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The discrete element method (DEM) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to determine the input parameters and combination of operational factors required for optimizing the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) harvesting tool in cohesive soil. The DEM soil model consisted of particles with different radii in three shapes calibrated using angle of repose and cone penetration data. Compared with data from a soil bin subsoiler evaluation, the DEM model showed acceptable relative errors for draught force (6.7%), vertical force (4.5%), and furrow width (9.3%). The effects of operational factors, including forward speed, vibration frequency, and amplitude, on response variables such as draught and vertical forces, drawbar power, and abrasive wear were analyzed for three harvesting shovels (S-shape, step-shape, and fork-shape). The ratio of vibratory speed to forward speed (velocity ratio, Vr) was used to analyze the combined effect of the factors. The operational factors significantly affected all the response variables (p<0.05). At Vr > 1 (1.2-3.9), soil reaction forces and drawbar power were considerably reduced. The optimal parameters for minimizing the response variables were 2.5 km h-1 forward speed, 14.5 Hz frequency, 30 mm amplitude, and S-shape shovel at Vr = 3.9. The minimum draught force, vertical force, drawbar power, and Archard wear depth were 4.64 kN, 0.41 kN, 2.64 kW, and 2.36 mm, respectively, at an operating depth of 350 mm. Operating in vibratory mode reduced draught force by 54% with the full width of the implement. Future work should include Jerusalem artichoke tubers in the simulation and experimental validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrete element method (DEM) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to determine the input parameters and combination of operational factors required for optimizing the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) harvesting tool in cohesive soil. The DEM soil model consisted of particles with different radii in three shapes calibrated using angle of repose and cone penetration data. Compared with data from a soil bin subsoiler evaluation, the DEM model showed acceptable relative errors for draught force (6.7%), vertical force (4.5%), and furrow width (9.3%). The effects of operational factors, including forward speed, vibration frequency, and amplitude, on response variables such as draught and vertical forces, drawbar power, and abrasive wear were analyzed for three harvesting shovels (S-shape, step-shape, and fork-shape). The ratio of vibratory speed to forward speed (velocity ratio, Vr) was used to analyze the combined effect of the factors. The operational factors significantly affected all the response variables (p<0.05). At Vr > 1 (1.2-3.9), soil reaction forces and drawbar power were considerably reduced. The optimal parameters for minimizing the response variables were 2.5 km h-1 forward speed, 14.5 Hz frequency, 30 mm amplitude, and S-shape shovel at Vr = 3.9. The minimum draught force, vertical force, drawbar power, and Archard wear depth were 4.64 kN, 0.41 kN, 2.64 kW, and 2.36 mm, respectively, at an operating depth of 350 mm. Operating in vibratory mode reduced draught force by 54% with the full width of the implement. Future work should include Jerusalem artichoke tubers in the simulation and experimental validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Using network pharmacology to explore the potential molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. Method: Collect the related literature materials of PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome treated by traditional Chinese medicine in four databases in recent ten years, extract the information of prescriptions and complete the frequency analysis. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database was used to screen out the effective components. Use Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and other databases to screen PCOS disease targets. The intersection targets obtained by clustering prescription and PCOS disease targets were submitted to STRING database for protein-protein interaction network analysis, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were analysed by Metascape. Result: There are 155 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines used in the literature. The most commonly utilized ones are Cuscutae Semen, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata. The results of the cluster analysis indicated that the plants most commonly found throughout the prescription were Leonuri Herba, Lycopi Herba, Dipsaci Radix, etc. GO results show that biological processes include cell reaction to organic nitrogen compounds and cell reaction to nitrogen compounds. The functional display of GO molecule includes cytokine receptor binding, signal receptor regulator activity and so on. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes results show that the possible mechanisms of action are cancer pathway, an endocrine resistance signal pathway. Conclusion: Through data mining, the cluster prescription for PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome is Leonuri Herba, Lycopi Herba, Dipsaci Radix, etc. The network pharmacology research of cluster prescription shows that the main drug components for treating PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome are quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, tanshinone IIA, etc., which act on PTGS2, NCOA2, and other targets, and treat PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome through cancer and endocrine resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formosania immaculata, a new species, is described from the Ou-Jiang basin in Zhejiang Province, Southeast China. It is distinguished from other species of the genus by having a combination of the following characteristics: body without obvious mottling; snout length longer than postorbital length; abdominal scaleless area extending to middle of pectoral-fin base; shorter rostral barbels, the outermost pair length 112.9%-140.0% of eye diameter; and shorter lower lip papillae, length 19.9%-24.4% of eye diameter. Its validity is also affirmed by its distinct Cytb gene sequence divergence from all congeners and its monophyly recovered in a Cytb gene-based phylogenetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the potential factors affecting hydraulic fracturing of inter-salt oil shale reservoirs in the Qianjiang Depression, China. Using the inter-salt shale samples, the re-crystallization seepage tests, rock mechanical tests under high temperature and pressure, salt rock creep tests, and direct shear tests were conducted. The testing results suggest several major factors that affect hydraulic fracturing effects in the end. First, the seepage of reservoir and fracturing fluid through hydraulic fractures leads to salt dissolution and crystallization, reducing the effective seepage area of fractures. Second, the salt crystal may block the pore throats or micro fractures after brine invades the shale, decreasing the overall permeability. Third, the low strength and obvious plasticity of inter-salt shale and the strong creep characteristics of salt rock raise difficulties for proppant to effectively support fracture walls, thereby sharply narrowing the hydraulic fracture width. Lastly, the weak interfaces (bedding planes and lithology interfaces) in inter-salt oil shale reservoirs restrict the height of hydraulic fractures, resulting in the disconnection of seepage channels between multiple inter-salt shale reservoirs. Thus, several factors together reduce reservoir permeability, weaken the fluid flow capacity in the fracture, narrow the fracture width, and limit the effective stimulation volume, resulting in weaken the effect hydraulic fracturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the resulting dosimetry characteristics of simulation and planning techniques for proton stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of primary and secondary liver tumors. Methods: Consecutive patients treated under volumetric daily image guidance with liver proton SBRT between September 2019 and March 2022 at Emory Proton Therapy Center were included in this study. Prescriptions ranged from 40 Gy to 60 Gy in 3- or 5-fraction regimens, and motion management techniques were used when target motion exceeded 5 mm. 4D robust optimization was used when necessary. Dosimetry evaluation was conducted for ITV V100, D99, Dmax, and liver-ITV mean dose and D700cc. Statistical analysis was performed using independent-samples Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Thirty-six tumors from 29 patients were treated. Proton therapy for primary and secondary liver tumors using motion management techniques and robust optimization resulted in high target coverage and low doses to critical organs. The median ITV V100% was 100.0%, and the median ITV D99% was 111.3%. The median liver-ITV mean dose and D700cc were 499 cGy and 5.7 cGy, respectively. The median conformity index (CI) was 1.03, and the median R50 was 2.56. Except for ITV D99% (primary 118.1% vs. secondary 107.2%, p = 0.005), there were no significant differences in age, ITV volume, ITV V100%, ITV maximum dose, liver-ITV mean dose, or D700cc between primary and secondary tumor groups. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that proton therapy with motion management techniques and robust optimization achieves excellent target coverage with low normal liver doses for primary and secondary liver tumors. The results showed high target coverage, high conformality, and low doses to the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the Dirichlet problem for a semilinear pseudo-parabolic equation. By using the energy estimates and ordinary differential inequalities, we studied the upper and lower bounds of blowup time of the solutions. The results of this paper extend and complete the results on this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have achieved remarkable progress in various real-world applications, especially when abundant training data are provided. However, data isolation has become a serious problem currently. Existing works build privacy-preserving DNN models from either algorithmic perspective or cryptographic perspective. The former mainly splits the DNN computation graph between data holders or between data holders and server, which demonstrates good scalability but suffers from accuracy loss and potential privacy risks. In contrast, the latter leverages time-consuming cryptographic techniques, which has strong privacy guarantee but poor scalability. In this article, we propose SPNN—a Scalable and Privacy-preserving deep Neural Network learning framework, from an algorithmic-cryptographic co-perspective. From algorithmic perspective, we split the computation graph of DNN models into two parts, i.e., the private-data-related computations that are performed by data holders and the rest heavy computations that are delegated to a semi-honest server with high computation ability. From cryptographic perspective, we propose using two types of cryptographic techniques, i.e., secret sharing and homomorphic encryption, for the isolated data holders to conduct private-data-related computations privately and cooperatively. Furthermore, we implement SPNN in a decentralized setting and introduce user-friendly APIs. Experimental results conducted on real-world datasets demonstrate the superiority of our proposed SPNN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) piecewise guidance scheme for multiple UAVs) guaranteeing simultaneous arrival even under the field-of-view (FOV) constraint. The guidance law does not require to consider the estimation of the time-to-go and can be divided into two stages: cooperative stage and proportional navigation guidance (PNG) stage. In the cooperative stage, a decentralized consensus control approach is proposed for multi-UAV systems and does not rely on global information about the communication topography. Moreover, the neighbors' new auxiliary states are introduced to ensure the states achieving consensus under FOV constrain. The guidance strategy transfers to the PNG stage while the UAV formation is close enough to the target and the simultaneous arrival to hit the target is guaranteed for UAVs via the PNG guidance law. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative guidance law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for the repair process after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: Given the importance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in angiogenesis, we analysed the temporal profile of angiogenesis in rat brains on days 4, 7, and 21 after ICH. To this end, we compared the expression of ECM-related genes between ICH-induced and sham-operated groups using a complementary DNA (cDNA) array. We further measured protein expression using western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran was injected into the tail vein to examine the angioarchitecture in the perihematomal region. Results: Among the 88 ECM-related genes, we identified 42, 50, and 38 genes that were significantly upregulated on days 4, 7, and 21 after ICH, respectively (P < 0.05). Particularly, collagens, integrins, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were significantly increased on day 4 post-ICH and continued to increase at the other time points. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses showed a comparable trend in the upregulation of MMPs. Compared to the sham group, FITC-dextran labelling demonstrated decreased perfusion and increased vascular permeability in the perihematomal region in the ICH group. Doxycycline, an MMP inhibitor, significantly reduced angiogenesis (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that MMPs are involved in modulating angiogenesis following ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the mechanism of crack generation and propagation in laser-welded joints of Mo 14Re alloy plates. The study utilized optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the microstructure and morphology of the crack area in the Mo 14Re laser-welded joint. Additionally, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was employed to characterize the elements at the crack defect, while electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was utilized to analyze the grain boundary and crystal orientation at the crack defect.The analysis of crack formation and propagation considered various factors, including grain boundary segregation, characteristics of grain boundaries and crystal orientation, and the Schmidt factor. The findings revealed that cracks formed in the weld area exhibited distinct characteristics of brittle fracture along the grain. Notably, these cracks displayed evident carbon and oxygen segregation attributed to the presence of a low melting point eutectic liquid film. The segregation, along with high-temperature compounds on the fracture surface, emerged as the primary factors contributing to crack formation.In the proximity of the crack, there exists a concentration of strain, inducing plastic deformation and thereby facilitating crack initiation. Cracks exhibit a tendency to originate along large-angle grain boundaries and deflect along these boundaries. Owing to the difference in atomic slip characteristics on both sides of the crack, the direction of crack propagation is more inclined to deflect towards grains with a smaller Schmidt factor. • The comprehensive mechanism of crack generation and propagation is proposed. • Grain boundary segregation plays a leading role in the generation of cracks. • Cracks always tend to propagate towards grains with small Schmidt factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloy ingot was prepared in a medium-frequency induction melting furnace. First, the hot extruded alloy was subjected to solution treatment at 840 °C for 60 min, after which cold drawing treatment was applied under different deformation conditions (0–70%). Finally, the cold-deformed alloy was subjected to aging at different temperatures (340–520 °C) and insulation times (0–480 min). The evolution of grain characteristics, micromorphology and mechanical properties during cold drawing deformation and aging were systematically studied. The results show that during cold drawing deformation, the grains in the solid solution Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloy gradually elongate along the drawing direction with increasing deformation, and the texture changes from a discrete distribution to a hard orientation. Cold drawing deformation promoted coarsening of the modulated structure and the transition of the D0 22 ordered phase. Dislocations and twins increased the occurrence of nucleation for the discontinuous precipitates and promoted the growth of the discontinuous precipitates, but cold deformation inhibited the transition of the D0 22 ordered phase to the L1 2 ordered phase. The hardness, tensile strength and elongation of the Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloy after 50% cold deformation were 109.2 HRB, 1258.3 MPa and 7.5%, respectively, after aging at 400 °C for 60 min. The main strengthening mechanisms of the peak-aged alloy were precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening. • We discussed the evolution rules of grain characteristics during cold drawing deformation and the distribution of the modulated structure, ordered phases and discontinuous precipitation and strengthening mechanisms of the Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloy during aging. • In the aging process, cold deformation promoted the coarsening of the modulated structure and ordered phases transition, and provided nucleation sites for discontinuous precipitation, cold deformation slightly increased the γ phase spacing and inhibited the transition from D0 22 to L1 2 ordered phase. • We revealed the regulation mechanism of improvement the strength after solution + cold deformation + aging process, and the microstructure influence mechanism of obtaining high tensile strength is clarified. Precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms to improve the yield strength of the alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater pollution in north China ir serious, which ir mostOy caused by complee factors. Aiming at the problems such as the unknown reasons lol' tee differences in the migration characteristica ol' typical characteristic pollutante in tee same medium and the unknown migration rules of complee pollutante in soil and groundwater thir paper selected a single sample and a mixed sample of typical characteristic pollutants in coking enterprises te cany out the static adsorption test. The results showed that the distinution coefficients of benzene seoes and aromatic hydrocarbon pollutante in soii - watar wero K4 benzene > K4 toluene > K4 ethylbenzene > K4 pyrene > K4 anthracene > K4 naphthene, and the distribution coefficients of ammonin nitrogen, phenols and cyanogen were K4 ammonig nitrogen > K4 phenols > K4 cyanogen. The overaH distribution coefficient of benzene sere's was highee tian that of PAHs, and it was easier to tobe adsorbed by silty loam. Different earbon and hydrogen mass and even electron disthXution of typical characteestic pollutants led to differences in the migration characteystice of benzene and aromatic pollutants. The more carbon and hydrogen there were, the more even the electron distrinution was, and the more difficue it was to migrate in the soii. Among tie same kind of pollutants, the migration of som plot pollutants was weakee than that el single pollutants. The research could provide tie parameter basis Sor establishing the solute transpot model of groundwater and the design basis foe developing the related risk control and pollution prevention strateaies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glycoprotein hormone α-subunit (CGA) is implicated in the occurrence and progression of a number of solid tumors. However, its role in breast cancer remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the biological functions and mechanisms of action of CGA in breast cancer. CGA protein expression was evaluated in clinical breast cancer specimens using immunohistochemistry. The association between CGA expression and patient prognosis was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method and Mantel-Cox test. At the same time, CGA mRNA and protein expression was explored in a normal mammary epithelial cell line and breast cancer cell lines. Breast cancer cell lines overexpressing or deficient in CGA were established, and the effect of CGA on cell proliferation was evaluated in vitro, and in vivo using a mouse xenograft tumor model. Intracellular signaling pathway activities were evaluated using western blotting in CGA-overexpressing or -depleted cells. Increased CGA protein expression was significantly associated with a poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. Furthermore, while CGA mRNA and protein expression level was negligible in normal mammary epithelial cells, it was elevated in breast cancer cell lines. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that CGA overexpression enhanced breast cancer cell proliferation via activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and serine/threonine kinase Akt signaling cascades. The present results suggest that CGA is upregulated in breast cancer tissues and that it is associated with a poor prognosis. CGA may serve as a candidate for developing targeted therapies for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) was constructed with CNTs, 0.02gMnO2/CNTs and 0.03gMnO2/CNTs modified graphite anode prepared by coating for enhancing copper wastewater treatment. The SEM, XRD and FTIR results showed that MnO2/CNTs and CNTs were successfully attached to the graphite electrode, indicating that the electrode was modified successfully. The surface wettability test showed that the decrease of the contact angle of the modified anode led to the increase of hydrophilicity, which was more conducive to microbial adhesion. The surface contact angle of CNTs modified electrode was the smallest, which was 11.17°. The maximum output voltage, power density and copper removal rate of 0.03gMnO2/CNTs modified anode MFC were 0.67 V, 1044.21 mW/m² and 98.93% respectively, which were 52.3%, 466.3% and 50.5% higher than those of unmodified anode. XPS results showed that the reduction products were Cu2O and Cu. Meanwhile, high throughput sequencing showed that CNTs and MnO2 could improve the richness and diversity of microbial community. MnO2/CNTs modified-anode accelerated the enrichment of electro-active bacteria such as Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and is characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), causing bradykinesia and rest tremors. Although the molecular mechanism of PD is still not fully understood, neuroinflammation has a key role in the damage of dopaminergic neurons. Herein, we found that kurarinone, a unique natural product from Sophora flavescens, alleviated the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)–induced behavioral deficits and dopaminergic neurotoxicity, including the losses of neurotransmitters and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)–positive cells (SN and striatum [STR]). Furthermore, kurarinone attenuated the MPTP-mediated neuroinflammation via suppressing the activation of microglia involved in the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway. The proteomics result of the solvent-induced protein precipitation and thermal proteome profiling suggest that the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme, which is associated with the neuroinflammation of PD, is a promising target of kurarinone. This is supported by the increase of plasma epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (sEH substrates) and the decrease of dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (sEH products), and the results of in vitro inhibition kinetics, surface plasmon resonance, and cocrystallization of kurarinone with sEH revealed that this natural compound is an uncompetitive inhibitor. In addition, sEH knockout (KO) attenuated the progression of PD, and sEH KO plus kurarinone did not further reduce the protection of PD in MPTP-induced PD mice. These findings suggest that kurarinone could be a potential natural candidate for the treatment of PD, possibly through sEH inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic illustration of the dual-modified material MgO-coated Na 0.67 (Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66) 0.9 Mg 0.05 Ti 0.05 O 2. [Display omitted] P 2-type materials are regarded as competitive cathodes for next generation sodium ion batteries. However, the unfavorable P 2 → O2 phase transition usually leads to severe capacity decay. Moreover, the cathode material always suffers from destruction of surface crystal structure caused by trace amount of HF. In this study, a dual-modification method containing Mg/Ti co-doping and MgO surface coating is designed to solve the defects of P 2-type Na 0.67 Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66 O 2 cathode. Results turn out that the P 2 structure can be stabilized via Mg/Ti co-substitution and MgO layer could effectively prevent the surface from corroding by HF and promote migration of Na+. Moreover, the as-prepared MgO-coated Na 0.67 Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66 Mg 0.1 O 2 exhibits improved electrochemical performance than the raw material. It delivers 111.6 mAh g−1 initial discharge capacity and maintains 90.6% at high current density of 100 mA g−1 within 2–4.5 V, which has been obviously enhanced than that of Na 0.67 Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66 O 2. The significant improvement can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Mg/Ti co-substitution and MgO surface coating. This dual-modification strategy based on the synergetic effect of Mg/Ti co-doping and MgO surface coating might be a resultful step forward to develop cathode materials for sodium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a variant of second order accurate in time backward differentiation formula schemes for the Cahn-Hilliard equation, with a Fourier collocation spectral approximation in space. A three-point stencil is applied in the temporal discretization, and the concave term diffusion term is treated explicitly. An additional Douglas-Dupont regularization term is introduced, which ensures the energy stability with a mild requirement. Various numerical simulations including the verification of accuracy, coarsening process and energy decay rate are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and the robustness of proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article concerns a Kirchhoff-type parabolic problem on a geodesic ball of hyperbolic space. Firstly, we obtain conditions for finite time blow-up, and for the existence of global solutions for J(u0) ≤ d, where J(u0) denotes the initial energy and d denotes the depth of the potential well. Secondly, we estimate the upper and lower bounds of the blow-up time. In addition, we derive the growth rate of the blow-up solution and the decay rate of the global solution. Thirdly, we establish a new finite time blow-up condition which is independent of d and prove that the solution can blow up in finite time with arbitrary high initial energy, by using this blow-up condition. Finally, we present some equivalent conditions for the solution existing globally or blowing up in finite time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is essential for productivity of alpine grassland ecosystems, which are sensitive to global warming. We tested the hypotheses that (1) mobilized 'calcium-bound inorganic P' (Ca-Pi) is a major source of plant-available P in alpine meadows with alkaline soils after long-term warming, (2) mobilization of Ca-Pi is linked to effective plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies under warming, and (3) the mobilization is also related to plant nitrogen (N)-acquisition. We conducted an 8-year warming experiment in an alpine meadow (4635 m above sea level) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A significant increase in P concentration in both aboveground and belowground biomass indicates an increased mobilization and assimilation of P by plants under warming. We observed a significant decrease in Ca-Pi, no change in moderately-labile organic P, and an increase in highly resistant organic P after warming. There was no increase in phosphatase activities. Our results indicate that Ca-Pi, rather than organic P was the major source of plant-available P for alpine meadows under warming. Higher leaf manganese concentrations of sedges and forbs after warming indicate that carboxylates released by these plants are a key mechanism of Ca-Pi mobilization. The insignificant increase in Rhizobiales after warming and the very small cover of legumes show a minor role of N-acquisition strategies in solubilizing phosphate. The insignificant change in relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria related to P cycling after warming shows a small contribution of microorganisms to Ca-Pi mobilization. The significant increase in leaf N and P concentrations and N:P ratio of grasses and no change in sedge leaf N:P ratio reflect distinct responses of plant nutrient status to warming due to differences in P-acquisition strategies. We highlight the important effects of belowground P-acquisition strategies, especially plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies on responses of plants to global changes in alpine meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the utilization rate of hot dry rock resources, it is necessary to recover the energy of geothermal tailwater and improve the net output work. An improved ammonia-water power cycle is proposed based on the Kalina cycle. Taking the geothermal parameters of the Husavik Power Plant in Iceland as the prototype (the water temperature of the geothermal well is 122 °C, and the tailwater temperature is 80 °C), the numerical simulation of the modified Kalina cycle is carried out by using Engineering Equation Solver software. The result shows that the net power output of the modified Kalina cycle increases by 10.5% compared to that of the Kalina cycle. In addition, the parametric study shows that the optimal ammonia concentration of the basic solution in the general area is 0.9. The lower the cooling water temperature is, the lower the turbine exhaust pressure and the higher the net power output. When the ammonia concentrations of the basic solution are 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9, the optimum pressures are 29 bar, 36 bar, 41 bar and 45 bar, respectively. The results of this study will contribute to the utilization of geothermal energy in hot dry rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional electric crawler tractor platforms are ineffective in parameter matching. The fluctuation of tractor implements during rotary tillage operation results in unstable tillage depth, which compromises operational quality. In order to improve tillage depth control by electric crawler tractors, this study proposed a parameter matching and tillage depth control method based on a prediction model for the rotary tillage operation of the tractor. Utilizing the electric tractor platform in the laboratory, regression models for the energy consumptions per unit area of rotary tillage and whole machine operations were created against the forward velocity, the blade roller speed, and the tillage depth. Tillage depth was predicted by establishing a tillage depth prediction model based on the matching of operational parameters. Finally, the feasibility of the control program and the accuracy of the model were validated through experiments. Results demonstrate that when the proposed method is not used, the tillage depth fluctuates greatly during the rotary tillage operation, with a maximum tillage depth reaching 4 cm. The tillage depth is greatly affected by the fluctuation of tractor implements, and the operational quality is drastically reduced. By using the proposed method, the maximum extremum of tillage depth data is only 2.6 cm, which immensely improves the stability of tillage depth. This study can serve as a reference for the research of tillage depth control for electric crawler tractors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of periodic and quasi-periodic Au nanoarrays with different morphologies have been fabricated by using electron beam lithography technique, and their optical properties have been examined experimentally and analyzed theoretically by scanning near-field optical microscope and finite element method, respectively. Results present that the localized surface plasmon resonance of the as-prepared Au nanoarrays exhibit the structure-depended characteristics. Comparing with the periodic nanoarrays, the quasi-periodic ones demonstrate stronger electric field enhancement, especially for Thue-Morse nanoarray. Meanwhile, the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid molecular labeled nanoarrays show that the quasi-periodic nanoarrays exhibit distinct SERS enhancement, for example, a higher enhancement factor of ~107 is obtained for the Thue-Morse nanoarray consisted of square pillars of 100nm size. Therefore, it is significant to optimally design and fabricate the chip-scale quasi-periodic nanoarrays with high localized electric field enhancement for SERS applications in biosensing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is themost common type of gastrointestinal malignant tumour. Colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD) - the most common type of CRC - is particularly dangerous. The role of the immune system in the development of tumour-associated inflammation and cancer has received increasing attention recently. Methods: In the present study, we compiled the expression profiles of 262 patientswith complete follow-up data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database as an experimental group and selected 65 samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset (of which 46 samples were with M0) as a verification group. First, we screened the immune T helper 17 (Th17) cells related to the prognosis of COAD. Subsequently, we identified Th17 cells-related hub genes by utilisingWeighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operation (LASSO) regression analysis. Six genes associated with the prognosis in patients with COAD were identified, including: KRT23, ULBP2, ASRGL1, SERPINA1, SCIN, and SLC28A2. We constructed a clinical prediction model and analysed its predictive power. Results: The identified hub genes are involved in developing many diseases and closely linked to digestive disorders. Our results suggested that the hub genes could influence the prognosis of COAD by regulating Th17 cells' infiltration. Conclusions: These newly discovered hub genes contribute to clarifying the mechanisms of COAD development and metastasis. Given that they promote COAD development, they may become new therapeutic targets and biomarkers of COAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine and midazolam in patients that are critically ill. Full text articles reporting the clinical effects and complications of dexmedetomidine and midazolam were retrieved from multiple databases. Review Manager 5.0 was adopted for meta-analysis, sensitivity and bias analysis. Finally, a total of 1,379 patients from 8 studies, which met the eligibility criteria, were included. The meta-analysis suggested that the length of stay at the intensive care unit [mean absolute difference (MD)=-1.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), -2.13, -1.48; P<0.00001; P-value for heterogeneity=0.41; I²=3%], time to extubation (MD=-2.18; 95% CI, -2.66, -1.69; P<0.00001; P-value for heterogeneity=0.84; I²=0%) and delirium (MD=0.46; 95% CI, 0.37, 0.57; P<0.00001; P-value for heterogeneity=0.65; I²=0%) was higher following midazolam treatment compared with dexmedetomidine, while bradycardia [odds ratio (OR)=5.03; 95% CI, 3.86, 6.57; P<0.00001; P-value for heterogeneity=0.13; I²=38%] was higher in dexmedetomidine treated patients compared with midazolam. However, no difference was observed in the incidence of hypotension (OR=0.88; 95% CI, 0.70, 1.10; P=0.26; P-value for heterogeneity=0.99; I²=0%) and mortality (OR=0.96; 95% CI, 0.74, 1.25; P=0.77; P-value for heterogeneity=0.99; I²=0%). Taking clinical effects and safety into account, the present study suggested dexmedetomidine to be the preferred option of anesthesia for patients that are critically ill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rare coexistence of disease or pathology. Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are 2 similar but distinct diseases. These diseases were difficult to distinguish from each other until aquaporin-4-IgG (AQP-4-IgG) was discovered. The accurate identification of these 2 diseases is crucial for appropriate drug treatment in clinical practice. Herein, we report a case of AQP-4-IgG seroconversion with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings suggestive of MS. Case Report: A 54-year-old woman developed weakness in her right lower extremity that gradually returned to normal 4 years ago. Recently, she was admitted to the hospital for numbness and weakness of both lower limbs and the right upper limb for more than 10 days. The clinical and MRI features of the patient suggested a high susceptibility for misdiagnosis of MS. However, careful observation of the MRI revealed the presence of atypical MS lesions ("red flag" signs), indicating the possibility of other diagnoses in this patient. After further examination, serum AQP-4-IgG was detected, suggesting the potential presence of another disorder, NMOSD, in the patient. Conclusions: Attention should be given to the identification of MS MRI "red flag" signs. Even for patients with a high suspicion of MS, it is necessary to conduct antibody tests for AQP-4-IgG, MOG-IgG and other relevant markers to screen for associated diseases because MS disease-modifying therapy approaches may lead to a deterioration in the state of NMOSD patients. Analyzing this case can help us to further distinguish the differences between these 2 types of diseases, which has important practical clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vertebrates, multiciliated cells (MCCs) are terminally differentiated cells that line the airway tracts, brain ventricles, and reproductive ducts. EachMCC contains dozens to hundreds of motile cilia that beat in a synchronized manner to drive fluid flow across epithelia, the dysfunction of which is associated with a group of human diseases referred to as motile ciliopathies, such as primary cilia dyskinesia. Given the dynamic and complex process of multiciliogenesis, the biological events essential for forming multiple motile cilia are comparatively unelucidated. Thanks to advancements in genetic tools, omics technologies, and structural biology, significant progress has been achieved in the past decade in understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of multiple motile cilia formation. In this review, we discuss recent studies with ex vivo culture MCC and animal models, summarize current knowledge of multiciliogenesis, and particularly highlight recent advances and their implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe and report a series of renal and adrenal anastomosing hemangioma (AH) and to investigate its distinctive clinicopathologic features and review its clinical data available in the literature.Materials and Methods: Clinical data of 10 AHs were retrospectively studied. Imaging and histologic features were re-evaluated and summarized. Immunostaining markers were performed include CD31, CD34, ERG, Fil-1, D2-40, AE1/AE3, SMA, CD10, HHV8, S100, Ki-67. A follow-up of all cases was performed. Other AHs published in PubMed and Web of Science were reviewed.Results: All of 10 AHs were found incidentally, containing 5 female and 5 male patients (median, 48.5 years; mean, 51.7 years) and involved unilateral kidney (n=7) and adrenal glands (n=3) respectively. All lesions were well-defined in Imaging and histologic examination. AHs were morphologically characterized by prominent anastomosing vascular channels without evidence of infiltration to surrounding normal tissues and significant cellular atypia. CD31, CD34, ERG were positive and Ki-67 showed typically low (?3%). All Patients underwent a mass resection and none of them had evidence of recurrence. Together with other cases published, the AHs showed distinctive clinicopathologic features with an excellent prognosis.Conclusion: Renal or adrenal AH is a very rare vascular tumor. They have distinctive histologic features and a favorable prognosis. Its frequently mimicking well-differentiated angiosarcomas easily result in unnecessary overtreatment in clinical practice. To be acquainted with this entity serves to avoid misdiagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective autophagy is a subcellular process whereby cytoplasmic materials are selectively sequestered into autophagosomes for subsequent delivery to the vacuole for degradation and recycling. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) NBR1 (next to BRCA1 gene 1 protein; AtNBR1) has been proposed to function as a selective autophagy receptor in plants, whereby AtNBR1 anchors the ubiquitinated targets to autophagosomes for degradation. However, the specific cargos of AtNBR1 remain elusive. We previously showed that Arabidopsis exocyst subunit EXO70 family protein E2 (AtExo70E2), a marker for exocyst-positive organelle (EXPO), colocalized with the autophagosome marker Arabidopsis autophagy-related protein8 (AtATG8) and was delivered to the vacuole for degradation upon autophagic induction. Here, through multiple analyses, we demonstrate that AtNBR1 is a selective receptor for AtExo70E2 during autophagy in Arabidopsis. First, two novel loss-of-function nbr1 CRISPR mutants (nbr1-c1 and nbr1-c2) showed an early-senescence phenotype under short-day growth conditions. Second, during autophagic induction, the vacuolar delivery of AtExo70E2 or EXPO was significantly reduced in nbr1 mutants compared to wild-type plants. Third, biochemical and recruitment assays demonstrated that AtNBR1 specifically interacted and recruited AtExo70E2 or its EXPO to AtATG8-positive autophagosomes in a ubiquitin-associated (UBA)-independent manner during autophagy. Taken together, our data indicate that AtNBR1 functions as a selective receptor in mediating vacuolar delivery of AtExo70E2 or EXPO in a UBA-independent manner in plant autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Didymocarpus lobulatus, a new species endemic to Zhejiang province, eastern China, is described and illustrated with photographs. The new species is morphologically similar to D. heucherifolius, D. cortusifolius and D. salviiflorus in leaf morphology, but can be easily distinguished by a combination of characters, including the shape of bracts, calyx and calyx lobes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects and relative mechanism of JMJD3 on knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: In this study, we first analyzed the expression of JMJD3 in OA cartilage using western blot and immunohistochemistry. In an in vitro study, the effects of GSK-J4, JMJD3 inhibitor, on ATDC-5 chondrocytes were evaluated by CCK-8 assay. Real-time PCR and western blot were used to examine the inhibitory effect of GSK-J4 on the inflammation and ECM degradation of chondrocytes. NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation were measured by western blot and immunofluorescence. In the animal study, twenty mice were randomized into four experimental groups: sham group, DMM-induced OA + DMSO group, OA + low-dose GSK-J4 group, and OA + high-dose GSK-J4 group. After the treatment, hematoxylin–eosin and safranin O/fast green staining were used to evaluate cartilage degradation of knee joint, with OARSI scores for quantitative assessment of cartilage damage. Results: Our results revealed that JMJD3 was overexpressed in OA cartilage and GSK-J4 could suppress the IL-1β-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and catabolic enzymes, including IL-6, IL-8, MMP-9 and ADAMTS-5. Consistent with these findings, GSK-J4 could inhibit IL-1β-induced degradation of collagen II and aggrecan. Mechanistically, GSK-J4 dramatically suppressed IL-1β-stimulated NF-κB signal pathway activation. In vivo, GSK-J4 prevented cartilage damage in mouse DMM-induced OA model. Conclusions: This study elucidates the important role of JMJD3 in cartilage degeneration in OA, and our results indicate that JDJM3 may become a novel therapeutic target in OA therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the large time behavior of solutions to the Neumann Problem of the porous medium equation. It is shown that the critical Fujita exponent is determined not only by the spatial dimension and the nonlinear exponent, but also by the coefficient k of the first-order term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhododendron micranthum is an evergreen shrub species widely distributed in China that has high ornamental and medicinal value. However, there is a lack of molecular and genomic data for this plant, which severely restricts the development of its relevant research. The objective of the present study was to conduct a first genomic survey of R. micranthum and determine its whole-genome sequencing scheme. Next-generation sequencing (Illumina Hi-Seq Xten) was used to measure the genome size of R. micranthum, K-mer analysis were employed to investigate its genomic profile. Finally, we conducted bioinformatics methods to performed SSR (simple sequence repeat) prediction based on the genomic data. The genome size of R. micranthum was estimated to be 554.22 Mb. The heterozygosity ratio was 0.93%, and the sequence repeat ratio was calculated to be 49.17%. The clean reads of R. micranthum were assembled into 2281551 scaffolds with a N50 value of 916 bp. A total of 479724 SSR molecular markers were identified in the R. micranthum genome, and 871656 pairs of primers designed for application. Among of them, 100 primer pairs were validated, and 71 primer pairs were successfully amplified. In summary, the R. micranthum genome is complex with high heterozygosity and low repeated sequences. In future whole-genome research in R. micranthum, higher-depth '2+3' (Illumina+PacBio) sequencing may yield better assembly results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In all animals, the intestinal epithelium forms a tight barrier to the environment. The epithelium regulates the absorption of nutrients, mounts immune responses, and prevents systemic infections. Here, we investigate the consequences of tumorigenesis on the microbiome using a Drosophila intestinal tumor model. We show that upon loss of BMP signaling, tumors lead to aberrant activation of JNK/Mmp2 signaling, followed by intestinal barrier dysfunction and commensal imbalance. In turn, the dysbiotic microbiome triggers a regenerative response and stimulates tumor growth. We find that inhibiting JNK signaling or depletion of the microbiome restores barrier function of the intestinal epithelium, leading to a reestablishment of host–microbe homeostasis, and organismic lifespan extension. Our experiments identify a JNK-dependent feedback amplification loop between intestinal tumors and the microbiome. They also highlight the importance of controlling the activity level of JNK signaling to maintain epithelial barrier function and host–microbe homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Postoperative lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (post-LMR) change (LMRc) reflects the dynamic change of balance between inflammatory reaction and immune reaction after curative operation. An elevated preoperative LMR (pre-LMR) has been shown to be a prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but the clinical value of the LMRc remains unknown. Methods. 674 patients in ESCC undergoing curative operation were enrolled in this study. LMRc (LMRc = pre ‐ LMR – post ‐ LMR) was counted on the basis of data within one week before and after operation. The median of LMRc was chosen to be the optimal cut-off value to evaluate the prognostic value of LMRc. Results. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that LMRc ≤ 1.59 was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) (P = 0.003) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.008). Multivariate analysis suggested that LMRc could serve as an independent prognostic predictor for both OS (P = 0.006 , HR = 0.687 , 95% CI 0.526-0.898) and DFS (P = 0.003 , HR = 0.640 , 95% CI 0.476-0.859). Conclusions. LMRc is a promising prognostic predictor for predicting the worse clinical outcome in patients with ESCC undergoing curative operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin can cause acute kidney injury (AKI), but the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. The objective of the present study was to examine the role of transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase-1 (TAK1) in the pathogenesis of cisplatin-induced AKI. Wild-type mice and proximal tubule TAK1-deficient mice were treated with vehicle or cisplatin. Compared with wild-type control mice, proximal tubule TAK1-deficient mice had less severe kidney dysfunction, tubular damage, and apoptosis after cisplatin–induced AKI. Furthermore, conditional disruption of TAK1 in proximal tubular epithelial cells reduced caspase-3 activation, proinflammatory molecule expression, and JNK phosphorylation in the kidney in cisplatin-induced AKI. Taken together, cisplatin activates TAK1-JNK signaling pathway to promote tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and inflammation in cisplatin-induced AKI. Targeting TAK1 could be a novel therapeutic strategy against cisplatin-induced AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Bacteriocins are regarded as important factors mediating microbial interactions, but their exact role in community ecology largely remains to be elucidated. Here, we report the characterization of a mutant strain, derived from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst), that was incapable of growing in plant extracts and causing disease. Results showed that deficiency in a previously unannotated gene saxE led to the sensitivity of the mutant to Ca2+ in leaf extracts. Transposon insertions in the bacteriocin gene syrM, adjacent to saxE, fully rescued the bacterial virulence and growth of the ΔsaxE mutant in plant extracts, indicating that syrM‐saxE encode a pair of bacteriocin immunity proteins in Pst. To investigate whether the syrM‐saxE system conferred any advantage to Pst in competition with other SyrM‐sensitive pathovars, we compared the growth of a SyrM‐sensitive strain co‐inoculated with Pst strains with or without the syrM gene and observed a significant syrM‐dependent growth reduction of the sensitive bacteria on plate and in lesion tissues upon desiccation–rehydration treatment. These findings reveal an important biological role of SyrM‐like bacteriocins and help to understand the complex strategies used by P. syringae in adaptation to the phyllosphere niche in the context of plant disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a class of pseudo-parabolic equation, which was studied extensively in recent years, and the main results on blow-up depend on the initial energy J(u0) (see (1.5)) and the mountain-pass level d (see (1.7)). By using eigenfunction, we give a new blow-up result which does not depend on J(u0) and d. Moreover, we obtain the energy functional J(u) (see (1.5)) decays exponentially. These results extend the previous studies on this equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the analysis on the cultivation advantages and development problems of traditional Chinese medicinal planting industry in Shiyan City, Hubei Province, some measures were proposed to enlarge and enhance the traditional Chinese medicinal planting industry, namely, large-stale, standardized, market-oriented and regionalized planting, thereby making it the pillar industry for farmers to increase income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a class of the commonest malignant carcinomas. The present study aimed to elucidate the potential biomarker and prognostic targets in PDAC. The array data of GSE41368, GSE43795, GSE55643, and GSE41369 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in PDAC were obtained by using GEO2R, and overlapped DEGs were acquired with Venn Diagrams. Functional enrichment analysis of overlapped DEGs and DEmiRNAs was conducted with Metascape and FunRich, respectively. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of overlapped DEGs was constructed by STRING and visualized with Cytoscape. Overall survival (OS) of DEmiRNAs and hub genes were investigated by Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter (KM plotter). Transcriptional data and correlation analyses among hub genes were verified through GEPIA and Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Additionally, miRNA targets were searched using miRTarBase, then miRNA-DEG regulatory network was visualized with Cytoscape. A total of 32 DEmiRNAs and 150 overlapped DEGs were identified, and Metascape showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in cellular chemical homeostasis and pathways in cancer, while DEmiRNAs were mainly enriched in signal transduction and Glypican pathway. Moreover, seven hub genes with a high degree, namely, V-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC), solute carrier family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1), PKM, plasminogen activator, urokinase (PLAU), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARG), MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (MET), and integrin subunit α 3 (ITGA3), were identified and found to be up-regulated between PDAC and normal tissues. miR-135b, miR-221, miR-21, miR-27a, miR-199b-5p, miR-143, miR-196a, miR-655, miR-455-3p, miR-744 and hub genes predicted poor OS of PDAC. An integrative bioinformatics analysis identified several hub genes that may serve as potential biomarkers or targets for early diagnosis and precision target treatment of PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, an elevated preoperative absolute monocyte count (Pre-AMC) is reported to be a predictor of survival, but the clinical application of postoperative absolute monocyte count change (AMCc) remains unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of AMCc in ESCC. 686 patients of ESCC after radical surgery without preoperative adjuvant therapy were enrolled. The Pre-AMC and AMCc were recorded within one week before the operation and one week after surgery. We considered the median of Pre-AMC as the optimal cut-off value to evaluate the relationship between Pre-AMC and patient survival. AMCc was defined as AMCc increased (higher than Pre-AMC) and AMCc decreased (lower than Pre-AMC). Demographic and clinical characteristics, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were statistically analyzed. Multivariate analysis revealed that AMCc was a better independent prognostic factor for both OS (P = 0.002, HR = 0.614, 95% CI 0.450-0.837) and DFS (P = 0.023, HR = 0.656, 95% CI 0.456-0.943) than Pre-AMC which was only an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.033, HR = 2.031, 95% CI 1.058-3.898). AMCc could be a better prognostic factor than Pre-AMC in patients with ESCC. AMCc decrease predicts worse OS and DFS in ESCC undergoing curative resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze a first order in time Fourier pseudospectral scheme for Swift-Hohenberg equation. One major challenge for the higher order diffusion non-linear systems is how to ensure the unconditional energy stability and we propose an efficient scheme for the equation based on the convex splitting of the energy. Theoretically, the energy stability of the scheme is proved. Moreover, following the derived aliasing error estimate, the convergence analysis in the discrete l2-norm for the proposed scheme is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A collocation Fourier scheme for Swift-Hohenberg equation based on the convex splitting idea is implemented. To ensure an efficient numerical computation, we propose a general framework with linear iteration algorithm to solve the non-linear coupled equations which arise with the semi-implicit scheme. Following the contraction mapping theorem, we present a detailed convergence analysis for the linear iteration algorithm. Various numerical simulations, including verification of accuracy, dissipative property of discrete energy and pattern formation, are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and the robustness of proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the energy transfer between Eu–Mn in Ba0.75Al11O17.25–BaMgAl10O17 solid solution, Ba0.75Al11O17.25–BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors were prepared by flux method. The crystal structure and the morphology of the solid solution were demonstrated by x-ray dirrfactometer and scanning electron microscopy. The photoluminescence mechanisms were explained by the energy transfer of Eu2+ to Mn2+ and the Dexter theory. A redshift of green emission peak and a decrease in decay time with the increase in Mn2+ concentration were observed. These phenomena are attributed to the formation of Mn2+ paired centers after analysis by a method of Pade approximations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare therapeutic efficacy between systemic chemotherapy (SC) alone and preoperative SC followed by radiofrequency ablation (SC+RFA) in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). Methods: This study identified a cohort of patients with CRLM after treatment between 2010 and 2016. Patients who received SC+RFA were compared with SC patients by propensity score matching. Overall survival (OS) and intrahepatic progression‐free survival (PFS) were compared using stratified log‐rank test. The outcomes after SC and SC+RFA were also assessed in patient subgroups. Results: This study identified 338 patients with CRLM who had underwent SC and had different response to chemotherapy, including non‐progressive disease (non‐PD) or progressive disease (PD). Of this cohort, 64 patients in SC+RFA group were matched by propensity score to 64 patients who received SC alone. Compared with SC cohort, the SC+RFA cohort yielded better OS (HR, 0.403; 95% CI, 0.271–0.601) and PFS (HR, 0.190; 95% CI, 0.113–0.320). The estimated OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 93.8%, 51.6% and 15.6% for SC+RFA group and 81.3%, 26.6% and 10.9% for SC group (p＜0.001). The cumulative PFS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 43.8 %, 14.1% and 3.1% for the SC+RFA group and 1.6%, 0 and 0% for SC group (p＜0.0001). In subgroup analysis, compared with patients with PD response, patients with non‐PD response could gain better PFS (HR, 0.207; 95% CI, 0.121–0.354) and OS (HR, 0.390; 95% CI, 0.246–0.617). Conclusions: RFA was associated with improved OS and intrahepatic PFS in CRLM patients with preoperative SC,especially in non‐PD response subgroup after SC. Advances in knowledge: The addition of RFA was advocated for CRLM patients with preoperative SC. This study will provide important reference and evidence to better perform the management of unresectable CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and recording of drilling conditions are crucial for ensuring drilling safety and efficiency. However, the traditional approach of relying on the subjective determination of drilling masters based on experience formulas is slow and not suitable for rapid drilling. In this paper, we propose a drilling condition classification method based on a neural network model. The model uses an improved Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) combined with an attention mechanism to accurately classify seven common drilling conditions simultaneously, achieving an average accuracy of 91.63%. The model also demonstrates excellent generalization ability, real-time performance, and accuracy, making it suitable for actual production. Additionally, the model has excellent expandability, which enhances its potential for further application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the association of renal surface nodularity (RSN) with the increased adverse vascular event (AVE) risk in patients with arterial hypertension. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients with arterial hypertension aged 18-60 years who underwent contrasted computed tomography (CT) of kidney from January 2012 to December 2020. The subjects were classified into AVE or not (non-AVE) matched with age (=5 years) and sex. Their CT images were analyzed using both qualitative (semiRSN) and quantitative RSN (qRSN) methods, respectively. Their clinical characteristics included age, sex, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, hypertension course, diabetes history, hyperlipidemia, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Results: Compared with non-AVE group (n = 91), AVE (n = 91) was at lower age, higher SBP, and fewer rate of diabetes and hyperlipidemia history (all P < .01). Rate of positive semiRSN was higher in AVE than non-AVE (49.45% vs 14.29%, P < .001). qRSN was larger in AVE than non-AVE [1.03 (0.85, 1.33) vs 0.86 (0.75,1.03), P < .001]. The increased AVE was associated with semiRSN (odds ratio = 7.04, P < .001) and qRSN (odds ratio = 5.09, P = .003), respectively. For distinguishing AVE from non-AVE, the area under receiver operating characteristic was bigger in the models combining the clinical characteristics with either semiRSN or qRSN than that of semiRSN or qRSN alone (P =.01). Conclusion: Among the patients with arterial hypertension aged 18-60 years, CT imaging-based RSN was associated with increased AVE risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of fatigue disrupts the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), potentially elevating the risk of life-threatening incidents and impairing daily performance. Previous studies mainly focused on physical fatigue (PF) and mental fatigue (MF) effects on the ANS, with limited knowledge concerning the influence of physical-mental fatigue (PMF) on ANS functionality. This study aimed to assess the immediate impact of PMF on ANS function and to compare its effects with those of PF and MF on ANS function. Thirty-six physically active college students (17 females) without burnout performed 60-min cycling exercises, AX-Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT), and cycling combined with AX-CPT to induce PF, MF, and PMF respectively. Subjective fatigue levels were measured using the Rating of Perceived Exertion scale and the Visual Analog Scale-Fatigue. Heart rate variability was measured before and after each protocol to assess cardiac autonomic function. The proposed tasks successfully induced PF, MF, and PMF, demonstrated by significant changes in subjective fatigue levels. Compared with baseline, PMF decreased the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) between normal heartbeats (P < 0.001, d = 0.50), the standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN) (P < 0.01, d = 0.33), and the normalized high-frequency (nHF) power (P < 0.001, d = 0.32) while increased the normalized low-frequency (nLF) power (P < 0.001, d = 0.35) and the nLF/nHF ratio (P < 0.001, d = 0.40). Compared with MF, PMF significantly decreased RMSSD (P < 0.001, η² = 0.431), SDNN (P < 0.001, η² = 0.327), nLF (P < 0.01, η² = 0.201), and nHF (P < 0.001, η² = 0.377) but not the nLF/nHF ratio. There were no significant differences in ΔHRV (i.e., ΔRMSSD, ΔSDNN, ΔnLF/nHF, ΔnLF, and ΔnHF), heart rate, and training impulse between PF- and PMF-inducing protocols. Cognitive performance (i.e., accuracy) in AX-CPT during the PMF-inducing protocol was significantly lower than that during the MF-inducing protocol (P < 0.001, η² = 0.101). PF and PMF increased sympathetic activity and decreased parasympathetic activity, while MF enhanced parasympathetic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More women are delaying child-birth. Thus, the diagnosis of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) will continue to increase. The aim of this study was to identify core candidate genes of PABC, and the relevance of the genes on the prognosis of PABC. GSE31192 and GSE53031 microarray profile datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and differentially expressed genes were analyzed using the R package and GEO2R tool. Then, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery. Moreover, the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and the Molecular Complex Detection Cytoscape software plug-in were utilized to visualize protein–protein interactions and to screen candidate genes. A total of 239 DEGs were identified in PABC, including 101 up-regulated genes mainly enriched in fatty acid activation and the fibroblast growth factor signaling pathway, while 138 down-regulated genes particularly involved in activation of DNA fragmentation factor and apoptosis-induced DNA fragmentation. Fourteen hub genes with a high degree of connectivity were selected, including CREB1, ARF3, UBA5, SIAH1, KLHL3, HECTD1, MMP9, TRIM69, MEX3C, ASB6, UBE2Q2, FBXO22, EIF4A3, and PXN. Overall survival (OS) analysis of core candidate genes was performed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis and UALCAN websites. High ASB6 expression was associated with worse OS of PABC patients. Molecular subtypes and menopause status were also associated with worse OS for PABC patients. In conclusion, ASB6 could be a potential predictor and therapeutic target in patient with PABC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]