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Polymers are widely used in bearing applications. In the case of water-lubricated stern tube bearings, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based composites are used due to their excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and tunable mechanical properties. Their tribological performance, however, depends on operating conditions. In this work, TPU was blended with carbon fiber, graphene platelet, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Friction tests of TPU based-composites against copper countersurface were carried out in water to mimic the actual operating conditions of the bearing. Most of the resulting contacts were in the boundary lubrication regime, in which friction was attributed to both contact mechanics of asperities as well as water lubrication. Our results show that the viscoelasticity of TPU has a considerable impact on its tribological performance. Water lubrication at 50 °C promotes the softening of polymer surface material during sliding, resulting in higher fluctuation in the coefficient of friction and wear loss. This is attributed to the reduced thermomechanical properties. In addition, Schallamach waviness is observed on worn surface. The tribological properties of TPU are significantly improved by the inclusion of carbon fiber, graphene platelet, and UHMWPE. The formation of graphene transfer-layers and UHMWPE transfer film reduces friction and wear loss, while the inclusion of carbon fiber enhances wear resistance due to improved mechanical properties and load bearing capacity.

• A flexible multilayered piezoresistive sensor based on cMOF/LDH is fabricated. • The sensor has a dendritic nanostructure and a compressible internal structure. • The piezoresistive sensor exhibits high sensitivity and a broad detection range. • Wearable sensors can be used for human motion monitoring and sound detection. • The sensor is demonstrated to detect the concentration of NH 3 and sunlight intensity. Highly sensitive sensors with extensive applications are extremely desired in the next-generation wearable electronics for human motion monitoring, human-machine interface and intelligent robotics, while single-functional pressure sensors cannot fulfill the growing demands of modern technological advances. Herein, an all-fabric and multilayered piezoresistive sensor based on conductive metal-organic framework/layered double hydroxide (cMOF/LDH) hetero-nanoforest is demonstrated to achieve multiple applications including pulse detection, joint motion detection, sound detection and information transmission. Benefiting from the synergism of cMOF/LDH hetero-nanoforest and multilayered structure, the sensor exhibits a high sensitivity (1.61 × 109 kPa−1) over a broad pressure range (0–100 kPa), a fast response/recovery time (71 ms/71 ms) and a low detection limit (18 Pa), as well as reliable dynamic stability (8000 cycles). It is gratifying to note that the introduction of cMOFs endows the sensor with the potential to detect the concentration of NH 3 (1–100 ppm) and sunlight intensity (10–100 mW cm−2). This work shows great potential in multifunctional sensing, which enlightens a strategy for advancing the development process of highly sensitive intelligent wearable devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A human-like following vehicle (FV) model for lane-changing scenario was developed. First, the non-linear relationship between FV responses and relative speed was integrated. Normalized transformation was performed to better investigate the correlation characteristics between variables. Second, environmental factors and kinematic parameters were characterized using a hierarchical linear model. Next, vehicle control modes were incorporated. Finally, a human-like response model (HRM) for the FV was proposed and tested. It is found that the brake intensity of the FV is affected by lane-changing direction, but it is not affected by turn-signal usage or traffic density. Turn-signal usage and traffic density are related to kinematic parameters. Lane-changers use their turn signal more when relative velocity is negative or when traffic density is high. Therefore, turn-signal usage and traffic density will become redundant variables when kinematic parameters are considered. Driving data verification shows that the HRM can match both non-critical and critical lane-changing cases and can simulate the no reaction behavior of the FV in lane-changing, which can help to improve the human-like driving ability of intelligent vehicles.

Dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) expressing SUR1/Kir6.2 type ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K-ATP) are more vulnerable to rotenone or metabolic stress, which may be an important reason for the selective degeneration of neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Baicalein has shown neuroprotective effects in PD animal models. In this study, we investigated the effect of baicalein on K-ATP channels and the underlying mechanisms in rotenone-induced apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells. K-ATP currents were recorded from SH-SY5Y cells using whole-cell voltage-clamp recording. Drugs dissolved in the external solution at the final concentration were directly pipetted onto the cells. We showed that rotenone and baicalein opened K-ATP channels and increased the current amplitudes with EC50values of 0.438 μM and 6.159 μM, respectively. K-ATP channel blockers glibenclamide (50 μM) or 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD, 250 μM) attenuated the protective effects of baicalein in reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels in rotenone-injured SH-SY5Y cells, suggesting that baicalein protected against the apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells by regulating the effect of rotenone on opening K-ATP channels. Administration of baicalein (150, 300 mg·kg−1·d−1, i.g.) significantly inhibited rotenone-induced overexpression of SUR1 in SN and striatum of rats. We conducted surface plasmon resonance assay and molecular docking, and found that baicalein had a higher affinity with SUR1 protein (KD= 10.39 μM) than glibenclamide (KD= 24.32 μM), thus reducing the sensitivity of K-ATP channels to rotenone. Knockdown of SUR1 subunit reduced rotenone-induced apoptosis and damage of SH-SY5Y cells, confirming that SUR1 was an important target for slowing dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in PD. Taken together, we demonstrate for the first time that baicalein attenuates rotenone-induced SH-SY5Y cell apoptosis through binding to SUR1 and activating K-ATP channels.

Microcystin-degrading bacteria first degrade microcystins by microcystinase A (MlrA) to cleave the cyclic structure of microcystins at the Adda-Arg site of microcystin-LR, microcystin-RR, and microcystin-YR, but the cleavage of the other microcystins was not clear. In our study, the microcystin-degrading bacterium Sphingopyxissp. C-1 as wild type and that of mlrA-disrupting mutant, Sphingopyxissp. CMS01 were used for microcystins biodegradation. The results showed MlrA degraded microcystin-LA, microcystin-LW, microcystin-LY, microcystin-LF, and nodularin. MlrA could cleave the Adda-L-amino acid site.

Reliable motion prediction of surrounding vehicles is the key to safe and efficient driving of autonomous vehicles, especially at urban intersections with complex traffic environments. This study models driving intentions and future driving speeds at urban intersections and improves model prediction performance by considering traffic environment characteristics. Key feature parameters including environmental characteristics are first extracted through driving behavior analysis and existing research experience. Then models with different input combinations are constructed to explore the effectiveness of different factors in predicting driving intention and future speed. In particular, in vehicle speed modeling, a target detection algorithm is used to identify traffic participants. Based on the identified traffic participant and vehicle position information, a new method for speed prediction that can reflect the dynamic interaction characteristics between the driver and the traffic environment is proposed. Models are trained and tested using natural driving data from China. Finally, the models with the simplest input and the best effect are determined. The driving intention recognition model can accurately predict the driving maneuvers of straight-ahead, stopping, turning left and right 4 seconds before reaching the intersection. The speed prediction model can significantly improve the speed prediction accuracy, and shows stronger robustness and adaptability than existing models. This research provides important technical support for developing intelligent driving systems suitable for complex urban traffic environments.

ABSTRACT Compressive strength is a major and significant mechanical property of concrete which is considered as one of the important parameters in many design codes and standards. Early and accurate [...]

Compared with the standard extraction interface circuit (SEH), the harvested energy and harvested power of synchronized switching harvesting interface circuits (SSHI) and synchronous charge extraction interface circuit (SECE) cannot improve more effectively. This article proposes a bias-voltage-SSHI interface circuit (BV-SSHI), consisting of a single peak voltage detection switch and a rectifier, to solve this problem. The proposed BV-SSHI improves the output voltage by biasing the voltage of the piezoelectric energy harvester and obtains similar harvested power as SSHI. Simulation results show that the BV-SSHI can obtain more harvested energy and harvested power than SEH under weak, medium, and strong coupling systems. Results show that the higher harvester's voltage and the larger phase difference cause the electrical restoring force (χV) to significantly weaken the vibration displacement, especially under strong coupling systems. Thus, the gain effect of the SSHI and SECE is weakened. The experimental results of the medium coupling systems show that the BV-SSHI can obtain 247.2% harvested energy and 121.2% maximum harvested power compared with SEH. The BV-SSHI can achieve at least 142.4% harvested energy and 100.3% maximum harvested power compared with what SSHI and SECE can achieve.

We propose a high-performance yet low-complexity hierarchical frequency synchronization scheme for orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) aided distributed massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems, where multiple carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) have to be estimated in the uplink. To solve this multi-CFO estimation problem efficiently, we classify the active antenna units (AAUs) as the master and the slaves. Then, we split the scheme into two stages. During the first stage the distributed slave AAUs are synchronized with the master AAU, while the user equipment (UE) is synchronized with the closest slave AAU during the second stage. The mean square error (MSE) performance of our scheme is better than that of the representative state-of-the-art baseline schemes, while its computational complexity is substantially lower.

Moisture content in oil detection technology such as offline method and online monitoring method has several shortcomings. In this article, the Tyndall effect of moisture content in transformer oil was excited by a laser with a wavelength of 633 nm, and the relationship between Tyndall effect and moisture content in transformer oil was investigated. The relationship between the grayscale of laser beam column and particles in oil and the relationship between the grayscale of laser beam column and temperature are also investigated. It was found that withstand voltage of the oil was negatively correlated with the gray pixel statistics of the light column, while the micro water content was positively correlated with the pixel statistics of the light column. The attenuation of the light column is only related to particle size. When the micro water content is below 10 ppm, the light column will have a significant brightening process with the increase in temperature, but it will gradually slow down above 10 ppm. The statistical value of gray pixels and the proportion of gray intervals can be used for moisture content determination. This method provides a new direction for the insulation performance detection technology of transformer oil.

This study conducted a comprehensive investigation into concrete creep. First, the creep mechanisms and parameters of high-strength lightweight concrete (HSLC) were introduced. Then, creep characteristics of high-strength concrete (HSC) and lightweight concrete (LWC) were analyzed and reviewed. It has been shown that HSC can improve creep resistance by making the cement matrix dense through incorporation of admixtures such as silica fume or changing the curing conditions. In addition, the porous characteristics of the lightweight material weakened the stiffness of the LWC and negatively affected the creep properties. It is unclear whether HSLC can be applied to the existing creep model because high-strength and lightweight characteristics show conflicts of creep properties. In this study, creep experiments were performed to evaluate the suitability with the creep models using three HSLC mixtures. Among them, the Comité Euro-International Du Béton and Fédération Internationale de la Précontrainte (CEB-FIP) creep model is not only applicable to HSC, but also has the oven-dried density as a parameter, so it was found to be the most suitable model for HSLC. Furthermore, HSLC showed a comparable creep coefficient with conventional normal-weight HSC, which has similar compressive strength despite securing lightness and showed excellent creep resistance. It is expected that HSLC may provide a new approach and solution in the construction industry and improve its feasibility.

The fuel cell hybrid powertrain is a potential power supply system for fuel cell vehicles. The underlying problem is that the fuel cell vehicles encounter exhaustive hydrogen consumption. To effectively manage hydrogen consumption, the aim is to propose fuel cell city bus power and control system. The underlying idea is to determine the target power of fuel cell through simulation study on fuel cell and battery energy management strategy and road test verifications. A half-power prediction energy management strategy is implemented to predict the target power of the fuel cell in the current time step based on the demand power of the vehicle and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery in the previous time steps. This offers better understanding of the correlation between fuel cell power and vehicle drive cycle for enabling effective power supply management. The research results show that the half-power prediction energy management strategy effectively reduces the hydrogen consumption of the vehicle by 7.1% and the number of battery cycle by 6.0%, compared to the stepped management strategy of battery SOC. When applied to a 12-m fuel cell city bus—F12, specially designed and manufactured for the Winter Olympic Games in 2022—the fuel economy of 3.7 kg/100 km is achieved in urban road conditions. This study lays a foundation for providing the powertrain configuration and energy management strategy of fuel cell city bus.

Four interfacial models, including the PBT-Al&P (Plane), PBT-Al&V (V-slot), PBT-ATD-Al&P (Plane), and PBT-ATD-Al&V (V-slot), were constructed. The molecular dynamics (MD) method was launched to study the interfacial interactions and bonding behaviors between heterogeneous interfaces in nano-injection molding. The influence mechanism of the 2-amino-1,3,5-triazine-4,6-dithiol (ATD) coating on adhesion properties of the PBT–Al interface was mainly explored. Results indicated that the nano-V-slot interface system exhibited a double-wall-slipping phenomenon, unlike the non-nano-interface (macroscale molding) one. In nano-V-slot interfacial models, although the ATD coating reduced the double-wall-slipping velocity, it also increased the polar bonding, thus strengthened a better anchoring connection in the PBT–ATD–Al interface. The addition of the ATD layer did not cause chemical bonding of the original PBT materials; the interlocking effect behavior occurred between them and only coexisted in the form of physical anchors. Whatever model it was, the ATD layer interface had significantly higher interface energy than the other one, which was formed solely by PBT and Al substrate. In nano-injection molding, when the ATD intermediate layer was added, the bonding behavior of the PBT–Al interface also changed from simple nonbonded rigid anchoring to the entanglement anchor between the PBT–ATD macrochains and the nonbonding connections between ATD-Al interfaces.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by memory loss and cognitive deficits accompanied by neuronal damage and cholinergic disorders. Sesamol, a lignan component in sesame oil, has been proven to have neuroprotective effects. This research aimed to investigate the preventive effects of sesamol on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced cholinergic disorders in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were pretreated with sesamol (100 mg/kg/d, p.o.) for 30 days. Behavioral tests indicated that sesamol supplement prevented SCOP-induced cognitive deficits. Sesamol enhanced the expression of neurotrophic factors and postsynaptic density (PSD) in SCOP-treated mice, reversing neuronal damage and synaptic dysfunction. Importantly, sesamol could balance the cholinergic system by suppressing the AChE activity and increasing the ChAT activity and M1 mAChRexpression. Sesamol treatment also inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors and overactivation of microglia in SCOP-treated mice. Meanwhile, sesamol improved the antioxidant enzyme activity and suppressed oxidative stress in SCOP-treated mice and ameliorated the oxidized cellular status and mitochondrial dysfunction in SCOP-treated SH-SY5Y cells. In conclusion, these results indicated that sesamol attenuated SCOP-induced cognitive dysfunction via balancing the cholinergic system and reducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

ABSTRACTIn this situation, it is necessary to establish and manage a SIP (Shelter In Place) by utilizing existing facilities rather than increasing the number of evacuation facilities. These facilities can be used for their general purposes and used as a SIP during emergencies. This study uses BIM software to model a light rail station and examine the elements of the facility that can affect the evacuation time to reach SIP. The purpose is to understand how structural standards affect the design of SIP using direct simulation. The study compares how domestic standards differ from overseas standards and validate whether the national standards are satisfactory. Since the proposed procedure is based on rational human behavior analysis through direct simulation, it is expected to be a safer and faster mode of evacuation in case of CBRE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive attacks) situations if applied to existing infrastructure.

Quorum sensing (QS), a chemical communication process between bacteria, depends on the synthesis, secretion and detection of signal molecules. It can synchronize the gene expression of bacteria to promote cooperation within the population and improve competitiveness among populations. The preliminary exploration of bacterial QS has been completed under ideal and highly controllable conditions. There is an urgent need to investigate the QS of bacteria under natural conditions, especially the QS of intestinal flora, which is closely related to health. Excitingly, growing evidence has shown that QS also exists in the intestinal flora. The crosstalk of QS between gut microbiota and the host is systematically clarified in this review.

The plant aluminum (Al)-activated malate transporter ALMT1 mediates the efflux of malate to chelate the Al in acidic soils and underlies the plant Al resistance. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Arabidopsis thalianaALMT1 (AtALMT1) in the apo, malate-bound, and Al-bound states at neutral and/or acidic pH at up to 3.0 Å resolution. The AtALMT1 dimer assembles an anion channel and each subunit contains six transmembrane helices (TMs) and six cytosolic α-helices. Two pairs of Arg residues are located in the center of the channel pore and contribute to malate recognition. Al binds at the extracellular side of AtALMT1 and induces conformational changes of the TM1–2 loop and the TM5–6 loop, resulting in the opening of the extracellular gate. These structures, along with electrophysiological measurements, molecular dynamic simulations, and mutagenesis study in Arabidopsis, elucidate the structural basis for Al-activated malate transport by ALMT1.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a cardiopulmonary disease characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. One of the initial pathogenic factors of PH is pulmonary arterial remodeling under various stimuli. Current marketed drugs against PH mainly relieve symptoms without significant improvement in overall prognosis. Discovering and developing new therapeutic drugs that interfere with vascular remodeling is in urgent need. Puerarin is an isoflavone compound extracted from the root of Kudzu vine, which is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of puerarin in the treatment of experimental PH. PH was induced in rats by a single injection of MCT (50 mg/kg, sc), and in mice by exposure to hypoxia (10% O2) for 14 days. After MCT injection the rats were administered puerarin (10, 30, 100 mg · kg−1· d−1, i.g.) for 28 days, whereas hypoxia-treated mice were pre-administered puerarin (60 mg · kg−1· d−1, i.g.) for 7 days. We showed that puerarin administration exerted significant protective effects in both experimental PH rodent models, evidenced by significantly reduced right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and lung injury, improved pulmonary artery blood flow as well as pulmonary vasodilation and contraction function, inhibited inflammatory responses in lung tissues, improved resistance to apoptosis and abnormal proliferation in lung tissues, attenuated right ventricular injury and remodeling, and maintained normal function of the right ventricle. We revealed that MCT and hypoxia treatment significantly downregulated BMPR2/Smad signaling in the lung tissues and PPARγ/PI3K/Akt signaling in the lung tissues and right ventricles, which were restored by puerarin administration. In addition, we showed that a novel crystal type V (Puer-V) exerted better therapeutic effects than the crude form of puerarin (Puer). Furthermore, Puer-V was more efficient than bosentan (a positive control drug) in alleviating the abnormal structural changes and dysfunction of lung tissues and right ventricles. In conclusion, this study provides experimental evidence for developing Puer-V as a novel therapeutic drug to treat PH.

Computed tomography (CT) scanning technology is helpful in investigating rock materials as it can demonstrate the micro structure of rock clearly. Conventional triaxial compression tests and the corresponding graded triaxial loading tests were carried out to investigate the complex failure mechanism of the marble at the Jinping Hydropower Station. After that CT-scanning tests were done on the loaded marble specimens. The test results show that (1) the CT numbers of the specimens have a certain statistical regularity, that is, the CT numbers of the specimens under different confining pressures satisfy the Weibull distribution, as the confining pressure increases, the mean values rise while variances decrease; (2) in the two groups of tests, the average CT numbers corresponding to the conventional triaxial tests are higher than those corresponding to the graded loading tests, but the CT number variances are lower than those of the graded loading tests; and (3) according to meso-damage mechanics, the damage variables of the rock specimens were established based on the definition of CT numbers. The calculation results show that the damage variables decrease with the increase in confining pressure, the damage variables of the rock specimens in the graded loading tests are higher than those in the conventional triaxial test, and the differences between the two loading tests have grown with the increase in confining pressure.

The natural-product-based low-molecular-weight supramolecular hydrogels (LMWSHs) induced by heating are rarely reported. In this work, a simple salt of oleanolic acid (OA) and choline ([choline][OA]) was used as the natural product hydrogelator (NPHG) to form LMWSHs. Unlike common sol–gel transitions, the OA-based LMWSH displayed a unique property with which the system could undergo a phase transition from the sol state to the gel state upon heating. Moreover, the phase separation was observed in sol and gel states when the temperature was elevated with nonreversible transparent–turbid transitions. LMWSHs showed good stability and injectability and the potential to be a drug delivery vehicle for sustained release of drugs. In this regard, this work provided a facile approach to designing an OA-based NPHG for preparing heat-induced LMWSHs.

Breast cancer is by far the most common malignancy found in women and causes a significant public health problem around the world. Early diagnosis of cancer plays an important role in successful treatment and survival of patients. This study aims to investigate the possibility of plasma Tie2 to be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer. In total, 20 healthy volunteers and 33 breast cancer patients were considered for this study. The level of Tie2 in plasma was detected using the ELISA technique and immunohistochemistry was performed to measure the expression of Tie2 in normal and breast cancer tissues. Plasma concentrations of Tie2 were significantly higher among breast cancer patients compared to healthy subjects, and both mRNA and protein expression of Tie2 were higher in breast cancer tissue than in normal tissue. Plasma concentrations of Tie2 were positively correlated with the grade of breast cancer. Finally, in vitro knockdown of Tie2 expression in a breast adenocarcinoma cell line inhibited the proliferation of these cells. It is concluded from the results that Tie2 might be a useful plasma biomarker for the early detection of breast cancer and could be developed to be a target for novel drug discovery.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and body weight, body mass index (BMI), lipid profiles, and fat distribution in subjects with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and controls. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in 192 patients with PHPT and 202 controls. Serum concentrations of calcium, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), PTH, lipids profiles, and other hormones were quantified. Bone mineral density was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fat distribution evaluation utilizing quantitative computed tomography was conducted in another 66 patients with PHPT and 155 controls. Results: PHPT patients were older (P< 0.001) and had less body weight (P< 0.001), lower BMI (P= 0.019), lower serum concentrations of 25(OH)D (P< 0.001), total cholesterol (P= 0.036), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P= 0.036), and higher circulating concentration of free fatty acid (FFA) (P= 0.047) as compared with controls. After adjusting multiple confounders, PTH was positively correlated with weight (r= 0.311, P< 0.001), BMI (r= 0.268, P< 0.01), and visceral adipose tissue area (VAA) (r= 0.191, P< 0.05) in the first tertile of PTH. However, these associations were not observed in the second tertile. While in the third tertile, PTH was negatively correlated with weight (r= –0.200, P< 0.05), BMI (r= –0.223, P< 0.05) and marginally with VAA (r= –0.306, P= 0.065), it showed positive association with FFA (r= 0.230, P< 0.05). Conclusions: The inverted U-shape relationship between PTH and body weight, BMI, VAA found in this study is helpful to explain the conflicting results among these parameters, and extend our understanding of the metabolic effects of PTH.

In the present study, the solubility of limonin in eight organic solvents and a binary solvent system (ethyl acetate + 2-propanol) was determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis method within the temperature range from 283.2 to 323.2 K. The results showed that the solubility of limonin increased with temperature in the eight pure solvents and the binary solvent mixtures. In the binary solvent system ethyl acetate + 2-propanol, the solubility decreased with the initial mole fraction of ethyl acetate. The experimental solubility of limonin was well correlated with temperature by the simplified thermodynamic equation, modified Apelblat equation, λhequation, and NRTL equation. Furthermore, the solubility of limonin in the binary solvent mixtures was correlated with both temperature and initial solvent composition of the binary solvent mixtures by the Jouyban–Acree model, van’t Hoff–Jouyban–Acree model, modified Apelblat–Jouyban–Acree model, Ma model, Sun model, and NRTL model. Finally, the thermodynamic properties of the mixing process, including mixing Gibbs energy, mixing enthalpy, and mixing entropy, were also calculated.

Objective To identify the top 100 most impactful articles in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods Articles on NPC from 1970 to 2018 were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS). These articles were ranked in descending order based on the number of times they were cited, and all titles and abstracts were screened to identify the top 100 most-cited articles.Results The earliest and most recent articles were published in 1971 and 2016, respectively. The most prolific decade was the 2000s, with 51 articles published. The highest citation count reached 1223 and the lowest was 155. Thirty-four journals contributed to the 100 articles, with the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physicscontributing the most articles (n=16). Notable contribution origins were Hong Kong (n=34), the United States (n=26), and China (mainland, n=12). The top three contributors were Chan ATC, Lee AWM, and Lo KW who were from Hong Kong. The types of articles included basic research (n=50), clinical research (n=36), and reviews (n=14).Conclusions This study identified the top 100 most impactful articles in NPC and stressed the multidisciplinary and multimodal nature of NPC management. Understanding historical articles may guide future NPC study.

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely used in image classification and recognition due to their effectiveness; however, CNNs use a large volume of weight data that is difficult to store in on-chip memory of embedded designs. Pruning can compress the CNN model at a small accuracy loss; however, a pruned CNN model operates slower when implemented on a parallel architecture. In this paper, a hardware-oriented CNN compression strategy is proposed; a deep neural network (DNN) model is divided into “no-pruning layers ($NP$ -layers)” and “pruning layers ($P$ -layers)”. A $NP$ -layer has a regular weights distribution for parallel computing and high performance. A $P$ -layer is irregular due to pruning, but it generates a high compression ratio. Uniform and incremental quantization schemes are used to achieve a tradeoff between compression ratio and processing efficiency at a small loss in accuracy. A distributed convolutional architecture with several parallel finite impulse response (FIR) filters is further proposed for the regular model in the $NP$ -layers. A shift-accumulator based processing element with an activation-driven data flow (ADF) is proposed for the irregular sparse model in the $P$ -layers. Based on the proposed compression strategy and hardware architecture, a hardware/algorithm co-optimization (HACO) approach is proposed for implementing a $NP-P$ hybrid compressed CNN model on FPGAs. For a hardware accelerator on a single FPGA chip without the use of off-chip memory, a $27.5\times $ compression ratio is achieved with 0.44% top-5 accuracy loss for VGG-16. The implementation of the compressed VGG-16 model on a Xilinx VCU118 evaluation board processes 83.0 frames per second (FPS) for image applications, this is $1.8\times $ superior than the state-of-the-art design found in the technical literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to study the quasi-static axial compressive performance of newly developed steel foam-filled tubes (SFFTs). The energy absorption capability of steel foam-filled tubes was assessed. The results show that steel foam-filled tubes collapse in the axisymmetric-concertina deformation mode. The plateau stress of the plastic deformation of the steel foam-filled tubes decreases with the increase of porosity of steel foams, and is significantly higher than the sum of the identical steel foam and aluminum tube. The absorbed energy per unit volume of the steel foam-filled tubes is 8%~ 15% higher than the sum of those of identical aluminum tubes and steel foams with porosity ranging from 65% to 80%.

Sesamol, a lignan in sesame, possesses several bioactivities, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotective capability. In this study, the effects of sesamol on aging-caused cognitive defects are investigated. Twelve-month-old mice were treated with sesamol (0.1%, w/w) as dietary supplementation for 12 weeks. Behavioral tests revealed that sesamol improved aging-associated cognitive impairments. Sesamol decreased aging-induced oxidative stress via suppression of malondialdehyde production and increased antioxidant enzymes. Histological staining showed that sesamol treatment improved aging-induced neuronal damage and synaptic dysfunction in the hippocampus. Furthermore, sesamol significantly reduced aging-induced neuroinflammation by inhibiting the microglial overactivation and inflammatory cytokine expressions. Meanwhile, the accumulation of Aβ1–42was reduced by sesamol treatment. Moreover, sesamol protected the gut barrier integrity and reduced LPS release, which was highly associated with its beneficial effects on behavioral and inflammatory changes. In conclusion, our findings indicated that the use of sesamol is feasible in the treatment of aging-related diseases.

In the field of biomedicine, tissue bio-adhesives require the use of polymer materials with integrated functions to meet changing practical applications. However, the currently available tissue glues cannot balance mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Inspired by the conversion of lipoic acid from small molecular biological sources into high-performance supramolecular polymeric materials, thioctic acid (TA) was modified and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) was introduced. Successfully constructed a dry gel with antibacterial effect and promote infection for wound regeneration. The prepared modified lipoic acid is mixed with PEGDA, melted under mild heating and self-assembled, and then directly extruded on both sides of the wound. It quickly cures at 37 °C and firmly adheres to both sides of the wound. The material exhibits good processability and rapid self-healing ability due to the cross-linked structure of the internal disulfide bonds and thioether bonds. In addition, the characteristics of TA make the prepared xerogels have good tissue adhesion and good antibacterial properties. This work proposes an innovative material with mechanical strength and biocompatible tissue glue, which provides broad prospects for application in wound treatment.

Advancement of the novel strengthening method improvement including electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and structural performance is of utmost importance and essential in reinforced concrete structures. The purpose of this study is to present a state-of-the-art review of methods used in the effective strengthening of conductive concrete and conductive grid-strengthened RC structures. There have been novel experiments into the development of conductive concrete that can be used as both an effective external load and EMI shielding. While most of the literature focuses on developing conductive concrete that is used in casting RC structures, a few researchers have focused on developing RC structures strengthening resistance to external loads and EMI. Using this conductive concrete to strengthen RC structures is insufficient and would require additional conductive grids. This paper reviews such novel strengthening materials that have been developed to shield against external loads and EMI. Numerous research claim that using one type of conductive material to improve the SE of reinforced concrete structures is insufficient and additional conductive materials are necessary. Shielding effectiveness values exceed the standard requirement only when using fully fabricated fiber-reinforced concrete strengthened by the metallic grid. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the type of conductive materials used in the RC structures strengthening to achieve adequate SE as described standards.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG) electrode implantation are the most important and frequent manipulations in nonhuman primates (NHP) neuromodulation research. However, traditional methods tend to be arduous and inaccurate. Twelve adult male rhesus monkeys were selected for the study, with six subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS, six anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) DBS and six hippocampus‐SEEG (Hippo‐SEEG) electrodes implantation. Mean Euclidean errors of entrance and the target were calculated by postoperative image fusion, and the correlation between entrance and target error, as well as the differences among the various manipulations, were analyzed. The accuracy of target was further confirmed by gross anatomy examination. Moreover, the time consumption was recorded. The mean (±SD) Euclidean errors of the target point and entry point of the three manipulations were STN‐DBS: 1.05 ± 0.54 mm and 0.52 ± 0.17 mm; ANT‐DBS: 1.12 ± 0.74 mm and 0.58 ± 0.24 mm; and Hippo‐SEEG: 2.68 ± 1.03 mm and 1.47 ± 0.63 mm. Significant differences were observed in both target and entry point errors between the DBS and Hippo‐SEEG groups, with superior accuracy in the DBS group. The entrance errors had a significantly positive correlation with the target errors in the STN‐DBS and Hippo‐SEEG groups. Moreover, the time consumption in robotic surgery was much shorter than that in the traditional method, without any severe complications. The application of robot‐assisted lead implantation in NHP neuromodulation research is feasible, accurate, safe, and efficient, and can prospectively be beneficial to neurological studies.

Sesamol, an antioxidant lignan from sesame oil, possesses neuroprotective bioactivities. The present work was aimed to elucidate the systemic protective effects of sesamol on cognitive deficits and to determine the possible link between gut and brain. Wildtype and ApoE–/–mice were treated with a high-fat diet and sesamol (0.05%, w/v, in drinking water) for 10 weeks. Behavioral tests including Morris-water maze, Y-maze, and elevated plus maze tests indicated that sesamol could only improve cognitive deficits and anxiety behaviors in wildtype. Consistently, sesamol improved synapse ultrastructure and inhibited Aβ accumulation in an ApoE-dependent manner. Moreover, sesamol prevented dietary-induced gut barrier damages and systemic inflammation. Sesamol also reshaped gut microbiome and improved the generation of microbial metabolites short-chain fatty acids. To summarize, this study revealed that the possible mechanism of neuroprotective effects of sesamol might be ApoE-dependent, and its beneficial effects on gut microbiota/metabolites could be translated into neurodegenerative diseases treatment.

The sodium-activated Slo2.2 channel is abundantly expressed in the brain, playing a critical role in regulating neuronal excitability. The Na+-binding site and the underlying mechanisms of Na+-dependent activation remain unclear. Here, we present cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human Slo2.2 in closed, open, and inhibitor-bound form at resolutions of 2.6–3.2 Å, revealing gating mechanisms of Slo2.2 regulation by cations and a potent inhibitor. The cytoplasmic gating ring domain of the closed Slo2.2 harbors multiple K+and Zn2+sites, which stabilize the channel in the closed conformation. The open Slo2.2 structure reveals at least two Na+-sensitive sites where Na+binding induces expansion and rotation of the gating ring that opens the inner gate. Furthermore, a potent inhibitor wedges into a pocket formed by pore helix and S6 helix and blocks the pore. Together, our results provide a comprehensive structural framework for the investigation of Slo2.2 channel gating, Na+sensation, and inhibition.

Nonlinear behaviors are investigated for a vibration-based energy harvester. The harvester consists of a circular composite plate with the clamped boundary, a proof mass and two steel rings. The lumped parameter model of the harvester is established and the parameters are identified from the experiment. The measured nonlinear behaviors can be approximately described by the lumped model. Both the experimental and the numerical results demonstrate that the circular plate harvester has soft characteristics under low excitation and both hard characteristics and soft characteristics under high excitation. The experimental results show that the output voltage can achieve over 35 V (about 50 mW) and more than 14 Hz of bandwidth with 25 kΩ load resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-powered sensors that can continuously and accurately detect physiological signals without an external power source are the key technology to realize wearable electronic devices as the next generation of sensors. However, the manufacturing of self-supporting electronic systems based on versatile materials is still facing significant challenges. Herein, we introduce a new one-body strategy, zinc ion battery (ZIB) is the technology of flexible sensor energy supply, the technology uses a rechargeable solid-state zinc ion battery with multiple charging modes as the energy supply unit (405.07 mAh g−1), and the electrode material is used as the sensitive layer of the flexible pressure sensor, which greatly improves the sensitivity (S=5.64 *105kPa−1) of the pressure sensor through layer assembly technology. This pressure sensor possesses good flexibility, fast response/recovery time (60.0/80.0 ms), stable long-term response, excellent cycle stability (8000 times) and wide pressure detection (50 Pa-70,000 Pa). We believe that the design of the self-powered sensor integration system will open up a new and versatile platform for the next generation of autonomous power electronics in smart home applications.

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Aim:The current therapeutic approaches have a limited effect on the dysregulated pulmonary vascular remodeling, which is characteristic of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In this study we examined whether salvianolic acid A (SAA) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine 'Dan Shen' attenuated vascular remodeling in a PAH rat model, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.Methods:PAH was induced in rats by injecting a single dose of monocrotaline (MCT 60 mg/kg, sc). The rats were orally treated with either SAA (0.3, 1, 3 mg·kg−1·d−1) or a positive control bosentan (30 mg·kg−1·d−1) for 4 weeks. Echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements were performed on d 28. Then the hearts and lungs were harvested, the organ indices and pulmonary artery wall thickness were calculated, and biochemical and histochemical analysis were conducted. The levels of apoptotic and signaling proteins in the lungs were measured using immunoblotting.Results:Treatment with SAA or bosentan effectively ameliorated MCT-induced pulmonary artery remodeling, pulmonary hemodynamic abnormalities and the subsequent increases of right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP). Furthermore, the treatments significantly attenuated MCT-induced hypertrophic damage of myocardium, parenchymal injury and collagen deposition in the lungs. Moreover, the treatments attenuated MCT-induced apoptosis and fibrosis in the lungs. The treatments partially restored MCT-induced reductions of bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPRII) and phosphorylated Smad1/5 in the lungs.Conclusion:SAA ameliorates the pulmonary arterial remodeling in MCT-induced PAH rats most likely via activating the BMPRII-Smad pathway and inhibiting apoptosis. Thus, SAA may have therapeutic potential for the patients at high risk of PAH.

Aim:DL0805-2 [N-(1H-indazol-5-yl)-1-(4-methylbenzyl) pyrrolidine-3-carboxamide] is a DL0805 derivative with more potent vasorelaxant activity and lower toxicity. This study was conducted to investigate the vasorelaxant mechanisms of DL0805-2 on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced contractions of rat thoracic aortic rings in vitro.Methods:Rat thoracic aortic rings and rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were pretreated with DL0805-2, and then stimulated with Ang II. The tension of the aortic rings was measured through an isometric force transducer. Ang II-induced protein phosphorylation, ROS production and F-actin formation were assessed with Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays. Intracellular free Ca2+concentrations were detected with Fluo-3 AM.Results:Pretreatment with DL0805-2 (1–100 μmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited the constrictions of the aortic rings induced by a single dose of Ang II (10−7mol/L) or accumulative addition of Ang II (10−10–10−7mol/L). The vasodilatory effect of DL0805-2 was independent of endothelium. In the aortic rings, pretreatment with DL0805-2 (1, 3, and 10 μmol/L) suppressed Ang II-induced Ca2+influx and intracellular Ca2+mobilization, and Ang II-induced phosphorylation of two substrates of Rho kinase (MLC and MYPT1). In VSMCs, pretreatment with DL0805-2 (1, 3, and 10 μmol/L) also suppressed Ang II-induced Ca2+fluxes and phosphorylation of MLC and MYPT1. In addition, pretreatment with DL0805-2 attenuated ROS production and F-actin formation in the cells.Conclusion:DL0805-2 exerts a vasodilatory action in rat aortic rings through inhibiting the Rho/ROCK pathway and calcium fluxes.

In modern society, an ever-increasing emphasis is placed on structural safety design that not only considers external loading but extends to reduced electromagnetic interference. Generally, studies only consider shielding effectiveness of strengthening method or materials, and few studies have considered the relationship between damaged areas and shielding effectiveness. Therefore, the influence of metallic grid parameters and fiber reinforced concrete (HSDC) on shielding effectiveness with and without impact loading are studied in this research. Concrete wall strengthening with four types of metallic grid and three thickness types of HSDC were considered. Moreover, the relationship between damaged area ratio and shielding effectiveness was evaluated utilizing the low-velocity drop-weight impact test. In specimens with metallic grid or HSDC, shielding effectiveness with strengthening layer (13.4–64.1%) or thickness (35.6–46.2%) increase and grid size (> 7.8%) decreased. Specimen strengthened by smaller than 55.1% and 101% of the free space area ratio of single and double layer, respectively, exhibit more than 40 dB shielding effectiveness. For the specimen strengthened with HSDC, shielding effectiveness increased with strengthening area, except smaller than 6%. The smallest metallic grid and the thickest HSDC strengthening specimen exhibited improved impact resistance and great shielding effectiveness after impact loading.

Nanodiamond has displayed some unique physical and chemical properties compared to bulk diamond, which broadens its applications in various areas. However, a more detailed picture of nanodiamond quantum confinements is still missing from a theoretical point of view. This investigation presents a study where the effects of one-dimension (i.e., diamond thin films) and three-dimension (i.e., nanodiamond particles) confinement on surface reactivity, and properties, have been calculated using density functional theory (DFT) and tight binding density functional theory (DFTB) methods. Surface specific parameters like (i) surface C–H bond length, (ii) atomic charges, (iii) H adsorption energy, (iv) highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), (v) band gap, and (vi) Fukui functions were thereby carefully calculated and compared. For both the one-dimensional diamond thin films of different surface planes, quantum confinements have strong influences on these factors from thickness of 0.2 to ∼1 nm, while for thin films thicker than 1 nm, the values stabilize around a plateau value. For three-dimensional situations, these factors were found to change within a range of nanodiamond diameter of 0.4 to ∼2 nm, followed by oscillations around specific values as well. These results reveal that nanoscale diamond quantum confinements exist for a nanodiamond particle of a diameter smaller than 2 nm, but not for larger particle sizes. It must here be stressed that all surface specific parameters did independently show the existence of the here presented size ranges for quantum confinement.

Consumer reviews have been considered as a golden mine which can be used to analysis consumers preferences, attitudes and opinions about products or services or online stores. How to exploit this mine effectively has attracted researchers attention. In this paper, a new classification method based on fuzzy cognitive maps is proposal. The experience results showed the approach is more effective way of classifying Chinese reviews based on calculating the precision rate and the recall rate.

The article briefly introduced the necessity and feasibility of the new technologies of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system integration, and detailed the working principle and workflow of Electronic Toll Collection and the problem of the existing ETC system integration technology. The article focuses on analyzing the ETC software and hardware integration technology based on cloud computing, and makes reasonable suggestions for the ETC system integration.

This paper researches the intelligent lighting plan for typical applications based on the environmental conditions and introduces an intelligent lighting control system applying to the highway. The system has various functions, such as ambient light sensor, adaptive control and remote control, and supports the feedback regulation of fixed illumination, operating lights after car light tests and other work modes. The system adopts visual response smoothing techniques to eliminate the visual discomfort brought by the sudden brightness changes, which improves the drivers visibility at night or under adverse weather.

Waterbased phenolic resin/silica hybrid material was prepared by situ polymerization using TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate) as precursor. Effects of pre-hydrolysis condition of TEOS and TEOS content on the formation and stabilization of the hybrid material were studied. The flammability of the prepared composite material was studied by TGA (Thermo gravimetric analysis), LOI (limited oxygen index) and UL-94 test. The results show that stable waterbased hybrid material can be prepared when the amount of ammonia is 0.020g. TGA, LIO and UL-94 test result show that the hybrid material presents better flame retardancy.

Greedy algorithms represented by orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) and subspace pursuit (SP) algorithms are practically used in image processing based upon compressed sensing theory. However, there are two disadvantages: 1)Relatively poor signal reconstruction accuracy; 2) High computation complexity and measurements time. This paper proposes a frame of greedy algorithms obtaining a novel fusion of matching pursuit (FMP), combining the OMP and SP algorithms. FMP unites the two support sets from OMP and SP selecting the most appropriate atoms to achieve secondary screening of the original two support sets, finally realizing the accurate signal reconstruction. Using same test conditions, image reconstruction experiments and stability of Frame, the proposed FMP algorithm can effectively improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with improved reconstruction error. Reconstruction effects using proposed FMP are better than separately using other two greedy algorithms for both high and low resolution images.

Nowadays, customer reviews or comments have become a golden mine for B2C companies. How to exploit these reviews more effectively has attracted researchers attention. This paper proposal a new approach of utilizing the reviews, which integrates the reviews unstructured information based on fuzzy cognitive maps and nonlinear Habbian learning. The approach aims to provide an effective way of generating a comprehensive evaluation of an online store.

In this paper, a continuous bioprocess model with single species for an inhibitory growth-limiting nutrient is considered, where the dilution rate is time varying and controlled by a critical cell concentration in the bioreactor. It is shown that the model has rich dynamics. A coexistence equilibrium and the washout equilibrium can be asymptotically stable simultaneously so that coexistence may depend on initial conditions.

According to the economic and biological aspects of renewable resources management, a mathematical model of a predator-prey system in the biochemical reaction process, which contains with two microorganisms and one substrate, is introduced and analyzed. It is shown that under the control strategy, there exists a semi-trivial periodic solution, which is orbitally asymptotically stable by the construction of the Poincare map.

Developing effective black start plans is significant to the rapid restoration from the power system blackout. This paper makes theoretical research in some key concerns of self-excitation, over-voltage, the impact of starting loads on the voltage and frequency, and stability of the initial small system. The paper also presents countermeasures against these problems. This overview should be very useful to utility operators involved in the development of black start plans.