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PurposeThe aim of this study was to develop an integrated model that combines clinical-radiologic and radiomics features based on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI for preoperative evaluating of vessels encapsulating tumour clusters (VETC) patterns in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsThis retrospective study encompassed 234 patients who underwent surgical resection. Among them, 101 patients exhibited VETC-positive HCC, while 133 patients displayed VETC-negative HCC. Volumes of interest were manually delineated for entire tumour regions in the arterial phase (AP), portal phase (PP), and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) images. Independent predictors for VETC were identified through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis, utilising radiomics-AP, PP, HBP, along with 24 imaging features and 19 clinical characteristics. Subsequently, the clinico-radiologic model, radiomics model, and integrated model were established, with a nomogram visualising the integrated model. The performance for VETC prediction was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve.ResultsThe integrated model, composed of 3 selected traditional imaging features (necrosis or severe ischemia [OR=2.457], peripheral washout [OR=1.678], LLR_AP (Lesion to liver ratio_AP) [OR=0.433] and radiomics-AP [OR=2.870], radiomics-HBP [OR=2.023], radiomics-PP [OR=1.546]), showcased good accuracy in predicting VETC patterns in both the training (AUC=0.873, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.821-0.925)) and validation (AUC=0.869, 95% CI:0.789-0.950) cohorts.ConclusionThis study established an integrated model that combines traditional imaging features and radiomic features from gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, demonstrating good performance in predicting VETC patterns.

Abstract The development of a robust quasi-ohmic contact with minimal resistance, good stability and cost-effectiveness is crucial for perovskite solar cells. We introduce a generic approach featuring a Lewis-acid layer sandwiched between dopant-free semicrystalline polymer and metal electrode in perovskite solar cells, resulting in an ideal quasi-ohmic contact even at elevated temperature up to 85 °C. The solubility of Lewis acid in alcohol facilitates nondestructive solution processing on top of polymer, which boosts hole injection from polymer into metal by two orders of magnitude. By integrating the polymer-acid-metal structure into solar cells, devices exhibit remarkable resilience, retaining 96% ± 3%, 96% ± 2% and 75% ± 7% of their initial efficiencies after continuous operation in nitrogen at 35 °C for 2212 h, 55 °C for 1650 h and 85 °C for 937 h, respectively. Leveraging the Arrhenius relation, we project an impressive T 80 lifetime of 26,126 h at 30 °C.

Abstract Reliable fabrication of large‐area perovskite films with antisolvent‐free printing techniques requires high‐volatility solvents, such as 2‐methoxyethanol (2ME), to formulate precursor inks. However, the fabrication of high‐quality cesium–formamidinium (Cs–FA) perovskites has been hampered using volatile solvents due to their poor coordination with the perovskite precursors. Here, this issue is resolved by re‐formulating a 2ME‐based Cs0.05FA0.95PbI3 ink using pre‐synthesized single crystals as the precursor instead of the conventional mixture of raw powders. The key to obtaining high‐quality Cs–FA films lies in the removal of colloidal particles from the ink and hence the suppression of colloid‐induced heterogeneous nucleation, which kinetically facilitates the growth of as‐formed crystals toward larger grains and improved film crystallinity. Employing the precursor‐engineered volatile ink in the vacuum‐free, fully printing processing of solar cells (with carbon electrode), a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.3%, a T80 (80% of initial PCE) of 1000 h in ISOS‐L‐2I (85 °C/1 Sun) aging test and a substantially reduced bill of materials are obtained. The reliable coating methodology ultimately enables the fabrication of carbon‐electrode mini solar modules with a stabilized PCE of 16.2% (average 15.6%) representing the record value among the fully printed counterparts and a key milestone toward meeting the objectives for a scalable photovoltaic technology.

This paper conducted a comprehensive investigation into the role of polymers in cement-based materials. First, the modification mechanism of polymers on cement-based materials based on physical and chemical effects are analyzed. The polymers are adsorbed on the surface of cement particles and cement hydration products through electrostatic attraction or hydrogen bonding, and filled in the pores or interfacial areas, and then transformed into a three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure, so as to densify the matrix materials. Then, the effects of polymers on the cement hydration reaction were introduced. It is mainly attributed to the adsorption behavior between polymer particles, and polymer films with cement causes them to cover the surfaces of cement particles and hydration products, which to some extent restricts the effective diffusion of various ions, such as Ca2+, AlO2−, SiO42−, SO42−, etc., as well as water in the system. And the complexation of functional groups in the polymer with Ca2+ hinders the nucleation and precipitation of calcium-containing hydration products, which in turn delays the hydration reaction process. In terms of strength, as it can be due to the agglomeration of polymer chains, increased porosity arised from generated CO2 gas and entrained air during preparation, the improvement effect of the polymers on cement-based material's compressive strength is not apparent or it shows a decreasing trend. As the role of “microfibers” and “bridge”, many filamentous or network structures composed of flexible polymer membranes dramatically improve the flexural strength and toughness, and also enhance the bonding property of the matrix material. It is expected that the polymers containing designed specific structures according to target property will be applied in cement-based materials, and the universal guidelines and regulations will be provide for expanded application of polymer modified cement-based materials (PMCBMs) in the construction industry.

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ, NR1C3) is a ligand-activated transcriptional factor that governs the expression of genes involved in glucolipid metabolism, energy homeostasis, cell differentiation, and inflammation. Multiple studies have demonstrated that PPARγ activation exerts anti-tumor effects in lung cancer through regulation of lipid metabolism, induction of apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest, as well as inhibition of invasion and migration. Interestingly, PPARγ activation may have pro-tumor effects on cells of the tumor microenvironment, especially myeloid cells. Recent clinical data has substantiated the potential of PPARγ agonists as therapeutic agents for lung cancer. Additionally, PPARγ agonists also show synergistic effects with traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the clinical application of PPARγ agonists remains limited due to the presence of adverse side effects. Thus, further research and clinical trials are necessary to comprehensively explore the actions of PPARγ in both tumor and stromal cells and to evaluate the in vivo toxicity. This review aims to consolidate the molecular mechanism of PPARγ modulators and to discuss their clinical prospects and challenges in tackling lung cancer.

Eastern Xinjiang, as a typical extremely arid area, exhibits a high sensitivity to climate change. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the climatic changes in this region, along with their driving mechanisms, and comparing these with the broader trend of “warming and humidifying” in the Northwest can provide a scientific foundation for adapting to and addressing climate change. Based on a study of precipitation and temperature data from seven meteorological stations in Eastern Xinjiang from 1960 to 2022, the following findings were observed: (1) The climate of eastern Xinjiang is generally characterized by a warming and humidifying trend, with the rates of mean annual temperature and total annual precipitation being 0.39 °C/10 a and 3.32 mm/10 a. The eastern part of Xinjiang has less precipitation, with a lower growth rate than that of the neighboring regions, and higher temperatures, with a higher growth rate than that of the neighboring regions. (2) The first principal component of precipitation explains 47.85% of the variation in total precipitation, with a significant upward trend (p < 0.05) and an abrupt change in the late 1970s. It contains strong signals of regional precipitation, temperature, and dry and wet changes. (3) The increase in the first principal component of annual precipitation in eastern Xinjiang is mainly related to the warming of SSTs in the Indian Ocean and the central-eastern part of the tropical southern Pacific Ocean as well as the weakening of the Asian monsoon.

For hydrocarbon exploitation in tight glutenite, glutenite brittleness plays an important role in fracturing efficiency, but the detailed effect is not entirely clear. In this study, considering rock heterogeneity, RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) was applied to establish the three-dimension computational model. An improved rock brittleness index considering post-peak properties in rock uniaxial compression test was proposed to quantify the glutenite brittleness. Results show that brittle glutenite can generate multiple failure surfaces under the exterior loadings, which can be a mirror to reveal the denser development of natural fractures in the brittle reservoir, while the ductile glutenite is prone to generate a simple shear failure. Hydraulic fractures propagate faster in more brittle glutenite and can generate short branches, which is beneficial to connect the reservoir natural fractures and form complex hydraulic fractures. Brittle glutenite requires a lower treatment pressure than the ductile glutenite, which can provide convenience for ground pumping operation. Hydraulic fractures prefer to propagate in brittle glutenite, rather than the ductile glutenite. The obtained conclusions can provide a reference for the similar practice.

Fractured rock mass with non-equal width filling often appears in the tunel engineering, the non-equal width ratio is the ratio of the filling width at the seepage inlet to the outlet. To study the seepage characteristics of FFRM (filling fracture rock mass) in the surrounding rock of the Gaoligongshan railway tunnel, the samples of FFRM with different non-equal width ratios were prepared indoors. The permeability coefficient formula of the non-equal width ratio FFRM was deduced for the permeability measurement. Then the triaxial seepage apparatus was used to conduct high and low confining pressure test. Results show that the permeability coefficient of FFRM with non-equal width ratios is a function of multi-parameter interaction, such as seepage outflow, inlet width and filling porosity. The permeability and confining pressure at LCP (low confining pressure) and HCP (high confining pressure) is the power and translation exponential function, respectively. While the relationship between the permeability and non-equal width ratio under confining pressure-seepage condition is the quadratic function. After the first cycle, the permeability loss of the samples under HCP is larger than that of the LCP, and the recovery degree is less than that of the LCP. The SSC (stress sensitivity coefficient) decreases with the increase of the confining pressure, the recovery degree is poor after the first cycle unloading. The trend of the subsequent cycle is almost consistent and the recovery degree is good, which is more obvious under the action of the HCP. The conclusions obtained in this study provide a reference for the stability evaluation of the surrounding rock in the underground engineering.

Staged treatment in vertical wells is extensively applied in layered formation to obtain commercial exploitation of hydrocarbon resources. Large-sized heterogeneities always exist between multiple hydraulic fractures in different layers. To reveal the interference of multiple hydraulic fractures in layered formation, a series of numerical investigations were conducted based on the cohesive zone finite element method. The results show that the sole stress interference is too small to exert an effective impact on adjacent pay zones, which is quite different from those in horizontal wells. The flow distribution in one pay zone can reach 56.2%, which is more than five times the magnitude of the least 10.5% during the fracturing in three pay zones. The fracture size heterogeneities are mainly caused by the interference of the fluid flow into multiple perforation tunnels in different pay zones. To further clarify how the flow distribution in the pay zones is affected, five related factors, including perforating thickness, pay zone thickness, rock permeability, minimum horizontal stress of the pay zone, and rock strength, are analyzed. The results show that it is through the manner of flow distribution adjustment in each pay zone that the five factors affect the fracture size. This study is of critical importance to clarify how the multiple hydraulic fractures from vertical wells interfere in layered formation and explain why the hydraulic fractures we get in the field are far away from what we want ideally.

Current view of the impact of A-site cation on the stability of perovskite materials and devices is derived from accelerated ageing tests at high temperature, which is beyond normal operation range. Here, the authors reveal the great impact of ageing condition on assessing the photothermal stability of mixed-cation perovskites using high-throughput robot system coupled with machine learning.

Mixed-halide perovskites are of interest for photovoltaic devices, but light-induced halide segregation obstructs bandgap tuning and is not fully understood. Here the authors study the effects of strain and iodide/bromide ratio on light-induced halide segregation in mixed-halide perovskites.

The Yellow River National Wetland in Baotou, China is an important resting and energy replenishment place for many migratory birds, such as tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus). The energy supply of food available at stopover sites plays an important role in the life cycle of migratory birds. In order to understand diet composition and energy supply of tundra swans for further protection of them, in this study, fecal of tundra swans (C. columbianus) were collected and fecal microhistological analysis was conducted to analyze the feeding habits and the energy supply. Results showed that: (1) tundra swans (C. columbianus) mainly fed on twelve species of plants from five families, including corn (Zea mays), quinoa (Chenopodium album) and rice (Oryza sativa), this is related to local crops and abundant plants. (2) The energy provided by crops to tundra swans (C. columbianus) was significantly higher than other abundant plants in wetlands (P < 0.05), corn and rice were the most consumed food, and other abundant wetland plants play complementary roles. (3) The daily energy intake of tundra swans (C. columbianus) was much higher than their daily energy consumption, the daily net energy intake of tundra swans (C. columbianus) was 855.51 ± 182.88 kJ (mean ± standard deviations). This suggested that the wetland provides energy for continue migrating to the tundra swan (C. columbianus). For further protection of tundra swans (C. columbianus) and other migratory birds, the Baotou Yellow River National Wetland environment and the surrounding farmland habitat should be protected.

Demolishing a tall chimney by directional blasting can save time and cost. However, the blasting vibration and the touchdown vibration of the parts of the chimney falling to the ground will cause noise disturbance to the local residents. To reduce the vibration effect of blasting demolition of the chimney, taking the 180 m high chimney in Jiaozuo, China, as the engineering background, the loose accumulation body with a right-angled trapezoid section 3-6 m thick was piled with three kinds of graded gravel particles as the buffer layer. According to the site restrictions, the chimney was demolished by directional blasting in two stages. The vibration propagation and attenuation rules of the blasting demolition of the chimney were analyzed and touchdown vibrations of two parts of the chimney were monitored also. Results show that the low frequency vibrations generated by the blasting and chimney touchdown have a greater impact on the surrounding environment. The vibration velocity and energy attenuation represent a form of power function. With the increase of the number of chimney touchdowns, the energy absorption rate of the loose accumulation body becomes lower. The obtained conclusions in this study can provide a reference for the similar blasting demolition practice.

The energy supply of food available at stopover sites plays an important role in the life cycle of migratory birds. The Yellow River National Wetland in Baotou, China, is an essential migration station and a source of energy for migratory birds as it is located at an important intersection between East Asian/Australian and Central Asian flyways. From February to may 2020, we measured diet composition and energy content of whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) by fecal micro-tissue analysis to understand their use of the stopover site and inform conservation. The following results were obtained: (1) whooper swans mainly fed on nine species of plants belonging to four families, including corn (Zea mays), reeds (Phragmites australis), and Suaeda (Suaeda glauca), which is related to the availability of local crops and abundance of plants. (2) The energy provided by crops to whooper swans was significantly higher than that of the most abundant plants in wetlands. Zea mays was the most consumed crop, and other abundant wetland plants played complementary roles. (3) The daily energy intake of whooper swans was 1393.11 kJ, which was considerably higher than their daily energy consumption. This suggested that the wetlands and the surrounding farmlands provide energy for the whooper swans to continue their migration. In order to protect migratory whooper swans, protection of important refuelling areas such as our study site should be implemented to provide sufficient energy supplies for continuing migration.

In this study, cement mortars with different strengths are poured into the large void matrix asphalt macadam material as a semiflexible pavement (SFP) material and the experimental research is carried out. The current research on SFP is mainly focused on the performance of grouting materials and the influence of grouting matrix materials on the overall mechanical properties of SFP and road performance. However, there are some flaws in the study of the influence of grouting material strength on the performance of SFP materials: the difference between the strengths of the selected grouting materials is relatively small, and in some studies, the chosen grouting material strength is low, which leads to insignificant improvements of SFP material performance; besides, the research indicators are also not very comprehensive. In this study, cement grouting asphalt macadam materials are selected as the research object to examine the effect of grouting material strength on the mechanical properties and road performance of SFP materials. Grouting materials with strengths of 19.8 MPa, 30.7 MPa, and 40.2 MPa were poured into the matrix asphalt macadam with a target void ratio of 24% and asphalt content of 2.9% to prepare the corresponding SFP test specimens. The SFP specimens were then subjected to the compressive test, flexural and tensile test, high-temperature stability test, and low-temperature crack resistance test, and the compressive resilient modulus was measured, thereby analyzing the effect of the cement slurry strength on the cement grouting asphalt macadam materials. The results show that when the strength of the cement mortar is 19.8 MPa, 30.7 MPa, and 40.2 MPa, the corresponding SFP material has better mechanical properties. When the strength of the grouting material is 40.2 MPa, the compressive strength of the SFP material is about the same as that of the grouting material. The strength is more than double that of 19.8 MPa and 30.7 MPa, and the flexural tensile strength and elastic modulus also have the above growth laws. The low-temperature crack resistance and high-temperature stability of the SFP material are enhanced with the increase in the strength of the grouting material. When the strength of the grouting material is 40.2 MPa, the mechanical properties and road performance of the SFP material are relatively better. This study provides a reference for strengthening the mechanical properties of SFP materials and boosting the crack resistance of SFP.

It is very important to determine the seepage behaviour of fractured rock mass infilling to evaluate the stability of the surrounding rock. The joint transfixion rate is the ratio of the unpenetrated length to the penetration length of a joint in a sample. Samples of the fractured rock mass infilling using different transfixion rates were prepared, and a TCQT-III low-permeability coal-rock triaxial seepage device was used to conduct three cycles of confining pressure-seepage coupling tests. Results show that the permeability is a power function in the confining pressure of the sample, and the permeability changes most significantly with the confining pressures. The permeability of the sample increases exponentially with the joint transfixion rate. The permeability loss is positively correlated with the plastic deformation of the sample; the permeability changes most significantly during the first cycle loading. There is over 60% recovery of the permeability of the sample under cyclic loading for loads that do not exceed the strength of the infilling. The stress sensitivity coefficient decreases as the confining pressure increases and is higher during the unloading stage than that during the loading stage for samples with an incomplete transfixion rate. The conclusions obtained in this study can serve as a reference for grouting applications.

It is very important to reduce the impact of blasting vibration on the surrounding structures during the tunnel drilling-blasting excavation. Taking the diversion tunnel of the urban water supply project in Zhumadian, Henan Province, China, as an example, the segmentation linear function between the drilling rig and borehole depth was established by fining blasting design. The test of the blasting number and particle vibration velocity was designed. The propagation and attenuation characteristics of blast vibration velocity in the surrounding rocks of the tunnel were analyzed by using theoretical calculation and field monitoring methods. Results show that the fine blasting design can realize the superposition of negative phase of shock waveform to reduce the vibration speed. With the increase of the blasting number, the attenuation of the particle vibration velocity shows a negative exponential function, and the dimensionless vibration velocity loss increases in a power function. The greater the loss, the greater the energy loss during the shock wave propagation process, which is more conducive to ensuring the stability of the protected buildings. The research results can provide the reference for similar engineering practices.

The early immature CD34+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell subpopulation-acute myeloid leukemia progenitor cells (APCs), is often resistant to conventional chemotherapy, making them largely responsible for the relapse of AML. However, to date, the eradication of APCs remains a major challenge. We previously reported a naturally occurring secolignan- Peperomin E (PepE) and its analog 6-methyl (hydroxyethyl) amino-2, 6-dihydropeperomin E (DMAPE) that selectively target and induce oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in KG-1a CD34+ cells (an APCs-like cell line) in vitro. We therefore further evaluated the efficacy and the mechanism of action of these compounds in this study. We found that PepE and DMAPE have similar potential to eliminate primary APCs, with no substantial toxicities to the normal cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, these agents selectively inhibit TrxR1, an antioxidant enzyme aberrantly expressed in APCs, by covalently binding to its selenocysteine residue at the C-terminal redox center. TrxR1 inhibition mediated by PepE (DMAPE) leads to the formation of cellular selenium compromised thioredoxin reductase-derived apoptotic protein (SecTRAP), oxidation of Trx, induction of oxidative stress and finally activation of apoptosis of APCs. Our results demonstrate a potential anti-APCs molecular target – TrxR1 and provide valuable insights into the mechanism underlying PepE (DMAPE)-induced cytotoxicity of APCs, and support the further preclinical investigations on PepE (DMAPE)-related therapies for the treatment of relapsed AML. Keywords: Peperomin E, Orally bioavailable analog, Acute myeloid leukemia progenitor cells, Oxidative-mediated apoptosis, Thioredoxin reductase 1

Objective. To investigate the role of microRNA-130b in 1,25(OH)2D3 mediated improvement of renal fibrosis via transforming growth factor-beta 1 in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods. DN was induced in 30 rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. These rats were randomly allocated to the DN group, TGF-β1 overexpression group (in situ injection of TGF-β1 lentivirus to kidney tissues), and TGF-β1 siRNA group (in situ injection of TGF-β1 siRNA lentivirus to kidney tissues). Rats with different expression levels of TGF-β1 were administered 1,25(OH)2D3 (0.03 μg/kg/d) or peanut oil as control. DN rats were treated only with peanut oil. All rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6 per group): TGF-β1 overexpression + oil, TGF-β1 overexpression + 1,25(OH)2D3, TGF-β1 siRNA + oil, TGF-β1 siRNA + 1,25(OH)2D3, and DN + oil groups. After 37 days, kidney samples were collected and the expression of TGF-β1 and miR-130b was determined by real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining were used to evaluate kidney morphological and fibrogenic changes. Differences were determined using ANOVA and Student’s t-test. Results. RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry revealed that interference of TGF-β1 significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1 in renal tissues of DN rats compared to those in renal tissues of rats overexpressing TGF-β1 (p

The Gαq-containing G protein, an important member of Gq/11 class, is ubiquitously expressed in mammalian cells. Gαq has been found to play an important role in immune regulation and development of autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, how Gαq participates in the pathogenesis of RA is still not fully understood. In the present study, we aimed to find out whether Gαq controls RA via regulation of Th1 differentiation. We observed that the expression of Gαq was negatively correlated with the expression of signature Th1 cytokine (IFN-γ) in RA patients, which suggests a negative role of Gαq in differentiation of Th1 cells. By using Gαq knockout (Gnaq−/−) mice, we demonstrated that loss of Gαq led to enhanced Th1 cell differentiation. Gαq negative regulated the differentiation of Th1 cell by modulating the expression of T-bet and the activity of STAT4. Furthermore, we detected the increased ratio of Th1 cells in Gnaq−/− bone marrow (BM) chimeras spontaneously developing inflammatory arthritis. In conclusion, results presented in the study demonstrate that loss of Gαq promotes the differentiation of Th1 cells and contributes to the pathogenesis of RA.

Previous studies indicated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exhibited impaired capacities of proliferation, differentiation, and immune modulation. Considering that migration capacity is important for the exertion of BMSCs functions, the defects in migration might contribute to BMSCs dysfunction in SLE patients. In this study, we showed that the migration capacity of SLE BMSCs was remarkably impaired in comparison with those of healthy controls. Increased tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in SLE serum significantly inhibited the migration capacity and in vivo homing capacity of SLE BMSCs via a specific TNF receptor I (TNFRI) manner, in which decreased HGF mRNA production caused by the activation of I kappa B kinase beta (IKK-β) pathway is partially involved. To our knowledge, this is the first report to discuss the possible mechanisms for impaired migration of BMSCs in SLE patients. Our results suggest that inhibition of TNF-α pathway might be helpful for accelerating BMSCs migration to the inflammatory microenvironment in SLE patients, thereby having a potential role in SLE treatment.

The unique mammalian appendage antler is a good model for studying tissue regeneration and its related mechanism. This study explored the mechanism of the rapid growth of regenerated antlers after top pruning damage using transcriptome sequencing technology. A damage repair model was constructed by top pruning treatment on the left antlers of three 10-month-old Tarim red deer, and RNA-seq analysis was performed on the Illumina platform to compare the transcriptome sequencing results of the left regenerated antlers with the right healthy antlers. Among a total of 56 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were screened, 37 were up-regulated and 19 were down-regulated; the most significant changes were seen for the BVES gene (up-regulated gene); thus, this gene was further explored. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry further indicated a higher expression of BVES in the mesenchymal tissues of regenerated antlers than in the antler skin, cartilage, and bone tissues after top pruning treatment (P < 0.05); the brown immunohistochemical reaction products were concentrated in the mesenchymal cell membranes and intercellular matrix of healthy and regenerated antlers. Our results suggested that the repair process of antler damage after top pruning treatment mainly promotes the proliferation and differentiation of antler chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and T lymphocytes through biological signals such as WNT, IHH, and IL2RA to ensure the development of antler tissue again after top pruning. To sum up, our data implied that BVES gene regulated mesenchymal stem cells’ proliferation and differentiation activities in response to ischemic stimuli to promote the healing and rapid growth of wounded antlers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since joint fissures are distributed extensively within rock masses, rock masses evolve into "sandwich" shapes when filled with joint fissures under long-term geological action, which causes rock discontinuities and destroys rock stability. This study reviews the advances in the shear-seepage properties of rock masses filled with joint fissures (RMFJFs) under static, quasistatic, and dynamic loads, including laboratory experiments, theoretical analysis, and numerical calculations. Results show that the shear properties of RMFJFs are closely associated with the strength of the fillings, the filling degree, and the roughness of the joints. RMFJFs develop under the stress of surrounding rocks, and their seepage properties are therefore affected by the surrounding stress and the filling degree, the rock layer thickness, and the porosity of the rock or fillings. However, detailed studies on the seepage properties of RMFJFs under cyclic loading, impact loading, and different shear rates are lacking. Finally, the existing problems in the research on the seepage properties of RMFJFs are clarified, a constructive research strategy is proposed, and the related trends are discussed in light of the overall mechanical behavior of RMFJFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the Sanshan scenic spot as the research object, this study analysed the main influencing factors of CO2 emission, and compared the sensitivity of the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm and PSO-GA to changes in parameters. The change in the adjusted Rand index (ARI) value of each algorithm under different types of data sets was examined, the best prediction model of CO2 emissions was optimised, and the development level of the carbon environment at the Sanshan scenic spot was evaluated. The results showed that for the correlation of the CO2 emission structure, transportation, accommodation, and catering services were the main influencing factors of carbon emissions in the three mountainous scenic spots. In the sensitivity test, the PSO-GA had the highest sensitivity (9.86), GA was second with an average sensitivity of 8.68, and the PSO algorithm had the lowest sensitivity (8.59). After 160 iterations, the ARI value of the PSO-GA was the highest, reaching 1. The predicted and measured values of CO2 emissions under this algorithm were the best, and was the best algorithm for evaluating carbon environment development at scenic spots. The PSO-GA was used to calculate the carbon emissions of three mountainous scenic spots over the next five years, and the medium and high carbon levels should change to a medium carbon development stage by 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the drilling hole collapse and plugging caused by the redistribution of stress in the coal after the shaping of the borehole, the collapse prevention support of bedding borehole was studied. Based on the attenuation characteristics of gas extraction concentration in the bedding borehole, the drilling mechanical model of surrounding rock was built to obtain the plastic solution of coal around the borehole. The computational model of the borehole collapse prevention and support in the form of borehole-screen pipe non-contact was established by using FLAC3D to reveal the collapse pattern and support characteristics of the bedding borehole under different burial depths. Results show that the maximum tangential stress around the coal of the borehole is twice the original stress of the coal, and the maximum tangential stress determines the stability of the borehole. The stress is redistributed after drilling and forming, the coal shows the unloading effect, and the unloading range gradually increases with the increase of the burial depth. The deformation of the borehole wall increases with the increase of burial depth, indicating that the screen pipe provided good support stability to the borehole. The conclusions obtained in this study provide the reference to the gas extraction in soft coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high geo-temperature is becoming a more common geological condition in tunnel and mining engineering, it is urgent to prepare grouting materials possessing preferable properties to adapt to the high geothermal environment. To develop an appropriate cement-based grouting material through incorporating fly ash, slag powder and superplasticizer, its properties in the simulated high geothermal environment in the background of Gaoligong Mountain tunnel in China were investigated. The orthogonal experiment was applied and the grouting material properties were contrastively studied at 40 °C and 20 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, the optimal formulation for grouting materials was determined by the matrix analysis. Results show that compared with that at 20 °C, the setting time of the grouting material at 40 °C is shorter, as well as the bleeding rate and compressive strength are superior, which is very conducive to grouting. The water-cement ratio of the optimal grouting material is 0.6. In the composition of the optimal grouting material, the superplasticizer is 0.15% and the slag powder content is 30%. The conclusions provide a significant reference to the application of the cement-based grouting material in the similar geothermal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF superfamily, and has been identified as a novel mediator of fatty liver disease (FLD). The aim of our study was to further investigate the relationship between TRAIL and FLD. We found that soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) concentrations in non-alcoholic FLD (NAFLD) patients were significantly higher than those of controls, and that sTRAIL levels positively correlated with triglyceride concentrations in NAFLD patients. Our results also indicated that the AA/TT genotypes of TRAIL at 1525/1595 engendered a lower risk of FLD attack and a less severe form of steatosis for NAFLD patients in Chinese population. This study provides a means to test for susceptibility to FLD and may assist in the diagnosis of FLD. In addition, we found that 1525G/A and 1595C/T sites were in complete linkage disequilibrium in Chinese population. This might indicate a haplotype with high genetic frequency of TRAIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]