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Abstract Background Nutritional status and inflammation are closely associated with poor outcome in malignant tumors. However, the prognostic impact of postoperative in these variables on breast cancer (BC) remains inconclusive. We aimed to determine whether prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) affect two long-term outcomes among patients after curative resection of BC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 508 patients with BC treated with curative surgery between February 5, 2013 and May 26, 2020. All patients were divided into 3 groups based on tertiles (T1-T3) of PNI, SII, NLR, and PLR. The effects of four indexes on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) have been evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan–Meier method. Results Compared with PNI-lowest cases, patients with highest PNI showed significantly longer DFS (multivariate adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.37, 95% confident interval [CI] 0.19–0.70, P for trend = 0.002), whereas higher PLR seemed to be marginally associated with poorer DFS (P for trend = 0.086 and 0.074, respectively). Subgroup analyses indicate the potential modification effects of family history of BC and radiotherapy on the prognosis value of PNI to DFS in BC patients (P for interaction = 0.004 and 0.025, respectively). In addition, the levels of three inflammatory indices, namely SII, NLR, and PLR might be positively related with increased age at diagnosis (all P for trend

On-demand shared mobility services such as Uber and microtransit are steadily penetrating the worldwide market for traditional dispatched taxi services. Hence, taxi companies are seeking ways to compete. This study mined large-scale mobility data from connected taxis to discover beneficial patterns that may inform strategies to improve dispatch taxi business. It is not practical to manually clean and filter large-scale mobility data that contains GPS information. Therefore, this research contributes and demonstrates an automated method of data cleaning and filtering that is suitable for such types of datasets. The cleaning method defines three filter variables and applies a layered statistical filtering technique to eliminate outlier records that do not contribute to distributions that match expected theoretical distributions of the variables. Chi-squared statistical tests evaluate the quality of the cleaned data by comparing the distribution of the three variables with their expected distributions. The overall cleaning method removed approximately 5% of the data, which consisted of errors that were obvious and others that were poor quality outliers. Subsequently, mining the cleaned data revealed that trip production in Dubai peaks for the case when only the same two drivers operate the same taxi. This finding would not have been possible without access to proprietary data that contains unique identifiers for both drivers and taxis. Datasets that identify individual drivers are not publicly available.

Difunctionalization of olefins is an ongoing and important focus of synthetic organic chemistry. Here the authors report a nickel-catalysed hydroalkylation of unactivated alkenes to obtain branched alkyl carboxylic acids or alkyl amines, using aminoquinoline and picolinamide as directing groups.

The main control room serves as a refuge for staff in a nuclear power plant in the event of an accident. To determine whether the control room can meet habitability requirements under accident conditions, this study utilized CFD methods to establish a habitability model of the main control room under such conditions. The changing trends of temperature and velocity near personnel were analyzed. The numerical results indicate that the building envelope significantly contributes to reducing the indoor temperature. The average wall temperature measured at 72 hours was 27 °C, with an average temperature increase of 4 °C. The highest average ambient temperature in the main control room occurred at 24 hours. At this time, the indoor ambient temperature reached approximately 34.62 °C, with a temperature increase of 11.62 °C, while the wind speed near the personnel remained below 0.2 m/s, meeting habitability requirements for personnel under extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the time-delay characteristics and nonlinear planing force of supercavitating vehicles in the process of motion, a parameter-dependent robust controller with anti-saturation compensator is proposed. First, the system model with nonlinear planing force is transformed into a parameter dependent linear-parameter-varying model containing time-delay part and non-time-delay part. Then consider the external disturbance input to design a robust controller and use convex polyhedron theory and the parameter dependence characteristics of controller to ensure the stability of the system with cavitation radius perturbation. Finally, the anti-saturation compensation method is used to overcome the input constraints caused by the physical limitations of the control mechanism. The simulation results show that the controller has good control effect and robust performance for supercavitating vehicles with time-delay characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of proton-induced trap evolution on the electrical performances of AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) high-electron-mobility-transistors (HEMTs) have been investigated in detail. Contrary to observed proton-induced degradation in sheet electron density (ns), carrier mobility (μn), and sheet resistance (RSH), a significant improvement in gate leakage current (IG) and off-state drain–source breakdown voltage (BVDS) is found in irradiated devices. The low-frequency noise (LFN) results show that the density of traps in the AlGaN layer and AlGaN/GaN interface increases after irradiation, which leads to a degradation in ns, μn, and RSH and an improvement in BVDS due to enhanced electron trapping and depletion. Furthermore, the measurement results obtained from the frequency-dependent conductance technique show that irradiated devices exhibit decreased trap density (DT) at the insulator/semiconductor interface with hardly changed trap energy level (ET), which confirms the observed proton-induced decrease in IG. An increase in DT at the AlGaN/GaN interface is also found after irradiation, which is consistent with LFN results. These traps with deeper ET induce a serious Coulomb scattering effect. This work provides valuable information for the systematic understanding of the proton irradiation effect of AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the pore structure characteristics of water sensitive sandstone reservoir, with the help of fractal theory, a good research idea and means are provided. By means of cast thin section, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and highpressure mercury injection experiment, taking the East first member reservoir of Nanpu oilfield as an example, combined with fractal theory, quantitatively evaluate the characteristics of reservoir micro pore structure and deeply analyze the changes of reservoir water sensitive pore structure, which is of great significance to the efficient development of water sensitive sandstone reservoir. The results show that the linear fitting shape of capillary pressure curve and wet phase saturation is consistent with the distribution frequency law of pore throat radius. The reservoir is divided into class I high-quality reservoir, class II good reservoir and class III poor reservoir; The higher the fractal dimension, the greater the difference of pore throat radius, the complex connectivity and the strong heterogeneity of pore throat; After water sensitivity, the fractal dimension of the reservoir increases obviously, but the increase range is different. The higher the permeability, the greater the increase range of the fractal dimension of the rock sample, the more obvious the decrease of the throat radius and the worse the connectivity. On the whole, the phenomenon of water sensitivity greatly aggravates the complexity of the pore structure. Therefore, we should focus on the prevention and treatment of the damage caused by water sensitivity to the reservoir. The research results provide a reference for the optimization of water injection scheme and EOR in the middle and later stage of similar reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flying capacitor multilevel inverters are increasingly used in industry applications. In order to improve the harmonic performance of the output voltage under low modulation index region, the paper presents a novel PWM method for flying capacitor multilevel inverters based on the idea of controlling freedom degree. The novel PWM method can balance the flying capacitor voltage in a certain period. The validity of the novel PWM method is demonstratedby the experimental results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Migration of neuronal precursor cells in the developing brain is guided by extracellular cues, but intracellular signaling processes underlying the guidance of neuronal migration are largely unknown. By examining the migration of cerebellar granule neurons along the surface of cocultured astroglial cells, we found that an extracellular gradient of Slit2, a chemorepellant for neuronal migration in vivo, caused a reversal in the direction of migration without affecting the migration speed. A Slit2 gradient elevated the intracellular concentration of Ca2+, probably due to calcium release from the internal store, led to a reversal of the preexisting asymmetric intracellular Ca2+ distribution in the soma of migrating neurons, and this reversal was closely related with its action of reversing the migrating direction. Asymmetric Ca2+ distribution in the soma was both necessary and sufficient for directing neuronal migration. These results have demonstrated an important role for Ca2+ in mediating neuronal responses to Slit2 and suggest a general mechanism for neuronal guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the arrival of the “5G” era and the digital economy era, the development of the city has permeated all aspects of the city, and with the emergence of “smart city”, it is likely to have “smart” everywhere in the future city. At the same time, “Future Smart Transportation” was proposed as a discussion topic at the “2019 (8th) International Smart City Summit and Smart Ecology Expo”. The research and development of the driverless bus stops will spur the driverless bus stops to take on the past with a brand-new look, welcome the future, and contribute to the sustainable development of the smart city. Taking the driverless bus station in Zhengdong New District as an example, this paper explores the sustainable development of a smart city through the creation of manned (open)-shared (transition space)-driverless (semi-enclosed space) space and the introduction of modular design approach. To connect people’s work, life and transportation, and derive a new public transportation environment based on manned bus stops, namely, intelligence, sustainability, environmental friendliness and safety, thus create a smart transportation pilot to embrace the bright future of sustainable smart cities.

CD9 is a member of the tetraspanin superfamily which is characterized by four transmembrane (TM) domains and associates with other surface molecules. This tetraspanin was recently found to be expressed on mature T cells. Here, we investigated which molecules associate with CD9 on T cells and which CD9 domains are required for the association. Immunoprecipitation of T cell lysates with anti-CD9 mAb followed by immunoblotting with mAb against various T cell molecules showed the association of CD9 with CD3, CD4, CD5, CD2, CD29 and CD44. Because association with CD5 was most prominent, we determined the role of CD9 TM or extracellular (EC) domains in the association with CD5. CD9 mutant genes lacking each domain were constructed and introduced into EL4 thymoma cells deficient in CD9 but expressing CD5. Among various types of stable EL4 transfectants, EL4 transfected with the mutant gene lacking TM domains (TM2/TM3) between two EC domains expressed a small amount of the relevant protein without showing association with CD5. CD9–CD5– monkey COS-7 cells transfected with this mutant gene and the CD5 gene expressed both transfected gene products, but the association of these was not detected. EL4 cells transfected with a CD9/CD81 chimera gene (the CD9 gene containing TM2/TM3 of CD81) expressed the chimeric protein on the cell surface and showed association with CD5. These results suggest an essential role of particular CD9 TM domains in the surface expression of the CD9 molecule as well as the association with CD5. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Determining the degree of synapse formation and elimination is essential for understanding the structural basis of brain plasticity and pathology. We show that in vivo imaging of dendritic spine dynamics through an open-skull glass window, but not a thinned-skull window, is associated with high spine turnover and substantial glial activation during the first month after surgery. These findings help to explain existing discrepancies in the degree of dendritic spine plasticity observed in the mature cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

erratum [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To study clinical reference value of retinal microvascular changes in patients with cerebral microbleeds(CMBs)and discuss its clinical significance. METHODS:From January 2012 to December 2013, 125 hospitalized patients were collected, including 81 cases were male, 44 cases were female, mean age 76.3±11.2 years old. For all patients, functions of liver and kidney, blood-lipoids, blood sugar and blood biochemical examination were tested, and fundus photography and cerebral MR was done. According to the fundus camera eyes, retinal arteriolar equivalent(RAE), retinal venular equivalent(RVE), retinal vein diameter ratio(AVR)and arteriovenous crossing sign(AVN)were identified, CMBs were classified with cerebral MRI. All the data were processed by SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: The central retinal arteriolar equivalent(CRAE), central retinal venular equivalent(CRVE)and AVR values in the eyes were found no statistical difference(PPCOCLUSION: The results show that retinal microvascular changes, especially small retinal vein arteriovenous cross width, and arteriovenous crossing phenomenon, in which CMBs will happen more likely. After sex, age, hypertension and hyperglycemia in patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors being ruled out, the retinal microvascular changes are still relatively factors of CMB's occurrence.

In view of problem of higher requirement for safety factor in shaft operation, a blocking function of leakage communication and shaft hoist signal was developed, which was used to realize blocking and unlocking operation for hoist signal by dotting of hand-held interphone of leakage communication in maintenance process of shaft. Implementing schemes through two ways namely reforms of hoist signal system and electrical and control system of hoist were introduced in details. The actual application shows that operation personnel of shaft can participate in hoist control directly and can block hoist signal when need not startup, which improves safety in shaft operation.

Plasma miRNAs have been reported as biomarkers for various diseases. In this study, we investigated whether plasma concentrations of miR-126 may be useful as biomarkers for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). We examined the function and mechanism of miR-126 in LSCC by using cell biology and molecular pathology techniques such as western blotting, quantitative PCR, IHC and IF. The expression of Camsap1 mRNA and protein is higher in cancer tissues compared to that in normal tissues. Both miR-126 and Camsap1 were related with the prognosis of LSCC patients. We found that miR-126 was able to inhibit LSCC partly by suppressing Camsap1 expression. In addition, Camsap1 expression induced microtubule formation and aggregation. This mechanism possibly explains why loss of miR-126 is frequently associated with tumor metastasis.

T cells that are intrathymically lineage committed are believed to maintain their CD4 or CD8 co-receptor expression. Here, we investigated whether intrathymic lineage commitment involves irreversible genetic modification or whether co-receptor expression can be reprogrammed depending on external stimuli. The CD4(+) T(h)1 clone 2D6 established from splenic T cells as an IL-12-dependent line survived in culture with IL-2, IL-7 or IL-15 alone. Surprisingly, CD8 expression occurred in 2D6 cells upon replacement of IL-12 with any one of the three cytokines that stimulate the common cytokine receptor gamma chain, yielding CD4(+)CD8(+) 2D6 cells. CD8 expression declined when IL-2 was replaced with IL-12 and CD8 induction was inhibited when IL-12 was included in IL-2 or IL-7 culture. Our observations show that even a lineage-committed mature T cell can be reprogrammed for co-receptor expression in response to particular external stimuli.