its derivatives have been promising vehicles for BTE owing to their unique physical and chemical properties. With intrinsic physicochemical characteristics and closeness to the extracellular matrix of bones, chitosan-based composite scaffolds have been proved to be a promising candidate for providing successful bone regeneration and defect repair capacity. Advances in chitosan-based scaffolds for BTE have produced efficient and efficacious bio-properties via material structural design and different modifications. Efforts have been put into the modification of chitosan to overcome its limitations, including insolubility in water, faster depolymerization in the body, and blood incompatibility. Herein, we discuss the various modification methods of chitosan that expand its fields of application, which would pave the way for future applied research in biomedical innovation and regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG) was introduced into cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-modified ZnO/attapulgite (APT) via a mechanical process to form performance-enhanced antibacterial nanocomposites (MAG/C–ZnO/APT). The APT supported ZnO nanocomposite (ZnO/APT) was prepared by a conventional precipitation method, and 20–50 nm of globular ZnO nanoparticles were uniformly decorated on APT nanorods. The FTIR and zeta potential analyses demonstrated that modification by CTAB facilitated the loading of MAG into ZnO/APT by H-bonding and electrostatic interactions. Antibacterial evaluation results indicate that MAG/C–ZnO/APT nanocomposites with CTAB and MAG doses of 2.5% and 0.25%, respectively, exhibited synergistically enhanced inhibitory activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum β-lactamases Escherichia coli, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1, 0.1, 0.25, 5, 0.1, and 2.5 mg/mL, respectively, which are better than those of ZnO/APT, C–ZnO/APT and MAG. Moreover, the nanocomposites had low cytotoxicity on human normal cell line L-O2. Therefore, this study provided a more effective strategy to extend the antibacterial spectrum and strengthen the inhibitory effects of antibiotic-free materials to address increasingly serious situations of microbial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Cable is the most important bearing structure of the cable-stayed bridges. Its safety has been of crucial public concern. Traditional manual cable inspection method has many defects such as low inspection efficiency, poor reliability and hazardous working environment. In this paper, a new wirelessly controlled cable-climbing robot enabling safe and convenient inspection of stay cables is proposed. The designed robot is composed of two modules, joined by four turnbuckles to form a closed structure that clasps the cable. The robot is controlled wirelessly by a ground-based station, and a DC power is supplied via an onboard lithium battery. The climbing principle and mechanical structure of this robot are introduced. The static model of the robot during obstacle negotiation is established. The relationships of the driving force and resistance with obstacle height to determine the obstacle-negotiation capability of the robot are obtained. The effects of cable diameter, cable inclination and preload force on obstacle climbing ability of the robot are also analyzed. The experiments verify that the robot could climb random inclined cables and overcome an obstacle of 2.42 mm in height with a mass of 5 kg payload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the distributed and decentralized characteristics of air conditioning load, the distributed control strategy has advantages for the air conditioning load to participate in the demand response. However, existing approaches focus on the dynamic control performance with very few considerations on the cost. To fill this gap, this paper proposes a multiagent consensus control method considering the whole-process response cost of air conditioning. Based on the thermodynamic characteristics of air conditioning load in the load reduction process and recovery process, the cost function curve of air conditioning load is established. Then, the multiagent consensus control strategy is adopted to send the power adjustment information to each air conditioner to realize the optimal control of the air conditioning load. The simulation results verify that the proposed method can take into account the whole-process response cost of air conditioning loads and result in smaller control cost than existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies, which aim to optimize maxillary sinus augmentation, have paid significant attention exploring osteogenic potential of maxillary Schneiderian sinus membrane-derived cells (MSSM-derived cells). However, it remains unclear that how MSSM-derived cells could respond to niche's biomechanical properties. Herein, this study investigated the possible effects of substrate stiffness on rMSSM-derived stem cell fate. Initially, rMSSM-derived stem cells with multiple differentiation potential were successfully obtained. We then fabricated polyacrylamide substrates with varied stiffness ranging from 13 to 68 kPa to modulate the mechanical environment of rMSSM-derived stem cells. A larger cell spreading area and increased proliferation of rMSSM-derived stem cells were found on the stiffer substrates. Similarly, cells became more adhesive as their stiffness increased. Furthermore, the higher stiffness facilitated osteogenic differentiation of rMSSM-derived stem cells. Overall, our results indicated that increase in stiffness could mediate behaviors of rMSSM-derived stem cells, which may serve as a guide in future research to design novel biomaterials for maxillary sinus augmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to implement more accurate and fine-grained monitoring of robot–environment interaction (REI) in real time, this article extends the concept of digital twin (DT) to REI description and proposes a novel semantic-enhanced DT system with exteroceptive and proprioceptive modalities of robots as mechanisms for states monitoring and semantics inference associated with interactions. We create a 3-D generic graphic model embedded with contact dynamics based on domain descriptions and sensor data to mirror a real interactive scene and simultaneously extract the appearance and physical properties of real entities. In addition, we present a multifeature fused visual relations detector and introduce a lightweight spatial relation data set to measure the visual relationships between entity pairs. To keep the DT consistent with the response of a real system, the model is updated with interactive subprocess-triggered control. In our system, the whole framework is developed with virtual reality techniques, which provides a high degree of observability. The experiments on the objects sorting task in a kitchen scene are conducted, and the abilities for system monitoring in real time and semantic reasoning are evaluated; the results demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of our proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated protective effects of synbiotic on meat quality and oxidative status of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers. Twenty 2-day-old broilers were allocated in a 2×2 factorial design, and the main factors consisted of synbiotic level (0 (basal diet) or 1.5 g/kg synbiotic) and temperature (thermoneutral or high temperature), resulting in 4 treatments. From 22 to 42 days, chickens were raised at thermoneutral temperature (22 °C) or subjected to cyclic high temperature (heat stress, HS) by keeping them at 32–33 °C for 8 h and 22 °C for rest 16 h daily. Cyclic HS decreased relative weight, redness (45 min), and pH values (45 min and 24 h) but increased contents of moisture and ether extract, lightness (45 min and 24 h), drip loss (24 h and 48 h), and cooking loss in breast muscle of broilers compared with those under thermoneutral temperature. It also increased malondialdehyde content and mRNA abundances of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and HSP90 but decreased glutathione (GSH) concentration and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as mRNA abundances of nuclear factor (erythroid 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), GSH-Px, and copper and zinc superoxide dismutase in breast muscle in broilers. Dietary synbiotic supplementation was effective in increasing weight and reducing lightness (45 min), drip loss (24 h and 48 h) and cooking loss of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers compared with those fed the basal diet. It also reduced malondialdehyde content and HSP70 mRNA abundance and increased GSH-Px activity, GSH content, and mRNA abundances of Nrf2, NQO1 and GSH-Px in breast muscle of heat-stressed broilers. These results suggested that synbiotic supplementation at a level of 1.5 g/kg could ameliorate compromised meat quality and oxidative status in broilers under cyclic HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]