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In this paper, experimental and numerical studies were conducted to differentiate solvent exsolution and liberation processes from different heavy oil–solvent systems in bulk phases and porous media. Experimentally, two series of constant-composition-expansion (CCE) tests in a PVT cell and differential fluid production (DFP) tests in a sandpacked model were performed and compared in the heavy oil–CO2, heavy oil–CH4, and heavy oil–C3H8 systems. The experimental results showed that the solvent exsolution from each heavy oil–solvent system in the porous media occurred at a higher pressure. The measured bubble-nucleation pressures (Pn) of the heavy oil–CO2 system, heavy oil–CH4 system, and heavy oil–C3H8 system in the porous media were 0.24 MPa, 0.90 MPa, and 0.02 MPa higher than those in the bulk phases, respectively. In addition, the nucleation of CH4 bubbles was found to be more instantaneous than that of CO2 or C3H8 bubbles. Numerically, a robust kinetic reaction model in the commercial CMG-STARS module was utilized to simulate the gas exsolution and liberation processes of the CCE and DFP tests. The respective reaction frequency factors for gas exsolution (rffe) and liberation (rffl) were obtained in the numerical simulations. Higher values of rffe were found for the tests in the porous media in comparison with those in the bulk phases, suggesting that the presence of the porous media facilitated the gas exsolution. The magnitudes of rffe for the three different heavy oil–solvent systems followed the order of CO2 > CH4 > C3H8 in the bulk phases and CH4 > CO2 > C3H8 in the porous media. Hence, CO2 was exsolved from the heavy oil most readily in the bulk phases, whereas CH4 was exsolved from the heavy oil most easily in the porous media. Among the three solvents, CH4 was also found most difficult to be liberated from the heavy oil in the DFP test with the lowest rffl of 0.00019 min−1. This study indicates that foamy-oil evolution processes in the heavy oil reservoirs are rather different from those observed from the bulk-phase tests, such as the PVT tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted an extensive investigation into broadband near-infrared luminescence of Cr3+-doped Ca3Y2Ge3O12 garnet, employing first-principles calculations within the density functional theory framework. Our initial focus involved determining the site occupancy of Cr3+ activator ions, which revealed a pronounced preference for the Y3+ sites over the Ca2+ and Ge4+ sites, as evidenced by the formation energy calculations. Subsequently, the geometric structures of the excited states 2E and 4T2, along with their optical transition energies relative to the ground state 4A2 in Ca3Y2Ge3O12:Cr3+, were successfully modeled using the ΔSCF method. Calculation convergence challenges were effectively addressed through the proposed fractional particle occupancy schemes. The constructed host-referred binding energy diagram provided a clear description of the luminescence kinetics process in the garnet, which explained the high quantum efficiency of emission. Furthermore, the accurate prediction of thermal excitation energy yielded insights into the thermal stability of the compound, as illustrated in the calculated configuration coordinate diagram. More importantly, all calculated data were consistently aligned with the experimental results. This research not only advances our understanding of the intricate interplay between geometric and electronic structures, optical properties, and thermal behavior in Cr3+-doped garnets but also lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs in the high-throughput design and optimization of luminescent performance and thermal stability in Cr3+-doped phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)‐induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality. Ferroptosis, a newly discovered form of oxidative cell death, is involved in the pathogenesis of renal I/R injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored. Here, we reported that site 1 protease (S1P) promotes ischemic kidney injury by regulating ferroptotic cell death of tubular epithelial cells. S1P abundance was measured in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐treated Boston University mouse proximal tubular (BUMPT) cells and I/R‐induced murine kidney tissue. S1P expression in BUMPT cells and kidneys was initially activated by hypoxic stimulation, accompanied by the ferroptotic response. Blocking S1P blunted H/R‐induced ferroptotic cell death, which also restored sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) activity in BUMPT cells. Next, inhibition of S1P expression restored I/R‐suppressed SIRT3 abundance, SOD2 activity and reduced the elevated level of mitochondria reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which attenuated tubular cell ferroptosis and renal I/R injury. In conclusion, S1P promoted renal tubular epithelial cell ferroptosis under I/R status by activating SIRT3‐SOD2‐mtROS signaling, thereby accelerating kidney injury. Thus, targeting S1P signaling may serve as a promising strategy for I/R kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In image reconstruction for fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), solving matrix equations of large scale can result in high computational costs. In this article, a method based on the wavelet-Schur decomposition is developed. In this method, the reconstruction problem for FMT is solved via the Schur decomposition in the wavelet domain. The proposed method can sufficiently explore the features of wavelet and Schur decomposition. The performance of convergence for reconstruction can be improved based on the proposed method. The results confirm that our method can improve the computational efficiency of reconstruction and achieve the high accuracy of reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programmed cell death protein‐1 (PD‐1)/programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) immune checkpoint blockade as a breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy has shown unprecedented positive outcomes in the clinic. However, the overall effectiveness of PD‐L1 antibody is less than expected. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that PD‐L1 is widely distributed and expressed not only on the cell membrane but also on the inside of the cells as well as on the extracellular vesicles secreted by tumour cells. Both endogenous and exogenous PD‐L1 play significant roles in influencing the therapeutic effect of anti‐tumour immunity. Herein, we mainly focused on the distribution and function of PD‐L1 and further summarized the potential targeted therapeutic strategies. More importantly, in addition to taking the overall expression abundance of PD‐L1 as a predictive indicator for selecting corresponding PD‐1/PD‐L1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we also proposed that personalized combination therapies based on the different distribution of PD‐L1 are worth attention to achieve more efficient and effective therapeutic outcomes in cancer patients. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Cancer Microenvironment and Pharmacological Interventions. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v181.2/issuetoc [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the linear combination operator method and variational technique improved by Tokuda, we obtain the expression of the effective mass of a strong coupled polaron in an anisotropic quantum dot. Due to the spin–orbit interaction, the effective mass of the polaron splits into two branches. The dependence of effective mass on temperature, electron–phonon coupling strength, transverse and longitudinal confinement lengths, and velocity is discussed by numerical calculation. The theoretical results indicate that the effective mass of the polaron is an increasing function of temperature and electron–phonon coupling strength, but a decreasing function of transverse confinement length, longitudinal confinement length, and velocity. The absolute value of spin splitting effective mass increases with the increase of temperature and spin–orbit coupling parameter, but decreases with the increase of transverse confinement length, longitudinal confinement length, and velocity. Due to the heavy hole characteristic, the spin splitting effective mass is negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A high frequency resolution digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) is proposed for wireless transceivers, in which the scheme adopts an optimized cascaded differential switched‐capacitor (SC) ladder and a low‐coupled eight‐shaped transformer. The frequency resolution is further improved by the low electromagnetic coupling effect between the primary and secondary coils of the on‐chip transformer, thus reducing quantization noise and phase noise. An eight‐shaped transformer designed using two coils cross‐connected each other is adopted to reduce the magnetic coupling and frequency pulling. The proposed DCO is implemented in a TSMC 180‐nm CMOS process, and a tuning range of 36.7% from 3.83 to 5.55 GHz with a frequency resolution of 17 kHz is achieved. The phase noise is −120.29 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the 3.83 GHz carrier frequency. The DCO consumes 9.26 mA from a 1.8 V supply, while the figure of merit with tuning range is −191 dBc/Hz. The chip size is 0.294 mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light availability for phytoplankton in shallow lakes is closely related to non‐algal light attenuation (KdNALA, the fractional light absorption by non‐algal substances, such as suspended sediments); thus, significant changes in global wind speed in recent decades may have a profound effect on light availability and algal blooms in shallow lakes. Herein, the eutrophic shallow Lake Taihu was selected to investigate the long‐term dynamics of light availability and its effect on algal blooms. The results showed that KdNALA decreased from approximately 3.5 to 2.5 m−1 with decreasing wind speed from 2005 to 2021, indicating the significantly increased light availability for phytoplankton despite surface photosynthetically active radiation exhibiting limited variability during the study period. In addition, both experimental (i.e., in situ nutrient enrichment experiments) and statistical approaches (i.e., deviations of Trophic State Index subindices) indicated that phytoplankton growth was primarily light‐limited during the study period in Lake Taihu. Consequently, considerable increases in fraction of observed and maximal chlorophyll a yield at given nitrogen or phosphorus concentration were observed and were mostly related to decreasing KdNALA, which implied that decreasing KdNALA allowed phytoplankton utilize "unused nutrient‐capacity" until the additional algal‐turbidity induce further light limitation or nutrient limitation. As the effect of changes in global wind speed on KdNALA and algal growth received limited attention in the existing research, we revealed an underappreciated mechanism by which global changes in wind speed significantly affects algal biomass by influencing light availability, which may have profound effects on future algal bloom mitigation efforts in shallow lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcription factors (TFs) play critical roles in specifying many aspects of neuronal cell fate including dendritic morphology. How TFs are accurately regulated during neuronal morphogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we show that LIM homeodomain protein MEC-3, the key TF for C. elegans PVD dendrite morphogenesis, is regulated by both alternative splicing and an E3 ubiquitin ligase. The mec-3 gene generates several transcripts by alternative splicing. We find that mbl-1, the orthologue of the muscular dystrophy disease gene muscleblind-like (MBNL), is required for PVD dendrite arbor formation. Our data suggest mbl-1 regulates the alternative splicing of mec-3 to produce its long isoform. Deleting the long isoform of mec-3(deExon2) causes reduction of dendrite complexity. Through a genetic modifier screen, we find that mutation in the E3 ubiquitin ligase EEL-1 suppresses mbl-1 phenotype. eel-1 mutants also suppress mec-3(deExon2) mutant but not the mec-3 null phenotype. Loss of EEL-1 alone leads to excessive dendrite branches. Together, these results indicate that MEC-3 is fine-tuned by alternative splicing and the ubiquitin system to produce the optimal level of dendrite branches. Author summary: Dendrite morphology is essential for the proper functioning of neurons. Abnormalities in dendrite structure are associated with different neurological disorders like autism, schizophrenia, and Rett's syndrome. Using forward genetic approaches, we identify two new factors, alternative splicing regulator MBL-1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase EEL-1, which participate in regulating PVD dendrite morphogenesis in C. elegans. MBL-1 regulates the alternative splicing of transcription factor MEC-3 to produce its long isoform. EEL-1 reduces the amount of MEC-3 protein to ensure its correct expression level. Our findings indicate that the combination of alternative splicing and ubiquitin ligase on the level of a transcription factor to regulate dendrite morphogenesis, which is unexpected and original. Both mbl-1 and eel-1 are genes associated with diseases, and the transcription factor MEC-3 may act as their target, which will provide insight into the mechanism of these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many non-traditional isotopes, such as chlorine, magnesium, calcium, etc., are widely used as groundwater tracers. A new sample processing protocol of purification and concentration for isotopic analysis is presented to overcome many of the major drawbacks of existing methods. Contemporary sample preparation often requires several laborious off-line procedures in a ultra clean laboratory prior to instrumental determination; additionally, interference ions in real samples are difficult to completely remove, especially when the concentration of those ions is equal to that of the target ions. The new protocol includes the following steps: (i) one-step purification using a newly developed isotopic preparative chromatograph (IPC) with a background suppressed mode to obtain extremely pure components that only have target ions and H2O; (ii) enrichment of the collected pure solution from the previous step using a newly developed ultra clean concentrator filled with high purity nitrogen; (iii) transforming the enriched target ion into suitable speciation inside the ultra clean concentrator; (iv) finally, sending the enriched solutions to a multi-collector inductively coupled-plasma mass-spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) or thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS). The present method was validated using certified reference materials and real samples for both chlorine and magnesium; the precision of chlorine ratio value was generally below 0.22‰ and that of Mg was below 0.12‰. This processing protocol provides a potential method for isotope sample preparation and analysis in a small number of geological samples with low concentrations of many other elements or compounds such as nitrate, sulfate, lithium, calcium, strontium, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT), delivered with ultrahigh dose rate (UHDR), may allow patients to be treated with less normal tissue toxicity for a given tumor dose compared with currently used conventional dose rate. Clinical trials are being carried out and are needed to test whether this improved therapeutic ratio can be achieved clinically. During the clinical trials, quality assurance and credentialing of equipment and participating sites, particularly pertaining to UHDR-specific aspects, will be crucial for the validity of the outcomes of such trials. This report represents an initial framework proposed by the NRG Oncology Center for Innovation in Radiation Oncology FLASH working group on quality assurance of potential UHDR clinical trials and reviews current technology gaps to overcome. An important but separate consideration is the appropriate design of trials to most effectively answer clinical and scientific questions about FLASH. This paper begins with an overview of UHDR RT delivery methods. UHDR beam delivery parameters are then covered, with a focus on electron and proton modalities. The definition and control of safe UHDR beam delivery and current and needed dosimetry technologies are reviewed and discussed. System and site credentialing for large, multi-institution trials are reviewed. Quality assurance is then discussed, and new requirements are presented for treatment system standard analysis, patient positioning, and treatment planning. The tables and figures in this paper are meant to serve as reference points as we move toward FLASH-RT clinical trial performance. Some major questions regarding FLASH-RT are discussed, and next steps in this field are proposed. FLASH-RT has potential but is associated with significant risks and complexities. We need to redefine optimization to focus not only on the dose but also on the dose rate in a manner that is robust and understandable and that can be prescribed, validated, and confirmed in real time. Robust patient safety systems and access to treatment data will be critical as FLASH-RT moves into the clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interleukin‐33 (IL‐33) exacerbates asthma probably through type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). Nevertheless, the association between eosinophilic asthma (EA) and ILC2s remains obscure, and the mechanisms by which IL‐33 affects ILC2s are yet to be clarified. Methods: ILC2s were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, induced sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from patients with EA. Confocal microscopy was performed to locate ILC2s in lung tissue and the mRNA expression of ILC2‐related genes was also evaluated in the EA model. The proliferation of ILC2s isolated from humans and mice was assessed following IL‐33 or anti‐IL‐33 stimulation. Results: The counts, activation, and mRNA expression of relevant genes in ILC2s were higher in PBMCs and airways of patients with EA. In addition, ILC2 cell counts correlated with Asthma control test, blood eosinophil count, Fractional exhaled nitric oxide level, and predicted eosinophilic airway inflammation. IL‐33 induced stronger proliferation of ILC2s and increased their density around blood vessels in the lungs of mice with EA. Moreover, IL‐33 treatment increased the counts and activation of ILC2s and lung inflammatory scores, whereas anti‐IL‐33 antibody significantly reversed these effects in EA mice. Finally, IL‐33 enhanced PI3K and AKT protein expression in ILC2s, whereas inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway decreased IL‐5 and IL‐13 production by ILC2s in EA. Conclusions: ILC2s, especially activated ILC2s, might be critical markers of EA. IL‐33 can induce and activate ILC2s in the lungs via the PI3K/AKT pathway in EA. Thus, using anti‐IL‐33 antibody could be a part of an effective treatment strategy for EA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conformality has been a key requirement in radiation therapy for cancer to minimize normal tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. Since 2014, there has been great interest in ultra‐high dose rate (UHDR), "FLASH," radiation therapy to enhance this therapeutic window. In multiple pre‐clinical studies, it was seen that normal tissue demonstrated less damage due to radiation of various modalities when the same dose was delivered at ultra‐high mean dose rates exceeding ∼40 Gy/s while tumor control remained indifferent to changes in dose rate. The scientific community has large‐scale interdisciplinary studies to investigate this potentially breakthrough technique to enhance treatment options for cancer. FLASH studies have been performed using a number of modalities and delivery techniques for many pre‐clinical models. There have been several studies reporting evidence of the FLASH effect as well as technological developments relating to UHDR studies. There is sustained interest and motivation for this topic as well as many questions that are yet to be answered. We provide a short overview to highlight some of the major work and challenges to advance research in FLASH radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charge and spin transports through a normal lead coupled to an s‐wave superconductor and Majorana fermions at the ends of the nanowire are investigated using the Green's function method. In the limit of the superconducting gap Δ→∞, the analytical expressions of charge conductance Gc and spin conductance Gsn^ are obtained at zero temperature. For different values of coupling constant x between the normal lead and s‐wave superconductor, the impacts of Majorana fermions coupling energy εm, temperature kT, and superconducting gap Δ on charge conductance Gc and spin conductance Gsz are discussed. As x increases, Gc changes from peak to valley and then to peak at bias eV=±εm. The conductance of peaks and valleys is equal to quantum conductance 2e2/h, which corresponds to Majorana fermions. Moreover, Gsz decreases as x increases. For kT>0, the charge (spin) conductance of peaks and valleys cannot reach 2e2/h(e/4π). These results can help probe and understand Majorana fermions in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyomavirus small T antigen (tAg) plays important roles in regulating viral replication, the innate immune response, apoptosis, and transformation for SV40, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), murine polyomavirus (MuPyV), and JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). However, the function of BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) tAg has been much less studied. Here, we constructed mutant viruses that do not express tAg, and we showed that, in contrast with other polyomaviruses, BKPyV tAg inhibits large T antigen (TAg) gene expression and viral DNA replication. However, this occurs only in an archetype viral background. We also observed that the transduction of cells with a lentivirusexpressing BKPyV tAg kills the cells. We further discovered that BKPyV tAg interacts not only with PP2A A and C subunits, as has been demonstrated for other polyomavirus tAg proteins, but also with PP2A B999 subunit members. Knocking down either of two B999 subunits, namely STRN or STRN3, mimics the phenotype of the tAg mutant virus. However, a virus containing a point mutation in the PP2A binding domain of tAg only partially affected virus TAg expression and DNA replication. These results indicate that BKPyV tAg downregulates viral gene expression and DNA replication and that this occurs in part through interactions with PP2A. IMPORTANCE BK polyomavirus is a virus that establishes a lifelong infection of the majority of people. The infection usually does not cause any clinical symptoms, but, in transplant recipients whose immune systems have been suppressed, unchecked virus replication can cause severe disease. In this study, we show that a viral protein called small T antigen is one of the ways that the virus can persist without high levels of replication. Understanding which factors control viral replication enhances our knowledge of the virus life cycle and could lead to potential interventions for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies recently acknowledged that the fungal community in the gut plays an important role in many inflammatory diseases of noninfectious origin. but the role of gut fungi in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) remains unknown. We performed a case-case–control study to compare the gut mycobiota of PE, pregnancy with chronic hypertension (PCH), and the normal group (Normal pregnancy group without any underlying disease) by internal transcribed spacer sequencing. In addition, LC/MS was used to explore the relationship between the fecal metabolites and gut mycobiota. Compared with the PCH and the normal group, α diversity (represented the species abundance in a single sample) of mycobiota were lower in the PE group, but there was no statistically significant difference among these three groups. However, Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis found 3 differentially abundant fungal taxa in PE group when compared with the normal group. The gut metabolites of PE patients were significantly different from PCH and the normal group. Choline metabolism molecule glycerophosphocholine was the most discriminant metabolite between PE and the normal group. Correlation analysis found that Candida spp.was positively correlated with glycerophosphocholine which increased in PE. We found that gut mycobiota changed in the third trimester of pregnant women with preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Search for single-molecule magnets with large magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) is of great interest, due to the promising potential of application in molecular spintronics devices. Here, we studied the electronic and magnetic properties of a series of transition metal dithiolenes TM(mnt)2, based on first-principles calculations. Although the original TM(mnt)2 molecules do not exhibit large MAE, they can be engineered by placing an additional TM adatom and large MAE can be achieved. The analysis based on the perturbation theory reveals the origin of the large MAE. Our work paves the way to engineer the MAE in single-molecule magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 8 (caspase-8) plays a key role in various biological processes by regulating apoptosis. Therefore, this makes accurate detection and intracellular imaging of caspase-8 of great importance for drug screening, disease diagnosis, and prognostication. Here, by designing a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) quenched peptide probe, we constructed a new biosensing system for monitoring in vitro and intracellular caspase-8 activity. In this system, a fluorophore-labeled peptide and rGO were used as the substrate of caspase-8 and the fluorophore quencher, respectively. The hydrolysis of caspase-8 on the polypeptide probe substrate can generate two fragments with different lengths. The release of the short fragment labeled with the fluorophore causes recovery of the fluorescence signal (Ex/Em = 520/576 nm). Under the optimized conditions, the proposed fluorescence method exhibited a linear response range of 0.2 to 5 U·mL−1 for caspase-8 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.2 U·mL−1 in vitro. Furthermore, this method has been successfully applied to monitoring the upregulation of intracellular caspase-8 activity caused by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and fluorouracil. Flow cytometry assay indicated the positive relation between the upregulation of intracellular caspase-8 activity and cell apoptosis rate. In summary, the above results demonstrated the practical application of this method for apoptosis-related cell imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a robust feedback feed-forward proportional-derivative type (PD-type) iterative learning control (ILC) scheme for a class of linear discrete systems with polytopic uncertainty over finite frequency ranges. First, the ILC process is transformed into an equivalent discrete linear repetitive process. Then, with the help of the generalized Kalman–Yakubovich–Popov lemma, the issue of a robust control law design algorithm in the process model is converted into the problem of solutions to the corresponding linear matrix inequality conditions. This procedure not only meets the robust performance specifications along the trial, but also guarantees the monotonic converge of the trial-to-trial error dynamics over finite frequency ranges. Finally, the simulations for a direct current servo motor system are adopted to show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. Compared with previously established works, the new algorithm is more effective in delivering higher performance and achieving better tracking effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the (quasi-)copulas with a given curvilinear section, and then establish the best-possible bounds on the set of quasi-copulas with a common curvilinear section. The lower bound is shown to be the best-possible lower bound as well for the set of copulas with the given curvilinear section. A sufficient and necessary condition guaranteeing the upper bound to be a copula is provided, and it is shown that when the upper bound is a copula, it is the best-possible upper bound for the set of copulas with the given curvilinear section. The best-possible upper bound on the set of copulas which have a common curvilinear section and are symmetrical with respect to the given curve is also provided. Some properties of the best-possible bound copulas with the given curvilinear section are also discussed, such as the statistical characteristic, the concordance order, the nonparametric measure of association and the tail dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effects of dietary protein levels and water temperatures on growth performance, body composition, serum biochemistry, and digestive gland antioxidant enzyme activities of juvenile hybrid abalones Haliotis discus hannai♀ × H. fulgens♂ (1.47 ± 0.03 g ; 20.73 ± 0.16 mm). A 3 × 6 factorial design feeding trial was conducted with three water temperatures (19°C, 23°C, and 27°C) and six protein levels (152.5, 202.5, 252.6, 302.6, 352.7, and 402.7 g/kg) for 90 days. Dietary protein levels and temperature significantly affected the growth performance of the hybrid abalones, but there was no interaction effect except for daily increment in shell length. Body moisture decreased with increasing water temperature, and crude protein showed a contrary tendency. Crude lipid and ash were not affected by dietary protein level or water temperature. The alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activities and the triglyceride content in serum increased with increasing water temperature, whereas the opposite was true for albumin activity and total protein and glucose contents. Total cholesterol contents decreased with increasing dietary protein levels. Dietary protein levels and water temperature did not affect contents of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P > 0.05). A significant interaction was observed between dietary protein levels and water temperature in all antioxidation parameters (reactive oxygen species, total antioxidant capacity, protein carbonyl, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione s-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase except for malondialdehyde content). Based on specific growth rate, the optimal dietary protein levels for juvenile hybrid abalones were 333.1, 318.6, and 306.3 g protein/kg diet at 19°C, 23°C, and 27°C, respectively. These findings will help to develop multidiet feeding strategies at different water temperatures throughout the culture period of juvenile hybrid abalones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is an important computer-aided diagnosis technique with rich pathological information. The factor of physical and physiological constraint seriously affects the applicability of that technique. Thus, computed tomography (CT)-based radiotherapy is more popular on account of its imaging rapidity and environmental simplicity. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to design a method that can construct an MR image from the corresponding CT image. In this paper, we treat MR imaging as a machine vision problem and propose a multi-conditional constraint generative adversarial network (GAN) for MR imaging from CT scan data. Considering reversibility of GAN, both generator and reverse generator are designed for MR and CT imaging, respectively, which can constrain each other and improve consistency between features of CT and MR images. In addition, we innovatively treat the real and generated MR image discrimination as object re-identification; cosine error fusing with original GAN loss is designed to enhance verisimilitude and textural features of the MR image. The experimental results with the challenging public CT-MR image dataset show distinct performance improvement over other GANs utilized in medical imaging and demonstrate the effect of our method for medical image modal transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comb‐like polymers with crystalline aliphatic side chains are synthesized and then applied as the supporting material of phase change material. First, poly(styrene‐co‐acrylic acid)n‐graft‐octadecylamine (P(S‐AA)n‐C18, wherein "n" denoted AA feed ratio) is prepared. The crystalline behaviors of the comb‐like polymer with different grafting densities are investigated. Then the paraffin@P(S‐AA)n‐C18 is obtained by packing paraffin into P(S‐AA)n‐C18. Attributed to the cocrystallization with paraffin, a form‐stable phase change material (FSPCM) with high content of paraffin (≥90 wt% paraffin in FSPCMs without obvious leakage) and enhanced thermal property is obtained. The melting and freezing enthalpies of FSPCMs reach 124.4 and 126.3 J/g, respectively, which are higher than that of pure paraffin. And good thermal cycling stability and good thermal stability of FSPCMs are also exhibited. The result offers an avenue for developing the high‐efficient thermal energy storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-sustained oscillations are ubiquitous and of fundamental importance for a variety of physical and biological systems including neural networks, cardiac dynamics, and circadian rhythms. In this work, oscillation quenching in diffusively coupled dynamical networks including "inertial" effects is analyzed. By adding inertia to diffusively coupled first-order oscillatory systems, we uncover that even small inertia is capable of eradicating the onset of oscillation quenching. We consolidate the generality of inertia in eradicating oscillation quenching by extensively examining diverse quenching scenarios, where macroscopic oscillations are extremely deteriorated and even completely lost in the corresponding models without inertia. The presence of inertia serves as an additional scheme to eradicate the onset of oscillation quenching, which does not need to tailor the coupling functions. Our findings imply that inertia of a system is an enabler against oscillation quenching in coupled dynamical networks, which, in turn, is helpful for understanding the emergence of rhythmic behaviors in complex coupled systems with amplitude degree of freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyomaviruses (PyV) are ubiquitous pathogens that can cause devastating human diseases. Due to the small size of their genomes, PyV utilize complex patterns of RNA splicing to maximize their coding capacity. Despite the importance of PyV to human disease, their transcriptome architecture is poorly characterized. Here, we compare short- and long-read RNA sequencing data from eight human and non-human PyV. We provide a detailed transcriptome atlas for BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), an important human pathogen, and the prototype PyV, simian virus 40 (SV40). We identify pervasive wraparound transcription in PyV, wherein transcription runs through the polyA site and circles the genome multiple times. Comparative analyses identify novel, conserved transcripts that increase PyV coding capacity. One of these conserved transcripts encodes superT, a T antigen containing two RB-binding LxCxE motifs. We find that superT-encoding transcripts are abundant in PyV-associated human cancers. Together, we show that comparative transcriptomic approaches can greatly expand known transcript and coding capacity in one of the simplest and most well-studied viral families. Author summary: Polyomaviruses (PyV) are small, double-stranded DNA viruses that cause devastating human diseases. Despite the clinical relevance of PyV, the full assortment of transcripts generated by PyV during infection is poorly characterized. We used long- and short-read RNA sequencing (RNAseq) approaches to greatly expand known transcript diversity of the human pathogen BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) and the prototype PyV simian virus 40 (SV40). Because PyV contain circular genomes, during transcription the host RNA polymerase can circle the genome multiple times in a process called wraparound transcription. We find that wraparound transcription is widely conserved across PyV and generates diverse early and late RNAs. We use short-read RNAseq from eight PyV to identify conserved but previously unannotated transcripts encoding novel gene products. One of these transcripts encodes superT, a T antigen that contains two RB-binding LxCxE motifs. We find that superT is expressed in PyV-associated human cancers. Together, this work expands our knowledge of PyV transcriptomes and identifies novel transcripts of potential relevance to human disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reveal that hydrogen sulphide (H2S) exerts neuroprotection against neurotoxin‐induced Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The present study was aimed to investigate whether H2S inhibits neuronal apoptosis of substantia nigra with the involvement of autophagy via promoting leptin signalling in 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA)‐induced PD rats. In this study, neuronal apoptosis was analysed by TUNEL staining, the activity of caspase‐3 was measured by Caspase‐3 fluorometric assay kit, the expressions of Bax, Bcl‐2, Beclin‐1, LC3II, P62 and leptin were determined by Western blot analysis, and the numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that NaHS, a donor of exogenous H2S, mitigates 6‐OHDA‐induced the increases in the numbers of TUNEL‐positive cells, the activity of caspase‐3 and the expression of Bax, and attenuates 6‐OHDA‐induced a decrease in the expression of Bcl‐2 in substantia nigra of rats. In addition, 6‐OHDA enhanced the expressions of Beclin‐1, LC3‐II and P62, increased the number of autophagosomes, and decreased the number of autolysosomes in the substantia nigra, which were also blocked by administration of NaHS. Furthermore, NaHS reversed 6‐OHDA‐induced the down‐regulation of leptin expression in the substantia nigra, and treatment with leptin‐OBR, a blocking antibody of leptin receptor, attenuated the inhibition of NaHS on neuronal apoptosis and the improvement of NaHS on the blocked autophagic flux in substantia nigra of 6‐OHDA‐treated rats. Taken together, these results demonstrated that H2S attenuates neuronal apoptosis of substantia nigra depending on restoring impaired autophagic flux through up‐regulating leptin signalling in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vaccination with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) e protein domain III (EDIII) elicits antibody response cross-reactive with Zika virus (ZIKV) EDIII. • JEV-EDIII-induced cross-reactive antibodies mediate neutralization of ZIKV infection in vitro. • Both passive transfer of JEV-EDIII-induced Abs and maternally acquired anti-JEV-EDIII Abs could significantly increase the survival of ZIKV-infected mice. • Adoptive transfer of JEV-EDIII-elicited CD8+ T cells significantly increase the survival of. ZIKV-infected mice. Zika virus (ZIKV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) are antigenically related flaviviruses that co-circulate in many countries/territories. The interaction between the two viruses needs to be determined. Recent findings by ourselves and other labs showed that JEV-elicited antibodies (Abs) and CD8+ T cells exacerbate and protect against subsequent ZIKV infection, respectively. However, the impact of JEV envelope (E) protein domain III (EDIII)-induced immune responses on ZIKV infection is unclear. We show here that sera from JEV-EDIII-vaccinated mice cross-react with ZIKV-EDIII in vitro, and transfer of the same sera to mice significantly decreases death upon lethal ZIKV infection at a dose-dependent manner. Maternally acquired anti-JEV-EDIII Abs also significantly reduce the mortality of neonatal mice born to JEV-EDIII-immune mothers post ZIKV challenge. Similarly, transfer of ZIKV-EDIII-reactive IgG purified from JEV-vaccinated humans increases the survival of ZIKV-infected mice. Notably, transfer of an extremely low volume of JEV-EDIII-immune sera or ZIKV-EDIII-reactive IgG does not mediate the Ab-mediated enhancement (ADE) of ZIKV infection. Similarly, transfer of JEV-EDIII-elicited CD8+ T cells protects recipient mice against ZIKV challenge. These results demonstrate that JEV-EDIII-induced immune components including Abs and T cells have protective roles in ZIKV infection, suggesting EDIII is a promising immunogen for developing effective and safety JEV vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (h -BN) nanomaterials have attracted numerous attentions for application in various fields, including environmental governance. Understanding the environmental implications of h -BN is a prerequisite for its safe and sustainable use; nevertheless, information on the negative effect of h -BN on aquatic organisms and the underlying toxicity mechanisms is scarce. The present study found that low exposure doses (0.1–1 μg/mL) of micron-sized h -BN lamella apparently suppressed (maximally 45.3%) the growth of Chlorella vulgaris (a freshwater alga) via membrane damages and metabolic reprogramming. Experimental and simulation results verified that h -BN can penetrate into and then extract phospholipids from the cell membrane of algae due to the strong hydrophobic interactions between h -BN nanosheets and lipids, resulting in membrane permeabilization and integrity reduction. Oxidative stress-triggered lipid peroxidation also contributes to membrane destruction of algae. Metabolomics assay demonstrated that h -BN down-regulated the CO 2 -fixation associated Calvin cycle and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways in algae, thereby inhibiting energy synthesis and antioxidation process. Despite releasing soluble B inside cells, the B species exhibited negligible toxicity. These findings highlight the phenomena and mechanisms of h -BN toxicity in photosynthetic algae, which have great implications for guiding their safe use under the scenarios of global carbon neutrality. [Display omitted] • Low doses (0.1–1 μg/mL) of h -BN nanosheets notably inhibited the growth of algae. • h -BN extracted membrane phospholipids of algae due to hydrophobic interactions. • Cell membrane permeabilization and integrity reduction were induced by h -BN. • h -BN inhibited CO 2 -fixation in algae, affecting energy synthesis and antioxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two trials were conducted to determine the optimal replacement level of rice bran meal (RBM) as a substitute for kelp meal (KM) in the diet of the hybrid abalone Haliotis discus hannai ♀ × H. fulgens ♂. This study also investigated whether betaine as an attractant supplementation could be used to facilitate RBM as a replacement for KM. In Trial 1, RBM was used to replace 25%, 50%, and 100% of the dietary KM (RBM25, RBM50, and RBM100, respectively) based on a diet containing 30% KM (Con). In Trial 2, RBM50 was the same as in Trial 1, and betaine was supplemented in RBM50 at 0.2% (B1), 0.4% (B2), and 0.8% (B3) in the diets. Abalone (weight approximately 4 g) were randomly assigned to four groups replicated in triplicate (60 abalone/replicate). The abalone were fed the experimental diets for 10 weeks. In Trial 1, compared to the Con group, no significant differences were observed in final weight (FW), final shell length (FSL), specific growth rate (SGR), or daily increment in shell length (DISL) at 25% KM replacement by RBM. However, 50% KM replacement significantly reduced the FW, FSL, SGR, and DISL compared to the Con group. There were no significant differences in the proximate composition of the soft body tissues of the abalone. In Trial 2, growth performance parameters of the hybrid abalone were significantly improved with increasing levels of betaine in the diets compared to those fed diet RBM50, reaching the maximum value in the B2 group. Consistent with the feed intake results, the hormone concentrations of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and orexins in the digestive gland and cerebral ganglia of abalone were significantly increased when the supplementation level of betaine in the diets was increased to 0.2%. However, no apparent impacts were observed on NPY or orexin concentrations among the B1, B2, and B3 groups. Finally, we suggest 0.4% betaine supplementation along with replacing 50% of the KM with RBM in the hybrid abalone diet. The optimal diet is a cost-effective alternative feed formulation that can reduce the dependence on KM for abalone production in China. This study also demonstrates the potential of betaine as a feed attractant in abalone aquaculture. • 25% kelp meal (KM) can be replaced by rice bran meal (RBM) without obvious adverse impacts on the growth performance of the hybrid abalone. • The addition of 0.4% betaine in diets increased the replacement level of KM by RBM to 50% without negatively affecting the growth performance of the hybrid abalone. • Development of such diets will significantly reduce feed cost and reliance on KM for abalone feed company in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influences of moisture content and freeze–thaw (FT) cycles on the compression behaviors of a compacted clay. Compacted specimens were first conditioned to different moisture contents (w) and then subjected to FT cycles. The treated specimens were either (i) directly used for constant water content (CW) compression tests or (ii) saturated and used for conventional consolidation tests to determine the compression curves under unsaturated and saturated conditions, respectively. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests were performed to track the evolution of the soil’s pore structure during moisture and FT conditionings. The compression indexes (including the recompression index Cr, preconsolidation pressure σvp or σ’vp, and compression index Cc of the specimens) derived from the experimental results demonstrate that (i) within the initial elastic compression range, the Cr is independent of moisture content changes but increases after FT conditioning. The variations of Cr are associated with the volume of soil’s large pores (el), which remains constant during moisture conditioning but increases after FT cycles; (ii) within the elastoplastic compression range, the σvp or σ’vp increases, while the Cc decreases as the moisture content decreases. However, the σvp, σ’vp, and Cc decrease after FT cycles. The σvp, σ’vp, and Cc are related to the volume of the soil’s medium pores (em), which decreases after moisture and FT conditionings. A few unique relationships are established to reveal the influences of pore structure changes on compression characteristics. The variations of the soil’s shrinkage curves under different external stress are also analyzed considering the effects of the changes in the pore structure. A model was proposed for the void ratio–moisture content–external stress relationships. This model was demonstrated useful for describing soils’ compression behaviors at different moisture contents and shrinkage characteristics under different external stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Substantial evidence has demonstrated that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are correlated with patient prognosis. The TIL-based immune score (IS) affects prognosis in various cancers, but its prognostic impact in gastric cancer (GC) patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy remains unclear. Methods. A total of 101 GC patients who received chemoradiotherapy after gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Immunohistochemistry staining for CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell counts in both tumor center (CT) and invasive margin (IM) regions was built into the IS. Patients were then divided into three groups based on their differential IS levels. The correlation between IS and clinical parameters was analyzed. The prognostic impact of IS and clinical parameters was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to compare the area under the curve (AUC) of IS with other clinical parameters. Nomograms for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) prediction were constructed based on the identified parameters. Results. Finally, 20 (19.8%), 57 (56.4%), and 24 (23.8%) GC patients were identified with low, intermediate, and high IS levels, respectively. GC patients with higher IS levels exhibited better DFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). IS was an independent prognostic factor for both DFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. IS presented a better predictive ability than the traditional pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) staging system (AUC: 0.801 vs. 0.677 and 0.800 vs. 0.660, respectively) with respect to both DFS and OS. The C-index of the nomograms for DFS and OS prediction was 0.737 and 0.774, respectively. Conclusions. IS is a strong predictive factor for both DFS and OS in GC patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which may complement the traditional pTNM staging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A variety of hematopoietic abnormalities are commonly seen in human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infected individuals despite antiviral therapy, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Nef plays an important role in HIV-1 induced T cell loss and disease progression, but it is not known whether Nef participates in other hematopoietic abnormalities associated with infection. Results: In the current study we investigated the influence of HIV-1LAI Nef (LAI Nef) on the development of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) into myeloid-erythroid lineage cells, and found that nef expression in HSPCs blocked their differentiation both in vitro and in humanized mice reconstituted with nef-expressing HSPCs. Conclusions: Our novel findings demonstrate LAI Nef compromised the development of myeloid-erythroid lineage cells, and therapeutics targeting Nef would be promising in correcting HIV-1 associated hematopoietic abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) binds acetylated lysine residues on the N-terminal tails of histones through two bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) to regulate gene transcription. Inhibiting one or both of bromodomains resulted in different phenotypes, suggesting BD1 and BD2 may have different functions. Here we report the characterisation of a natural product 3',4',7,8-tetrahydroxyflavone as a novel and potent selective BRD4 inhibitor. The compound is 100-fold more selective for BRD4-BD2 (IC50 = 204 nM) than BRD4-BD1 (IC50=17.9 µM). Co-crystal structures show 3',4',7,8-tetrahydroxyflavone binds to the acetylated lysine binding pocket of BRD4-BD1 or BRD4-BD2, but establishes more interactions with BRD4-BD2 than BRD4-BD1. Our data suggest 3',4',7,8-tetrahydroxyflavone as a potent selective inhibitor of BRD4-BD2 with a novel chemical scaffold. Given its distinct chemical structure from current BRD4 inhibitors, this compound may open the door for a novel class of anti-BRD4 inhibitors by serving as a lead compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parallel-coupled double circular mesoscopic Josephson junction devices connecting to two photon reservoirs are investigated, and the time-dependent photonic heat current formula is derived. The time-oscillating structures of heat current are contributed by the superposition of heat current branches with frequencies 0 , ± ω i , ± 2 ω i ( i = 1 , 2 ). The frequency ratio ω 2 / ω 1 of field-induced oscillation branches dominates the current evolution structure. The main oscillation wave package can be superposed by multiple resonant peaks as the two frequencies do not match entirely. As magnetic fluxes Φ i possess the relation Φ 2 = m Φ 1 , the dc photonic heat current versus Φ 1 exhibits maximum values with equal height located at Φ 1 = n Φ 0 , where m, n are integers, and Φ 0 is the flux quantum. The main peaks are split to form multi-peak structure, and the number of split resonant peaks in a period Φ 0 is equal to m. The detailed behavior is intimately ascribed to whether m being odd or even. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water retention curve (WRC) and resilient modulus (MR) of pavement materials are essential for performing hydro-mechanical analysis on pavement structures. This paper introduces one model to predict the WRC and one model to predict the MR-moisture content relationships for compacted natural and recycled unbound granular materials (UGMs), which are typical construction materials for pavements' base and sub-base layers. The WRC model requires UGMs' gradation information and only one WRC measurement (preferably at optimum moisture content) for prediction. The predicted WRC can be further used in the MR model, along with measured MR at saturated and optimum moisture content conditions, to predict the influence of moisture content on the MR of UGMs. Both models require limited experimental data to enable predictions and do not need parameter calibration procedures, and thus are simple to apply. Reliability of the two models was examined using experimental data of 20 UGMs, including 10 natural and 10 recycled UGMs. It is demonstrated that both models achieved reasonable predictions for all UGMs used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhythmic behavior represents one of the most striking and ubiquitous manifestations of functional evolution for a wide class of natural and man-made systems. The emergence of diverse (ar)rhythmic dynamics can be well understood by models of coupled dynamical networks, where the interplay between the intrinsic dynamics of a single unit and the coupling functions plays a critical role in shaping a vast repertoire of collective behaviors. Under certain circumstances, all the individual dynamical systems may cease their oscillations totally when coupled, which results in the emergence of oscillation quenching in coupled oscillatory systems. Macroscopic oscillations of coupled dynamical networks can also be gradually weakened and even completely quenched via aging transition. Oscillation reviving, an inverse process of quenching and aging, refers to the restoration of rhythmic activity of coupled dynamical networks from the phenomena of quenching and aging. The study on quenching, aging, and reviving of rhythmic behaviors in coupled dynamical networks has developed into an active and rapidly evolving area of research with a wide variety of applications, where tremendous progresses with vital insights have been witnessed in the last decade. In this review, we endeavour to provide an exhaustive overview on the most important aspects of quenching, aging, and reviving in coupled dynamical networks ranging from theories to experiments and applications. The prevailing knowledge is integrated and pulled together to make the relevant results and methods more generally accessible for researchers in distinct communities of science and technology. Relevant open issues and challenges that deserve of special attentions are highlighted for future study. The present review should stimulate deeper investigations on the collapse and revival of macroscopic rhythmic behaviors, which will enlighten our understanding on evading irreversible failures of coupled dynamical networks and even guide us to identify the precursors of critical transitions. Our work will foster further studies on the physical principles of collective rhythms that robustly emerge in nature and real life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many measurement applications using multicameras, there is often a nonoverlapping field of view (nFOV) between multicameras. It benefits greatly from having all of the cameras unified in a single coordinate frame by means of common spatial constraints. However, it is very difficult to establish common spatial constraints for accurate and quick calibration of the extrinsic parameters between multicameras in the case of long working distance, asymmetric working angle, or limited working space. To overcome these issues, we propose a flexible calibration method using a camera rig, which can be easily modeled as a hand–eye calibration problem and solved by only several sets of calibration images. To further improve the calibration accuracy, the camera intrinsic parameters, lens distortion coefficients, and extrinsic parameters are optimized simultaneously, similar to binocular calibration. However, this causes calculation instability of multiparameters. We extend the epipolar constraint to two images with an nFOV and add it into the optimization objective function together with the reprojection error, which ensures the basic consistency of intrinsic parameters before and after optimization, and reduce the fluctuation caused by the number of images involved in calibration. Experiments and application have proved that the proposed new methods are feasible and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the collective behaviors of a large population of Stuart–Landau limit-cycle oscillators that coupled diffusively and equally with all of the others via the conjugate of the mean field, where the underlying interaction is shown to break the rotational symmetry of the coupled system. In the model, an ensemble of Stuart–Landau oscillators are in fact diffusively coupled via the mean field in the real parts, whereas additional repulsive links are present in the imaginary parts. All the oscillators are linked via the similar state variables, which distinctly differs from the conjugate coupling through dissimilar variables in the previous studies. We show that depending on the strength of coupling and the distribution of natural frequencies, the coupled system exhibits three qualitatively different types of collective stationary behaviors: amplitude death (AD), oscillation death (OD), and incoherent state. Our goal is to analytically characterize the onset of the above three typical macrostates by performing the rigorous linear stability analyses of the corresponding mean-field coupled system. We prove that AD is able to occur in the coupled system with identical frequencies, where the stable coupling interval of AD is found to be independent on the system's size N. When the natural frequencies are distributed according to a general density function, we obtain the analytic equations that govern the exact stability boundaries of AD, OD, and the incoherence for a coupled system in the thermodynamic limit N → ∞. All the theoretical predictions are well confirmed via numerical simulations of the coupled system with a specific Lorentzian frequency distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ultra‐high dose rate (FLASH) radiotherapy has become a popular research topic with the potential to reduce normal tissue toxicities without losing the benefit of tumor control. The development of FLASH proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) delivery requires accurate dosimetry despite high beam currents with correspondingly high ionization densities in the monitoring chamber. In this study, we characterized a newly designed high‐resolution position sensing transmission ionization chamber with a purpose‐built multichannel electrometer for both conventional and FLASH dose rate proton radiotherapy. Methods: The dosimetry and positioning accuracies of the ion chamber were fully characterized with a clinical scanning beam. On the FLASH proton beamline, the cyclotron output current reached up to 350 nA with a maximum energy of 226.2 MeV, with 210 ± 3 nA nozzle pencil beam current. The ion recombination effect was characterized under various bias voltages up to 1000 V and different beam intensities. The charge collected by the transmission ion chamber was compared with the measurements from a Faraday cup. Results: Cross‐calibrated with an Advanced Markus chamber (PTW, Freiburg, Germany) in a uniform PBS proton beam field at clinical beam setting, the ion chamber calibration was 38.0 and 36.7 GyE·mm2/nC at 100 and 226.2 MeV, respectively. The ion recombination effect increased with larger cyclotron current at lower bias voltage while remaining ≤0.5 ± 0.5% with ≥200 V of bias voltage. Above 200 V, the normalized ion chamber readings demonstrated good linearity with the mass stopping power in air for both clinical and FLASH beam intensities. The spot positioning accuracy was measured to be 0.10 ± 0.08 mm in two orthogonal directions. Conclusion: We characterized a transmission ion chamber system under both conventional and FLASH beam current densities and demonstrated its suitability for use as a proton pencil beam dose and spot position delivery monitor under FLASH dose rate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Identification of predictors for overall survival (OS) allows timely detection of clinical efficacy signals and therefore facilitates treatment decisions. We assessed the association between circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) metrics and the primary end point of OS in a subset of previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer, who underwent atezolizumab or docetaxel treatment in the open-label randomized phase III OAK trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma from 94 patients at baseline and at subsequent cycles of therapy every 3 weeks was analyzed retrospectively for ctDNA. ctDNA was measured by allele frequency and mutant molecules per milliliter (MMPM). Concordance between various per-sample metrics and clinical outcome were assessed using C index. RESULTS: Of all the ctDNA metrics tested, the association of median MMPM at 6 weeks with OS in patients treated with atezolizumab or docetaxel had a C index > 0.7. The OS hazard ratios relative to high ctDNA above median MMPM within each arm were 0.28 (95% CI, 0.11 to 0.75) for atezolizumab and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.48) for docetaxel. For patients who had ctDNA median MMPM levels of < 4.79, the median survival time was more than 17 months in docetaxel-treated patients and the median survival time was not reached in the atezolizumab-treated patients. CONCLUSION: ctDNA MMPM levels measured at 6 weeks post-treatment are associated with OS in advanced non–small-cell lung cancer. Our results suggest that ctDNA has the potential for a noninvasive early liquid biopsy predictor for OS that warrants further studies to demonstrate its utility in clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Identification of predictors for overall survival (OS) allows timely detection of clinical efficacy signals and therefore facilitates treatment decisions. We assessed the association between circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) metrics and the primary end point of OS in a subset of previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer, who underwent atezolizumab or docetaxel treatment in the open-label randomized phase III OAK trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma from 94 patients at baseline and at subsequent cycles of therapy every 3 weeks was analyzed retrospectively for ctDNA. ctDNA was measured by allele frequency and mutant molecules per milliliter (MMPM). Concordance between various per-sample metrics and clinical outcome were assessed using C index. RESULTS: Of all the ctDNA metrics tested, the association of median MMPM at 6 weeks with OS in patients treated with atezolizumab or docetaxel had a C index > 0.7. The OS hazard ratios relative to high ctDNA above median MMPM within each arm were 0.28 (95% CI, 0.11 to 0.75) for atezolizumab and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.48) for docetaxel. For patients who had ctDNA median MMPM levels of < 4.79, the median survival time was more than 17 months in docetaxel-treated patients and the median survival time was not reached in the atezolizumab-treated patients. CONCLUSION: ctDNA MMPM levels measured at 6 weeks post-treatment are associated with OS in advanced non–small-cell lung cancer. Our results suggest that ctDNA has the potential for a noninvasive early liquid biopsy predictor for OS that warrants further studies to demonstrate its utility in clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene coatings generally cannot provide effective long-time protection for metal substrates. In this study, we developed a novel graphene coating that forms reciprocating carbon chains at the defects of graphene (FRCCDG). The FRCCDG coating deposited on Ni substrate exhibits excellent corrosion resistance over extended durations. Compared with conventional graphene coatings, FRCCDG coatings have lower defect density and higher crystallinity. They form a barrier at the defects of the graphene, thereby hindering the penetration of corrosive elements and improving the ability of graphene to inhibit corrosion. When exposed to air for a period of seven months, the degree of oxidation of FRCCDG-coated Ni foil is lower than that of uncoated substrate. This confirms that the FRCCDG coating has long-lasting corrosion and oxidation resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-stroke depression is a common complication of stroke, with a high incidence rate and low recognition rate. Many patients do not receive effective intervention at the onset, which affects subsequent treatment outcomes. Post-stroke depression not only impacts the patient's mental well-being but also increases the risk of stroke recurrence and poor prognosis. Therefore, it has become a significant public health concern. Acupuncture has gained significant popularity in the treatment of post-stroke depression. However, there are inconsistent clinical research results regarding its efficacy and safety. This systematic review aims to gather and critically assess all available evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke depression in patients. Methods: We will conduct thorough searches for relevant studies in multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wan-fang Data and China Biomedical Database). Our search scope will encompass studies published from the inception of each database until September 2023. To evaluate the potential bias in all the included studies, we will adhere to the guidelines offered in the Cochrane Handbook. The total effective rate will be the primary outcome. To conduct a systematic review, we will employ RevMan 5.4 software. Results: This study will obtain efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of post-stroke depression. Conclusions: The conclusions of this study will provide evidence-based perspectives that can guide clinical decision-making regarding the practicality and recommended timing of using acupuncture to treat post-stroke depression. Furthermore, this study will help advance the clinical application of acupuncture treatment for post-stroke depression and enhance its efficacy while ensuring patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing robust correspondences between two images is important for computer version tasks. However, in the real scene incorrect correspondences are inevitable no matter what kind of correspondence matching algorithms are adopted due to some complex factors, such as illumination, occlusion, and so on. To reduce the number of incorrect correspondences, an algorithm with the same object and same position constraints (SOSPC), is proposed to remove wrong correspondences from the given putative correspondences in this paper. The algorithm is based on the fact that in the given image pairs correct correspondences locate at the same position on the same objects. To select the correspondences on the same objects, an object matching method based on the correspondences selected by GMS is proposed. To select the correspondences on the correct positions, an iterative fundamental matrix estimation method based on clustering is presented. The experimental results have validated the effectiveness of the same object and the same position constraints, and the method achieves the state-of-art performance on five datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Overall survival (OS) is the most significant endpoint for evaluation of treatment benefit with checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) in cancer. We evaluated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) trials with atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1) as an early OS surrogate. Methods: Serum from patients enrolled in randomized Phase II (n = 240) and Phase III (n = 701) trials of NSCLC patients (POPLAR, OAK) who progressed on prior-platinum chemotherapy, were analyzed for CRP levels over time. Patients were grouped by changes in CRP levels post-treatment as either increased (≥ 1.5 fold), decreased (≤ 1.5 fold) or unchanged (within +1.5 fold) relative to pre-treatment levels to assess association with progression free survival (PFS) and OS. Results: Decrease in serum CRP levels at 6 weeks relative to pre-treatment were observed in patients with RECIST1.1 based complete or partial responses (CR/PR) to atezolizumab whereas patients with disease progression (PD) demonstrated an increase in CRP levels in the Phase II POPLAR study, and confirmed in the Phase III OAK study. Decrease in serum CRP as early as six weeks post treatment predicted improved PFS and OS, even in patients who were determined as stable disease (SD) in their first scan. This effect was not observed in the chemotherapy arms. Conclusion: Modulation of serum CRP correlates with clinical outcome post-atezolizumab treatment. This routine lab test may provide utility in informing OS signals as early as 6 weeks post-initiation of therapy with CPIs in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• FLASH proton PBS has strong potential to be implemented for patient treatment. • Clinical proton PBS delivery parameters were extrapolated to high cyclotron current. • It is challenging to achieve >40Gy/s FLASH dose rate for field size >4x4 cm2. • Scanning magnet slew and energy switching times appear to be the limiting factors. • Portion of the local dose can be delivered at FLASH dose rate. Proton Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) is an attractive solution to realize the advantageous normal tissue sparing elucidated from FLASH high dose rates. The mechanics of PBS spot delivery will impose limitations on the effective field dose rate for PBS. This study incorporates measurements from clinical and FLASH research beams on uniform single energy and the spread-out Bragg Peak PBS fields to extrapolate the PBS dose rate to high cyclotron beam currents 350, 500, and 800 nA. The impact of the effective field dose rate from cyclotron current, spot spacing, slew time and field size were studied. When scanning magnet slew time and energy switching time are not considered, single energy effective field FLASH dose rate (≥40 Gy/s) can only be achieved with less than 4 × 4 cm2 fields when the cyclotron output current is above 500 nA. Slew time and energy switching time remain the limiting factors for achieving high effective dose rate of the field. The dose rate-time structures were obtained. The amount of the total dose delivered at the FLASH dose rate in single energy layer and volumetric field was also studied. It is demonstrated that while it is difficult to achieve FLASH dose rate for a large field or in a volume, local FLASH delivery to certain percentage of the total dose is possible. With further understanding of the FLASH radiobiological mechanism, this study could provide guidance to adapt current clinical multi-field proton PBS delivery practice for FLASH proton radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kochiae Fructus (KF) is the fruit of an annual potherb Kochia scoparia (Linn.) Schrad and has been traditionally used for the treatment of diseases in the skin, eyes, and urinary tract for thousands of years in China. Recent studies have showed its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiallergic, and antipruritogenic effects to clarify the mechanisms of these actions. Meanwhile, its other effects, such as anticancer, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective effects, also have been reported. The achievement of these therapeutic effects is contributed by its chemical constituents. A total of 153 compounds have been identified in KF, mainly including triterpenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, and essential oils. Momordin Ic is the representative triterpene glycoside compound, which is used as a phytochemical marker for the quality control of Kochiae Fructus. The research on toxicity is insufficient, and only one article reported that the LD50 was 7.15 ± 0.03 g/kg for water extract of KF after oral administration in KM mice. In addition, the pharmacokinetic study was carried out on momordin Ic with linear pharmacokinetic characteristics. Above all, this review provides comprehensive information about Kochiae Fructus and may provide the theoretic foundation of its clinical application and further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium butyricum is an anaerobic bacterium that inhabits broad niches. Clostridium butyricum is known for its production of butyrate, 1,3-propanediol, and hydrogen. This study aimed to present a comparative pangenome analysis of 24 strains isolated from different niches. We sequenced and annotated the genome of C. butyricum 3-3 isolated from the Chinese baijiu ecosystem. The pangenome of C. butyricum was open. The core genome, accessory genome, and strain-specific genes comprised 1011, 4543, and 1473 genes, respectively. In the core genome, Carbohydrate metabolism was the largest category, and genes in the biosynthetic pathway of butyrate and glycerol metabolism were conserved (in the core or soft-core genome). Furthermore, the 1,3-propanediol operon existed in 20 strains. In the accessory genome, numerous mobile genetic elements belonging to the Replication, recombination, and repair (L) category were identified. In addition, genome islands were identified in all 24 strains, ranging from 2 (strain KNU-L09) to 53 (strain SU1), and phage sequences were found in 17 of the 24 strains. This study provides an important genomic framework that could pave the way for the exploration of C. butyricum and future studies on the genetic diversification of C. butyricum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]