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Abstract Background The causes of migraine remain unclear. Evidence suggests that the MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways play a role in migraine pathogenesis. However, studies on genetic polymorphisms in the two pathways associated with migraine are still limited. Methods This study included 226 migraineurs and 452 age‐ and sex‐matched nonmigraine control individuals. Genotyping of 31 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in 21 genes was performed. The relationship between migraine and gene polymorphisms was analyzed by using logistic regression. SNP–SNP interactions were examined by a generalized multifactor dimension reduction (GMDR) approach. The possible role of SNPs was evaluated with gene expression data from the GTEx database. Results The RASGRP2‐rs2230414 GT genotype was associated with decreased migraine risk compared with the wild‐type GG genotype [ORadj (95% CI): 0.674(0.458–0.989)]. PIK3R1‐rs3730089 was associated with migraine in the recessive model [ORadj (95% CI): 1.446(1.004–2.083)]. The CACNA1H‐rs61734410 CT genotype was associated with migraine risk [ORadj (95% CI): 1.561(1.068–2.281)]. One significant two‐way SNP–SNP interaction was found (PRKCA rs2228945‐BDNF rs6265) (p = 0.0107). Significant eQTL and sQTL signals were observed for the SNP rs2230414. Conclusions This is the first study to systematically reveal significant associations between MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway‐related gene polymorphisms and migraine risk.

Extraction of anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum Murr. (L. ruthenicum) is a notable challenge in food production, requiring methods that balance efficiency and safety. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis the extraction of anthocyanins by natural air drying (NAD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), hot air drying (HAD), and vacuum microwave drying (MVD) combined with ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis extraction (UAEE). The results demonstrated that the extraction yield and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins were significantly higher in VFD. This phenomenon can be attributed to the modification of raw material’s microstructure, leading to an increased extraction yield of specific anthocyanins such as Cyanidin-3-galactoside, Delphinidin chloride, Cyanidin, and Petunidin. According to the pretreatment results, the extraction process of anthocyanins was further optimized. The highest yield (3.16 g/100 g) was obtained in following conditions: 0.24 % pectinase, 48 °C, solid:liquid = 1:21, and 21 min ultrasonic time. This study improves the commercial value and potential application of L. ruthenicum in food industry.

The changes in the qualities and sweet-substance levels of Junzao jujube during variable-temperature drying (VTD) were investigated. The results showed that VTD retains the original color of jujube, reduces its hardness and chewiness, and decreases its wrinkling while shortening the drying time by 13.2% compared with that of constant temperature drying (CTD). “Electronic-tongue” taste analysis showed that the sweetness of VTD jujube is significantly higher than that for CTD. This is shown to be related to the contents of sucrose, fructose, and glucose, as well as the activities of invertase and sucrose synthase enzymes. In addition, the content trends for sweet amino acids are correlated with the temperature gradient used in VTD. Thus, the present study elucidates the factors governing the transformation of sugar substances in jujube during VTD, as well as providing a practical reference for the application of VTD in the jujube industry.

The combination of pretreatment and vacuum freeze-drying (VFD) technology is an effective technique for extending the shelf life of apricots, reducing costs and energy consumption. However, the impact of pretreatment on the freeze-drying and quality characteristics of apricots is still unclear. The effects of ultrasound (US), freeze-thaw (FT), and their combination (FT-US) on water migration and quality characteristics of apricot slices on VFD were studied. LR-NMR and SEM showed that pretreatment significantly reduced the time (19.05%–33.33%) and energy consumption (17.67%–35.66%) of the VFD process. Compared with the control group, the US, FT, and FT-US improved the color, texture, rehydration ability, and flavor of apricot slices. Among them, FT-US retained the most biologically active substances and antioxidant capacity, with the highest sensory score. Overall, FT-US pretreatment induced changes in the microstructure and chemistry of apricots, which contributed to the production of high-quality VFD apricot slices.

Abstract Objectives To compare the deposition patterns within the nasal cavity between the bi‐directional and unilateral nasal delivery systems. And to summarize the clinical application of the bi‐directional nasal drug delivery devices. Data source PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Methods A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA). We included studies exploring patterns and influencing factors of particle depositions within the nasal cavity among patients, healthy controls, and nose cast models using the bi‐directional and unilateral nasal delivery system. The clinical application of the bi‐directional delivery devices was also summarized. Results A total of 24 studies were included in this review. Bi‐directional nasal delivery systems utilize forced exhalation to power the delivery of drugs to deeper areas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Unilateral nasal delivery systems included traditional liquid spray pumps, the aerosol mask system, nebulization, and conventional nasal inhalation. Compared with unilateral delivery systems, the bi‐directional nasal delivery system provided a more extensive and efficient nasal deposition in the nasal cavity, especially in the olfactory cleft, without lung deposition. Several parameters, including particle size, pulsatile flow, and nasal geometry, could significantly influence nasal deposition. The bi‐directional nasal delivery system enables better delivery of steroids or sumatriptan to the sinonasal cavity's high and deep target sites. This bi‐directional delivery device demonstrated an effective and well‐tolerated treatment that produced high drug utilization, rapid absorption, and sustained symptom improvement among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) or migraine. Conclusion The bi‐directional nasal drug delivery systems demonstrated significantly higher drug deposition in superior and posterior regions of the nasal cavity than unilateral nasal delivery systems. Further studies should explore its potential role in delivering drugs to the olfactory cleft among patients with olfactory disorders and central nervous system diseases. Level of evidence N/A.

The potential of salicylic acid (SA) in delaying postharvest fruit senescence has been extensively documented; nevertheless, its effect on antioxidant activity and quality of ‘France’ prune fruit is largely unknown. The study investigated the effects of SA (0.5 mM) on postharvest quality deterioration of ‘France’ prune fruit. Results indicated that SA impeded the increase in respiration rate and weight loss, and mitigated the decrease of soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) content, firmness, and hue angle. SA sustained the ascorbate-glutathione cycle by inducing the production of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) and attenuates flavonoids, total phenols, and anthocyanins degradation by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and PdPPO. Moreover, SA significantly improved superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities and gene expression levels, sustained higher 2,2′-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and hydroxyl radical (·OH) inhibition capacity, and impeded the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion (O2•−). Overall, SA improved the antioxidant capacity by inducing the synthesis of defense response-related substances and promoting antioxidant enzyme activities to sustain the storage quality of ‘France’ prune fruit.

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) represents the most prevalent form of paroxysmal dyskinesia, characterized by recurrent and transient attacks of involuntary movements triggered by a sudden voluntary action. In this study, whole-exome sequencing was conducted on a cohort of Chinese patients to identify causal mutations. In one young female case, a de novo CACNA1B variant (NM_000718.3:exon3:c.479C > T:p.S160F) was identified as the causative lesion. This finding may broaden the phenotypic spectrum of CACNA1B mutations and provide a prospective cause of primary PKD. Additionally, a novel start-loss variant (NM_000682.7:c.3G > A) within ADRA2B further denied its association with benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy, and a KCNQ2 E515D variant that was reported as a genetic susceptibility factor for seizures had no damaging effect in this family. In sum, this study established a correlation between CACNA1B and primary PKD, and found valid evidence that further negates the pathogenic role of ADRA2B in benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy.

Ecotoxicological models play a vital role in understanding the influence of toxicants on population dynamics in contaminated aquatic ecosystems. Traditional differential equation models describing interactions between populations and toxicants typically assume instantaneous population growth, overlooking potential time delays associated with reproductive and maturation processes. In this paper, we introduce two models with time delays to investigate the interaction between a population and a toxicant, where the population growth is governed by a delayed logistic equation. We mainly focus on the stability analysis of the steady states of the models. Our findings indicate that high toxicant concentrations result in population extinction, whereas moderate toxicant levels can potentially induce bistability, where the population's fate, whether persistence or extinction, depends on the initial densities of the population and toxicant. Furthermore, both our theoretical analysis and numerical simulations demonstrate that the time delay can lead to the destabilization of the coexistence steady states and the appearance of periodic solutions through Hopf bifurcation.

Nitrification is the core step of the soil nitrogen cycle and directly affects the nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems. Biochar and gypsum are two important soil amendments widely used in coastal saline farmland. However, little is known about their effects on nitrification and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. A one-year pot experiment with three treatments including biochar application (BC), gypsum application (SG), and no amendment (CK) was conducted, and the responses of the nitrification rate, amoA gene copies, and the diversity and community structure of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) to biochar and gypsum were evaluated. The results indicated that biochar and gypsum application both resulted in alterations to the soil properties. They both had inhibiting effects on nitrification and AOB amoA gene copies, whereas they had no significant effect on AOA amoA gene copies. Biochar had no significant effect on the diversity indexes of AOA, but it significantly reduced the Shannon index of AOB. Meanwhile, gypsum had no significant influence on the diversity indexes of both AOA and AOB. Biochar and gypsum did not significantly affect the community structure of AOA but did induce changes in that of AOB. In detail, biochar significantly enhanced the relative abundance of the dominant cluster Nitrosospira, whereas gypsum led to a notable increase in the relative abundance of unclassified_o_Nitrosomonadales. The Shannon index of AOB had a significant negative correlation with soil TOC, TN, and NH4+ content, and soil pH was the first primary environmental factor that affected the AOB community structure. In conclusion, biochar and gypsum inhibited nitrification by suppressing the activities of AOB and changed the diversities and community structure of AOB by altering related soil properties.

The design and preparation of high-performance separators for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have far-reaching practical significance in enhancing the overall performance of LIBs. Electrospun nanofiber separators (ENSs) have the characteristics of large specific surface area, high porosity, small pore size and good affinity with the electrolyte, making them become ideal candidates for LIB separators. In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/polyurethane (PU) (PAU) ENSs loaded with boehmite (BM) particles (BM/PAU ENSs) were mass-produced using spherical section free surface electrospinning (SSFSE), and used as LIB separators. Their morphology, structures and performances were tested and characterized. The results showed that all BM/PAU ENSs maintained excellent thermal dimensional stability in the range of 140–180 °C, and had good electrolyte wettability and high porosity. The composite BM/PAU-2 ENS with the best performance had a porosity of 52.5%, an electrolyte uptake rate of 822.1%, and an ionic conductivity of 1.97 mS/cm. Additionally, the battery assembled with BM/PAU-2 separator also demonstrated best electrochemical performance, cycling performance, and rate capability, with a capacity retention rate of 94.4% after 80 cycles at 0.5 C, making it a promising high-performance separator for LIBs.

A visual system is a key tool for automatic fruit harvesting. It faces the challenges of varied occlusion and illumination in the field, resulting in difficulties in fruit recognition and picking. At present, there are many studies that lack a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the environment on harvesting. This study proposes an object–environment fusion visual system. It comprises modules for object perception, environment perception, and picking pose estimation. The object perception module aims to identify and locate pears. The environment perception module is deployed to analyze the three-dimensional (3D) information of objects and obstacles. Finally, the picking pose estimation module fuses the information of the objects and environment to calculate the collision-free picking position and orientation. Additionally, specific implementations are employed for each module. It compares three networks to identify pears for object perception. Voxel-based representation is used to simplify point clouds for environmental perception. A sampler and evaluator are applied for picking pose estimation. The S1 and S2 datasets were acquired in a laboratory pear tree model and the orchard of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, respectively, to evaluate the proposed method. In the S2 dataset, the success rate for picking pose estimation reached 87.11% within the distance range of 30∼50 cm. All of the results demonstrate that the proposed method can be applied to visual perception for automatic pear harvesting.

The Hetao irrigation region is located in Inner Mongolia, China, within a dry and semi-dry region. This region suffers from poor agricultural productivity and environmental damage due to the presence of saline soil. To explore the growth of salty lands using a more environmentally friendly method, this research employed three eco-conscious amendments to improve the soil. These include flue gas desulfurization gypsum (S), humic acid (H), and biochar (C). During a two-year study, the amendments were utilized to enhance the soil quality for planting sunflowers. Humic acid was used prior to every seedling season, whereas the remaining two substances were only used once. These additions increased the soil’s water-holding capacity, reduced soil salinity during sunflower growth, and improved the macroaggregate proportion. The most effective treatment for decreasing the soil’s salt content after the seedling stage was the application of humic acid (0.6 t ha−1). Biochar (15 t ha−1) decreased the soil’s bulk density (from 1.49 to 1.34 g cm−3) and mostly increased the sunflower seed yield up to 3133−3964 kg ha−1. Humic acid addition significantly increased the aggregate (>0.25 mm) content up to 27.88% after the experiment, but it led to a lower seed yield (2607−3686 kg ha−1). In 2019, the temperature was lower compared to 2018, which may have led to a reduction in the yield. However, these three amendments could potentially increase yields by more than conventional methods. These three environmentally friendly amendments are useful for improving saline soil and increasing yields. More studies are required to understand their impacts on larger areas and over extended periods.

Objective Malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (ERFA) may improve survival. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of ERFA in combination with biliary stent placement for the treatment of MBO. Methods The study was registered in INPLASY (number 202340096). The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched from inception to April 2023. We selected studies comparing the efficacy of ERFA plus stent placement with stent placement alone. The primary outcomes were pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival and stent patency; the secondary outcomes were the odds ratios (ORs) for adverse events. Results Eleven studies (four randomized controlled trials and seven observational studies) were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed a difference in survival time between the two groups (HR 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58–0.73, I 2 = 40%). However, there were no differences in the duration of stent patency or the incidence of adverse events (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.84–1.29, I 2 = 46%; OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–1.96, I 2 = 29%). Conclusions ERFA has a significant survival benefit for MBO, but does not increase the risk of adverse events.

Objective To compare the efficacy of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) and open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) in a medium-volume medical center. Methods Data for patients who underwent OPD or LPD for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (VPC) between January 2017 and June 2022 were acquired retrospectively. Propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis was performed to balance the baseline characteristics between the groups. The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS). Cox regression analysis was used to explore the independent risk factors for DFS. Results A total of 124 patients with pathologically diagnosed VPC were included. After 1:1 matching, there were 23 cases each in the OPD and LPD groups. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses showed that the median DFS in the OPD and LPD groups was identical (16.0 months vs 16.0 months, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that low levels of alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, positive surgical margin, and lymph node enlargement were independent risk factors for DFS. Conclusion LPD in medium-volume centers with acceptable technical conditions may approach or even achieve the efficacy of LPD in large-volume centers.

Abstract Objective To study the influencing factors of myasthenic crisis in patients with myasthenia gravis during perioperative period. Methods A total of 564 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients who underwent standard expanded resection of thymoma/thymoma in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Beijing Hospital from January 2011 to March 2022 were retrospectively included in the study. Clinical indicators such as gender, age, thymoma, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and some others were recorded. Results Osserman‐stages IIB + III + IV (odds ratio [OR] 16.091, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.170–50.076, p value

Abstract Objective To study the influencing factors of myasthenic crisis in non-thymoma myasthenia gravis (MG) patients during perioperative period. Methods We retrospectively analyzed a total of 387 non-thymoma MG patients who underwent extended thymoma resection in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Beijing Hospital from February 2011 to December 2021, recorded ASA score, Osserman classification, preoperative course, pyridostigmine dosage, operation method, operation time, and intraoperative blood loss, then analyzed the factors associated with postoperative myasthenic crisis by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results Osserman classification IIB + III + IV (P

BackgroundThe Odor Awareness Scale (OAS) is a questionnaire that assesses individual differences in awareness of odors in the surrounding environment, which has been shown to be associated with affective symptoms in recent researches. To further research, A Chinese version of the OAS needs to be introduced.ObjectiveTo investigate the factor structure and validate the psychometric properties of the OAS.MethodsA total of 978 participants from college were randomly allocated into two groups for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. Additionally, the study entailed item analysis and scrutinized internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity. Test-retest reliability was assessed by having 214 participants complete the OAS twice at a one-week interval. Concurrent validity was measured using the Body Odor Sniffing Questionnaire (BOSQ), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).ResultsEFA identified three factors that best fit the data: odor sensitivity, odor impact, and odor attention. CFA validated a second-order factor model, yielding good fit indices: χ2/ Df = 2.326, RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.911, TLI = 0.900, SRMR = 0.053. The final version of the OAS comprised 27 items and exhibited a commendable internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.913), and a good test-retest reliability, as evidenced by the high Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.940) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.940). The OAS was significantly correlated with BOSQ (r = 0.416), GAD-7 (r = 0.155), and TAS-20 (r = −0.081).ConclusionThe Chinese version of the OAS demonstrated robust reliability and validity, rendering it a valuable instrument for evaluating odor awareness in the Chinese population.

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD), unexpected death based on sudden cardiac ejection cessation, accounts for 15–20% of unnatural deaths in developed countries. Primary electrical disorders (PEDs), a group of cardiac rhythm abnormalities without detectable structural heart disease, are a major cause of SCD in people younger than 35 years of age. Cardiac muscle contraction and relaxation are triggered by the action potential (AP), which is generated by ionic changes across the cell membrane. Thus, PEDs are influenced by mutations in AP-associated genes, such as KCNE1 and RYR2 . Methods: We recruited six patients with SCD and 42 patients with arrhythmia with onset under the age of 25, and used targeted sequencing to determine the genetic etiologies. Results: We identified five mutations ( RYR2 : c.12269C>T, p.P4090L; KCNE1 : c.169T>C, p.F57L; KCNQ1 : c.853A>C, p.K285Q; KCNH2 : c.793T>C, p.C265R, and TRPM4 : c.2985_3012del, p.E996Gfs*118) in five families with PED/SCD. Conclusions: We detected five mutations and expanded the mutation spectrum of PED-associated genes, thus contributing to the clinical diagnosis of PED.

Background: Genetic and environmental factors contribute to migraine and the comorbidities of anxiety and depression. However, the association between genetic polymorphisms in the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and glutamatergic synapse genes with the risk of migraine and the comorbidities of anxiety and depression remain unclear.Methods: 251 migraine patients containing 49 comorbidities with anxiety and 112 with depression and 600 controls were recruited. A customized 48-plex SNPscan kit was used for genotyping 13 SNPs of nine target genes. Logistic regression was conducted to analyze these SNPs’ association with the susceptibility of migraine and comorbidities. The generalized multifactor dimension reduction (GMDR) was applied to analyze the SNP-SNP and gene-environment interactions. The GTEx database was used to examine the effects of the significant SNPs on gene expressions.Results: The TRPV1 rs8065080 and TRPV3 rs7217270 were associated with an increased risk of migraine in the dominant model [ORadj (95% CI): 1.75 (1.09–2.90), p = 0.025; 1.63 (1.02–2.58), p = 0.039, respectively]. GRIK2 rs2227283 was associated with migraine in the edge of significance [ORadj (95% CI) = 1.36 (0.99–1.89), p = 0.062]. In migraine patients, TRPV1 rs222741 was associated with both anxiety risk and depression risk in the recessive model [ORadj (95% CI): 2.64 (1.24–5.73), p = 0.012; 1.97 (1.02–3.85), p = 0.046, respectively]. TRPM8 rs7577262 was associated with anxiety (ORadj = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10–0.76, p = 0.011). TRPV4 rs3742037, TRPM8 rs17862920 and SLC17A8 rs11110359 were associated with depression in dominant model [ORadj (95% CI): 2.03 (1.06–3.96), p = 0.035; 0.48 (0.23–0.96), p = 0.042; 0.42 (0.20–0.84), p = 0.016, respectively]. Significant eQTL and sQTL signals were observed for SNP rs8065080. Individuals with GRS (Genetic risk scores) of Q4 (14–17) had a higher risk of migraine and a lower risk of comorbidity anxiety than those with Genetic risk scores scores of Q1 (0–9) groups [ORadj (95% CI): 2.31 (1.39–3.86), p = 0.001; 0.28 (0.08–0.88), p = 0.034, respectively].Conclusion: This study suggests that TRPV1 rs8065080, TRPV3 rs7217270, and GRIK2 rs2227283 polymorphism may associate with migraine risk. TRPV1 rs222741 and TRPM8 rs7577262 may associate with migraine comorbidity anxiety risk. rs222741, rs3742037, rs17862920, and rs11110359 may associate with migraine comorbidity depression risk. Higher GRS scores may increase migraine risk and decrease comorbidity anxiety risk.

In this work, a new structure is used to enhance the nonlinear effect in the cavity, which improves the performance of the 1.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m broadband swept source. The swept source adopts a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), a circulator, a coupler, and a tunable filter. In the structure, the light passes through the nonlinear medium (SOA) twice in two opposite directions, which excites the nonlinear effect and increases the performance of the swept source. The tunable filter is based on a polygon rotating mirror and gratings. Traditionally, multiple SOAs are adopted to improve the sweep range and the optical power, which increases the cost and complexity of the swept source. The method proposed in this paper can improve the spectral range and optical power of the swept sources without additional accessories. For the short-cavity swept source, the power increases from 6[Formula: see text]mW to 7.7[Formula: see text]mW, and the sweep range increases from 98[Formula: see text]nm to 120[Formula: see text]nm. The broadband swept sources could have wide applications in biomedical imaging, sensor system, measurement and so on.

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), which is the most prevalent type of renal cell carcinoma, has a high mortality rate. Lipid metabolism reprogramming is a hallmark of ccRCC progression, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. Here, the relationship between dysregulated lipid metabolism genes (LMGs) and ccRCC progression was investigated.Methods: The ccRCC transcriptome data and patients’ clinical traits were obtained from several databases. A list of LMGs was selected, differentially expressed gene screening performed to detect differential LMGs, survival analysis performed, a prognostic model established, and immune landscape evaluated using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Gene Set Variation Analysis and Gene set enrichment analysis were conducted to explore the mechanism by which LMGs affect ccRCC progression. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data were obtained from relevant datasets. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to validate the expression of prognostic LMGs.Results: Seventy-one differential LMGs were identified between ccRCC and control samples, and a novel risk score model established comprising 11 LMGs (ABCB4, DPEP1, IL4I1, ENO2, PLD4, CEL, HSD11B2, ACADSB, ELOVL2, LPA, and PIK3R6); this risk model could predict ccRCC survival. The high-risk group had worse prognoses and higher immune pathway activation and cancer development.Conclusion: Our results showed that this prognostic model can affect ccRCC progression.

This study investigated the effects of convective drying(CD) and freeze drying(FD) on bioactive and volatile components in jujube. No significant difference in total phenolic, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity among CD60, CD70, CD80 and FD samples (P > 0.05). LC-MS/MS analysis showed that this trend mainly originated from the dynamic equilibrium relationships between caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, rutin, epicatechin, and quercetin. HS-SPME-GC–MS identified 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprising more than 80% aldehydes and acids. Principal component analysis distinguished the VOC characteristics of samples subjected to different drying methods. Six VOCs had an odor activity value (OAV) >1, most of which were fatty acid oxidation or Maillard reaction products. Combined with the precursor components, these reactions were speculated to be the major VOC-producing pathways in dried jujube. Considering the bioactive components and flavor retention, CD at 60 °C was an effective drying method with potential to replace FD.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) that relies on audio input suffers from significant degradation in noisy conditions and is particularly vulnerable to speech interference. However, video recordings of speech capture both visual and audio signals, providing a potent source of information for training speech models. Audiovisual speech recognition (AVSR) systems enhance the robustness of ASR by incorporating visual information from lip movements and associated sound production in addition to the auditory input. There are many audiovisual speech recognition models and systems for speech transcription, but most of them have been tested based in a single experimental setting and with a limited dataset. However, a good model should be applicable to any scenario. Our main contributions are: (i) Reproducing the three best-performing audiovisual speech recognition models in the current AVSR research area using the most famous audiovisual databases, LSR2 (Lip Reading Sentences 2) LSR3 (Lip Reading Sentences 3), and comparing and analyzing their performances under various noise conditions. (ii) Based on our experimental and research experiences, we analyzed the problems currently encountered in the AVSR domain, which are summarized as the feature-extraction problem and the domain-generalization problem. (iii) According to the experimental results, the Moco (momentum contrast) + word2vec (word to vector) model has the best AVSR effect on the LRS datasets regardless of whether there is noise or not. Additionally, the model also produced the best experimental results in the experiments of audio recognition and video recognition. Our research lays the foundation for further improving the performance of AVSR models.

With the gradual depletion of fossil energy sources and the improvement in environmental protection attention, efficient use of energy and reduction in carbon emissions have become urgent issues. The integrated electricity and heating energy system (IEHS) is a significant solution to reduce the proportion of fossil fuel and carbon emissions. In this paper, a stochastic optimization model of the IEHS considering the uncertainty of wind power (WP) output and carbon capture power plants (CCPs) is proposed. The WP output in the IEHS is represented by stochastic scenarios, and the scenarios are reduced by fast scenario reduction to obtain typical scenarios. Then, the conventional thermal power plants are modified with CCPs, and the CCPs are equipped with flue gas bypass systems and solution storage to form the integrated and flexible operation mode of CCPs. Furthermore, based on the different load demand responses (DRs) in the IEHS, the optimization model of the IEHS with a CCP is constructed. Finally, the results show that with the proposed optimization model and shunt-type CCP, the integrated operation approach allows for a better reduction in carbon capture costs and carbon emissions.

To investigate the physiological and molecular properties relating to cell wall carbohydrate metabolism in fruit, the ultrastructure and polysaccharides compositions of the cell wall, as well as the fruit quality and activities of enzymes relating to fruit softening, were studied for three Hami melon varieties (‘Xizhoumi 17’, ‘Jinhuami 25’, and ‘Chougua’) representing three different storability levels. The results showed that ‘Chougua’ maintained a higher firmness on day 18, with the lowest decay incidence (0%). ‘Chougua’ showed a better storage quality and intact cell wall structure. The molecular weight and monosaccharide composition of cell wall polysaccharides for Hami melons underwent great changes during storage, and the degradation of pectin polysaccharides was obvious, involving the depolymerization of macromolecular polymers accompanied by the production of new macromolecular polymers and composition changes in pectin monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, and arabinose) during the softening process of the Hami melons. Polygalacturonase, pectin methylesterase, xyloglucan endo-transglycosylase/hydrolase, α-arabinofuranosidase, β-galactosidase, and cellulase were associated with fruit softening at different stages of storage. There were similar softening mechanisms in the three Hami melons. This study will provide reference for further study on the fruit softening mechanisms of Hami melons.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of compound C on an in vivo mouse model of high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced obesity and hepatosteatosis. Methods. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a standard diet (n = 5) for 16 weeks and then injected saline once a day for 4 weeks as the normal chow group. Mice (n = 10) were fed with HFD for 16 weeks to induce obesity and hepatosteatosis and then divided into two groups: HFD + vehicle group injected with the vehicle solution (saline) and HFD + compound C group injected with compound C in saline (5 mg/kg i.p., once a day) for 4 weeks. Liver histology was observed. The expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism and proinflammation in liver tissue were examined. NLRP3 inflammasome expression in liver tissue was detected by the western blot assay. HepG2 cells were pretreated with compound C and/or AICAR for 1 h and then treated with palmitic acid (PA) for 3 h. The cells were collected, and mRNA levels were determined. Results. There was a significant reduction in body-weight gain and daily food intake in the HFD + compound C group compared with the HFD + vehicle group (p

This study analyzes and evaluates the feasibility of a harmonic suppression traction transformer (HSTT) for harmonic reduction in railway systems. This new type of transformer can improve the power quality of railway systems by preventing high-frequency harmonic currents from injecting into the traction grid. As the physical size of available space in high-speed trains is strictly limited, low space-occupying filtering techniques are needed. Therefore, an HSTT with integrated filtering inductors (IFIs) capable of being implemented in regular trains is proposed. Taking advantage of the HSTT, a specially constructed inductive-capacitive-inductive (LCL)-type filter is used for harmonic suppression instead of a regular LCL-type filter. The proposed filter is composed of an integrated inductor, leakage inductor of the traction transformer, and an external filter capacitor. In this paper, we analyze the topology of the proposed system, construct a mathematical model to reveal the magnetic decoupling theory of IFIs, and discuss the design and calculation procedures of the HSTT with IFIs. The field circuit coupling simulation of the HSTT with IFIs is performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed system. Finally, the practical operation based on a 10 kVA prototype shows that the proposed scheme can not only suppress the high-order frequency harmonics but also decrease the installed space of filter devices.

Coal is among the most important energy sources, and gob-side entry retention by roof cutting (GERRC) is an innovative non-pillar mining technique that can effectively increase coal recovery rates and avoid coal wastage. To investigate the characteristics of mine strata pressure using the GERRC technique, a field case study under conditions involving a medium-thick coal seam and a compound roof was performed, and the mine strata behavior mechanisms were studied by theoretical analysis. Field monitoring shows that the distributions of the weighting step and strength along the longwall working face are asymmetrical. The periodic weighting length on the entry retaining side is longer than that on the other sides of the longwall working face, and the average increase is appropriately 4 m. Compared to the other sides of the longwall, on the entry retaining side, the periodic weighting strength is weaker, the average pressure is reduced by 2.1 MPa, and the peak pressure is reduced by 10.2 MPa. The lateral distance affected by roof cutting along the longwall is approximately 29.75 m, and the closer to the cutting slit, the more significant the roof cutting effect is. The retained entry becomes stable when it is more than 230 m behind the mining face, and the final cross section of the retained entry can meet the reuse demand of the next mining face. Theoretical analysis shows that the roof pressure mechanism in GERRC can be explained using cantilever beam theory. Within the area affected by roof cutting, the thickness of the immediate roof increases, and the suspension plate length of the roof immediately behind the longwall decreases. Then, the gangue pile in the goaf behind the longwall formed by the immediate roof’s collapse and expansion can support the main roof and other overlying strata much better. Therefore, the rotational breaking angle of the main roof is smaller, the periodic weighting step strength increases, and the periodic weighting decreases. According to the structural state of the surrounding rocks during the entire entry retaining process, the retained entry can be divided into coal support, dynamic pressure and stable entry areas.

Drying kinetics, color, and texture changes in different drying temperatures of jujubes were investigated in this study. With the increase of temperature, the drying time reached a minimum (140 min) at 80℃. At the temperature of 40℃, the retention of the original color was the greatest (ΔE = 1.66); similar results were also reflected by the measured pulp browning (4.186 ± 0.350 Abs/g) and 5-HMF (0.517 ± 0.044 mg/g). After drying, the fruit hardness decreased to 55.91%–86.59% of the initial (2,543.2 ± 181.4 g). SEM showed that the HAD temperature exceeded 60℃ and the pulp tissue sharp dramatically, causing the fruit to harden. Affected by drying temperature and polygalacturonase, WSP increased in drying, whereas CSP and NSP showed the opposite trend, and they were significantly correlated with the texture of fruits. The results expanded our understanding of the jujube drying process and provided guidance for controlling the quality of jujube during HAD processing. Practical applications The drying method of jujube fruit in China is special, which is a combination of air drying and hot air drying. However, discoloration, shrinkage, and other quality deterioration occurred during the drying process, significantly affecting the quality of jujube fruit. In this study, semi-air-dried jujubes were used to investigate the color and texture during hot air drying. These results will provide valuable information to the pilot or industrial scale processors and also served as an operational guide for the jujube fruit drying process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, magnetic potential balance based active power filter integrated with distribution transformer (DT-APF) is proposed for harmonic reduction in distribution systems. Instead of using a step-down transformer for voltage matching, the active power filter is connected to the taps from the secondary windings of the distribution transformer. The filtering system's integration, operating efficiency as well as reliability are significantly enhanced. The topology of the proposed DT-APF is introduced; the compensation principle, mathematical model as well as the corresponding detection method are described in detail. A non-linear controller based on passivity-based control (PBC) that ensures global asymptotic stability is proposed to obtain an excellent compensation performance. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the presented DT-APF and PBC in harmonic suppression, results from MATLAB simulations and experiments of a down-scaled prototype system at laboratory are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retracement channel roof cutting (RCRC) technology can change the overburden structure actively by cutting off the roof of channel along the direction of working face tendency and make use of the gangue collapsing from roof cutting range to fill the goaf and weaken the mining pressure during the retracement process of working face. In order to solve the problems of high stress in surrounding rock and serious deformation of retracement channel in Halagou coal mine, it is the first time that the pressure releasing test is carried out on the 12201 working face by the method of the directional presplitting roof cutting in retracement channel. First, according to statics theory and energy theory, the stress state of hydraulic support and roof deformation mechanism of retracement channel are analyzed. Then the roof cutting design of retracement channel is determined according to the geological conditions of 12201 working face, and the cutting effect is analyzed by numerical simulation. Finally, the field test is carried out on the 12201 working face to verify the effect of pressure releasing by roof cutting. The result shows that, with the roof cutting design including the roof cutting height being 8m and roof cutting angle being 45°, the roof subsidence of the 12201 working face retracement channel in Halagou mine is reduced to 132.5mm, and the hydraulic support resistance is maintained at 1361KN. And there is no hydraulic support crushed; the deformation of the retracement channel is also small; namely, the effect of roof cutting for pressure releasing is obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear dynamics in the transmission and drive shafts of automotive powertrains, such as backlash, induce significant torque fluctuations at the wheels during tip-in and tip-out transients, deteriorating drivability. Several strategies are currently present in production vehicles to mitigate those effects. However, most of them are based on open-loop filtering of the driver torque demand, leading to sluggish acceleration performance. To improve the torque management algorithms for drivability and customer acceptability, the powertrain controller must be able to compensate for the wheel torque fluctuations without penalizing the vehicle response. This paper presents a novel backlash compensator for automotive drivetrain, realized via real-time model predictive control (MPC). Starting from a high-fidelity driveline model, the MPC-based compensator is designed to mitigate the drive shaft torque fluctuations by modifying the nominal spark timing during a backlash traverse event. Experimental tests were conducted with the compensator integrated into the engine electronic control unit (ECU) of a production passenger vehicle. Tip-in transients at low-gear conditions were considered to verify the ability of the compensator to reduce the torque overshoot when backlash crossing occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G be a simple 3-connected graph. An edge e of G is essential if neither the deletion G\ e nor the contraction G/ e is both simple and 3-connected. In this study, we show that all 3-connected graphs with k( k ≥ 2) non-essential edges can be obtained from a wheel by three kinds of operations which defined in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]