Search

Objective: Despite the established success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with end‐stage osteoarthritis, there is a notable scarcity of research on its long‐term outcomes in individuals suffering from end‐stage Kashin–Beck disease (KBD). This retrospective study aimed to assess the long‐term outcomes and effectiveness of clinical function, quality of life, and complications of TKA and end‐stage KBD patients in Tibetan highland areas. Methods: The retrospective cohort included 43 KBD patients, comprising a total of 59 knees, who had undergone TKA at West China Hospital, Sichuan University between 2008 and 2021. Patients were subsequently followed up for a minimum of 3 years, and received rigorous radiological and clinical assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months post surgery, followed by annual examinations thereafter. The evaluation included various efficacy indices, including visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, hospital for special surgery (HSS) scores, functional score for adult Tibetans with Kashin–Beck disease (FSAT‐KBD), and radiographic findings. Comparison of indicators within the same group was conducted using one‐way repeated‐measures analysis of variance or paired sample t‐tests, whereas between‐group differences were compared using an independent t‐test. Results: Throughout the average follow‐up duration of 10.8 years, patients experienced a substantial reduction in knee pain and noteworthy functional improvement. The VAS scores decreased significantly from 77.47 ± 4.12 mm before surgery to 10.91 ± 1.97 mm after surgery, indicating considerable alleviation of knee pain. The HSS scores improved markedly, increasing from 44.26 ± 4.95 preoperatively to 91.26 ± 4.37, indicating enhanced joint function. Similarly, the FSAT‐KBD exhibited positive progression, increasing from 25.90 ± 3.12 to 36.95 ± 3.54. Importantly, at the last follow‐up, none of the patients presented with periprosthetic infection, prosthesis loosening, or periprosthetic fracture. Conclusion: At long‐term follow‐up, compared with patients in the preoperative period, patients in Tibetan highland areas with KBD of the knee who underwent TKA benefited from a significant reduction in pain, improvement in joint function, and satisfactory improvement in quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a low-friction composite based on PEEK to improve its friction and wear properties. The composite incorporates PTFE as a solid lubricant and utilizes PPTA as a reinforcing material within the PEEK matrix. These components were prepared utilizing a compression molding method, followed by a series of exploratory experiments to identify the optimal preparation conditions for PEEK. This research assesses how the PTFE/PPTA/PEEK composites perform in terms of friction and wear under dry and oil-lubricated conditions. By examining wear tracks using scanning electron microscopy and white light interference microscopy, this study aims to uncover the wear mechanisms of PEEK and its composites under different lubrication scenarios. Results show that the main wear mechanisms for the PTFE/PPTA/PEEK composites and bearing steel are ploughing and adhesive wear. The presence of PPTA helps reduce wear by leveraging its strong fibers and thermal stability, while the coefficient of friction decreases as PTFE creates a smooth, solid lubricating film on the surface. Notably, PEEK composites containing 25 wt% PTFE and 6 wt% PPTA demonstrate the lowest wear rates and reduced coefficient of friction in both dry and oil-lubricated conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the impact of conventional rehabilitation training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the recovery of motor abilities in patients following ligament injury reconstruction. Forty postoperative patients who underwent surgery for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) were randomly allocated to either the conventional rehabilitation group or the NMES group. The NMES group received NMES treatment in addition to the conventional rehabilitation program starting from eight weeks postoperatively. Various parameters, including knee joint function, stability, and balance, were compared between the two groups at eight weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively. Compared to the data at eight weeks postoperatively, both groups exhibited significant improvements in all measured indicators at 12 weeks postoperatively (p < 0.05). In the 12th week after the surgery, the NMES group demonstrated a Lysholm score of 93.18 ± 3.67 points, an IKDC score of 84.65 ± 2.33 points, a KT-2000 measurement of 0.88 ± 0.45 mm, a thigh circumference difference of −1.33 ± 0.55 cm, a knee flexion angle of 130.12 ± 4.21°, a single-leg standing time of 60.12 ± 9.33 s, a YBT score of 70.26 ± 2.68 points, and a Bulgarian split squat 1RM size of 58.07 ± 6.85 kg; all of these results were significantly superior to those observed in the conventional group (p < 0.05). NMES significantly enhances the recovery of athletic ability in patients following postoperative ACLR and can be effectively applied in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of the elastic surface micro-texture on the cavitation and lubrication characteristics of the friction pairs through theoretical and experimental research. Through numerical simulations and experiments, the influences of the elastic modulus and sliding speed on the lubrication performance of the friction pair are studied. The results show that under certain speed and load conditions, the friction coefficient of the elastic texture is smaller, and the lubrication performance is better than that of the rigid texture. Increasing the sliding speed and texture spacing properly can improve the lubrication performance of elastic friction pairs. In addition, as the elastic modulus decreases, the elastic deformation and oil film thickness increase, and the cavitation phenomenon becomes more significant. Thus, the lubrication performance of the friction pair is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the lack of the urban household registration or property owner, many residents of urban residential areas in China have been in the state of lack of rights. The policy of "Equal rights for home tenants and owners" cannot play a practical role due to the lack of legal norms. "Home ownership" and "Right of residents" contain different contents. That is, "equal access to basic public services and social welfare of the place of residence, as well as the right to participate in decision-making, management and supervision of public affairs in residential communities and residential areas due to the fact of stable residence." The rights of the occupants is different from housing right and habitation right. The right of the occupants has not only legal basis, but also practical basis.

Featured Application: Currently, most studies on hood structures have concentrated on the aerodynamic impact of hood structures installed at tunnel entrances, with limited attention given to a systematic exploration of the mitigation mechanisms for exit hood structures. The findings of this paper related to the exit hood structure hold significant guiding implications for the design and optimization of hoods, providing novel design perspectives for both tunnel entrance and exit hood structures. As train operating speeds increase, the aerodynamic characteristics of the train within the tunnel become more pronounced, and effectively addressing the issue of micro-pressure wave (MPW) over-limits becomes especially crucial. This paper utilized the control volume method to investigate the key influencing parameters of tunnel exit hoods on the mitigation effectiveness of MPWs. Additionally, numerical simulation methods were used to validate these crucial parameters. The analysis considered various opening ratios, different opening forms, and the influence of hoods at tunnel entrances and exits on the amplitude and spatial distribution patterns of MPWs. A design methodology that comprehensively takes into account the advantages of tunnel entrance and exit hoods was proposed. The results showed that a higher opening ratio of tunnel exit hoods led to lower MPW amplitudes. Compared to without opening in the hood, when the opening ratio of the exit hood reached 90%, the maximum amplitude of MPWs at a distance of 20 m from the hood outlet decreased by 48.7%. Various opening forms of exit hoods resulted in distinct spatial distribution patterns of MPW amplitudes, with amplitudes near the openings notably higher than in other areas. There were differences in the mitigation mechanisms between entrance and exit hoods. In comparison to entrance hoods, exit hoods exhibited higher mitigation efficiency within a specific range of MPW amplitudes. Additionally, when both entrance and exit hoods were installed, they achieved the most effective mitigation of MPWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is a novel post-translational modification and its function in plant salt-stress responses remains unclear. In this study, we performed the first comprehensive chloroplast crotonylome analysis of wheat seedling leaves to examine the potential functions of Kcr proteins in salt-stress responses. In a total of 471 chloroplast proteins, 1290 Kcr sites were identified as significantly regulated by salt stress, and the Kcr proteins were mainly involved in photosynthesis, protein folding, and ATP synthesis. The identified Kcr sites that responded to salt stress were concentrated within KcrK and KcrF motifs, with the conserved KcrF motif being identified in the Kcr proteins of wheat chloroplasts for the first time. Notably, 10 Kcr sites were identified in fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (TaFBA6), a key chloroplast metabolic enzyme involved in the Calvin–Benson cycle. Site-directed mutagenesis of TaFBA6 showed that the Kcr at K367 is critical in maintaining its enzymatic activity and in conferring salt tolerance in yeast. Further molecular dynamic simulations and analyses of surface electrostatic potential indicated that the Kcr at K367 could improve the structural stability of TaFBA6 by decreasing the distribution of positive charges on the protein surface to resist alkaline environments, thereby promoting both the activity of TaFBA6 and salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the influence of boundary film on the lubrication state of sliding friction pairs, a boundary film strength model was proposed that can comprehensively reflect the influences of film thickness, pressure, shear stress and temperature. The model parameters were obtained through fitting the test results. Then, a mixed lubrication model considering boundary film strength was established by coupling the boundary film strength model with the hydrodynamic lubrication model and the asperity contact model. The calculation program was developed using the Fortran language, which can effectively capture the tribological characteristics and action ratios of the fluid, boundary film and dry friction components. Simultaneously, the mixed lubrication model was applied to the journal bearing. A parametric analysis was performed to investigate the influences of different working conditions on lubrication performance. Under current operating conditions, the results show that: when the speed is above 200 r/min or the viscosity is higher than 0.09 Pa·s, the boundary film breakdown rate is almost 0 and the friction coefficient is lower than 0.02; when the roughness is reduced from 1.8 μm to 0.8 μm, the ultimate load of the journal bearing rises from 27 MPa to 36 MPa, an increase of about 33%; when the load exceeds 36 MPa or the temperature is higher than 100 °C, more than 25% of the boundary film breaks and the dry friction component accounts for more than 60% of the total friction, which leads to a sudden increase in the friction coefficient. Hence, the study of mixed lubrication considering boundary film strength provides theoretical guidance for accurately reflecting the actual lubrication state and improving the mechanical energy efficiency of friction pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GATA transcription factor genes participate in plant growth, development, morphogenesis, and stress response. In this study, we carried out a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of wheat GATA transcription factor genes to reveal their molecular evolutionary characteristics and involvement in salt and drought tolerance. In total, 79 TaGATA genes containing a conserved GATA domain were identified in the wheat genome, which were classified into four subfamilies. Collinear analysis indicated that fragment duplication plays an important role in the amplification of the wheat GATA gene family. Functional disproportionation analysis between subfamilies found that both type I and type II functional divergence simultaneously occurs in wheat GATA genes, which might result in functional differentiation of the TaGATA gene family. Transcriptional expression analysis showed that TaGATA genes generally have a high expression level in leaves and in response to drought and salt stresses. Overexpression of TaGATA62 and TaGATA73 genes significantly enhanced the drought and salt tolerance of yeast and Arabidopsis. Protein–protein docking indicated that TaGATAs can enhance drought and salt tolerance by interacting between the DNA-binding motif of GATA transcription factors and photomorphogenesis-related protein TaCOP9-5A. Our results provided a base for further understanding the molecular evolution and functional characterization of the plant GATA gene family in response to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L., 2n=6x=42, AABBDD) is a valuable source of new gene resources for wheat genetic improvement. In the present study, two novel high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) 1Ax2.1* at Glu-A1 and 1By19* at Glu-B1 from German spelt wheat were identified. The encoding genes of both subunits were amplified and cloned by allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR), and the complete sequences of open reading frames (ORF) were obtained. 1Ax2.1* with 2478 bp and 1By19* with 2163 bp encoded 824 and 720 amino acid residues, respectively. Molecular characterization showed that both subunits had a longer repetitive region, and high percentage of α-helices at the N- and C-termini, which are beneficial for forming superior gluten macropolymers. Protein modelling by AlphaFold2 revealed similar three-diamensional (3D) structure features of 1Ax2.1* with two x-type superior quality subunits (1Ax1 and 1Ax2*) and 1By19* with four y-type superior quality subunits (1By16, 1By9, 1By8 and 1By18). Four cysteine residues in the three x-type subunits (1Ax2.1*, 1Ax1 and 1Ax2*) and the cysteine in intermediate repeat region of y-type subunits were not expected to participate in intramolecular disulfide bond formation, but these cysteines might form intermolecular disulfide bonds with other glutenins and gliadins to enhance gluten macropolymer formation. The SNP-based molecular markers for 1Ax2.1* and 1By19* genes were developed, which were verified in different F2 populations and recombination inbred lines (RILs) derived from crossing between spelt wheat and bread wheat cultivars. This study provides data on new glutenin genes and molecular markers for wheat quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substituted Mn2Sb-based ferrimagnetic (FIM) alloys by other elements have attracted much attention recently due to excellent magneto-functional properties. However, almost all investigations have been concentrated on the first-order phase transition between antiferromagnetic and FIM state. In this work, a large topological Hall effect (THE) associated with the spin reorientation transition is observed in the Mn2Sb0.9Bi0.1 alloy. Strikingly, the sign reversal of topological Hall resistivity ( ρ x y T ) is found before and after the SRT temperature TSR ∼260 K. Above the TSR, a positive ρ x y T is observed, e.g., ∼0.52 μΩ cm at 320 K. By reducing temperature to 275 K, the ρ x y T value decreases to ∼0.42 μΩ cm. It is interesting that, however, the negative ρ x y T value is found below the TSR, e.g., ∼−0.66 μΩ cm at 175 K. The physical mechanism about this peculiar THE is discussed in Bi-doped Mn2Sb-based alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) films on the planar hetero-junction perovskite solar cells (PHJ-PSCs) are fabricated by “two-steps” process with the wet spin-coating method. The precursor (PbI2) solutions are compounded with 4 types of solvents: N-Methyl Pyrrolidone (NMP), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF). All the solutions have the same concentration. The influences of different precursor solvents to the micro-structures of CH3NH3PbI3 films and device performance are studied. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) are used to characterize the CH3NH3PbI3 films. The results indicate that the CH3NH3PbI3 film using DMF solvent possesses more rough morphology and thickest thickness. The monolithic PHJ-PSCs devices based on DMF solvent are tested under a standard one sun of simulated solar irradiation (AM1.5). The results show that the open-circuit voltage (Voc) reaches 872mV, the short-circuit current (Jsc) reaches 9.35mA/cm2, the filling factor(FF) is 0.62 and the photo-current conversion efficiency (PCE) is 5.05%. DMF is the best one among these 4 types of solvents for PHJ-PSCs.

Phosphorene becomes an important member of the layered nanomaterials since its discovery for the fabrication of nanodevices. In the experiments, pristine phosphorene shows p-type semiconducting with no exception. To reach its full capability, n-type semiconducting is a necessity. Here, we report the electronic structure engineering of phosphorene by surface metal atom doping. Five metal elements, Cu, Ag, Au, Li, and Na, have been considered which could form stable adsorption on phosphorene. These elements show patterns in their electron configuration with one valence electron in their outermost s-orbital. Among three group 11 elements, Cu can induce n-type degenerate semiconducting, while Ag and Au can only introduce localized impurity states. The distinct ability of Cu, compared to Ag and Au, is mainly attributed to the electronegativity. Cu has smaller electronegativity and thus denotes its electron to phosphorene, upshifting the Fermi level towards conduction band, resulting in n-type semiconducting. Ag and Au have larger electronegativity and hardly transfer electrons to phosphorene. Parallel studies of Li and Na doping support these findings. In addition, Cu doping effectively regulates the work function of phosphorene, which gradually decreases upon increasing Cu concentration. It is also interesting that Au can hardly change the work function of phosphorene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-temperature solution-processed inorganic p-type contact material of vanadium oxide (VOx) was developed to fabricate planar-heterojunction perovskite solar cells. Using a solvent-assisted process, high-quality uniform and compact perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) films were deposited on VOx coated substrates. Due to the high transmittance and quenching efficiency of VOx layers, a power conversion efficiency of over 14% was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel analytical model is proposed and validated in this paper to predict the velocity deficit in the wake downwind of a wind turbine. The model is derived by employing mass and momentum conservation and assuming a cosine-shaped distribution for the velocity deficit. In this model, a modified wake growth rate rather than a constant one is chosen to take into account the effects of the ambient turbulence and the mechanical turbulence generated. The model was tested against field observations, wind-tunnel measurements in different thrust operations and high-resolution large-eddy simulations (LES) for two aerodynamic roughness lengths. It was found that the normalized velocity deficit predicted by the proposed model shows good agreement with experimental and numerical data in terms of shape and magnitude in the far wake region ( x / d 0 > 3 ). Based on the proposed model, predictions from multiple views and at different locations are demonstrated to show the spatial distribution of streamwise velocity downwind of a wind turbine. The result shows that the model is suitable for predicting streamwise velocity fields and thus could provide some references for the selection of wind turbine spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans. Low concentrations of Se can promote plant growth and development. Enhancing grain yield and crop Se content is significant, as major food crops generally have low Se content. Studies have shown that Se biofortification can significantly increase Se content in plant tissues. In this study, the genetic transformation of wheat was conducted to evaluate the agronomic traits of non-transgenic control and transgenic wheat before and after Se application. Se content, speciation, and transfer coefficients in wheat grains were detected. Molecular docking simulations and transcriptome data were utilized to explore the effects of selenium-binding protein-A TaSBP-A on wheat growth and grain Se accumulation and transport. The results showed that TaSBP-A gene overexpression significantly increased plant height (by 18.50%), number of spikelets (by 11.74%), and number of grains in a spike (by 35.66%) in wheat. Under normal growth conditions, Se content in transgenic wheat grains did not change significantly, but after applying sodium selenite, Se content in transgenic wheat grains significantly increased. Analysis of Se speciation revealed that organic forms of selenomethionine (SeMet) and selenocysteine (SeCys) predominated in both W48 and transgenic wheat grains. Moreover, TaSBP-A significantly increased the transfer coefficients of Se from solution to roots and from flag leaves to grains. Additionally, it was found that with the increase in TaSBP-A gene overexpression levels in transgenic wheat, the transfer coefficient of Se from flag leaves to grains also increased.

Cadmium, one of the toxic heavy metals, robustly impact crop growth and development and food safety. In this study, the mechanisms of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) selenium-binding protein-A (TaSBP-A) involved in response to Cd stress was fully investigated by overexpression in Arabidopsis and wheat. As a cytoplasm protein, TaSBP-A showed a high expression in plant roots and its expression levels were highly induced by Cd treatment. The overexpression of TaSBP-A enhanced Cd-toleration in yeast, Arabidopsis and wheat. Meanwhile, transgenic Arabidopsis under Cd stress showed a lower H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde content and a higher photochemical efficiency in the leaf and a reduction of free Cd 2+ in the root. Transgenic wheat seedlings of TaSBP exhibited an increment of Cd content in the root, and a reduction Cd content in the leaf under Cd 2+ stress. Cd 2+ binding assay combined with a thermodynamics survey and secondary structure analysis indicated that the unique CXXC motif in TaSBP was a major Cd-binding site participating in the Cd detoxification. These results suggested that TaSBP-A can enhance the sequestration of free Cd 2+ in root and inhibit the Cd transfer from root to leaf, ultimately conferring plant Cd-tolerance via alleviating the oxidative stress and photosynthesis impairment triggered by Cd stress., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Luo, Zhu, Sun, Zou, Duan, Liu and Yan.)

GATA transcription factor genes participate in plant growth, development, morphogenesis, and stress response. In this study, we carried out a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of wheat GATA transcription factor genes to reveal their molecular evolutionary characteristics and involvement in salt and drought tolerance. In total, 79 TaGATA genes containing a conserved GATA domain were identified in the wheat genome, which were classified into four subfamilies. Collinear analysis indicated that fragment duplication plays an important role in the amplification of the wheat GATA gene family. Functional disproportionation analysis between subfamilies found that both type I and type II functional divergence simultaneously occurs in wheat GATA genes, which might result in functional differentiation of the TaGATA gene family. Transcriptional expression analysis showed that TaGATA genes generally have a high expression level in leaves and in response to drought and salt stresses. Overexpression of TaGATA62 and TaGATA73 genes significantly enhanced the drought and salt tolerance of yeast and Arabidopsis. Protein-protein docking indicated that TaGATAs can enhance drought and salt tolerance by interacting between the DNA-binding motif of GATA transcription factors and photomorphogenesis-related protein TaCOP9-5A. Our results provided a base for further understanding the molecular evolution and functional characterization of the plant GATA gene family in response to abiotic stresses.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) are perfectly confined resonances within the radiation continuum. The novel characteristics of single BICs have been studied in great detail in various wave systems, including electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, water waves, and elastic waves in solids. In practice, the performance of BICs is limited by the finite size of the structure, while the combination of multiple BICs can further improve the localization of resonances. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the combination of Fabry-Perot and symmetry-protected BICs at near infrared wavelengths by employing a compound photonic crystal system composed of a photonic crystal slab and a distributed Bragg reflector, resulting in an enhanced high quality factor.

Activity of BC1 complex kinase (ABC1K) serves as an atypical kinase family involved in plant stress resistance. This study identified 44 ABC1K genes in the wheat genome, which contained three clades (I-III). TaABC1K genes generally had similar structural features, but differences were present in motif and exon compositions from different clade members. More type II functional divergence sites were detected between clade I and clade III and no positive selection site were found in TaABC1K family. The three-dimensional structure prediction by Alphafold2 showed that TaABC1K proteins had more α-helixes with a relatively even distribution, and different clade members had differences in the content of secondary structures. The cis -acting element analysis showed that TaABC1K genes contained abundant cis -acting elements related to plant hormones and environmental stress response in the promoter region, and generally displayed a significantly upregulated expression under drought stress. In particular, both TaABC1K3 and TaABC1K6 genes from clade I was highly induced by drought stress, and their overexpression in yeast and Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance by suppressing active oxygen burst and reducing photosynthesis impairment. Meanwhile, TaABC1K3 and TaABC1K6 could, respectively, complement the function of Arabidopsis abc1k3 and abc1k6 mutants and reduce photosynthesis damage caused by drought stress., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Gao, Zou, Sun, Liu, Duan, Hu and Yan.)

Supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted many attentions and already became part of some high-power derived devices such as Tesla's electric cars because of their higher power density. Among all types of electrical energy storage devices, battery-supercapacitors are the most promising for superior performance characteristics, including short charging time, high power density, safety, easy fabrication procedures, and long operational life. An SC usually consists of two foremost components, namely electrode materials, and electrolyte. The selection of appropriate electrode materials with rational nanostructured designs have resulted in improved electrochemical properties for high performance and has reduced the cost of SCs. In this review, we mainly spotlight the nickel-based selenides nanostructured which applied as high-performance cathode materials for SCs. Different nickel-based selenides materials are highlighted in various categories, such as nickel-cobalt-based bimetallic chalcogenides and nickel-M based selenides. Also, we mentioned material modification for this material type. Finally, the designing strategy and future improvements on nickel-based selenides materials for the application of SCs are also discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sun, Wang, Qi, Hu and Zhang.)